After fulfilling Brook and Laboon's long-awaited reunion, the Virtue Pirates didn't linger at Twin Cape for long. Their sails soon caught the wind again, carrying them toward the next chapter of their voyage.
Behind them, the giant whale Laboon swam faithfully in their wake. Its massive eyes shimmered with longing—it clearly didn't want to be left behind.
Standing at the ship's railing, Shiro couldn't help but smile helplessly at the sight.
"Laboon," he called out patiently, "it's not that I don't want to bring you along… but look at you! You're massive. Our ship couldn't possibly carry you—and the Grand Line ahead is full of unknown dangers. It'd be too risky."
The great whale groaned softly, a sound of protest mixed with sorrow.
Shiro softened his tone, raising his hand like a solemn oath.
"Tell you what. I promise—when we find a Devil Fruit like the Hito Hito no Mi: Model Civilian, something that can let you take a smaller, human-sized form—I'll come back for you myself. You'll eat it, shrink down, and join us on the Virtue. We'll sail the seas together, all right?"
Laboon blinked its enormous eyes, then gave a slow, understanding nod.
It let out a few forlorn calls and finally stopped in place, watching as the Virtue drifted toward Reverse Mountain and beyond.
After bidding farewell to Laboon and Crocus, Shiro adjusted the ship's heading. The next destination: the New World—a sea of endless adventure and peril.
But before they could even reach the horizon, a new kind of trouble began brewing.
While taking inventory of their supplies, Shiro frowned deeply.
The Virtue's funds were running dangerously low.
Most of their remaining money came from the severance pay Shiro had received after the Roger Pirates disbanded years ago. It had lasted surprisingly long—but between ship repairs, supplies, and daily meals, even treasure runs dry.
To make matters worse, their new chef Zeff was a perfectionist. Every meal had to use fresh, premium ingredients—the kind that cost a fortune.
"The taste is worth it," Zeff always said proudly, "but good cooking doesn't come cheap!"
Shiro sighed, rubbing his temples. He started mentally reviewing his crew's "financial status."
It wasn't pretty.
Mihawk, once a famed bounty hunter, had given up his career after joining the crew. He no longer hunted pirates for bounties—now he just ate, drank, and lived freely aboard the Virtue, without spending a single Berry.
Issho, for his part, had a passion for gambling—and an extraordinary talent for losing. Every port they docked at, he'd vanish into the nearest casino, only to return broke and grinning.
Jinbe was hopeless with money. Having spent most of his life in the sea, he never saw a need for currency at all—he could just fish when he was hungry.
Zeff had little saved from his Baratie days, most of it lost to dock fees and unpaid wages. Shiro had even helped him recover a bit of back pay before inviting him aboard.
Hatchan, the cheerful octopus fish-man, had worked odd jobs in shabby taverns—barely enough to keep himself fed.
And Moria… once a proud pirate captain, had lost his crew, ship, and all his treasure in Wano after clashing with Kaido. He was now, quite literally, penniless.
"Where the hell am I supposed to get more money…?" Shiro muttered, leaning against the helm.
He thought hard, his brows furrowed. The ship's coffers wouldn't last much longer—if they didn't find funds soon, they'd be eating seaweed soup and saltwater for dinner.
Then—like lightning—it hit him. His eyes lit up.
"Wait… the sky!"
He remembered it clearly. Back in the days of the Roger Pirates, they'd once visited Skypiea—a floating island of clouds, light, and legend.
And buried within those clouds… was a mountain of gold.
At the time, the Roger Pirates had already stolen plenty of treasure from Saint Roswald, a Celestial Dragon. The gold of Skypiea had felt unnecessary then, almost trivial. So they'd left it behind.
But now?
A grin spread across Shiro's face.
"Perfect. If we're short on cash… we'll just go back to Skypiea and bring that gold down. Problem solved!"
He turned to the crew, voice ringing across the deck.
"Listen up, everyone! Stay put and don't move the ship. I'm going to pick up some money—shouldn't take long!"
The crew froze mid-task, trading confused looks.
"Pick up money? Where?"
"Since when does the captain have a secret treasure stash?"
But no one questioned him out loud. Shiro's authority on the Virtue was absolute. If he said he'd bring back money, they believed he would.
"Aye, Captain!" they replied in unison.
Shiro nodded in satisfaction. His palm began to glow with that familiar, soft white light—the mark of the Paw-Paw Fruit.
With a light slap to his chest, his body vanished instantly, leaving behind only a faint ripple in the air.
When his figure reappeared, the sea was gone.
Beneath his feet stretched an endless field of soft, white clouds.
Skypiea.
Golden sunlight filtered through the mist, catching on shimmering vines and glowing crystals. The air itself seemed sweet and light, humming with divine stillness.
But Shiro wasn't here to sightsee. He knew all too well how volatile the politics of Skypiea could be—the tension between the islanders and the Shandians still simmered even now.
He released a controlled surge of Conqueror's Haki, sweeping across the land like a silent thunderclap.
Every Skypiean worker and Shandian warrior in the area froze mid-step. Tools clattered to the ground. One by one, they slumped over, asleep under the weight of his will.
The display didn't go unnoticed.
From high above the clouds, a familiar figure soared toward him astride a bird-like creature.
The God of Skypiea—Gan Fall, riding his sky steed Pierre—descended with four priests at his side, landing before Shiro.
Shiro smiled and raised a hand in greeting, his tone casual yet respectful.
"Ohayō, old friend. 'God of Skypiea,' Gan Fall—and the High Priests too. Been a long time."
Gan Fall's eyes widened in shock.
"Y-you… You're Jabal Shiro—of the Roger Pirates!"
The priests gasped, exchanging bewildered looks.
The name alone was enough to shake the skies. What was that man doing here, after all these years?
Shiro rubbed the back of his neck, his grin a little sheepish.
"Guilty as charged," he said. "And… I might need to ask you for a little favor."
Gan Fall blinked, his expression a mix of surprise and curiosity.
"A favor… from the man who once sailed with the Pirate King?"
Shiro chuckled softly, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Let's just say I'm here to make a… withdrawal."
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