"Hancock, let's make the most of this trip — and enjoy ourselves properly!"
"Mhm!"
And so, the two began more than twenty days of carefree, shameless indulgence.
At every island they stopped on, they'd stay for three days — though in truth, less than half a day was spent actually sightseeing.
(Those who know, know.)
Of course, their journey wasn't just about pleasure. Malverick also gained quite a bit along the way.
He even obtained a Devil Fruit — the Munch-Munch Fruit (Baku Baku no Mi), once belonging to the Drum Kingdom's foolish king, Wapol.
During their stop at Drum Island to admire the snow, that witless man dared to covet Hancock's beauty. Malverick promptly reduced him to a smear of flesh — and naturally claimed his Devil Fruit power.
As for who would receive it? Malverick already had someone in mind — Xiaobi, the Hundred-Armed Giant imperial arm.
Xiaobi loved to eat, after all — and combined with the Munch-Munch Fruit's ability, Malverick was eager to see what kind of monster she would become.
After killing Wapol, Malverick earned himself yet another crime in the eyes of the World Government —
"The murder of a monarch of a World Government member nation."
Though Drum Island wasn't particularly wealthy, it was still a member state, and that was enough.
His bounty skyrocketed once again — to an astonishing 800 million berries!
That was the official number, at least. Secretly, Steelbone Kong issued a private bounty from his own pocket: an additional 500 million berries.
Meaning that anyone who managed to capture Malverick alive would receive a total of 1.3 billion berries — 800 million from the government, and 500 million straight from Kong himself.
Looking at his new wanted poster, Malverick chuckled dismissively.
"Only 800 million? That's insulting."
Zoro alone was his subordinate now — and Malverick's total assets exceeded 60 billion berries.
And truthfully, there weren't many people in the world capable of capturing him. Practically none.
"What are you looking at, my love?"
Hancock slipped up behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Nothing special — just my new wanted poster."
He turned and drew her slender figure into his arms.
Fresh from a bath, Hancock's damp hair and glistening skin carried a faint, intoxicating allure.
No matter how many times he looked, her beauty never failed to captivate him completely.
Feeling his burning gaze, Hancock's cheeks flushed a soft pink.
She'd long since learned what that look meant.
In the next instant, she let the towel slip from her body.
"I can always bathe again afterward."
Two baths were nothing, after all.
Hearing that, Malverick could no longer restrain himself. He swept her into his arms.
"What are we waiting for? Let's bathe together — right now."
"Mm."
With a shy nod, Hancock allowed herself to be carried into the bath.
After half a month of wandering, the two finally reached their intended destination.
Looking at the oddly shaped island below, Hancock tilted her head in confusion.
The island wasn't very large — nor did it look particularly interesting. Why come here?
"Our destination isn't this island below," Malverick said with a grin, "it's above it."
"Above?"
Hancock looked upward — but saw only open sky.
"Hahaha! You won't see it from here — it's far too high up!"
Yes — they were standing on Jaya Island, but that wasn't their goal.
Their true destination lay ten thousand meters above — the Sky Island!
"Come on, I'll show you the world above the clouds."
As he spoke, Malverick summoned his imperial arm — Mostima, the Thousand-Mile Flight.
In the blink of an eye, the two shot upward toward the heavens.
At Mostima's speed, ten thousand meters took only moments.
They pierced through the thick sea of clouds — the Imperial Cumulus that formed the very foundation of the sky islands. Without it, the islands could not exist above the world below.
After a moment of darkness, dazzling light burst forth — and the two emerged into a world of pure white.
Everywhere they looked: endless white.
"Sky Island… long time no see."
Malverick had been here once before — back in the days of the Roger Pirates.
It was here that Roger and his crew had found the legendary City of Gold and the Golden Bell.
Roger himself had even carved an ancient inscription beneath the bell — something Malverick had witnessed with his own eyes.
But this time, he wasn't here for gold or the bell.
Bringing Hancock to see the Sky Island was part of it — but his true purpose was far greater:
The Rumble-Rumble Fruit (Goro Goro no Mi).
Among all Logia fruits, it ranked near the very top.
Unfortunately, its current owner was a rather disappointing man.
To keep such a fruit from being wasted, Malverick felt obliged to "reassign" it.
Purely for the sake of the fruit, of course — no personal motives at all.
"Come on," he said. "Let's take a look around Sky Island first."
He wasn't in a rush — after all, there wasn't anyone up here who could compete with him for the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Besides Malverick and Hancock, there was only Enel, the self-proclaimed god of Skypiea — and the fruit's current user.
And if Enel didn't hand it over willingly? Malverick would simply take it.
No big deal.
Thanks to the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Enel's Observation Haki (Mantra) covered the entire island.
Malverick didn't need to look for him — Enel would come on his own.
"Alright." Hancock nodded.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance to the Sky Island — Heaven's Gate.
A vast sea of white clouds stretched before them — dazzling, yet dull.
"Wait!"
Just as they were about to pass through, a voice called out.
An elderly woman, her face lined with wrinkles, approached them holding a camera. She snapped several photos of the two.
"To enter Sky Island, you must pay a fee. Each person—"
The last time Malverick came here, Enel hadn't yet taken control, so there'd been no such "entry fee."
But under Enel's rule, such rules now existed.
"Forget it," Malverick interrupted. "Even if I had money, I wouldn't pay."
With that, he took Hancock's hand and flew straight past her.
The old woman didn't try to stop them — she simply reached for her Den Den Mushi and contacted Skypiea's police force.
~~--------------------------
Patreon Advanced Chapters:
patreon.com/FrostWarden