Wreathed in the clouds of the White Sea, the massive artificial island radiated a dreamlike aura.
The Shukaku was docked within a specialized berth on the artificial island, locked down by unique holding mechanisms to prevent any mishap during the descent.
However, upon reaching an altitude of 1,000 meters, the artificial sky island could no longer descend any further. From that point, the Shukaku had to make the drop on its own. For this purpose, technicians had retrofitted the vessel with specialized levitation airflow devices.
Compared to traditional methods of ascending and descending to and from Sky Island, this system was vastly safer.
Conversely, traveling up to Sky Island relied on the same artificial island of Weatheria: powered by the colossal thrust of a specialized geyser-like airflow shaft, vessels could be launched directly up onto the floating landmass.
As the Shukaku descended, specialized levitation Air Dials blasted out immense counter-pressure. Aided by octopus-type Sea Kings that functioned much like parachutes, the ship landed smoothly onto the ocean surface.
Yet the moment the Shukaku touched down, piercing alarm sirens echoed through the air. The landing zone selected by Weatheria happened to be right within the boundaries of the Calm Belt!
The Calm Belt—the treacherous strips of water flanking both sides of the Grand Line. Devoid of ocean currents and natural winds, it was a graveyard for sailing ships of the pirate era. Worse still, it served as the nesting grounds for countless giant Sea Kings, amplifying its lethality tenfold.
Weatheria typically chose the Calm Belt as a descent point to avoid detection by the Marines or rival pirate fleets. But doing so carried inherent risks—such as running straight into a Sea King migration!
Over a hundred massive Sea Kings gathered on both flanks of the sea, an extraordinarily rare phenomenon. Clearly, the crew's luck was abysmal: they had stumbled directly into a mass migration of ocean beasts.
A cluster of creatures resembling giant, prehistoric crocodiles fixed their bloodshot eyes on the Shukaku. Unlike ordinary Sea Kings, Shiraishi could sense the sheer ferocity and volatility radiating from these beasts.
"Leave these Sea Kings to me..."
Shiraishi raised his Deep Sea Gauntlet. As his palms balanced Yin and Yang, the Nihilego-embossed Poison Gem on his right hand resonated with the newly acquired Dragon Gem on his left.
The synergy between the Poison and Dragon Gems triggered a unique weapon transformation. A specialized Naganadel hilt synthesized around Shiraishi's silver blade, causing a cold, razor-sharp light to burst forth in an instant.
The Deep Sea Gauntlet was split into left and right components. The gems embedded on the right hand bore distinct biological emblems: the Ice Gem represented Articuno, while the Poison Gem represented Nihilego.
The third gem was set on the left hand. Unlike the right hand's creature emblems, the gems on the left hand represented specialized auxiliary attribute crests.
Back in the temple of Birka, alongside securing the Rumble-Rumble Fruit (Goro Goro no Mi), Shiraishi had unexpectedly discovered a hidden attribute gem concealed inside the Thunder God statue. When he retrieved it, no creature emblem appeared—only a pure elemental attribute mark.
Having designed and forged the Deep Sea Gauntlet himself, Shiraishi had correctly deduced that the left-hand gems served a fundamentally different function than their right-hand counterparts.
Empowered by the Naganadel hilt, a subtle silver radiance swirled along the length of his blade. Shiraishi swung horizontally; a violent arc of sword-light severed the head of a massive Sea King, causing the silver sword to glow with an even more intense light.
It was practically a cursed blade...
The Naganadel hilt granted Shiraishi's weapon the lethal Fell Stinger effect: whenever it delivered a finishing blow, the silver sword's destructive power scaled up significantly. This was the essence of Fell Stinger—a stackable combat buff.
Though classified as an auxiliary transformation, it was an invaluable god-tier armament for Shiraishi's close-quarters combat, equivalent to continuously stacking offensive buffs mid-battle!
Shiraishi danced across the ocean surface, systematically slaughtering the Sea Kings. Watching their captain's frenzy, the crew simply watched on, long accustomed to his terrifying power.
Half a day later, over a hundred massive Sea Kings lay dead at Shiraishi's feet. Crimson blood stained the vast expanse of ocean. The silver blade in Shiraishi's hand had turned a deep, dripping red, radiating a suffocating murderous aura.
With a swift flick, he sheathed the sword. The Naganadel hilt dissolved, and tranquility returned to the sea.
Nine biological host gems... nine auxiliary modifier gems...
That makes a total of thirty-six unique equipment combinations...
"That guy got stronger again," Uchiha Madara muttered, narrowing his eyes. His hand gripped his Kaishūtō, itching for a fight. Shiraishi's flawless performance had ignited his own battle instinct, unleashing a surge of fighting spirit that even made Shiraishi cast a side-glance.
"Now that Sky Island is secured, the Captain's next target must be the entire Grand Line!" Moyard and the veteran crew members declared with gleaming eyes. The stronger their captain proved to be, the more prosperous their lives as pirates would become.
Setting sail once more, the Sunagakure Pirates were about to plunge into the chaotic era sweeping the Grand Line. With Sky Island established as an unassailable rear fortress, Shiraishi's sights were firmly set on the Blue Sea.
With artificial islands like Weatheria capable of controlled ascent and descent, Shiraishi had recruited enough skilled engineers to plan a network of similar lift-islands across multiple sectors of Sky Island, ensuring seamless movement for his crew.
The White Sea realm was vast. Beyond populated centers like Upper Yard and Birka, there existed numerous smaller sky islands whose underlying atmospheres linked directly to different ocean zones below.
According to his knowledge of the world, certain sectors of Sky Island sat directly above the New World. In truth, crossing through the skies offered a third, hidden route into the second half of the Grand Line.
From the very beginning, Shiraishi had prioritized Sky Island as a strategic nexus. Only with a secure rear could the Sunagakure Pirates reach the pinnacle of power.
Sky Island was a natural fortress—the White Sea was notoriously difficult to attack and effortless to defend. Ordinary ships attempting an invasion had to rely on the erratic knock-up streams near Jaya, which carried a high risk of destroying vessels mid-ascent.
Hence, Shiraishi took special care in governing the skies. Drawing on his decades of experience as the Kazekage, he applied a policy of trust: local deities like Gan Fall and Ohm managed civil governance and public welfare, while Shiraishi's faction focused on expanding and fortifying the outer perimeter.
As Sky Island's defensive military grew and Shiraishi introduced Teleport Den Den Mushi to keep the native Angels informed of global affairs, the Sunagakure Pirates' hold on the skies became truly rock-solid.
Shiraishi had spent nearly two full years consolidating his rule over Sky Island—a testament to how intricate and demanding real territorial governance actually was.
Unlike Enel's oppressive reign, Shiraishi chose a balanced, diplomatic approach. Over time, the native populace willingly embraced the new status quo.
Engine thrusters roared as the Shukaku expelled powerful bursts of kinetic air, slowly guiding the warship out of the Calm Belt. After two years of preparation and refitting, the revamped Shukaku was back on the open seas.
This time, the descent zone chosen by Weatheria sat adjacent to the Red Line.
Before long, Reverse Mountain appeared on the horizon once more...
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