Blue Sea, near Jaya Island.
A heavy silence hung over the Marine warship as the sea breeze swept across its deck. Captain Hina stood with arms crossed, her sharp eyes narrowing at the report just delivered.
"You're telling me the last sighting of the Orca Pirates was here in Jaya… and then they just vanished?" she asked coolly.
The reporting Marine stood at attention. "Yes, Captain. According to our intelligence, their ship, the Silent Orca, docked on Jaya two days ago. But after that, there's been no trace."
Hina's frown deepened. "And the scouts? What did they find?"
The Marine hesitated. "We deployed search parties to comb through Jaya and the nearby islets. But the area is… not ideal."
"What do you mean by 'not ideal'?" Her tone hinted at impatience.
"There's too much pirate activity in the vicinity. Multiple crews fighting for turf. And… there were reports of Sea Kings sighted unusually close to the surface."
Hina raised an eyebrow. "Sea Kings in this part of the sea? That's rare."
"There's more, ma'am," the soldier added nervously. "Some of our scouts spotted massive silhouettes in the clouds above the sea. Huge—colossal even. Couldn't tell if they were illusions or something real. But it spooked the crew."
Hina's eyes narrowed into slits as she glanced skyward. Clouds drifted lazily overhead, but nothing seemed particularly unusual at the moment.
"Colossal shadows in the sky… Sea Kings below… and the Orcas vanish without a trace," she murmured. "This smells like a cover-up—or something beyond normal."
She tapped a finger against her arm in thought. "What about forward patrols? Any word from farther ahead?"
The soldier nodded. "Yes, Captain. Our contacts in the next sectors report no sign of the *Silent Orca* or the crew. Not a single ship matching their description passed through."
"Which means they never sailed forward." Hina narrowed her eyes again. "They're either still on Jaya, or… they went up."
"Up, Captain?" the Marine echoed, confused.
Hina paused. The thought had crossed her mind, but she hesitated to voice it. Sky Islands were the stuff of myth to most people. And yet, rumors and old logs spoke of Knock-Up Streams and people ascending into the clouds. It sounded ridiculous—but she had seen stranger things since coming to this sea.
"Nothing," she said briskly. "Recheck the perimeter. Send a second wave to comb through Jaya—check the west coast and look for signs of a launch or unusual weather activity."
"Yes, Captain!"
As the Marine rushed to relay her orders, Hina turned and stared at the vast ocean.
Where did you disappear to, Orca...?
Time passed, and the second search concluded without results. No wreckage. No clues. Not even a piece of sailcloth from the Orca Pirates' infamous black ship. Hina stood quietly on the bow, cloak fluttering in the wind, her expression unreadable.
"They vanished without a trace," she murmured. "Even the sea itself doesn't swallow pirates that cleanly…"
A chilling thought crossed her mind—but she said nothing. Whatever had taken the Orcas, it wasn't natural.
They're up to something—and I'll find out what.
She turned away from the railing. "Set a course to circle Jaya. Keep surveillance tight. We're not leaving until we know what happened."
"Yes, Captain!"
With that, the Marine warship continued its slow patrol, unaware that the answers they sought lay high above the clouds—on the mysterious sea of the sky.
...
Skypiea, Upper Yard – Deep within the Forest.
At the heart of the Upper Yard, the Shandian warriors had finally launched their long-awaited assault against the so-called God's Shrine. The battle was bloody and chaotic—war cries echoed through the thick canopy, clashing with the bell-like chimes of Enel's regime.
Despite their valor, the Shandians found themselves outmatched. The Four Priests, each commanding unique and terrifying abilities, tore through their ranks with merciless precision.
Bodies fell. Cries of pain rang out. Yet survival instincts overruled pride. Under Wiper's command, the Shandians retreated, scattering into the massive jungle in groups to avoid total annihilation.
The Priests, blood-soaked and triumphant, refused to let them slip away. With cruel delight, they began the hunt.
Unaware of the skirmishes erupting elsewhere, one of the Orca Pirates' search groups—Group 2, continued their journey through the towering forest. Sanji, Robin, Usopp, Kaya, and Pagaya moved cautiously, their eyes scanning the massive tree trunks and dense underbrush for any sign of their missing captain.
"This place feels alive," Usopp muttered, swatting away a buzzing insect. "I swear the trees are watching us."
Pagaya chuckled lightly. "Upper Yard is sacred land to some. Maybe it is alive."
"Still no sign of Zino..." Kaya murmured, glancing around with concern.
Robin's hand brushed against the bark of a tree, her eyes half-closed in thought. "Zino didn't come here."
Then, without warning, a rustling echoed from nearby foliage.
"Something's coming," Sanji said, stepping in front of the group.
The bushes parted, and three figures stumbled out. Two of them were carrying a woman—wounded, breathing heavily, blood soaking her arm. Her long black hair was tied in a battle-worn ponytail. Her tribal garb instantly marked her as one of the Shandians.
Sanji's eyes widened. "Another angel... but this one looks like a fallen warrior. Hello there!" He waved, clearly smitten.
The injured woman—Raki—narrowed her eyes at the unfamiliar group. "Blue Sea dwellers?" she said with a mix of confusion and caution.
Her two companions stepped protectively in front of her, raising their weapons.
Robin raised both hands in peace. "We're not enemies. Just looking for someone."
"She's wounded," Kaya said softly, moving closer. "We can help you."
But the moment was cut short.
From behind the trees came a loud voice. "That wounded woman is over there!"
The enemy had caught up.
Out from the shadows rolled two bizarre figures—round, rotund men who spun forward like balls. They were unmistakably two of the Priests' personal warriors.
"Stay back!" one of Raki's companions shouted, stepping between her and the attackers.
But the rotund assailants didn't stop their advance.
Seeing the danger closing in, Raki's companions sprang into action.
The first, Kala, drew his blade and lunged at the ball-shaped enemy to their right—Hotori. His slash cut through the air with trained precision. At the same time, the other warrior, Itami, spun his long wooden staff with force, aiming to sweep the other rotund guy, Kotori, off his feet.
But these weren't ordinary enemies.
Hotori smirked, spinning away from the slash with surprising agility for his size. In a flash, he shoved a palm toward Kala's chest.
"Incinerate!" he bellowed.
A burst of searing flame erupted from his hand. Kala had no time to react as fire engulfed him, his scream echoing through the trees. In the same movement, Hotori swung an axe dial embedded in his gauntlet, carving a deep slash into Kala's burning torso.
"K-Kala!" Raki gasped, stepping forward instinctively.
But Kotori was already on the move. He danced around Itami's staff strike, the momentary blur of motion hiding the shift in his stance. Then—
"Impact!"
His palm met Itami's chest with bone-cracking force.
BOOM!
The shockwave detonated through Itami's body, sending him flying through the air like a ragdoll. Blood burst from his mouth before he crashed into a tree with a sickening thud, unmoving.
"No... Kala! Itami!!" Raki cried, horror gripping her voice.
Hotori and Kotori stood proudly over the wreckage they left, laughter bubbling from their round frames.
"Hahaha! Easy win!" they sang in unison, spinning in sync like a pair of grotesque dancers. Then, as if sharing the same malicious thought, they froze and slowly turned to Raki—grins vanishing into grim expressions.
"Now, it's your turn, girl." Kotori sneered.
The two launched themselves forward like cannonballs, determined to finish her off.
But they weren't alone.
"Kayaku Boshi!" (*Gunpowder Star!*)
A sudden whistling cut through the air—followed by a loud BOOM!
Kotori's face took the full brunt of Usopp's explosive slingshot. The impact knocked him mid-air, sending his bulky body spinning backward and crashing into the foliage with a trail of smoke trailing from his scorched face.
"Kotori!" Hotori screamed, twisting mid-leap to look for his brother.
He never saw what hit him next.
"Veau Shot!"
A blur of black struck him head-on. Sanji's heel drove deep into Hotori's gut with brutal precision. The force of the blow launched Hotori skyward, his body flipping once—then twice—before he crashed down beside his brother.
Sanji landed with perfect balance, his cigarette lighting with a flick of his finger.
"You should know," he muttered coolly, eyes narrowing, "real men don't lay a hand on women."
Raki blinked, stunned at the sudden rescue. For a moment, the pain in her arm seemed to vanish.
Usopp emerged from the trees, chest puffed. "Told you guys! Explosive stars never fail!"
Robin gave a small nod of approval. "Nice timing."
Kaya rushed to Raki's side, supporting her gently. "Let's get you out of here. You've lost a lot of blood."
"You think you can get away after injuring Priest Satori's brothers?" one of the stunned attackers finally shouted. The rest of the enemy snapped out of their shock. "We must avenge Hotori and Kotori!"
They charged forward in a frenzy—only to suddenly stumble.
Hands erupted from the ground, wrapping tightly around their legs.
"You're not going anywhere," Robin said calmly, her arms crossed.
With a subtle motion, more hands bloomed from the earth, grabbing each attacker with precision, including both Hotori and Kotori.
"Clutch!"
A chorus of cracks echoed through the trees as spines twisted and bodies dropped. One by one, the assailants collapsed, unconscious and defeated.
Robin lowered her arms and turned back to the group. "We need to move. Reinforcements could arrive any moment."
Still trembling, Raki knelt beside her fallen comrades. "They're hurt… bad…"
"Don't worry," Sanji said. "We're not leaving them behind."
He then turned. "Usopp, grab that guy."
"Got it." Usopp ran over and carefully lifted Itami onto his back.
Sanji picked up Kala without complaint, carrying him with ease.
Meanwhile, Kaya and Pagaya supported Raki between them, helping her walk.
Without another word, the group departed, disappearing into the shadows of the massive trees. Behind them, silence reclaimed the battleground.
The broken bodies of Hotori, Kotori, and their squad of assailants lay scattered across the forest floor, unmoving. Leaves rustled gently in the breeze, the aftermath of the clash concealed beneath the towering canopy.
Then, a rustling—not of wind, but movement—disturbed the hush.
From between the shadows of the trees, a peculiar figure emerged. He moved with exaggerated steps, arms flailing in a strange rhythm, a mix of prancing and hopping. A twisted grin sat unnaturally on his round face, yet his eyes burned with menace.
It was Satori, one of the Four Priests of Upper Yard. Though his appearance was eccentric, his aura was no joke.
He halted abruptly upon seeing the scene—his subordinates collapsed and unconscious… and among them, his younger brothers, Hotori and Kotori.
The grin vanished from his face.
"Who did this?" he muttered darkly, his voice dropping to a low growl. His usually chaotic demeanor was now overtaken by quiet fury.
He approached Hotori first, kneeling beside him. He shook his brother gently.
No response.
Still unconscious.
Satori's brows twitched. He moved to Kotori, tapping his cheek. The younger brother stirred slightly, his eyes barely opening.
"Ugh… brother…? You… came…"
Satori leaned in. "Who did this to you?"
Kotori's voice was weak. "Blue sea dwellers…"
That was all he managed before falling unconscious again.
Satori froze, his expression unreadable.
Then, slowly, his fingers curled into fists.
"Blue sea dwellers… You dare…"
He lowered Kotori back to the ground with surprising gentleness, brushing some leaves from his brother's forehead. Then he rose to his full height, his eyes narrowed like a predator catching scent of prey.
He stood still for a moment, silent except for the sound of his breathing. Then he crouched low, examining the ground.
Dozens of footprints trailed off in a certain direction. Satori's eyes followed the pattern—some hurried, others heavy, likely from carrying the injured. It was a clear trail. Too clear.
"You think you can run after laying hands on my brothers?" he muttered, his voice now seething.
"You will regret it."
With the eerie spring in his step returning, Satori began moving—this time with intent and precision, like a mad hunter unleashed.
Branches cracked and leaves swirled as he dashed forward, following the trail through the forest.
The forest, once calm, now trembled with the priest's fury.