Translator: PapaSmurf0700
With the combined efforts of Luffy and Zoro, the fate of the giant octopus was quickly sealed. Surprisingly, instead of sinking like a typical sea creature, the octopus deflated with a comic "poof~" sound, releasing a cloud of gas as it shrank.
Sanji watched with fascination as the deflated octopus bobbed on the surface. "This creature is nothing like normal seafood," he mused aloud, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I'd love to dissect it and see what makes it tick—might even make for an interesting dish."
Robin chimed in with a possible explanation for the octopus's unusual physiology. "It has adapted to live in this unique environment," she explained. "The gas inside helps it stay afloat since this isn't a typical ocean. Without it, it would likely just plummet to the sea below."
Sanji, impressed by Robin's insight, twisting around with stars in his eyes. "Robin, you're truly amazing!" he exclaimed, clearly smitten by her intellect.
Meanwhile, Luffy, ever focused on his stomach, pointed eagerly at the octopus. "Hey, Sanji, can we eat it?" he asked with typical enthusiasm.
Sanji, though uncertain about its edibility, decided to take on the challenge. "Let's just treat it like any other ingredient," he declared, grabbing a sizable chunk of the creature and heading to the kitchen to prepare a meal.
On the other side of the deck, Chopper peered curiously at the surrounding expanse of white clouds. "Is this really Sky Island?" he wondered aloud. "It feels kind of empty. Shouldn't there be people or something?"
His question made the others pause and look around. In their awe of the sky sea, they had overlooked the oddity of their environment—vast, empty, and eerily quiet, with no signs of life or civilization.
Usopp, ever curious and vigilant, grabbed the binoculars and began scanning their surreal surroundings. Just then, Nami exclaimed in alarm, "What?!" Her voice tinged with confusion, she added, "Is the Log Pose broken? It's still pointing upwards!"
"We're already at Sky Island, aren't we?" Nami questioned, her brow furrowed in concern.
Bai Ye responded calmly to Nami's concern, "We're not quite there yet. As Cricket explained, Sky Island exists high in the clouds. We are likely just in the middle layer of the Cumulus clouds."
Before Bai Ye could elaborate further, Robin interjected with a knowing smile, "So we need to ascend further, correct?"
Bai Ye nodded in agreement with Robin's conclusion.
Suddenly, Usopp, who had been peering through his binoculars, shouted from the other side of the deck, his voice filled with disbelief, "Hey hey hey, are you kidding me?! There's a man running on the clouds!"
Usopp's eyes widened as he observed through his binoculars. First, he spotted a pirate ship, then a figure rapidly approaching it. As the figure reached the ship, there was a sudden, deafening boom!
The pirate ship was violently blown away by an explosive force from the figure!
This startling noise quickly drew the attention of everyone on the Golden Merry. Clearly, something significant was unfolding.
Usopp put down the telescope with trembling hands, his face frozen in horror. He spun around to the crew, shouting, "There's a cow-shaped human skating on the clouds, and it's heading straight for us! It destroyed an entire pirate ship!"
Chopper, trying to make sense of Usopp's outlandish claim, frowned in confusion. "A skating cow monster on clouds?! What are you talking about, Usopp?"
The crew gathered around Usopp and turned their gaze toward the source of the commotion. Soon, they all saw the "cow."
Zoro squinted and corrected Usopp, "It's not a cow. It's a person."
Nami nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he's just wearing a mask."
Bai Ye added thoughtfully, "The shoes must be a special tool that allows him to travel on the clouds."
The masked figure was adorned with tribal tattoos, covering his left shoulder and the left side of his face. He wore a grass skirt and had a bazooka slung over his right shoulder, while a wooden shield was strapped to his left arm. However, the most striking feature was the pair of small, pure white wings on his back.
Recognizing the unique appearance, Bai Ye knows the man as Wyper, a member of the Shandia tribe. Wyper descended from Kalgara, a revered warrior who had forged a deep bond with Mont Blanc Noland 400 years ago.
After the City of Gold was seized by the sky island inhabitants, the Shandia tribe became guerrilla fighters, continually launching assaults on the city. Now, as the leader of the Shandian guerrillas, Wyper often clashed with the island's ruler.
He frequently destroyed pirate ships from the Blue Sea, aiming to keep outsiders at bay. Today, the Straw Hats found themselves in the crosshairs of his next attack.
As Wyper approached with a menacing aura, Zoro was already brandishing his swords, poised for battle. The crew of the Straw Hats clearly understood the threat he posed.
Meanwhile, Luffy, clutching the edge of the Golden Merry, eyes wide with excitement, shouted, "Wow! Amazing! He's actually sliding on the clouds!" Without any hesitation, he called out, "Hey, are you from Sky Island?"
The rest of the Straw Hats offered a chorus of silent stares. Nami and Robin exchanged a look of disbelief, while Chopper and Usopp just gaped. Zoro muttered under his breath, "Idiot?" Bai Ye couldn't help but remark, "As expected of Luffy!"
Wyper, in the midst of his charge, paused briefly, taken aback by Luffy's greeting. For a moment, he wasn't sure if Luffy was genuinely clueless or cleverly trying to distract him. However, Wyper quickly shook off the confusion and resumed his attack, leaping forward with the aid of an impact dial, propelling himself through the air like a missile.
As he soared, Wyper raised his bazooka, aiming directly at the Straw Hats. Zoro prepared to counter with a fierce attack, his muscles tensing in anticipation.
Before he could strike, an authoritative declaration echoed from above, "That's enough!" The voice, aged yet forceful, drew everyone's attention skyward. They saw a figure clad in knight armor, mounted on a pink bird, cape fluttering heroically behind him. The armored man held a lance, which clashed dramatically with Wyper's shield.
The impact of the collision sent Wyper crashing down onto the deck of the Golden Merry. Bai Ye, observing the scene, readied himself to action.