Luca stood in front of the large temple gate, looking at the priest Hotori who knelt immediately upon his entrance. There was not much left to do in Skypiea… just one final step.
Luca:
"The gold you gathered from Shandora… has it all been moved to the storerooms?"
Hotori nodded quickly:
Hotori:
"Yes, Lord of Skypiea, everything is ready as you commanded."
Luca waved his hand, uninterested in the details:
Luca:
"Good. Now listen… I want a ship. A ship big enough to carry all that gold."
The priest froze for a second, as he had expected new orders, but not of this scale.
Hotori:
"We'll need carpenters from Angel Island, and wood from the forest. Work will start immediately."
Luca stepped closer, his voice lowering but leaving no room for discussion:
Luca:
"I want it ready before the end of the month. If you need extra workers, take them. I don't want any excuses."
The priest bowed deeply:
Hotori:
"Understood!"
Luca turned his back, his hand crackling faintly with the power of his Thunder Fruit.
Luca:
"Go now. There's not much left for me before leaving Skypiea… and don't try to annoy me."
The priests hurried out of the temple while Luca gave a short smile.
The time was near…
And Skypiea would remain behind him as just a beautiful memory.
---
Movement had started in Skypiea from the early hours of that day. After the orders Luca issued, the priests spread in all directions like a hive awakened suddenly.
In the square opposite the temple, dozens of workers from Angel Island gathered, carrying their tools on their shoulders, while carts loaded with wood slowly moved toward the temporary workshop set up near the edge of the island.
The sound of saws and hammers rose gradually with every passing minute.
Wood planks were cut, frames were shaped, and the initial sketches of the ship's structure were set on a raised platform for everyone to see.
Hotori stood on the side, watching the progress with clear concern, shouting from time to time:
"Faster! Lord of Skypiea wants the ship ready before the end of the month! Don't stop!"
The workers, however, moved nonstop. Some carried wood, others fixed ropes, and a third team set up the initial hull that would carry nearly a ton of gold.
Despite the chaos, the work was organized… precise.
And most importantly: everyone understood that any delay could mean Luca's wrath, and that alone was enough for them to work day and night.
From afar, Inara stood on the balcony of one of the temple's tall buildings, her hair flowing in the light wind while her eyes watched the newly bustling workshop.
It wasn't hard for her to understand what was happening.
A ship of this size… all these workers… and the strict orders spreading within minutes.
She whispered to herself:
"So… the time has come."
She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them, wide white wings had appeared behind her back, and her body was fully covered in seconds.
She transformed into a massive white hawk and launched from the balcony with a calm leap into the sky.
She soared above the workshop, over the workers, over the cutting wood, before gradually descending toward the old shrine where Luca stood alone, watching the work from a high vantage point.
Inara landed lightly behind him, and her human form returned amid white feathers drifting in the breeze. She approached and stood beside him, both knowing that this moment would come.
She stared at the huge workshop below, then said calmly:
Inara:
"So… you'll be leaving soon."
Luca answered without changing his expression:
Luca:
"Yes. As soon as the ship is complete."
A short moment of silence passed… then she said what she had been hiding for some time:
Inara:
"Take me with you."
He finally turned to her. He was not surprised… but he did not smile.
His eyes were calm, reassuring more than they rejected.
Luca:
"Inara… the Blue Sea isn't as simple as you think. Skypiea is peaceful… but under the clouds?"
He shook his head slowly.
"There are pirates, murderers, armies… and there are those who wouldn't hesitate to chase me just for what I have."
She listened intently, her features gradually shifting toward worry.
He continued in a low, convincing voice:
Luca:
"If you come down with me… you'll become a target just because you're near me. I won't always be able to protect you… and those who pursue me won't care who stands beside me."
Her hand moved involuntarily toward her chest, as if imagining what could happen.
The truth?
His words were very logical… outwardly sincere.
She sighed slowly:
Inara:
"I hadn't thought about it that way…"
Luca repeated his familiar tactic gently:
Luca:
"I don't want to be the cause of your harm. Staying here… is safety."
His voice was steady, persuasive… to the point that she believed every word.
But the truth inside Luca was completely different:
He did not want "responsibility" with him.
He did not want one woman to prevent him from chasing dozens of women across the seas.
He did not want any chains… no matter how beautiful.
Inara lowered her head slightly, then said quietly, resigned:
Inara:
"…I understand."
Luca gave a calm smile, lightning from his fruit glinting on his fingertips, and placed his hand gently on Inara's shoulder:
Luca:
"Inara… after I leave, I will trust you… not with the island, nor with the gold… but with yourself. Take care of yourself, your body, your life… and be ready… wait for me."
Inara raised her eyes to him in surprise, trying to understand what he meant.
Luca:
"I want you to remain strong… free… as you wish. No one will bind you, but you must be ready for my return."
Inara sighed, speaking in a quiet voice:
Inara:
"Wait… you say 'wait for your return'… does that mean you really will come back?"
Luca smiled briefly, clear, yet full of confidence:
Luca:
"You will. Take care of yourself… and keep your eyes open. I'll be there, in the Blue Sea, and you… here, ready."
Inara stood for a few moments, feeling the weight of his words, yet at the same time a spark of excitement. She knew the wait would be hard, but she accepted it, knowing Luca's strength and ambition would not allow him to stay here.
---
The following twenty days passed quickly, as if time itself accelerated with every movement in the workshop. The sound of saws and hammers never paused, and the workers only stopped briefly to rest before returning to work with full vigor.
The large ship Luca had ordered built took its final shape, the hull strong and wide enough to carry most of the gold gathered from Shandora. Every wooden plank fixed, every rope tightly tied by the workers, showed the strength and precision required.
Luca stood in the same spot from which he had watched on the first day of work, his gaze scanning the completed ship, his satisfaction evident on his features. The ship was ready… everything was set for departure, and the Blue Sea awaited the echo of his steps and upcoming adventures.
He took a deep breath and gave a short smile, while the wind whipped through his hair, carrying with it the sounds of workers beginning to load the gold into the ship's storerooms.
Luca approached the ship, and everything he would take back with him from the Sky Island—his Fire Fruit, while his old ship and everything in it would be left behind as it had become useless.
The workers had loaded most of the gold and placed the supplies needed for the journey. All that remained now was departure.
He had already declared Inara the new goddess in his place, so his time on Sky Island had ended. He had achieved his main goal of coming here, obtained the fruit he wanted, and advanced his power significantly.
The ship slowly rose from the surface of Skypiea, as if it had separated from the ground in a magical movement. The wind hit its sails strongly, yet the hull remained steady, as if iron itself protected it. Shouts and cries of astonishment rose among the people of Skypiea, who gathered in the squares and on rooftops, witnessing the sight for the first time.
"Wha… what is this?!" shouted one, eyes gleaming with fear and amazement.
"It… it's flying?!" cried another, pointing at the ship as it rose higher and higher, increasing in speed and stability with every passing second.
The extended sails and the detailed wooden hull, along with the shine of gold that seemed to glow from within, made the scene look like a living miracle. The flight was not just lifting, but a smooth movement through the air, mimicking the natural flow of clouds, with Luca's mental power guiding it, securing every piece and every weight safely. The citizens, stunned, could not believe their eyes as they watched the heavy, gold-filled ship soar above their island like a calm celestial beast, while Luca stood confidently on its deck, smiling, with the endless blue sky ahead.