The joyful days on Anka Island lasted for two full days. At last, the Enlightenment set sail once again.
Nami, Nojiko, Vivi, Robin, and the others stood on the deck, gazing longingly at the shrinking outline of Anka Island.
The island's scenery was beautiful, and its people were all kind—almost excessively so. They spoke politely, were considerate, and would solve any problem you raised within half an hour.
Naturally, everyone loved it here.
But unlike the women's rose-tinted view, Zoro knew better. He understood that this peace came only because those people had already been defeated. That was why he stayed vigilant the entire time.
Only when the Enlightenment finally drifted away from the shore did he quietly exhale a sigh of relief.
At that moment, Urouge dutifully began another round of explanations—this time, about sky pirates.
"Sky pirates are bands of criminals composed of Skypieans. They're far more accustomed to this environment than you Blue Sea dwellers.
You'll find your strength hindered by the thin air up here, but they won't suffer that problem.
In fact, they're even more troublesome opponents."
"We already fought and beat those retired sky pirates on Anka Island, didn't we?" Zoro frowned. "Is there really any need to go over this again?"
Urouge shook his head seriously.
"It's not the same. The people on Anka Island were all retired sky pirates. Their fighting strength is incomplete.
You see, for their post-retirement lives, they sold off their most important gear."
He folded his hands and looked stern.
"The fighting style and strength of active sky pirates are completely different from yours, Blue Sea people. Underestimating them would be a fatal mistake."
As he spoke, he turned his gaze toward Ren—half questioning, half currying favor.
Ren made a welcoming gesture. "Go ahead."
"Aerial combat," Urouge began, "that's how sky pirates fight. They rely on skyboards or skates powered by Wind Shells.
These devices continuously release high-pressure air currents, allowing them to battle anywhere in the sky or conceal themselves within the sea of clouds before striking out."
Being a native of Sky Island, Urouge naturally knew the details of their fighting style.
Through his explanation, everyone gained a rough understanding of how sky pirates fought—rapid, three-dimensional mobility, combining martial arts with cold weapons forged from Iron Clouds,or long-range attacks using equipment crafted from various specialized Dials.
And if, during a voyage, they encountered a stranger from the sky who raised a thumb from afar—don't wave back.
That wasn't a greeting.
It was them measuring range and adjusting firepower, planning to blast you into the clouds.
Among their known weapons were combinations such as Flame Shell + Wind Shell, forming a Fire Rifle—the Flame Shell provided heat, the Wind Shell amplified it, producing a beam-like jet of flame capable of melting through a ship.
Or overloaded Flame Shells used as bombs—powerful enough to sink a two-masted vessel.
They also employed tactical gear like the Flash Shell, which created a blinding burst of light or interference during combat.
Some wielded weapons crafted from Heat Shells, scorching their enemies in an instant.
In short—Sky Island battles were nothing like what Ren and his crew were used to.
"Impressive," Zoro said sincerely.
Ren tilted his head. "Feeling nervous?"
Zoro shook his head, his lips curling. "No—just fired up. I'd love to face warriors who fight in such a unique way."
"I think, after my lecture, the average sky pirate will barely get the upper hand at the start. "Urouge grinned broadly, clearly trying to earn some credit.
"Then we'll look forward to testing that theory," Ren said lightly.
Little did anyone expect that test to arrive far sooner than anyone imagined.
In the cloud sea,a massive Waver glided across the misty surface—unlike a single-rider motor waver, this one looked like a small house.
It was powered by two high-grade Jet Shells and a cluster of Wind Shells, loaded with crates of supplies and food.
Over twenty Skypieans stood aboard, holding shields and wearing belts full of strange weapons. A few long, cloth-wrapped black objects rested on the deck.
They were stationed across the waver, standing guard—for the sea of clouds was far from safe.
Sky pirates ruled these skies, but the native inhabitants didn't always accept that rule.
A dull thud-thud-thud echoed from inside the cabin,followed by muffled groans.
Several pirates turned toward the lone wooden chair on deck, where a man named Andre sat frowning. He rose, kicked open the cabin door, and shouted:
"Old man, one more sound and I'll kill you!"
Inside was an eccentric old man dressed like a magician, a rag stuffed in his mouth, glaring daggers at him.
"Mmmph! Mmm! Mmmph-mmm!"
"Enough." Andre scowled. "If you don't want to talk, fine. We've already found other targets. Someone will lead us to Weatheria eventually."
"Mmmph! Mmm!"
"I know what you want to say," Andre sneered.
"But it's useless. This is a joint operation between more than ten sky pirate crews—Zephyr Wind, Rainbow Light, Cloud Mist—the big ones are all here.
You weather scientists were foolish enough to come help a collapsing cloud island's residents out of kindness.
Do you realize how hard it is to find an island dissolving from atmospheric instability?
If Zephyr Wind hadn't stumbled upon Pace Island, we'd never have lured you out.
We've been preparing for half a year. You came with seven people—none of you will escape."
He yanked the rag from the old man's mouth and pressed the flat of an Iron Cloud blade to his throat.
"See? Those fools who warned you only bought you a few days. Now you're still in our hands. Even your weather ship's been seized by the Rainbow Light Pirates. So, Haredas, talk. I might even let you live."
Haredas spat twice, glaring with fury.
"Those islanders—were they real inhabitants, or your plants?"
"Of course they were real," Andre said coldly. "Otherwise, how could someone tip you off?
You see, that's human nature. Between your so-called fifty-percent chance of saving them, or the uncertain odds of other solutions—they preferred the promise of a new island. That's what we offered them."
Haredas face fell, his spirit dimming.
"So… what's your goal?"
"You really don't get it?" Andre smirked. "You've seen our numbers—three major pirate crews plus a dozen small ones. That's over a thousand men. You also saw the new Divine Punishment Type-1 cannon, didn't you? Forged from rare metals, using Flame Shells, Jet Shells, and Heat Shells. One blast can pierce a war-class waver.
That beam that destroyed Aiken's weather ship on Pace Island? That was Divine Punishment Type-1."
He crouched slightly, voice low and dangerous.
"Do you know how valuable Vearth is here in the sky? For a chunk the size of a man, dozens will die fighting over it.
The larger the Vearth, the more dangerous it is to obtain—because it's priceless.
Only a handful of islands ruled by 'gods' control the soil needed for agriculture.
The only wasteful one is that new god on Angel Island.
We can't steal from a god who destroyed an island… but we can rob you."
He grinned, eyes gleaming.
"Money means nothing. With enough Vearth, we can dominate the entire Sky Island economy."
"Where will you even find that much Vearth?" Haredas muttered hoarsely.
Andre smirked.
"You already know the answer—
the Blue Sea!
Beneath the White Sea lies an endless world of Vearth!
It's impossible to establish trade through Heaven's Gate—too dangerous, too costly. Decades of attempts have failed.
But your island, Weatheria—able to freely ascend and descend between sea and sky, built on slabs of Vearth itself—that's what we want."
Haredas eyes blazed.
"Weatheria isn't for profit! It's a holy land of science!"
"That's your view," Andre chuckled. "We're sky pirates. We see opportunity."
"I'll never tell you anything!"
"Fine. We've hired a Blue Sea pirate who enjoys torture. After he's done, we'll see how tough you really are."
Andre left the room, satisfied. He didn't need the old man's words—he already had what he wanted: a few strands of Haleda's beard and hair, enough for their mysterious Blue Sea ritualists to use.
Everything was set in motion—lure, capture, torture, interrogation, assault.
That was the plan.
Or at least, the part a small fry like him was allowed to know.
As he stepped back onto deck, about to sit again, one of his men suddenly shouted:
"Boss! Ship sighted—Blue Sea vessel ahead!"
Through the drifting mist, a large silver-gray three-masted ship appeared, sailing parallel below them.
Andre squinted. On its second deck… were those Vearth plantations?
"It's Vearth!" a pirate gasped. "That ship's loaded with it!"
The men began pointing and murmuring excitedly. One of them already set up the Divine Punishment Type-1, raising his thumb to measure range.
"Fire?" someone asked eagerly.
Andre's face shifted between greed and hesitation. Normally, he would've attacked without question—but with Haleda captured, he didn't dare risk the mission.
While he hesitated, Ren stood on the Enlightenment's deck below, looking up at the raised thumb and cold cannon muzzle.
Urouge's words echoed in his head:
"When someone gives you a thumbs-up, it might not be praise—it's them taking aim."
So these guys wanted trouble already, huh?
Let's see about that.
Ren planted the Thunder Spear into the deck. His crimson eyes turned a glowing emerald.
Clairvoyance!
A pillar of green light flashed from the heavens, sweeping across the waver in an instant.
Twenty-seven men on deck—fitting the look of sky pirates. And inside the cabin—one more.
Hmm? Why did that aura feel both familiar and strange?
He looked closer—then his pupils contracted.
Nami's original weather teacher?!
Ren's expression hardened. Thought became action in an instant.
Meanwhile, Andre's calm voice rang out: "Forget it. Don't take risks. It's just some Vearth—we'll earn more after the mission."
"'Just' a few tons?" one pirate muttered, eyes burning with greed.
Andre opened his mouth to reprimand them—then realized every one of them wore the same feverish look.
And in truth, Vearth that abundant was worth a fortune.
Before he could decide, the lookout screamed:
"They're charging! The Blue Sea people are coming right at us!"
"What?!" Andre whipped around.
There, racing across the clouds with blades drawn—was a green-haired swordsman!
"Bastards! We didn't even attack yet—they did! Kill him!"
Boom!
Black shells roared from handheld cannons, a dozen at once.
At the same time, the gunner of Divine Punishment Type-1 completed his aim.
"I've wanted to test this!
The old flame cannons needed time to vent gas with Wind Shells before ignition—only about 1700 °C flames.
But this—this uses Blue Sea metal dust! It fires instantly—2700 °C of pure white fire!
Taste it, Blue Sea worms! The sword of Divine Punishment!"
He pressed the trigger.
A blinding white light burst forth,a pillar of flame so intense it could melt an island of clouds.
Zoro sprinted across the cloud sea, his Frost Walker-enchanted boots freezing vapor into solid ice steps.
The blazing beam screamed overhead, targeting the Enlightenment.
He didn't even glance up—just drew his blades and slashed through the rain of shells.
Two-Sword Style: Bull Needle!
Blade-light pierced the exploding barrage, and he surged onward toward the waver.
Simultaneously, the white beam swept toward the Enlightenment, ready to cleave it in two.
"Not a standard flame cannon," Ren realized instantly. "Its temperature and output are higher—it's far stronger than anything the Shandians used."
He pulled the Thunder Spear, lightning gathering in his grip before he thrust forward—
Boom!
A roaring thunder-pillar shot forth, colliding head-on with the blazing beam.
White flame and blue lightning wrestled violently, the shockwave shaking the Enlightenment like a child's toy. Tiny cracks spidered across the deck.
Even the aftershock was enough to damage the hull.
Ren frowned, flames flaring around him.
With a twist of his wrist, the lightning spear split into multiple branches, diverting the flame beam's circulation.
The white column fractured—and as it began to explode, the fire wave surged toward the ship.
Ren reversed his grip, raised the Cursed Blade: Thousand Edge, and swept it through the inferno.
Thousands of fragmented blades fused with the fire, forming a crimson arc that sliced across hundreds of meters—and cleanly through the waver.
Bang!
The gunner's head vanished; his charred body crumpled lifelessly to the deck.
"Tough bastard!" another pirate shouted, rushing to grab the cannon.
But a faint hiss of shifting sand sounded above.
Vivi emerged from the wind, her arm sweeping gracefully.
A ribbon of sand lashed out—instantly draining the moisture from the pirate it struck, leaving behind a shriveled husk.
"Enemy's on board!" someone screamed, firing a portable launcher.
Flame and Heat Shells flared together, a column of fire piercing the swirling sand—but Vivi re-formed from the grains, striking again, faster this time.
Several more corpses hit the deck.
Andre spun, drawing his Iron Cloud Blade. The orb beneath the hilt contracted—its blade extending.
Before he could attack, a white firestorm burst through the hull.
Another one?!
He turned, cursing, forming a shield of condensed Iron Cloud—just as the 2700º-degree blast detonated across the deck.
Pirates were flung screaming into the sea of clouds.
Through the smoke strode a figure wreathed in flame—the Queen of Fire herself, armored in molten light.
With a single gesture, she unleashed a flash of incinerating heat.
Andre's molten shield shattered; his body was hurled through the ship's side into the mist below.
Nojiko advanced, fire gathering beneath her feet, propelling her forward.
Nearby, Zoro slashed down another pirate, ducking beneath a fire beam erupting from the clouds.
He muttered under his breath, "Please don't strike me…"
(End of Chapter)