The Return Of Joyboy!

Usopp was terrified. His heart pounded against his ribcage, every beat a reminder of how fragile life was in the face of the monstrous phenomenon unfolding before his eyes. The day had inexplicably turned into night again, an unnatural darkness casting a foreboding shadow over the horizon. The calm sea, once serene, had morphed into a violent, spinning whirlpool, a monstrous vortex where the Saruyama Alliance had urged them to go, which without any hesitation, Luffy had followed.

It wasn't that Usopp didn't trust the Monkey brothers—Mashira and Shoujou seemed competent in their eccentric way—but he truly didn't want to die. Every fiber of his being screamed to turn back. What if they were swallowed whole by the whirlpool before the Knock-Up Stream could even launch them into the sky? What if they never made it to the mythical Sky Island and instead met their end in this watery grave? What if—

"Usopp! We're going to the land of fantasies!" Luffy's familiar, excited voice broke through his spiraling thoughts, cheerful and brimming with wonder.

"Can we please turn back, Luffy?" Usopp nearly wailed, turning to face the captain. Luffy's ever-present, confident grin met him, unwavering and reassuring. It was infuriating and comforting all at once. "Even the Sea King got sucked in!" Usopp stammered, his knees wobbled uncontrollably. His wide, fearful eyes were glued to the whirlpool, the memory of the enormous creature's futile thrashing burned into his mind. He could still see its massive tail vanishing into the abyss, its desperate roars drowned out by the roaring waters. "This is a death trap, Luffy. We're not making it out of this alive!"

Beside him, Chopper was trembling like a leaf, his tiny hooves clutching the hem of Usopp's pants as if it were a lifeline. His wide, tear-filled eyes darted around nervously. "I don't want to die. Not like this!" He whimpered, his voice quaking with fear, after he heard what would happen from Usopp. At first, he had believed that the knock up stream will shoot them towards the sky island like a fountain but hearing Usopp.. He was scared.

"It'll be okay, Usopp, Chopper." Luffy's voice was soft but carried an unshakable confidence. He crouched down to Chopper's level and gently picked him up, cradling him in his arms. "If anything happens, I'll make sure no one dies. I promise," Luffy promised, his tone serious yet comforting as he wiped the tears from Chopper's furred cheeks. Then, his eyes met Usopp's, radiating the same assurance. "So don't be scared."

Usopp opened his mouth to retort, skepticism warring with a growing flicker of hope. "How do you even plan to do that, huh?" He muttered. As much as his terrified heart wanted to dismiss Luffy's words as empty bravado, some part of him—a part that had seen the impossible time and again—couldn't help but believe in Luffy's strangeness. From the moment Usopp had laid his eyes on Luffy, he had known that the childish captain was mysterious, strange and unique but with time he had also learned that Luffy is way more powerful than he could ever imagine and could protect them. But his poor heart and scared mind refused to believe on empty promises for the moment.

"Fascinating," Robin remarked, her calm, analytical voice cutting through the chaos and ignoring Usopp's fear. She leaned slightly over the railing, her gaze fixed on the swirling waters below. "I've read about whirlpools, but this one is extraordinary. Almost unnatural."

"'Unnatural' is exactly right!" Usopp yelped, spinning to face her. Robin, however, appeared utterly unbothered, her curiosity overshadowing any fear within her. "We should turn around while we still can!" He truly doesn't want to be sucked alive in the whirlpool, which they were being. "TURN BACK! TURN BACK! TURN BACK!"

"Trust me, I also want to turn back right now, but we are already in the current." Nami uttered, her hands gripping on the railing so tight that her knuckles were turning white. She had never heard anything about getting swallowed by a giant whirlpool from Cricket. If she would have then she would have never come here in the first place.

"TURN BACK! TURN BACK! TURN BACK!"

"Nami! Robin! Don't worry! I'll protect you two!" Sanji noddled towards the ladies, with hearts forming in his eyes.

"TURN BACK! TURN BACK! TURN BACK!"

"Give it up Usopp." Zoro stated, seeing Usopp wailing and shrieking. "It's too late. We've already got one crew member gung-ho about all this." Zoro pointed out to Luffy, whose eyes were twinkling like stars and body filled with endless energy.

"YOSH! We're going to Sky Island no matter what!" Luffy laughed gleefully, his carefree energy cutting through the tension like a blade. He couldn't wait to see the dreamy place which he had heard about from his mother, father and winds. He might have gone to one many eons ago but going again in the current time was more exciting when he doesn't know how his first adventure to a sky island was.

"Alright then! The rest is up to you, Strawhats!" Mashira and Shoujou shouted from a safe distance, with wild gestures which were almost comical against the dire backdrop.

"Thanks for getting us here!" Luffy shouted back, waving enthusiastically. His laughter rang out, light and infectious, cutting through the oppressive atmosphere.

"NOOO!!! WAAIIT!" Usopp shrieked, his hoarse voice cracking from all the shouting and cries. "YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN' ME! YOU BASICALLY DRAGGED US TO AN EXECUTION! GET IS THE HELL OUTTA HERE, YOU LUNATICS!"

"GAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!" Chopper shrieked, looking everywhere to find a place to escape.

"THEY DUPED US! WE ARE GONNA DIE!" Nami wailed, tears dripping from her eyes due to the situation. But there was no way out now, the whirlpool was sucking them closer and closer with every second. The waves trashing and churning, rocking their ship from one side to the other side, prompting everyone to hold onto something to not lose their footing, except Luffy.

"LUFFY, HOLD ONTO SOMETHING!" Zoro shouted, trying to get hold of Luffy who was bouncing happily in the middle of the deck, before falling sideways due to the trashing waves. It almost looked like he was enjoying this all, which Zoro was sure that the dumbass idiot of his captain is.

"LUFFY, LET'S TURN BACK! WE MIGHT STILL MAKE IT IF WE TURN AROUND!" Usopp wailed trying his best to convince Luffy, even if Nami told them that there was no way out now. "THAT WHIRLPOOL ALONE WILL KILL US! LET ALONE THE BLAST FROM THE KNOCK UP STREAM!"

"There's no hope, Usopp." Nami wailed, hugging the mast. "This fantasy is going to be our death."

"Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Zoro, Sanji, Robin." Luffy called out, looking towards the ocean and then upwards, his fists trembling with excitement as he turned towards his friends to show the impossibly huge grin and joy on his childish face. "We'd regret it for the rest of our lives if we gave this chance up." Luffy uttered as the waves once again rocked their ship violently and the winds ruffled his hair. "Moreover, it'll be fine. The winds will protect us if we fall."

The panic in the atmosphere wavered. Questions raised in Robin's mind, her curiosity wanting to question the mysterious captain—Cyra— about it. As per the information from the World government, it was stated that the 3C's have devil fruits related to calamity and nature itself. One could control the winds, other weather, and another storm. And if what Luffy was saying, how is it possible for him to have both wind and rubber powers?

"Captain-san—"

"Guys, while you were making a futile last ditch attempt to dissuade our captain-" Zoro interrupted Robin and pointed towards the calm before the storm—their ship flying in the air to land in the middle of the whirlpool. "-the whirlpool swallowed us."

"AAAGGHHHHHH!!!" "GAAHHHHH!" "WE'RE FAAAAAAALLIIIIINNNGGGG!!"

The weakling trio shrieked.

"Nami, leap into my arms!" Sanji gushed, rushing towards Nami, only to fall literally head over on the deck as the whirlpool suddenly vanished without a trace. "Wha?! Why'd it disappear?!"

"We are going to the sky island!" Luffy chirped happily with a huge grin over his face.

"But the whirlpool vanished, Luffy." Zoro replied back, not understanding how they are supposed to go to the Sky Island without the whirlpool. Didn't Cricket and the Monkey brothers inform them that the whirlpool is a must to get to the Sky Island?

"N-No.. Luffy is right," Nami gulped, her wide eyes staring inside the ocean where bubbles were rapidly forming. "The whirlpool's already been negated at the ocean floor." Nami steeled her nerves, gripping onto the mast as tight as she could. "It's coming. The knock up stream."

"ALL CREW ON DECK! GRAB ONTO SOMETHING OR HEAD INSIDE ASAP!" Sanji shouted, sensing the tension and seriousness in Nami's eyes.

"THE SEA'S GONNA BLAST US INTO SMITHEREENS!" Usopp shrieked, running to grab something to get stability.

"Mumma would never do that!" Luffy retorted but his voice was lost to the roar of the ocean beneath them and the knock up stream which erupted with an explosive force.

A colossal column of water shot skyward, carrying the Going Merry with it, rocking the ship violently. Merry's hull creaked under the immense pressure. Usopp's and Chopper's terrified wails filled the air as the crew clung onto whatever they could grab.

"The ship's riding along the pillar of water!" Zoro commented, amazed by the scene which was presenting itself to them.

"WOHOOO!!! THIS IS AWESOME!!" Luffy whooped, running on the deck, despite being in the risk of falling but miraculously even when nothing was under his feet, he wasn't getting tossed anywhere. "Hold on tight, guys!" Luffy yelled with a sun-like grin on his face, his voice brimming with immense excitement rather than fear. "This is it! Go, Merry, go!"

"Wait a second..!" Sanji gritted his teeth, holding another cigarette to light. "I don't think this is as good as it seems."

"W-Why, what is it?" Usopp stammered fearfully. The little hope which was igniting in his heart and mind were going to be extinguished and Usopp was sure of it.

"The entire ship's beginning to float off the water stream!" Chopper shrieked.

"What?!"

"At this rate, we are gonna get knocked off the stream and fall back down." Sanji muttered grimly, keeping his eyes on the water column where the massive sea king that had been sucked into the whirlpool came hurling into the sky alongside them. He could see its enormous body twisting and flailing, before gravity dragged it back down and the poor creature crashed into the ocean below with a deafening splash. "That's going to be us if we don't figure something out."

"You don't have to remind me!" Usopp howled, burying his face against the mast and crying out loud. "It's over for us then! We are gonna crash down into the sea and die instantly!"

"RAISE THE SAILS QUICKLY!" Nami shouted amidst the chaos, her sharp gaze darting across the turbulent skies. The winds were wild, the currents unpredictable but she could feel it—the pull of the stream, the flow of the winds. Her instincts honed by the years of navigating the seas, kicked into high gear at the face of calamity.

"What?! What are you doing Nami?!" Usopp questioned, tears falling from his eyes as he refused to move from the mast.

"I've got this." Nami assured, determination blazing in her eyes. "Luffy, you can command the winds and weather but I can guide us through them. As long as there's a sea to sail and wind to catch, I'll get us anywhere, whether it be in the land or sky."

Luffy's grin softened into proud and gleeful. "Nami's the best!" His grin in the darkness rivalled the sun and lit the candles of hope inside everyone's heart. "Let's do what Nami says!"

"Aye! Aye!" The crew chorused, fear forgotten.

"Turn the rudder port-side so we can catch the wind from starboard!" Nami barked, her voice cutting through the roaring waters and Sanji running to fulfill her orders. "We've gotta match the ship with the ocean current."

"Yes, Nami~!"

The crew sprang into action with Zoro and Sanji going for the rudder and Luffy with the help of Robin hauling the sails. Meanwhile, Usopp clung to the mast and Chopper clung to the railing, watching as the Going Merry caught the skyward wind and current and started flying towards the sky.

"We did it!" Nami gasped, a shaky smile forming on her face as the Going Merry finally started approaching the clouds without the fear of falling to the watery grave. True to Nami's words, the Going Merry surged upward, the water column propelling them higher and higher, each of the Strawhats gaping at the achievement with awe and fascination.

But as the Going Merry pierced through the thick barrier of clouds, the Strawhats could feel the ship trembling under the strain. The artificial wings attached to the ship snapping with a loud crack and spiralling down into the ocean below. The sails groaned, their fabric tearing under the pressure of turbulent winds yet through it all, the skull emblem on the ship's flag remained unscathed,pristine and defiant against all odds.

The moment they broke through the final layer of clouds, an otherworldly sight unfolded before them—a vast, endless expanse of shimmering white—but before they could marvel at the spectacle, an oppressive heaviness settled over them. Breathing became difficult, the air thinner and heavier than it should have been. It wasn't just the altitude—it was as if the clouds themselves were suffocating them.

Usopp was the first one to faint. Nami was coughing, clutching her chest, gasping for breath as she collapsed on the deck. Sanji doubled over, his knees suddenly too weak to carry him as he hacked up water that he had unknowingly inhaled from the dense clouds. Even Robin, usually composed, slumped heavily against the mast, her pale face drawn with sickness.

Zoro's breaths came in labored gasps, his usual strong demeanour slipping slightly. "..Damn! What happened? Is everyone alright..?" Zoro stubbornly uttered, gritting his teeth as he clutched the railing for support and scanned the deck, his sharp eyes taking in the state of his crewmates.

Luffy, however, was unaffected. While his crew struggled around him, he stood at the bow, his grin as wide and radiant as ever. His bare feet bounced lightly against the wooden deck, his energy high like a child on sugar. His childish figure, already pale, seemed even more so now—almost translucent and so pale that his skin almost glowed under the intense sunlight. The soft, magnificent and ethereal light emanating from him was subtle but undeniable, catching the attention of Zoro and Sanji, first, despite his coughing fit.

"Oi.. L-Luffy.." Sanji managed between his coughs, his voice hoarse and eyes narrowed as he forced himself to sit upright. "You're glowing like a damn lightbulb.. in broad daylight. And you look pale—too pale. Are you okay?"

Luffy turned to face Sanji, his grin as bright as the sun itself. His large, childlike eyes seemed to sparkle with an intensity that rivaled the heavens. He tilted his head as if the question was confusing him. "Huh, glowing?" Luffy lifted his arms, staring at them as if expecting to see something unusual. "I'm fine! Actually, I feel great, Sanji!" Luffy chirped, turning his face upward, gazing directly at the blazing sun—a feat no one else could do without shielding their eyes. His expression softened, almost reverent. "I'm closer to the sun now," He murmured, his voice soft but filled with wonder and nostalgia. "It feels.. warm." Luffy smiled softly as he hugged himself briefly, a gesture so childlike and innocent it made even Zoro quirk an eyebrow.

Zoro could feel that something was wrong with Luffy but before he could question him, Luffy turned back towards them, flashing a smile so bright and radiant that he had to shield his eyes. For a moment, the glow emanating from his mortal body dimmed slightly, almost as if it was responding to his will, though it was clear to Zoro that Luffy had little control over it. "We made it! We're really on Sky Island!"

As sunlight spilled over the ship, the Strawhats collectively gasped, their eyes widening in awe and disbelief as realization struck them. The chaos of the roaring Knock-Up Stream and the breathing problem were behind them now, replaced by a serene, endless sea of white clouds stretching as far as the eye could see. They had done it—they had reached the sky.

Zoro slightly shook his head, his expression a mixture of annoyance and relief. "You're way too energetic for someone who just dragged us through hell."

Chopper stirred on the deck, his small body trembling as he blinked awake from his stupor. "It's.. so white everywhere..!" He mumbled, his voice weak but filled with awe.

Nami, now sitting upright and breathing easier, glanced over the edge of the ship. "We're on top of the clouds." She stated, her tone a mix of disbelief and wonder. "We're actually sailing on them."

"I can't believe it," Robin said, her normally composed voice tinged with fascination, as she lifted herself up with the help of the mast. "It seems like we've entered a completely different world."

Sanji straightened up, casting a glance around the surreal expanse. "If heaven exists, it must look like this," He mused, his voice carrying a rare note of reverence as he leaned against the railing and let out a low whistle at the ethereal sight.

Luffy tilted his head, his grin fading slightly. "Heaven, huh...?" His hand suddenly flew to his temple, his face twisting in pain as a sharp, searing ache pulsed through his head. It wasn't just a normal headache. It was something deeper and oddly familiar. A deep, dull ache laced with nostalgia mixed with sadness, though he couldn't pinpoint why. His eyes clouded over, the joy on his face replaced with a strange mix of sadness and longing as he massaged his temple. His glowing skin seemed to dim further, the light around him flickering like a dying flame.

The winds around Luffy shifted subtly, carrying a faint sadness that seemed to echo in the stillness as though they were mourning something they couldn't even voice to their God. The clouds too seemed to grow heavier, their buoyant softness giving way to a melancholic weight as if they too shared in Luffy's unspoken sorrow. They knew what their god was missing, what he had been forced to forget but they dared not speak it, unwilling to burden him further or add to his pain.

"Luffy, are you okay?" Chopper's voice was soft but urgent as he noticed the strange, uncharacteristic grimness in Luffy's face.

Luffy shook his head, forcing a smile. "It's nothing." He uttered, his voice cheerful but strained. "Just a little headache. I'm fine."

Before Chopper could press him further, Nami's panicked voice drew everyone's attention. "Usopp's fainted!" She shouted, scrambling over to the long-nosed sniper. "He's not breathing!"

Chopper bolted into action, rushing to Usopp's side and performing CPR. Sanji, despite coughing up remnants of the cloud water himself, leaned over Nami with a flirtatious grin. "Nami-swan, do you need CPR too? I—"

Poor Sanji didn't even get to finish his sentence as a swift kick from Nami sent him sprawling.

"Idiot." Zoro muttered as he rolled his eyes. "Babysitting these idiots is going to be the death of me." And he was sure of it due to the biggest baby he has to handle every second—his dumbass captain!

Meanwhile, Usopp sputtered back to life, spluttering water as he clutched at his chest and chopper patted his back. "I'm alive? I'm alive!" He cried, tears streaming down his face. "I-I thought I saw the afterlife! It was so bright!"

As the chaos finally subsided, Robin and Nami moved to the helm, their attention shifting to the horizon and the log pose in Nami's wrists. "We are still not there. Look, the log pose is still pointing up." Nami pointed out to Robin who was actually listening along with Chopper while the rest of the crew was busy doing their own things.

"Maybe this is only the middle part of the millennium cumulonimbus." Robin wondered out loud, ignoring the spats exchanged by the cook and the first mate.

"We need to go higher..? But how..?" Chopper questioned curiously, his eyes flickering to Luffy and Usopp who were up to something.

Usopp seemed to regain his energy with alarming speed. He threw off his shirt, puffed out his chest, and struck a dramatic pose. "Behold! The Great Captain Usopp is going to swim in the Sea of the Sky!" Without waiting for a response, he dove overboard.

"Usopp!" Nami shrieked, her eyes wide in panic as she scrambled to the railing. The rest of the crew froze in shock, but Luffy and chopper cheered him on, clapping enthusiastically.

"What the hell is that idiot thinking?! Fooling around like a dumbass!" Sanji cursed as he peered over from the railing. "We still don't know anything about this sea."

"What's the deal, Sanji?" Luffy asked with a pout, almost ready to dive after Usopp, if not for Zoro who was holding him and not allowing him to jump in the sea sky.

Robin was the voice of reason. "The sky sea can't have a sea floor." Robin informed the crew, especially Luffy who seemed to be excited to dive in and still didn't understand the meaning behind her words. "If he goes too far, he'll fall straight back to the ocean where we came from."

The excited cheer on Luffy's face quickly shifted to one of concern and without waiting any further, he stretched his arm out with a sharp snap, grabbing Usopp mid fall and reeled him back onto the deck with a triumphant laugh.

"Luffy! You did it! You pulled Usopp!" Nami cheered along with the others as Usopp laid on the deck, gasping for breath and scared as hell. After all, he was just seconds away from falling from the sky.

Luffy grinned as he turned his attention back to the sea of clouds, ignoring Usopp's childish wails of sky island's being scary. He could feel various creatures floating in the very clouds. With an excited grin, he stretched his arm into the cloudy waters, fishing out a strange, wriggling, shimmering sky fish, whose translucent fins were glowing faintly. "Amazing!" Luffy exclaimed, holding the fish aloft like a trophy. He turned to Robin. "What is it? Is it edible?"

"This would be the sky fish. It's the strange creature described in Noland's dairy." Robin informed, holding the flailing fish in her hands and studying it with interest and curiosity. "I think because there is no sea floor in this sky ocean, they must have evolved into various forms in order to survive."

"So some became flat and some became like balloons?" Zoro questioned as he watched Luffy take the sky fish from Robin's hands.

Luffy licked his lips, his curiosity evident. "I wonder if it tastes like fish... or bird."

Before anyone could answer, a massive tentacle emerged from the depths of the clouds, reaching for the fish in Luffy's hand. The crew froze as the monstrous appendage loomed closer.

"Hey, it's mine not yours!" Luffy shouted, his eyes flickering to golden.

The outburst was enough for the tentacle to hesitate and retreat back into the clouds but the fight wasn't over. Moments later, the head of a massive octopus-like kraken breached the clouds, its enormous eyes locking with Luffy's glowing golden gaze. Its sheer size dwarfed the going Merry. Nami, Usopp, and Chopper shrieked in panic, while Zoro drew his swords, ready to strike.

Before the octopus could act, another creature—a lizard-snake hybrid—leaped from the clouds, aiming for the fish in Luffy's hand. The octopus swatted it down with a powerful slap, sending the creature spiraling into the abyss below, where it burst like a balloon upon impact. The octopus like kraken lingered for a moment before bowing his head slightly and retreating back into the clouds with a low, rumbling purr.

"What the hell happened here?" Usopp questioned, confused over what the hell exactly occurred. It was truly confusing as well as scary.

"This place is awesome!" Luffy declared, his grin as wide as ever as he passed the sky fish to Sanji to saute it.

"Hey! We weren't done with the fish yet!" Nami groaned, but it was in vain as Sanji was already serving the fish to Luffy, who began munching on it happily like usual.

"Sky island is scary!" Usopp whimpered, turning to look for Chopper only to see him perched on the railing, looking through a pair of binoculars and scanning the horizon. Only a few moments had passed when he noticed Chopper freezing in his place and trembling uncontrollably. Usopp truly didn't want to know what heart attack was about to befall him next.

Chopper, on the other hand, couldn't believe what he was seeing. A ship like theirs, sailing on the sky sea until it got blasted apart in a single strike. A figure stood atop a rectangular cloud, smoke rising from their weapon. Chopper's grip faltered, and the binoculars clattered to the deck, the sound catching everyone's attention.

"What's wrong, Chopper?" Nami asked, turning to him with concern.

"Th-There was.. a ship! B-But it isn't there a-anymore!" Chopper stammered, his words tumbling out in a barely coherent ramble. "And there's a-a bull! Running! On a cloud! And it's coming this way! This is bad–!"

The others exchanged confused looks, trying to piece together Chopper's panicked explanation.

"A bull?" Zoro repeated, his brows furrowing. "I don't get it. Calm down."

"Running on a cloud?" Sanji added skeptically. "What're you tryin' to say, Chopper?"

But Usopp, Nami, and Chopper were already starting to panic. "It's coming right at us!" Usopp shrieked, pointing at the horizon.

Sure enough, a figure was charging toward them at an unbelievable speed. As it got closer, they could see it wasn't a bull, but a man wearing a fierce bull looking mask. He was bounding effortlessly across the clouds, closing the distance with alarming speed.

"He's coming to attack!" Nami yelled.

"Hey, stop! What's your problem!?" Sanji questioned, stepping forward to shield Nami.

But the man leaped onto the deck effortlessly. "Eliminate..!" He mumbled, getting fierce death stares from Zoro and Sanji while Luffy looked slightly confused but ready to fight.

Zoro and Sanji prepared to intercept him, but before their blades and kicks could meet the man, they got kicked into the deck, fumbling and stumbling.

"EH?! What's wrong with you two?!" Nami questioned in horror as the masked warrior prepared to lunge on them once again, but before he could land another blow, Luffy moved. In an instant, Luffy's small yet hard fist connected with the back of the man's head, sending him sprawling onto the deck.

The crew blinked in surprise at Luffy's actions and the frown on his face.

"Nobody hurts my friends." Luffy stated, shielding his eyes with his strawhat.

"Who the hell is this idiot anyways?!" Zoro muttered, dusting himself off.

Before anyone could respond, a man descended from above, riding on a strange creature with wings—a large bird with a dignified air. He was an older man, clad in armor, with a sword at his side. His appearance was as dramatic as it was surprising, contrasting in every way.

"That was quite impressive," The armour man stated, landing gracefully on the deck. "Dealing with a Shandorian warrior so easily is no small feat."

"Are you here to hurt my crew too?" Luffy questioned, immediately stepping in front of his crewmates, his arms outstretched protectively, even though he could feel that the man was good. But Sabo always tells him to be cautious.

The armour man chuckled, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "Calm down, young one. I mean no harm. I am Gan Fall, the Knight of the Sky. I'm simply here to ensure you're not causing trouble or are in trouble."

"Knight of the Sky?" Nami repeated, her interest piqued.

Gan Fall nodded. "You must be from the Blue Sea," He said, his tone curious.

The crew exchanged confused glances.

"Blue Sea?" Sanji asked, raising an eyebrow.

Luffy, however, nodded confidently. "Yeah, that's us!"

"What's the Blue Sea?" Usopp whispered to Chopper, who shrugged helplessly.

Luffy, oblivious to their confusion, began explaining. "It's the place down there! With the ocean, the islands, and the—" His explanation devolved into a series of gestures and vague descriptions that left the crew more confused than before.

Gan Fall chuckled. "I see. Allow me to explain. The White Sea, where we are now, is part of the Sky Island world. The Blue Sea is what we call the world below, where you come from."

"That makes sense," Robin said thoughtfully, leaning against the mast.

Nami turned to Zoro and Sanji, her expression stern. "How the hell did you two lose to that guy so easily?"

"Tsk. That was.. embarrassing." Sanji uttered, looking down at the deck.

"For some reason, my body refused to move like usual." Zoro scowled.

"That's because the oxygen is scarce here." Robin stated.

Gan Fall nodded. "Precisely. This place is 7000m above the blue seas. The bodies of average citizens from the blue seas cannot handle it." He glanced at Luffy, who was bouncing on his toes, still full of energy. "Though this boy seems unaffected. It's remarkable."

Luffy rubbed the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. "I feel great up here! Being closer to the sun makes me feel awesome!"

The crew stared at him, bewildered by his answer. Though, Zoro stared at Luffy, perfectly understanding what he meant. After all, he is the God of Sun and being closer to the sun has to affect Luffy somehow. But does the opposite also entail something? What if Luffy were to go to a place where the sun doesn't reach? What would happen to him there? Will he be lethargic? Will he be even fine? Will-?!

A soft, assuring smile and an assuring pat from Luffy met Zoro's countless questions, somehow telling him to stop thinking about the future and live in the present and enjoy it.

Meanwhile, Gan Fall smiled indulgently, chalking it up to the imagination of a child. He then reached into his bag and produced a small whistle. "Here," He said, addressing the crew. "This is a Sky Knight whistle. If you ever find yourselves in trouble, blow it, and I'll come to your aid."

"What's the catch?" Zoro asked warily.

"One whistle will cost you five million extol for me to come and save you." Gan Fall replied shamelessly.

There was an awkward pause as the crew stared Gan Fall and the man waited for the answer.

"What're you talking about, mister?" Luffy uttered, tilting his head in confusion.

Gan Fall would have accused the crew for fooling around and not being honest, wanting to bargain for the price, even when it's so cheap already. But seeing the innocent expression and true confusion on the face of everyone present there, he came to a deadly realization. The crew, filled with teenagers and one adult, didn't come from the normal route. No, they came from the most dangerous way. "You didn't arrive here through the usual routes, did you?" Seeing the confusion in everyone's eyes, Gan Fall continued. "So you guys actually came via that monstrous stream?!"

The crew nodded.

"Wait! There are other ways to get to this sky sea?!" Nami questioned, drops of tears already falling from her eyes.

The knight of the sky nodded. "That's incredibly brave. I never thought there would still be people this brave."

"So it wasn't the normal route! I knew it!" Nami cried in her hands, before running to grab Luffy only for Luffy to escape with a laugh but that didn't stop her from chasing him. "Wait, right there Luffy!"

"What's the deal?! We are here anyway right?!" Luffy questioned, running to hide behind Zoro, who sidestepped. "Zoro, traitor!" Luffy muttered as he began to run once again from Nami's wrath.

"Did you lose one or two crew?" Gan Fall questioned, even though he was enjoying the scene.

"Nope, we're all here." Luffy answered from the top of the sails where he climbed onto.

Gan Fall laughed, clearly impressed. "In that case, you've earned this." He tossed the whistle to the pirates. "For free. One whistle. Just this once. Use it wisely. And I will come down from heaven to save you." With that, he wished them luck and mounted his bird-like horse and took off, disappearing into the sky.

As the crew watched him leave, Robin crossed her arms. "In the end, he didn't really tell us anything useful."

"Yeah, really. Nothing. At. All." Usopp answered with a sweatdrop.

"So we are back to square one now?" Chopper questioned.

"Nope!" Luffy brightened. "We can ask this guy!" He gestured to the unconscious Shandorian on the deck, whom Zoro and Sanji were quick to tie to the mast.

When the Shandorian warrior finally came to, he found himself surrounded by the crew, with Luffy leaning in close and already bombarding him with questions. "Why did you attack us? What's it like living here? Are there more people like you? What's that mask for? Do you eat sky fish too? What were you riding on? Can you also ride on clouds?"

The Shandorian stayed silent, his gaze wary. There was something unsettling about the way Luffy's eyes seemed to change color with each of his questions—sometimes golden, sometimes red, at times even a mixture of golden and blue—as though he could see right through him and read him like an open book.

Eventually, the crew grew frustrated with their lack of progress. They had thought that sticking Luffy to the Shandorian might get him to answer something but it was in vain it seemed.

"Where do we go next?" Nami demanded the Shandorian.

Luffy, undeterred, leaned closer to the Shandorian. "C'mon, just tell us! How do we go higher?"

The warrior could feel his head pounding at the endless irritating and repeated questions from the kid, making him crack under the pressure. "Fine!" He snapped. "I'll tell you! But only if you let me go!" He stated, smirking under his mask.

"Deal!" Luffy said instantly, releasing him.

The Shandorian wasted no time, sprinting away the moment he was free.

"Luffy!" Nami yelled. "Why'd you let him go?"

"The guy said he'd tell us, didn't he?" Luffy replied cheerfully, already running after the man who jumped off from the ship and rode his gadget. But Luffy? He was somehow running on the clouds effortlessly and chasing after the man. The Strawhats were confused but they had no choice but to follow after Luffy.

The Strawhats tracked their captain to a massive cloud waterfall but the warrior was already out of sight. Meanwhile, Luffy, fascinated by the fluffy clouds, was diving in, marvelling at how soft they felt. Usopp and Chopper were quick to join him, playing and bouncing on the clouds gleefully.

"I can't believe he is the captain of the ship." Nami groaned, rubbing her temples. Not only had Luffy let go the Shandorian but right now, playing with the clouds. Seriously, isn't the captain supposed to find a way to go?!

"Guys!" Luffy hollered, cupping his mouth with his hands. "I can feel someone on that side." luffy pointed to the place under the waterfall. It was even confirmed when Chopper and Usopp climbed the mountain looking cloud to look down.

"There's a gate that way!" Usopp stated.

"Yeah! Under that waterfall looking cloud, there'a huge gate!" Chopper affirmed.

With the path confirmed, the crew together steered the Merry towards it and soon reached a golden white colored gate which had the signboard of 'Heaven's gate' written on top of it.

"'Heaven's gate'?" Usopp read, with dread and fear dripping from his face. "Gotta be a bad omen. It's like we're going to die.."

"Yeah, but maybe we're actually dead already?" Zoro teased Usopp, enjoying the show.

"Really? If that's so, then that would explain this strange world." Sanji replied with a straight face, but Zoro can clearly see that the cook was enjoying teasing Usopp with him.

"We're already dead?!" Chopper shrieked, taking Sanji's and Zoro's words for real. "We aren't dead, right Luffy?!" Chopper questioned his captain, only to see Luffy holding his head and his expression flickering to that of pain. "Luffy..?"

"Luffy? What's wrong?" Zoro questioned, concern and worry dripping from his voice.

"Dunno." Luffy frowned, squinting his eyes at the gate and then at the nearby surroundings. "But isn't heaven not supposed to be like that gate?" Luffy rambled, a blurry image crossing his mind, only to hit his head with a sharper pain.

"Hey, you okay, Luffy?" Sanji asked, seeing Luffy's pale face. Instead of any answer, he only got a nod as Luffy vanished into the galley to scavenge some food. "He is acting weird." Sanji commented, getting a nod from Zoro in return.

"Yeah, he is." Zoro answered. 'From the moment we came this close to the sun.'

"Are you here for sightseeing? Or.. for fighting?" An old woman's voice suddenly greeted them, along with the clicking of a camera, which told the crew that she was snapping their photos.

"Who're you?!" Usopp almost fainted due to the suddenness.

"Actually, it doesn't matter why you're here." The old woman with wings spoke. "If you want to go up, each person must pay a 1 billion extol entrance fee. That's the law."

"1 billion extol? How much is that when converted to beli?!" Usopp questioned, his jaws dropping at the sheer mention of the amount.

"If we.. um.. Don't have any money..?" Nami asked, sweating nervously. She didn't want to let go of the small sum of money which she had gathered.

"You can still go up." The old woman spoke, turning away from the crew. "Also, if you don't want to go up, it's okay too. I'm not a guard, nor am I a soldier. I just want to know your intentions."

"Then we are going." Luffy uttered, coming out from the galley with his small hands filled with jerky. "Even though we don't have money, we're going, Granny."

"Seven people, right?" The old woman counted, getting a nod from the kid–Luffy–who just appeared.

Before anyone could ask anything further, their ship was suddenly held by a giant crab like creature, called speedy shrimp, and whisked away, ascending the swirling cloud road to Skypiea.

"'Heaven's gate' watcher, Amazon reporting." The old woman began speaking, her eyes fixed to the path which the ship ascended to. "Oh mighty God and his priests, to those wanting to visit God's country, Skypiea, to those seven illegally entering travellers, bestow upon them heaven's judgements." With that she forwarded the pictures for the Gods to see when she suddenly remembered that she forgot to take the strawhatted kid's picture. But the kid can't be any issue.