Elsewhere, in Upper Yard.
Group 1 of the Orcas—Alvida, Zoro, Nami, Moris, and Hibari—pressed through the dense, ancient forest, their eyes scanning the canopy and underbrush for any trace of Zino. It had been hours since they began their search, but like Sanji's group, they had yet to find a single clue. No footprints. No belongings. Nothing.
"This is starting to feel hopeless," Nami muttered, brushing aside a low-hanging vine.
"We just need one lead," Alvida said, her tone steady but focused.
Suddenly, a blur darted past them from the left—a figure dressed in tribal garb, sprinting full speed and visibly wounded.
"Who was that?" Hibari asked, startled.
"A sky person, maybe?" Zoro replied, unsure but alert.
"He was definitely running from something," Alvida observed, her eyes narrowing.
Rustle.
Another figure burst through the trees, also garbed in traditional warrior attire, hot on the heels of the first. Sweat gleamed off his brow, and the look in his eyes spoke of terror.
Then—*RUMBLE.*
The ground trembled beneath their feet, leaves and dust fluttering into the air. A low, guttural hiss echoed through the forest, sending a chill up their spines.
From between the trees, a massive head emerged—serpentine and terrifying.
An enormous snake, easily larger than their ship, slithered into view. Its head alone was as wide as a house, and its yellow eyes locked onto them with an eerie stillness.
Time froze.
Nami's face turned pale, and even Moris staggered back in fear.
"Is that a—" Nami's voice caught in her throat.
The snake's tongue flicked out.
And then it turned to face them.
"Run!" Zoro barked.
In a blur of motion, the colossal serpent lunged.
"Ahhh!!" Nami shrieked, her legs almost giving out.
But Alvida was faster. Activating Soru, she blurred forward, scooped Nami into her arms, and vanished from the path of destruction. Hibari, eyes wide but sharp, grabbed Moris and dove into a nearby bush.
Zoro leapt aside, landing in a low crouch just as the snake barreled past, missing him by inches.
But the serpent wasn't done.
It turned sharply—faster than such a large creature had any right to—and fixated on Zoro.
"…It's targeting me?" Zoro muttered, frowning.
He gritted his teeth and unsheathed one of his swords.
"Tatsu Maki Slash!"
A swirling arc of wind-charged steel tore through the air, slicing directly toward the snake's face.
The attack struck true—but did nothing.
Zoro's eyes widened. "What?! Not even a scratch?"
The snake's eyes flared with primal rage. Its massive jaws opened wide, revealing rows of dagger-like teeth.
Like a living avalanche, it surged forward.
Zoro didn't hesitate. "Geh! Time to run."
He pivoted, turned heel, and sprinted with every ounce of strength he had.
Trees snapped behind him as the monster pursued, plowing through the forest like a force of nature.
Alvida, now crouched in a nearby bush with Nami, scowled. "That thing's relentless."
"Is that… a sea king?" Nami gasped.
"That's a living land creature," Moris whispered. "Also, this place is on top of a cloud."
"Doesn't matter what it is," Hibari said, eyes on the chaos, "it's chasing Zoro like prey."
The forest trembled again.
Zoro, still running at full speed, suddenly lunged to the side. The snake shot past him, biting through several giant trees in its path and melting them with its splattering venom.
Seeing the destructive power, Zoro broke out in a cold sweat. Without waiting a moment longer, he rushed away, escaping from the giant, slithering hunter.
...
Group 3 of the Orcas—Gin, Kruz, Chloris, Mikita, Stev and Conis—made their way cautiously through the forest, their eyes scanning the towering trees and thick undergrowth. Though they moved with purpose, none of them let their guard down. The deeper they went into Upper Yard, the more foreign and tense the atmosphere became.
Suddenly—BOOM!
A loud explosion echoed nearby, followed by the distinct sounds of clashing weapons, gunfire, and shouted battle cries.
"Combat?" Mikita murmured, her expression sharpening.
"Be careful. Someone's heading this way," Gin warned, raising a hand.
The group paused, instinctively forming a defensive stance.
Within moments, a blur of motion crashed through the foliage ahead. Several figures emerged, breathing heavily—two groups locked in conflict. On one side, there were warriors clad in tribal gear—the Shandians. On the other, robed soldiers bearing the emblems of God Enel's regime.
The chaos came to a screeching halt when both sides noticed the newcomers.
"Outsiders?" one of the Shandians muttered, gripping his weapon tightly.
Gin stepped forward, calm but firm. "Don't mind us. We're not involved in your fight—we're just passing through."
For a moment, there was silence. The two factions eyed the Orcas warily, but neither attacked. Gin gave a subtle nod to his group, signaling them to change course.
The crew began to move away, not wanting to get tangled in someone else's war.
But before they could retreat far—SWISH… BOOM!
A flare shot into the sky, crackling loudly above the treetops.
"What now?" Mikita groaned.
One of the God's Shrine warriors lowered his flare gun with a smug smile. "You won't be getting away. Reinforcements will be here soon."
Gin's brows furrowed, irritation flaring in his eyes. "We were trying to avoid trouble, but they just had to push it."
"Seems like we don't have a choice," Mikita said with a sly smile, floating a few inches off the ground.
Kruz cracked his knuckles. "Captain said it himself: anyone who provokes the Orcas…"
"…gets a beating to knock some sense into them," Gin finished, his tone cold.
"Then let's give them something to regret," Kruz said, eyes narrowing like a predator.
"I'll assist," Chloris added calmly.
She turned toward the massive tree beside her and placed a hand on its bark. Green light flew out from her palm, glowing faintly as they spread down into the roots. A low hum vibrated through the earth—the tree responded, its vines twitching to life.
"You guys focus on defense. I'll go first," Gin said, already crouching into a combat stance.
With a burst of speed, he vanished—Soru propelling him forward like a bullet.
In an instant, Gin appeared behind one of the surprised Shrine fighters. His fist struck the man's gut, sending him flying into a tree trunk with a loud CRACK.
"Next," Gin muttered, eyes darting to the rest.
The other fighters shouted and lunged forward. But before they could get close, Kruz intercepted two with a rift punch. The distance was short, and his aim was true. Opening a small tear of space in front of him, he launched a few punches that instantly crashed into the two Shrine fighters, dropping them.
On the other hand, Mikita smiled playfully. "Let me show them something new."
She dropped the parasol in her hand, and then kicked the ground several times in rapid succession.
"Geppo!"
In a blink, she shot into the air like a cannonball, her figure disappearing against the canopy of the trees above. Then—BOOM!—she came crashing down, enhanced by the power of her Devil Fruit and the downward force of her own gravity.
The impact shook the ground violently. The Shrine fighters were thrown off balance, some stumbling, others outright falling from the sheer force of the quake.
Dust rose. Silence followed.
From within the cloud of dust, her voice echoed coldly. "Let's dance."
Then—
"Juryoku Geppo!" (*Heavy Geppo!*)
With astonishing agility, Mikita darted through the air, skipping across invisible footholds in the sky. She moved like a ghost, never touching the ground, her legs delivering brutal kicks from impossible angles.
Each strike was heavy. Her gravity-enhanced attacks combined with the mobility of Geppo turned her into a one-woman wrecking crew. Shrine soldiers were sent flying like ragdolls, their bodies hurtling through trees, bushes, and stone.
From behind, Gin watched with a grin. "Nice tactics."
Without missing a beat, he joined the fray, appearing in front of a dazed opponent and delivering a swift, clean punch that knocked the man out cold. His movements were sharp and precise—every attack calculated, every dodge effortless.
Meanwhile, Chloris had finished syncing with the tree. From the massive trunk, vines surged forward like snakes, slithering across the battlefield.
One whipped around a fighter's leg and yanked him high into the air before slamming him back down with a THUD. Another encased two opponents together, binding them in a tight snare.
From a safe distance, Conis watched the chaos unfold, her eyes wide in awe as she whispered, "They're monsters…"
"They really are monsters," Stev nodded from the side.
Conis glanced at him strangely. "Are you not going to help them?"
"I'm helping them by guarding you," Stev said, trying to sound brave. "Look, those people over there have not acted yet."
Conis turned to the side.
Nearby, the small group of Shandian warriors had hidden themselves behind the bushes, watching the battle unfold. Their eyes tracked Mikita's aerial acrobatics, Gin's flawless strikes, and the vines moving with eerie sentience.
"They're blue sea dwellers…?" one of the Shandians asked in disbelief.
"They're… too strong," another muttered, gripping his weapon tightly.
"What do we do?" one asked uncertainly.
The eldest of the group shook his head. "Captain Wiper told us not to get involved with outsiders unless necessary. We fall back."
Without another word, the Shandians quietly retreated into the thick forest, their presence disappearing like ghosts.
Back on the field, the tide had turned. The Shrine fighters were in shambles. However, this is not the end, as the flares before already attracted more of the Shrine fighters.
As more enemies closed in, the ground around the Orcas trembled—not from fear, but from the fury of the Orcas ready to fight back.
The battle had begun.
...
Orca Group 4—Galdino, Nojiko, Marianne, Binko, and Lakuari—moved slowly beneath the towering canopy of Upper Yard, eyes scanning for any trace of Zino. The golden glow of the Skypiean sun filtered through the leaves, but the forest held no answers.
They had been searching for hours, weaving through roots, vines, and uneven terrain, but nothing—not a footprint, not a piece of cloth, not even a sound—hinted at Zino's whereabouts.
"This is getting us nowhere," Galdino muttered, brushing a branch aside with his wax hand. "Zino might have actually fallen off the clouds."
"Or maybe he's still being chased by that so-called God Enel," Binko added, rubbing the back of his neck. "Either way, he's out of sight."
"Let's just take a short break," Marianne said suddenly. Without waiting for agreement, she opened her bag and began pulling out a mat, a small folding teapot, and a tin of crackers. She laid them all out with practiced grace.
In no time at all, five ceramic cups sat on the mat, each filled with gently steaming tea.
"Help yourselves," she said simply and took a sip from her own cup, eyes half-closed in contentment.
The rest of the group blinked at her in disbelief.
"Really?" Galdino raised an eyebrow.
But Nojiko sighed and sat down. "She's right. A short break won't hurt."
One by one, the others joined her, settling onto the mat and sipping the tea. The forest was quiet, save for the occasional chirp of sky birds and the rustle of distant leaves.
That's when the rustling grew louder.
Their heads turned.
A Shandian warrior burst out of the trees in a frantic sprint, clearly fleeing something. His breaths were ragged, steps staggered. But he barely made it ten paces before a *whoosh* cut through the air.
Descending from above like a hawk, a man riding a large bird swooped down, his lance aimed like a spear of judgment.
BOOM!
The lance struck the warrior's back, and in an instant, a burst of flame erupted from the impact point, engulfing the man. He hit the ground with a sickening thud, unmoving—lifeless.
The attacker remained airborne for a moment, then descended slowly to the ground, his bird flapping gently. It was Shura the Sky Rider, one of the Four Priests of Upper Yard.
As he landed, he turned and locked eyes with the Orcas—still seated, calmly sipping tea.
Galdino looked up, unbothered. Nojiko paused mid-sip. Marianne added a sugar cube to her cup.
Shura blinked, uncertain. For a moment, no one moved.
Sip.
Then, from the opposite direction, a second figure exploded onto the scene. Gedatsu, another Priest, emerged from the trees, dragging a limp Shandian warrior. With a grunt, he slammed the man into a massive tree trunk, letting him crumple to the ground.
Dust settled as Gedatsu turned, only to see five strangers sitting in a tea circle, watching him with mild curiosity.
More silence.
Only the gentle clink of a teacup being placed back on a saucer broke the moment.
Finally, Binko whispered, "Are we… still pretending this is normal?"
"No sudden movements," Galdino replied flatly, not looking away. "Maybe they'll leave."
Gedatsu blinked slowly, face twitching. Shura narrowed his eyes.
Tension built like a storm about to break.
The tea party was officially over.