After losing Vivi with Shunpo, Takumi returned to the inn to grab the small camel that had served as his mount for the past few days.
After asking some locals about the nearest coast, Takumi led the little camel away from Alabasta and headed directly for the shoreline.
The little camel carried Takumi through the desert for nearly two days before they finally reached a small coastal town.
Without much thought, he bought a small boat. Before setting sail, Takumi left the camel by the shore. "You're free now," he said.
However, the camel showed no sign of wanting to leave Takumi. It kept grunting and calling, as if it wanted to go with him.
"I can't take you with me. The desert is your home," Takumi said, jumping into his newly purchased boat and sailing away, leaving the grunting camel behind. He sailed toward the location indicated by his system's navigation.
Though Sky Island was suspended ten thousand meters in the air, the system's navigation had still pointed Takumi to this stretch of sea. It seemed that once he reached the end of the route, the island he needed to reach for his task would be located directly above, high in the sky.
After about half a month of sailing, Takumi arrived in a vast area of ocean where there wasn't a single island in sight.
This was the destination marked by the system's navigation.
He looked up at the sky and, sure enough, there was a large mass of white clouds overhead.
At that moment, a pirate ship flying an unfamiliar flag sailed toward him.
"Hey, there's a kid over there."
"Where? I don't see anything."
"Right in front of us. It's just one person. Could he be the only survivor of a shipwreck?"
"Who cares? If he's in our way as we head to Jaya Island, we'll just ram him!"
"Ho ho, great idea! Let's run him over and show that kid what happens when you get in a pirate's way!"
The pirates were excited, and they actually began speeding up.
Takumi took his gaze away from the sky and looked at the approaching pirate ship with a blank expression. Without hesitation, he gathered chakra in his throat, then exhaled. The chakra took the form of two massive fire dragons, which roared as they shot toward the pirate ship from both sides.
As the flames hurtled toward their target, Takumi turned his boat and sailed toward Jaya Island—the pirates' original destination.
A loud explosion echoed across the sea, followed by screams and the roar of flames. Takumi, however, paid no attention to the commotion behind him and silently sailed onward.
After about half an hour, he reached an island that looked like a resort on one side.
This was Jaya Island, and the bustling part of it was Mock Town, a haven for extravagant, free-spending pirates.
Several pirate ships were docked at the harbor.
Takumi glanced at the flags on the ships, but he didn't recognize any of them.
Instead of docking his small boat in Mock Town, Takumi sailed around to the other side of Jaya Island.
While the front half of the island was vibrant and lively, the back half was much more rundown. On the coast stood a half-ruined house, in front of which was a signboard painted to resemble a castle.
This was where a man with a distinctive chestnut-shaped head, Montblanc Cricket, lived.
Takumi came here specifically to find him.
After all, this man was one of the few who knew how to reach Sky Island.
In the future, Cricket would help Luffy and his crew make it to the Sky Island safely.
Takumi docked his boat on the shore and jumped onto land.
Just as he did, a shirtless man stepped out of the half-ruined house.
That bright orange chestnut head was unmistakable. This was the person Takumi was looking for.
"Huh? What's a kid doing here?" Cricket asked, clearly surprised to see Takumi.
Takumi walked over, expressionless, and said flatly, "I want to go to Sky Island."
"Sky Island?" Cricket looked startled for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Haha! You really believe in Sky Island, huh?"
Takumi nodded calmly. "I do."
Cricket stopped laughing and stared at Takumi, lighting a cigarette as he thought. After taking a puff, he spoke again: "I don't know if Sky Island really exists, but there was a man who believed in it his whole life. That man is now known as a great liar, and his descendants carry the burden of that legacy."
As he spoke, Cricket's eyes drifted to Takumi's small boat on the shore. "Is that your boat?"
Takumi nodded again.
Cricket took another drag from his cigarette before continuing, "Looking at you, I'm guessing your home must be nearby. This sea is full of dangers, kid. It's not a place for someone your age to wander around. I don't know where you heard about Sky Island, but if you don't want to die, you should go home. You're probably just chasing a fantasy."
Takumi stood there silently. "This guy talks too much," he thought.
All he wanted was the location of the next Knock-Up Stream.
Unfazed, he replied, "I just need you to tell me where the next Knock-Up Stream will appear."
Although Takumi had already confirmed the location of the Sky Island he was headed to, the chances of a Knock-Up Stream appearing directly beneath it were slim. His priority now was to locate the next stream's location; the issue of the ship could be dealt with later.
Cricket looked at Takumi, dumbfounded. He hadn't expected the boy to know about Knock-Up Streams.
After a moment, Cricket let out another hearty laugh. "Haha! You're serious about this, huh? But even if you know where the next Knock-Up Stream will appear, what are you gonna do about it? You're not planning to ride it with that little boat of yours, are you? Not to look down on your boat, but the moment it's lifted by the stream, it'll break apart. And you'll be sent crashing down into the sea—if you're lucky enough to survive."
"The boat's not a problem," Takumi said calmly. "And whether I live or die is my concern. You just need to tell me what you know."
Cricket had planned to throw out a few more sarcastic remarks, but when he saw the unwavering determination in Takumi's eyes, he fell silent. After a brief pause, he finally sighed and gave in.
"Fine. You're definitely a strange kid, I'll give you that. Alright, listen closely. There are areas in this part of the sea where strange natural phenomena occur. Sometimes, in broad daylight, the sky suddenly turns pitch black. That's caused by a massive, thick cloud known as the Emperor Cloud.
"The Emperor Cloud forms high in the sky, and no matter how thick it gets, it won't produce rain or any wind. It's so dense that sunlight can't penetrate it. That's why daylight turns into night. So, if Sky Island exists, it's probably hidden above one of these clouds. Your best bet is to find out where this strange phenomenon has occurred recently, and from there, I can help you figure out the next location for the Knock-Up Stream."
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