Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Robin's explanation about the floating sea left Luffy momentarily stunned before his face lit up with unmistakable excitement. He clapped his hands together, his voice rising with enthusiasm, "There is a sea floating in the air!! That sounds so much fun!!" Caught up in the moment, he declared, "I've decided! We are going there!!"
In a burst of energy, Luffy positioned himself at the ship's bow, raised an arm, and rallied the crew, "Everyone get ready, turn the rudder up! Full speed ahead!!" However, his proclamation was short-lived as Nami, driven by a mix of irritation and pragmatism, delivered a swift punch, toppling him from his lofty perch.
Nami scolded, her frustration evident, "Who cares about it!! The Log Pose can't point to it, you idiot!! And why would there be a sea floating in the air? Sky Island is just a myth." Her skepticism was clear; despite the crew's many adventures, the notion of a Sky Island, much less a floating sea, seemed too fantastical for her to accept as reality.
Bai Ye interjected, capturing the attention of everyone on board, "Not necessarily." He pointed upwards, suggesting, "If a boat can fall from the sky, it would prove..." He paused dramatically, "…that Sky Island really exists!" Unfortunately, at that moment, everyone stopped listening to him because their gazes were drawn to the sky behind him, where a huge pirate ship was plummeting towards the sea at an alarming speed!
Usopp, eyes wide, observed the falling ship, significantly larger than the Golden Merry, hurtling down. "Hey hey hey! Impossible!" he exclaimed. Chopper trembled with fear, envisioning a disastrous impact, "Ahhh!! Are we going to be smashed to death?"
Without hesitation, Zoro unsheathed his swords, positioning himself as if to confront the impending threat. "This direction..." he began, but Sanji, coolly lighting a cigarette, interjected, "It'll hit us!!!" Zoro, with his swords at the ready, called out to Sanji in preparation for a coordinated counteraction, "Hey, idiot cook!"
Sanji, turning to Zoro, caught the look in his eyes and instantly understood his intent. Knowing Zoro couldn't fly, they needed a different approach. Sanji positioned himself, raising his right foot, and called out, "Bring it on!" Zoro, eyes narrowed and focused, began to charge forward, ready to combine their strengths against the falling ship.
Just as Zoro was ready to spring into action, the unexpected happened. Robin, utilizing her powers, called out "[Dos Fleur – Grab!]" and swiftly extended a hand from the deck, grabbing Zoro by the ankle. Zoro's face registered shock and confusion as he exclaimed, "What?!" before tumbling headfirst onto the deck with a loud THUD!
As he lay there, Zoro's frustration boiled over, "You woman!! Why did you do this?" He stood up, rubbing his forehead which had turned red from the fall, ready to confront Robin. But as he faced her, he found Robin smiling calmly at him. She gently chided, "Instead of trying to cut down the big ship, isn't it obviously better to let the Merry leave this place on the sea?"
Robin couldn't help but worry about Zoro's approach; the falling ship was several times larger than the Merry. How did Zoro plan to cut such a colossal object? Zoro, still ready to argue, was interrupted by Nami's assertive command, "[Wind Tempo!]" Suddenly, a strong gust of wind propelled the Merry's sails, swiftly moving the ship out of the falling ship's shadow.
The impact was immediate. BOOM! The large ship crashed into the sea, causing a massive upheaval of water and waves. Despite their quick maneuver, the Golden Merry was still caught within the reach of the towering waves.
As the looming waves threatened the Golden Merry, Zoro resumed his stance, ready to take action. Robin observed him with a hint of confusion, not fully understanding his intentions. Contrary to her perception, Zoro wasn't merely being reckless. His motivation was to push the boundaries of his swordsmanship, seeking growth and mastery.
Ever since Zoro had grasped the ability to cut steel in Alabasta, he had ascended to the ranks of true swordsmen. But he was well aware that on the Grand Line, this was just the beginning. His ambition was to surpass the level of sword master and become a grand master. A hallmark of such a status was the ability to execute flying slashes, a technique used by Hawkeye to bisect Krieg's ship.
In pursuit of this goal, Zoro had been diligently practicing post-Alabasta, even seeking guidance from Bai Ye. He felt an inkling that he was on the verge of mastering the flying slashes. Yet, as the massive wave bore down on them, it seemed he wouldn't have the chance to test his skills.
Just as Zoro prepared to act, Bai Ye intervened with a different plan. Forming a seal with one hand, he pointed towards the giant wave and uttered, "[Kan Gua - Ice Storm!!]" Suddenly, a frigid air emanated from him, spreading rapidly like a swarm, enveloping the entire wave. In moments, the threatening swell was transformed into a colossal ice sculpture, frozen in time and motion.
Had a bicyclist been passing by at that moment, they would have been astonished at the similarity between Bai Ye's technique and a move he knew very well called [Ice Age].
Bai Ye, having effectively dealt with the looming danger, turned back to the crew with a composed statement, "That way, there's no problem." Zoro, with his three swords still drawn, remarked with a hint of disappointment, "Ehh, I'm tired."
Meanwhile, Luffy, ever the embodiment of enthusiasm, dashed energetically towards Bai Ye, his arms stretching out. "Hahaha, that's great!!" he cheered, destroying the huge ice sculpture with a [Gomu Gomu no Pistol] strike. Without missing a beat, he used his arms to propel himself towards the fallen ship's wreckage, motivated by an innate desire to discover what lies within.
Amidst the excitement, a sudden scream pierced the air from the Merry. Nami, with a look of sheer horror, stared at her Log Pose. "Ah!! Log, Log Pose is broken," she exclaimed. But as she relayed that the pointer was now indicating upwards towards the sky, Robin approached with a calm explanation, "It's not broken." She continued, "There's only one possibility for the Log Pose to change direction so abruptly: it's being attracted to island with strong magnetism."
The revelation struck Nami, prompting her to consider, "So, is there an island above our heads?" The thought made her emotions swirl, especially since she had just vehemently denied the possibility of Sky Island. The irony of the situation didn't escape her, leaving her to momentarily question her own judgment.
Luffy, returning from his brief exploration, caught onto the discussion and his excitement surged once more. "Hey!! Is it above our heads?" he exclaimed, eager to set off. "Then let's go there quickly." Bai Ye, however, tempered the rising excitement, gesturing towards something Luffy was holding, "Put this matter aside for now. I'd like to explain this first, what are you going to do with those things on the board?"
The crew's attention shifted to Luffy's hands, filled with an assortment of objects. Upon closer inspection, Usopp's eyes widened in alarm, and he let out a horrified shout, "Hey hey, this is... Dead human skulls!!"