As everyone knows, there are two ways to reach Skypiea.
The first is through the mysterious Knock Up Stream.The second is the legendary Summit of High West.
But neither of these were options for Donquixote Doflamingo.
It wasn't because of the high fatality rate—he could fly, so why would he be afraid?No, the real reason was that without a navigator like Nami, his sailing skills weren't nearly refined enough to pull it off.
Otherwise, he might have been tempted to try the experience of piloting a flying ship himself.
One had to admit—Nami's talent was terrifying.
But today…
Doflamingo was about to forge his own unique path to the sky.
Skyward Ascent!
The Flamingo had already sailed beneath the thick, dense cloud layer known as the Emperor Cloud.
No sunlight could penetrate through it, making the sky above seem oppressively dark.
Click.
A smaller ship, the Flamingo MINI, detached from the main vessel, piloted by Trebol.
"Trebol, I'm leaving Mock Town in your hands."
"Nyah-nyah, don't worry, Doffy! I'll make sure our family's flag is planted there!"
Trebol swore with confidence, though he couldn't help but ask,
"But Doffy… are you sure Skypiea really exists?"
"Fufufufu… of course. If Roger never had the chance to enjoy that divine land, then I'll take it for myself!"
After giving his orders to Trebol, Doflamingo turned toward the two men standing behind him, their figures silhouetted against the darkened sky.
"Diamante, Lao G… you both know what to do, right?"
"Leave it to me, Doffy."
Diamante, still sporting a fresh bump on his head from an earlier mishap, grunted in response. He placed his hand on the deck and activated his Paramecia Ripple-Ripple Fruit ability.
In an instant, the Flamingo 1.0 became as light as silk—yet its structural integrity remained unchanged.
"Master, I am ready," rumbled Lao G, the hulking fighter with rabbit-like ears.
"Fufufufu… excellent! Today, we soar into the heavens!"
Doflamingo's excitement surged at the thought of what was about to happen. His grin widened involuntarily.
The next moment—
Countless strings erupted from his body, binding not only Diamante and Lao G in place but also securing himself and the ship.
The threads shot upward, anchoring onto the lower cloud layer.
Then—
The strings contracted.
Whoosh!
With a deafening sound of wind rushing past, the weightless Flamingo shot into the sky like an oversized kite.
"Fufufufu! The sky… was always meant to be my domain!"
"Yahaha! We're flying, Doffy! We're actually flying!!!"
"G!"
"Zehahaha! This is why you're the boss, Doffy!"
On the deck of the Flamingo MINI, Trebol watched in awe as the main ship ascended.
Upper Yard
Once a primeval island of the Blue Sea, Upper Yard now rested atop the vast White-White Sea, 10,000 meters above the ocean.
The sea of clouds drifted through the lush jungle, lending a dreamlike quality to the floating land.
But today—
That tranquil beauty was shattered by the chaos unfolding in the sky above.
BOOM!
A rocket launcher, modified with Wind Dial technology, fired a blast of superheated blue ion flames across the battlefield.
"AAAAAHHH—!!!"
Both God's Guards and the Shandian warriors caught in the fire screamed in agony as the flames seared their skin.
"Gan Fall! Give us back our land!"
A warrior—bearing an uncanny resemblance to Wyper 25 years in the future—hoisted a rocket launcher onto his shoulder. The Wind Dial embedded in his sandals blasted out powerful gusts, propelling him through the air as he closed in on his target—
A knight in heavy armor, mounted on a pink-spotted strange-looking pegasus.
This was Gan Fall, the current "God" of Skypiea.
A benevolent ruler, he cared deeply for Angel Island's people and had long fought to protect the sacred land from those who would seize it.
But just as George Washington was a great president for America—but not for the Native Americans—
Gan Fall was a good God for Skypieans.
Not for the Shandians.
"Pierre! Charge!"
"Pierre~!"
With a sharp cry, the flying steed—a bird that had eaten the Horse-Horse Fruit—soared forward at high speed.
Gan Fall's lance gleamed as he plunged into the ranks of the Shandian warriors.
He was like a tiger among sheep—his lance struck with such force that bodies were sent flying.
"AAAHHHH!!"
Watching his comrades fall one by one, Kagasi gritted his teeth in rage.
Even with Wind Dials and Cloud Dials aiding their movements, they couldn't keep up with an opponent who could move freely in the air.
Gan Fall met Kagasi's seething glare with an expression of sorrow.
He truly pitied them.
"Enough, Kagasi. Don't let pain and hatred consume you. Take your people and retreat. As for Upper Yard, I—"
At that moment—
A massive shadow fell over the battlefield.
"Rain clouds?"
Both sides instinctively looked up.
A ship was descending from the sky.
A ship… sailing through the air.
The impossible sight left everyone stunned, their minds racing with fear.
A pirate ship from the Blue Sea?
But how?
The Heaven's Gate didn't sound an alarm…
Gan Fall couldn't comprehend it.
After all, both Knock Up Stream and Summit of High West required passage through the White Sea's Heaven's Gate to reach the White-White Sea.
Yet somehow, this ship had bypassed everything, appearing directly above them.
The answer was simple—
Doflamingo had climbed from the outside.
Since he never passed through the cloud layer, he never triggered the Heaven's Gate warning.
As he gazed down at the battlefield below, Doflamingo couldn't help but chuckle.
He hadn't expected such a perfect opportunity to land right in his lap.
"Doffy! So this is Skypiea?! It's like something out of a dream!"
Even after witnessing the strange life forms in the White-White Sea, Diamante was still awestruck by the sight of the floating island.
Lao G, a seasoned veteran of the New World, had never seen such a place before. His voice carried a sense of admiration as he spoke.
"Master, even the Grand Line holds nothing quite like this… If the Golden City is real, it must be here."
"Fufufufu… of course it is. But soon, this place will bear my name."
As the Flamingo drew closer, Gan Fall and the Shandians finally got a clear look at its passengers.
A tall, imposing figure stood at the bow, clad in a dark red suit, a pink-feathered coat draped over his shoulders, and red sunglasses hiding his gaze.
Behind him, two powerful-looking men stood—one lean and dressed in a black suit, holding a thin rapier, and the other a massive brute wearing a comically large rabbit-eared hat, his bulging muscles betraying his raw strength.
Gan Fall's instincts screamed danger.
This man… feels nothing like Roger and his crew.
At that moment—
Both he and Kagasi made a split-second decision.
The enemy of my enemy…
They launched a simultaneous attack on Doflamingo.
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+100 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg