One week later.
"I still can't believe they gave us all this gold," Usopp said, smiling wide.
"It's payment for saving their lives," Nami replied.
As they boarded the Going Merry, Pagaya and Conis rushed toward them.
Nami hugged Conis tightly. "I'm going to miss you."
"Me too," Conis said, her eyes full of tears.
"Please come visit us again," Pagaya added, wiping away a tear.
"We sure will," Nami said as she stepped onto the Merry.
Wyper, Raki, and Aisa stood nearby, waving goodbye.
"Thank you for everything!" Wyper shouted. "For showing us the home of our ancestors… and for protecting it!"
Robin smiled and waved back.
The crew set sail toward the edge of Skypiea, heading the opposite direction from where they arrived.
"This is it…" Emma said nervously.
Noah turned and saw Luffy casually eating an apple.
"Luffy, can I have that apple? It's important."
"No!" Luffy yelled, stuffing the whole thing into his mouth at once.
"Here," Sanji said, tossing an apple to Noah.
Noah caught it, then immediately flung it over the edge.
"Everyone hold onto something."
"Wait—are you going to teleport the ship?" Emma asked, worried.
Noah nodded. He crouched and placed his hand on the deck.
"Vector Manipulation—Flying Thunder God."
Blip!
Everyone screamed as the ship suddenly dropped from the sky.
"I thought you were going to teleport us to land!" Usopp yelled.
"I can't do that! Land's too far from here. I only teleported us to the apple I threw."
"Are we going to die!?" Chopper cried.
"Nah," Noah said calmly. "Vector Manipulation—"
The ship stopped falling.
"Did we land?" Sanji asked, lighting a cigarette.
"Nope. I just slowed down our speed. We're still falling… well, more like floating."
Noah's vision blurred. His body wobbled. Emma grabbed him.
"Noah! Are you okay?"
"I… think I overdid it…"
Suddenly the ship began dropping again—faster.
"We're done for!!" Usopp screamed.
"From this height," Robin said calmly, "the impact with the sea will crush us instantly."
Usopp gulped so hard his knees shook.
Emma slapped Noah's cheek. "Noah! Wake up! We're going to die if you don't do something!"
"I—I got an idea!" Usopp shouted. "Let's use the dials I found! Maybe they can help!"
"It's too late for that!" Emma snapped.
Right as the ship was about to hit the sea, Noah lifted a finger.
"Vector Manipulation…"
The ship slowed… slowed… then gently touched the water.
"We're alive…" someone whispered.
Everyone collapsed to the deck in relief.
"I saw my whole childhood," Usopp muttered.
"You don't have a childhood worth seeing," Zoro said, already half asleep sitting up.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?" Usopp yelled.
Zoro snored.
Emma looked forward. "Uh… Noah? Problem."
"What now…" Noah asked, head spinning.
She pointed.
Right in front of them was an enormous island covered in Marine buildings, watchtowers, ships… everything.
A Marine walked by with a seagull drinking from his cup.
Luffy blinked. "The bird drinks coffee…"
"That's NOT the issue!!" Nami screamed.
A giant sign read:
G–9 MARINE BASE – NO PIRATES ALLOWED
Sanji lit a cigarette. "Perfect. We escaped death just to sail into another one."
Usopp trembled. "This is it… I didn't even confess to—"
Smack.
"Not the time," Nami said.
Robin folded her arms calmly. "I've heard about G–9. They station some extremely strong Marines here."
Chopper flailed his arms. "WE'RE GONNA DIE!"
Luffy smiled. "Let's just walk in."
"NO!!" everyone yelled.
Emma leaned against the railing. "Okay. Noah and I can sneak in."
"How!?" Usopp asked. "You two look like pirates!"
Emma pointed to a rowboat on the shore.
Two Marines were asleep in it.
One had his head in a bucket.
The other was hugging a mop like it was his girlfriend.
Noah stared. "…Are they okay?"
"Not sure," Emma replied. "But we can use their clothes."
Five minutes later.
Noah and Emma walked back wearing Marine coats and hats.
Emma saluted sharply. "Justice."
Noah saluted… kind of. "Justice… probably."
Sanji raised a brow. "Those uniforms are way too big for you."
"They're grown men!" Noah said.
"They're disappointments," Emma corrected.
Chopper looked amazed. "You guys look so cool!"
Usopp whispered, "No they don't."
Noah lifted his hand, vectors swirling around his fingers.
"Hold on," he told Emma.
Before she could ask why, the world tilted—and they shot into the air.
Emma clung to him. "NOAH! WARN ME FIRST!"
"Too late now!" Noah yelled, guiding the two of them across the water.
They soared over the Marines' docked ships, the wind rushing past their faces.
A Marine below looked up, blinked, and said,
"…Did that seagull just get bigger?"
Another Marine sipped his coffee. "Don't question things before noon."
Noah and Emma landed lightly behind a storage building, out of sight.
Emma slapped his arm. "Next time, use a boat!"
Noah brushed himself off. "That was the boat."
She glared. "I hate you."
He grinned. "You'll survive."
Both fixed their Marine hats and stepped out from behind the building.
"HEY! YOU TWO!"
They froze.
A tall Marine commander stomped toward them, sunglasses shining and his jaw huge enough to crack walnuts.
"Why are you two late!?"
Emma snapped into a perfect salute. "Sir! We were polishing the cannons, sir!"
The commander nodded seriously. "Good. Cannons deserve love."
Noah blinked. "…Come again?"
The commander leaned inches from his face.
"CANNONS. DESERVE. LOVE!"
Noah saluted so hard his hat flew off.
"Better," the commander grunted. "Now move! G–9 inspection is today. Some of the strongest officers in the region are here!"
Noah and Emma exchanged a look.
Emma whispered, "Get information. Stay calm."
Noah whispered back, "Not dying is my priority."