Aboard the Voyager.
Captain Brook, fighter Redfield, sniper Hiruba, navigator Shakky, shipwright Tom, intelligence agent Antonio, pet Memory Seahorse and parrot assistant, mount Kirin Lion, and the ship-pulling whale, Laboon.
Everyone gathered together, celebrating their upcoming voyage. From now on, they were partners in life and death.
"Captain Brook, are we really heading to the New World this time? Almost all of this year's Supernovas have already reached the Sabaody Archipelago, and monsters like Golden Lion have already entered the New World to make their mark," Shakky said eagerly. She couldn't wait to witness the terrifying legends of the most dangerous sea!
"Without strength, entering the New World is pointless. That's why everyone needs to train in Haki and the Six Powers. Our next stop is Jaya Island—the location of the legendary Golden City.
Moore has already moved the headquarters of the World Economic News Agency there. This time, we're going to claim Sky Island for ourselves and establish a base."
"Captain, does Sky Island really exist? Are you sure you haven't been tricked?" Hiruba asked skeptically. He had heard plenty of tales about Rolando the Liar.
"The other half of Jaya Island—the Golden City of Shandora—does exist. Three to four hundred years ago, it was blasted into the sky by a massive Knock Up Stream. And yes, there's a lot of gold up there," Brook stated firmly, his serious expression proving he wasn't joking.
"Then we're gonna be filthy rich, right? The Golden City—doesn't that mean we've found the biggest treasure in history?!" Shakky practically sparkled, already imagining herself draped in gold and becoming the richest person alive.
"Oh, we'll definitely be rich. But more than that, I want to bring the World Economic News Agency under my influence and move it to Sky Island. There might even be advanced technology up there—maybe even ways to build ships that can fly.
And then there's the Devil Fruit. I wonder if the Rumble-Rumble Fruit is still on Birka," Brook mused. If it wasn't, maybe he could replicate its power using Wind Cannons and Lightning Blasters for short-term flight.
It was also about time for Tom to get his hands on the blueprints for the ancient weapon, Pluton. Brook was curious—could Tom reverse-engineer an offensive system like the Wind Cannon from them?
"Captain, what Devil Fruit do you want that badly? The Rumble-Rumble Fruit you mentioned earlier?" Shakky asked curiously.
"Yeah. It's the most powerful Logia-type fruit—the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. Its lightning abilities can even make certain ships fly. If we do find it, who do you think should eat it?"
The group fell silent. This was a legendary Devil Fruit—who wouldn't want it?
Fishman Tom and Crocus immediately shook their heads. They had no interest in being cursed by the sea. Hiruba, as a sniper, would only consider a fruit that enhanced his precision and range.
Redfield, despite his monstrous strength, had never considered eating a Devil Fruit before. He didn't want the weakness to seawater. But hearing Brook talk about the Rumble-Rumble Fruit... he was tempted.
Shakky, on the other hand, was absolutely thrilled by the idea. She definitely wanted it.
"Haha, don't stress over it yet. We don't even know if we'll find it. Besides, there'll be flying Zoan-type Mythical Beast fruits in the future—there will always be opportunities!"
That thought filled everyone with excitement. Redfield silently cursed himself for hesitating. He didn't need a Devil Fruit—he'd reach the top of the world with his own power!
"You're right, Captain," Shakky said. Then, after a moment of thought, she asked, "But even if the Golden City is up there... how are we supposed to get to Sky Island?"
Brook suddenly frowned. She had a point. He had been too caught up in the excitement—how were they actually going to fly up there? Were they really going to risk riding the Knock Up Stream like Roger and Luffy?
Did they have the same insane luck those guys did? If something went wrong, they could end up shipwrecked—or worse, dead.
"This is a serious issue. The Knock Up Stream is way too dangerous, and we don't have Golden Lion Shiki's Float-Float Fruit to help us," Brook admitted. He sighed, realizing how tricky this situation had become.
Maybe Moore seagulls could fly that high?
In Brook's past life, he had seen that only one bird on Earth could reach altitudes of 11,000 meters—the bar-headed goose. It had a special kind of hemoglobin that allowed it to use limited oxygen efficiently.
Did the people of Sky Island have something similar? If not, how did they survive at 10,000 meters? Or was Sky Island self-sustaining in oxygen?
There were a few other birds that could reach around 7,000 meters, such as the whooper swan, alpine vulture, and bearded vulture. The White Sea, which surrounded Sky Island, was at an altitude of 7,000 meters, while the White-White Sea was at 10,000 meters.
Oxygen was a huge factor limiting flight height. Even if a bird could technically fly up there, it might die from oxygen deprivation. But... if he solved the oxygen issue, could seagulls reach the White Sea?
Could they be equipped with oxygen masks?
The World Economic News Agency's seagulls were ridiculously strong fliers. They delivered newspapers all over the world—if anyone could reach Sky Island, it was them.
With that in mind, Brook quickly called Moore, who was already on Jaya Island. He needed to know the maximum flying height and carrying capacity of the News Coo birds.
Then, he had Moore start preparing oxygen tanks and other equipment. Oxygen did exist in this world—Jaya Island's salvage teams used it, and even Whitebeard had an oxygen tank for his illness.
If they could get the seagulls to carry supplies to Sky Island, they might just have a way up there.
—
On Jaya Island, Moore and the World Economic News Agency had moved their headquarters under the protection of their own bodyguards. They were avoiding the oppression of the World Peace Dove News Agency, a rival backed by the World Government.
Without the constant harassment of bounty hunters at Sabaody, the pirate town on Jaya was much safer. Weaker pirates had taken over, and honestly, they weren't much of a threat.
Brook's message arrived.
"Equip seagulls with oxygen devices?"
Moore was confused but didn't ask questions. Brook had already tied his family's fate to his own, and the secret breeding method for his News Coo birds made him a target for many enemies.
According to his calculations, it was about time to have his top bird, Morgans., eat a Zoan-type Bird-Bird Fruit. If they nurtured it from a young age, it could become the new king of the News Coo.
Meanwhile, the Voyager was already following the log pose straight to Jaya Island, pushing full speed ahead.
Their journey to Sky Island had officially begun.
---
Under the protection of his own guards, Moore Thomas waited at the port of Jaya Island for Brook's arrival. Now the captain of the Hell Pirates with a bounty of 200 million berries, Brook was far stronger than when he had first set sail from the Sabaody Archipelago.
Seeing the Voyager approaching, its sails bearing the flag of the Hell Pirates, Moore Thomas clenched his fists. If the legendary Sky Island truly existed and the World Economic News Agency could be moved there, they'd no longer have to fear the World Government's persecution.
"Brook!!!"
Moore Thomas transformed into his half-beast form, taking to the air as he waved excitedly.
"Moore, everything going smoothly?"
Brook rode his Kirin Lion ahead of the ship, landing at the port to meet the future news tycoon.
"Aside from some staff leaving and a slight drop in newspaper production, our papers are still in high demand!"
Moore Thomas spoke with excitement. As a rising independent news outlet, he took great pride in being able to rival—and even slightly overshadow—the government-controlled newspapers.
"Did you get the oxygen masks and tanks I asked for?"
"Yeah, I ordered them from other islands. They'll be here in a few days."
"Good. Now let's bring Jaya Island under the rule of the Hell Pirates!"
"That's what I was thinking too!"
Moore Thomas was eager to follow Brook's every move. Even if Sky Island didn't exist, making Jaya their base would still be a win.
The Eternal Voyager docked, and the crew set foot on Jaya Island. This pirate town had long been under the rule of various pirate crews, its lawless nature attracting outlaws from all over.
For some reason, the Navy had never bothered to wipe out the pirates here. Perhaps it was because the lines between pirates and civilians had blurred. The locals lived like pirates, yet they had no bounties and often helped real pirates escape. Over time, the Navy stopped caring, and Jaya remained a thriving pirate hub for resupply and revelry.
"Redfield, take the island. Plant our flag. It's ours now."
The strongest pirate on Jaya likely had a bounty of only 50 to 60 million berries. Redfield, a beast of a warrior, would crush these small fries with ease.
"Got it."
Redfield grabbed his cane sword and headed straight for Mock Town.
Shakky and Hiruba, two bounty hunters eager to raise their own prices, followed him, looking forward to the fight.
Moore Thomas stayed behind to oversee the ship's safety while Tom, Crocus, and Antonio accompanied Brook to the World Economic News Agency headquarters.
In the distance, a massive breeding facility echoed with the chirping of tens of thousands of seagulls. It was clear why Moore Thomas had earned the nickname "Seagull King."
Fully transformed into his beast form, Moore let out a commanding cry. The seagulls instantly fell silent, turning to face their king.
"Let's send some seagulls up with sample oxygen masks and see how they do. Get one for my Kirin Lion too."
Following Moore's orders, several seagulls removed the newspaper pouches around their necks, replacing them with small oxygen tanks. A transparent mask covered their beaks, attached to the tanks.
Once the birds got used to their new gear, Moore and the Kirin Lion also donned oxygen masks. Then, with Brook riding atop the Kirin Lion and Moore in tow, they ascended into the sky.
The higher they climbed, the colder it got, and the air thinned rapidly. While most birds could endure the cold, they couldn't handle the lack of oxygen—except for a select few species.
At around 7,000 meters, they broke through a layer of thick, white sea clouds. Brook immediately noticed that the oxygen levels here were higher than expected. Though still lower than at sea level, they were more than sufficient for survival.
Even stranger, the temperature was rising. It had returned to normal, then surpassed it, becoming even hotter than Blue Sea.
The Sky Island natives, the Shandians, rarely wore clothing. Their dark, tanned skin and primitive attire hinted at the island's sweltering climate. It seemed the White Sea and Sky Island naturally generated heat and oxygen.
As they ascended further, they encountered a denser layer of clouds—sea clouds. Brook and Moore began feeling weak. Sensing the danger, Brook quickly pulled Moore onto the Kirin Lion's back.
These sea clouds contained keratin-like particles called "pyrobroin," ejected into the sky by volcanic eruptions. When mixed with water vapor, they condensed into clouds of varying densities, forming both sea clouds and island clouds.
Sea clouds, like the waters of Blue Sea, rendered Devil Fruit users powerless. This was why many pirates with abilities couldn't reach Sky Island—falling into the sea clouds could be fatal. However, these clouds also had strong buoyancy, allowing ships to sail across them.
Island clouds, on the other hand, were soft, elastic formations floating above the sea clouds. They served as Sky Island's land, where the angelic winged residents lived.
When Jaya was propelled into the sky centuries ago, the Sky People, who had never seen soil before, viewed it as a priceless treasure. Their war with the Shandians over the land of Shandora raged for 400 years.
Having confirmed that seagulls with oxygen masks could reach the White Sea, Brook, feeling fatigued, commanded the Kirin Lion to descend. Moore also signaled the seagulls to return to the ground.
··
"Brook, Sky Island might really exist!!"
Back on solid ground, Moore Thomas was nearly jumping with excitement. From beneath the White Sea, they had glimpsed air fish and sky beasts—creatures native to Sky Island's ecosystem.
"Now you need to pick your most trusted employees to work on Sky Island. We can breed seagull news birds there too."
Brook planned to have Redfield use his advanced Observation Haki to screen Moore's employees, ensuring no World Government spies infiltrated their operations.
"I understand. If we set up there, the World Economic News Agency will explode in popularity! We'll crush the World Peace Dove News Agency in sales!"
Moore Thomas was ambitious. Having been hunted by the World Government, he wanted nothing more than to dethrone their official news agency. Though outright surpassing them was impossible—since their sales came from government-affiliated nations—he could still carve out a massive independent market.
Meanwhile, in the heart of Mock Town, Redfield faced off against Jaya's unruly pirates. Armed with blades and arrogance, they prepared to fight, but Redfield's overwhelming power crushed their resistance. The strongest pirate in town, unwilling to surrender, was swiftly cut down. The others lost their will to fight instantly, and passing pirate crews decided to steer clear of the newly claimed territory.
With no choice, the local pirate gangs submitted to the Hell Pirates' rule. Fortunately, Brook and his crew weren't interested in extorting them with heavy protection fees. The bar and restaurant owners sighed in relief.
Some of the local pirate gangs even joined the Hell Pirates' ranks as lower-tier enforcers, helping to maintain order in Mock Town.
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