Summary:
The chapter opens with Zoro preparing to cut a giant beanstalk with Giant Jack, Usopp, Gan Fall, Wyper, Aisa and Robin plus an unconscious Chopper all watching and commenting that Zoro is the only one who can cut it. Meanwhile, Enel, atop the Golden Bell, discusses his plans to destroy Skypie with Raig before conquering the world beneath Sky Island, while lightning rains down below. Avoiding them, Zoro manages to cut a wedge from the beanstalk before succumbing to a direct lightning strike and collapsing through a sheet of clouds into the ruins of Shandora. Usopp swears and states that at least Zoro managed to cut the plant, before Robin points out that despite Zoro’s efforts, the stem is still standing.
Elsewhere, after a brief display of the statue of Kalgara in the village of Shandia, Nola lies unconscious after the events of the trials. She dreams of accompanying Kalgara and Seto to ring the Golden Bell as a small snake before the two disappear, ignoring her cries; when he wakes up and becomes agitated, he bangs his head against the beanstalk, causing massive vibrations in the cloud layer. The survivors of the trials are surprised by the vibrations, not knowing they were caused by Nola, with Usopp referring to it as a “cloudquake”. Again, despite the giant snake’s efforts, the beanstalk only tilts slightly before stopping. Robin suggests that more impact is needed.
At this point, Conis is on Merry, lamenting that there is no hope now, and that if she had told the Straw Hat Pirates the truth about God, she wouldn’t have dragged them into ‘this mess’. Shandia and the Skypieans are also stationed in the sea of clouds, waiting for the conflict to begin, with the captain of the Skypieans declaring, “Men… can never triumph over nature”.
Returning to the survivors of the trials, Wyper becomes angry with Luffy for wanting to ring the Golden Bell, stating that only a descendant of Kalgara can accomplish this task. Aisa tries to dissuade him, but is ignored. Usopp tells Robin to ignore the Wyper as he is “half dead” and assures the group that he can use his powers to bring down the beanstalk. When Wyper tells Usopp to stop, Robin intervenes and tells him a story about an explorer who said he found the Golden City but was later called a liar. He then mentions the descendant who risked his life trying to find the city and explains that Luffy is trying to imply that the Golden City actually exists. Lightning suddenly strikes the trees behind the group in dramatic fashion before Wyper asks the name of this scion. Robin replies, “Mont Blanc Cricket”; Wyper immediately recognizes the last name and asks if the original explorer was Mont Blanc Noland, while crying. Robin says ‘Yes’, which makes him wonder if it was Calgary’s will; he then shoves Usopp aside, who had been trying to slingshot the beanstalk up until now, before lunging at the plant, using his Reject Dial and blasting a hole right through it.
The rest of the group is shocked by the impact, with Gan Fall criticizing the use of the tool again by Wyper, who collapses to the floor badly injured, willing the plant to break. Finally, after the third attempt to cut it down, the beanstalk starts to topple over.
Following the beanstalk, Nami notices the stalk tilting and then turned Wavera’s Jet Dial to the highest level, doubting whether or not she can control it. However, Luffy, also on Waveru, encourages Nami, telling her “I believe you!” After that, the duo starts powering the side of the plant towards Enel. Shandia and the Skypieans then saw a beanstalk falling from the sea of clouds as well.
The chapter ends with the survivors of the trials cheering Luffy and Nami on, before Enel notices them commenting on their eagerness to die and directs lightning directly at them and the island below.