After another five days of rapid sailing, Julian trained diligently during the day and shared a bed with Beatrice and Alice at night. He left all routine matters to Pablo. The fleet had traveled nearly a thousand kilometers, and twelve ships sailing across the sea made for a truly spectacular sight.
Julian also had the other Division Captains intensify their training. Herbert's Gale-Gale Fruit ability had improved greatly, and he could casually redirect the sea breeze to send the ships racing forward. Julian asked, "Navigator, how much longer until we reach Dragon Island?" Garud answered, "If we maintain this speed, we'll arrive by midnight tonight."
Julian said, "We'll get there at midnight, then." He knew Dragon Island was bound to contain good things. When the fleet came within roughly a hundred kilometers of the island, the magnetic field became somewhat chaotic, and all the Log Poses stopped working.
Julian let the navigator use his own judgment. As they neared the island, the fog grew thicker and thicker. Julian had no solution for it, so Herbert used his Gale-Gale Fruit ability to blow the fog apart, finally revealing the enormous island in the distance.
By the time Julian checked, it was already midnight. He stood on the deck and looked out over the sea ahead, where the surface had turned into swirling currents. Julian asked the navigator whether they could get through. Garud said, "If we sail at full speed, I'm ninety percent confident we can make it."
Julian had Pierre activate his Magnet-Magnet Fruit ability, making the steel aboard the ships float to reduce their weight. Then he had Herbert unleash the strongest possible Gale-Gale Fruit ability and prepare to charge through.
The island was surrounded by ocean whirlpools. Surely no one had landed here in centuries. Julian guessed other fleets could only observe it from afar through telescopes. Then he saw a tremendous gale blowing in from behind the ships, nearly lifting every vessel into the air.
Herbert said, "Captain, I'm going all out." The Mud Dragon Pirates' ships began charging toward the whirlpool currents at full speed. As the gale grew stronger, the ships became faster.
All twelve ships shot forward like airplanes, passing through the whirlpool currents together. Standing on the deck, Julian said happily, "Old Sen, it's all thanks to you. Now we can properly explore this island."
Once the ships passed through the whirlpools, they gradually approached the island. Julian saw that Herbert was drenched in sweat. Without an ability user like Herbert, Julian figured his ships could never have crossed those currents. Herbert wiped away his sweat and said, "Great, all the ships made it through." Julian said, "The secrets of Dragon Island are ours now." Herbert dropped onto the deck and began recovering his strength.
This Gale-Gale Fruit really is perfect for sailing. Once I get steamships in the future, I won't have to fear whirlpool currents anymore. If I can get Seastone and install it beneath the hulls, I won't need to fear Sea Kings either, and I'll even be able to travel through the Calm Belt.
I really am a Fool King. If I take Sky Island, I can build that Ark of Proverbs. It can fly through the air, runs on electricity, and the Rumble-Rumble Fruit can generate power. It's incredibly fast—why the hell would I still sail?
Julian had the ships arranged along the beach and prepared to head onto the island. He would have all six divisions move out tomorrow morning. Since it was already midnight, there was no need to do so tonight. Once the ships had stopped at the beach, Julian disembarked, and the other Division Captains all came ashore as well.
Julian looked at the Division Captains and said, "You all want to go take a look too?" George said, "Of course, Captain. We've come this far. If we don't check it out now, it'll feel terrible." Pekki giggled. "I really want to see it." Even First Mate Herbert came down from the ship. Julian knew they all wanted a look, and their strength truly was not weak. They had all mastered Soru of the Marine Rokushiki.
Pekki had also trained in Finger Pistol. Julian had people copy down the secrets of Lightning Fist and distributed them to all the Division Captains. Pekki and the others trained desperately as well. Julian knew that even if they encountered danger, these Division Captains were basically capable of handling it.
Julian said, "Let's go take a look first." He walked from the beach into the forest. Towering trees over a hundred meters tall stood everywhere, while roars of beasts and cries resembling dinosaurs echoed through the woods. Julian was not surprised. Exploring this island would likely take more than a week; its area was simply enormous.
Julian did not waste time. "Get on." With that, he activated his Earth-Earth Fruit ability, Mud Dragon Giant Soldier Mode. A massive sixty-meter body appeared, and all the Division Captains sat in Julian's hand. Julian began running toward the center of the island, ready to take a proper look around.
Julian found many enormous insects. Three-meter-tall praying mantises, Dung Beetles, longhorn beetles, and ladybugs scattered in fright at the sight of him. With a massive Cliff Blade, Julian instantly killed all the insects blocking his path and charged toward the island's center at full speed.
There were gigantic Tyrannosaurus Rexes over thirty meters tall, enormous Brachiosauruses over a hundred meters high, Quetzalcoatlus flying overhead, and massive Triceratopses over twenty meters tall. These dinosaurs all had reddish coloration. This island should be a prehistoric wasteland. There are no traces of humans, only countless large dinosaurs and some primitive ancestral birds.
Unfortunately, Julian was not a research scholar. Seeing the sixty-meter-tall Mud Dragon Giant Soldier, the dinosaurs all fled wildly. An hour later, Julian emerged from the forest and found that the landscape ahead had turned into a vast mountain range. At its center stood an enormous mountain. Julian walked through the range, looking around in every direction.
Julian chose a direction and continued onward. After roughly two hours of walking, he and his group reached an enormous valley. I finally found it. This is the Place where the Flying Dragon Fell that the host mentioned.
There's a pile of enormous white bones beneath that cliff. Judging from them, their owner must have been a giant beast over three hundred meters tall and more than five hundred meters long. It fell onto an open patch of ground, and that land had turned blood-red.
George said, "Captain, shouldn't you pray to the heavens now and unlock this world's secrets?" Julian instantly dispelled his Elementalization and returned to normal. He said to George, "You really do understand me. I won't stand on ceremony."
Julian said, "I am willing to trade five hundred years of Momonosuke, this little bastard's lifespan for a stroke of fortune. If that isn't enough, add five hundred years of Fool King Kozuki Oden's lifespan." The other Division Captains asked curiously, "Captain, who is this Momonosuke?" George explained, "A twenty-eight-year-old Little Foolish Bird pretending to be an eight-year-old child, going around different places scamming beautiful women for favors."
George took a breath, paused, and continued, "That little idiot Momonosuke often cries to win sympathy, tricking others into working themselves to death for him. He also inherited his father's lechery."
George raised his voice and shouted, "His father, Fool King Kozuki Oden, was quite something! He kicked his wet nurse flying as a child, visited brothels at six, stole his friends' wives, girlfriends, and daughters at fourteen, started a harem behind a temple at fifteen, cooked and ate oden on the bones of dead friends at sixteen, and because his intelligence was lacking, he loved doing naked dances!"
Herbert said with a serious expression, "They are simply inhuman. This father and son are the distortion of humanity and the corruption of morality. If it were me, it would be difficult to tolerate such beasts." After saying that, Herbert shook his head with a look of disgust. Allison said, "That's utterly disgusting. That father and son are both beasts."
Pekki said, "Fool King Kozuki Oden and that little beast Momonosuke are swindlers and clowns. They have no shame at all. It's disgusting."
Herbert declared, "If I get the chance, I'll chop Momonosuke to death." George and the other Division Captains agreed. "People like that would be drowned in a pig cage in our village." Allison said, "He should suffer Three Knives Six Holes, then have the top of his skull chopped off."
Pierre said, "Better to eat his flesh and skin him alive." Just like that, Momonosuke had offended the entire upper echelon of the Mud Dragon Pirates. After Julian finished making his wish, he asked, "Brothers, what are you discussing?" Herbert said, "George just told me that you deeply hate the shameless Kozuki Oden and Momonosuke. I think that when we invade Wano Country someday, we should kill them both. I want to personally chop off their dog heads."
George said, "Captain, in our village, people without shame like that are drowned in pig cages." Allison still emphasized that they should be skinned and have their tendons pulled out. Julian said helplessly, "Brothers, Kozuki Oden is an arrogant man. He won't live much longer, so there's no need to bother with him. As for that Little Foolish Bird called Momonosuke, there's no need to care about him either. We'll go to Wano Country someday. I also want to take all of you brothers out onto the Sea to experience the beauty of the world." All the divisions said, "Captain is right!" Herbert said, "Captain is so cultured. Your words sound so nice." Sure enough, captains and crew need bonds.
Julian said, "Brothers, let's carefully look around and inspect the area first. There must be something to gain on this Dragon Island." Herbert said, "Yes. I can sense an extremely scorching aura at the center of this island." The other Division Captains all wore inscrutable expressions and said, "Plus one in support." Julian said, "Let's go take a proper look at this Place where the Flying Dragon Fell."
All the Division Captains followed Julian forward at high speed. I've plundered so many World Government member nations. Why haven't any powerful Marines come after me yet? It must be because the far end of the Grand Line, the New World, is unstable. Those are territories controlled by Legendary Great Pirates, and the Marines truly don't have much authority in the New World.
In the New World, pirates usually fought pirates. If Marines went to the New World, then the pirates would join together to fight the Marines. The weather there was also exceptionally harsh, and the seas of the New World were stormy and turbulent, unsuitable for ordinary ships.
The New World gathered High-End Combat Power, and it was basically filled with major pirate crews. Until I have enough strength, I'd better not go to the New World. I'll develop steadily on Sky Island, and once my forces are strong enough, I'll head to the New World and beat every great pirate into submission.
Before you continue