Chapter 61: Heading Towards the Destination!
The panicked screams of the pirates echoing through the narrow street were abruptly silenced, swallowed by a sudden, terrifying pressure that descended upon the area.
Just a moment ago, they had scattered like headless flies, scrambling over crates and pushing each other aside in a desperate bid to escape the monster in the maid outfit. But escape was a luxury that had already been revoked.
Ram stood motionless in the center of the cobblestone street. The chaotic noise of the fleeing men seemed to fade into the background, irrelevant to her focus. A majestic, almost suffocating aura rose quietly from her petite frame, causing the dust on the ground to tremble.
Her short, peach-pink hair fluttered, though there was no natural wind. On her smooth, porcelain-white forehead, a phenomenon was occurring that defied the natural laws of her current weakened state. A small, yet undeniably sharp single horn had completely manifested, glowing with a faint, opalescent luster.
It was the symbol of the Oni race. The proof of her lineage. The pride that had been severed from her violently years ago, now returned in all its glory.
She didn't even deign to look at the backs of the men running for their lives. Her ruby-red eyes were cold, devoid of pity, reflecting only the task at hand. She merely raised her right hand with practiced elegance, her slender fingers lightly tracing invisible lines in the air.
"Wind."
The single word fell from her lips like a verdict.
Vwoom—!
Instantly, the atmosphere in the entire street shifted. The air, which had been stagnant under the afternoon sun, suddenly sharpened. It became an extension of her limbs, obeying her will with terrifying absolute loyalty.
Countless invisible wind blades materialized from nothingness. They emitted a subtle, chilling hiss—sksksksk—like the sound of a thousand serpents striking at once.
The attack was faster than thought, faster than fear.
The wind blades surged forward, overtaking every fleeing pirate with surgical precision. They caught the chubby Captain, who was still raising his iron hammer in a futile attempt to deflect the unseen threat. They caught the few executives who believed their meager Haki could save them. They caught the ordinary crew members who were simply running because everyone else was.
Where the wind blades passed, there were no screams.
Screams require breath, and the ability to process pain. But before the pain signals could even travel from their nerves to their brains, their consciousness had already been severed.
Thud. Thud. Squelch.
The only sounds were the muffled, wet impacts of flesh and bone being instantly cleaved by invisible edges. Warm liquid gushed out, atomizing into a red mist that interwove with the turbulent air, creating a brief, cruel rain of crimson.
All the pirates' movements froze in place, as if the world had been paused by a remote control.
One second. Two seconds.
Then, gravity asserted its claim.
Torsos slid off legs. Arms separated from shoulders. Heads toppled from necks. The bodies of the men who had been running full tilt moments ago collapsed into heaps of irregular, unrecognizable fragments, mixed with dripping blood that fell heavily onto the cold ground.
From extreme motion to extreme stillness, the transition took less than a single breath's interval.
It was as if a cool, cleansing draft had swept through the alley to dispose of the garbage, but behind this wind carried an undeniable, absolute will of death.
Ram slowly lowered her hand. The turbulent airflow around her instantly calmed, returning to a gentle breeze that playfully toyed with the hem of her maid apron.
She turned on her heel, her black shoes making no sound on the pavement. She walked back towards Suzaku with her usual composed, short steps. Her posture was impeccable, her expression serene. She looked as if she had just finished dusting a vase, not slaughtering dozens of armed combatants.
She stopped in front of Suzaku and tilted her head slightly. The cold indifference vanished from her eyes, replaced by a deep, shimmering well of genuine gratitude.
"Thank you, Suzaku-sama, for the [Senzu Bean] you bestowed upon me earlier."
Her voice was clear and solemn, lacking her usual biting sarcasm. She reached up, her fingers trembling ever so slightly as they brushed the horn on her forehead.
"Thanks to you, Ram's body has completely recovered. The damaged mana gate has been restored... and my power has fully returned."
To Ram, this was more than just physical healing. Losing her horn had been the defining tragedy of her life—a moment that stripped her of her identity as the Prodigy of the Oni Village and forced her sister, Rem, to carry the burden of their survival. Regaining it meant she was whole again.
"Sister!"
Rem, the blue-haired younger twin, stepped forward immediately. Her large, round eyes were swimming with unshed tears, sparkling with sincere joy and relief. She looked from Ram's horn to Suzaku, nodding vigorously.
"Mm! Thank you very much, Suzaku-kun! It's wonderful... it is truly wonderful that Elder Sister has recovered!"
For years, the missing scar on Ram's forehead had been a thorn deeply embedded in Rem's heart. Every time she looked at her sister, she felt the guilt of her own incompetence on that night the Witch Cult attacked. That dull, aching pain of believing she was the reason her sister was 'broken' had haunted her.
But now, looking at the sharp horn standing proudly on Ram's forehead, and feeling the harmonious, majestic magic flowing around her Elder Sister—magic far more potent than Rem remembered—she felt a weight lift.
It was a completeness of something lost and found again. A relief and peace that transcended time, finally allowing a deep regret to be mended. The heavy shackles on Rem's heart shattered, leaving only a clear, light feeling, like clouds parting to reveal the moon.
Suzaku looked at the two earnest, strikingly similar sisters standing before him.
He smiled, a warm expression that softened his features. He reached out, placing one hand on Ram's head and the other on Rem's, gently ruffling their hair.
"You two are my most important family in this world," Suzaku said, his tone relaxed but filled with conviction. "So there's no need to be so polite with me. Your strength is my strength."
He looked Ram in the eyes. "Welcome back to your peak, Ram. From now on, I'll continue to rely on you two sisters to watch my back."
"Yes!"
"Ram lives to serve."
Earlier, before Ulquiorra had departed on his separate mission, Suzaku had remembered the [Senzu Beans] he had obtained from the System. Although he trusted his crew's strength, the New World was unpredictable. To ensure their safety, he had explained the beans' miraculous properties and distributed one to each of them—Ulquiorra, Ram, and Rem.
He had directly instructed Ram to eat hers immediately. The effect was instantaneous. The bean, capable of restoring a person from the brink of death to full health, had regenerated the lost Oni horn, a feat no magic in their original world could accomplish.
He still had three beans left in his inventory—vital lifelines for future battles.
Ram nodded gently, a rare, soft smile gracing her lips. The complete return of her power, and the sense of being cherished by her master, brought a touch of warmth to her usually cool demeanor.
[Ding! Ram's favorability has increased.]
[Bond Level Updated: Soulmate.]
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the bond upgrade reward — Fire-Tipped Spear!]
The System prompt ringing in his mind made Suzaku pause. A flicker of surprise danced in his eyes.
Fire-Tipped Spear?
The legendary divine weapon associated with the Lotus Prince, Nezha?
With a thought, he accessed the System Space. A long spear materialized in his mental view. It was entirely crimson, crafted from a metal that seemed to pulse with heat. The tip was not solid steel but appeared to be formed of golden, flowing fire that danced and swirled, contained only by the weapon's enchantment.
Suzaku felt an immediate, burning resonance with the weapon. His Vermillion Bird Bloodline—the power of the ancient fire deity—seemed to sing in response to the spear. It was practically tailor-made for him!
Perfect, he thought, a grin spreading across his face. A weapon that can withstand my flames.
This was a convenient feature Suzaku had discovered: any item rewarded by the [Multiverse Summoning System] could be freely stored and retrieved from the System's subspace. Unfortunately, items native to the One Piece world didn't share this privilege, but having a personal arsenal on call was a massive advantage.
"Let's go," Suzaku said, composing himself and turning back toward the docks. "Back to the Vermillion Wing first. We have a schedule to keep."
He led the way, stepping casually over the scattered limbs and pools of blood as if walking through a garden. Ram and Rem followed close behind, their expressions serene. In this world, strength was justice, and they had simply delivered a verdict.
As soon as their feet touched the polished deck of the Vermillion Wing, the atmosphere shifted from grim combat to lively curiosity.
Nami, who had been waiting anxiously, rushed over. She grabbed Suzaku's arm with both hands, her grip surprisingly strong.
"Hey! Suzaku!" she demanded, her chest heaving slightly from impatience. "Now can you finally tell me? Where exactly is our destination? You've been acting so mysterious ever since we left the last island! The Log Pose isn't even locking onto anything nearby!"
Suzaku couldn't help but laugh at her eagerness. He looked around the deck. It wasn't just Nami; even Ram and Rem had stopped their tasks, looking at him with curious eyes.
He cleared his throat, adopting a dramatic posture.
"The place I'm taking you to is a legendary place," he began, his voice dropping an octave to build the suspense. "A place most sailors believe is a myth."
He paused, letting the silence stretch until Nami looked like she might explode.
"Its name is... the Golden City, Shandora!"
The effect was instantaneous.
"GOLDEN CITY?!!"
Nami's voice shot up eight octaves, cracking the sound barrier. Her brown eyes literally transformed, replaced by the universal symbol of the Berry ($) spinning rapidly.
"Really? Really?! You mean the Shandora?" She was practically vibrating, shaking Suzaku's arm. "The books say it's covered in gold! The floors are gold! The walls are gold! But... wait."
She frowned, her skepticism warring with her greed. "Wasn't that just a story made up by the 'Big Liar' Mont Blanc Noland hundreds of years ago? Everyone knows he was executed because he couldn't find it again!"
Her voice trembled slightly. The prospect of unimaginable wealth was right there, but the fear of disappointment was a heavy anchor.
Ram and Rem exchanged glances, their eyes widening slightly. Even for them, the concept of a city made of gold was intriguing, mostly because such wealth would be useful for their master's ambitions.
Suzaku laughed loudly, the sound echoing over the waves. He raised his right hand, pointing a finger directly toward the heavens with unshakable resolve.
"Of course it's real, Nami! Noland wasn't a liar. He was just looking in the wrong place."
He grinned, his eyes gleaming with knowledge that no one else in this world possessed. "The Golden City not only exists, but its location is right there!"
"Where? Where?"
Nami immediately spun around, following the line of his finger. She squinted, straining her eyes against the glare of the sun. She scanned the horizon, the distant islands, the sparkling sea.
"What the hell, Suzaku!" she cried out, stomping her foot. "There's nothing there! It's just clouds! Just a bunch of stupid, fluffy white clouds!"
"Idiot," Suzaku said, flicking her forehead lightly. "I'm pointing at the direction, not the horizon. Of course you can't see it like that."
He gestured upward again, emphasizing the verticality.
"It's in the sky, Nami. To be precise, it's a Sky Island, floating ten thousand meters above sea level!"
"Sky... Sky Island?!"
Nami stumbled back, her hand flying to her mouth. She looked up at the clouds again, but this time with a sense of vertigo.
"Can islands... really float in the sky? That defies gravity! That defies physics!"
"Suzaku-sama," Rem spoke up quietly, seeking confirmation. "Are there truly lands that exist within the firmament?"
"Of course!" Suzaku nodded affirmatively. "The Grand Line defies all common sense. Up there, there is an ocean made of clouds, and islands that drift upon it."
He turned his gaze toward the blue-haired maid.
"So, this time, I'll have to trouble you again, Rem."
Rem straightened her posture, her morningstar flail resting at her hip. "Yes, Suzaku-kun?"
"We aren't taking the Knock Up Stream. That's too rough and undignified for a ship like ours," Suzaku explained. He gestured to the entire vessel. "Use the power of the [Float-Float Fruit]. Take us up. Carry the Vermillion Wing to the roof of the world!"
Rem's eyes sparkled with eagerness. Since consuming the fruit of the legendary pirate Shiki, she had been training hard to master its gravity-defying properties. This was her chance to prove her utility beyond just combat.
"Rem understands!"
The maid responded crisply. She walked to the center of the deck and took a deep breath. A faint, golden aura began to envelop her body—the signature of her Devil Fruit ability.
She knelt down, placing one slender palm flat against the deck of the ship.
"Float."
Creaaak...
A deep, groaning sound resonated through the timber of the Vermillion Wing. The water around the hull began to bubble and froth as the ship's displacement suddenly shifted.
Nami grabbed the railing, her knuckles turning white. "Whoa, whoa! We're moving!"
Slowly, steadily, the massive galleon began to rise. Sea water cascaded off the hull like a heavy rain, splashing back into the ocean. The ship broke free from the embrace of the sea, hovering a few meters in the air, then ten, then twenty.
Suzaku felt the stable deck beneath his feet and nodded with satisfaction. Rem's control was impeccable; the ascent was smooth, lacking the violent jerking one might expect from lifting a multi-ton vessel. She stood there, focused and composed, her profile outlined against the sun.
"Course set for the clouds," Suzaku commanded, looking up at the vast expanse of blue.
The ship accelerated, rising vertically like an elevator of the gods. The port town below shrank rapidly, turning from a city into a toy model, and then into a mere speck on the map. The horizon expanded, curving at the edges, revealing the terrifying vastness of the sea.
The air grew colder and thinner as they climbed. Rem remained focused, her brow furrowed in concentration as she manipulated the gravity of the ship, pushing it higher and higher.
They pierced the first layer of clouds. Mist swirled across the deck, cool and damp.
Everyone on the Vermillion Wing—the greedy navigator, the demon maids, and the otherworldly captain—looked up with bated breath. Their eyes were filled with excitement and anticipation, eagerly gazing into the depths of the azure sky, waiting to see what lay beyond the veil of white.
The voyage to the Sky Island had begun.
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