With the Oro Jackson now adrift in the mysterious White Sea, a blanket of clouds stretched endlessly in every direction. The air felt lighter yet a fun awaiting adventure, the sun peeking through thin layers of clouds. At the helm, Rayleigh's sharp gaze locked onto the strange currents of the cloud sea, his experienced hands steering the ship with precision. This was no ordinary sea, it was a landscape made entirely of clouds, unpredictable and deceptive. The slightest mistake could send them spiraling into the unknown, but Rayleigh's skills never wavered.
As the crew scanned the unfamiliar surroundings, something massive broke through the surface of the cloud sea. A colossal shrimp, shimmering, erupted from the cloud sea, its gigantic body towering over the Oro Jackson.
"What the hell is that!?" Buggy shouted, gripping the hilt of Kitetsu tightly, sweat forming on his brow.
The crew immediately fell into fighting stances, ready for battle. Even Oden, standing barefoot on the deck, cracked his knuckles and grinned, eager to test his strength. Was it a Sea King? No, this creature was unlike anything they had seen before. Its size somewhat smaller than that of Sea King, but still formidable, yet it floated gracefully over the White Sea. The tension on the ship was rising, each ready to attack the creature.
But before anyone could strike, Roger's iconic, booming laughter echoed across the deck.
"Neuahahahaha! Relax, you idiots! This one means us no harm."
The crew exchanged confused glances but slowly lowered their weapons. Roger stepped forward, standing at the bow of the ship with his signature carefree grin, as if greeting a friend.
To the crew's astonishment, Roger began to speak to the shrimp, as if they were old acquaintances. His words were spoken to the shrimp, his tone was calm and assured. The colossal shrimp, to everyone's surprise, seemed to understand Roger perfectly. It let out a low hum, almost like a whale's call, before plunging back into the White Sea.
"What now?" Buggy asked nervously, his eyes glued to the spot where the creature had disappeared.
The answer came quickly: the colossal shrimp reappeared beneath the ship, lifting the Oro Jackson effortlessly onto its back. With a smooth and steady glide, it swam through the cloud sea, carrying them toward what could only be the entrance to Sky Island.
Oden, Shanks, and Buggy clung to the ship's rails, their eyes wide with wonder. They watched as the shrimp gracefully navigated through the surreal world of clouds, leaving ripples of cloud water in its swimming. Stars practically shone in their eyes, their excitement contagious. Even the seasoned crew members couldn't help but smile, infected by the apprentices' childlike awe.
"Incredible...!" Oden exclaimed, leaning so far over the railing that Toki had to grab him by the back of his robe to keep him from falling overboard.
Meanwhile, Draco lay back on his lounge chair, arms folded behind his head. His eyes were half closed as if the magic of this moment barely stirred him. The hum of excitement from the crew swirled around him, but his mind was elsewhere. With a casual flick of his fingers, he opened his inventory, sifting through his collection of items.
"Dirt..." Draco muttered under his breath, a hint of amusement in his voice.
On Sky Island, dirt was precious—so rare and valuable that it could be traded for food and shelter. It would come in handy soon enough, he thought.
But as he gazed at the sky, almost towards space, a nagging thought lingered in his mind.
"Is Enel already here...?" Draco wondered. If the events from his memories were accurate, the self proclaimed "God" Enel would one day rule over Sky Island, acting as a god. But how had someone like Enel, who was arrogant and with a god complex, survived through the chaotic wars on this floating land?
"Did he already eat the Goro Goro no Mi?" Draco mused. The invincible power of lightning, a Logia Devil Fruit that made its user intangible and practically untouchable, would explain how Enel developed such delusions of grandeur. If Enel had eaten the fruit in his youth, he would have grown into his power with no one able to challenge him, further feeding his belief that he was a god. But still, why did the war persist, even after Roger's crew had visited? Had Roger not intervened? Or had he decided that it wasn't his place to change the course of history? The war was still outgoing during Luffy's visit.
Draco sighed, the weight of these questions lingering. "So many things left unanswered..."
The ship rocked slightly as the shrimp continued its smooth glide through the white sea. The excited chatter from the crew filled the air, but Draco's thoughts remained tangled in questions.
"If the war is still raging, then things might play out differently this time..." Draco muttered to himself.
His gaze drifted to Buggy, who was gripping the railing with enthusiasm, looking far more outgoing, rather than being a scared coward. The boy was changing, growing with each new island they visited. Even now, Buggy stood ready, hands on Kitetsu, to see if the shrimp suddenly wanted to destroy their ship.
"At least he's quick on his feet now," Draco thought, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Soon, the mist ahead began to thin, revealing a vast stretch of cloud-sea shimmering under the sunlight. Somewhere beyond the gates would answer his questions—including the Poneglyph that Roger would one day etch his final message onto.
As they neared the entrance, the crew braced themselves. Excitement mixed with tension as they prepared to step into the unknown. Roger's laughter echoed across the deck, infectious and unyielding as if the mere act of sailing into the sky was victory enough.
And in the distance, the faint outline of Sky Island finally came into view
The Oro Jackson drifted gracefully through the cloud currents as they passed the entrance gate to Sky Island. The white expanse of the white sea shimmered below them. Not far off, Angel Island loomed on the horizon, its floating cities perched delicately on massive cloud formations. Roger's crew had successfully negotiated their way past the gate, thanks to Draco's surprising offer, a simple handful of dirt.
The winged gatekeepers were stunned when Draco casually presented the dirt, their whispered deliberations confirming what Draco already knew: earth was priceless on Sky Island. With a nod of agreement, they opened the gates and welcomed the crew. Roger grinned, throwing an amused glance at Draco, who had already returned to his lounge chair without bothering to explain.
"Great job Draco!" Roger chuckled.
Rayleigh, though intrigued, said nothing, simply raising a brow at the whole exchange. Draco's past actions had shown him enough to know that some things were better left unquestioned.
The Oro Jackson drifted toward a quiet part of Angel Island, docking at a hidden shoreline far from civilization. Sunbell and a few other crewmembers stayed behind to guard the ship, eager for adventure but patient enough to know their turn would come. As the crew stepped onto the shore, Draco stretched his arms, feeling satisfied that they had finally reached Sky Island.
The peace didn't last long.
A sound echoed from the forest to the left, a strange rhythm of footsteps, accompanied by mechanical whirring.
Draco turned his head slightly, already sensing the approaching danger. His suspicions were confirmed when a group of warriors emerged from the dense foliage—members of the Shandia Tribe. Unlike the Skypieans, these warriors bore an intense hatred for outsiders, a people driven by their connection to lost history and a fierce desire to reclaim what had been taken from them.
Leading the group was a warrior with fiery eyes, his body scarred from countless battles. Draco immediately knew who these people were, Shandian Tribesman. Though it seems Wyper wouldn't be born for years, the Shandians' fierce spirit was already evident.
The warriors carried strange devices the crew had never seen before—dials, tools unique to the Sky Islands. The Shandians moved with aggression, their eyes full of mistrust, and their steps were quick as they closed the distance between themselves and Roger's crew.
"Looks like they're not here to welcome us," Rayleigh said, casually still holding onto a box of supplies.
Some of the senior crew members, seasoned and unbothered, barely gave the approaching warriors a second glance. To them, this was nothing more than a minor skirmish, and they had survived far worse. But Oden, Buggy, and Shanks stood at attention, their fists clenched, their excitement unmistakable.
Roger, noticing the tension, gave a casual wave.
"You three have fun with it," he said with a grin, completely unconcerned by the looming threat.
"Wait, what!?" Buggy blurted, but Roger was already moving crates off the ship, ignoring the brewing fight.
The three apprentices exchanged glances, the competitive fire between Buggy and Shanks reigniting instantly.
"Step aside, Shanks! I'll handle these guys!" Buggy declared, brandishing Kitetsu, the cursed blade gleaming in the sunlight.
"You? Beat them? Don't make me laugh, Buggy!" Shanks snapped, his hands on his blade as well, looking almost like his iconic saber, Gryphon.
Before they could settle their argument, Oden darted between them, grinning wildly.
"I'll take care of it! Out of my way!" he shouted, his katana gleaming as he sprinted toward the Shandians.
"Hey! Wait! Oden!" Buggy and Shanks yelled in unison, scrambling after him.
The Shandians readied themselves. One warrior wielded a cutlass—likely a stolen pirate weapon—while the others clenched their fists, clearly eager to engage. With a roar of excitement, Oden crashed into the fray, clashing swords with the cutlass-wielding warrior. Sparks flew as their blades collided, the force of Oden's strike pushing the Shandian back several steps.
Not to be outdone, Shanks and Buggy joined the fight, each facing off against a warrior of their own. Shanks swung his sword with reckless enthusiasm, grinning like a madman, while Buggy attacked with precision, using Kitetsu's hilt to deflect blows and strike back with quick jabs he learned from Draco.
The battle became a chaotic dance, with both sides testing each other's strength. Oden fought with a ferocity that bordered on joy, his laughter booming as he deflected and dodged attacks. Shanks fought with the carefree confidence of youth, his movements raw but full of potential. Buggy, though not as naturally gifted, fought with surprising cunning, using his environment and fighting styles taught by Draco as an advantage.
Meanwhile, Draco watched the fight from a distance, lounging on a large piece of rock. His red eyes, half open, gaze followed the skirmish with mild amusement. He could tell from the way the warriors moved that the Shandians weren't particularly powerful, at least not by Roger's crew's standards. But what they lacked in strength, they made up for with passion and determination.
"This will be over soon," Draco muttered under his breath, folding his arms.
The clash between Oden, Shanks, Buggy, and the Shandians intensified, but the outcome was already clear. The young apprentices, though still rough around the edges, were more than a match for the Shandians. With every punch, kick, and sword strike, it became evident that the outsiders weren't on their level.
In the midst of the chaos, one of the Shandians, his pride stung from getting pushed back by a kid, attempted to sneak up on Oden from behind. But before he could land a blow, Oden spun around with lightning speed, slamming the flat of his blade against the warrior's side and sending him flying towards a tree, almost breaking it in half, his body imprinted on the tree.
"Who else wants a piece!?" Oden Retorted, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
The remaining Shandians hesitated, their confidence shaken. For a moment, it seemed as though they might retreat and regroup, but before they could act, Shanks stepped forward, grinning mischievously.
"Looks like this fight is over, huh?" he said, cracking his knuckles.
"Yeah! Just like I said—I could've beaten them myself!" Buggy huffed, sheathing Kitetsu with an exaggerated flourish.
"You wish!" Shanks shot back, rolling his eyes.
As the tension between the two boys reignited, Oden threw his head back and laughed, slapping both of them on the back. The Shandians, realizing they were hopelessly outmatched, quietly retreated back into the forest, muttering curses under their breath.
As the Shandians were retreating, Oden, who was about to rush towards them, was stopped by Draco. "Stop, let them leave. It'd be better not to cause too much problem as we're foreigners." Oden abruptly stopped and sheathed his sword. "Alright..." he agreed with Draco. He knew this situation would be the same with new visitors to Wano.
Roger glanced over his shoulder, a satisfied smile on his face as he watched his crew.
"Well, that was entertaining," he said, lifting a crate of supplies. "Looks like we've got a camp to set up."
Rayleigh chuckled softly, shaking his head as he turned back to the task at hand.