Ten seconds... twenty... thirty. Silence. No blue lightning tore through the sky, and no divine judgment descended from the heavens. Krieg finally let out a long, measured breath, the tension leaving his shoulders.
His crew watched him with bewildered expressions, having just seen their commander don a heavy rubber suit and scream insults at the clouds like a madman.
「What was that all about, Boss? Screaming like that all of a sudden...」 Gin asked, scratching his head.
「Ah, nothing. Just checking for a potential headache I was worried about. Don't mind me,」 Krieg replied, stripping off the stifling rubber suit.
As they walked toward the treeline, Krieg's mind raced. Enel isn't here yet. That was the only conclusion. Since he didn't remember the exact year the "God" had usurped Skypiea, it had been a gamble, but luck was on his side. It explained the lack of an immigration gate and the "Beaver-Grandmother" checkpoint—those were likely Enel's later impositions.
「Alright, Sigma, circle around by sea. Stay out of sight of the locals and look for any large landmasses. Careful, though—this sea has no bottom. Kafu, aerial recon. Cotton... it's a bit cramped, but stay in my pocket for now. Gin, Tesoro, just relax on the beach for a bit. I'm going to find the residents.」
As Kafu took flight and Sigma slipped into the white waves, Krieg headed toward the buildings he'd spotted earlier. He didn't have to walk far.
「Heso!!」
A young girl's voice chirped. She looked about ten years old, with blonde hair tied in twin tails and two peculiar tufts of hair standing up like antennae. And, most notably, a pair of small, downy wings on her back.
Right, the Sky Island greeting, Krieg remembered.
「Heso. Are you a local, young lady?」
「I'm Conis! I live here on this island! Did you come from the Blue Sea?」
「Yeah. I'm Krieg. I have a few things I'd like to ask. Are your parents around?」
「My father is at the Cloud-Cutting station! He should be back any minute.」
「In that case, do you mind if we wait at the beach for a bit?」
「Of course! Follow me!」
As they walked, a tiny whisper came from Krieg's pocket. 「What does 'Heso' mean-less?」
「It's just how they say hello here,」 Krieg muttered back.
When they reached the beach where the others were lounging, Conis bowed politely. 「This is Angel Beach in Skypiea! Everything must look strange since you're from the Blue Sea, so please let me know if you need anything!」
「So you're from around here?」 Tesoro approached, holding a Conash fruit Krieg had sliced earlier. 「Hey, kid, I opened this thing, but I have no idea how you're supposed to actually eat it. It's like biting a cannonball.」
Conis tilted her head. 「Oh, that's a Conash! It's iron-hard on the outside, so you have to... here, let me help.」 She took the fruit, flipped it over, deftly carved a small hole in the center with a knife, and popped a straw in. 「This is how you drink it!」
Tesoro took a sip and his eyes widened. 「Whoa! This is incredible! Hey, Krieg, you gotta try this!!」
Krieg took a sip when it was passed to him. Even a guy who eats gold-leaf steak for breakfast is impressed, he thought. Not bad.
「Are you our guide then, Conis?」
「Yes! Travelers from the Blue Sea are rare, so my father and I like to help out! Oh... speaking of which, he's back!」
Conis waved toward the hills. A small figure was descending the white stairs.
「Conis-san! Heso!!」
「Heso! Father!!」
Tesoro leaned toward Krieg. 「...Hey, Krieg. What the hell is a 'Heso'?」
「Just go with it. When in Rome,」 Krieg whispered back.
「Father! These people came all the way from the Blue Sea!」
「Is that so? You must be very confused by our customs. My apologies,」 the man said, bowing deeply. He was a man with a thick mustache, thinning hair with the same "antenna" style, and wings.
「No need to apologize. I'm Krieg. We're just here for... well, sightseeing, mostly.」
「Oh, how rude of me. My name is Pagaya. My apologies!」
Why does he apologize for everything? Krieg wondered, but he kept his face neutral. 「Pagaya-san, we'd love to hear more about this place if you have the time.」
「Of course! Please, come to our home! It's nearly lunchtime; I'll prepare a meal for you all!」
And so, the "Vanguard" followed the humble citizen toward a house built on the clouds.
The Sky's Divergence:
From the information gathered over Pagaya's delicious home-cooked meal, the current state of Skypiea became clear.
The title of "God" is currently held by Gan Fall, a man who seems to rule with a moderate hand.
While the native Shandia tribes remain in conflict with the Skypieans over the "Upper Yard"—the sacred land of Vearth—they are currently in the middle of fragile coexistence talks rather than open warfare.
Pagaya warned the group sternly to stay away from the Upper Yard, as the Shandia warriors are known to be fierce and protective.
I'm going there anyway, though, Krieg thought.
In the original story, the usurper Enel had already overthrown Gan Fall, turning the country into a lightning-scorched dystopia. But in this timeline, the "God" is still the old knight.
This meant the immediate threat of being struck by lightning for "crimes" was gone, but the danger of walking into a territorial war between Gan Fall's Divine Squad and the Shandia was very real.
Since Gan Fall is a pacifist and Enel hasn't arrived to stir the pot, the primary risk was a misunderstanding with the Shandia warriors.
The Hunt for Dials
「By the way, Pagaya-san, do you know where we can purchase some Dials?」 Krieg asked as he finished a dish of local sky-seafood.
「Oh? I thought Blue Sea dwellers didn't know about Dials...」
「A few of us do. They occasionally find their way to the surface, and they're highly valued for their utility.」
「I see. There are many types—is there something specific you're looking for?」
「To be honest, I'm looking for Jet Dials... among others.」
Pagaya shook his head. 「Jet Dials are an endangered species; you won't find them in shops. You might find the weaker Breath Dials, though. If you want to shop, Lovely Street is the main commercial district. Would you like me to show you the way?」
「No, we'll find it. We want to do some sightseeing along the way. Thank you for the meal; we'll stop by again before we head back. See ya, Conis-chan!」
The group waved goodbye to the father and daughter and headed toward the bustling Lovely Street.
Capitalism in the Clouds
Lovely Street was vibrant. Skypieans with their distinctive wing-stubs and antennae hairstyles filled the avenues.
「Everyone's got wings-less, just like that father and daughter-less,」 Cotton whispered from Krieg's pocket.
「The currency here isn't Berries, though; it's Extols,」 Krieg noted. While he had brought plenty of Berries (remembering the exorbitant entry fees from the original story), he currently lacked local cash.
To fix this, he negotiated with a local shopkeeper to rent a small space under an awning and laid out a spread of Blue Sea goods.
「Step right up! Rare goods from the Blue Sea! Tempered steel, refined wood, glass, fabrics, and jewelry! Get them while they last!!」
The stall was an instant hit. Materials like steel and wood are precious "Vearth" products in the sky. Within a couple of hours, Krieg had a mountain of Extols.
As he was counting the currency, Tesoro leaned in. 「Hey... wouldn't it have been easier to just find a currency exchange for those Berries we brought?」
Krieg froze, a stack of Extols halfway to his bag. 「...It's about... community engagement. Building rapport with the locals. Yeah, that.」
Tesoro gave him a deadpan look. 「Sure. Whatever you say. So, are we buying those Dials now?」
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