"Whew..."
"Hah..."
"Whew..."
As the ship emerged onto the White Sea, heavy panting immediately erupted across the deck.
Everyone's faces were pale, their breathing labored.
"This is awful..."
Nami clutched Caesar's wrist tightly, her expression strained. "I feel like I can't breathe."
"The air is thinner at high altitudes. It's a normal reaction. Don't rush to stand up—just take some time to adjust," Caesar reassured her, leaning in slightly to brush his lips against her cheek as he murmured, "Do you need me to give you mouth-to-mouth?"
At his words, a faint blush spread across Nami's pale face.
Glancing around nervously at the others, she shook her head almost imperceptibly.
"Alright, I'm good now!"
Yamato took a deep breath and abruptly stood up, swaying slightly for just a moment before quickly regaining her usual composure.
Unlike on Earth, where those with lower lung capacity adapt faster to high altitudes, in this world, the stronger one's physique, the quicker they adjust.
Caesar scanned the group. Aside from himself and Issho, who were already accustomed to high-altitude flight, the fastest to adapt among them was Kuma—he stabilized after just one deep breath.
Next was Yamato, taking only slightly longer than Kuma, though the difference was negligible.
Then came Ace.
Though he was still panting heavily, his complexion had already returned to normal, meaning he'd recover soon.
As for the others...
"Oh no—Dr. Wolf!"
Caesar's expression darkened as he swiftly conjured an oxygen machine, placing the mask over Dr. Wolf's face.
They had only just arrived, and the old man's lips were already turning purple!
"Thank you..."
After inhaling deeply, Dr. Wolf's complexion improved significantly. His physical condition couldn't compare to the younger members.
Several minutes passed before everyone had mostly adjusted to the oxygen-deprived environment, now able to move around normally.
Once they'd stabilized, they finally had the chance to take in their surroundings.
"Hahaha, it's a sea of white clouds!"
Deuce leaned against the railing, his gaze slightly dazed—still suffering from mild hypoxia. Among them, his constitution was the most ordinary.
"So this is the White Sea?"
Robin extended a series of arms from her palm, lightly brushing the white sea of clouds and feeling moisture.
"What's it like? Is it water or something else?" Nami asked curiously.
"It's mist," Robin replied before shaking her head. "No, that's not quite right. It's much more humid than mist, and when you touch it, there's a ripple effect, like water."
"Incredible..."
Nami marveled.
After a while longer, everyone had fully adapted to the thin air, running and cheering across the deck in small groups.
Caesar, holding a camera, patiently took photos of the excited crew.
"Yahoo!"
"White Sea!"
"Sky Island!"
"We're here!"
This time, even Law and Wolf couldn't resist moving around, carefully observing their surroundings.
They were currently floating in a flowing expanse of white clouds, but not far away, they could clearly see stationary clouds—unchanging, as if made of stone.
"I remember you mentioned that Sky Island itself is made of Island Clouds. Is that what those are?" Robin asked.
"Hmm, but there are many types of island clouds, or rather, many kinds of clouds in the Sky Island. For example, we're currently in the White Sea at 7,000 meters, while Sky Island is located 3,000 meters above in the White-White Sea."
Caesar chuckled, "And as mentioned before... there's also a Poneglyph on Sky Island."
Back in Alabasta, Robin had been shown the Poneglyph in the royal tomb by Vivi, though Caesar had no interest in it and didn't follow. The content on it, as Caesar had said, was about the location of the ancient weapon Pluton—which was in Wano Country!
Though Robin trusted Caesar wouldn't lie to her, after confirming the Poneglyph's message, she was exceptionally tender with him that night, pushing the Flower-Flower Fruit's abilities to their limits...
"What does this stone tablet record?"
"Hmm... the location of the ancient weapon Poseidon."
"That Mermaid Princess?" Robin asked curiously.
Caesar nodded, "This generation's Mermaid Princess should only be about twelve or thirteen now?"
Robin's expression turned enigmatic, "Is she pretty?"
"Just alright, I suppose?"
Caesar pondered. While many found Shirahoshi beautiful, he thought she was merely decent. He was the type who prioritized feelings, preferring mature women or strong-willed girls like Nami or Vivi, who were destined to become such women in the future. Shirahoshi, though well-endowed, had a childish appearance and a weepy personality. In contrast, he preferred Madam Sharley from the mermaid café.
"You don't like her?"
"Not my type..."
Faced with Robin's probing, Caesar shook his head.
"If you ever meet a girl you like, remember to tell me."
Caesar raised an eyebrow, "Is that a reward?"
"Just trying to please my master."
Her deep eyes fixed on Caesar as she gently scratched his chin, Robin's breath was fragrant.
This woman knows exactly how to play the game...
Caesar felt a surge of heat.
Among the women around him so far, Yamato had the strongest physique but surprisingly weak combat skills. Though usually bold, she was unexpectedly innocent in certain aspects, blushing like a ripe crab just from reading a comic. Baby5 was obedient but had a submissive demeanor.
Only Robin seemed to always hit the right notes with Caesar. Her subtle, ambiguous teasing resonated with his soul, leading to perfect harmony.
"I heard oxygen deprivation causes rapid water loss in the body?" Robin murmured softly.
"I'm so tired of understanding things instantly!"
Caesar twitched his lips and stealthily grabbed her firm backside, "Be serious!"
"Heh..."
Robin chuckled and turned to Nami, whose face was flushed red. The girl had heard every word of their conversation and was now hiding behind Caesar like a quail.
"Navigator, which way should we go next?"
"Uh, that way!"
Nami glanced at the Log Pose in a fluster and pointed toward two o'clock.
"Hey, wait, look!"
Yamato called out to everyone, holding a fishing rod with a flat fish dangling from it, "There are fish in this sea!"
With that, she yanked the fish off the hook. It wriggled wildly in her hands, its teeth snapping open and shut, looking utterly bizarre.
Caesar and Robin watched the scene expressionlessly.
Robin: "Thought of a new game."
Caesar: "I get it..."
"You two are really too much!" Nami blushed, covering her ears.
When she turned back, the sky fish had already been turned into fish fillets by Baby 5.
"Made it first to try. If it's good, I'll make more for my dear later~" Baby 5 said with a lovesick grin, then waved at the others. "Hey, who wants to test it for poison?"
Everyone waved their hands dismissively. "Hey, hey!"
Yamato, Ace, and Bonney: "Delicious!!"
"Stop shoving random things into your mouths, you idiots!" Nami roared with a shark-like expression, only to have Yamato stuff a piece into her mouth the next second.
"Gotta admit, the texture's not bad..." Nami's eyes lit up as she savored the novel taste, immediately changing her tune.
By the time they finished eating, the group had already caught over a dozen more!
Caesar casually picked two of the larger ones—one for his biological collection and the other to be prepared as a food specimen.
After sampling several types of sky fish, the group finally continued toward Sky Island.
As the ship ventured deeper into the White Sea, the frequency of solid clouds around them noticeably increased. Everyone on board grew eager to explore, wanting to step onto these solid clouds and feel their texture.
However, aside from Baby 5, Ace, Law, and Nami, Caesar forbade the others from setting foot on the island clouds. After all, they were sailing the sky seas—falling off due to carelessness would be quite the spectacle.
The first three had flight or teleportation abilities, while Nami had mastered Moon Walk. Her talent for escape skills was off the charts; she'd learned Moon Walk just days after mastering Shave.
Issho could also fly, but as an older man, he was more composed and less inclined to fool around.
Watching the group bounce on the trampoline-like clouds, Yamato and Bonney leaned against the railing, their eyes filled with longing.
"This looks so fun..."
"So jealous..."
As they spoke, the pair—one tall, one small—turned to gaze plaintively at Caesar.
"Don't look at me! It's your own fault for not training properly in the Six Powers!" Caesar scowled, pointing at Yamato. "Especially you! You've mastered Conqueror's Haki Infusion but still haven't learned the Six Powers?"
"I just didn't think it was useful before..." Yamato scratched her head sheepishly.
"What about me? I'm not even ten yet!" Bonney piped up, tugging at Caesar's sleeve.
"..."
Caesar rolled his eyes, then picked up the little girl. "Just this once!"
"Hehe~" Bonney grinned, settling onto his back.
With a flutter of his black coat, Caesar soared into the sky, Bonney's delighted laughter echoing through the clouds.
About ten minutes later, Caesar landed back on the ship with Bonney on his back. She hopped down reluctantly, still craving more fun.
Caesar gave an almost imperceptible nod toward Yamato. Understanding, Bonney patted Yamato, releasing a pink glow. To her surprise, Yamato reverted to her teenage form, shrinking to about 1.7 meters tall.
"Ha—"
The girl looked up at Caesar, her face alight with joy.
Before Caesar could say a word, she leaped into his arms. "I knew you were the best, Caesar!"
"Cut the nonsense. Master the Six Powers completely within a month, or you'll regret it!"
Caesar rolled his eyes, then leaped into the air with Yamato in his arms, landing on a nearby Island Cloud.
He repeated the process, taking Robin up for a spin as well.
After some time, the ship gradually reached the edge of the cloud sea, arriving before a gateway resembling a station entrance, inscribed with the words "Gate of Heaven."
Creak—
From a small hut by the entrance emerged a hunched old woman, barely a meter tall, with tiny white wings on her back and a wrinkled face.
As she walked, she snapped photos of the crew with a camera.
"Uh…"
The men on board fell into awkward silence.
"Um… Captain?"
After a long pause, Deuce tentatively glanced at Caesar. "Is this what women on Sky Island are like?"
"There are beautiful ones too…" Caesar's lips twitched.
"Blue Sea dwellers… Are you here for sightseeing? Or for war?"
The old woman eyed Caesar's crew with a sinister gaze, her voice raspy.
"We're explorers, here to sightsee," Caesar replied coolly.
"Sightseeing? War? What do you mean by war?" Law interjected.
"…"
The old woman ignored him. "Sightseeing or war, it makes no difference. If you wish to ascend, you must first pay the entrance fee to Heaven—10 billion Extol per person, as mandated by law."
"Ten billion?!"
Nami gasped, gripping the railing. "Extol? What's that?"
Issho explained, "Extol is the currency of Sky Island. It's equivalent to 100,000 Berries per person."
"Whew—"
The crew visibly relaxed, waving their hands dismissively. "Oh, is that all? We thought it was some astronomical sum…"
"Can we pay with Berries from the Blue Sea?"
"You may."
Caesar pulled out two stacks of bills, and a Blood Bat carried them to the old woman. "Here's 2 million Berries—more than enough for our group."
The old woman nodded, accepting the payment.
Suddenly, two giant red shrimp burst from the clouds below, their massive claws clamping onto the ship, startling everyone.
"These are Express Shrimp, a specialty of the White Sea."
The old woman spoke impassively. "They will take you to Sky Island."
With a loud boom, the two Express Shrimp lifted the ship and dashed up the winding Cloud Road at breakneck speed.
"Whoa! So fast!"
Bonney yelped, shrinking into Kuma's arms.
Caesar, meanwhile, snapped photos with great interest. These were revelations that could overturn the world's understanding—after all, he had promised Cricket to reveal the truth of the City of Gold, and the existence of Sky Island would serve as compelling evidence.
Before long, carried by the Express Shrimp, the ship broke through the clouds and arrived at the White-White Sea, 3,000 meters above.
Brilliant light spilled from the sky, revealing a fantastical island straight out of a fairy tale.
The white Cloud Beach was dotted with peculiar vegetation, while further away stood rows of houses. Broad Cloud Roads connected small Island Clouds, forming an archipelago in the sky!
"This is… Sky Island!"
On the deck, the crew stared wide-eyed at the spectacle.
Deuce gaped, his gaze burning with excitement as his pen unconsciously scribbled across his notebook.
"Incredible… An island floating on a sea of white clouds!"
Bonney's mouth hung open, her eyes brimming with irrepressible joy. "Dad, our promise... we actually fulfilled it so soon!"
"Ah..."
Kuma's face wore a blissful smile as he raised his hand to wipe the moist tears from the corners of his eyes.
His daughter was alive.
To be able to travel with his daughter to all the wondrous islands in this world during his lifetime... it was truly... wonderful!
For the first time in the many years since Ginny's passing, he felt happiness so vividly again!
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