"That was awful. It felt like we were drowning!" Ryuen said, spitting out seawater.
"I feel the same... cough..." Nami also felt weak.
"We made it! Is everyone still here?" Nojiko shouted.
When they charged into the Imperial Cumulus, they couldn't see each other and had no idea if anyone was missing.
"Everyone's here!" Robin replied immediately.
After a suffocating experience, the Dream Ship broke through the Imperial Cumulus and soared into the sky.
"Everyone, look outside! It's all white!" Leah shouted excitedly.
The endless expanse of white clouds left the Dream Crew in awe, their exclamations echoing across the sky.
"Where's the island?"
"Skypiea... where is it?"
Everyone looked around, but all they could see was pure white clouds. There was no sign of an island.
"Is this not the kind of island cloud like on Little Skypiea? Are these real clouds? But why aren't we falling through?" Nami looked completely baffled.
"Could this be what they call the White Sea?" Robin guessed.
"But look, the Log Pose is still pointing upward!" Nami pointed at the Log Pose in her hand.
This meant they still hadn't reached Skypiea.
"Looks like we're just in the middle of the Imperial Cumulus. We still have to go higher!" Ryuen said, glancing up at the sky.
"But how do we get there?" Daisy tilted her head, confused.
Suddenly, several giant sea creatures burst out of the White Sea!
"A giant octopus!" Anya exclaimed.
"What is that? A sea monster?" Leah also stared in shock at the creatures emerging from the clouds.
Just as the sea monsters were about to take a bite out of the Dream Ship, Kuina unsheathed her Wado Ichimonji and slashed at them with a swift strike.
Several sea beasts, as fragile as paper, were sliced apart by Kuina's attack. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by ɴovel(ꜰ)ɪre.nᴇt
"That feels so strange~~~" Kuina said, confused by how easily she defeated the sea beasts.
Robin walked to the side and picked up a small fish-like creature.
Curiously, Robin thought to herself.
"Could this be a Skyfish, the strange fish recorded in Nolan's log? Their unusual shape must be the result of continuous evolution, meant to help them survive in this sea with no bottom."
"It must be!" Daisy said, her eyes lighting up. "That's why they're inflated like balloons or flattened like a board, to make their buoyancy smaller!"
"Skyfish?" Robin repeated.
"Robin, let me see! I want to try cooking it," Anya said, intrigued by the mysterious Skyfish.
"Here, take it~~~" Robin handed the Skyfish to Anya.
Anya ran into the ship's cabin, and before long, she came out holding a delicious-looking pan-seared fish fillet.
"Everyone, come try this!" Anya called out happily.
In an instant, everyone quickly devoured the fish fillet Anya had prepared.
"So good!" Ryuen said after taking a bite, feeling a taste he had never experienced before.
"This is so delicious!" Nami's face lit up with pleasure.
"How can I describe it? I've never tasted anything before." Even Robin was at a loss for words to describe the Skyfish's flavor.
Seeing the happy expressions on everyone's faces, Anya immediately felt even more delighted.
Suddenly, everyone turned to look in the same direction.
"And they're running across the sky," Nojiko said, frowning.
"A warrior from Shandia?"
"He's holding a rocket launcher, and he's aiming it at our ship," Hog said, calmly observing the man running toward them, dressed like a primitive human.
"He's got guts. Robin, stop him..." Ryuen whispered.
He didn't expect a Shandian to show up so soon.
"Understood!" Robin crossed her arms, preparing to use her ability.
Just as Robin was about to act, a voice called out, and then a person riding a flying beast descended from the sky.
Everyone turned their eyes to the sky again.
An old man shot a spear into the rocket launcher man's shield, knocking him into the sky sea with a single strike.
Seeing this, Robin lowered her hands.
"Who is that? Is he helping us?" Nami asked, looking confused.
At that moment, the old man landed steadily on the Dream Ship's railing and introduced himself: "I am the Sky Knight!"
"Sky Knight?" Everyone asked in confusion.
"Yes, that's right. By the way, my name is Gan Fall, and this is a free service," Gan Fall said in a deep voice.
"Free service?" Everyone was puzzled again.
"Yes, didn't I just help you drive off that guerrilla? You're from the Blue Sea, right?" Gan Fall jumped onto the deck and continued talking to himself.
The Dream Team looked at each other, wondering if they looked so weak.
"Um... Gan Fall, are you from Skypiea? And is this Skypiea?" Nami asked Gan Fall cautiously.
"Yes, I am indeed from Skypiea. However, this isn't Skypiea yet. This place is the White Sea, located 7,000 meters above the Blue Sea. Above this, at 10,000 meters, is the White-White Sea, where Skypiea is located," Gan Fall explained.
"Skypiea is 10,000 meters above us?!" everyone exclaimed in unison.
"Ahem... I know you all have many questions, but let's get down to business first," Gan Fall said, looking a bit uneasy.
He had noticed that these Blue Sea people didn't seem to be struggling to breathe at all. Was his business deal about to fall through?
"Business?" Nami frowned.
"To be honest, I'm a mercenary. This sea is full of dangers. Those who don't know the situation up here either get targeted by the guerilla soldiers or end up as food for the skyfish.
So, when you hear my whistle, for 5 million Ek, I'll come to rescue you. How about it? A pretty good deal, right?" Gan Fall said with a smile.
Everyone tilted their heads, looking at Gan Fall as if he were a fool. It seemed this old man really thought they were weak.
Seeing no response, Gan Fall grew anxious and tried again, "My price is already very low. Don't try to bargain with me; I won't lower it by even 1 Ek. Don't make things hard for an old man. I need to make a living too."
Everyone facepalmed in disbelief.
"Hey, Kuina~" Ryuen called softly.
Kuina stepped forward, drew her Wado Ichimonji, and with a casual swing, unleashed a terrifying slash that split the sky sea for hundreds of meters!
The sight left Gan Fall and his mount utterly shocked.
"Gan Fall, as you can see, we don't really need protection.
However, we do need a guide. Are you interested in that kind of business?" Nami asked, her face showing the familiar sly smile of a shrewd merchant.
"Y-yes... I guess..." Gan Fall stammered in response.
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