A week later, the dawn over Mock Town was abruptly overshadowed.
"Wh-what are those?" A drunken pirate by the port shattered his bottle.
A dozen or so imposing warships floated like mobile mountains, filling the entire sea.
An unfamiliar flag flew from their masts, with a golden fork crossed with a black knife. The emblem of the [Gourmet Navigation Group], which had recently shaken the Grand Line.
"Wait, that's a Warlord's fleet? What are they doing here?"
"Haha! This is our chance! Follow this lord and set sail for the New World!"
The pirates were either terrified or excited. Some prepared to flee, while others were eager to pledge allegiance to the new Warlord.
However, before they could act, an invisible pressure suddenly descended.
Conqueror's Haki swept over the island like a raging tide. In an instant, pirates in the streets fell like wheat, eyes rolling back as they lost consciousness.
Not just them… many pirates on Setsuna's ships also fainted.
"Captain, what's this for?" Ace scratched his head, confused.
"Where we're going, too many people shouldn't know." Setsuna said calmly.
He turned to Robin, Mr. 3, and Kuro. They were still standing because when he released his Conqueror's Haki, he could now distinguish friend from foe. "You three, take command of these pirates and temporarily govern Mock Town."
"As for pirates who want to join us, screen them. Don't accept the particularly vicious ones."
Thinking their individual strength might not surpass Mock Town's pirates, he was leaving Titan behind.
The three nodded in acknowledgment.
Then, Setsuna looked at Cavendish. "Get ready. We're going up."
Ace grew excited. "Captain, is there a Sky Island here too? Not one floating in the air using a Devil Fruit power like Golden Lion's, but a real Sky Island?"
"Sky Island?" Cavendish was also shocked, 'The legend was true?'
Setsuna nodded. "Yes. A real Sky Island."
As for how he knew... Did anyone dare ask the Captain to explain?
Once the flagship was disconnected from the 'chained ships', Cavendish placed his palm on the deck.
"Rise!"
The entire warship instantly became light, lifting off the sea's surface and ascending slowly.
"Haha, we're flying!" Ace excitedly leaned over the railing, watching Mock Town shrink below.
Though his elemental form allowed flight, this method was clearly more comfortable.
Setsuna stood at the bow, black hair ruffled by the high-altitude winds, gazing calmly upward.
As they climbed, the air thinned and the temperature plummeted.
When the ship was about to pass through the 7,000-meter-high Sea Cloud layer, Setsuna suddenly spoke. "Cavendish, go hide in the cabin first."
He remembered the Sea Cloud contained Pyrobroin particles, which is dangerous for Devil Fruit users.
He didn't want their flying ship to suddenly crash.
Though Cavendish didn't fully understand, he loyally obeyed.
When the ship passed through the Sea Cloud and ascended to the 10,000-meter-high White White Sea, Cavendish finally received the order to emerge from the sealed cabin.
As soon as he stepped out, he saw Ace lying on the deck, stomach swollen, limbs splayed.
Cavendish hurried over, taunting him. "What's with this pose? Quite unique."
Ace looked resentfully at Setsuna. "Captain, why didn't you tell me the Sea Cloud is like the sea?"
Setsuna said calmly, "A Devil Fruit user's resistance to the sea and Seastone can be trained. This was for your own good."
Ace realized. "Oh, really? Haha, I almost misunderstood the Captain."
Hearing this, Cavendish inwardly complaint, 'This guy is way too gullible.'
"Let's go. Meet the locals."
Ace struggled to stand, immediately awed by the sight before him.
An endless expanse of pure white cloud sea. Sunlight fell, refracting dreamlike colors.
Not far away, an island surrounded by rainbows rested on the cloud sea.
"It really is a Sky Island! Amazing!" Ace laughed excitedly.
Cavendish was equally stunned, murmuring, "It's like a dream."
When their ship flew over Angel Island, the residents looked up in awe.
"A flying ship? How is that possible?"
"Are they foreigners from the Blue Sea?"
Soon, a group of police in white berets appeared, shouting, "Foreigners! Cease your invasion immediately, or the God will deliver divine punishment!"
Ace looked at Setsuna. "Captain, should we go down?"
"No need to bother with them. Use your Conqueror's Haki to announce our arrival to the 'god' here." Setsuna shook his head slightly. He couldn't be bothered dealing with the locals.
"A god? Sounds exciting." Ace laughed loudly, his surging Conqueror's Haki impacting the surroundings. The people below fell in waves.
"Why don't I have Conqueror's Haki?" Cavendish watched enviously.
Meanwhile, in the shrine on Upper Yard.
A bare-chested man with earlobes reaching his chest and four drums embedded in his back lounged lazily on a bed… Enel. He suddenly sat upright. "Intruders!"
Hearing Enel's voice, the shrine's priests volunteered eagerly. "God, let us capture the intruders!"
They all knew their god's Mantra was powerful enough to monitor all of Upper Yard and the nearby White White Sea, so they weren't surprised.
"No. This enemy is not simple. They possess power I've never seen before. You are no match." Enel narrowed his eyes, smiling. "It seems I must act personally."
The moment he finished speaking, Enel vanished from the shrine. Transforming into lightning, he appeared above Angel Island in a few leaps.
"He's here." Setsuna looked up. Though he lacked Observation Haki, his perception of air currents was no worse than basic Observation Haki.
"Captain, let me deal with that self-proclaimed 'god'." Cavendish was eager.
Setsuna shook his head slightly. "You can't. You don't have Armament Haki yet."
Cavendish paused, eyes widening. "Is that 'god' also a Logia user?"
Setsuna nodded. "Goro Goro no Mi."
"I thought Logia fruits were rare? Why do I keep meeting them?" Cavendish was frustrated, his desire to master Armament Haki peaking.
"Haha, what a shame. Looks like I have to handle it again." Ace laughed, hands on hips.
Setsuna warned, "Don't be careless. The enemy might not have Armament Haki, but his speed and Observation Haki are extreme. He might attack you during the split-second you're not elementalized, like I did."
Hearing this, Ace grew serious. "Yeah, I'll be careful."