The uncle with a diamond-shaped face was momentarily stunned, a whirlwind of emotions brewing within him. It was astonishing that such a prominent figure believed in the existence of Sky Island.
This revelation was also a significant encouragement to the uncle. He had heard legends of bells ringing from the sky, leading some to suspect that the Golden City had been swept up to Sky Island. However, most dismissed Sky Island as mere myth. Now, with the Straw Hats' belief, the likelihood of Sky Island's reality soared!
Indeed, this diamond-faced uncle was a descendant of the infamous "liar" Noland! He was engaged in seabed salvage in this area, driven by the desire to prove his ancestor's claims. However, his underwater searches had yielded nothing. As for Sky Island, he lacked the means to reach it and had reluctantly given up.
Now, the Straw Hats' intention to go to Sky Island perfectly aligned with his own hopes.
Soon, the diamond-faced uncle, Luffy, and the others had struck up a friendly rapport, chatting animatedly. The uncle shared tales of his ancestor, recounting the legendary bells, Cumulus clouds, and the Upstream Current. He also told a cautionary story of someone who had once attempted to ride the Upstream Current to Sky Island, only for their ship to be destroyed and lives lost.
However, these warnings did nothing to deter Luffy's unwavering determination to reach Sky Island.
Carl, meanwhile, paid little attention to the diamond-shaped man's stories, his gaze fixed on the thick clouds not far off.
"That must be the Cumulus cloud!"
"Usopp," Carl said casually, "can you fly up to those clouds? If all goes well, Sky Island should be above them. With your current abilities, flying to an altitude of 7,000 meters shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"Huh? Yes, Usopp can fly!" Luffy exclaimed, also realizing the possibility. "Usopp, fly up and see what's on the clouds, then tell us with the Den Den Mushi!"
Usopp looked up at the sea animals, his legs trembling at the sheer height. However, he couldn't refuse the expectant gazes of his crewmates, so he could only shoot a resentful look at Carl before transforming into a Kozuki Sukiyaki and soaring into the sky.
Usopp's ability to fly high was undeniable now. It might not have been possible before, but it certainly was now. Considering that Golden Lion could make multiple islands float in the sky without falling, and Kaido could transform into a massive Azure Dragon, it was clear that the strong possessed terrifying control over their Devil Fruits. While Usopp wasn't on par with Golden Lion or Kaido, he was still a Mythical Zoan user; flying seven kilometers should be well within his capabilities. The current Usopp had that kind of stamina!
Even Carl believed that Luffy could likely reach Sky Island on his own using Gear Fourth. It was simply that Luffy wanted to ascend with the entire crew, which was a different matter.
Usopp's flying speed was remarkable, and the seven-kilometer distance was covered swiftly.
Not long after, the Den Den Mushi rang.
"Moshi Moshi, this is Commander Chopper, Usopp Scout reporting! What's the situation up in the clouds?" Chopper answered the call, playfully using military jargon.
"Reporting, Commander Chopper! There's an ocean above the clouds! And the clouds here are like cotton candy, soft, and you can stand on them. This is definitely Sky Island!" Usopp's voice crackled with excitement.
"Cotton candy?!"
"An ocean?!"
"It's really Sky Island?!"
A wave of excitement washed over everyone; this was undoubtedly excellent news.
Soon, Usopp descended, still clutching a piece of cloud in his hand, which he generously shared with Chopper and Luffy.
Now that they knew Sky Island was above, the next question was how to get there. With sufficient physical prowess, one could potentially ascend using Geppo (Moon Walk), but since there was a sea up there, they would need to bring a ship.
"Why don't we ride the Upstream Current? At worst, the ship will be destroyed," Robin suggested.
"Don't say such unlucky things!" Usopp, Nami, Chopper, and others roared in unison. Robin sometimes had a penchant for making such unsettling jokes.
Tears welled up in the corners of the diamond-shaped uncle's eyes. He hadn't expected the existence of Sky Island to be verified so easily, and the Straw Hats truly possessed extraordinary strength. Now, it was up to the Straw Hats to land on Sky Island, find the Golden Land, and ring the bell to prove that his ancestors were not liars. However, riding the Upstream Current was incredibly dangerous, and even though the Straw Hats were strong, the diamond-shaped uncle wasn't very optimistic. A single misstep could lead to their demise!
Carl pondered for a moment and said, "I'm also against riding the Upstream Current. It could cause significant damage to the Merry."
"If that's the case, then we won't ride the Upstream Current!" As soon as Luffy heard that it could harm the Merry, he flatly rejected the idea.
Everyone else nodded in agreement. Although the Going Merry was admittedly a bit crowded now, it was a ship they had sailed on for a long time, and they meticulously maintained it. Despite the lack of a dedicated shipwright for regular repairs, the crew cherished the Merry deeply. Carl had voiced his opposition with this in mind.
"But in that case, how do we get to Sky Island?" Nami wondered aloud, momentarily losing her usual composure. She was a navigator with no experience in sailing to such high altitudes. Without a sea route, no matter how skilled she was, she couldn't guide the ship to Sky Island.
Carl looked relaxed. "It's not difficult. Not only the Merry, but also the submarine can be sent to Sky Island! Don't forget, I can fly, and I can take people with me."
"Yeah, Carl's old and can fly!" Everyone exclaimed in surprise.
Carl's method of flight was different from Usopp's. Instead of flapping wings, he used electricity to generate magnetism, controlling the movement of metal objects. With Carl's power, lifting two ships to an altitude of 7,000 meters shouldn't be an issue.
The problem was resolved so smoothly that everyone felt a sense of unreality.
With that settled, there was naturally no need for delay. Carl directly manipulated the electric arc, generating a powerful magnetic force. He drew out all the black cannons "sent" by Captain Hina previously and arranged them into a makeshift platform. Then, he descended beneath the ships to support the Merry and the submarine, slowly lifting them upwards.
Luffy waved to the diamond-faced uncle. "Goodbye, Uncle Diamond-Face! If I find the Golden Land, I'll definitely ring the golden bell. You have to listen carefully!"
The uncle with the diamond-shaped face also had tears in his eyes, unable to speak. He simply waved back at the steadily ascending Merry Go. He kept his arm raised until the ship was out of sight.
Only then did the yellow-haired Bellamy rush to the scene with his subordinate.
Bellamy said directly, "Hey! You're a descendant of Noland, tell me the information about the Upstream Current! I'm going to Sky Island!"
The Straw Hats, now high above, were oblivious to these events below.
By this time, the two ships had been lifted above the clouds, and everyone cheered excitedly as they gazed upon the cotton candy-like cloud sea.
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