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Jinbe had once been a member of a Fish-Man pirate crew that was hostile to humans, and his bounty had reached 250 million Berries. Now, however, he stood on the side of the World Government.
"After all, the Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters seems to hold you in high regard," Thatch said, walking out with a lantern.
"Yes, Mr. Thatch. Even among the Warlords, who are all a rather whimsical bunch, you're probably the only one who bothers to show his face at Marine Headquarters," he continued, turning to Jinbe. "Putting aside the 'Pirate Empress,' Boa Hancock, the rest of them, like Doflamingo and that crocodile bastard... they're all just in it for themselves."
"I only accepted this position in exchange for a pardon for the Fish-Man race," Jinbe said. "In any case, it's a job."
And so, even if he was an old acquaintance, as a Warlord, Jinbe had to be careful. He couldn't be seen openly fraternizing with one of the Four Emperors.
"You really are a stickler for the rules, Jinbe."
"Not at all..."
"With the Warlord positions still unfilled, and what happened in the South Blue, Paradise is swarming with more and more pirates. The Fleet Admiral must be swamped."
"Speaking of which..." Thatch produced another newspaper and handed it to Whitebeard. "That king in Paradise who defeated Hanafuda... he's been in the papers a lot lately. Have you seen him, Jinbe?"
Jinbe glanced at the paper and shook his head.
"A very powerful king. It seems he's quite ambitious."
Whitebeard was aware of the situation on Fish-Man Island. His protection alone was not enough. If something were to happen to him, the island would be in grave danger. If they could get the recognition of even one more king of a member nation, it would be a great help to the Fish-Man Kingdom.
Jinbe said. "I'll be passing by on my way to Marineford. I'll look into it."
"Sorry to have kept you. Farewell, Jinbe. May you have fair winds," Whitebeard said.
"You too, Pops."
Whitebeard waved and walked back to his cabin.
Suddenly, a massive boom echoed across the sea.
On the distant horizon, a small red light flared, like a flame.
Was it a volcanic eruption?
Thatch and Jinbe were momentarily distracted.
"Mr. Thatch... about Pops..."
"He's in fine health," Thatch said. "At least, it's not getting any worse."
"I see." A look of relief washed over Jinbe's face.
"But no one can stay young forever. His sense of taste is getting duller, so he prefers stronger flavors. We have to be careful he doesn't take in too much salt..."
"Mr. Thatch. I know it's not my place to ask, but please take care of Pops. He is the benefactor of the Fish-Man race."
"I know, Jinbe," Thatch said, gripping his hand. "Pops... he understands everything."
"Good. Then I'll be on my way."
"Take care... Oh, and one more thing. About this rookie in the paper... if you find out anything, please let me know."
"I will," Jinbe replied. "A young man who refuses to become a Warlord and sets his sights on the New World..."
And who burned Pops' flag. What was he thinking? What was he planning?
Portgas D. Ace.
Savoring the name, Jinbe leaped from the rail and into the sea. His massive body sank in an instant, disappearing into the darkness.
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"A sky island? Do they really exist?" Robin asked, her curiosity piqued.
Jin just smiled. "There's only one way to find out, isn't there?"
A hot air balloon was lifting the massive demonic carrier into the sky. Under the effects of a certain Devil Fruit, it now weighed a mere one kilogram—lighter than a piece of paper of the same volume.
As they ascended, to counteract the effects of the wind, its weight gradually increased.
After the concert, Jin had set sail once again. This time, he had brought only Robin and the soldiers of Germa 66.
Law, Reiju, Wilson, and Maya had each been assigned to patrol the waters around one of his islands, to hone their skills. They couldn't stay under his wing forever.
As for Robin, she had been through enough.
Besides, there was a Poneglyph on the sky island, something for her to translate. Jin's interest in the Poneglyphs was more about uncovering the true history of the world, to use it as a weapon against the Celestial Dragons. He could, of course, have Robin teach him the ancient language, but compared to Robin, the famed "Devil Child of Ohara," he lacked authority.
Why do so many products use experts and professors as spokespeople? To create an air of "authority," of trustworthiness.
To the people of the Blue Sea, a sky island was a place of fantasy.
And the journey there was an arduous one. To ascend from the surface to the sky without the ability to fly was an unimaginable feat.
And so, the very existence of sky islands was questioned by many.
"The sky islands are divided into the White Sea and the White-White Sea," Jin explained, crossing his arms. "The White Sea is at an altitude of 7,000 meters. We're going to the White-White Sea, at an altitude of 10,000 meters."
He was enjoying the rare opportunity to lord his knowledge over the intellectual Robin.
"There are generally two ways to get to a sky island. The first is to take the normal route, starting from the 'High-West.' You'll encounter several sky islands along the way. The second is to ride the 'Knock Up Stream,' a massive, upward-flowing current. But the survival rate is extremely low. The islands in the White Sea... the famous weather island, Weatheria, is in the White Sea, but it's very close to the Blue Sea. Besides Weatheria, there are other entrances to the Upper White Sea. But to get from the White Sea to the White-White Sea, you have to pass through the 'Gate of Heaven'. And getting through the White Sea to the Gate of Heaven is no easy task. The islands of the White Sea are home to many terrifying creatures: massive sky fish, sky people who are masters of aerial combat... But the biggest challenge is the oxygen."
"The oxygen?"
"That's right. At this altitude, the air is thin. Your physical abilities will be greatly reduced."
The Empress ascended into the White Sea.
Robin frowned slightly, feeling a sense of discomfort. But with her constitution, she quickly adapted. She walked over to the rail. As far as the eye could see was a vast, white sea of clouds.
A ship could actually sail on this?
"The clouds of a sky island are divided into 'island clouds' and 'sea clouds',"
Jin explained. "They contain a particle called 'pyrobloin,' which is shot into the sky by volcanic eruptions. When it mixes with water vapor, it changes its density. The low-density clouds are the sea clouds, similar to seawater. The high-density clouds are the island clouds, similar to land. You can walk on them."
As he spoke, Ai activated the radar and released the ship's stored Observation Haki, searching for a path.
Soon, they arrived at the Gate of Heaven.
After paying the gatekeeper, an old woman, a fee of one billion Extols—the currency of the sky islands, equivalent to about 100,000 Berries—they boarded a "Speedy Shrimp," a specialty of the White Sea, which carried them up a spiraling river of clouds to the White-White Sea.
The moment they arrived...
CRACK!
From a clear sky, a bolt of lightning struck a distant island.
Jin and Robin both saw it. A house was destroyed, and someone was struck dead. The people nearby were terrified, but they didn't dare to run. They fell to their knees and begged for mercy.
"Oh, God! We meant no offense!"
"Please forgive us!"
"Please have mercy!"
They all lowered their heads, trembling with fear.
"God?"
Jin looked up. A dark cloud was slowly swirling, like the "eye of God," watching the mortal world below.
He knew that Enel, with the power of his Rumble-Rumble Fruit, had used the electric waves to greatly enhance his Observation Haki, turning it into a God-like power.
An All-seeing eye, with perfect aim.
But Jin wasn't afraid. He gave the sky the middle finger. "Hey, you up there!"
The sound, amplified by the Scream Scream Fruit, instantly transformed into a blue sonic beam, rocketing into the sky.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The clouds exploded.
And then, his voice echoed across the sky islands, a sonic storm that was heard by all.
"You a god...?"
"Eh??"
The anxious natives of the sky islands all turned their heads in shock.
In the Shandia village, everyone was stunned.
"Whose voice was that?"
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On Upper Yard—the part of Jaya that had been launched into the sky by the Knock Up Stream 400 years ago, and was now occupied by Enel—in his shrine, the normally languid Enel erupted in fury.
His "Mantra" quickly locked onto the target.
His arm crackled with electricity, and a massive cluster of thunderclouds formed above the demonic carrier.
"God's Judgment."
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