"Kurikku," his voice began to choke up, "It all started four hundred years ago..."
"Stop." Rhett raised a hand.
"I'm not interested in the tragic story of your ancestors being branded as liars for four hundred years."
Kurikku choked, as if a fishbone had lodged, then shouted, shark-like teeth bared, "Don't interrupt people when they're talking, it's so rude! I'm going to say it anyway, this is the great legend of Skypiea! My ancestor Montblanc Noland, he—"
"Died." Rhett cut him off.
"...Huh?"
"His bones are dust, and he's been laughed at for four hundred years. Is that all?" Rhett dug at his ear. "So, where's the Upward Stream?"
Kurikku stomped his feet. "Why are you like this! Let me finish talking!"
Heh.
The Saruyama Alliance exchanged glances. One cautiously raised a hand. "Boss, should we sing 'The Great Liar Noland' for him?"
"Shut up!" Veins popped on Kurikku's forehead. "This time it's definitely real! I've studied the data of the Upward Stream for twenty years—"
"Data?" Rhett looked at him, amused.
"How do I know if what you're saying is true?"
Kurikku: "You bastard, how dare you doubt me! The Upward Stream is three days from now, in the southeast direction."
Kurikku quickly clapped a hand over his mouth.
Rhett turned and walked away. "Thanks."
"Wait!" Kurikku shouted in despair, "At least let me finish the story of Noland and Calgara's touching friendship!"
The only response was the Bluma Jackson's roaring engine, and Perona's distant singing, "The Great Liar Noland"
Rhett's voice drifted over. "Stay here and listen for the echoes of the Golden Bell."
With that, he waved and left with a flourish.
Kurikku knelt on the beach, tears streaming. "The youth these days... they're so good at this!"
If Rhett heard that, he'd kick him. This big gorilla saying something so disgusting.
Three days later, southeast waters of Jaya Island.
The sea was calm before dawn.
Rhett stood on the dragon figurehead, feeling the energy fluctuations beneath the surface.
Let's see if you're as fierce as the "Raging Waves."
"It's coming." Rhett's pupils contracted.
The steel behemoth emitted a low hum, and the Dial jets adjusted their angles.
The sea surface caved in, forming a massive funnel over a kilometer wide. The Bluma Jackson began to rapidly descend, yet the ship remained steady.
"This is worthy of the Bluma Jackson." Rhett grinned.
When the bow was a hundred meters from the vortex—
BOOM!!!
A kilometer-wide water column shot into the sky! The ascending current, powerful enough to tear apart ordinary warships, struck the Bluma Jackson, causing the steel monster to tremble.
The Dial jets activated, cooperating with the current, and the ship soared.
The moment the Bluma Jackson pierced through the clouds,
Rhett's eyes beheld an endless sea of clouds. He couldn't help but marvel at the pirate world.
"Lord Rhett, is this... Skypiea?"
Perona floated over, her ghosts flitting about. "Lord Rhett~ The clouds here feel so soft when you step on them!"
She tapped the cloud layer, only to sink right in, leaving only her hands. "Wahhh—Help!"
Rhett reached out and pulled her back.
"Don't wander off, Perona. Be careful, this is the sea of clouds."
Perona puffed her cheeks and brushed off the cloud fluff. "What the heck!"
Upon arriving at Skypiea, one couldn't help but sample the entry fee.
An old woman was collecting the toll. Had Enel already become God?
No matter, no matter. It's Enel we're looking for.
Money wasn't going to be handed over.
The Bluma Jackson slowly sailed into the outer port of Angel Island.
The residents of Skypiea were already intimidated, peeking out from behind their cloud houses. A few bold Skypiean children lay on the cloud embankment, their eyes wide:
"Wow! That ship is so cool!"
"The dragon figurehead glows!"
Rhett remained expressionless, his face cold.
Upon reaching the port, Rhett and his crew jumped off the ship.
Perona floated over to a stall, excitedly eyeing the crafts made from Skypiea's specialty "Dials."
"Lord Rhett~ This Tone Dial can record sound!" She picked up a shell and shouted into it, "Lady Perona is the cutest!"
The Tone Dial immediately played back: "Lady Perona is the cutest~"
Perona: "!!!"
(✿◕‿◕✿)
She immediately bought it and began frantically recording into the dial: "Lord Moriah is an idiot! I hope everyone stays healthy."
Moriah: "??????
As they toured, Rhett's gaze remained fixed on the distant island surrounded by golden clouds—God's Island.
That was Enel's domain.
Perona floated back, carrying a pile of Skypiea specialties: "Lord Rhett~ Where to next?"
Rhett grinned, hoisting the Black Tide greatsword onto his shoulder. "Let's go meet that 'God.'"
Perona blinked. "Huh? Are we fighting now?"
"Sightseeing's over." Rhett turned and walked towards the Bluma Jackson. "Time to get serious. After today, this place will be ours."
Ever since the arrival of the transmigrators, Skypiea had been a contested territory.
Before the four Divine Priests stood in formation, awaiting their God's orders, the clouds suddenly churned with an unnatural crimson hue.
It wasn't a thundercloud—it was Rhett's Blood Mist spreading. Setting the stage before a fight, nothing wrong with that.
"What is that..." The Divine Priest with a round face began to sweat.
"Good afternoon~" Moriah bowed politely, his shadow swelling behind him. "Might I... borrow your God to make a zombie?"
The four Divine Priests—Gedatsu, Satori, Shura, and Ohm—looked serious. Following Rhett, Moriah's Armament Haki and Observation Haki were incomparable to the original storyline.
This was a Moriah who hadn't experienced setbacks or gone astray. The truth of pirates is that going astray weakens one's strength by half.