"Huh? You're asking me what name would sound good for the village?"
Ash looked genuinely puzzled.
After listening to the elders' reasoning, he suddenly laughed. "Something like this calls for brainstorming. Let everyone throw out suggestions, then we'll choose together."
And so, the naming debate began with full enthusiasm.
Those who proposed obvious names like Sky Island Village or God Island Village were immediately dismissed and sent back to scrubbing the city clean.
Those who suggested overly sentimental titles such as Harmony Village, Eternal Village, Friendship Village, or Peace Village met the same fate. Moss removal duty awaited them.
In the end, it was Sali's suggestion that won unanimous approval.
The name carried meaning. It honored their past while symbolizing a new beginning. It felt commemorative rather than decorative.
The Village Chief and Elder Kan Qi were especially satisfied.
"Cathay (Huaxia) Village?"
Ash, who had been conveniently absent during most of the discussion, stared in surprise when he heard the final selection.
How had this turned into something about him?
He had deliberately kept a low profile, yet the matter had circled back.
The reason it was still considered "selected" and not officially confirmed was simple.
The name came from Ash's homeland.
Sali and the others, after learning more about the Grand Line, had confirmed that no nation named Cathay existed among the known member states of the World Government. Its location remained unknown. Still, they believed without doubt that such a place had once existed.
After all, they wielded power derived from ancient myths.
Unlike typical Devil Fruit users, they did not fear the sea. They could fish daily without losing their abilities. That alone defied common understanding of Devil Fruits.
If such miraculous strength did not originate from a legendary ancient civilization, then where had it come from? Surely not from Ash casually granting it to them.
So whether the name would stand depended entirely on him.
Ash pointed at himself incredulously. "So after all that, the decision comes back to me?"
"First you asked what name sounded good. Now you're asking whether Cathay Village is acceptable?"
Sali and the others nodded. Exactly.
Ash laughed freely. "If you like it, then use it."
"Awoo, from today onward, we are villagers of Cathay Village!" Pini shouted, raising his arms. Dicken and the others cheered alongside him.
Among the youth, many had become fascinated by the mythology. They admired the brilliance of that ancient civilization, the legends of beings who shaped heaven and earth.
Now, in a way, they felt connected to it.
Watching the villagers celebrate and call for a banquet, a faint smile formed on Ash's lips.
Sali placed an arm around Ash's shoulder and lowered his voice.
"Grandpa said naming it Cathay Village would give us pride and confidence. But more importantly, it gives you a place to belong."
He chuckled softly. "For someone who has drifted for years, it matters to know that home is behind you."
Ash's eyes shimmered faintly, but he quickly grinned.
"If there's a banquet, I'll go catch Sea Kings from the White Sea!"
He vanished in an instant.
Sali's lips curved upward. "Brat. Embarrassed, aren't you?"
The next morning, after a night of celebration, most of Cathay Village still slept.
At the edge of God's Island, several elders and young leaders like Sali gathered to see Ash and the others off.
After repeated reminders and farewells, smiles were exchanged and nods given. Reluctantly, they parted.
The six passenger ships from the relocation fleet were still brand new. Ash had considered modifying one, but abandoned the idea. Instead, he chose the pirate ship salvaged from the Wolf Guzzling Pirate Crew to carry the five of them.
"First stop?" Youki asked excitedly. This was his first voyage with Ash.
"Following the route, next would be Long Ring Long Land," Ash replied thoughtfully. "But we have a Log Pose set to Water Seven. We can head straight there."
He paused briefly.
"Dropping to Jaya and sailing normally would take too long. We'll go to the End of the Clouds and descend through the Cloud River instead. Much faster."
He smiled faintly. "Freefall is efficient."
Kirk raised a brow. "I'm more concerned whether this ship survives your idea."
"If it breaks, we'll get another one," Youki laughed. "I never liked this ship anyway. It smells."
"Bro Ash, don't forget I can't fly," Little Tail Saci added quickly.
Youki slung an arm around him. "Relax. I've got you."
They sailed into the lower layer of the White White Sea, the White Sea itself.
"So the lower layer of the White White Sea is the White Sea?" Youki looked around in fascination. "Ten thousand meters above the Blue Sea and it's layered like this."
Saci scanned the horizon. "No island clouds here. No land, no people. Just endless clouds."
"Not quite," Kirk said, pointing ahead.
A structure stood atop an island cloud in the distance.
"The End of the Clouds," Ash said calmly. "Everyone, furl the sails."
They moved quickly.
Saci stared at the peculiar gate structure. "Once we pass through there, we return to the Blue Sea?"
"Yes. We follow the Cloud River down," Ash replied. "Hold tight."
"Hold tight?" Kirk repeated.
"We're descending."
"Descending?!"
The ship exited the narrow canal.
In the next instant, it plunged into open air.
"Ahhh!"
"Bro Ash, you're serious?!"
"Ash, what kind of joke is this?"
Youki and Kirk instinctively prepared to use their abilities to stabilize the ship.
But Ash had already drawn a whistle.
He inhaled deeply and blew.
A sharp blast echoed.
The Cloud Sea churned violently.
A massive octopus burst upward, tentacles wrapping tightly around the falling ship. Its body inflated rapidly, expanding like a massive balloon.
The descent slowed.
Saci clung to the mast. "Is this… a hot air balloon? I thought we were dead!"
"A Sky Island specialty," Ash laughed. "The Octopus Hot Air Balloon. Isn't it fun?"
"Fun? Couldn't you warn us?" Youki and Kirk delivered synchronized flying kicks to his backside.
Ash dusted himself off and laughed loudly.
From the moment he chose to depart, he had anticipated this scene. He had no intention of missing it.
"Wahaha, this is incredible!"
Saci quickly forgot his earlier panic and scrambled up to the crow's nest to inspect the inflated octopus canopy.
Then it came.
Dong.
Dong.
Dong.
The deep, resonant toll of the Golden Bell echoed across the sky.
Ash's grin faded slightly. Youki and the Kirk siblings looked upward toward the distant White White Sea.
"This…"
"Grandpa and Bro are seeing us off!" Saci shouted from above. "I heard them talking about it!"
He leaned over the railing.
"They said travelers should always know the direction of home. And they should hear the farewell song of their family!"
The bell continued to ring, its sound traveling through the clouds, guiding them downward toward the vast Blue Sea.
===
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