Encounter on Sky Island

Above the White Sea.

The Oro Jackson sailed slowly onward.

The ship's hull skimmed the cloudlike sea, making a soft, unfamiliar rustling sound.

It wasn't the sound of wood rubbing against water. It was more like sliding over something dense yet springy.

At first, the crew on deck were still caught up in the thrill of soaring into the sky.

Someone crouched and scooped up a handful of the "White Sea."

It flowed through his hands, but unlike a real cloud, it had a strange buoyancy and warmth.

"This stuff... can actually hold up a ship?"

"There really is a sea in the sky..."

In the distance, floating islands gleamed faintly gold beneath the sun.

Cloud bridges spanned the air, and towering structures pierced the heavens.

It all felt like a dream.

But gradually—

The mood changed.

The wind was light.

So light it was almost still. The silence felt wrong for a civilized kingdom.

Rayleigh stood to one side of the bow, hands behind his back, his gaze growing grave.

His Observation Haki slowly spread outward.

It was a habit—an instinctive wariness of unfamiliar surroundings.

A moment later, he turned toward Roger.

"Roger."

"Do you feel it?"

The smile slowly faded from Roger's face as he looked toward the magnificent cluster of buildings in the distance.

"Yeah..."

"Something's off..."

As the ship neared the harbor, everyone finally got a clear view of the kingdom.

Pure-white streets stretched beneath bridges of cloud that crisscrossed the sky.

Vehicle-like devices floated overhead, gliding silently along.

Strange Dials hung beside the streets, giving off a gentle glow.

Some even produced sounds or images on their own.

Mechanical structures could be seen operating automatically atop some of the towers.

"What kind of crazy technology is this..."

Gaban muttered, "It's way more advanced than down