The Knock-Up Stream, originating from the ocean's deepest depths, formed a direct aerial route to Sky Island.
As the Moby Dick rapidly ascended, Whitebeard's face broke into an expression of pure exhilaration. This was the feeling—his heart racing, breath quickening, the world seeming to slow around him, an uncontrollable surge of excitement.
This was the thrill of adventure!
After their initial panic, the pirates aboard the Moby Dick watched their ship soar higher and higher, erupting into wild cheers!
They were pirates who had weathered countless storms, so when faced with a scene that would terrify ordinary pirates into fainting, what showed on them was excitement instead!
Marco gazed at the clouds that seemed almost within reach and shouted with a laugh.
"Pops! This is my first time having such a thrilling experience! It's completely different from flying with my Devil Fruit powers!"
"Gurarararara! Don't get too carried away, Marco! Even though we're high up, there's seawater everywhere—be careful not to get caught in the currents!"
"Don't worry, Pops! I know what I'm doing!"
Many of the pirates gradually overcame their initial fear and began to grow excited.
They started moving away from the ice walls, eager to take in the breathtaking scenery.
But just then, Jake's voice suddenly rang out.
"Everyone, stay close to the ice walls! The Knock-Up Stream's momentum is weakening—we'll need to use some unconventional methods to accelerate!"
Before anyone could react to Jake's words, they saw a dense wave of pale golden energy emanating from his body.
It was as if light itself had materialized—the entire deck of the Moby Dick was now bathed in a soft, golden glow.
"Holy Light Protection!"
As a shell-like radiance enveloped the entire Moby Dick, Whitebeard couldn't suppress a grin.
"Gurarararara! Jake make sure you hold it steady!"
The moment Jake encased the Moby Dick in his power, Whitebeard already knew what he was planning—if the stream's force weakened, they'd create their own momentum!
The next instant, Whitebeard leaped onto the deck.
Before he could act, Jake's voice called out again from behind.
"Blessing of Protection!"
A faint blue aura gently settled over Whitebeard's chest, and he suddenly felt as if his body had regained some of its youth.
How many years had it been since he'd experienced such lightness?
For a moment, Whitebeard was lost in thought—until Jake's shout snapped him back.
"Whitebeard, it's all up to you now! Charge! Our target—the White Sea, 10,000 meters above!"
"Of course! I'm Whitebeard after all! Gurarararara!"
The next moment, Whitebeard stood at the ship's bow, clenched his fist and as pale ripples formed around his hand, he threw a mighty punch—just like Garp had done when saving Koby.
The Moby Dick surged forward, leaping towards the sky!
Jake didn't possess Nami's terrifying navigational skills, but he had resources the Going Merry could never match.
With Whitebeard around, as long as he wasn't exhausted, reaching the 10,000-meter-high White Sea was nothing—if there was air, he could even launch them all the way to the space!
Amid the cheers of the crew, the Whitebeard Pirates arrived at the White Sea—10,000 meters above the Blue Sea—in just 1 hour and 37 minutes.
Staring at the dreamlike scenery around them, even Monet couldn't help but gasp in awe.
She reached out her hand, trying to touch the clouds drifting nearby.
Jake watched Monet while reaching out to touch the pristine white clouds himself.
The texture was somewhat similar to a cat's belly, but with an added coolness and dampness and it was surprisingly weightless.
The members of the Whitebeard Pirates were all momentarily stunned as they gazed at the vast expanse of white clouds.
Even Whitebeard was no exception.
He looked around, a slow smile spreading across his lips before he boomed.
"Gurararara! This is truly unexpected! No wonder that bastard Roger kept bragging about the scenery of Sky Island whenever we drank. It really is breathtaking!"
"Hey! Old man! I caught a super big, super ugly fish!"
Before Whitebeard could finish reminiscing, Marco's voice rang out, accompanied by the splash of a massive fish that smacked water droplets all over his face.
The smell from the fish wasn't fragrant—instead, it carried a strong, fishy stench.
Whitebeard looked at Marco and lightly knocked him on the head.
"You idiot son, throwing a fish right into your old man's face!"
Noticing the red fish-tail imprint on Whitebeard's face, Marco laughed apologetically and asked with a grin.
"See, Old Man? Sky Island has its own unique species too! Wanna try how it tastes?!"
As Marco posed the question, the commander of the 4th Division, Thatch, stepped forward.
Holding a pair of scissors, he declared confidently.
"Leave it to me, Pops! No matter the ingredient, I'll turn it into the most delicious dish!"
The next moment, under the eager gazes of everyone, Thatch plunged his knife into the fish's belly.
With a loud "pop," the fish exploded like a balloon.
Fish meat and bones flew everywhere, splattering onto everyone as they stared wide-eyed in shock.
Fortunately, Jake remembered the original plot.
As Thatch went to cut the fish, he quietly pulled Monet aside to avoid the mess.
Thus, they escaped being drenched in fish scraps.
The crew burst into laughter at Thatch's mishap, none of them angry—especially Whitebeard, who was doubled over with laughter, the red mark still on his face and fish meat clinging to him.
Watching the scene, Monet softly asked Jake.
"Jake, these people... they seem very different from the pirates we imagined."
To this, Jake simply replied.
"For them, I'd rather call them adventurers than pirates."
After the playful chaos, the crew slowly sailed towards Sky Island, guided by the markers.
Along the way, Jake even caught a Turbo Shrimp, which pulled the Moby Dick swiftly toward the island's interior.
He knew exactly where Shandora was, but this time, he wasn't just after gold—what he truly sought was that fruit!
The Rumble-Rumble Fruit!
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