Translator: PapaSmurf0700
10,000 meters above the vast Blue Sea, in the mystical realm known as Sky Island, lies a serene place called Angel Island. Here, amidst the clouds and close to the island's beach, there stood a quaint house.
In front of this house, Conis greeted her father, Pagaya, who had just returned from a trip to the town market. With a bright smile, she called out, "Father, Hasso~"
Pagaya, carrying a bag of groceries, responded warmly, "Conis, Hasso~" He raised the bag slightly and said, "I found some fresh skyfish in town today; we're in for a delicious dinner tonight."
As Conis helped her father park his Waver, she replied with a cheerful nod, "That sounds wonderful, Father. It would be perfect if we had some friends join us for dinner."
No sooner had she spoken than a loud crash echoed through the air. It sounded as if something massive had plummeted from the sky nearby. Startled, Conis and Pagaya turned toward the noise and were astonished to see a ship right in front of them.
Upon closer inspection, a flicker of recognition crossed their faces. The ship appeared oddly familiar.
As they listened to the commotion coming from the ship, Conis and Pagaya exchanged looks of surprise.
From the ship, Bai Ye's voice could be heard trying to reassure his crewmates, "Nami, calm down. We may not have landed exactly in Upper Yard, but I'm certain this is Angel Island!"
Nami's voice rose in frustration, "Calm down? You do realize the Golden Merry nearly crashed just now, right? That was terrifying!"
Another voice tried to soothe her, "Nami, let's not make hasty decisions now. Impulsiveness can lead to trouble."
Then suddenly, a loud clash followed by, "One Hundred Thousand Volts! Thunder Strike!" and a counter, "Golden Light Shield!"
Bai Ye retorted, "Are you serious, Nami?! Why are you hitting me with the Clima-Tact?"
With a hint of pride, Nami said, "Hmph, it's called strategy—you taught me that!"
Overhearing this, Pagaya turned to Conis, chuckling softly, "It seems I should go back and buy some more ingredients."
Their laughter was warm, welcoming the return of the Straw Hats to the Sky Island. The crew's noisy arrival was familiar and strangely comforting. It felt like a reunion with old friends, and indeed, it was fate that brought them back together with Conis and Pagaya.
Before long, the Straw Hats were warmly welcomed into Conis and Pagaya's home. As the evening unfolded, they shared stories of their latest adventures and introduced their new crewmate, Franky. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and tales of the sea, bridging the past with new memories on Angel Island.
During dinner, Conis gazed at the Straw Hats with nostalgia. "It's really incredible," she began, her voice tinged with emotion. "I never imagined you'd return so soon, and to hear about the wild adventures you've had! Is this what life is like for all Blue Sea pirates?"
Conis, who had spent her entire life on Sky Island, was particularly fascinated by tales of Water 7, the admirals, and the notorious Enies Lobby.
Nami responded, her mouth twitching slightly, "Not exactly. Our adventures tend to be more... 'exciting' because we have a captain who's quite unpredictable."
As she spoke, Nami glanced towards Luffy, who was currently getting a scolding from Bai Ye for sneaking extra food.
Conis nodded, absorbing this new information with a thoughtful frown. "I wonder," she mused, "if the navy finds Luffy as much of a headache as you do?"
-----
In the office of the Fleet Admiral at Marineford, Sengoku slammed a pile of documents onto Garp, who was snoozing. "Garp!!"
Startled, Garp blinked awake, rubbing his eyes. "What's up, Sengoku? Trying to beat me in a senbei-eating contest?"
"I never lose at senbei!" Garp declared, puffing up his chest in defiance.
Sengoku, visibly annoyed now, retorted sharply, "The senbei are mine! Why would I challenge you with my own snacks? You just want to eat them!"
Garp, far from embarrassed by his transparent ploy, laughed heartily. "Haha! Caught me, did you?"
Sengoku, trying to steer back to seriousness, huffed, "Bastard, we've got actual business to deal with here! It's your grandson stirring up trouble again!"
"Oh?" Garp's interest peaked at the mention of Luffy, and he began rifling through the papers with vigor. However, it wasn't long before—Garp dozed off once more, documents still in hand.
As Garp began to snore, a vein throbbed on Sengoku's forehead. "Don't turn my office into your bedroom, you old fool!!"
The commotion was loud enough to rattle nearby equipment, but the indifferent expressions of the passing navy personnel made it clear that such scenes were all too common at Marineford.
After digesting the report, Garp burst into hearty laughter. "Hahahaha! Is that so? Even Aokiji couldn't handle Luffy?" he exclaimed, clearly amused. "That's my grandson for you!"
"I remember the days I spent training him hard," Garp mused, a nostalgic smile spreading across his face. He began recounting tales of throwing Luffy into the Beast Forest to toughen him up.
Watching Garp reminisce, Sengoku let out a heavy sigh. "Okay, Garp! Stay on track, will you?" he interjected, knowing all too well his old friend's tactic of feigning confusion. "We need to be serious here. This incident means your grandson is now squarely in the sights of some very powerful people."
He leaned forward, his tone becoming grave. "Luffy's not just dealing with the Navy anymore. He's up against the highest power ruling the seas—the World Government."
The World Government usually doesn't concern itself with pirates roaming the seas. Their main focus isn't on the number of pirates but on maintaining the "balance" of the sea. This is why only significant threats like the Warlords of the Sea or the Four Emperors prompt direct intervention from the Five Elders, as these groups have a substantial impact on that balance.
For other pirate crews, the World Government typically delegates responsibility to the Navy. The Straw Hat Pirates, despite causing a stir with the Alabasta incident and making headlines as the "Extremely Good Pirates," hadn't really drawn serious attention from the higher echelons of the World Government. If they had, the response would have involved more than just a Buster Call.
The high ranks of the World Government, preoccupied with figures like Kaido in Wano Country or Big Mom in Totto Land, hadn't considered the Straw Hats a comparable threat. The Five Elders certainly shared this view.
However, following the upheaval at Enies Lobby, the Straw Hat Pirates are poised to catch the vigilant eyes of the Five Elders once more.
"Let's head to Water 7, Garp," Sengoku said, looking at the unusually silent Garp. "According to intelligence, they'll likely be stopping there to replace their ship, and it's unlikely they'll leave soon."
He paused before continuing, "We capture them there, take them to Impel Down. That's… the best option."
Finishing his words, Sengoku turned away, knowing how deeply this decision would hurt Garp. Sengoku understood too well the agony of forcing an old man to strip his own grandson of freedom. Yet, sometimes, to keep someone alive, you have no choice but to take away their freedom.
Staring out the window, a troubled look crossed Sengoku's face. His thoughts were uneasy.
"Those people," he muttered to himself, "they must be watching to see how we handle this."