Landing on Sky Island

In the center of Mock Town on Jaya Island.

"Besides the pirate crews that have already left, the rest are local pirates from Mock Town. Some of them have never even gone out to sea. They just run taverns, restaurants, and other businesses on the island, and sometimes prey on weaker pirate crews, robbing and murdering them!"

Redfield reported to Brook. It seemed he had already used his special Observation Haki to screen everyone.

"Sorry for the trouble. Could you help Moore Thomas check whether there are any World Government spies among his news agency employees?"

Brook asked Redfield to screen the people again, then turned his attention to the various local bosses of Mock Town.

"From now on, this island belongs to the Hell Pirates. I won't interfere with your businesses, but anyone here who provides information or services to the Navy or World Government agents will be frozen into a block of ice!"

Brook unleashed a blast of icy Underworld energy and froze a pirate who was sneering. He walked over and shattered the man completely with a single sword strike.

Standing among the pirates, Brook made the family-run crews tremble with fear. They began looking at him with respect. That was the attitude one showed toward the strong.

"From now on, keep a record of every suspicious person who comes to this island each day, especially anyone asking around for information. You must report any World Government spies or Navy personnel to us. If anything happens here, you'll all die too."

Brook threatened the pirates. Moore Thomas's news agency had moved here a week or two ago, so it was inevitable that some information had already leaked.

"Captain Brook, this is our home. How could we let the Navy come here and wreck it? We'll keep a close watch, for sure!"

A few pirate bosses immediately pledged their loyalty, speaking with great sincerity. After all, Brook was a notorious pirate with a bounty of 200 million.

"That news agency will be moving away soon. From now on, act as if it doesn't exist. No one is allowed to discuss it. Understood?"

"There's never been a news agency here. Right, everyone?"

One tavern owner immediately addressed the other pirates, drawing a chorus of agreement. Brook found the man quite sharp.

"Good. From now on, you'll be in charge of gathering information and managing these people."

"Thank you for trusting me, Captain Brook. I, Wili-Ju, won't let you down!"

Wili-Ju said excitedly. He'd only been trying to flatter Brook, yet somehow he'd landed a managerial position. It was almost unbelievable.

Afterward, Brook marked off a stretch of forest beside Mock Town and established a base for the Hell Pirates. It would also serve as a base for the World Economic News Agency, supplying Sky Island with provisions and intelligence.

Under Redfield's scrutiny, they really did uncover a mole in the news agency. Moore Thomas found the news difficult to accept. The employee had been with the agency for more than three years. How could he still be a spy?

No matter how much the spy pleaded and tried to use their personal relationship as an excuse, Moore Thomas ultimately executed him himself.

Once all the custom oxygen masks and small oxygen bottles had arrived on Jaya Island, Brook and the others discussed the plan. Brook had Moore Thomas order all the seagulls to carry the Yomi to the White Sea first, so they could explore Sky Island, seize it, and establish a base.

Brook and Crocus also had the island whale Laboon stay near Jaya Island, telling him not to wander too far and to focus on growing up strong.

"Big Bro Brook, lots of people in Mock Town will see us fly up to Sky Island. Even if we make it there, it'll be easy for us to be exposed!"

"It's fine. We'll build an air force later and knock down any pirates or Navy that invade!"

Zoan-type fliers would have a hard time getting through the White Sea, unless they had an ability like Golden Lion's. If the World Government also gave birds oxygen masks and sent them to Sky Island, then having seized the island first would give them a decisive advantage in the skies.

They only needed to kill the flocks of birds carrying their enemies up. Brook's group was able to reach Sky Island now because its people weren't on guard and they could fly there directly.

If the Sky Island forces attacked their seagulls, Brook and the others would have a much harder time landing.

That day, once all the preparations were complete, the Hell Pirates ordered every tavern and shop in Mock Town to close for the day. No one was allowed outside.

The order seemed strange, but Brook and his crew were too intimidating to disobey.

The Yomi shed everything unnecessary to travel light. More than ten thousand strong seagulls hauled it into the air, with even the Qilin Lion and Wuzhu joining in to help.

They only had to get through the 5,000-to-7,000-meter layer of freezing, oxygen-poor air. Once they reached the White Sea at 7,000 meters, the temperature and oxygen levels would return to normal.

As the seagulls broke through the dense white clouds, they were attacked by some Sky Fish. Brook, a Devil Fruit User, was overwhelmed by the Sea Cloud and became powerless. Redfield had to drive off the Sky Fish and Sky Beasts.

Once the Yomi had entered the Sea Cloud completely, its immense buoyancy lifted the pirate ship onto the White Sea. The seagulls no longer needed to pull it. The Yomi floated freely across the White Sea.

After regaining his strength, Brook used a Den Den Mushi to tell Moore Thomas that they had succeeded. The seagulls flew back down one after another.

As the Yomi moved forward, they spotted a building made of white clouds, with people stationed on it.

"Wow, people from the Blue Sea really did come up here! I always thought it was just a legend!"

A middle-aged man with the distinctive wings of a Skypiean held up a Visual Dial and snapped pictures of Brook and the others.

"It's been who knows how many years since anyone from the Blue Sea came to Sky Island. I only got assigned here so I could slack off!"

The Skypiean kept muttering to himself, while Brook and the others curiously watched the winged man.

"Welcome, guests from the Blue Sea! Are you here for a sightseeing trip? For just one hundred million Extols per person—that's ten thousand Beli in your currency—you can ride an Express Shrimp straight to Angel Island in the White White Sea!"

The Skypiean held a little booklet and compared the prices in the two places.

"We're here sightseeing."

Since Enel wasn't ruling the place yet and the prices were so low, Shakky handed him 100,000 Beli and told him to keep the change as a tip!

"Sure thing! Enjoy the ride!"

The Sky Island Gatekeeper put down his Visual Dial and booklet, then blew a whistle. A gigantic red lobster grabbed the Yomi and raced upward along the Sea Cloud, flinging the ship straight into the White White Sea at an altitude of ten thousand meters.

Brook and the others could see Sky Island's buildings and green forests. This was Angel Island and God's Island, Upper Yard—the other half of Jaya Island.

"Captain, is that really the Golden City, Shandora?"

Shakky gazed excitedly at the city on Sky Island.

"This whole island was once part of Jaya Island, which was flung into the sky. The white island beside it is where the original inhabitants of Sky Island live. It's made of Island Cloud and is called Angel Island."