Rain's ship continued at full speed under the weather kettle's influence for another ten-plus minutes.
Only after he was sure they had completely left the storm zone did Rain finally exhale. With a thought, he put the lid back on the mini weather kettle and stopped feeding it power.
The strong east wind that had been driving the sails finally eased and died away.
And the distant, sky-swallowing storm seemed to have finished its job—because in that same moment… it stopped without warning.
Within minutes, the sea smoothed back into calm, and the sky cleared again.
The scholars on deck froze—then one of them, trembling, ran to the stern.
He looked back.
Ohara was now only a tiny black dot on the horizon. And the Marine fleet… wasn't visible at all.
"N-no… no pursuers."
"..."
After a brief, stunned silence—
"W-we're saved!!!!"
"We got out! We really got out!!"
"Waaah—!!"
The scholars, who had narrowly escaped death, finally broke. Cheering and sobbing erupted together.
Some hugged and cried. Some dropped to their knees and kissed the deck planks. Some simply stared toward Ohara and wept silently.
Rain finally loosened his grip on his sword. He leaned against the main mast and let out a long, heavy breath.
"…Whew. I actually… gambled right…"
He knew exactly how much risk he'd taken.
If Sakazuki had caught them, or Kuzan had taken him down on the spot, "betrayal of the Marines" would have been stamped on him—and then he'd have nowhere left in the world to stand.
"As for now…" A faint curve tugged at Rain's mouth.
"On Ohara, there's a mysterious powerhouse named Clark who can even injure Vice Admiral Kuzan."
"Once Rosinante returns to his unit and reports what happened to me and Smoker, we'll most likely be treated as missing. That gives us a very convenient excuse for whatever we do next."
Only after thinking that through did he truly relax.
He glanced at the palm-sized bronze kettle in his hand and felt secretly delighted.
"Bugged or not… I definitely struck gold."
The cheers and crying went on for a long time.
Eventually, the laughter and sobbing faded.
A new, uncertain quiet spread across the deck.
The scholars helped each other stand. Wiping tears, they looked around—beneath their feet was an unfamiliar deck, and in every direction, endless sea.
They had survived.
But… the Tree of Knowledge was gone. Their home was gone. They were rootless driftwood now—wanted "devils" hunted by the whole world.
After the joy receded, what remained was fear and uncertainty about the future.
At that moment, Dr. Clover walked up to Rain.
He didn't speak at first. With dozens of scholars behind him, he bowed deeply.
"Rain-san." Dr. Clover lifted his head, and for the first time, light returned to his aged eyes. "You have given Ohara a future."
Rain met his gaze and said calmly, "Even if I hadn't acted, Ohara's flame would never have gone out."
"Yes… it won't go out…" Dr. Clover didn't catch the deeper meaning. Instead he asked the question haunting every heart on that ship:
"Then… where is our future supposed to be?"
The deck fell silent again. Everyone looked to Rain with hope and dependence.
Their sole savior.
Rain smiled, not answering immediately.
He turned to Smoker instead. "Chart?"
He took the sea chart Smoker handed him and spread it on the deck.
With [Advanced] navigation skill, the chart was practically a clear 3D map in Rain's mind.
His long finger traced along it, stopping at Reverse Mountain—the gateway where the West Blue meets the Grand Line.
"First, we head to Bell Town before Reverse Mountain to resupply."
Rain's steady voice drove away the last of the scholars' drifting panic.
"Then we pass through here—upstream—into the Grand Line."
Rain lifted his eyes to the sky.
"After that… we go to the island in the legends."
"The Sky Island."
The moment those words came out, the deck exploded—an even bigger reaction than when he'd said "Grand Line."
"S-sky… sky island?!"
"Rain-san, you mean the Sky Island… the one that only exists in legends?"
"Isn't that just a fairy tale? You mean… it's real?!"
The scholars buzzed with disbelief.
Rain didn't explain directly. He simply turned to Dr. Clover and asked, "Doctor—given what you know, do you also think Sky Island is just a legend?"
Dr. Clover blinked, then understood. A knowing smile appeared.
"In a world where even the Void Century truly exists—and is hidden at any cost—what is truly impossible?"
"That's the logic." Rain nodded. "All right. Everyone go rest, especially the injured."
As Rain began to fold the chart away and send people below—
"Rain… Rain-san…"
A weak but grateful voice came from behind him.
Rain turned and saw Olvia, somehow on her feet with support.
Her abdominal wound had been tightly bandaged, but moving still made her face go pale and sweat pour down.
And Robin—still holding one of Dr. Clover's hands—peered out from behind him, those big eyes identical to Olvia's locked tightly onto the wounded woman.
"You should be lying down, Lady Olvia," Rain frowned. "Your injuries are serious."
"N-no… I have to…"
Olvia caught her breath. She didn't look at Rain.
Her eyes were fixed—locked—on the little girl clinging to the doctor's robe.
That face. Those eyes.
Olvia's breathing hitched hard.
She bowed deeply toward Rain, voice shaking.
"I must… thank you myself…"
"Thank you for saving all of us…"
"Thank you… for saving…" Olvia's lips trembled. She couldn't hold it back anymore. Tears spilled over as her voice cracked, hoarse and raw:
"…for saving my daughter!!"
Dr. Clover let out a long breath. He lowered his gaze to little Robin.
"Doctor… she…" Robin's small hand tightened. Looking at this wounded woman, a sour, familiar ache rose inside her—something she couldn't name.
"Go, Robin." Dr. Clover's eyes were full of love and sorrow as he gently nudged her forward.
"She's the one you've been waiting for."
"Huh?" Robin went completely blank.
"Robin!!"
Olvia's emotions finally burst. She shoved away the person supporting her, ignoring the tearing pain, and staggered forward.
"Olvia!" Dr. Clover gasped, starting to catch her—
But Olvia dropped to her knees in front of Robin.
She grabbed Robin's thin shoulders. Tears poured like a broken dam as she rasped:
"Robin… my Robin…!!"
Robin was completely stunned. The word "mother" was distant and vague in her mind—almost unreal. But her instincts, her senses, her blood were screaming the answer.
"Mom…?"
Robin tested the word, her voice so small it was nearly inaudible.
"Yes—Mom!!" Olvia pulled her into a fierce embrace, as if trying to fuse her into her own body.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… Robin… Mom's back… Mom's back…"
"Mom!!"
The string Robin had kept taut for so long snapped at once.
The bullying by other children, the loneliness of being called a monster, the endless longing for her mother—everything exploded.
"Waaaah—Mom!! Mom!!"
For the first time, the little girl cried freely in her mother's arms.
The entire deck went quiet.
People wiped tears in silence as they watched the reunion.
Saul sat down hard on the deck, enormous hands covering his face, tears flooding through his fingers.
"Dereshishishi… thank goodness… Olvia… you found her… thank goodness…"
Smoker looked awkward around the tenderness of it all. He turned away, back to the crowd, took a hard drag on his cigar—though the smoke he exhaled trembled slightly.
Rain stood at the bow, facing the sea wind, not turning back.
A real smile finally touched his lips.
"Good."