Vroom, vroom, vroom!!!
Just as they began their work, the sound of a Waver starting up came from below the ship, and everyone hurriedly stopped what they were doing.
They went to the edge to see what was happening and found that the little Shandia girl Conis and her father had rescued was aboard a Waver, preparing to head into Upper Yard to find her companions.
Laki, wait for me. I'm coming to find you now.
Aisa said this silently to herself, then set off on Nami's Waver.
But the Waver's engine used a Jet Wind Dial even stronger than a Jet Wind Dial, and it was far beyond her ability to handle. The Waver soon went out of control, throwing Aisa into the water before coming to a stop nearby.
"Aisa."
Nami immediately jumped into the water and rescued her, putting an arm around Aisa as she swam toward her Waver.
"Let go of me! I'm going to find Laki and the others. Don't stop me!"
Aisa flailed and kicked in the White Sea, trying to break free of Nami's arms and find her companions.
"Yes, yes, you want to find them, but you have to remember you're just a child. If you go over there like this, not only will you be unable to help them, you'll make them worry about you,
"so come back to the ship with me now! Don't worry, Luffy and the others will beat Enel, so you don't need to worry about your companions' safety.
"Besides, they're strong too. You don't need to worry about them, do you?"
Nami held her tightly and spoke gently to Aisa, coaxing her until she was finally willing to open her heart to her.
"Boo-hoo! But, but several more voices have disappeared!"
Aisa clung to Nami and spoke dejectedly in her arms.
"Voices... disappeared? What do you mean?"
Nami was puzzled when she heard Aisa say the voices had disappeared.
"It's Observation Haki. It's also called Mantra here. That little girl is the only person on this Sky Island who can use Observation Haki, apart from Enel and a few priests."
Luo Chen heard their conversation from the ship and spoke up to explain.
"Mantra! That's right, the ability Gan Fall told us about, the one that lets you hear some kind of voice coming from people's bodies. Aisa, she can actually use it too?"
Nami suddenly understood and remembered the ability Gan Fall had described to them. She looked down at Aisa as she spoke.
"It's probably innate Observation Haki. I really envy her. An ability you're born with is much better than the Haki other people train to develop.
"You could say she started right at the top. With just a little training, she'll be able to use it well, and it comes with some other unexpected abilities too."
Luo Chen's voice was full of envy for Aisa's ability, and his explanation also gave Nami a rough idea of why Aisa was acting this way.
"Wait, since you said Enel and the priests under him can all use this ability, you can use it too, right? You were a priest yourself!"
Nami thought for a moment before remembering that Luo Chen had also been a priest. That, together with what he had just said, prompted her to ask.
"Me? Of course. Without Observation Haki, or Mantra, how could I possibly have held the position of priest? My Mantra should rank third or perhaps second on Sky Island,
"since this little girl hasn't learned how to use hers yet."
When Nami asked whether he could use Mantra, Luo Chen answered without hesitation that he could, his face full of confidence and pride.
"Since you can hear those voices, what exactly is happening on the island now? What's made you so afraid? Don't be scared. Tell us, and we'll help you bear it."
Nami continued comforting her while asking her to explain what was happening on the island.
"I... I was born able to hear these voices. Ever since I was born, lots of people's voices have been sounding in my heart.
"And just now, lots more familiar voices disappeared."
Aisa said this through tears in her arms.
"Huh? Disappeared? What happened? What do you mean by disappeared?"
Hearing Aisa's tearful words, Nami wasn't sure what she meant by "disappeared." She turned to Luo Chen, hoping he could give her an answer.
"Disappeared, of course, means the person the voice belonged to has lost consciousness or died.
"There's one other possibility: using Observation Haki to block other people's perception. But nobody else on Sky Island has learned that ability yet.
"So we can rule that out, leaving only the first two possibilities. Judging by the current situation, death is more likely. With Enel involved in the fighting, just about anything could have happened."
Luo Chen carefully explained the possibilities to Nami, letting her know why Aisa was so sad.
"So that means... Aisa!"
Nami looked at her and said nothing more, only comforting her silently.
"All right, come back with me. We can discuss how to save your companions together. You can't do it alone."
After Aisa had cried for a while and gradually calmed down, Nami suggested she come back with her so they could deal with the matter together.
"Okay!"
Aisa finally nodded and agreed to go back with Nami.
Rustle!!!
Rustle!!!
Rustle!!!
Just then, the bushes shook, and a giant snake's head shot out of them. It came up in front of Nami and Aisa, staring at them with its slit pupils and flicking its forked tongue.
"Huh? What is... Nooo..."
Nami and Aisa, who was in her arms, were both startled by the giant snake's sudden appearance. Screaming, they hurriedly turned to flee.
"Ahhh!!! Nami, swim faster! It's coming..."
Aisa, still in her arms, watched the giant snake twist its body and move toward them, and hurriedly told Nami to swim away faster.
But in the giant snake's eyes, they were moving far too slowly. It suddenly opened its mouth wide and bit down at them.
"No! Help me, Luo Chen..."
Nami reached out and shouted to Luo Chen for help.
"I'd really like to save you, but you're the key to Straw Hat defeating Enel,
"so forgive me for not helping. Don't worry! You'll be fine."
Luo Chen had naturally seen Nami reaching out to him for help from the ship, but he had no intention of acting. Instead, he shook his head and spoke as he watched them.
With his abilities, he could have saved them from the giant snake's mouth, but remembering that Nami was the key to helping Luffy defeat Enel, he did not act.
Then, amid Nami and Aisa's screams, the giant snake swallowed them in one gulp and turned back into the jungle.
"Is this really all right, Lord Luo Chen? Miss Nami and the girl will be all right, won't they?"
Conis saw what Luo Chen had done and walked over to ask him.
"Don't worry! I know what you're worried about. They'll be fine. To defeat Enel, she has to go through this ordeal. Otherwise, how could there be any hope of defeating him?"
Luo Chen gave her a reassuring look, then slowly explained.
And so, Nami and Aisa were swallowed into the giant snake's belly. It sped along, passing through the primeval forest and climbing straight up a vine until it reached the space above the giant vine, where Wyper, Zoro, the priest Ohm, and Gan Fall were locked in a standoff.