As the Oro Jackson sailed deeper into Paradise, the journey became a routine of adventure, battle, and survival. Each island they docked at was a new playground for Oden, who would be the first to leap off the ship with boundless excitement. No matter how small or dangerous the island, Oden would return, sometimes with new scars decorating his body. His wife, Toki, would scold him with a mixture of frustration and affection, tending to his wounds while also managing their two children.
Draco found himself exploring certain islands, though with fewer antics than Oden. Whenever something piqued his interest, Buggy would tag along like a shadow, desperately trying to act like Draco's bodyguard. But more often than not, Buggy was the one being saved, stumbling into dangers far beyond his capabilities. Draco found amusement in Buggy's persistence but appreciated his company, nonetheless.
The rest of Draco's time was spent in a routine: training, lounging on deck, and drinking himself to sleep, especially after each island replenished its supplies of rum and wine. The nights blurred together with the clinking of bottles, the gentle rocking of the ship, and the occasional bar fight whenever Roger's crew grew restless at the port.
However, something was beginning to bother Draco. They had visited Arabasta, a kingdom, and a One Piece Arc he remembered to his core. He had hoped to find the Poneglyph that Robin and Luffy's crew would discover years later, but much to his confusion, it wasn't there.
"Strange... It should've been here," Draco muttered to himself as they departed from the desert kingdom.
Despite his growing frustrations, Roger's crew never lingered long on any one island. Roger's ambitions kept them moving, each destination a steppingstone on their path to the fabled Laugh Tale.
[Mock Town, Jaya Island]
After several more weeks of sailing through Paradise, the Oro Jackson eventually docked at Jaya Island, the infamous Mock Town. The island was a lively, chaotic place—a haven for pirates, criminals, and adventurers.
As Draco set foot on the worn wooden planks of the dock, memories flooded back. Jaya was no ordinary island, it was the gateway to the Sky Island, and Roger's crew was about to carve their place into history by finding it.
With Roger, Rayleigh, Buggy, and even Shanks at his side, Draco walked through the bustling streets of Mock Town. It wasn't long before they encountered someone interesting: Mont Blanc Cricket, a young and eager explorer with an almost obsessive passion for his family's legacy.
"Have you ever heard of the great Mont Blanc Noland?" Cricket asked, eyes gleaming with pride.
The crew listened, amused and intrigued, as Cricket recounted the story of his ancestor, who had claimed to have discovered a city of gold in the sky.
Draco smiled to himself. Sky Island... It's real. This was where it all began, the mystery that Luffy and them would one day uncover. But back in this era, even Cricket knew little about the Knock-Up Stream that led to the sky. The young descendant was still piecing together fragments of his ancestor's tale, unaware that Roger's crew was about to unlock the secret.
After sharing a few drinks with Cricket, the crew left him behind, excited to explore more of the island. But their peaceful stroll didn't last long. Chaos was brewing on the other side of town.
The sound of clashing weapons and explosions echoed through the streets as Draco, Roger, and the others arrived back at the docks. A battle had erupted between Oden and some of Roger's crew against a rival pirate group. The enemy pirates weren't much of a threat, but the destruction caused by Oden and Scopper's wild attacks left buildings in ruins, sending debris flying through the air.
Roger's grin widened at the sight. "Looks like they're having fun. I guess I'll join in."
Without hesitation, Roger rushed into the fray, laughing like a madman as he engaged the enemy captain. Draco stood at a distance, arms crossed, watching the scene with mild amusement as Oden hurled attacks left and right, leveling anything in his path.
Just as Roger was about to finish off the pirate captain, a warning shout echoed across the town.
"MARINES! THEY'RE COMING!"
Roger scowled in annoyance. "Tch. Marines again. They never give us a break." Most pirate crews would back off when they saw the Roger Pirates' flag, but the Marines had orders to pursue them relentlessly.
Rayleigh appeared beside him, sighing to himself about the marines "We should leave before things get messy. Let's head back to the ship."
The crew scrambled back to the Oro Jackson, some carrying loot from the raid while others hurried to prepare the sails.
But as the Oro Jackson began pulling away from the dock, a powerful presence rippled through the air, freezing everyone in place.
A booming voice echoed across the sea.
"ROGER! DON'T YOU DARE THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE ME!"
It was Vice Admiral Garp, his fist clenched and radiating with sheer power. His Conqueror's Haki burst out like a tidal wave, sending shivers through the air as he readied himself to chase after the Oro Jackson.
Roger's face lit up with excitement. "GARP! Ahahaha! About time you showed up!" He cracked his knuckles, ready for a fight.
The air crackled with tension as Roger grinned like a madman, the thrill of battle overwhelming his instinct to flee. His Conqueror's Haki swirled wildly around him, clashing with Garp's aura, creating thunderous sparks in the sky.
Rayleigh, calm as ever, stepped closer. "We don't have time for this, Roger. The Navy's reinforcements are minutes away, and we've got what we came for."
But Roger's blood was already pumping, his legendary grin widening. "Just one punch, Rayleigh! Just one!"
From the side, Buggy grumbled nervously, watching the clash unfold. "Eeek!!! Captain!!...?" Draco, still standing at the railing with a glint in his eye, winding back his middle finger, he flicks towards the Marine battleship, burst of compressed air at the Marine ship. The shockwave spun out like a coiled snake, smashing through the air, like a sonic rail gun, the flick blasted the marine Battleship in half, stopping them in there track.
"There we go...," Draco muttered with an nonchalant smile. Buggy's cheered out. "YES!"
Meanwhile, Garp who had already launched himself off the battleship, with a roar, his body hurtling toward the Oro Jackson like a meteor. The ocean beneath him seemed to part, waves splitting violently from the force of his leap. "ROGER!!!"
Roger's laughter boomed across the sea. "Here he comes!" With a powerful stomp on the deck, Roger leaped toward Garp mid-air, their fists colliding once more—not touching, but locked by their clashing Haki. The sheer force of their clash split the sky open with a deafening boom, sending shockwaves that rocked nearby ships and churned the ocean violently below.
The Oro Jackson groaned under the pressure of the storm of energy radiating from the two top level fighters. Boards creaked, and the sails whipped violently in the wind.
"CAPTAIN!" Shanks shouted from the deck. "If you don't cut it out, the ship won't make it!"
Rayleigh pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Why do I even bother..." He gave a subtle nod to Scopper, who began steering the ship away from the chaos.
Garp grinned, his eyes burning with determination. "Not bad, Roger. But you know this isn't over."
Roger, unlike before with a friendly first clash, used his real strength sending Garp straight into the sea. Garp somewhat shocked deep in the sea leaps from the sea before landing on the docks of Mock Town.
Roger cackled, flipping mid-air and landing gracefully on the deck of the Oro Jackson as it began pulling away with the wind at its back. "Next time, old friend!" he called out, giving Garp a cheeky salute.
"Damn you, Roger!"
Back aboard the Oro Jackson, Roger let out a satisfied sigh as the winds filled their sails.
"That was fun," he muttered to himself with a chuckle. "Worth every second."
Rayleigh shot him a warning glance. "We're not in the clear yet, Roger."
But something felt different. Rayleigh's sharp eyes scanned the skies, noting an unusual shift in the air pressure. He wasn't concerned about Garp now, it was the weather that had caught his attention.
Then it happened.
The sea rumbled beneath them, and a loud roar echoed from the depths. A massive Knock-Up Stream erupted from the ocean, blasting upward with the force of a cannon.
Rayleigh's eyes widened, though he remained composed. "Everyone, HOLD ON! We're going up!"
The entire crew scrambled to grab onto something, securing themselves as the Oro Jackson was launched high into the sky, carried by the powerful water eruption.
Draco, awed at Roger's stroke of luck, a knock-up stream really happened as they tried to escape the marines! But, knowing about the knock-up stream, Draco gripped the railing without panic. He glanced at Buggy, surprised to see him holding on tightly as well, using Kitetsu to anchor himself to the deck. The once-timid apprentice was becoming quicker.
"You're doing good, Buggy," Draco muttered with a grin.
The ship soared higher and higher, the ocean far below them disappearing from sight. Light broke through the clouds, and soon enough, the Roger Pirates found themselves above the sea of clouds. "Bwa...hahah...HAHAH!", Roger bewildered with joy, the crew laughing and cheering as well.
"We made it... Sky Island." Draco whispered, smiling as the Oro Jackson floated across the cloud sea, searching for the entrance to the mysterious land above the skies.
[Below Sky Island]
Down in the Blue Sea, Vice Admiral Garp stared in disbelief as the Roger Pirates vanished from sight, swallowed by the massive Knock-Up Stream. For the first time in his life, Garp was truly stunned.
"They... disappeared? Into the sky?!" Garp muttered, scratching his head in confusion.
He had chased Roger across countless seas, but this was something he had never seen before. With a frustrated sigh, he crossed his arms and stared at the empty horizon, muttering under his breath. Afterward looking towards his men swimming towards the docks, also seeing his battleship sinking.
"Damn... Lucky bastards!" With his fist clenched, veins almost exploding he yells towards the Roger pirates. "I'll capture you next time we meet!"
[A few minutes earlier]
From the shadows at the edge of the island, Mont Blanc Cricket had been quietly watching the entire chaotic scene unfold. His heart raced when he saw Garp arrive, the Hero of the Marines. Just the sight of him sent a chill down Cricket's spine, and he crouched lower to avoid being noticed.
The tension in the air was suffocating, but then, the unexpected happened, the ocean roared, and a massive Knock-Up Stream blasted into the sky, carrying the Oro Jackson with it. Cricket's eyes widened in awe, struggling to process what he was witnessing.
As the ship soared into the clouds, everything clicked in his mind.
"That's it...!" Cricket whispered, his hands trembling with excitement. "That's how my ancestor, Mont Blanc Noland, got to Sky Island!"
For years, his family had been mocked and called liars for believing in a city of gold in the sky. But now, he knew the truth, Noland's story wasn't a lie. This mysterious Knock-Up Stream was the key, and the legendary Sky Island truly existed.
Cricket stood there in silence for a long moment, a sense of pride welling up inside him. The pieces of his family's legacy were finally starting to make sense.
And so, with Garp and Cricket left baffled and the Oro Jackson sailing above the clouds, they kept sailing onward.