The Thousand Sunny skillfully sailed upwards along the giant vine " Heaven's Gate," breaking through the cotton-candy-like clouds of the White Sea. Familiar feelings welled up in the hearts of the veteran crew members once again. The azure "Sea of the Sky" and various Sky Island dotting it came into view.
"Wow! It's still so beautiful!" Chopper leaned over the gunwale, excitedly watching the Sky Fish and the strangely shaped boats swimming by.
"Is this the Sky Island? This is SUPER—an amazing place!" Franky was here for the first time, and his mechanical eyes constantly scanned the surrounding environment, showing great interest in the fluid cloud technology here.
Nami precisely directed their direction; their destination was clear— the Land of God, the core area of Skypiea, Angel Island.
However, as the Thousand Sunny approached Angel Island, they found it somewhat different from the prosperous scene they remembered. The streets were sparsely populated, many buildings looked dilapidated, and a faint, indescribable sense of oppression permeated the air.
"What's going on? There seems to be no one here anymore?" Usopp asked, raising his binoculars in confusion.
Soon, they encountered an "old friend." The former "Sky Knight" Gan Fall now looked much older. He rode his Skybird Pierre and led a group of somewhat tired Sky Island guards over.
"It's you... the Straw Hat Pirates?!" Gan Fall recognized Luffy, Nami, and the others, his face showing surprise and a complicated expression.
"Grandpa! It's us! We've come to borrow something!" Luffy with a grin.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Gan Fall led them to a relatively well-preserved building and recounted the changes that had taken place over the past few years.
After Enel's defeat, Sky Island did indeed enjoy a period of peace. However, this peace was short-lived. About two years ago, a pirate crew claiming to be from the " New World " accidentally discovered the path to Sky Island. They were powerful, and although they didn't rule with the terror of a self-proclaimed "god" like Enel, they turned Sky Island into their supply depot and secret base, forcibly seizing large quantities of " Vearth " and Sky Island specialties, severely impacting the Sky Island's economy and people's livelihoods. Gan Fall and his crew were powerless to resist and could only barely maintain order.
"So, this place is now occupied by other pirates?" Zoro's hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his eyes sharp.
"It wasn't a complete takeover; they spent most of their time on that ancient site— Upper Yard, formerly known as the ' God's Island '," Gan Fall sighed. "They seemed very interested in the historical sites there, especially... that enormous ship."
Ark Maxim!
The Straw Hat Pirates immediately grasped the key point.
"Are they also eyeing the Ark Maxim?" Nami frowned.
"Yes, they seem to want to repair it, but progress seems to be very slow," Gan Fall said. "The ship's technology is very old and peculiar."
Upon learning of this situation, the Straw Hat Pirates quickly made a decision.
"No matter who it is, we're taking that ship!" Luffy declared. "Grandpa, take us to Upper Yard!"
Guided by Gan Fall, the Thousand Sunny once again sailed towards Upper Yard, the land that bore witness to four hundred years of grudges between the Shandia and the Skypieans. Today, Upper Yard is covered in denser forests, but traces of human settlements and settlements can still be seen.
From afar, they spotted the enormous ship, forged from a mixture of gold and Vearth — the Ark Maxim. It remained silently resting in a clearing deep within the forest, its hull covered in vines, but its overall structure appeared intact. However, around the Ark Maxim, some makeshift sheds and camps had been erected, and many pirates were busy trying to cut into or study the hull with various tools, but clearly with little success.
"Is that the group?" Sanji a cigarette, glaring at the pirates who had disturbed the peace of this sacred place.
Allen sensed the situation. "The leader's aura is quite strong, probably between 12,000 and 15,000. A few officers are around 10,000 each. The rest are just ragtag soldiers."
This level of strength might not be top-tier in the New World, but for the Sky Island, it's an unstoppable force.
"Hey--! You guys, get out of that ship!" Luffy stood at the bow of the ship, announcing their arrival in his signature way.
The pirates in the camp immediately stirred. A burly man with a captain's hat and a hideous scar on his face stepped out. He had two curved swords at his waist and exuded a fierce aura.
"Where did this ignorant brat come from? Daring to disturb the ' Sky-Splitting Pirates '?" The scarred captain grinned maliciously. "This ancient spaceship is ours, the property of which we discovered! If you know what's good for you, get lost!"
"What did you say? We were the ones who set our sights on that ship first!" Luffy retorted defiantly.
The negotiations (if Luffy's methods can be considered negotiations) instantly broke down.
"Looks like a battle is inevitable." Zoro's lips curled into an excited smile. "Perfect timing to stretch my muscles."
"Let's finish this quickly," Allen said calmly, his gaze already fixed on the scarred captain. "We're in a hurry."
The Sky-Splitting Pirates will be the first, and insignificant, stepping stone for the Straw Hat Pirates to return to Sky Island and acquire their spaceship. The real challenge lies in repairing the Ark Maxim and facing the Eye of the Storm that will follow.