Deep in the lush, primeval jungle of the Upper Yard…
Ace, Marco, and Jozu were fully immersed in a grueling training session.
The air around them was thick with humidity and the raw, oppressive pressure of their combined Haki.
Suddenly, they all paused, sensing the shift in the island's atmosphere.
A distant roar, followed by a surge of movement as countless Skypieans took to the cloud-roads, all heading in the same direction.
"What's going on now?" Ace asked, finally breaking his concentration.
He wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, his face filled with a youthful confusion.
"Why is everyone suddenly heading to the top of the Giant Jack? Did Ron start a festival without us?"
"Don't overthink it, yoi," Marco said, also stopping his training.
He was slightly out of breath, but his eyes reflected an unwavering, absolute trust in their crew's strategist.
"Whatever Ron is doing, he has a reason. Our job right now is to get stronger."
"Exactly," Jozu chimed in, stretching his massive, sore body with a groan that sounded like grinding rocks.
"Ron always has his reasons, and there are always deeper meanings behind his actions." He then grinned, a determined fire in his eyes.
"And once I master this advanced Haki, I'm definitely going to ask Ron to give me that supreme Armament Haki enchantment!"
Ace burst into laughter. "Jozu, where are you going to get that kind of money? Are you seriously planning to go mine Sea Prism Stone with your bare hands or something?"
"Hmph!" Jozu snorted, a stubborn glint flashing in his eyes.
"We're insiders. We get insider prices. And Ron even allows the crew to pay on credit." He frowned slightly, lost in thought for a moment before shaking his head with fierce pride.
"No. I can't take credit. That's not a man's way. Even if I have to mine, I'll pay him back myself." He then brightened up with a new idea.
"But… I can work for Ron to repay the debt! I can be his bodyguard! That'll work!"
Ace was left speechless by Jozu's earnest, if slightly simple-minded, determination and could only smile helplessly.
After the Battle of Marineford, they had all come to deeply and painfully understand the importance of Haki.
That heart-stopping war had shown them the overwhelming, world-breaking power of the true masters.
Since then, they had all resolved to train relentlessly, to push past their limits, to ensure they would never feel so helpless again.
With this shared thought, the three of them wasted no more time and threw themselves back into their intense training, their shouts and the clash of Haki once again echoing through the jungle.
....
Angel Island, Lovely Street…
Sunlight bathed every corner of the street, casting a bright, peaceful glow over the cloud-pavement.
At that moment, Doflamingo was leisurely strolling down the boulevard, his top executives in tow.
Their pace was unhurried, their eyes casually scanning the bizarre and fascinating surroundings of the sky island.
Then, the sight of Ron's towering figure atop the colossal crimson dragon's head, soaring across the sky, stood out unmistakably.
It naturally caught the sharp eyes of Doflamingo and his crew.
Soon, they saw the aftermath: more and more people were being drawn by an invisible force, a wave of palpable excitement, all surging in Ron's direction.
"Strange," Diamante grumbled, frowning as he slowly put down the Tone Dial he had been fiddling with.
"What is Vice-Captain Ron up to now? Wasn't he supposed to be creating our Devil Fruits?"
Pica, observing the scene, shook his stone head.
"I don't get it," he squeaked. "Anyway, it's clear Ron has god-like authority in this place."
"Doffy," Trebol said, his voice slick with suggestion.
"Should we go take a look, too? Behehe, missing out on such a big spectacle would be a real shame."
"..."
Doflamingo remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the sky.
He watched the procession, the way the entire populace moved as one, following the man on the dragon.
'Fufufu… what a grand spectacle', he thought.
This boy never does anything small.
He's making a statement, rallying his people.
A king must know how to command a stage.
His lips suddenly curled into that familiar, meaningful smirk.
"It's definitely worth seeing. Let's go!"
With that, several nearly invisible, transparent strings shot from his fingertips, attaching to unseen points high in the clouds.
In an instant, his figure shot into the air like an arrow released from a bow.
Seeing this, the other executives of the Donquixote Family also sprang into action.
Diamante, especially excited, pulled out the sleek, newly purchased Waver he had just bought from a Skypiean vendor.
"Haha!" he laughed triumphantly. "This thing can fly in the air! So convenient! I'm buying a dozen to take back!"
"Heh, I've got one too!" another executive shouted.
"Give me a ride!"
"And me!"
The Donquixote Family, in a chaotic and noisy flock, all rushed over to join the excitement.
Not far away, on the balcony of a luxurious, cloud-built villa…
The Golden Lion was lounging comfortably on a recliner.
The warm sunlight bathed him, as if draping him in a golden, ethereal glow.
He held a glass of rich, dark red wine, swirling it slightly, watching the crimson liquid swirl mesmerizingly in the glass.
He took a small, appreciative sip and sighed with pure, unadulterated contentment.
For the first time in twenty years, there was no pain, no pressure, no cursed rudder in his skull.
This was the good life.
"If the next three years pass just like this," he mused to himself, "it wouldn't be so bad after all."
However, the distant commotion, the roar of the dragon, and the cheers of the crowd, seemed to reach him, catching his attention.
"Hmph. Seems like something interesting is happening over there," Shiki muttered to himself.
He felt a familiar, powerful itch—the desire to fly over and see for himself.
But then he remembered.
He had lost the power of the Float-Float Fruit.
He could no longer soar freely as before.
He sighed faintly, a trace of bitter helplessness flashing in his eyes.
In the end, he dismissed the thought and settled back into his recliner.
Just then, the sound of light, heavy footsteps broke the tranquility.
Shiki glanced up to see Jozu's massive figure slowly coming into view.
"Oh? Brat, what are you doing here?" Shiki frowned, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
This guy doesn't seem trustworthy, he thought.
Jozu smiled faintly and stopped before the recliner.
He pointed a thick, diamond-hard finger at the distant, colossal vine.
"I can take you there," he said simply. "But you'll have to agree to one condition."
"What?" Shiki raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixed intently on Jozu, filled with doubt.
At that moment, two more figures landed softly on the balcony.
It was Marco, with Ace in tow.
"Hmph! I knew you couldn't resist your curiosity," Ace said, clearly speaking to Marco, a hint of displeasure on his face.
"But why are we stopping here?" He glanced around, but when his eyes fell upon the Golden Lion, he immediately fell silent.
This old man had a peculiar temper and formidable strength—not someone to provoke lightly.
Jozu stepped forward, his gaze locked firmly on Shiki.
"My condition is simple," he declared, his voice a low challenge. "You boast about fighting Roger and Pops. Prove you still have what it takes. You will suppress your strength and help the three of us train our Haki. Be our sparring partner. Let us feel the Haki of a true legend."
"Oh? Just that?" The Golden Lion raised an eyebrow, a slow, cunning grin spreading across his face.
He was clearly skeptical.
The condition seemed far too simple.
They want me to… teach them? The lion showing the cubs how to hunt? There has to be a catch… but… he admitted to himself, it does sound far more interesting than sitting here drinking alone.