Chapter 84: Aftermath in Mock TownAs the warm lights of the resort room were switched on and Mark pushed the door open, Sanjiwas leaning against the bar, polishing a glass—the ice cubes clinking crisply inside."How did it go? Did you return the item?" he asked, looking up."Yup, and I even threw in a full-body massage. The client was super satisfied!"No sooner had Mark finished speaking than he flopped onto the sofa with a thud, grabbed the iced fruit juice from the table, and took a huge gulp."A full-body massage! I want one too, I want one too!"Luffy slammed onto the pure white carpet with a 'thwack,' rolling around with his limbs in the air, his Straw Hat skewed to the back of his head, hanging limply."I want a massage too!"Chopper and Usopp also pounced onto the floor, and the three figures rolled into a tangled heap.In the end, they just started flailing their arms and legs, performing a wobbly 'kick dance'—the massage they had been shouting about just moments ago was completely forgotten."Still not a single clue regarding information about Sky Island."Nami propped her elbows on the edge of the table, resting her chin in her palms, her voice lacking any energy."I found out!"Mark still had juice in his mouth, his words muffled, yet they struck the noisy room like a bolt of lightning.The noise froze instantly—Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp stopped moving abruptly, six eyes fixed squarely on Mark."Listen up, everyone. Sky Island might actually exist!"Mark sat up straight and set his juice glass on the table. The bottom of the glass clinked crisply against the tabletop, as if hammering home this major news."Really? That's great!"Luffy sprang up with a 'whoosh,' his rubber arm wrapping around in front of Mark, his eyes shining like they were studded with stars. "Tell me, tell me!"Mark reached out to push away his leaning face: "You know I absorbed the rainbow mist, right? Actually, the rainbow mist is similar to clouds; it can build pathways that allow people to walk!""I see," Robin said, her fingertips gently tapping her chin, the corners of her eyes curving into a faint arc. "That means as long as there are special clouds, people can walk on them, right?""Not just that. You guys mentioned seeing the shadow of a giant creature before, right?"Mark took out the flashlight from his pocket and clicked it on against the wall, a warm yellow beam of light flickering across the surface.The beam was like a miniature searchlight, instantly capturing everyone's attention."And then? And then?" Usopp craned his neck, leaning in closer.Mark took out a paper cutout of a little person and blocked the flashlight—a huge shadow was instantly cast on the wall, covering almost the entire surface."Th-this, could it be! What we saw was a shadow?"Chopper stood up with a 'whoosh,' his eyes wide. He gripped the edge of the sofa tightly, both terrified and full of curiosity."If that shadow, which was tens of times larger than the Giant Race, was a projection..."Nami clenched her fists tightly, her eyes filled with surprise and joy. "That means there are special clouds in the nearby sea, and there are people on them!""The problem is, we still don't have a way to get to the island."Zoro leaned in the corner with his arms crossed, his blade-like gaze sweeping over, striking the heart of the matter and pointing out the most crucial practical dilemma."That's right..." Nami's eyes, which had just brightened, dimmed again, and she slumped back onto her stool. "Mark only confirmed the possibility; the problem hasn't been solved at all.""Hehe—" Mark suddenly put his hands on his hips and held his head high. "I've thought of a way to get to the island.""Alright, alright, you're the best, stop keeping us in suspense!"Nami reached out and poked his forehead, her tone full of urgency."The first method: everyone enters the Rainbow Space, and I ride Ink Meteor to fly up slowly. It's safe and secure, with a one hundred percent success rate."Mark paused, deliberately dragging out the sound. "The downside is—you close your eyes, open them, and you're already at Sky Island. You won't see anything.""I choose this one!"Usopp raised both hands with a 'whoosh,' and Chopper nodded along, his little body swaying gently.This plan sounded reassuring and was perfectly suited for their cowardly selves.Luffy didn't say anything, just blinked and stared intently at Mark—it was obvious he was waiting for the next answer.Mark understood his look and grinned: "The second method: it's extremely dangerous, the success rate is low, and if you're not careful, you'll lose your life—but the experience is top-tier!""Decided, I choose the second one!" Luffy slapped his hat down with a 'thwack,' grinning to reveal his big white teeth, his eyes flashing with the light of adventure. For him, the unknown and the excitement were the greatest rewards themselves."Why be a pirate if you're afraid of death." Zororaised an eyebrow, casting his vote in favor. His tone was flat, yet it spoke to the very essence of being a pirate."Since the Captain has decided, I have no objections." Robin covered her mouth and chuckled softly, her gaze gentle."As long as I can stay by Miss Nami and Miss Robin's side, I can protect you even if we go to heaven or hell!" Sanji instantly sprouted heart bubbles, his fork spinning rapidly in his hand."I knew it..." Nami sighed helplessly, holding her forehead. "How exactly do we execute this?" Although she was worried, seeing the determination of her companions, she also began to think about the specific plan.Mark spread out a yellowed map and pressed his fingertip heavily on a spot: "We are currently in Mock Town. We sail around to here—there's a type of Southbird here, whose beak always points south."He pointed to the side again, "There's an underwater current here that erupts five times a month." His finger traced across the map, outlining a crazy and bold route."D-don't tell me you mean to..." Usopp's voice trembled; he hugged Chopper and shrank into the corner, swallowing his words—that method was truly insanely ridiculous."We sail to the other side of the island—directly south of the island is the underwater current eruption zone, and we let it blast the ship and us up together?"A drop of cold sweat slid down Zoro's temple, his tone full of disbelief. Even he felt this plan was overly bold."How interesting! Let's go now!" Luffy clenched his fists and jumped up, eager to take the ship out to sea immediately. He couldn't wait to start this unprecedented adventure."Hey! Luffy! This adventure is more dangerous than any before... do you really want to choose this?" Usopp's face turned pale, but he couldn't help muttering, "Though... being able to write it into an adventure story and tell it for three days and three nights sounds pretty good too.""Nami, how much longer until the island's magnetic force is fully charged?" Mark turned to ask her."About three more days." Nami stared at the log pose in her hand and replied seriously. The needle rotated slowly, recording the island's magnetism."Then that leaves us with only one day; we leave tonight!" Mark gathered the map, his eyes shining with determination. Time was tight, and they had to act immediately.At the Mock Town port, a crude, massive wooden raft lay quietly on the sea surface.There were no lights on the raft, only the faint glimmer of the moon leaking through the clouds, barely outlining several gloomy faces.Burgess lay on the cold wood like a pile of mush, his chest heaving violently, every breath wrapped in broken groans.His arms, which were perpetually knotted with muscle, were wrapped in thick linen bandages, with dark red bloodstains having already soaked through several layers.His left brow bone was swollen high, purple-black bruises covered the corners of his eyes, and his eyes were tightly shut—in this miserable state, where was there any trace of the 'Wrestling Champion's' majesty?"Burgess still hasn't woken up?" Blackbeard sat by the mast of the raft, his fingers rubbing the edge of his wine glass, his voice low.He didn't look up, but his gaze was like a solid hook, locked tightly onto Burgess. The air was filled with suppression and a hint of imperceptible anger.Van Auger held a silver wine pot, carefully refilling Blackbeard's wine glass.As the sniper of the Blackbeard Pirates, he had seen many bloody scenes, but he had never seen Burgessinjured this badly before."Boss, I just checked. He has three broken ribs. Doc Q just finished the surgery, and the anesthesia hasn't worn off yet."He paused, his eyes sweeping over Burgess's injuries. "They were ruthless, aiming specifically for the vitals—it's clear they wanted to kill him."Blackbeard finally looked up, a cold light flashing in his murky pupils. He reached out and picked up his wine glass, not drinking, just swirling it in his hand.The liquid swirled in the glass, reflecting his unpredictable expression."Boss, do you think it could be that Straw Hat crew you mentioned?" Van Auger asked again, his sniper rifle resting on his shoulder, the muzzle pointed at the sea outside the port, as if he were about to pull the trigger the next second."No." Blackbeard suddenly laughed, his laughter mixed with a bit of amusement and a bit of wariness."That Straw Hat guy's crew, they look crazy, but they don't fight aimless battles." He slammed his wine glass down on the raft with a 'clang,' and the liquid splashed out."We need to keep a closer eye on this group in the future—they aren't simple.""Then did the local thugs here do it?" Van Augerfrowned, his tone full of disdain—to him, those small-time thugs in Mock Town were no different from ants."Hmph, that bunch of scum?" Blackbeard sneered, his voice suddenly rising. "No matter how pathetic Burgess is, he wouldn't be beaten into this state by a bunch of losers who only know how to fight over turf!"He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles cracking with a 'pop.' "To be able to beat Burgess like this and then hide without a trace... this opponent is actually quite interesting."Just then, Burgess suddenly groaned, his eyelids struggling to open a slit, and he mumbled vaguely: "Lion... Black... Hair..."As soon as he finished speaking, he passed out again, his fingers hanging limply on the ground."Lion? Black hair? What are you saying! Hey! Burgess! Hey!" Van Auger pushed him, but Burgesshad no reaction at all.These few broken syllables became the only clue, yet they were even more baffling."Let's set sail too. The cherry pie has been eaten. Ace has been following us, and it's best if we don't clash with him—he's strong." Blackbeard made a cautious decision."Yes, Boss." Van Auger nodded, gripping his sniper rifle even tighter—as long as Ace dared to show his face, he would kill him with one shot; he wasn't afraid of any Fire Fist Ace. The sniper's coldness and confidence were fully revealed.On the other side, Bellamy's base was a complete mess.Agua was the most inconspicuous lackey under Bellamy—when that long-haired kid burst in yesterday, he had just rushed forward when he was knocked unconscious by an inexplicable force, the back of his head hitting a rock, and he had been out ever since.At this moment, his head felt like it was going to explode, his chest was aching faintly, and his ears were buzzing, as if countless bees were flying inside.He struggled to open his eyes, and the first thing he saw was the half-collapsed ceiling—the lightbulb was shattered on one side, wires were dangling, and sparks were flying from time to time.Looking at the marble table, one of the legs was broken, and the wine bottles and food on it were scattered all over the floor, with liquid flowing along the cracks in the floor to his feet. The entire base looked as if it had been swept by a storm."Cough... cough cough..." He braced himself against the floor to get up. As soon as he exerted force, his chest felt stuffy and painful, and he couldn't help but cough.Only then did he smell a pungent, thick scent of blood drifting in the air. This smell made his stomach churn."Captain Bellamy? Vice Captain Sarquiss? Is anyone there?" Agua called out, his voice extremely hoarse, but there was no response at all.The base was terrifyingly quiet, with only his own breathing and the occasional sound of waves drifting in from outside the window. A sense of ominousness permeated the dead silence.He leaned against the wall and moved toward the inner room step by step—that was where Bellamyusually held meetings.Just as he reached the doorway, he saw a dark object curled up on the floor, like a round ball."What the hell is this thing?" Agua rubbed his eyes, squinted, and leaned in closer.The closer he got, the faster his heart beat—the color of that "ball" was wrong, it looked like... the color of clothes? And, the "ball" was actually moving! Fear gripped his heart.Agua reached out with a trembling hand and gently pushed aside the messy white hair on the surface of the "ball," revealing a face that was both familiar and strange—it was Vice Captain Sarquiss!Sarquiss's face was swollen like a bun, his left eye couldn't open at all, and there was a large gash at the corner of his mouth; the blood had long since dried, turning a dark purple.His arm was twisted at an eerie angle, tangled with the leg of another person beside him, like a tight knot.Agua looked closer, and that other person actually had yellow hair!"Ah! Captain Bellamy!"Bellamy was in even worse shape than Sarquiss—his neck was tilted to one side, his face was covered in bruises, his hands were bound by his own belt, tangled with Sarquiss's arm, and his two legs were twisted like a pretzel, firmly wrapped around the Vice Captain's waist.The two bodies were twisted and bound together in a way that defied common sense.The two of them were entangled like this, twisted into a round "human ball," with only their chests rising and falling to prove they were still alive."My god..." Agua gasped, so scared that he sat down on the ground, his body shaking uncontrollably. The scene before him was beyond his comprehension.He had seen Bellamy fight, seen him beat his opponents until they were battered and bruised, but he had never seen Bellamy beaten like this—the angle his joints were twisted at made his scalp tingle; it looked like he had been forcibly kneaded into a ball by something!This wasn't just a beating; it was more like a cruel punishment.He wanted to scream, but found his throat felt blocked, unable to make a sound; he wanted to run, but his feet felt like they were filled with lead, unable to move even half a step.He could only watch helplessly at that "human ball"—Bellamy and the Vice Captain twitched occasionally, emitting weak moans."That kid... he did this... a devil..." Agua's voice trembled like a sieve, and tears were about to fall. That seemingly harmless long-haired kid had left a terrifying shadow in his heart.Yesterday, the boss was still full of spirit, calling them a bunch of losers and the Captain a coward, but today, they ended up like this...How powerful must the opponent be to beat the boss and the Vice Captain like this? The stark contrast made him feel a deep sense of fear and helplessness.Just then, footsteps came from outside—the other underlings were waking up. Agua, as if grabbing a life-saving straw, scrambled out, shouting: "Quick! Come quick! Boss... Boss is in trouble!" His shouts broke the deathly silence of the base and brought even greater chaos.Several underlings rushed into the inner room following Agua. As soon as they saw the "human ball" on the ground, they all turned pale with fright, and fear spread like a plague."Is... is this the boss?""How could this happen?!""Run! This opponent is too terrifying!"In the chaos, some wanted to run, others wanted to untangle Bellamy and the Vice Captain, but as soon as they touched them, they recoiled in fear at their twisted joints. No one dared to touch this eerie "human ball" easily.In the entire base, only the screams of the underlings, the sound of panicked footsteps, and the weak moans of the "human ball" remained—sounding particularly horrifying in the night. The arrogance of the Bellamy Pirates had vanished at this moment.The night deepened, and the going merry quietly sailed out of the harbor. On the deck, everyone was awake, sitting or lying down, gazing at the stars in the sky.The sea was calm, the starry sky brilliant, yet it heralded the beginning of an extraordinary voyage. The wind blew gently. Once tomorrow came, they would set off for Sky Island—that land which only existed in legends, floating on the clouds. Everyone's heart was filled with anticipation and nervousness for the unknown.In the conference room at Mary Geoise, two MarineVice Admirals were strangely brawling with each other. But looking at their struggling expressions, their bodies seemed to be out of their own control."Doflamingo, you're the one messing around here, right?" Beside them, an elderly woman with the rank of Vice Admiral draped over her shoulders spoke up. "Let them go, they are all good kids." Her tone was gentle, yet wrapped in unquestionable authority."Fufufufufu—!" Doflamingo, having been named, burst into laughter. He wore a crimson coat and sunglasses, with an arrogant, flamboyant smile on his face."To call them good kids, I'll be jealous!" As soon as he finished speaking, the five fingers of Doflamingo's right hand slowly closed. Attached to his fingertips were nearly transparent threads—this was the power of the String-String Fruit he had eaten, and also the medium for controlling the two Vice Admirals. He wantonly displayed his power, treating Marine Headquarters as if it were an empty place. From this, one could see how astonishing Doflamingo's strength was."In that case, I'll bring this to an end early." Saying this, he was about to manipulate the two Vice Admirals to kill each other. His tone was flippant, yet carried deadly danger."That's enough!" A voice came from the door: "What does this look like? Are you here to fight or to attend a meeting?" Fleet Admiral Sengoku walked into the venue, promptly stopping this farce. His appearance brought order and authority.He scanned the room and found that only three Shichibukai had come: Doflamingo, Bartholomew Kuma, and Hawkeye, but he did not get angry."To have three Shichibukai show up is already beyond my expectations." He was well aware of the loose nature of the Shichibukai system.Just then, a strange voice sounded from the window: "Then, I wonder if I might have the honor of listening in on this meeting?" The owner of the voice was tall, wearing a top hat and holding a thin cane. He said politely to everyone: "Allow me to introduce myself—" "I am Laffitte.""Laffitte? Is that the former sheriff who was exiled from the West Blue for excessive violence?" Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had long pursued Doflamingoin the West Blue, immediately recalled the man's background."Oh? I didn't expect anyone to remember me." Laffitte was not flustered and replied with elegant manners: "I am truly flattered." His composure displayed his extraordinary psychological quality."What is your purpose here, Laffitte?" Hearing what Tsuru said, Sengoku knew the visitor was not a good person, and his tone carried caution. He was more concerned about the true intention of Laffitte risking infiltration into the World Government headquarters—it would certainly not be as simple as just saying hello. Sengoku keenly sensed an unusual atmosphere.Laffitte bowed slightly and said calmly: "This meeting must be related to the Alabasta incident." "Sir Crocodile has already been detained, so you must be here to discuss the candidates for the new Shichibukai, right?" He directly pointed out the core topic of the meeting."I am here for this very matter." He took off his top hat and bowed elegantly to everyone: "I would like to recommend a true hero to be the new Shichibukai." Once these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the venue became even more subtle.Meanwhile, in the second half of the Grand Line, on the Moby Dick."Gurararara~ Is this a letter sent by that brat Shanks?" Whitebeard Edward Newgate, known as the "World's Strongest Man," asked the person opposite him while holding a letter."Yes, there seems to be an important matter to discuss in the letter, and our Captain specifically instructed me to deliver it." The one answering, sporting an afro, was the rookie pirate Rockstar, with a bounty of 94 million Berries. Facing the Four Emperors Whitebeard, who was renowned in the New World, he was not afraid at all, but rather full of confidence. The reason was simple—the "Captain" in his mouth was none other than the "Red Hair" Shanks, who was also one of the Four Emperors."Is that so? Thank you for your trouble, Gurararara!" Whitebeard didn't care about the other's attitude, raised the barrel of wine at his side, and gulped it down. His heroic spirit was undiminished from the old days.A nurse nearby immediately stepped in to stop him: "Captain! The doctor said you can't drink any more!""Nonsense!" Whitebeard heroically raised the wine barrel: "Drinking what I love to drink, how could that hurt my body!" He still went his own way, following his own lifestyle. The nurse shook her head helplessly.Even with oxygen tubes and IV drips, the man before them still exuded the unshakeable aura of a powerhouse. The erosion of time and illness had not completely worn away his edge. But this aura suddenly pressed down on Rockstar at this moment!The unintentionally revealed pressure made the rookie pirate feel suffocated instantly. Only then did he truly realize what kind of person he was facing. The majesty of the Four Emperors was far beyond what a rookie like him could withstand.Fortunately, Whitebeard didn't make things difficult for him; with a light pinch of his fingertips, a wave of shock force reduced the unopened letter to dust. He expressed his attitude in the most direct way."What!?" Rockstar couldn't believe it: "Did I not make myself clear? My Captain is [Red Hair]!""I am Whitebeard!!!" Hearing the threat hidden in the other's words, Whitebeard's aura surged even higher. He loathed any form of coercion, even if unintentional. He stared at Rockstar and said word by word: "Sending a rookie to deliver a letter to me? That brat Shanks—" "Since when has he gotten such airs!"Whitebeard sternly questioned: "Go back and tell Shanks, if he really has something to say to me, he should bring good wine and come see me in person!" This was the most basic requirement and respect he demanded of another Emperor."If you understand, get off my ship!!!" His voice was like a booming bell, shaking Rockstar until he stumbled off the ship. It took a long while for him to recover, and he dialed the transponder snail. He reported to his superior, still feeling lingering fear."Hahahaha! That old man is still the same!" Red Hairlaughed out loud after hearing the report, not feeling slighted at all. He understood Whitebeard and was not surprised by this reaction."However, I had already guessed this result." "Thank you for your hard work, Rockstar, come back quickly." After giving simple instructions, Red Hairhung up the communication."What do we do next, Boss?" Lucky Roux asked while gnawing on a large ham."Prepare to depart." Shanks did not hesitate. He had already made up his mind."Oh!" Everyone responded in unison. At this moment, a calm voice interjected: "Do you think the World Government will just ignore it, Shanks?"The one asking was the Vice Captain and strategist of the Red Hair Pirates, Benn Beckman. He puffed out a smoke ring and sipped his wine, feeling that this move carried significant risk. He habitually evaluated all potential risks.Although the World Government "gave" the New World to the Four Emperors, it was to four who kept each other in check. If two Emperors made contact, it could invite government intervention, or even forceful obstruction. This touched the sensitive nerve of the World Government's maintenance of balance."It's too late to worry about that now." Shankslooked at Beckman with a smile and continued: "I am certainly aware that the World Governmentwon't just ignore it. But if they dare to stop me, I won't be polite either." Beneath his smile lay a firm will and powerful strength as a backing.The three scars on Red Hair's brow darkened slightly, and Conqueror's Haki flowed faintly. At this moment, he was the Four Emperors who dominated the seas. Beneath his calm exterior lay the power to shake the ocean."All hands, prepare to set sail!" "Oh!" Everyone responded. The crew unconditionally supported the Captain's decision."Since your mind is made up, then let's go!" Beckman no longer tried to dissuade him and chose to support him. The Red Hair Pirates, this powerful war machine, began to operate for the meeting of the Four Emperors.
Chapter 85: The Eye of the Vortex, Blackbeard in PursuitThe morning mist had not yet dispersed, and the waves crashed against the reefs, churning.Luffy suddenly pointed at the sea and blinked, his eyes widening into perfect circles: "Hey! Is there a chestnut floating in the ocean?"No sooner had he spoken than a dark shadow broke through the waves with a splash—The man sported a sharp, diamond-shaped face, and his fluffy, curly hair looked just like a freshly peeled roasted chestnut;His knotted muscles stretched his coarse vest to the point of tearing, and two rusty pistols were tucked into his waistband.It was none other than the leader of the Saruyama Alliance, Mont Blanc Cricket.He stared into Luffy's eyes, swept his gaze over Zoro's swords and the log pose in Nami's hand, then roared:"Pirates? Another bunch of thieves here to steal the gold?"Before Luffy could even let out an "Eh?", Cricket grabbed him by the collar and yanked him hard into the waves.With a splash, Luffy fell into the sea, Straw Hat and all."Oh no!"Zoro leaped into the sea, and before the splash had even settled, Sanji was already standing in front of Cricket.His eyes beneath his swirly brows turned cold: "Hey, old man, attacking our Captain the moment you show up is hardly gentlemanly.""You barged in without my permission; do you really think you have the right to talk about manners?"Cricket threw a punch, but Sanji spun to dodge it, his heel scraping a blinding white mark onto the reef, before following up with a side kick aimed straight at his face.The two instantly clashed, kicking up dust and debris from the reef.Cricket, blinded by rage, suddenly reached for the pistols at his waist— "Bang!"The bullet grazed Sanji's cheek, but Cricket suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed to the ground, his face turning paper-white, his lips bruising purple, and his muscles twitching uncontrollably."It's the bends!"Chopper ran over, his ears drooping: "He must have just come up from the deep sea and hasn't adjusted to the change in air pressure yet!"The Straw Hat crew scrambled to carry him into the nearby "fake villa"—which was just a wall with a picture of a villa painted on it.Chopper crouched beside him, skillfully pulled out his stethoscope to press against his chest, quickly mixed a bottle of light blue medicine with his fingertips, and pried open his tightly shut mouth to feed it to him.The morning light spilled through the broken window onto Cricket's face; his eyelashes fluttered, and he finally opened his eyes slowly."You saved me... It seems there's been a misunderstanding... My apologies."Cricket propped himself up into a sitting position, his voice still hoarse. He paused and pointed to his own diamond-shaped face:"I am a descendant of Mont Blanc Noland."Four hundred years ago, he took the King to find gold, but when they returned, the island of gold was gone, and he was executed in public for the 'crime of deceiving the King.'Now everyone calls him the 'Great Liar,' but I know he didn't lie—the Golden Belfry is not at the bottom of the sea; it must, it simply must be on Sky Island.""Sky Island?" Luffy zoomed in front of him, his nose almost touching the man's face, "That's exactly where we're going!"Cricket was stunned: "Really?""Of course, I'm definitely going to Sky Island!" Luffy's eyes shone brightly."You believe Sky Island exists too?" Cricket's eyes were filled with disbelief—Sky Island was nothing but a joke in Mock Town.After spending half a day together, Cricket grew to like this group more and more.He suddenly turned around, dragged an iron box out from under the bed, and fished out a yellowed ship's log, the edges of its pages curled like ocean waves:"This is Noland's log; it contains information about the Knock-Up Stream."He shoved the log into Luffy's hands, his tone firm, "I'll help you reinforce the going merry, otherwise that ship won't be able to withstand the impact of the Knock-Up Stream."For the next day, the cape was filled with the sounds of "clanging" and "banging."Cricket brought the Saruyama Alliance aboard the going merry, nailed thick protective wooden planks to the hull, installed a pair of snow-white wooden wings on both sides of the ship, and even attached a bright red comb to the sheep-headed figurehead.As the sun set, the going merry drifted quietly on the water, its wooden wings dyed a warm orange-red, looking just like a giant bird with its wings tucked, ready to soar into the sky at any second.The next morning, Cricket stood on the shore and waved: "Don't go falling out of the sky now!"Luffy laughed with his hands on his hips, his eyes crinkling into crescents: "Hee hee! Bye-bye, diamond-faced chestnut-head uncle!""Thank you for taking care of us, Mr. Cricket!" Namismoothed back her hair, which had been tousled by the wind.Usopp clenched his fists and stood on tiptoe, shouting: "Uncle, the Golden Belfry definitely exists! We will find it for sure!"Mark waved along, his voice crisp and clear: "When we find it, we'll make sure you hear it ring!"Cricket watched the going merry shrink into a small white dot on the horizon, then slowly pulled out a cigarette and lit it.Amidst the swirling smoke, he gazed toward the direction of Sky Island and murmured: "A bunch of little guys chasing their dreams... Not bad at all."The peace aboard the going merry didn't last long before it was broken by a bird.A brightly colored toucan was perched on the railing, its purple and green feathers alternating like a floral coat, and its long, slender beak occasionally rubbing against its wings—it was the Southbird they needed to catch.Luffy crouched beside it, always reaching out to pinch its sharp beak, twisting its head to the left, only for the bird's beak to stubbornly turn back to the right, making him laugh and slap the deck: "Look! This guy's head only points south, just like a compass, it's so interesting!""That's so weird! I never expected a creature like this to exist!" Usopp leaned in and poked its beak.The Southbird, exhausted by the torment, glared at Luffy and squawked "#&~☆" wildly.Usopp quickly tugged on Chopper's sleeve: "Chopper, what is it saying? Is it scolding Luffy?"Chopper tilted his head, listened for a few seconds, and translated seriously: "It says, 'I refuse to face south, you idiots can just get a headache.'""Hahaha, just try it then!" Luffy and Usopp laughed until they couldn't stand straight, almost rolling into a ball.No sooner had they spoken than the Southbird suddenly let out a cry and jerked its head toward the north.Luffy jumped up excitedly: "Yo! It actually turned!""3, 2, 1—" Mark joined in the fun. No sooner had he finished counting than the Southbird shook its head in annoyance, "snap," and turned right back, pointing stubbornly south, its bird eyes full of disdain for "foolish humans.""It's the Southbird's instinct; it feels uneasy if its head isn't pointing south." Mark stroked its soft feathers.Luffy suddenly clapped his hands, his eyes lighting up: "So interesting! Let's keep it! When we run out of food, it can even serve as emergency rations!"Chopper instantly bristled: "Hey! Mark, why are you staring at me!"Mark quickly scratched his cheek with his finger and laughed it off: "Nothing, nothing! Look at how nice the weather is today, and the wind is favorable too!"As soon as he finished speaking, the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood up—his Observation Haki had caught a familiar signal of danger."Something's wrong! Look over there!" Mark pointed sharply into the distance, his voice turning shrill.A subordinate raised his binoculars, his face as white as paper, and shouted in a panic: "Boss, it's bad! A Cumulonimbus cloud has appeared in the southeast!"The salvage ship Captain, Masira, rushed out of the command room: "How could it be this early? What time is it?""It's 10 o'clock!""It's a whole hour early!" Masira gritted his teeth and roared at Shoujou's ship: "Shoujou, think of something!""Start scouting the current immediately!" Shoujou's voice came across, and immediately after, several crew members in black wetsuits jumped into the sea with "plops," some holding sonar equipment against the surface, while others dove straight into the deep sea to investigate.Aboard the going merry, Usopp grabbed the railing, his voice trembling: "Nami, what's going on? That cloud looks so scary!"Nami stared at the distant Cumulonimbus cloud, her brows knotted: "The Cumulonimbus cloud is an hour earlier than scheduled, but the location of the Knock-Up Stream hasn't been determined yet..."Not long after, a diver popped his head out, wiped his face, and shouted: "Report! A massive current has been detected at the 12 o'clock position!"Another diver surfaced, his face panicked: "Report! A giant Sea King has been spotted at the 9 o'clock position!""There's a counter-current at the 10 o'clock position, there's a high probability it will form a vortex!"Masira's eyes lit up, and he immediately ordered: "That's it! All ships, move toward the 10 o'clock position immediately! This is the precursor to the Knock-Up Stream eruption!"The going merry had only been heading toward the 10 o'clock position for less than a minute when the sea suddenly kicked up a strange wave.The wave was like a giant hand, slamming the ship high into the air before crashing it back down onto the surface with a "clang," sending the people on board tumbling around like roasted beans—Luffy hugged the mast and laughed, shouting "Interesting," while Usopp gripped the railing for dear life, his face as green as a freshly picked bell pepper,Chopper shrank into a corner, gripping the iron chain on the South Bird's leg, so terrified that even the bird forgot to struggle."Hold on tight! The current is starting to surge upwards!" Nami stood by the gunwale, her hair whipped around by the wind, her hands gripping the railing for dear life.Robin grabbed the rigging: "Nami, how is the log pose?""It's pointing straight at that Cumulonimbus cloud!" Nami glanced at the log pose on her wrist and shouted back.Usopp's voice shook like a sieve: "Sky Island... is it really inside that cloud? This is just too terrifying!""The wind is at our backs, and the Cumulonimbus cloud is moving toward the center of the whirlpool!" As soon as Nami finished speaking, Luffy looked around with a puzzled expression:"Where's the whirlpool? There's nothing here but waves!""It seems our luck is really good this time; all the conditions are met."Masira's voice came from nearby, and immediately after, hooks with ropes attached shot out from both ships with a "whoosh,"and with two "clicks," they clamped firmly onto the gunwale of the going merry."Follow us toward the center of the whirlpool! Don't resist once you're inside; just go with the flow!" Masira shouted at Nami, his voice full of urgency.Mark clutched the gunwale and looked down, his face turning pale: "This isn't a whirlpool... this is clearly a black hole capable of swallowing everything!"Looking at the scene before him, tears streamed down Usopp's face as he cried out:"Oh my god! We're going to die! Luffy, let's turn back! Can't we just give up on finding Sky Island?"Even Luffy, who had been excited all along, couldn't help but gape at the pitch-black center of the whirlpool, the rapidly rotating currents, and the water walls tilted at 45 degrees—The sight was truly terrifying, like a monster hiding in the deep sea, waiting with its mouth open to swallow them whole.Masira's ship gradually retreated, and the crew members waved and shouted:"Brothers, good luck! If we get any closer, we'll get sucked in too!""Thanks! Take care!" Luffy waved back."Come back! You can't leave us behind! You jerks!"Usopp shouted at them, but the ship kept moving further away, quickly becoming a tiny speck.Zoro leaned against the mast, his scabbard resting against his chin, his voice calm:"Give it up, Usopp. It's too late to say anything now."Suddenly, a loud "ROAR—" shook the very surface of the sea.A massive Sea Kings burst out from the ocean, its tail slapping the water in a desperate struggle,but within seconds, it was dragged down by the power of the whirlpool, sucked into the center like a leaf with a "whoosh," leaving not even a splash behind.The going merry spun in the whirlpool, getting closer and closer to the pitch-black abyss.Usopp, snot and tears streaming down his face, grabbed Luffy's arm:"Luffy, let's go back! Sky Island was always a dream within a dream; it's not too late to turn back!"Nami also frowned and urged: "That's right, Luffy, this is really pushing it... I've never heard of a ship getting swallowed like this!"Luffy's shoulders shook, and he suddenly lifted his head, the light in his eyes brighter than before:"You're right! It's an island of dreams! What an exciting adventure!"The more he spoke, the more excited he became, and he reached out to pat Usopp on the back, nearly knocking him over.Mark clutched Nami and Usopp's shoulders, feigning a relaxed smile:"Don't panic, don't panic. Luffy wouldn't turn back now even if ten Sea Kings were pulling him; we just need to be brave and follow along!""Mark, stop shaking your legs!" Usopp retorted, seeing right through his disguise."This is no time for that!"Zoro suddenly pointed to the side, his voice dropping, "The ship is about to get sucked in!"The going merry moved rapidly toward the black hole, and screams erupted from the ship:"Ah! We're going to be swallowed!""Miss Nami, quickly throw yourself into my reliable embrace!" Sanji was still trying to maintain his gentlemanly demeanor."We're going to fall! Chopper is scared!" Chopperhugged the gunwale, eyes squeezed shut, tears streaming down his face.Just as the going merry was about to touch the bottom of the black hole, everything around them suddenly went quiet—The waves stopped churning, the whirlpool vanished, even the wind died down, and all sound faded away.Sanji froze, scratching his head in confusion: "What's going on? Where did the commotion go?"Usopp slowly opened his eyes, staring at the sea in disbelief:"That... that huge whirlpool... it just disappeared?""It didn't disappear; the underwater volcano is 'full'." Mark pointed at the bottom of the ship, his voice tight, "Next, it's time for it to'spit' it all out."Everyone looked down and saw bubbles rising from the sea. They started out small but quickly grew to the size of water buckets, bubbling up with a "glug-glug" sound, surrounding the entire bottom of the ship.Usopp gripped the gunwale, his voice cracking: "No... no way! You mean... the Knock-Up Stream is about to erupt?""Straw Hat Luffy! Finally caught up to you! Zehahaha—"In the deathly silence, a hoarse and arrogant laugh suddenly exploded.Everyone turned to look and saw, on a crude, giant raft, Blackbeard standing in the middle with his hands on his hips, his round belly sticking way out;Doc Q was rowing with a pale face, and Van Augerwas sweating profusely, both of them rowing for their lives;a Jolly Roger with three skulls was painted on the sail, fluttering crookedly in the wind."It's him! The one we met in Mock Town!" Nami's expression changed instantly.Blackbeard waved the stack of wanted posters in his hand, laughing with such greed that he was almost drooling:"Brat, I've come to collect your 230 million bounty! Zehahaha, I didn't expect to see the newspaper only today—""You lot are the perfect ticket for me to become a Shichibukai!"He tapped the wanted posters with his finger, his tone full of disdain, "To think the whole crew has bounties; I really underestimated you."Luffy scratched his head, looking puzzled: "Huh? 230 million? Are you talking about me?""It seems you don't know anything." Blackbeardsneered, his eyes like a wolf stalking its prey,"You, your Vice Captain, and that long-nosed guy are all 200 million Berries criminals. I really misjudged you before.""Hey! Has my bounty gone up?"Sanji wiped his wind-mussed blonde hair and leaned in, looking expectant, completely disregarding Blackbeard.Zoro also raised an eyebrow, his hand resting on his sword hilt, his eyes flashing with excitement: "Oh~ new bounty? How much?""Can you guys be serious for once!" Nami finally snapped, shouting at them, "This is not the time to be focusing on that!"Just then, Blackbeard suddenly looked up at the sky, his brows furrowing immediately: "Wait, why is the sky so dark?"Everyone followed his gaze and looked up—without them noticing, the Cumulonimbus cloud had drifted directly overhead, like a giant black cloth covering the sun.The bubbles under the ship were still "glug-glugging," becoming denser and denser, and the ship shook more and more violently, as if some colossal creature were about to burst out from the seabed.Blackbeard's expression finally changed. He stared at the bubbles, then up at the Cumulonimbus cloud above, and suddenly cursed: "Damn it! To think we'd run into this at such a cursed time..."Under the going merry, the bubbles had merged into one, and the entire ship was swaying slightly.Luffy stared at the seabed, his eyes lighting up again, and he clenched his fist and shouted: "It's starting, isn't it? It's the Knock-Up Stream!"Usopp hugged the mast, his face full of despair: "I... I have a super bad feeling about this..."Nami took a deep breath, gripped the helm, and said firmly:"No matter what, we have no way back now. Everyone, hold onto something fixed and prepare for the current!"The wind picked up again, this time carrying a scorching heat that made their cheeks burn.The Cumulonimbus cloud churned overhead as if it were about to crush them, with lightning flashing inside from time to time."Run! Van Auger!" Blackbeard panicked, his voice changing.The bubbles rose more densely, the sound changing from "glug" to a "boiling" roar, and the ship shook more and more violently.Suddenly, with a deafening "BOOM," it was as if a sleeping giant beast from the seabed had awakened.
Chapter 86: The going merry on the Knock-Up StreamThe bottom of the going merry had long been wrapped in fine air bubbles, and in the blink of an eye, they connected into a blue-glowing "air blanket."Before anyone could react, the entire air blanket suddenly expanded into a huge bubble, steadily supporting the hull and slowly lifting it toward the sea surface—It was as if an invisible hand under the sea was gently holding up this small sailboat."BOOM!"A muffled, thunder-like explosion slammed into the sea!The submarine volcano had boiled the seawater into scalding "boiling water," and after the pressure built to its peak, it erupted completely.Huge waves surged toward the sky, and the going merry, as if gripped by a giant hand, instantly disappeared into the churning sea surface.Only Usopp's cry, filled with sobbing, drifted over the sea: "What on earth is happening!?"Not far away, Blackbeard's massive raft was on the edge of the rising current.That sky-piercing force, like shaking out a rag,"Splash!"It flipped the raft upside down in an instant. Fortunately, Blackbeard, Doc Q, and Van Augerreacted quickly, and the three of them clung tightly to a giant piece of floating wood, narrowly avoiding being swept into the sea."What a headache, they escaped, Zehahaha!"Blackbeard wiped the seawater from his face, his laughter tinged with reluctance, as the whole group, people and wood alike, was pushed several kilometers away by the waves."The cooked duck has flown away!" Doc Q lay on the wood, coughing, even his sick horse hanging its head listlessly."Zehahaha, what are you panicking about? They haven't disappeared! As long as they are still on the Grand Line, there will always be a time to meet again!"Blackbeard patted the wood, his eyes gleaming."Indeed."Van Auger gazed at the distant sea, his tone calm, "It's like a world of gears; as long as they are small gears longing to become stronger, they will eventually mesh together—this is destiny."They looked in the direction of his gaze; a blue, translucent column of water over a hundred meters thick was rushing from the sea toward the sky,Piercing straight into the dark, heavy clouds, as if the submarine vortex from just a moment ago had been completely inverted.That water column was absurdly large, so much so that even Cricket, over ten kilometers away, could see it clearly."Let's go, back to Mock Town, and pick up Burgess."Blackbeard waved his large hand, and just as he was about to stand up, his hem was tugged by Doc Q."Um... Captain, our oars are gone."Blackbeard looked down and saw himself, Doc Q, Van Auger, and that sick horse, all squeezed onto a bare giant log,Floating alone on the endless sea, looking like a few pathetic leaves."...Should we row with our hands?"Van Auger's mouth twitched, looking at the sea in disbelief—how long would that take?Blackbeard stared at the sea for two seconds, then suddenly laughed: "Blackbeard doesn't need oars to row a boat, it all depends on the waves!"Meanwhile, the missing going merry was staging an even more thrilling scene—It was actually "standing" at a ninety-degree angle on the surface of the rising current, rushing upward along the water column!"The going merry is moving vertically along the water column!" Sanji held onto the gunwale, his eyes fixed on the ship below."What on earth is the principle behind this!?"Usopp clutched the railing tightly, his voice distorted,"We're going to fall, right? We're definitely going to fall, right!? Hey!""Yo-ho! How interesting!" Luffy, however, crouched on the bow, dangling his legs and smiling happily, completely disregarding the danger."It's the wind." Nami stared at the boundary between the sea and the sky, her tone resolute."Great! If we keep this up, we can reach the Sky Island!" Luffy clapped his hands and shouted excitedly, "Charge, going merry!""Wait a minute! It won't be that smooth!" Sanjiimmediately frowned, feeling uneasy."Is something wrong?" Zoro stood on the door of the lounge, his hand on the hilt of his sword, scanning the surroundings vigilantly."What's wrong? Did we forget the meat?" Luffyscratched his head, his mind full of food."I feel... our bow is lifting up!" Chopper grabbed the gunwale and looked down."That's right! If this continues..." Sanji hadn't finished speaking before he was interrupted by Chopper's shout."Everyone, look! Something is falling from above!""Ah—it's the Sea Kings caught in the vortex!" Nami's face turned pale as she pointed at the black shadow in the sky and exclaimed."It's falling." Robin crossed her arms, her tone calm, but she stared intently at the enlarging Sea King."Leave it to me!"Mark stepped forward, and colorful spiral light patterns suddenly lit up in his palm.The light patterns spun larger and larger, like a small rainbow vortex, slowly expanding to a size that could envelop the entire Sea King."Glutton!"Following his shout, that massive Sea King seemed to be dragged by an invisible force,"Whoosh"It was sucked into the rainbow spiral in an instant—It turned out that the vortex was a door leading to his System Space, the ocean of the Life Zone."Well done! As expected of Mark!" Usopp breathed a sigh of relief and immediately gave a thumbs-up."Now is not the time to relax, look above!" Zorosuddenly shouted, his eyes sharp as knives.Usopp looked up and was so scared his tongue almost flew out: "Waaah! It's a ship! We're going to get hit!""Glutton Decomposition!"Mark reacted extremely quickly, raising his hand to throw the rainbow spiral out, aiming exactly at the falling ship.As soon as the disintegrating ship touched the rainbow mist, it was pulverized by the power of space, scattering into the air like sand—In the system's judgment, these broken ship planks were just "trash."It was as if a protective barrier had been added in front of the going merry. Just as everyone was about to relax, the bow tilted upward sharply again!"Oh no! If we don't take action, we'll end up just like that Sea King and the giant ship!" Sanji broke out in a cold sweat."Then, then what do we do! I... we can only hold on tight now!"Usopp grabbed the gunwale, his legs floating in mid-air, the wind pouring into his mouth, making it hard for him to speak clearly."What's the use of saying that? We're relying on this current to get up here in the first place!"Zoro frowned, but he wasn't panicked—the more dangerous it was, the calmer he became."We're done for, we're done for! Falling from such a height, we're definitely dead!" Usopp was almost crying."Raise the sails immediately! Hurry!"Nami suddenly shouted, her eyes as firm as a rock,"This isn't an ordinary water column; it's a Knock-Up Stream! And this current is a hot air current generated by a submarine explosion!"She grabbed the nearby rope, her voice full of confidence:"If I'm facing the sea and the air current, I have a way to navigate!"Who is the navigator of this ship?"Although the situation was perilous, everyone couldn't help but smile when they saw Nami's determined expression.That's right, Nami was still on the ship, and she was an outstanding navigator in the pirate world.Sanji's eyes turned into hearts, and he immediately agreed: "It's our Miss Nami!""Nami, you're the coolest today!" Mark also nodded with a smile."Brothers, do exactly as Nami says!" Sanji waved his hand, his tone full of trust."Ooh!" Everyone sprang into action, even Luffyobediently went to help pull the ropes."Okay, raise the sails! Now, catch the wind on the port side, hard to starboard! Try to keep the ship in sync with the current!" Nami commanded methodically."Yes, okay... Received!" Although Usopp was nervous, he didn't dare to neglect his duties.But before long, Chopper suddenly grabbed the gunwale and screamed: "Everyone! It's bad! Our ship has left the water!""Oh no! The ship is going to flip! Think of a way! Nami, the bow is lifting up! Nami! Nami!" Luffycrouched on the bow, shouting anxiously."No problem!" Nami stared fixedly at the sky, her voice steady and reassuring.The next second, the going merry suddenly "flew" up! The hull hugged the water column, only a meter or so above the water surface, as if pressed down by an invisible hand—This was Bernoulli's principle at work; the air pressure held the ship steadily in place.Coupled with the going merry's "wings" and the lift from the rising air current, the whole ship really flew like a bird!"Are you serious?!" Usopp widened his eyes, looking at the increasingly distant sea surface beneath his feet, his jaw almost dropping."This is what you call exciting! This is the art of flying!" Mark's eyes gleamed with excitement."Heh~ I'd love a drink right now." Zoro leaned against the side of the ship, actually having the heart to think about alcohol."If Sky Island really exists, it's in that cloud." Robinlooked up at the black clouds at the very top, her tone calm but full of anticipation."As long as we ride this hot air current, we can fly as high as we want!" Nami adjusted the angle of the sails, full of confidence."Okay! Let's go! Towards the Cumulonimbus, charge, Merry!"Luffy simply sat on the bow, wrapped his legs tightly around the hull, and stretched his hands hard toward the direction of the Cumulonimbus, as if he wanted to grab the cloud."Pfft—"The going merry plunged into the white fog, surrounded by thick clouds, making it difficult even to breathe."Sss... Haa... It's so uncomfortable, I can't breathe!" Luffy covered his mouth, his nostrils flared enough to fit a fist, his face flushed red.Just when everyone was about to reach their limit, with a "pop" sound, like a chick breaking through an eggshell—The going merry finally rushed out of the white fog and saw the blue sky again!The sunlight sprinkled onto the ship, like a newborn chick, and it was also a new starting point for the Straw Hat Crew.
Chapter 87: Sailing the Cloud Sea"Cough—!"A chorus of heavy breathing was playing out on the deck of the going merry.Zoro knelt on one knee, the scabbard of his yodo himawari pressing hard against the deck to prop up his swaying body.The lack of oxygen left dark circles under his eyes, and cold sweat slid down his jawline."Cough, cough! This is so uncomfortable... Is everyone still here?"The deck was already filled with a chorus of coughing.Nami clutched her chest and bent over, her blonde hair blown by the wind against her sweat-dampened forehead;Robin leaned one hand against the railing, panting, having lost her previous composure;Luffy was in the best condition—he suddenly straightened up, patting his chest and shouting, "I was suffocating!"But the moment his gaze swept outside the railing, he instantly forgot to breathe."Wow—!" he jumped up with a shout, his rubber head hitting the mast with a "thud," but he didn't care about the pain, his eyes full of little stars.Everyone else then looked over—Good heavens!Overwhelming clouds wrapped around the going merry, soft and fluffy like water-soaked cotton batting; the bottom of the ship was embedded in the clouds, yet there wasn't even a hint of it falling.When breaking through the cloud sea, the going merry was also covered in quite a bit of "cloud".When the wind blew, the clouds slid down the sails, landing on the deck and the railing, turning into fine mist at the slightest touch."Where on earth is this?" Sanji shielded his eyes from the blinding light, his gaze desperately trying to reach the end of the cloud sea."Clouds?"Chopper hung over the railing, his round eyes wide, and couldn't help but touch the clouds on the railing, "It's, it's soft!""Why isn't the ship falling down?!"Nami simply lay on the railing, her face nearly pressed into the cloud sea, her tone full of panic and curiosity."Why wouldn't it?" Luffy crossed his arms, speaking righteously, "You can sit on clouds!""That's completely different, hey!"Everyone waved their hands in unison, their voices overlapping, shattering Luffy's innocence."Hey, hey... Mark, your face is so pale."Chopper suddenly tilted his head and leaned in, "Are you not feeling well either?"Mark leaned against the mast, his hair hanging down to cover half his face, his breathing never so rapid:"I'm just not quite used to the high altitude... Chopper, look at Usopp quickly!"Following the direction he pointed, Usopp was lying sprawled out on the deck, his eyes tightly shut, his mouth open but without breath.Chopper's fur instantly stood on end, he clung tightly to the wooden planks beside Usopp, his voice laced with tears:"Ah! Everyone, come quick! Usopp isn't breathing!""What? Artificial respiration! Quick! Chopper, save Usopp!" Luffy squatted down and tried to lean in, but was pushed away by Chopper."No, no! He just fainted!"Chopper said, pouncing on him and pressing on Usopp's chest—With a "pfft" sound.Usopp violently choked out a breath, sat up, and rubbed his eyes, "Clouds?"His gaze carefully fell on the clouds outside the ship, suddenly widening his eyes, his tongue nearly hitting the deck:"Clouds... they're clouds—!" The next second, he fell back with a "thud.""This must be the legendary Sky Sea, right?" Namiwalked to the bow, looking at the boundless cloud sea—Unlike the Blue Sea, even the distant sky here was white, and layers of clouds wrapped around the ship, as if it had been stuffed into a giant cotton candy.She suddenly remembered something, ran to Robin, and raised her wrist: "Robin, look at the log pose! It's still pointing up at the sky!""This might just be the middle layer of the Cumulonimbus clouds." Robin sat on the railing and looked up at the sky, "To get to the real Sky Island, we have to keep going up.""Up?"Chopper stood on tiptoe to look at the sky, "Are there more clouds in the sky?""Who cares! If it's a sea, I can swim in it!"Usopp suddenly sprang up from the deck, ripped off his shirt with a "swish," and struck what he thought was a cool "Thinker" pose on the railing—His fingers even twitched his long nose, "It's time for Captain Usopp to show his true swimming skills!""Don't jump!" Just as Mark's command to stop fell, Usopp had already "splashed" into the cloud sea."Go for it, Usopp!" Luffy shouted, waving his fist."So amazing! He can swim in the clouds!" Chopperjumped along."That idiot!" Sanji helplessly held his forehead, "He's acting on his own without even figuring out the situation!""Luffy, fish him out quickly!" Mark's voice was urgent, half from the weakness of oxygen deprivation and half from genuine fear that Usoppwould get into trouble.Luffy scratched his head: "Why? It's just swimming.""Do you think the cloud sea has a bottom?" Mark's words made the deck instantly quiet.Zoro gripped his sword hilt, gritting his teeth: "That idiot... he wouldn't...""...have fallen off, would he?" Robin added."Usopp!"Luffy finally reacted, his rubber arm stretching out with a "swish," probing into the cloud sea like a long snake, closing his eyes as he shouted,"Observation Haki! Found him!"But when he pulled, his brows furrowed: "So heavy... I can't pull him up!""That's not right... logically, it shouldn't be this heavy." Robin said."There's something behind him, it's coming out." Mark said!As soon as he finished speaking, Luffy's arm was suddenly yanked downwards— "Ah!" He exerted force, his rubber arm tightening like a bowstring, "Get up here!"With a "splash," Usopp was dragged up, his face purple from holding his breath; just as he caught his breath, the cloud sea suddenly began to churn with a "rumble"—Two giant monsters poked their heads out, one squid and one flatfish, ten times larger than the going merry, their eyes glinting with ferocity; their tentacles slapped the cloud sea with a "slap," shaking the deck."Eek—!" Nami and Chopper hugged each other, their hair standing on end."There's no need to be afraid of things like this."Zoro's voice was cold, his footsteps "thumping" on the deck, the yodo himawari unsheathed, a cold light flashing—Three sword beams slashed over, and the squid exploded like a balloon with a "bang," the fragments falling into the clouds and being burned to ash by the demonic fire on the blade.On the other side, the flatfish opened its huge mouth to bite the ship; Sanji tapped his toes on the deck, "whooshed" into the air, performed a beautiful backflip, and his heel, carrying a strong wind, slammed into the fish's head with a "thud"—The flatfish fell into the cloud sea like a stone, the splashed cloud foam pouring down, covering everyone's hair in foam, looking just like they had escaped from a shower head after the water was cut."This place is really exhausting." Zoro sheathed his sword and started coughing again."I wonder if this fish tastes good~"Luffy didn't care at all, reaching his hand deep into the cloud sea!"Ah!~ Got it!"Luffy pulled the flatfish up—but as soon as it left the water, the fish shrank with a "whoosh" to half the size of the going merry.He poked the fish's belly, and it puffed out a bubble with a "pfft," "So strange, just like a balloon!""There are actually living creatures in the clouds? I never would have imagined it!" Nami wiped the cloud foam off her face, her tone full of novelty."If you treat this place like the sea, you'll understand everything." Robin said with a smile."Waah—!"A scream suddenly exploded. Usopp sprang up from the deck, frantically patting his pants, his face turning bright red:"There, there's something moving in my pants!"He said, pulling out a palm-sized blue fish—the fish had sharp teeth on its body and was still twisting and struggling.Usopp was so scared he threw the fish away, rolled his eyes, and fainted again, muttering:"Sky Island is so scary... I'm never coming back...""This is a Sky Fish, right?" Robin picked up the fish, watching it struggle in her palm, "To adapt to the cloud sea, they evolved gas bladders.""So that's why it's like a balloon?" Zoro leaned against the railing, his tone carrying a hint of understanding.With a "slap," Luffy snatched the fish from Robin's hand.Before long, the sound of "clinking and clanking" came from the deck—Luffy was already holding a plate of golden fish steaks, stuffing his mouth until it was bulging:"So delicious! Mark, come quick! I saved you the second biggest piece!""There's really no need."Mark's mouth twitched—Thinking about how this fish was pulled out of Usopp's crotch, he lost his appetite, "You eat it yourself.""It's really delicious!" Nami had wanted to complain, but after tasting a bite, her eyes instantly lit up, "What kind of texture is this? I've never experienced it before!""Really? Miss Nami, if it suits your taste, that's just wonderful." Sanji swayed his body, as if oxygen deprivation had nothing to do with him.Just then, Chopper was looking around with binoculars and suddenly exclaimed:"Let me see where Sky Island is... Huh? A ship!" He quickly turned his head, his paw pointing into the distance: "Everyone look, there's a ship!""What do you see?" Sanji leaned over to ask."Huh... and people... Eek! It exploded!" Chopper's voice trembled more and more, and the binoculars fell onto the deck with a "clatter,""A bull horn... anyway, it's charging at us!" He jumped around on the deck, incoherent.Although they didn't understand, Luffy, Zoro, and Mark's Observation Haki had already sensed it—A black shadow "whooshed" over through the cloud sea, reaching the going merry in the blink of an eye.The person arriving wore strange clothing, an ancient bark mask on their face, a bazooka on their shoulder, and shoes similar to roller skates on their feet, their eyes full of hostility."They're not here with good intentions." Sanji moved his toes back, ready to fight at any moment.The person suddenly jumped up, raised the bazooka at the going merry, and coldly spat out two words: "Eliminate.""What are you posturing for?"Mark hated it when people tried to look cool in front of him; as soon as he finished speaking, Ink Meteorbehind him had already darted out—The black lion paw carried a strong wind, slapping the masked person dozens of meters away with one swipe, falling into the cloud sea with a "splash" and disappearing."So amazing, Ink Meteor!" Chopper immediately ran over, hugging Ink Meteor's paw and rubbing against it."We haven't adapted to the low-pressure environment yet, so leaving it to Ink Meteor is most appropriate." Mark patted the lion's big head, his tone calm."As expected of our big guy, so reliable~" Nami also leaned in and gently rubbed Ink Meteor's ears.Ink Meteor picked up Chopper with its nose and placed him on its back, looking up at the sky and letting out a low growl—everyone followed its gaze, and another black dot appeared in the sky, approaching rapidly."Who is it this time?" Luffy clenched his fists, coating his arms with Armament Haki, his eyes fixed on the black dot."Clatter!"A person in full armor landed steadily on the railing of the going merry, carrying a cone-shaped spike on his shoulder, followed by a round owl.He took off his helmet, revealing a thin but spirited face—a white handlebar mustache split to both sides, his eyes sharp as an eagle's."I am the Sky Knight." He jumped onto the deck with his weapon, his voice loud and clear."You are Blue Sea people, right?" The Sky Knight walked towards the second floor, asking as he went up."What are Blue Sea people? And who on earth are you?" Nami frowned and stared at him, asking back."I already told you I am the Sky Knight; Blue Sea people is our collective term for the residents of the sea below."The old man waved his hand impatiently, stopping in the second-floor corridor, "Back to business, did you come up from the Blue Sea?""That's right!" Luffy patted his chest, his breathing having stabilized quite a bit, "I feel much better!""Strange, this place is seven thousand meters from the Blue Sea. There have been Blue Sea people who came up using the terrifying water column before! They should have been unconscious for several days at least." The old man sat on the second-floor railing, his legs dangling, his eyes full of confusion."Why was that person able to run on the clouds?" Chopper pointed to the black shadow in the distance of the cloud sea, asking curiously."Did they escape!" The old man looked up!"Hold on... I know you have many questions, but business is business—I am a mercenary."The old man interrupted him, his tone serious, "This is a treacherous Sky Island; people who don't know the situation are either taken out by the guerrillas from just now or become food for monsters. So, with just one whistle, I will come to help you, for a fee of 5 million Ekes.""What are you talking about, old man?" Luffy tilted his head, his face full of confusion. Zoro and Sanjialso tilted their heads, clearly not understanding."Sigh... is no one listening?" The old man was so embarrassed he almost fell off the railing, talking to himself for a long time, the air filled with awkwardness."Let me handle it." Mark stepped forward, pulling out a stack of Berries, "Old man, Ekes are the currency of Sky Island, right? Can we pay with Berries?""Oh, Berries are Blue Sea currency; the exchange rate is 1:10000." The old man said casually."What?!" Everyone instantly exploded, their eyes widening like copper bells."Don't think it's expensive; even if you are here for the first time, I can't charge a cent less—after all, I have to make a living."The old man spread his hands, looking matter-of-fact."Hey!... Mark, how much money was that tip for the beggar in Loguetown last time?" Usopp secretly leaned into Mark's ear and whispered."It seems it was 10,000 Berries." Mark blinked—this exchange rate, isn't it too cheap?"Give me twenty first; 500 Berries is really too little to offer." Mark took out 10,000 Berries and handed them over.Money and goods exchanged hands; the old man took the Berries and gave Mark twenty whistles.The old man's eyes crinkled with a smile: "Pleasure doing business! My name is Gan Fall, and this is my partner Pierre."He pointed to the owl next to him, "Don't let its bird appearance fool you, he's a Horse-Horse Devil Fruituser."As soon as he finished speaking, the owl began to transform—its claws turned into hooves, its owl head turned into a horse head..."It can turn into a horse with wings!" Gan Fallintroduced proudly."Wow! Isn't this the legendary Pegasus?" Nami's eyes lit up."Yes, that's Pegasus!" Gan Fall was even prouder.In the end, Pierre turned into a pink, polka-dotted creature that was neither bird nor horse."Sigh, that's it?" Mark's mouth twitched."So ugly.""So disappointing."The group's evaluation made Gan Fall instantly bristle: "What kind of expressions are those? This is cool, okay!""No, no, no, the gap is too big." Luffy shook his head honestly.Gan Fall huffed and climbed onto the "Pegasus," leaving behind a "Goodbye, brave warriors,"disappearing into the cloud sea in the blink of an eye. Ink Meteor let out a low growl at the sky, its tail swaying gently."Do you want wings too?" Chopper rubbed against its paw, whispering a translation."Haha, you will." Mark patted Ink Meteor's head—he had been eyeing that pink fruit for a long time."In the end, that Knight gentleman still didn't say how to get to the next level." Nami slumped her face, somewhat disappointed."—Whew—" Mark blew a whistle, and Gan Fall's voice came from the air."Whoa!"Gan Fall, riding the "Pegasus," stopped steadily in mid-air, raising his eyebrows proudly:"What, you're using the precious help whistle already? Tell me, what's the trouble?""Um... how do we get to the next level?" Namipointed at the sky, her tone filled with anticipation."Oh, is that it?" Gan Fall pointed to the faint outline in the distance, "See that thing that looks like a waterfall over there?""It really looks like a waterfall!" Usopp picked up the binoculars and looked closely."That's not a waterfall; it's the gateway to heaven—as long as you pay the fee, you can go up to the real Sky Island at the top." Gan Fall explained."Thanks, old man and Pegasus! Brothers, let's go!"Luffy had already impatiently run to the bow, his legs wrapped around the neck of the going merry, one hand clenched into a fist pointing straight at the waterfall."Wishing you a smooth journey again!" Gan Falldisappeared into the cloud sea once more.The going merry set sail again, in the boundless cloud sea, slowly heading towards the real Sky Island.
Chapter 88: Heaven"Huh~ It bounced back!""Everyone, look! The clouds here are different from the ones before!"As soon as the words left her mouth, Luffy, like a monkey let off its leash, "zoomed" onto the grey cloud and started hopping around."Whoa! What is this? This is so fun!"After hopping a few times, he just flopped onto the cloud and rubbed against it. "What on earth is this? It's so soft, even more comfortable than a sun-dried quilt. I really want to take a nap!""I want to play too!" Chopper gripped the ship's railing, his short legs scrambling excitedly, and he immediately pounced over.With Usopp joining the group, Luffy completely let loose. The trio of goofballs was officially activated, rolling around on the cloud, their laughter nearly shaking the cloud layer apart.Nami, however, was not influenced by these three energetic troublemakers. She rubbed her chin, staring at the surrounding clouds with a slight frown:"If all the clouds are like this, the ship won't be able to sail on them!"She suddenly raised her voice and shouted at the trio making a ruckus:"You guys, look around and see if there's another path!""Hey! Luffy, there seems to be something over there?" Usopp suddenly pointed behind Luffy, his eyes wide."Stop playing, you guys! Luffy, where are you going?"Nami clenched her fists, a vein throbbing on her forehead—if those three didn't come back soon, she would definitely make them pay later!A moment later, Luffy, Usopp, and Chopperreturned to the side of the ship, dejected, each sporting an identical large bump on their heads."A gate?" Nami raised an eyebrow."Yeah! Right below that waterfall, there's a huge gate!"Luffy rubbed the bump on his head and said with a grin."How could there be man-made structures in a place like this? Did you three see wrong?" Sanji held his teacup, his tone full of suspicion."Honestly, nothing surprises me anymore, especially here in the Sky Island!" Robin leaned against the ship's mast, her tone indifferent."Anyway, we'll know once we turn out from here!" Luffy pulled his Straw Hat down onto his head and stared excitedly at the fork in the road ahead."Okay, the next turn is to the left!" Chopper pointed to the left corner, his tone firm."No, it's definitely a right turn!" Usopp immediately pointed to the other side to refute."Left!""Right!"The two argued incessantly, then suddenly looked in unison at Zoro, who was standing to the side: "Zoro, which way should we go?"Zoro crossed his arms, looking at them with a confused expression: "Why ask me? Aren't you the ones watching the path?""Stop talking nonsense, just say it!" Usopp was so anxious he was jumping up and down.Zoro casually pointed to the right: "Then let's go right!""See that? I won, Usopp!" Chopper jumped up happily, his short legs almost leaving the ground.Usopp hung his head, listlessly saying: "Fine... let's go left."Robin, watching this farce from the side, couldn't help but purse her lips and snicker."Oh! We're out!" Nami's voice suddenly rang out, pulling the attention of her companions back to the front."Oh! It looks like the gate to an amusement park!" Mark stared at the structure ahead, his eyes lighting up."That's not what it says on it!" Robin said softly."Let me see—Gate of Heaven!"Usopp leaned in to read it, then couldn't help but spit. "That's so ominous! It makes it sound like we're about to die.""Maybe we're already dead, and everything we see now is just a hallucination!" Zoro crossed his arms, enjoying the chaos."Is that so? Then these strange things make sense!" Sanji joined in on the joke."Are we... really dead?" Chopper was so scared his ears drooped, his voice full of surprise."Heaven, huh? How interesting, so this is Heaven!" There was a hint of schadenfreude in Luffy's voice, which made Nami's temper flare up."Bam! Bam! Bam!"Nami raised her hand and gave each of them a knock on the head, saying irritably: "Who's dying! Why are you saying such scary things!""Why did you hit me too..." Chopper covered his head, his voice full of grievance."Click! Click! Click!"A sound of a camera taking pictures came from somewhere. The group turned to look—an old woman wearing a pink dress with white wings on her back was holding a camera and snapping pictures of them frantically."Look! She has wings on her back!" Chopperwidened his eyes, pointing at the old woman's wings."Is she an angel? Do angels look like that?" Luffyscratched his head, looking confused."How is that possible? Angels don't age!" Sanjiimmediately retorted, his tone carrying a hint of fantasy about "angels."They stared at the old woman for three seconds, and the air instantly became awkward."Um..." Nami was the first to break the silence, speaking cautiously."I am the overseer of the Gate of Heaven, Amazon."The old woman's voice was devoid of emotion as she replied flatly.She paused, then asked: "Are you here for sightseeing, or are you here to wage war?"The first half of the sentence was gentle, but the second half suddenly dropped, carrying a sense of oppression."We're probably here for... sightseeing!" Namiquickly answered, afraid the atmosphere would become even more tense."Anyway, we want to go to the Sky Island!" Luffysuddenly stepped forward, his tone firm."By the way, what do you mean by 'wage war'?" Zoro's voice followed, a hint of vigilance in his eyes."Whichever it is, it doesn't matter. If you want to go up, you must first pay the entry fee for Heaven—1 billion Extols per person.""Let me calculate... that's 1 million Berries per person, right! That's so expensive! Can we get a discount?"Nami immediately entered bargaining mode."You don't have to pay," Amazon suddenly said."What? That's so nice? That's great! Thank you, old lady!"Nami thought she had gotten a huge bargain and was so happy she almost jumped up."No! We will pay!" Mark suddenly interrupted her."Mark, why! It could have been free!" Nami looked confused, looking heartbroken at the Berries about to be spent."Nami, remember one thing—in this world, free things are the most expensive!" As Mark said this, he pulled 8 million Berries from his pocket and handed them to the old woman."Not enough!" Amazon took the Berries and said coldly."Hey! I don't have any moral bottom line! If you're deliberately looking for trouble, I don't mind causing a scene in Heaven!"Mark's eyes instantly turned cold, his tone carrying a warning.Amazon pointed at Ink Meteor on the deck and said flatly: "It needs to pay too.""...Fine." Mark rubbed the back of his head helplessly and had to pay the extra amount."But how are we supposed to get to the Sky Island!"Luffy stared at the winding "path" behind the gate, looking completely bewildered, unable to understand how this "path" was supposed to be traveled."Bam!"Suddenly, a giant claw emerged from the clouds, charging straight at the going merry!"Hmph!" Zoro instantly gripped his sword hilt, about to draw his blade, but was blocked by Mark."It's fine, it has no malicious intent," Mark said softly.As soon as he finished speaking, the old woman explained: "A North Blue specialty, the Express Shrimp.""Click!"Two shrimp claws suddenly clamped onto the wings of the going merry, and the next second, it accelerated violently—Everyone on the going merry instantly fell backward, and Usopp's nose was deformed by the strong wind."This speed... it's more thrilling than a roller coaster..." Mark gripped the ship's mast tightly, unable to help but exclaim.The Express Shrimp carried the going merry, racing along the winding cloud path, the sound of the wind whistling in their ears."Hold on tight, don't fall off!" Sanji steadied himself and shouted to his companions."Ah! This is too terrifying!" Chopper was so scared his fur stood on end, his little paws clutching the mast tightly."It's going against the current, yet it's so fast!" Zorosquinted, feeling the speed of the wind, his tone carrying a hint of amazement.Finally, after ten minutes of the thrilling cloud-path race, the going merry suddenly seemed to break through some kind of barrier, "whooshing" into the air."Plop—"With a dull thud as the going merry landed in the sea of clouds, the Straw Hat finally set foot on the land of the Sky Island!"Ah! Sky Island... so this is the Sky Island!" Luffypressed his Straw Hat down with one hand, pointing forward with the other, his eyes fixed on the scene before him, full of awe."This... holy crap!" Mark couldn't help but curse, clearly stunned by the beautiful scenery before him."It's too beautiful!" Even the usually aloof Zorocouldn't help but exclaim—it was hard to imagine those words coming from him.In the distance, white castles stood, some on the ground and some suspended in mid-air, no longer just the monotonous white from before—There were colorful flowers and plants, roofs of various colors, and rainbow-like cloud bridges connecting the buildings, truly an aerial garden from a fairy tale world."We've landed, brothers!"Luffy could no longer contain his excitement and "zoomed" into the sea of clouds—this layer of cloud sea was just as soft as the clouds in the waterfall passage; it was the "seafloor.""Wait for me, Luffy!" Usopp followed and jumped down, still clutching his slingshot."*Inhale*—it's really clean! The air, the ground, there's not even any sand."Mark took a deep breath of the sweet-smelling air and jumped down too, running after Luffy.Robin was the last to move. She sat on the ship's railing, watching her companions playing on the beach, and said softly:"Sailing or landing, both are adventures. I never thought about it before, but now..."She smiled slightly, stood up, took a step forward, and ran toward her companions.The wind of the Sky Island blew gently, carrying the scent of adventure. The Straw Hat's great disturbance in Heaven was about to begin.