Sea of Clouds

Red Copper Island was a World Government resource island near Jaya Island.

Roy's ship docked at a harbor piled high with ore.

"Welcome, Lord Roy. Everything has been prepared according to your instructions."

Owl had been privately assigned by Roy.

Before Roy arrived, this CP9 agent had already cleared away every possible obstacle on Red Copper Island for him.

After all, this was a World Government resource island. No matter how dilapidated it had become, the profits involved were still considerable.

And wherever there were profits, there would inevitably be conflict.

Roy had come to Red Copper Island for the Sea of Clouds above it, so he had no intention of wasting effort on mediating the island's entrenched factions.

Thus, using the authority in his hands, Owl had arrived on the island ahead of time and cleared away all obstacles for him.

As the strongest team among the World Government's intelligence agencies, CP9—

Although their usual enemies were the Revolutionary Army, which could directly threaten the World Government, CP9 actually possessed another special privilege.

It was the so-called license to kill. As long as they discovered anyone harmful to the World Government, CP9 could legally carry out executions.

The excuse Owl used to come to the island without restraint and help Roy purge all its troubles—

Was that these subordinate World Government officials had colluded with the Revolutionary Army and betrayed the World Government.

The day before Roy arrived, the island had been steeped in the smell of blood.

Those high and mighty figures had been ruthlessly slaughtered by a man who looked like a ball.

Blood stained the villas of the island's upper ranks red.

And under CP9's thunderous methods, all the slave miners on this resource island, along with the guards who had decayed through years of comfort, were swiftly taken over by Owl.

"Mm, Owl, you did well. I have brought the ships. Your next task is to go to Nanohana, the port city of Alabasta.

"You need to receive a batch of supplies for me there, then deliver all of them here safely."

Roy had always trusted CP9 to get things done.

As the World Government's directly controlled secret intelligence agency, every member had a different personality, but they were generally extremely reliable in their work.

Therefore, Roy often held the attitude that there was no reason not to use the people under his command. He frequently bypassed Spandam and gave them orders in private.

Naturally, Roy not only rewarded them, but if they made mistakes during missions, he would also take the initiative to cover for them.

Compared to Spandam, who cared only about his own path to advancement, Roy was a powerful superior's deputy with genuine humanity. In the eyes of CP9's members, his status was actually higher than Spandam's.

Owl did not raise any objections to Roy's order.

Not long ago, his mistake had allowed a branch base commander of the Revolutionary Army to escape.

Roy had helped cover it up, sparing him from the World Government's punishment.

Among all CP9 members, aside from Bruno, Owl was perhaps the man most favorably disposed toward Roy.

"Yes, I understand, Lord Roy. I absolutely will not mess up this mission. I will definitely complete it perfectly."

Looking at the man before him, who spoke with such conviction, Roy nodded and patted his shoulder.

There was no need for excessive words. An agent needed to be decisive and efficient.

Perhaps to repay the favor Roy had done him last time, Owl directly leaped aboard a merchant ship before the crew could even rotate, then ordered every vessel to turn around and sail toward Alabasta.

"M-My lord, your residence is at the mountaintop, and the banquet welcoming you is there as well. Please follow me."

Yesterday's slaughter had frightened the remaining officials on the island out of their wits.

Watching Owl, that god of slaughter, leave so eagerly—

The officials who had come to greet Roy on Red Copper Island did not relax in the slightest.

After all, the handsome man before them was a great figure before whom even Owl, that god of slaughter, had to bow.

Naturally, these surviving lackeys trembled in fear before Roy.

The rainwater-filled mining pits carved across Red Copper Island looked like scattered amber beneath the setting sun.

From the villa at the island's highest point, Roy looked down at the slaves laboring in the mining pits without standing water.

It had to be said that the former official who managed this island truly knew how to enjoy himself.

The beautiful sight before him was refreshing, while beneath his feet were thousands of slaves desperately digging for ore.

The beautiful scenery and the suffering mines below formed a stark contrast.

Standing at the highest point of the entire island—

The two sharply contrasting sights allowed one to savor the sweetness of power.

But Roy had no interest in any of that now.

He raised his head and looked at the Cumulonimbus clouds that had remained in the sky for a century.

"This will be the place that changes everything. Treasury of Clouds, I have arrived."

With a bang, Roy vanished from the balcony beneath the setting sun.

Transforming into a cloud, he raced upward at high speed under the effects of Sound Release.

As Red Copper Island gradually shrank in Roy's eyes until it was the size of a needlepoint—

He soon flew rapidly into the sky at the speed of sound, and a motionless white ceiling of clouds seemed to block his path.

"A Sea of Clouds containing Seastone particles?"

Roy extended his left hand and violently plunged it into the Sea of Clouds before him.

The instant Roy touched the Sea of Clouds, the Seastone particles made it feel as though he had touched seawater. An unprecedented weakness immediately softened his entire body.

His Devil Fruit power vanished in an instant.

Having lost his Devil Fruit power, Roy rapidly fell downward.

Once he broke free of the Sea of Clouds under the pull of gravity—

As the Seastone particles' effect faded, Roy quickly turned into a white cloud once more.

"So this is the Sea of Clouds? Just as I thought, it really is an ocean floating in the sky!"

"Hahaha! This is wonderful. Everything truly went exactly as I expected."

Looking at the Cumulonimbus clouds spread across the sky before him—

Roy laughed loudly and spread his arms.

"Since I cannot touch the Sea of Clouds directly, then let me wrap all of you up instead!"

"Cloud Domain."