"Big sis… so you're saying that adventurer, Leno—he's really Kaido-sama's illegitimate son?"
Page One glanced around, sidled up to Ulti's ear, and whispered.
"Bonk."
"What are you talking about? He has nothing to do with Kaido-sama. It's pure rumor."
Page One rubbed his head, aggrieved. He'd only asked… Why hit me for that?
"Anyway, I promised them that after they brought me back, I'd have Kaido-sama thank them properly. Let's return to Onigashima."
"Uh… but Kaido-sama isn't back yet."
"Nani? He's not? Then… what do we do?"
Hearing Kaido wasn't on Onigashima, Ulti froze, at a loss.
"Why not invite them to the island first? Maybe Kaido-sama will be back by then."
"Right, right—let's do that. Little Pei, you're so smart!"
After another round of smothering her brother—much to Page One's helpless protests—Ulti hurried to relay the news to Leno and the others.
Page One's ship took the lead, with the two vessels lining up and heading for Onigashima.
"Ulti, that's your little brother, huh? You two are really close," Nojiko praised, seeing how bright Ulti looked once she'd come back aboard.
Ulti preened. "I'm the person who loves my little brother the most in this whole world."
Hearing this domineering declaration, Leno's mouth twitched. You really are a 'good sister'.
If you didn't know better, you'd think she doted on him… when most of his misery clearly comes from her.
"Look—we're almost there!" Ulti suddenly pointed ahead, voice rising with excitement.
"Whoa… what is that? The Beasts Pirates base is up there?"
"That high up? How do you usually get up there?"
Before them loomed terrain like the rim of a volcano, waterfalls thundering down all around.
"Heh-heh, you've got no idea. Ordinary ships can't get into Onigashima—well, except yours," Ulti said mysteriously, seeing their puzzled faces.
"We have a special method. Outsiders don't know it, so they can't get in. Just watch what Little Pei does—you'll be shocked."
At the bow, Nami tasted the wind, eyes narrowing as she watched the sea heave in weird pulses. "Such cold wind… and these unprecedented waves. What kind of hellscape is this sea ahead?"
She looked up at the sky and saw thick, dark clouds intensely churning, as if brewing some terrible weather catastrophe.
"Ulti, with such terrifying currents and the current weather conditions, is your brother's ship okay to keep moving forward?"
"No problem. It's like this year-round. We're used to it."
"Year-round?" Nami blanched. What kind of geography makes this?
Chopper, leaning over the rail to watch Page One's ship, yelped, "Look—under the water! A lot of things!"
Nojiko, Kuina, and the rest peered down. Huge dark shapes gathered around Page One's hull.
"Ulti, tell your brother—there's danger under the water!"
"Relax. That's our special way in."
Arms folded, Ulti looked smug enough for three people. "Just watch. You'll be stunned."
Leno didn't care much about the entry method—he already knew, and the Gale could fly anyway.
However, the increasingly full cleavage, squeezed by Ulti's crossed arms, made Leno steal a couple of extra glances.
Nami and the others couldn't read Ulti's confidence, but she sounded certain, so they kept quiet.
As they advanced, everyone felt the shift: "The wind is getting stronger, and the waves are getting higher. This isn't a normal current. The way it's churning, plus the strange flow…" Nami's voice tightened. "With this pressure drop, a storm might form."
But remembering Ulti's "year-round" comment, she eased a bit.
Suddenly, the dark masses burst from the sea—and the crew finally saw them clearly.
"Fish—Koi?! They're so giant?!"
"So cool! They're huge!"
"In the ocean?" Carmen squeaked. "Koi are freshwater fish! How are they alive in the saltwater? That's not scientific!"
"Haha... the show is starting! Everyone, open your eyes and watch closely!"
Ulti jumped to the bow, excitedly showing Leno and the other outsiders this miraculous method.
A school of giant Kai surged forward, crowding around Page One's ship and towing it toward an enormous waterfall. One after another, the fish leapt into the cataract and began climbing it.
"They're… scaling the reverse falls? Why?" Nami and the others were floored by the sight.
At the bow, Page One flicked out two ropes, looping them around the heads of two Kau mid-climb.
The lines snapped taut. Page One's ship lurched forward—pulled straight up the waterfall.
"It works like that?!"
"Amazing! Getting dragged by Koi—so cool!"
"An innovative mode of travel," Robin murmured, sketchbook in hand.
Leno glanced at her drawing and rolled his eyes.
"What? My drawing isn't good?" Robin turned to stare at Leno, a dangerous light glinting in her eyes.
"Cough, cough. The way you've drawn it... well, it's quite innovative."
One glare later, Robin went back to sketching.
Not picking that fight, Leno pivoted, guiding the Gale to fly up over the falls.
Looking back over the vertical plunge, the crew marveled anew at Koi-powered shipping.
Truly inspired.
Ahead, a massive, horned skull structure filled the horizon. Eyes widened in unison.
"Onigashima" lived up to its name. Nami and the others could only heap praise on the day's fantastical journey.
Turning around, they quickly motioned for Ulti to lead the way to tour the stronghold of this world-famous pirate crew.
T/n:
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