Two days later…
The waters surrounding Jaya had become unusually restless.
Dark clouds blanketed the sky, thunder rolled endlessly overhead, and violent waves crashed against the sea with enough force to shatter ordinary vessels. The atmosphere itself felt oppressive, as though nature were preparing to unveil one of the Grand Line's hidden miracles.
Upon the deck of the Marine warship, every sailor stood at attention.
"Rear Admiral! Everything is prepared!"
Riva stepped forward and reported respectfully while looking toward Saint Roselith Seraphina, who stood silently near the bow of the ship.
Her silver hair fluttered in the roaring sea wind.
Her blind eyes remained closed.
Yet everyone aboard understood something terrifyingly clear.
Even without sight, Seraphina perceived more than anyone else on the ship.
Her Kenbunshoku Haki had already expanded deep beneath the ocean floor itself.
Sometimes, Riva genuinely wondered how she had reached such a monstrous level despite her blindness. It was almost as if losing her eyesight had sharpened her other senses beyond human limits.
Seraphina gave only a faint nod.
No verbal response came afterward.
Because her awareness was no longer focused on the people around her.
It had already descended into the depths below the sea.
The ocean currents…
The underground caverns…
The violent pressure building beneath the seabed…
She could feel it all.
Then
Her lips parted slightly.
"It's coming."
The moment those words fell, the atmosphere aboard the warship instantly changed.
Seraphina expanded her Observation Haki to its absolute limit.
Although Cricket had accurately estimated the general timeframe of the Knock-Up Stream's eruption, the precise timing still required direct observation.
And now…
She sensed it.
A massive warm current surged through the depths of the ocean before being violently swallowed into a gigantic hollow beneath the seabed.
Moments later, the surrounding tides began to distort.
Waves started crashing against one another in reverse patterns, forming an enormous whirlpool across the sea.
"Everyone prepare yourselves!"
"Full speed ahead! One thousand five hundred meters northeast!"
Seraphina turned sharply, her silver hair swaying behind her as her calm voice echoed across the deck.
"Yes, Rear Admiral!"
The Marines immediately obeyed.
The warship surged forward through the raging sea.
Lightning split the heavens.
Thunder roared continuously.
Below the ocean surface, violent undercurrents twisted together as boiling pressure accumulated within the abyss beneath the seabed.
Schools of fish fled in terror.
Sea Kings lurking nearby retreated instinctively.
Even beasts of the ocean could sense disaster approaching.
Soon, the warship arrived at its designated position.
Cricket immediately rushed toward the railing with a telescope in hand.
"It's the island cloud!"
"The cloud mass above Skypiea is drifting from the southwest!"
"It's aligned perfectly with the center of the whirlpool!"
"There's no deviation!"
His voice trembled with excitement.
After years of studying the sea around Jaya, he knew exactly what this meant.
There was no mistake.
The Sky Island truly existed overhead.
The dark clouds above continued gathering together until they resembled a giant black curtain swallowing the heavens themselves.
Then
The sea exploded.
"It's starting!"
"Everyone hold onto the ship!"
Seraphina's voice rang out once more.
The ocean suddenly rose violently as gigantic waves smashed against the warship from every direction.
The vessel shook intensely.
Any ordinary ship would already have capsized.
Fortunately, this warship was far from ordinary.
It had been specially modified using wood from the Treasure Tree Adam itself. Vast sums of money had been invested into its construction, giving it durability far beyond standard Marine vessels.
Even so, the pressure from the sea remained overwhelming.
"The whirlpool path has formed!"
"We have to enter now!"
Cricket pointed toward the center of the ocean where a gigantic spiraling vortex had opened like the mouth of a monster.
"We follow the current upward!"
However, the Marines instinctively looked toward Seraphina instead of acting immediately.
No matter how experienced Cricket was, their true commander remained her.
"Follow his instructions."
"He is the operation advisor for this mission."
Seraphina approved the order without hesitation.
"Yes!"
The warship immediately changed course and charged directly toward the center of the whirlpool.
Kuina stared at the terrifying vortex ahead, her face pale.
"What a monstrous whirlpool…"
"It feels like it could swallow an entire island…"
From her perspective, the center of the sea resembled a bottomless abyss.
Even Cricket's forehead was covered in cold sweat.
"There's still time to turn back…"
His voice carried obvious nervousness.
Once they entered the whirlpool, retreat would become impossible.
Riva immediately laughed.
"Cone-head, don't underestimate the Marines."
"No Marine worthy of justice retreats halfway through an adventure like this."
Cricket stared blankly for a moment before letting out a bitter laugh.
"You people really are insane…"
Yet strangely enough…
That fear inside his heart gradually faded.
Perhaps this was why the Marines ruled the seas.
The warship finally entered the center of the whirlpool.
For one brief second
Everything became eerily calm.
Then
BOOOOOOM!!!
The sea erupted.
A colossal pillar of water burst upward from beneath the ocean floor with apocalyptic force.
The sheer diameter of the Knock-Up Stream dwarfed the Marine warship entirely.
It ascended toward the heavens like a giant spear piercing the sky itself.
The warship was instantly launched upward alongside the massive current.
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!"
Some Marines screamed instinctively as the vessel tilted nearly vertical.
The sea beneath them rapidly disappeared.
Clouds rushed past them at unbelievable speed.
They were flying.
Actually flying.
"We're ascending!"
Cricket shouted excitedly while gripping the railing tightly.
"We're riding the Knock-Up Stream successfully!"
The pressure from the rising current became increasingly violent.
The roar of the ocean drowned out nearly every sound aboard the ship.
At that moment, Seraphina sensed the changing airflow surrounding the vessel.
Her expression shifted slightly.
"Sails!"
"Raise the sails immediately!"
The upward sea winds could now be used to stabilize the ship's ascent.
Unfortunately, between the thunder, roaring water, and hurricane-like winds, almost nobody heard her properly.
But one man did.
Bruce.
Without hesitation, he kicked off the deck using Geppo.
His figure shot into the air as he rapidly reached the mast.
He grabbed the ropes with immense strength and forcibly unfurled the sails himself.
WHOOSH!
The sails expanded instantly.
The warship stabilized considerably afterward.
Seeing this, Seraphina relaxed slightly.
Then her expression became serious once more.
Because she could already sense something else.
Something enormous.
Something hidden beyond the clouds above.
Her pale fingers slowly tightened around the hilt of Awakening of Insects.
This expedition was not merely about proving the existence of Skypiea anymore.
She had brought her subordinates here.
And she had no intention of allowing any of them to die.
Far above the clouds…
At the same moment…
Upper Yard.
"Gan Fall!"
"You old fool should've stayed obediently on your throne!"
Ohm laughed arrogantly while staring at the defeated former God of Skypiea lying upon the ground.
The Divine Soldiers surrounding the battlefield wore expressions of horror and disbelief.
Nobody had expected Gan Fall to lose.
Especially not this quickly.
Gan Fall coughed violently as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
Despite his injuries, there was no hatred in his eyes.
Only concern.
Concern for the people of Skypiea.
"Who exactly are you people?!"
The commander of the Divine Squad struggled to stand despite the severe burns covering his body.
His eyes remained fixed on the tall man with long earlobes standing ahead.
Eneru.
The lightning crackling around his body illuminated the battlefield with terrifying power.
Ohm stepped forward proudly.
"Allow me to formally introduce our new God!"
"From this day onward…"
"God Eneru shall rule Skypiea!"
Eneru remained silent, but the smug smile on his face showed obvious satisfaction.
Ohm truly understood how to please him.
Eneru slowly stepped onto Gan Fall's chest and looked down at everyone below him.
"I hereby declare Gan Fall a false god."
Blue lightning crackled violently around his body.
The overwhelming pressure alone made many Divine Soldiers tremble instinctively.
"Does anyone object?"
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Gan Fall struggled weakly beneath Eneru's foot.
"Lord Gan Fall!"
"You bastard! Don't underestimate us!"
The commander of the Divine Squad roared furiously and forced himself forward despite his injuries.
To him, Gan Fall had always been a righteous ruler.
A god who genuinely loved the people of Skypiea.
Someone worthy of respect.
Eneru slowly lifted his foot from Gan Fall.
Then
He extended one hand.
Blue-purple lightning gathered within his palm.
The surrounding air screamed violently.
"Enough!"
"Stop this madness!"
A sudden voice interrupted the battlefield.
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