Arrival

"Everyone, our food is running low.

Puka has already been defeated by us. We are now the strongest force in the Roiling Cloud Sea. If we want to survive this famine—

Make up your minds, everyone. For the sake of survival, a great conquest is necessary."

Kalia, within the grandest temple.

As the God of Kalia, Torres was persuading the supreme rulers of the other three islands before him.

Just as Torres had said, the current situation allowed no hesitation.

Although they had successfully defeated the Puka people who had come to plunder them, they had also suffered heavy losses.

War had always consumed resources. At times, human lives were not all that valuable.

In the previous war, although the Four Island Alliance led by Kalia had emerged victorious, the Puka people had not brought much in the way of supplies.

Thus, aside from capturing some slaves and equipment, the Four Island Alliance had gained almost no daily necessities. Instead, they had invested quite a lot of their own resources.

Under such circumstances, the island alliance, which had never been particularly wealthy to begin with—

Had become even worse off due to the prisoners and wartime expenditure.

And for that very reason, the Four Island Alliance had not counterattacked Puka, which had already been stripped of resources.

They were struggling to survive the famine themselves. With their current wealth, they simply could not support an expedition destined to yield nothing.

The theme of today's meeting was the same as the one Albert had held on Puka.

Its main agenda was to conquer the remaining smaller islands, plunder their supplies, and use their flesh and blood to sustain their own people.

The Four Island Alliance led by Kalia and Puka Island could be considered the strongest powers in the Roiling Cloud Sea.

Yet beyond those powerful islands, scattered tribes could also be found throughout the vast sea of clouds.

However, because Puka Island had once been too dominant, those weak tribal forces generally hid deep within the Roiling Cloud Sea or along its more desolate borders.

Perhaps for that reason, the Locust Fish Swarm had not paid much attention to their territory before.

In the past, the relatively prosperous Kalia and the others would never have looked twice at those dirt-poor tribes.

But after the Locust Fish Swarm's attack, those tribes they had once disdained had become tempting prizes in Torres's eyes.

Conquer them, plunder their supplies, and use them to feed their own people.

As for whether those small tribes lived or died, what did that have to do with them?

As always, though the sky was beautiful, its lack of resources meant that the struggles here had never been any less fierce than anywhere in the Blue Sea.

Harsh environments always bred fierce warriors.

"Cloud Spider Island agrees. We truly cannot wait any longer. Albert's whereabouts are unknown, and we do not have enough supplies to launch a distant attack on Puka.

I support Lord Torres. First, we should swallow up all the surrounding tribes, then settle the score with Puka. It is time for the Roiling Cloud Sea to have a true master."

A muscular man over two meters tall raised his hand and voiced his support for Torres's proposal.

And with the two strongest islands in the Four Island Alliance standing on the same side—

"Cloud Shell Island agrees."

"So do I. Crab Island agrees as well."

The proposal to wage war was unanimously approved.

This was a war that had to be launched for survival.

The weak were prey to the strong. That was an eternal truth.

With resources limited, if I did not want to die, then I could only send you to hell.

Bang!

"Lord Torres, this is bad! Puka Island's god has attacked!"

A soldier shoved open the temple doors, his face pale with panic.

"What did you say? You must be joking!

Albert was beaten into such a miserable state. Where would he find the strength to counterattack?"

Boom!

Just as the God of Cloud Spider Island sprang to his feet—

A tremendous explosion rang out. The massive shockwave instantly shattered every door and window in the temple.

The wind blew so fiercely that the people inside the temple could not open their eyes.

Boom!

Another deafening blast followed.

The entire temple immediately began to collapse.

Dust, bricks, tiles, and wood began falling from the temple structure in scattered pieces.

Crack!

The gods of the Four Islands, led by Torres, were about to witness what a true miracle was.

A giant made of white clouds tore off the temple's roof with one hand.

Its enormous body filled all of Torres and the others' vision in an instant.

Massive things always inspired unimaginable terror.

When this giant, more than a hundred meters tall, suddenly appeared on Kalia Island—

The moment everyone saw the Cloud Giant's body, they instantly lost any thought of resisting.

A deadly sense of danger filled their faces with shock.

Instinct told everyone on the island that if they dared attack, they might all die.

Reaper's Sound quietly activated as Roy controlled the giant.

The Cloud Giant's massive body was terrifying enough, and it was accompanied by a sonic attack that let people glimpse the god of death.

It could be said that Roy's combination of moves was almost as intimidating as top-tier Conqueror's Haki.

With their mouths hanging open as they swallowed their saliva, that was the state of everyone on the island.

The livestock trapped within the fences fared even worse. They collapsed limply to the ground, foaming at the mouth as urine and feces burst out uncontrollably.

"Th-this... what is this? How can such a creature exist in this world?

Could it be that the heavens intend to destroy Kalia?"

The gods of the Four Island Alliance, who were receiving special attention, lay sprawled on the ground, trembling all over in utter terror.

Just as they despaired, believing Kalia Island was about to be destroyed—

"Lord Roy, those four people below are the supreme rulers of the Four Island Alliance. As long as you conquer them, all four islands will submit to you."

Albert humbly introduced the four people below to Roy.

When they suddenly heard voices coming from atop the giant's head—

Torres and the others struggled to raise their heads.

"How is this possible? Albert, it's actually you—"

As the giant's head gradually lowered, Torres and the others stared in utter disbelief.

Standing atop the giant's head was none other than Albert, whom they had defeated before.

But what drew their attention even more was the mysterious man standing beside Albert.