Chapter 215: The Shock of Sanlong – That Man Can't Be on Sky Island!
"This is Sky Island!" Luo Han announced.
The four of them hovered midair, surveying the distant landscape—massive, billowing Island Clouds layered into towering formations. Atop them were towns and buildings nestled among the clouds.
That must be where the sky dwellers lived.
"So… where's the Golden City?" Ellis asked, puzzled. She looked around and saw nothing—not a speck of gold in sight.
"Are you sure it really got blasted up by the Knock-Up Stream?" she added skeptically. "A whole island that big—no way we wouldn't see it."
"Yeah, maybe you got it wrong?" Sora echoed, also doubtful.
"No, I—"
Luo Han paused, then looked at Sora and Ellis . "Wait… are you all here looking for the Golden City?"
The three women glanced at him in confusion.
Ellis blinked. "You mean… you didn't come to Sky Island for the Golden City?"
Akatsuki and Sora were just as surprised. Before coming here, Luo Han had been so sure the Golden City was on Sky Island, they'd naturally assumed that was his goal.
"Haha!"
Luo Han laughed and then clarified, "That's my bad. I should've explained earlier. I'm not interested in the Golden City—I'm here for a Devil Fruit."
"A Devil Fruit…?"
Ellis asked, "Which one?"
"A Logia: the Rumble-Rumble Fruit," Luo Han replied.
"Oh, that one…" Ellis didn't react much at first, still absorbed in her thoughts.
"WHAT?!" Sora suddenly shouted, startling Luo Han.
"The Rumble-Rumble Fruit is here on Sky Island?!"
Sora was genuinely shocked. That Devil Fruit was one the World Government had sought for years. And yet, despite all their searching, it had remained undiscovered—because it was here, in the skies.
But then it clicked.
Of course they never found it. Devil Fruits almost never respawned on islands ten thousand meters in the sky. The Government probably didn't even bother monitoring Sky Island for it.
"Yes," Luo Han confirmed confidently.
"You knew the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was here?" Ellis stared at him, at a loss.
Suddenly, she thought of someone—that girl in the kimono.
She asked cautiously, "Let me guess… Tengetsu told you all of this?"
"Uh…"
Luo Han scratched his head, sheepish. Honestly, that was the only way to explain how he knew so much that he shouldn't know.
So he said nothing, essentially confirming it.
It wasn't like Tengetsu would interact with the others anymore. There was no risk of being exposed.
Hehe… Luo Han chuckled inwardly.
"Oh, so it was Tengetsu," Sora said, finally understanding.
That explained everything—how Luo Han, despite never having set foot on the first half of the Grand Line, knew about Jaya's connection to Sky Island. How he knew about the Rumble-Rumble Fruit when even the World Government didn't.
If Tengetsu—the girl who could see the future—had told him, then it all made sense.
"Um… who's Tengetsu?" Akatsuki asked curiously.
Why did just mentioning her clear up everything?
"She was one of our former companions," Sora explained. "Her ability let her see fragments of the future."
"Ah, that explains it."
Hearing that, Akatsuki understood too.
She then shot Luo Han a look of contempt.
So much for "well-read." All that knowledge he claimed came from books? Nonsense. He just had someone feed him spoilers in advance.
"Haha, alright!" Luo Han waved off her glare.
"Let's head to the Sky Island town first," he said. "Then we'll ask someone for the direction of Birka Island. The Rumble-Rumble Fruit is there, though I'm not sure exactly where."
Then he turned and asked, "So, do you want to explore this island yourselves, or come with me to find the fruit?"
"Not going," Ellis replied, shaking her head. "I'd rather explore for a bit and see if I can find some books."
She turned to Akatsuki and Sora. "What about you two?"
Akatsuki answered immediately, "I'll come with you, Sister Ellis ."
Over the past days, she had learned of Ellis 's true age—and began respectfully calling her "sister."
Ellis then looked to Sora.
"I…" Sora hesitated. She was torn, but remembering her mission, she eventually said, "I won't go either. I'll stay with you."
Ellis saw the hesitation in her face and was about to say something—
—but Luo Han cut in, "If you're all staying, then I'll head off first."
With that, he sped toward the Sky Island town.
The three women watched him fly away and exchanged amused looks, then headed toward the town as well—taking their time.
Well… technically two walked. Akatsuki floated, supported by Ellis 's powers.
Meanwhile—
Luo Han arrived in the town and used his psychic abilities to implant a subconscious suggestion into a merchant's mind.
The merchant instantly, and unknowingly, blurted out the direction of Birka.
"Wait… why did I say that?" he mumbled afterward, puzzled, then went back to his work.
"That way, huh…" Luo Han glanced to his right. Without hesitation, he took off at high speed in that direction.
BOOM! A sonic boom echoed as he shot through the sky in a smooth arc.
Looks like he's found Birka, thought the three women, watching him from a distance.
…
A short while later, they arrived at the Sky Island town and were immediately drawn in by the unique Dial technology.
Inside a small shop, the three women couldn't stop looking around.
"Wow! This one records sound—how amazing!"
"This one blows air? That's so cool!"
Ellis moved from item to item, completely captivated.
"My dear Sky Dwellers from the Blue Sea," the shopkeeper said enthusiastically, "I've got all sorts of Dial devices here! Essential for adventuring and daily life! You won't find these once you leave Sky Island, so don't miss out!"
Despite being from the Blue Sea, the shopkeeper showed no prejudice and welcomed them warmly.
…
While the three women enjoyed themselves—
Elsewhere on Sky Island, in a white, cube-shaped building—
A tall figure sat silently atop a raised platform. At five meters tall, he radiated authority.
BANG!
Suddenly, the man slammed his armrest and stood up, gasping for breath, sweat streaming down his face.
"That nightmare again…" he murmured, haunted by images of towering flames and scorching heat.
"If I hadn't eaten that Zoan-type Devil Fruit I kept nearby, I'd have died along with Mac and the others…"
His voice trembled at first, but then a trace of gratitude entered his eyes.
"Haha! But I survived!"
CLANG! The door burst open, and a young man from Sky Island rushed in.
"Brother Sanlong! Eidas and the others just spotted a mermaid in the town!"
The youth was breathless with excitement. "A mermaid from the Blue Sea—with a tail! A huge female mermaid!"
He gestured wildly, trying to describe her, but failed. "Anyway, she's really big!"
A mermaid? A huge female mermaid?
Sanlong's expression darkened as a beautiful but terrifying memory surfaced.
"No… no way. As a princess of Fishman Island, she couldn't possibly be here—ten thousand meters above the sea."
"And that man… there's no way he came too."
Sanlong tried to convince himself. He didn't want to believe that terrifying figure from his past had returned to haunt him. He didn't even dare say the man's name—his deepest fear.
The young man was confused—he didn't understand what his brother meant.
Whether the Fishman princess or that "man" had come, he didn't know.
But a huge red-haired mermaid had definitely arrived.
"And Brother Sanlong, Eidas and the others are trying to capture her!"
"I heard huge female mermaids are worth a fortune—you can trade them for tons of Ike!"
The youth was already daydreaming about wealth. Sanlong didn't hear most of it.
But one phrase echoed in his ears:
"Red-haired. Female mermaid. Huge female mermaid."
Red-haired…
Sanlong's eyes widened.
"Speak!" he grabbed the youth by the collar, eyes trembling. "Was her hair waist-length? Was she twelve meters tall? Stunningly beautiful?"
"Y-yes!" the youth stammered. "Y-yes!"
THUD!
Sanlong dropped like a deflated balloon, collapsing to the floor in shock.
"How could she be on Sky Island? Is he here too?"
"No… no way. Someone like him wouldn't come here…"
"Haha… yeah… I'm just overthinking it…"
He tried to reassure himself, forcing a relieved smile.
THUD! The youth also fell to the ground after being released.
Despite the pain in his rear, he immediately scrambled up. "Brother Sanlong! What's wrong?!"
He sensed something was off.
"…It's nothing."
But then, Sanlong suddenly looked serious. He grabbed the youth's arms and asked, "Who did you say went after the mermaid?"
"Ah!" the youth yelped from the pain, but quickly answered, "Eidas and his group!"
"Damn it!" Sanlong let go and leapt through the ceiling.
CRASH! He blasted through the roof and landed outside.
Then he transformed into his Zoan hybrid form and raced toward the town at top speed.
"Please don't let it be what I think…"
"Eidas, don't be stupid. If you touch her…!"
He remembered what happened on Fishman Island—how that one attack had annihilated John and killed every pirate and slaver in the vicinity with its shockwave.
Sanlong's heart tightened.
He ran even faster.
At this point, he still didn't know that Luo Han and Cole had also struck Mary Geoise.
If he did—he'd be running even faster.
(END CHAPTER)
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