Rosen and his crew had stayed on Skypiea for a few days, spending most of their time on Angel Island since Upper Yard was rather desolate. Angel Island, on the other hand, offered vibrant scenery, unique culture, and special local products.
Notably, its shell-based technology and culture fascinated them. The locals were very welcoming, likely due to rumors that this man from the Blue Sea might become their new god. With his defeat of Enel and the subsequent peace with the Shandians—who had once frequently attacked them—Rosen had earned their trust.
"This one's a Light Dial, Sound Dial, Flavor Dial, and Wind Dial…" Rosen and the others were shopping in the quaint "Lovely Street," browsing Skypiea's specialty shell items.
While still awaiting Gan Fall and the Shandian chief's decision, buying some practical goods didn't hurt.
Dial technology was surprisingly useful. Wind Dials, for example, could store and release gusts of wind with just a flick of the wrist, making them highly efficient. Plus, their long lifespan made them very appealing.
"The Light Dial is like a portable lamp. Really handy. If the ship's power ever goes out, having a few of these could come in handy," Robin commented with a smile. She wasn't one to shop much, but she was always up for buying something functional.
The Dawn was a well-equipped ship, even sporting independent power systems like electric lighting and a refrigerator, similar to the Thousand Sunny. However, its electricity wasn't entirely stable; rough seas could cut power intermittently. Still, the ship used impressive technology—seawater-generated electricity.
"The Sound Dial's great too. I wonder how long the Image Dial can record. By the way, is there such a thing as audio entertainment in this world?" Rosen mused aloud. If so, he could enrich their time at sea.
Logically, there should be. Nobles of this world clearly knew how to enjoy life. Given the presence of singers, it wouldn't be odd to have actors and entertainment too.
If Skypiea had video-capturing Dials, then perhaps the Blue Sea had Den Den Mushi capable of doing the same. After all, there were surveillance Den Den Mushi already.
"It's rare, but perhaps some islands with more developed entertainment industries might have such things," Robin replied. Despite her vast knowledge, she wasn't all-knowing—especially with how vast and mysterious the seas were.
"Let's buy a bunch of these. The attack Dials too—like Impact and Heat Dials—even if they aren't powerful, they're convenient for everyday use. Consider it covered by ship funds."
"Thank you, Boss."
"Uncle, can I get an advance on my future salary? I want that one!" Natalie pointed toward a weapons shop—not at any metal weapons (which were rare), but at a small, white-wood round shield.
"Buy it," Rosen said without hesitation. He was flush with wealth again. While gold might not be that valuable on Skypiea, they accepted Berries—and Rosen had plenty of those. Once back on the Blue Sea, converting the gold wouldn't be a problem.
"What about you guys?" Rosen turned to Hathaway, Bones, and Mr. 5.
They hadn't planned a group outing, but since Lovely Street wasn't that large, it made more sense to stick together.
Hathaway shook her head. From her point of view, she still owed Rosen a large debt and didn't need anything. No weapon could surpass the sunblade she already wielded.
"Conis?" After a while of shopping and buying a lot of things, Rosen ran into Conis, a semi-familiar face on Lovely Street.
"Thank you again for last time. Please let us show our hospitality properly," Conis said sincerely, smiling with a fluffy white creature in her arms—somewhere between a ferret and a fox. Her father, Pagaya, stood beside her.
During Enel's lightning strike, many parts of Skypiea had been damaged, causing serious casualties. But thanks to Rosen's prior warning, Conis and her father had sailed to the White Sea in time and remained unharmed.
"Sorry for intruding." Since they were done shopping, Rosen didn't mind interacting more with Skypieans. Most of their crew was scattered around, drinking or exploring.
By the beach.
"Uncle, how can a fruit with a shell as hard as iron taste so good inside? Is it because it's round or because the shell is tough? It's so weird… Uncle? Uncle, why aren't you talking?" Natalie rambled on.
"When you relax, relax properly. Less talking, more eating—that's how you grow taller," Rosen said lazily, lying on a cloud. The beach here was made entirely of clouds—warm and fluffy, like a natural sleep aid.
"Hmph," Natalie grumbled in protest.
It was a perfect day for a beach outing. Conis and her father prepared a hearty lunch for Rosen and his crew—homemade Skypiean dishes.
Though they had been on Skypiea for several days, few locals dared approach Rosen directly. Conis was an exception, which was why Rosen didn't turn her away.
Robin wasn't reading for once. She lay on a cloud, staring blankly at the sky.
Hathaway and the others were savoring the food.
"They should be arriving soon," Rosen murmured. If the chief and Gan Fall couldn't give a clear answer, Rosen wouldn't force the matter. Without their cooperation, it would be difficult to implement his new order.
Just getting two former enemies to sit at the same table had taken considerable effort.
If their final answer was rejection, then Rosen would prepare to leave. There was no point in staying any longer—his initial goals had already been achieved.
This wasn't a matter of battle—victory or defeat wasn't determined by strength alone. While force could get you far, it wasn't enough for long-term rule. Rosen wasn't trying to rule Skypiea for its resources—only to test his new system.
But if it proved unworkable, he wouldn't push it.
"Is this true?" The Shandian chief looked at a rare Blue Sea newspaper Gan Fall had handed him, his voice grave.
Recently, they had sent out scouts to the surrounding air routes, hoping to encounter Blue Sea dwellers.
And they had.
One group had even sold them a Blue Sea newspaper containing reports about Rosen.
"Do you think he'll destroy Skypiea?" Gan Fall asked darkly, his mood heavy.
He wasn't sure how much of the newspaper was accurate. But if even part of it was true, then their tentative decision to crown Rosen as their new god would have to be reconsidered.
This concerned the survival of two entire peoples—nothing could be taken lightly.
"He just destroyed a country. The government has issued a bounty—648 million Berries! That's a terrifying sum, even in the Blue Sea," the chief sighed. In Enel's old terms, that was over 60 trillion "Inks."
Such a massive bounty left little doubt—he was considered extremely dangerous.
"Summon all warriors. Prepare for the worst," the chief ordered grimly.
The news was simply too volatile.
He had destroyed an island. A country. If that was his pattern, then wouldn't Skypiea be next?
And if so, it wouldn't be far-fetched.
They had to prepare for the worst.
(End of Chapter)