Cricket's pupils contracted as he stared at Chronos, disbelief written across his face.
"How do you know those words!"
Those were Noland's final words left the day before his execution, blurred by tears.
It was precisely because of this, combined with Noland's lifelong reputation for honesty, that the Montblanc family hadn't held resentment against him at the time.
"Oh, the Library of the Giants' Kingdom."
Chronos smiled, not joking in the slightest. Noland's expedition had once reached the New World and befriended the dwarves.
All the special races had united because of the Great Kingdom, and among the Giant Tribe, many admired or even worshipped Noland.
Therefore, after Noland's death, specific giants had retrieved his body and collected all his writings.
The Whitebeard Pirates turned their gazes over, expressions filled with pride - yes, their brother was indeed this knowledgeable.
"I know those words, so what?" After his initial surprise, Cricket regained his composure.
"That was just the ramblings of a dying man. I've been on Jaya Island all these years and still haven't figured out what they mean."
"You naturally wouldn't understand from the words alone, but what if combined with a map?"
"Don't be foolish, kid. I don't see any connection between Jaya Island and those words."
Cricket dismissed Chronos's words with disdain, currently in a state where he'd lost all spirit and motivation.
Chronos raised one hand to stop his brothers who wanted to beat up Cricket for him, while with the other hand he pulled out a map from his chest.
"Of course not the current map, but the one Noland saw four hundred years ago."
With a flick of his wrist, Chronos unfurled the parchment completely.
Cricket only needed one glance before his entire body froze.
His breathing grew rapid, chest heaving as if having an asthma attack. Cricket suddenly lunged forward, almost pouncing on Chronos.
"Hey, calm down."
Chronos reached out to restrain Cricket, waiting for him to settle down before speaking again.
"Now do you understand what those words mean?"
"So that's it, that's it..."
Cricket murmured, his smile uglier than crying.
Marco and the others looked on in confusion - what had that chestnut-headed man seen?
"Hey, Chronos, what's this all about!"
"Come take a look at the map and you'll understand," Chronos shrugged.
Whitebeard stepped forward, bent down to look, then shook his head with a wry smile.
"Indeed, it's obvious at a glance."
Four hundred years ago, Jaya Island on the map completely resembled a skull!
"Ohhh!"
The Whitebeard Pirates gasped, faces showing shock and delight.
The part of Jaya Island still above water today was merely the mouth of the original skull-shaped island. What appeared to be two embracing small creatures were actually the 'upper and lower jaws.'
The skull referred to the island's shape, with gold in the skull's right eye - meaning the City of Gold was located at the right eye position of skull-shaped Jaya Island!
"That Noland really was an honest man after all!"
Cricket exclaimed, his smile finally one of relief.
Chronos smiled as he looked at him. Though he claimed not to care, this man still hoped Noland hadn't been lying, because if that were the case, all the childhood insults would have been the fault of those ignorant people!
"Although we don't know where the upper half of Jaya Island has gone now, but..."
Chronos spoke while glancing at Namur, who was also stunned beside him.
"Namur, you didn't find the upper half of the skull in the seabed, did you?"
Namur shook his head affirmatively. "Not at all."
"That makes it simple. If the upper half of the island is gone, and it's not in the seabed, then there's only one place it could have gone."
As Chronos spoke, Whitebeard thought of one possibility, because of one bastard.
The Flying Pirate, Golden Lion Shiki. As a user of the Float-Float Fruit, he could make islands float arbitrarily—in other words, create artificial sky islands.
Whitebeard had seen this many times, which was why he had always believed in the existence of Skypiea.
However, Jaya Island definitely wasn't because of Shiki. Four hundred years ago, even Shiki's grandfather wouldn't have existed.
"It went up to the sky, right, Chronos?"
Chronos nodded and laughed. "That should be it, Pops."
"Skypiea... is real too?"
Cricket laughed again, tears streaming from his eyes. That bastard Noland was truly an honest man!
"Exactly." Chronos nodded.
"I understand. Wait a moment."
Cricket walked into his house and quickly came out, then handed Chronos a book.
"You might have already seen this, but this is what I know about Skypiea."
Chronos took the aged book. Its pages were yellowed and tattered, but well-preserved.
It was Noland's nautical diary.
Marco and the others crowded around, wanting to see what was written. Chronos pushed them away with a few slaps and began to read.
It was a simple passage. While sailing at sea, Noland encountered a mysterious merchant ship and bought what was said to be a Skypiea specialty—the "Waver," a small boat that could produce wind to sail even without wind.
This small boat utilized a special resource that only existed in Skypiea. From this, Noland recalled the "Sky Fish" his adventurer friend had shown him.
"Although it's still an unknown realm for our ship, as a sailor, I someday wish to see the sky sea for myself—'Montblanc Noland.'"
After Chronos finished reading the last entry, the Whitebeard Pirates looked excited.
"Gurarara, what a fine adventurer!" Whitebeard commented on Noland.
"So Skypiea existed four hundred years ago, and there were even nations trading up there!"
Marco looked pleasantly surprised. That was truly amazing!
"It's said that the Skypieans are residents from the moon. They have wings on their backs, but they haven't been active in the Blue Sea for many years now."
Chronos added this piece of knowledge.
It was also related to the great war eight hundred years ago. It's said the Skypieans suffered heavy losses and are still recovering to this day.
"But how did the upper half of Jaya Island leave?"
The Whitebeard Pirates fell into thought. Could it have been a Float-Float Fruit user from that time?
"Knock-Up Stream."
Cricket suddenly spoke.
"Huh? What stream?" Someone in the Whitebeard Pirates hadn't heard clearly.
"There exists a phenomenon known as the Knock-Up Stream in these waters—a natural disaster caused by massive underwater cavities. Seawater flows into these cavities, and due to the temperature difference between geothermal heat and the ocean, immense steam pressure builds up. Over time, this pressure erupts in an underwater explosion, generating an upward thrust that creates a sea current soaring into the sky."
"I suspect the upper half of Jaya Island vanished due to a colossal Knock-Up Stream."
As he spoke, Cricket found the irony amusing.
That fool Noland had believed the island sank into the ocean due to tectonic shifts, but the truth was the opposite—it had been launched skyward by oceanic forces.
"So that's how it is." The Whitebeard Pirates clapped in unison, sudden understanding dawning on their faces.
Cricket was momentarily bewildered; he had expected skepticism from these men.
Chronos chuckled and explained, "We're from the New World. Things like Knock-Up Streams are hardly rare there. We've even witnessed hailstorms capable of shattering entire islands."
Cricket gasped, "I never realized the world I lived in was so perilous."
Chronos shrugged. There was far more beyond his imagination.
"Gurarara! So Skypiea is right above our heads now? That simplifies things."
Whitebeard grinned widely.
"If you intend to ascend, the only path is through the Knock-Up Stream. It occurs about five times a month on average, with the next one due roughly next week."
Cricket offered his advice, having studied this phenomenon extensively—after all, diving was impossible whenever the Knock-Up Stream appeared.
"Based on current patterns, the location should be due south. If you're going, it's best to wait a week and capture a South Bird."
"A South Bird?"
Marco the Phoenix inquired curiously.
"It's a bird whose head always points south, no matter what. For sailors of the past, it was the finest compass. But with the invention of the Log Pose, South Birds have gradually faded from use."
"A week's wait? Gurarara, that's far too long."
Whitebeard laughed, gazing skyward.
"Now that we know Skypiea truly exists—not some man-made fabrication—I want to see it right away!"
His voice brimmed with boldness.
Cricket was taken aback but urged caution, "Even if you're impatient, you still need a plan."
"Hey, kid, enough talk. Do you want to see that sky island now? Perhaps the other half of Jaya is still up there!"
Whitebeard looked directly at Cricket and stated bluntly.
Cricket froze. Visit Skypiea? See the City of Gold?
"I..."
"I want to go!"
Cricket clenched his fists and declared earnestly. All his earlier suggestions had been a ploy to secure a spot on their ship!
"Then come along!" Whitebeard boomed with gusto.
Watching Cricket, Marco sidled up to Chronos and whispered, "He still cares about Noland, doesn't he?"
Chronos winked. Some truths were better left unspoken.
…
Soon, Cricket—confused but resolute—boarded the Moby Dick with all his belongings.
Accompanying him were his two subordinates, Masira and Shojo, a pair of brothers who resembled evolutionary throwbacks despite being human.
As fervent enthusiasts of the Noland legend, they had willingly followed upon learning that Noland's descendant was searching for the City of Gold.
Upon learning they were heading to Skypiea, the two promptly boarded the ship, even shedding tears.
Chronos commented that enthusiasts were just like that.
"So..." Cricket looked at the lazily lounging Whitebeard Pirates and the temporarily calm sea, his expression puzzled. "How are we getting to Skypiea?"
Chronos raised a hand to signal patience, then turned to Whitebeard with a laugh. "Right now, your most urgent task is to quickly find something to hold onto."
?
Cricket didn't understand, but Whitebeard laughed heartily in agreement.
"Chronos is right, hold on tight, kid."
Walking to the stern of the Moby Dick, Whitebeard glanced at the sky, then clenched his fist in the direction opposite to the Log Pose's indication.
Though bewildered, Cricket watched as the Whitebeard Pirates nervously gripped the ship's planks and followed suit.
"Alright, setting sail!"
With a booming laugh, Whitebeard's fist surged with white energy, terrifying and chaotic sounds raging within it.
BOOM!
A single punch struck the sea beneath the stern, unleashing monstrous strength. Waves crashed as the sea surface was forcibly punched into a massive 'crater'.
With the recoil, whoosh—the Moby Dick lifted off like a rocket, soaring through the air.
A semi-transparent film of fierce wind formed around the ship. Cricket's entire face twitched violently, the backlash nearly knocking him unconscious.
The sea near Jaya Island cracked, chunks of seawater surging upward to form towering currents that crashed down, providing secondary acceleration to the Moby Dick.
Like a true white whale leaping from the sea, it flew skyward as if in a fairy tale.
By Jaya Island's shore, Doflamingo stood silently with his two executives, watching the scene.
Trebol was frightened pale, Diamante equally ashen-faced.
Doflamingo's fingers twitched. Faced with such a cataclysmic spectacle, he instinctively felt dazed.
Long after the Moby Dick had vanished from sight and the sea had calmed, Doflamingo finally snapped back to reality.
"Investigate!" Doflamingo's tone was icy. He refused to admit he'd been terrified moments before.
"Investigate?" Trebol blinked. "Doffy, investigate what?"
"Find out what caused that current!"
Doflamingo refused to believe such a cataclysmic scene could be man-made—it must have harnessed nature's immense power!
Trebol snapped to awareness, nodding hurriedly.
Yet all three hearts continued pounding violently from the earlier spectacle.
...
Darkness loomed closer ahead—thick layers of clouds. Plunging into them, Chronos felt a misty spray pattering against his face.
When his vision suddenly cleared, his entire body was soaked.
The Moby Dick came to a halt. Beneath the massive white whale lay a sea of pure white clouds—this was the White Sea, 7,000 meters above sea level!
Just as the Whitebeard Pirates caught their breath, the sight before them left them awestruck.
"Hey hey, this is Skypiea—no, the White Sea, right?"
"The legends were true after all!"
Marco danced with excitement, as did most of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Chronos had never seen sky merging with water, but here, the horizon seamlessly connected above and below in flawless, pristine white.
"The White-White Sea really exists!?"
Cricket fell weakly to his knees, tears streaming uncontrollably down his face.
It was true—Noland had been telling the truth! He wasn't a liar! He wasn't the Great Liar!
At this moment, Cricket even forgot the shock he'd felt earlier from witnessing Whitebeard's power.
"Gurarara, what a wonderful sight~"
Whitebeard laughed heartily, clearly delighted.
After a while, when everyone had calmed down, they looked around and fell into a brief silence.
"Why can't we see any islands here?"
Marco glanced around for a moment before asking in confusion.
Chronos showed them the Log Pose on his wrist—the needle was still pointing upward.
"Simple. We're probably only in the middle layer of the White-White Sea. Skypiea should be further up."
"So that's how it is!"
"As expected of Skypiea!"
"Pops, throw another punch!"
"No problem!"
Whitebeard agreed with this assessment and raised his arm, preparing to throw another punch.
But just then, the laughing and chatting Whitebeard Pirates suddenly turned their heads toward a certain direction.
There was killing intent coming from there.
A figure wearing a large colorful mask, carrying a shield and a simple rocket launcher, came rushing toward them at high speed as if skiing.
"That guy looks like a primitive man~"
Marco commented.
"Bare chested, bright patterns, and clothes that look like a grass skirt—he somewhat resembles the Shandia described in Noland's journal."
Chronos straightforwardly revealed.
"What! The Shandia!"
Cricket jumped up—in Noland's journal, they were his lifelong regret!
"Oh, so he's connected to that story?"
Whitebeard understood.
"Marco."
"Got it."
The blue flames of the phoenix blazed fiercely as Marco's hands transformed into wings and he took flight, charging toward the Shandia warrior.
The Shandia warrior who had come to plunder froze, staring wide-eyed as the monster before him attacked.
What... is that!?