The Going Merry burst through the dense ceiling of clouds with a sharp jolt, slicing into a sudden, blinding whiteness. The air turned thin and damp, and the entire crew erupted into a chorus of coughs and choking gasps.
"Damn… what happened?" Zoro groaned, steadying himself against the mast.
The ship began to stabilize, bobbing gently on something soft yet solid. Nami staggered to the rail, brushing hair from her face. "Is everyone alright?"
As the fog cleared around them, the crew slowly gathered at the edge of the deck. Below them—impossibly—stretched a gleaming ocean made entirely of clouds. The clouds compressed beneath the ship like foam, holding the Going Merry aloft.
"Hey, look, guys—outside the ship!" Luffy's voice cracked with excitement.
"What's this place?" Chopper asked, wide-eyed.
"It's… so white," Robin murmured, brushing a hand through the cool mist floating over the deck.
"On top of the clouds," Sanji whispered in disbelief.
Usopp leaned far over the side, eyes bulging. "How are we even sailing on this?!"
"They're just clouds," Luffy said cheerfully, leaning over next to him. "Of course we can sail on top of it!"
"No, that's impossible!" Nami snapped, adjusting her Log Pose. "Clouds don't have mass like this. It defies everything we know!"
Robin narrowed her eyes, ever the scholar. "In other words… this is the Sea of the Sky."
The crew fell into silence for a moment, letting the surrealness of it all settle in.
Nami held up her Log Pose again. The needle still pointed firmly upward.
"But the Log Pose… it's not done," she muttered. "It's still pointing up."
"So this isn't it?" Sanji said, scanning the white sea. "We're not there yet?"
"Maybe this is just the middle layer," Nami replied, biting her lip. "We might need to go higher."
"How?" Chopper asked, looking up into the endless sky.
"I have no idea," she admitted.
There was a dramatic cough from the bow. "For my first big course," Usopp announced, puffing up his chest, "Captain Usopp will swim upward and scout ahead!"
The others turned toward him in disbelief.
"Hey, don't fool around," Sanji warned, arms crossed. "You still don't know anything about this sea!"
"A sea is a sea!" Usopp proclaimed, and before anyone could stop him, he climbed the rail.
But just before he leapt, Blizz, who had been standing quietly near the mast, extended a hand. A thin line of chakra thread slithered from his fingertips and latched onto the back of Usopp's shirt, unnoticed.
Usopp dove with heroic flair—and disappeared with a muted splash into the sea of clouds.
Seconds passed. Then minutes.
"He's still not back," Chopper said nervously, pacing the deck.
The wind blew softly over the white surface, sending lazy ripples across the cloud-sea.
"Just a thought," Robin said coolly, "but… is there really a sea floor here?"
"You mean… did that idiot fall off the cloud?" Zoro deadpanned.
"Usopp!" Nami called, leaning dangerously over the railing.
"Don't worry," Blizz said, stepping forward calmly. "I've got him."
He pulled sharply on the chakra thread, and Usopp came rocketing back up, Usopp coughed violently as Blizz dragged him back onto the deck, soaked in a strange mist and visibly shaken.
Chopper rushed over, eyes wide. "He's breathing! He's okay!"
Nami let out a relieved sigh. "What the hell were you thinking, jumping in like that?"
As the crew clustered around Usopp, Blizz stood a little off to the side, calmly retracting his hand. The chakra thread faded into the air — unseen, unnoticed.
Robin, however, narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. Her gaze lingered on Blizz's arm, on the motion he'd made. She hadn't seen a rope or a tool. Nothing visible.
And yet… he had pulled Usopp back as if something had tethered him the whole time.
"…That's not something you see every day," she said softly, more to herself than anyone else.
Blizz didn't respond. He simply looked out over the cloudy sea again, as if nothing unusual had happened at all.
Robin's expression turned thoughtful. Quietly intrigued.
"What the hell is that?!" Sanji shouted.
A monstrous shape emerged behind Usopp—a translucent, sky-colored octopus rising up from the clouds, its tentacles flailing like rubbery ropes.
"Monster!!" Chopper screamed, jumping into a barrel.
Zoro didn't hesitate. He launched off the deck with one clean leap and sliced through a tentacle. Instead of blood, it hissed and deflated like a balloon, spiraling off into the air with a comedic fwoop.
Luffy burst into laughter. "This place is amazing!"
Robin's smile was small but sincere. "Too interesting… I've never seen a sea like this before."
As the ship creaked forward on the dense layer of sky clouds, the sunlight broke gently through the mist above. Everything shimmered in soft gold. The Going Merry floated toward the unknown—toward the true Sky Island waiting somewhere higher still.
And above them, the Log Pose needle never wavered.
This is a weird-looking animal," Sanji remarked, staring at the floating octopus. "I wonder if this is considered a fish."
The creature, like a balloon, drifted slowly in the sky as it continued to bob up and down. Its limbs moved sluggishly in the thick cloud air, still very much alive despite its odd appearance.
"It still moving," Chopper said, watching it carefully. "It's still an animal. I mean, it's moving, so… there's definitely animals on the clouds."
"It's better to think of this place as an ocean rather than just a cloud," Robin mused, scanning the vast sea of clouds beneath them. "This is just as strange as the creatures that live in the sea."
Sanji began cooking the octopus, savoring the opportunity. "Alright, let's cook this one up. Should be delicious."
Luffy, unable to wait, grabbed a piece of the cooked octopus and took a big bite. "Oh, this is yummy!" he said, his eyes lighting up. "This is amazing!"
He paused, chewing thoughtfully. "Never had anything like this before! You're a genius, Sanji! That's it—cook that big guy too!" he added, pointing at another creature in the distance.
"It's really nice! I've never experienced this flavor. I want more!"
As the crew relaxed and the cooking continued, Nami peered out at the endless stretch of clouds around them.
"So, where is this Sky Island, anyway?" she asked, frowning as she looked at the blank expanse.
Then, in the distance, a ship appeared—though something was off.
"Hey, look! A ship!" Chopper exclaimed, pointing. "There's a ship and a person!"
The crew turned to look, but the ship seemed to flicker and vanish as quickly as it had appeared.
"What…? A ship?" Nami asked, squinting toward the horizon.
"There was a ship," Chopper said, his voice filled with confusion. "But not anymore."
"What do you mean?!" Zoro's voice rose in disbelief.
Before anyone could respond, Blizz spoke up, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "Hey, guys. Incoming."
Blizz quickly readied himself, his body tensing as he began to mold chakra within his mouth, his fingers moving in swift, deliberate signs. He knew exactly what was about to happen. The air around him began to crackle with energy as he prepared to react.
"Whaat!!" The crew turned in unison, their eyes narrowing as they focused on the approaching figure.
"What?" Usopp squinted into the distance, trying to make out the silhouette. "Someone's actually running on the clouds?"
The figure was moving with unnatural speed, each step sending ripples through the clouds beneath them. The crew watched in awe and confusion as the figure closed the distance.
Zoro gripped his sword, ready for whatever might come next. "What's your problem?" he called out, his voice sharp, his eyes burning with challenge. "Who are you?"
The figure didn't respond. Instead, they leaped off the clouds and onto the ship with a force that made the wood groan under the sudden impact.
"Eliminate," the figure said, the coldness in their voice sending a chill down everyone's spine.
"He wants to fight." Sanji muttered, narrowing his eyes, already starting to get into a stance.
"He's got guts." Zoro added, his hand twitching toward his swords, ready to move.
"Bring it on!" Luffy grinned, cracking his knuckles and preparing for the challenge.
Just as the stranger lunged forward to attack, Blaze reacted immediately, his eyes narrowing.
"Great Breakthrough Jutsu!"
A powerful gust of wind shot from his mouth, the air surging with incredible force. The mysterious figure was sent flying backward, crashing into the clouds like a ragdoll, the impact causing the surrounding air to shift.
The crew stood, watching as the stranger struggled to regain composure. But just as they thought it was over, the figure shot back up again, soaring into the sky with an alarming speed. In a flash, the stranger aimed a massive bazooka at them, preparing to fire.
The crew braced themselves for the blast, but before anything could happen, a new figure appeared, descending from above, riding a flying horse.
"That's enough!" The rider's voice was commanding, cutting through the tension.
The rider was tall, with an imposing presence. His demeanor was calm, composed—unfazed by the chaos around him. Without a word, the rider swung a large lance, deflecting the bazooka shot with ease. The blast veered off course, careening into the distance, before the rider landed gracefully on the ship's deck.
The air around them shifted with a palpable sense of authority. Everyone stood in awe, stunned by the rider's power.
"Who are you?" Nami asked, her voice filled with both curiosity and caution.
The rider, with an almost regal air, looked at them with steady eyes.
"I am the knight of the sky."
His words hung in the air as he stood tall, his presence undeniable. The crew exchanged glances, unsure of what to make of this mysterious figure who had just intervened in their battle.
Blizz stood off to the side, his arms crossed, watching the exchange unfold between the strange knight and his crew. He didn't need to say much—he already understood the situation. His chakra senses told him everything he needed to know about the environment and the stranger's power, so he simply let his crew take the lead. Still, his sharp eyes never stopped analyzing every word, every movement.
The knight cleared his throat after defeating the strange enemy with ease, his presence unwavering. "I think he's gone," he said, his tone calm and composed.
Nami wiped her brow, finally letting out a relieved breath. "Nice job, Blizz," she said, giving him a nod of approval.
Blizz simply gave a small nod, not needing to say anything in response.
The knight looked at the crew with a raised brow. "Are you citizens of the Blue Sea?"
Nami blinked. "What's that? By the way, who are you?"
The knight's expression remained cool and unbothered. "I am the Knight of the Sky."
"The Blue Sea? The sea… beneath the clouds?" Chopper asked, confused but intrigued.
The knight nodded, his gaze sweeping over the crew as if analyzing them. "All living things beneath the clouds are citizens of the Blue Sea.
"This place is 7,000 miles above the Blue Sea, the White Sea. Ten thousand miles above that is the White, White Sea.
The knight continued. "You probably have a lot of questions. But first things first…" He paused, his tone suddenly shifting. "I need to talk business with you."
The crew exchanged confused looks, but the knight continued, unfazed by their uncertainty.
"I'm a freelance mercenary. This part of the sea is dangerous. Anyone who doesn't know how to fight in the sky will be attacked by the gorillas, like the one frm before, or become food for the Sky Fish." His eyes sharpened. "One whistle, and I'll come save you. 5 million EXATO for me to come to your aid."
"What are you talking about, mister?" Usopp was taken aback.
The knight gave a small shrug, unfazed. "The price is cheap already. I won't accept a single EXATO less. I've got living expenses too."
"EXATO?" Robin murmured, trying to process what he was saying. "What's that?"
"Well, you people didn't come here via the top of the High West, right?" The knight continued. "Then you must have been to one or two islands before getting here."
"You mean there are more Sky Islands?" Nami asked, her eyes widening in realization.
"So, you came through the monstrous stream," the knight mused. "I never thought there would still be people brave enough to do that."
Blizz's expression didn't change, but he couldn't help a small flicker of acknowledgment in his eyes. He'd already known this much. The knock-off stream wasn't a safe route, but it was the one the crew had taken. It was a gamble, and they'd made it through.
"Still, we're here now," Luffy said with a wide grin, slinging his arms behind his head. "We made it, didn't we?"
Nami sighed, exasperated. "If we had just waited and gathered more information, we could have used a safer method."
"You lost one or two of your crew along the way?" the knight asked.
"Nope, we're all here," Luffy replied proudly.
The knight nodded. "Other routes aren't like this. If a hundred people tried to reach a Sky Island using the normal routes, it'd be a gamble. You wouldn't be able to predict how many would survive. But the Knock-off Stream? It's all or nothing—either everyone dies, or everyone reaches their destination."
"Not many dare to take the gamble," the knight continued, "especially these days with the dangers of the Sky Sea." He paused and turned to Nami. "I deeply respect your navigator. She has both the courage and the strength to get here."
Usopp, stood tall with a proud smile. "Yeah, but it's all because of me! When these guys were crying and giving up, I said I'd show them my navigational skills!"
"Hey!" Said nami.
The knight, unfazed by the crew's antics, gestured to the sky. "Now, about that whistle. You see, the whistle calls me, I'll give you your first one free as my gift to you."
"Now, I must leave. My work here is done."
"Oh, and this is my partner, pierre." The knight gestured to the strange creature beside him—. "Though he's a bird, he has the power of the Uma Uma fruit, a mythical bird, which allows him to become a winged horse."
Nami gasped. "A Pegasus?!" she exclaimed in awe.
"Right, a Pegasus," the knight affirmed with a nod. "But don't get too attached."
"He's a little off."
Sanji snorted, unable to stop himself from muttering, "That's one weird-looking Pegasus."
"And before I forget," the knight called, "I wish you luck, brave ones."
With a flick of his reins, Beer took off, soaring into the clouds, and the knight turned to leave.
"Didn't really tell us anything useful, did he?" Robin remarked dryly as the knight vanished into the sky.
Usopp snickered. "Yeah, nothing at all!"
"Alright, enough talking," Blizz said with a calm tone, finally breaking the silence. He turned toward the ship, adjusting his stance. "We still have about 3,000 miles to climb before we reach Sky Island. Let's go."
Luffy, always ready for action, grinned. "3,000 miles? That's nothing! Let's get going!" He pumped his fist in the air.
Nami took a deep breath and rolled up the map. "As long as we don't get into more trouble, we should be fine. Let's keep moving."
The rest of the crew nodded in agreement. Zoro sheathed his swords, Sanji flicked a cigarette out of his mouth, and Robin folded her arms with a thoughtful expression, her eyes on the clouds ahead.
Blizz stepped up to the front of the ship, his chakra already swirling in preparation for whatever challenges lay ahead. He didn't need to say much—he knew this journey would test them all, but they were ready.