Mandfeish looked at his subordinates' appearance and demeanor, confirmed no one was injured, and then led them away, leaving behind the bewildered tavern owner, Dote.
Harlot had been influential here for three years. Since he arrived three years ago and defeated the former leader, he had become the uncrowned king of Demon Valley Town. But today, he was easily taken down.
This strange group of people was incredibly powerful, far beyond Dote's imagination. More importantly, it seemed he wasn't the captain, just an ordinary officer.
It wasn't until a pirate dropped his bloodstained coat that he understood why. On its vest was the conspicuous flag of the Hundred Beasts pirate crew.
"The Hundred Beasts... Why would the Great Pirate known in the New World appear here..."
However, this question didn't bother him for long. In the next moment, he rushed toward the ruins; being able to run a tavern here wasn't for the kind-hearted, though he wasn't as extreme as Harlot and his people.
In a matter of words, risking himself unnecessarily; in the past, they'd done as they pleased without challenge, but now they'd hit a steel wall.
The tavern had taken some damage, and he was hoping to use Harlot's bounty to fix it.
On the Origin, Yamato wasn't troubled by this because her attention was captured by the massive water column in the distance.
That was the Sky-reaching Sea Flow near Gaya Island, which had sent Shandora to the Sky Island.
"It's huge! Foster Father, are we going to ride this sea flow up?"
"No, such a sea flow happens sporadically; miss this one, and it will be days before the next. We have a safer way to ascend."
"Is it the method we used to drift over the Red Earth Continent before?"
"Yes, but this time we'll fly even higher."
...
The night passed quietly. The battle in the tavern by Mandfeish had calmed those with ill intentions. Pirates in Paradise lacked awareness of true strength; to them, a strong person was no more than someone like Harlot.
If it were only the flag of the Hundred Beasts, a few might have attempted a challenge. However, Mandfeish extinguished that desire thoroughly.
Early the next morning, Dote was picking cherries in the Cherry Garden as usual. These were the primary ingredients for their cherry pies. Then he saw the Origin slowly ascending from the port.
"A flying ship... could there truly be a Sky Island in the air?"
This thought entered his mind and gradually altered his worldview.
On the Origin, Yamato was pulled down from the ship's bow, which was not suitable for her during the flight. But this didn't faze her; she used an artillery port in the ship's cabin as her observation post.
Under Arceus's control, the Origin gradually approached the clouds. When the main mast touched the cloud layer, suddenly a strange fish landed on Jack's head.
Looking at the fish with the shape of a mahogany fish with an elephant trunk, Jack was struck with the idea that it might be delicious.
"This is... a sky fish from the White Sea? It seems we're almost there."
A knowledgeable pirate recognized what it was, signaling that the clouds above were no longer ordinary white clouds but sea clouds suitable for navigation.
Then a streak of electricity was released by Zeraora, blasting a big hole in the sky's White Sea, allowing the Origin to pass through the gap and reach above the White Sea.
"You can really sail on the clouds."
"Yes, Maria, look, the sun is so close, it feels like it's just ahead. Foster Father, let's sail above the sun!" The sunset over the sea of clouds had a unique beauty unseen on Ghost Island.
"We can't do that, Yamato. The sun is much higher, and that's not our destination."
This was the seven-thousand-meter-high White Sea, but the Sky Island was even higher, three thousand meters away. The ten-thousand-meter-high White White Sea was their destination.
Typically, entering Sky Island requires a toll of ten billion ik, though the inflated economy of the Sky Island makes ten billion ik only equivalent to a hundred thousand Belly.
This had nothing to do with the Origin. In the standard entry methods, whether from the clouds of Western Heaven Peak or riding the Sky-reaching Sea Flow, entry is through the proper port.
For those who could fly, a straight path was sufficient.
Once the crew adjusted somewhat, the Origin continued ascending, drifting towards the higher White White Sea.
...
Upon the White White Sea, a man and a woman sprinted across the sea on U-shaped iron boards tied with Wind Shells, a special product of Sky Island with a variety of uses.
Wind Shells could store wind, and they currently used it as a surfing device while capturing fish living within the sea clouds.
Their attire was reminiscent of Native Americans, with feather ornaments behind their heads and handmade small wings on their backs.
They were the Shandia people, natives of Gaya Island, sent here along with part of Gaya Island four hundred years ago by the Sky-reaching Sea Flow.
On Sky Island, land was a scarce resource, and islands carrying large portions of land were contested by the islanders.
Unable to win, the Shandia left their homeland, establishing their Hidden Cloud Village within the clouds of the White White Sea. However, for centuries, they've attempted to reclaim their home, now known as Divine Island - Apayado.
The two were casting a net in the sea clouds to catch food for their tribe, though it seems the yield was poor, with only a handful of small fish in their baskets.
But then their fishing net gave a huge jolt, wriggling furiously.
"Kodol, it looks like we've caught a big one!"
"I know, it seems we have our dinner covered, give it a little more effort, Shatira!"
The Shandia people divided labor based on age rather than gender. With their scarce population, every adult was an indispensable source of labor.
The two increased the power output of their Cloud Shells and finally reeled in their catch. But when they fully hauled in the net, they discovered it wasn't the expected prey but a person.
"How is it a person?"
To be exact, not a person, but a fish-man. Jack, swimming in the sea clouds, had accidentally been caught. His presence here indicated that the Origin was nearby.
Before they could release Jack from the net, the massive figure of the Origin loomed into view.
"Could you two kindly let our guy go? It'd be best not to refuse, or we'll have quite a dilemma on our hands."
The voice of Mandfeish came from the distant ship's rail, followed by the sight of a row of muskets raising...