The Oro Jackson's hull rubbed against the sea of clouds, producing a gentle "swish swish" sound as soft as a lover's whisper.
The crew carefully descended the gangplank, their feet landing on the soft, springy clouds, the sensation both novel and absurd.
Buggy crouched down and curiously poked at the "ground" beneath his feet. His finger passed through easily, bringing up a small tuft of cloud fluff. "Hey, Shanks, this thing can actually hold people!"
Shanks imitated Kyle's style, giving a light hop. His body bounced twice on the sea of clouds like he was on a giant trampoline, laughing with delight.
Kozuki Oden was the most dramatic. He dove straight into the sea of clouds, ended up choking on a mouthful of "cloud," and surfaced awkwardly, wiping his face as he laughed heartily. "Oh oh oh! This sea has no salt!"
Just as everyone was having a blast, a dignified voice called out from nearby.
"Visitors from the Blue Sea, welcome to Skypiea, the 'Land of the Gods.'"
Everyone looked toward the voice to see an elderly man with a long white beard riding a pegasus with spotted wings, slowly descending from the sky.
The steed moved gracefully, though its eyes carried a silly air. Looking closer, it was actually an oversized duck.
"I am the 'God' of this place, Gan Fall." After the old man landed, his pegasus duck (?) naturally folded its wings and waddled behind him.
"God?" Buggy jumped in fright and hid behind Gaban.
Roger didn't care at all. He laughed and stepped forward, enthusiastically extending his hand. "Yo! Hello there, God! We're pirates. My name's Roger! Thanks for the welcome!"
Gan Fall looked at this man completely lacking in reverence, a flash of surprise in his eyes, but he still politely shook hands. "Pirates... what rare guests. Since you've managed to reach this place, it must be fate's guidance. Please follow me. Allow me to host you brave warriors who've come from afar."
Under Gan Fall's guidance, everyone entered Angel Island.
The architectural style here was peculiar, with many dome-shaped houses decorated with pure white angel wing ornaments. Most of the island's residents had small, adorable wings on their backs. They gazed at this group of wingless "Blue Sea people" with curiosity and shyness.
What truly opened the crew's eyes were Skypiea's specialty products: Dials.
"Oh oh oh! What's this?" Buggy picked up a shell from a stall and casually shouted into it.
The vendor smiled and explained, "That's a Tone Dial. It can record and play back sounds." He pressed the top of the shell, and Buggy's shout from moments ago played back exactly.
"Interesting!" Shanks picked up another oddly shaped shell and blew hard into it.
"That's a Wind Dial." Before the vendor finished speaking, a strong gust shot from the shell's opening, blowing Shanks backward. His red hair became messy as a bird's nest.
"Pff ha ha ha!" Buggy pointed at him and laughed so hard he doubled over, then accidentally bumped into a nearby shelf. An inconspicuous shell fell into his arms and suddenly contracted.
"Bang!"
An invisible impact force hit Buggy square in the abdomen. His eyeballs bulged, his whole body curled up like a shrimp, and he spat white foam from his mouth. "Urk... what kind of dial... is that..."
"Ah, that's an Impact Dial. Be careful when using it, the recoil is very strong," the vendor kindly reminded him.
Kyle was also quite interested in these little gadgets. He picked up an Impact Dial, closing his eyes to sense the fluctuations contained within.
The principle of this power had something in common with his Devil Fruit ability, only more pure and refined.
He thoughtfully returned the shell to its place. Skypiea's technology seemed closely connected to the manipulation of "waves."
At the evening banquet, Gan Fall treated everyone to Skypiea's unique "Sky Fish" and "Cloud Vegetables." After a few rounds of drinks, Roger asked him about the island's legends.
"Gan Fall, I heard there's a city made of gold somewhere in this sea of clouds?"
Gan Fall set down his cup, his expression growing somewhat complex. "You've heard that legend too? The golden city of 'Shandora'... it does exist, but it was thrust into the sky long ago by the 'Giant Beanstalk' beneath our feet. It's located in the upper area called 'Upper Yard.' That's now the territory of the Shandian warriors. They're another people who were blasted into the sky four hundred years ago. To reclaim their homeland, they've been fighting us for centuries."
"The golden... city?" Buggy's ears perked up instantly. His face, which had turned green from the Impact Dial earlier, now flushed with greedy red light.
Roger's eyes also lit up, but not with greed for gold. Rather, it was the excitement of an explorer discovering new coordinates. "Shandian warriors? Sounds interesting! We've decided, let's go check out that 'Upper Yard'!"
Gan Fall wanted to dissuade them, but seeing Roger's unwavering gaze, he could only sigh helplessly and point out the route to the upper "God's Island" of Upper Yard.
The next day, the Oro Jackson set sail again, climbing along vines so massive they seemed to lead to the divine realm itself, finally reaching that enormous island covered in primeval forest: Upper Yard.
The moment they set foot on solid ground, an ancient, desolate atmosphere rushed over them.
Unknown giant beasts roared from within the forest. The air was thick with dangerous scents.
"Everyone, I think I hear something." Roger suddenly stopped and cocked his ear to listen.
Rayleigh and Kyle also tensed. Though they couldn't hear it, they could feel that peculiar aura around Roger resonating with something deep within this land.
"This way!" Roger pointed in a direction and was first to push through the undergrowth, striding forward with large steps.
Everyone followed closely. After traveling through the dense jungle for several hours, the view suddenly opened up before them.
City ruins magnificent enough to steal one's breath appeared before everyone.
Broken walls and rubble, ancient temples, broad streets... everything was forged from pure gold.
Under the sunlight's illumination, the entire city radiated a dazzling yet dreamlike glow, as if it were the dwelling place of a sun god.
"We're... we're rich..." Buggy's mouth gaped wide enough to fit an Impact Dial. Drool ran down his chin, and his eyes had become two spinning berry symbols.
"Amazing..." Shanks was also too shocked by the scene before him to speak.
"Oh oh oh! This is the City of Gold!" Kozuki Oden shouted excitedly.
At the ruins' center, a massive golden bell tower soared into the clouds. The bell tower's design was ancient yet dignified. A huge golden bell hung there quietly, as if it had been sleeping for centuries, waiting to be awakened.
"That's it!" Buggy let out a strange cry, unable to contain his inner greed any longer.
He transformed into a cluster of flying body parts, charging straight at the golden bell. Several throwing knives already appeared in his hands, aimed at a corner of the golden bell.
"This great man just needs to chip off a tiny piece! Just one tiny piece!"
"Buggy."
Roger's voice wasn't loud, but it was like cold water poured over Buggy's head.
He stopped in midair, stiffly looking back to see Roger with his arms crossed, watching him with a half-smile.
"Captain... I... I just wanted to see if it's sturdy..."
"This bell isn't just gold." He paused, then grinned, showing white teeth. "When you someday have your own pirate crew and fly your own flag, if you still can't forget it, come take it with your own strength."
Buggy froze. He looked at Roger's smiling face, then at that magnificent golden bell. The throwing knives in his hands unconsciously fell back to his waist.
He silently flew back to the ground, reassembling into his complete body, head down, saying nothing.
Shanks walked over and patted his shoulder.
Roger paid no more attention to the two kids. He circled to below the golden bell and stopped before a huge square pedestal.
It was a stone monument carved with mysterious text, completely out of place with the golden, glittering surroundings, yet emanating an aura of eternal immortality.
A Poneglyph.
Kozuki Oden stepped forward, his fingers gently brushing the cold stone surface as he began deciphering the text.
"...Fish-Man Island... 'Poseidon'... with a single command, she could sink the world beneath the sea..."
The Ancient Weapon, "Poseidon."
This name made everyone present feel suffocating pressure. The power to command the "Sea Kings," rulers of the ocean? This was practically mythology.
"Ku ha ha ha!" Roger's laughter broke the silence. "I see! What an interesting answer!"
He showed no greed or fear toward the power of the Ancient Weapon. Instead, like a child who'd found a new toy, his face was full of pure joy and anticipation for the future.
He turned around, looking at Kozuki Oden with unprecedented seriousness.
"Oden."
"Oh! I'm here!" Oden immediately straightened up.
"Carve this too." Roger pointed at the blank stone base next to the Poneglyph, enunciating each word. "Use the script passed down through generations of the Kozuki clan."
"'We came here and guided this text to its endpoint: The Pirate, Gol D. Roger'!"
This wasn't just a message, but a declaration spanning time and space.
To someone in the future, to someone who could also reach this place and understand everything, a challenge and guidance.
Kozuki Oden's breathing grew heavy. He could feel the magnificent spirit capable of shaking an era contained in these words.
He nodded firmly, drew the blade at his waist, and using his sword as a pen, carved this bold proclamation stroke by stroke into the hard pedestal.
"Clang... clang..."
The crisp sound of carving stone echoed through the silent City of Gold, as if the wheels of history were making new sounds at this very moment.