The Orca crew had taken shelter at Pagaya's home, a modest but warm cloud-dwelling nestled on the white sea. However, with so many people among them—nineteen in total—it quickly became too cramped.
Noticing the space issue, Zino stepped outside and, with a simple wave of his hand, summoned gusts of wind to sculpt an adjacent structure from the dense, fluffy cloud nearby. In moments, an igloo-like dome stood beside Pagaya's house.
To prevent it from softening back to the ground, he froze them with his ice element. Now, the makeshift igloo was perfectly solid for walking and resting. "This will do for now," Zino said.
The rest of the crew admired his effortless creation, then began settling in.
Inside Pagaya's home, however, a different atmosphere lingered.
Pagaya and Conis exchanged uneasy glances, worry creeping into their expressions. They both understood the risk they were taking. Harboring trespassers from the Blue Sea wasn't just frowned upon—it was considered a direct offense to the so-called God Enel.
McKinley's earlier question was a clear warning: shielding outsiders would bring divine judgment not only upon the visitors, but on those offering them aid.
And yet, they had already crossed that line.
Pagaya exhaled heavily. There was only one sanctioned solution in the eyes of the Skypiean authorities—turn the trespassers in to be taken to the Sacrificial Altar. But after meeting them, could they really do that?
Were these people truly criminals? Or were they simply explorers caught in something far bigger than they realized?
Outside, the Orcas went about their business as if unaware of the tension.
Zoro, Gin, Alvida, and Binko were going through their own sets of training: Zoro with swords, Gin with tonfas, Alvida with an iron mace, and Binko with his twin daggers.
Creed, who has dark circles under his eyes, was doing a body-building exercise. "Tsk. I'm on my limit. This would be the last exercise before Kruz takes back control."
Meanwhile, Sanji had taken over the kitchen, clattering pots and seasoning ingredients with flair. He called it "cloud cuisine," and though Pagaya had some doubts at first, the rich smell filling the air quickly made him reconsider.
Stev was huddled with Usopp and Hibari, showcasing a new weapon design. "This is a cloud-pressure launcher," he explained. "Lightweight, high impact." Usopp and Hibari took turns testing it, adjusting the dials, while commenting on improvements for accuracy and reload speed.
Robin had found a quiet corner in the cloud-igloo, nose deep in an ancient text Pagaya had loaned her. It was written in an older Skypiean dialect, but she deciphered it easily, noting key historical points of the sky people, and the Upper Yard.
On the other side, Nojiko and Marianne were sitting under a tree-like cloud structure, discussing the fusion of beauty and battle. Marianne drew images with her brush, crafting visual techniques, while Nojiko gave her ideas on how to use artistic illusions for misdirection.
Nearby, Kaya and Chloris sat in peaceful conversation. Chloris was explaining the properties of her dryad healing ability, while Kaya listened intently, occasionally testing the technique with gentle motions of her hand over a wounded flower.
Nami, meanwhile, was sprawled over a wide spread of cloud-paper, trying to draw a detailed map of Skypiea. Moris was on the side, ready to help in any way he could.
Galdino was seated cross-legged by himself, a thoughtful frown on his face. Every so often, he would twirl his fingers, shaping a wax construct—a shield, a key, a flower—but would then sigh and smush it back into a blob, clearly unsatisfied.
Lakuari watched their activity with a vacant expression. Their peace reminded him of his lost crew, and tears streamed down his face.
"Evanna... Crauf..." he whispered to himself.
With a heavy heart, he walked listlessly away into the distance.
A short distance away from the rest of the crew, Zino sat cross-legged in silence, his eyes closed as grains of sand floated and swirled around him. The white sea breeze stirred the air, but his focus was unwavering. He was immersed in his training—refining his control over the sand element.
With a flick of his fingers, the sand twisted into the shape of multiple swords. Each one hovered midair as Zino concentrated on hardening them to a solid form. The blades shimmered in the soft Skypiean light, but with a slight tap, some still crumbled back into particles.
"Tch… still not stable enough," Zino muttered.
Not giving up, he shifted tactics. The sand morphed again—this time into replicas of modern firearms: a handgun, a rifle, and even the rough frame of a sniper scope. Each weapon looked convincing, but Zino wasn't satisfied with appearances. He wanted function.
He formed bullets and carefully loaded them into the sand-made handgun.
Clack!
He pulled the trigger, but only the sound of the firing pin clicking echoed in the quiet. No explosion, no propulsion—just sand.
He sighed, studying the weapon in his hand. "Too fragile. No combustion. I still lack the precision and inner structure to simulate real mechanics… I need more practice."
Rather than growing frustrated, Zino leaned deeper into the challenge. With every attempt, his mastery over the element sharpened. The sand danced more fluidly, the shapes became crisper, and the density stronger.
Suddenly, a chime echoed in his mind, followed by a glowing screen that hovered in front of his vision.
[Elemental Mastery: Sand – Level 20 achieved.]
[New Element Slot unlocked. You can now swallow a next element.]
Zino raised a brow, then smiled. "Finally…"
He stood slowly, letting the sand fall away from his hands like golden mist.
"Another element, huh?" he murmured, thoughtfully. "Which one should I go for next?"
Two choices dominated his mind—Lightning and Cloud. Both were versatile and powerful, especially in the world of Skypiea.
"Lightning…" Zino looked toward the distant horizon, recalling the powerful strike that had nearly killed the blue sea dweller earlier. "It's fast. Destructive. A good countermeasure if I ever face Enel."
He considered Cloud next—soft, elusive, weightless, and perfect for mobility and concealment. But his instincts pulled him back.
"No. Lightning first. Then cloud."
With that in mind, he considered how he should start acquiring lightning. Should he go directly and provoke Enel?
As his thoughts goes about lightning, a voice called out from the distance.
"Oi, Zino! Dinner's ready!" Sanji's voice rang through the air.
Zino exhaled and stretched his shoulders. He turned, letting the remaining sand scatter into the clouds around him.
"Time to eat, then back to work," he said quietly, already anticipating the acquisition of lightning.
He walked toward the scentscent of Sanji's cooking, while his mind already planning his next move.
...
The Next Morning*
The sun had barely risen over the endless sea of clouds when the smell of freshly cooked breakfast filled the air. Sanji, as always, was already at work in the kitchen, dishing out hearty plates for the crew. The Orcas gathered around outside Pagaya's house and the makeshift igloo Zino had built, enjoying their meal in the crisp morning air.
As everyone dug in, Zino stood and looked over the group, his expression calm but focused.
"Everyone," he began, "I've been thinking… what do you all think about exploring the Upper Yard today?"
Instantly, the crew erupted in mixed reactions.
"It's suicide," Nami said, eyes wide. "Did you already forget how that guy was nearly struck down by lightning?"
"Y-Yeah! I second that!" Usopp stammered, his spoon trembling in his hand. "I'd rather not get vaporized before lunch!"
Zoro smirked and gave Usopp a sidelong glance. "So, you're afraid, huh?"
"It's called being smart!" Usopp shot back, though he was still shaking.
Gin gulped a spoonful of rice, then spoke up. "Sounds interesting to me. A place we're not supposed to go? That usually means there's something worth seeing."
"I'll go wherever the ladies go," Sanji chimed in, hearts practically in his eyes as he glanced toward Nami, Robin, and the others.
Some looked excited, some hesitant, and others outright fearful.
Zino nodded, taking in everyone's reactions. "Fair enough. Then let's decide who's going and who's staying behind. But if you ask me… I think all of us should go."
Stev raised an eyebrow. "Why push for all of us to go?"
Zino smiled faintly. "Because the wind whispered me."
Alvida rolled her eyes and muttered, "Here we go again with your 'wind whispers'..."
But Zino didn't flinch. "The Upper Yard holds things you won't find anywhere else in Skypiea—gold, treasures, powerful weapons, strange inventions, maybe even clues to the lost history."
At that, several faces around the table shifted.
"Wait… did you say gold?" Nami blinked, stars practically replacing her pupils.
"Lots of it," Zino said with a grin. "Gold untouched for centuries, from a city lost to the sky. It's real—and I've seen hints of it."
The energy shifted. Even the most reluctant among them began to reconsider.
"Ancient inventions and weapons, you said?" Stev's eyes lit up. "I want to see what they look like."
"And lost history?" Robin asked, looking interested now.
Zino nodded. "It's all there. I believe we're meant to find it."
Usopp still looked hesitant, but now he was fidgeting for a different reason—torn between fear and curiosity.
Zino looked around at each of them, letting the silence speak.
"Whatever lies there," he said at last, "we'll face it together."
There was a pause.
"…Fine," Nami finally said. "If there's treasure, I'm in. But I expect full protection!"
With that, one by one, the Orcas began to nod in agreement, their curiosity and determination outweighing their doubts.
"Alright," Zino said, standing from his seat. "If you guys have anything to prepare, get it done now. We'll depart for the Upper Yard shortly."
Everyone nodded and quickly dispersed, heading off to ready their gear and supplies. The crew moved with energy, excitement and a bit of nervousness hanging in the air. The Upper Yard was dangerous—but also promising.
As Zino began walking toward the shore, his eyes caught someone still seated under the shade of a cloud tree.
It was Creed—or so it seemed.
"Creed, what are you reading?" Zino asked casually.
The man looked up and bowed slightly. "Captain. It's me, Kruz."
"Oh…" Zino paused, blinking. "Right."
Kruz gave a smile, still holding a small leather-bound manual. "I'm reading Creed's notes—his instructions. It helps me understand what's going on. The last thing I remember was being in Alabasta… everything after that is a bit of a blur."
Zino nodded slowly. The triple-soul condition between Kruz, Friday, and Creed was still something he hadn't fully gotten used to.
"Well, study all you want—but be ready. We're heading into uncertain territory."
"Understood," Kruz said, eyes quickly going back to the manual, flipping a page with focus.
Zino turned and continued toward the white shore, preparing to retrieve the Silent Orca from his system storage.
But then—
Crash!
A violent bolt of lightning struck the cloud ground just a few meters ahead of him, blinding white light flaring as heat rippled in the air. From the fading electricity, a figure materialized—tall, shirtless, with golden adornments and a smug expression on his face.
God Enel.
His presence was overwhelming, a silent force behind his every movement. His eyes met Zino's, cold and superior.
"Do you know who I am?" Enel asked, voice calm but dripping with arrogance.
Zino blinked, unfazed. He had been planning to meet this so-called god on his own terms, but fate had moved faster.
"God Enel," Zino said flatly.
"So, you do know me," Enel replied with a smile. "Yesterday, you rescued that pathetic blue sea dweller… the one who fled like a rat. That was you, wasn't it?"
Zino's eyes narrowed. He didn't reply.
Instead, he crouched low and tapped the cloud ground with his heel.
"Hien Soku." (*Flying Swallow Speed*)
Zoom!!
In a flash, Zino vanished, leaving behind only a gust of displaced air. It was his newly developed speed technique—a fusion of Soru's burst dash, Geppo's aerial movement, and the finesse of his Air element.
Enel's eyes twitched in annoyance. "Tch. You think you can run from lightning?"
Crackle!
With a burst of divine thunder, Enel's form dissolved into pure lightning and surged into the sky, hot on Zino's trail.
Moments later, the rest of the crew burst out of the house, alerted by the explosion.
"What was that?!" Nami shouted, looking around frantically.
But Zino was nowhere to be found. Only some dent on the cloud floor remained, while Kruz gazed in the direction of the Upper Yard.
"Captain..." he whispered, his voice a mix of shock and dawning comprehension. "He led God Enel away."