"Wait, hold on. So you're telling me you were chasing in completely the wrong direction this whole time and just got back to Paradise?" Jerry scratched his head in exasperation as he spoke into Kotatsu's specialized Den Den Mushi communication device.
On the other end of the line, Ace's voice carried obvious embarrassment. "Well... yeah, you could say that. How was I supposed to know the guy giving me directions would point me the wrong way?"
Deuce, who was standing nearby listening to the conversation, slapped his forehead and shook his head in resigned disbelief. Even after all these years, Ace's tendency to get spectacularly lost hadn't improved one bit.
"All right then, we'll head down from Sky Island and help you search," Jerry said, hanging up the communication device and spreading his hands to address his crew. "Did everyone hear that? Looks like we're cutting our sky adventure short."
He turned to little Bonney with a gentle smile. "How about it, Bonney? Did you have fun playing in the clouds?"
"Yeah! But I'm ready to go back to the Blue Sea now," Bonney nodded enthusiastically. "We've been floating around up here for quite a while anyway."
Indeed, considerable time had passed since they'd ascended to the high altitudes once again. During their extended stay, the entire crew had gotten the chance to explore the magnificent scenery of several different Sky Islands. Not only Bonney—who was experiencing the aerial realm for the first time—but everyone else had been amazed by the sights. The experience had prompted Deuce to write furiously, adding many detailed observations to his previous Sky Island research notes.
Under Ace's relentless pursuit, Marshall D. Teach had apparently run around the New World for a brief period before heading straight back to Paradise. After all, Teach didn't want to directly confront his former "father" Whitebeard right now. He understood that despite the old man's age, the World's Strongest Man was still not someone to challenge lightly.
Jerry vaguely remembered that in the original timeline, Teach had shown up on Drum Island at some point, so he'd suggested that Ace head straight for that route and ask around along the way for any fresh leads.
As for why Teach might visit Drum Island, Jerry speculated it could be to obtain Wapol's Munch-Munch Fruit—a powerful ability that could prove useful for the ambitious pirate's plans. However, in the original events, after learning he couldn't compete with Teach's Blackbeard Pirates, Wapol had decisively fled the island, managing to survive the encounter.
But Jerry knew that because of his earlier suggestion, Kuma had visited Drum Island a few years ago and sent Wapol flying to parts unknown. As a result, Jerry wasn't entirely certain whether Teach would still bother going there.
Despite this uncertainty, the Black Star Pirates had decided to approach Drum Island first anyway. This way, they could form a crisscrossing search network with Ace, scanning different routes horizontally to prevent Teach from jumping erratically around the Grand Line instead of following predictable patterns.
Soon, under Jerry's expert manipulation, their ship began rapidly descending from the sky, finally returning to the familiar embrace of the Blue Sea far below.
"Hey! Could you slow down next time?!" came angry voices from Deuce, Carina, and several other crew members as they gripped whatever they could find for stability.
Jerry immediately nodded in cheerful agreement. "Yes, yes, I hear you! I'll try to control myself better next time."
After hearing this response, Deuce and the others paused in their scolding. Seeing Jerry's expression—which resembled a pig completely unafraid of boiling water—they knew that if there was a next time, it would be exactly the same stomach-churning experience.
Having enjoyed another thrilling session of high-altitude bungee jumping without the bungee cord, Carrot stood obediently in place, nodding politely as Carina and the others continued their complaints. However, her eyes revealed excitement that was impossible to conceal—clearly, she'd enjoyed every terrifying second of their descent.
Skull and little Bonney were still trembling slightly where they stood, Brook was lying on the deck with his soul literally floating out of his skeletal body, and Cavendish—whose injuries had fully healed during their Sky Island stay—was busy comforting his horse Farul as usual.
Carrot patted Kotatsu affectionately and said with casual confidence, "Come on, Kotatsu. Let's get a better look at what's around us."
Under the watchful gazes of Deuce, Carina, and the others still recovering from their aerial ordeal, the rabbit mink and Cheshire zoomed up to the observation deck in a blur of motion.
Jerry glanced at his slowly recovering crewmates and shook his head mockingly. "Look at that—Carrot and Kotatsu are perfectly fine. Really, the rest of you are such drama queens."
Deuce chose to ignore the ridicule entirely. After taking several deep breaths to calm his churning stomach, he stretched out his finger and pointed toward the horizon. "When we were coming down, I caught a glimpse of what looked like an island over in that direction."
As soon as he finished speaking, Carrot and Kotatsu leaped down from the observation deck above.
Carrot nodded rapidly like a bird pecking at seeds. "Deuce is absolutely right! There's definitely an island over there, and it looks really pretty from up high!"
"All right then, let's go take a closer look," Jerry decided.
Seeing that no one had any objections, he piloted their ship toward the distant landmass at good speed.
After they'd docked at a natural harbor, Carina gazed at the island's coastline and offered genuine praise. "Wow! This whole place is covered in lush flowers, plants, and trees. Everything's so vibrant and alive—it's like stepping into a beautiful natural painting!"
"The growing conditions here must be exceptional," Deuce observed, nodding in agreement. What stretched before them was a dazzling sea of colorful flowers, with gorgeous blooms of every variety creating an almost overwhelming display of natural beauty.
Cavendish dismounted from Farul with obvious excitement and walked directly to a thriving bush of roses. He reached out and picked a particularly magnificent bloom, brushing it gently across his nose to inhale its fragrance.
Then his expression shifted. He frowned slightly, bent down to place the flower back in the soil, and rubbed his chin thoughtfully while leaning against Farul, apparently deep in contemplation about something.
Brook, who was walking with the others, noticed this unusual behavior and asked with curiosity, "What's wrong, Cavendish? Isn't that your favorite type of rose?"
The rest of the crew couldn't help but turn their attention to him, since they all knew about Cavendish's particular obsession with roses. In his eyes, roses weren't just visual enjoyment or attractive decoration—they were also a satisfying snack. He always carried a supply of rose petals with him for consumption throughout the day.
"Well... it is definitely a rose," Cavendish replied with a puzzled frown, "but something about it feels strange. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly."
Then, as everyone watched, the corners of his mouth suddenly curved upward in a confident smile. In a flash of movement, he spun rapidly dozens of times in place with theatrical flair.
After completing his dramatic display, he somehow produced a gorgeous rose from nowhere, casually flicked his hand to place some petals on his forehead, and closed his eyes with an expression of pure bliss.
"My dear fans," he said in an intoxicated voice, "I didn't expect you to pay such close attention to my every move and know all my preferences so well. I'm deeply moved by your devotion..."
At this point, Cavendish suddenly felt Farul nudging his shoulder insistently. Confused, he opened his eyes and was startled to discover his audience had completely disappeared. "Eh?! Why are you all leaving? Wait for me!"
Without finishing his monologue, Cavendish leaped onto Farul's back and galloped after Jerry and the others, who were walking away while chatting and laughing among themselves.
Meanwhile, in a circular clearing surrounded by especially dense vegetation elsewhere on the island, a tall man with long legs and thick lips reclined on a bench in the center of the space. He wore dark sunglasses despite the dappled shade, and his eyes were fixed on the sky above while his hands hung naturally at his sides in a pose of complete laziness.
But suddenly, breaking the peaceful silence, his lips moved as he murmured to himself in a voice like grinding stone, "Seems like some disgusting pests have landed on my island again."
He paused, considering his options. "I really don't want the hassle, but I suppose they'll need to be cleaned up."
The mysterious man pushed himself up from the recliner with one hand, picked up a long sword that resembled a samurai blade from beside the bench, and secured it at his waist. With his hands casually shoved into his pockets, he departed the clearing with unhurried but purposeful steps.
At exactly the same moment, Jerry—who had been walking freely through the island's flower-filled landscape—paused slightly and tilted his head as if sensing something. He shook it off and returned to normal the next instant, but a small frown remained as he continued forward with his crew.