As the massive island turtle surfaced, it casually clamped its jaws around the sunken ship, chewing slowly and without concern for the chaos around it. The wreck disappeared between its teeth as though it were nothing more than driftwood.
Then, with a deep rumbling exhale, the turtle opened its mouth again—perhaps uninterested in the taste of what it had just swallowed—and a flurry of figures came tumbling out. The Strawhats, along with Masira and several of his crew, leapt free of the cavernous jaws and splashed into the open sea.
Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Nami swam straight back toward the Going Merry, with Nami immediately clambering aboard and taking cover behind Usopp. Masira, dripping wet and fuming, climbed onto their deck as well. His face was twisted in anger, convinced the Strawhats had tried to steal the very ship he'd been salvaging.
Before tempers could flare further, the world around them began to change. The bright sunlight dimmed unnaturally fast, as if someone had pulled a curtain across the sky. The blue above darkened into an oppressive black, and a cold hush fell over the sea.
Then they saw it.
In the far distance, an enormous shadow formed—silhouettes of towering figures, each wielding long spears, with what looked like great feathered wings unfurling from their backs. The shapes loomed impossibly large, stretching across the horizon. Even for the Strawhats, who had faced giants and monsters, this was different. The sheer scale of the figures made their hearts pound.
The shadows shifted, raising their spears in what looked like the beginning of an attack. Panic surged through the crew. Without hesitation, they grabbed oars and began paddling frantically away.
"Wait," Douglas's voice cut through the fear, calm but firm. His tone alone was enough to stop the frantic motion of his crewmates. All eyes turned toward him, confusion etched on their faces.
"There's no change in the waves," Douglas said evenly. "No change in the wind. And I can't feel any presence coming from those figures. They're just shadows."
The crew paused, tension still in their shoulders.
"Are you sure?" Nami asked, still wary, her eyes flicking between Douglas and the looming shapes on the horizon.
"Yes," Douglas replied. "If giants that size were really standing there, each step would churn the sea. The waves would be massive. But look—" he gestured to the water around them "—it's completely calm."
The others looked around, slowly realizing he was right. The sea was smooth, undisturbed.
"Then what was that?" Luffy asked, tilting his head, still staring at the phantom warriors.
Douglas's lips curved slightly. "I think," he said, "we just found proof that Sky Island exists."
Luffy's eyes widened, his earlier fear instantly replaced by a childlike gleam of excitement. "Really?!"
"Yes," Douglas said with certainty. "For shadows to stretch that far across the sea, the sun would have to be hitting people from more than 10,000 meters above us. That means there really is land in the sky."
The crew exchanged glances, a mix of awe and disbelief. Douglas began breaking down the logic in simple terms—how the angle of light, the absence of nearby giants, and the length of the shadows all pointed to a single, thrilling conclusion.
"Hey, you—do you know about the islands in the sky?" Douglas asked, turning toward Masira, who had been listening in on his conversation with the crew. Masira's face lit up instantly, his eyes wide with an excitement that told Douglas he already knew the answer.
"Well," Masira began, grinning, "I might not have mentioned this, but I'm part of a group of followers loyal to a descendant of Mont Blanc Noland. The reason we salvage sunken ships isn't just for profit. Sometimes, items fall from the sky. We're very familiar with the legend of Mont Blanc Noland, and I completely believe Sky Island exists."
The Strawhats reacted with surprise and curiosity, some exchanging excited glances.
"Can you bring us to the descendant of Noland? We'll pay you," Douglas said without hesitation.
Nami immediately rounded on him, her temper flaring. "Are you insane?! You're going to pay someone just to introduce us to a descendant of a so-called liar?!" she snapped. But Douglas ignored her entirely, keeping his focus on Masira.
"I don't need your payment," Masira replied, his tone suddenly serious. "But there's something I want from you. If you figure out a way to reach Sky Island… can you take our boss with you?" His voice carried a strange mix of desperation and hope, the kind that came from chasing a dream for years.
Douglas studied him for a moment, then nodded with conviction. "Don't worry. As the crew's scholar and engineer, I'll find a way to get us there. And when we do, I'll bring your boss… and you, and your entire crew as well."
Masira's grin widened, relief and gratitude clear on his face.
"Is that alright, Luffy?" Douglas asked, glancing toward the captain, who had been silently observing the exchange.
"Of course," Luffy said without hesitation. "I can't let my nakama be known as a liar… except for Usopp."
"Oi! Why me?!" Usopp shouted indignantly, while the rest of the crew burst into laughter at Luffy's offhand jab.
In that moment, an unspoken pact was forged between the two pirate crews—a shared promise that could lead them to the skies and perhaps even to the truth of an old legend. The Masira Pirates then led the Strawhats Pirates into the base of operation of Masira's boss, in an island called Jaya.