Ryan, in his peach-pink giant dragon form, guided the ship with golden flame clouds beneath it, following the Log Pose's direction as they broke through the sea of clouds. During the flight, his golden vertical pupils swept across the scenery below. At the edge of a stretch of gray-white clouds, he caught sight of crude fences, animal-hide tents, and flickering bonfires.
"Land there," came the low Dragon Roar as the flame clouds gradually descended, settling the ship steadily onto the sea of clouds, sending ripples across the surface.
Ryan reverted to his human form and landed on the deck.
"Incredible. The clouds can actually support the weight of an entire ship," Daz Bonez stood at the bow, staring at the seemingly fragile sea of clouds beneath them. Even for someone as taciturn as him, this sight was enough to draw out astonishment.
"Is this Sky Island?" Zala leaned over the railing, her glasses reflecting the faint glow of the clouds, her tone laced with curiosity and confirmation.
Meanwhile, BABE crouched beside the helm, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape as he stared dumbfounded at the sea of clouds below. He seemed unable to snap out of the surreal spectacle before him. Rasu gently rubbed against his leg, as if also sensing the strangeness of this domain.
Just then, a series of rapid whooshing sounds came from the distance. Over a dozen figures came speeding down the gentle slope of the sea of clouds, riding on elongated cloud skateboards. The boards were woven from tough cloud fibers, their edges embedded with jet-propelled shells that left long trails of white mist in their wake.
The leader was a tall, well-built young man with dark skin covered in ancient tattoos. A red-and-white striped headband was tied around his forehead, and a lit cigarette dangled from his lips. Slung over his shoulder was a rugged-looking burning cannon. The tribesmen behind him were similarly bare-chested, wearing animal-hide skirts around their waists and colorful feathers in their hair. They wielded spears and bows embedded with shells, their necks and arms adorned with bone ornaments.
Ryan took one look at their tattoos and attire and immediately recognized them—the indigenous people who had been driven to the fringes of Sky Island, the tribe that had guarded the Poneglyphs for generations: the Shandia.
It seemed they had arrived at the outskirts of Sky Island.
Wyper skidded to a halt on his cloud skateboard about ten meters from the ship, exhaling a puff of smoke as his eyes quickly scanned the figures on the deck. The image of the red giant dragon that had streaked across the sky moments ago still lingered in his mind, but the sudden intrusion of these Blue Sea dwellers into their territory stoked his fury even more.
"Scum from the Blue Sea, get the hell out of here!" Whether or not that bizarre dragon had anything to do with these people, Wyper's expression was icy as he glared at the uninvited guests. His tribesmen raised their weapons in unison—spear tips glinting coldly in the bonfire's glow, bows drawn taut—all aimed squarely at the deck.
Ryan observed the Shandia's tense stance and understood that their deep-seated resentment toward outsiders, having been exiled to these fringes, was ingrained in their very bones. He took half a step forward, his voice calm as he broke the standoff: "We're just passing through. We mean no harm to your way of life."
"Cut the crap!" Wyper abruptly shouldered his burning cannon, its barrel now trained steadily on Ryan. "I don't care what banner you fly—this place isn't welcoming to Blue Sea trash. Get lost now, or I'll blast you and your ship to ashes!"
The corners of Ryan's eyes lifted slightly, a chill seeping into his gaze as he replied indifferently, "Pointing that thing at me—have you thought through the consequences?"
Wyper, the "War Oni," was known for his fiery temper and stubbornness—a man who would explode at the slightest provocation.
But no matter how impulsive he was, it didn't justify aiming a weapon at someone. Ryan didn't appreciate being threatened—it was, to him, the most blatant form of provocation.
He had no obligation to indulge others.
"Enough talk!"
Wyper stiffened momentarily under the coldness in Ryan's eyes, but his fury only flared hotter. He jerked the trigger, deliberately veering the shot off-course. With a deafening BOOM, the cannonball grazed the ship's side and exploded on the sea of clouds, leaving a charred crater in its wake. The scorching shockwave sent the sails flapping violently.
"Last warning—get lost!"
"Seems there's no point in talking," Ryan's expression darkened completely, the air around him seeming to solidify. "Go ahead and try if you think you can."
Wyper raised an eyebrow, his finger tightening on the trigger—when suddenly, urgent shouts came from behind him. "Wyper, stop!"
Two figures rushed over on smaller cloud skateboards. The woman in front wore a red cropped top and a matching short skirt, a leopard-print sash tied around her waist. Her long black hair was pinned up with a bone hairpin, and her exposed calves bore intricate tattoos—this was Raki.
Behind her was a little girl with twin pigtails, her light blue dress speckled with grass stains—Aisa, the one with formidable Observation Haki.
"Raki, Aisa, what are you two doing here?" Wyper frowned, his tone impatient as he glanced back.
Aisa peeked out timidly, but the moment her eyes met Ryan, the oppressive aura radiating from him made her shrink back instantly. She clutched Raki's sleeve tightly, her voice trembling. "R-Raki… he… he's scary…"
"Aisa says this man's presence is stronger than Enel's," Raki said hurriedly, pressing a comforting hand on the shivering girl. "Don't act recklessly—he's not someone we can handle!"
Ryan's gaze flickered briefly over the frightened Aisa, but he had little interest in the girl who could sense his aura. His attention shifted to Raki instead—her stance on the skateboard was steady, her long legs beneath the short skirt toned and smooth. The bone ornaments at her waist swayed faintly with each breath, and though her face was etched with urgency, her eyes remained clear and bright.
She was indeed a striking beauty—especially in that red outfit, a stark contrast against the wild tattoos, standing out vividly against the gray-white sea of clouds.
Wyper turned back at Raki's words—just in time to catch Ryan's lingering gaze on her. That undisguised appraisal ignited the already taut nerves within him.
On Shandia land, looking at one of their women like that was, in his eyes, nothing short of a blatant challenge.
"You bastard!" Wyper roared, abruptly swinging the burning cannon back toward Ryan, its muzzle locked squarely on his chest. "So what if you're stronger than Enel? I'll bury you here today!"
Raki's face paled. Instinctively, she sidestepped in front of Wyper, addressing Ryan urgently, "Sir, he's just worked up—we mean no harm, please—"
Before she could finish, Wyper shoved her aside roughly. Raki staggered, nearly toppling off her skateboard. At the same time, the cannon's fuse sparked to life with a hiss. A ruthless glint flashed in Wyper's eyes as he pulled the trigger without hesitation.
BOOM!
The scorching cannonball tore through the air, hurtling straight for Ryan's face.