Luffy stood at the bow, tilting his head, looking at the sky with a bewildered expression, his bright eyes full of confusion.
"That's really strange, shouldn't there be nothing in the sky?"
Sanji, hands in his pockets, lit a cigarette, exhaled a puff of smoke, and slowly echoed.
He was a rational person, even though he had experienced many incredible things along the way.
But a ship falling from the sky still made him feel somewhat unbelievable.
Usopp had just recovered from the immense shock, huddled with Chopper, trembling, his voice quivering—
"W-what exactly is going on with this Grand Line?! It's too scary!!!"
He recalled the scene when the ship fell just now, almost having a heart attack from fright.
"N-no matter how I think about it, a ship falling from the sky simply doesn't make sense!!!"
Chopper nodded frantically, his eyes wide with terror, echoing: "Exactly! It's too scary! How can such a thing exist in this world!!!"
However, just as everyone was still discussing this "ship from the sky"—
"Huh?!"
Nami's surprised cry suddenly rang out, interrupting everyone's discussion!
"Miss Nami, what's wrong?!"
Sanji immediately turned, looking at Nami with a face full of concern, a hint of tension in his voice.
Nami held the log pose, staring at it with a grim expression, cold sweat beading on her forehead, and said with a trembling voice:
"The-the log pose is broken! The needle is pointing up, unmoving!!!"
"What?!"
Everyone was instantly startled and immediately gathered around!
"Let me see!" Usopp leaned in, his eyes wide, staring at the log pose in Nami's hand.
Indeed, the needle's direction was not pointing to any sea area, but was firmly pointing to the sky!
This was completely illogical!
"Wait, wait, wait! You mean, this needle is pointing to the sky?!"
Usopp's eyes widened, shouting in disbelief.
Zoro crossed his arms, frowning, a hint of confusion also appearing on his face: "An island in the sky... no matter how you hear it, it sounds a bit far-fetched."
Chopper's mouth was slightly open, his face full of shock: "Could it be that some island in the sky is attracting it?!"
Everyone discussed amongst themselves, but just then, a calm voice broke their discussion—
Robin slowly stepped forward, smiled lightly, and said leisurely:
"It's not broken."
Hearing this, everyone simultaneously turned to look at Robin.
Robin continued to explain: "Instead, it has been rewritten with a new record by an island with stronger magnetic force."
"Pointing to the sky can only mean that its record has been taken by 'Sky Island'."
"Sky Island?!"
"What?!"
Upon hearing this term, everyone instantly exclaimed!
Nami's eyes widened in shock: "What exactly is going on?!"
Luffy, however, excitedly widened his eyes, hands on his hips, his eyes full of anticipation: "Is it an island floating in the air?!"
Usopp's mouth was slightly open, his face full of disbelief: "That ship... did it fall from Sky Island?!"
Lin Ning, though always calm, couldn't help but frown this time: "This sounds a bit too exaggerated... how can there be an island in the sky?"
Robin smiled slightly, reached up to push the brim of her hat, and explained calmly:
"No... to be precise, what's floating is the sea."
"..."
Everyone fell silent again, stunned and speechless!!!
"Floating... is the sea?"
Nami, Usopp, and Chopper were all stunned at the same time, as if they had heard some fantastical tale.
"No way? That sounds even more ridiculous!" Usopp immediately clutched his head, an expression of unwillingness to accept.
Sanji held his cigarette, took a deep puff, exhaled smoke, and frowned slightly: "It's getting more and more confusing..."
But just as everyone was still in shock, Luffy excitedly jumped up, his face full of exhilaration!
"Hahahaha!!! That's great!!!"
He spread his arms and shouted loudly—
"Since there's a floating sea in the sky, there must be an island too! Alright, we're going right away!"
"Hahaha! Brothers, turn the rudder upwards! Full rudder up!!!"
Usopp immediately followed suit, raising his hands and shouting loudly: "Full rudder up!!!"
Everyone: "..."
Robin sighed helplessly, finally unable to tolerate her silly Captain's antics.
"Hana Hana no Mi—!"
"Slap! Slap!"
Her ability activated, two hands grew on Luffy's shoulders, directly covering Luffy's big mouth!
Luffy: "Mmm mmm mmm!!!"
Sanji covered his forehead, looking helpless: "First of all, the rudder can't be turned upwards, Captain!"
Nami rubbed her temples, an expression of being on the verge of collapse: "Can't you two use your brains a little?!"
"How can such a thing be possible! Floating seas and islands and such. I think the log pose is just broken!"
However, Robin slowly spoke, a mysterious smile on her face—
"But... Navigator Young Miss, you are wrong."
"What you should be considering now is not what's wrong with the log pose, but how to 'go to the sky'."
She scanned everyone, her tone calm and full of profound meaning:
"In this sea area, rather than doubting the log pose's direction, it's better to doubt the common sense in your own mind."
"There must be an island where it points."
As her words fell, everyone involuntarily held their breath... "Above the sky... does a world truly exist?"
The going merry floated quietly on the sea, the sea breeze gently caressing its sails.
However, at this moment, everyone's hearts were filled with doubt and unease.
The log pose pointing unmoving to the sky meant they could not continue sailing.
Nami crossed her arms, staring at the log pose, her brows tightly furrowed, and said in a heavy tone:
"There won't be any progress like this, and it's impossible to set sail right now anyway."
Hearing this, everyone fell into a brief silence.
On the Grand Line, sailing without the guidance of a log pose was tantamount to seeking death.
Nami sighed, looked up at everyone, and continued:
"Just as Robin said, what we need now is information."
"If a ship that big can really 'go to the sky', then there must be a way for our ship to go to the sky too!"
"Woo—!!"
Just then, a low, prolonged horn sound suddenly echoed across the sea.
Everyone quickly looked up in the direction of the sound, only to see a massive, peculiar giant ship slowly approaching on the distant horizon!
Its hull was unusually large, several times bigger than the going merry, its appearance old but full of the sense of time, with numerous repair marks covering its body.
"What kind of ship is that?" Zoro frowned, his hand on the hilt of the wado ichimonji, remaining vigilant.
Luffy, however, was full of excitement, his eyes wide: "What a big ship!!"
Soon, the giant ship slowly approached the going merry, and a burly, muscular man stood on its deck!
He had wild, red curly hair, a thick beard on his face, and his skin was bronzed from long exposure to the sun.
Various tools hung from his waist: diving goggles, oxygen tubes, iron hooks, ropes, etc., and he had many scars of varying depths on his body.
When he clearly saw the people on the going merry, he let out a booming laugh, his voice like thunder: "Yo, brats, why are you wandering in this sea area?"
"I am 'Salvage King' Masura!"