Chapter 72: Adventures Across the Grand Line’s Shifting Skies

After surviving the perils of Reverse Mountain, Karl and his crew sailed for dozens of nautical miles and entered the Grand Line’s notorious region of bizarre weather.

A torrential downpour poured from above, the rain flooding into the cabin through the stairwell. The group quickly grabbed tools, bailing out water bucket after bucket and tossing it back into the sea.

After over an hour of frantic work, the skies finally began to clear.

But before they could celebrate, scorching sunlight beat down, leaving them a little dehydrated.

Luckily, the rainwater they’d just collected hadn’t been contaminated. It could serve as their supply of fresh water.

Just as they began to worry about running short on water, chilly autumn winds swept through and a massive whirlpool spun up across the waves.

Everyone scrambled to steer the ship clear of this natural disaster.

Once they’d safely escaped the danger, snowflakes started drifting from the sky. The crew rushed back inside to bundle up in thick clothes.

Sure enough, within moments, the snow came down in huge, fluffy clumps.

In only ten minutes, the snow on the deck was as high as a person’s head.

The group grabbed their tools again and cleared off the heavy snow, making sure the ship wouldn’t be crushed under the weight.

Then came hail, pounding from the sky. Each person did their part, smashing the ice chunks as they landed.

After this relentless gauntlet of extreme weather, only Karl seemed unfazed. The others were completely wiped out, sprawled out limply on the deck.

Jennifer came over in time, serving up ginger tea to keep everyone from catching a chill.

Finally, as they sailed out of that unpredictable stretch of sea, the skies cleared at last.

After a short break, everyone’s strength began to return. Karl wasted no time and pointed out their first destination.

“Let’s head straight for Jaya Island.”

Karl had already purchased an Eternal Pose for Jaya Island. Thompson took the device in hand and navigated alongside Hunter, setting sail for their target.

While Notty and Fields trained on the side, the rest of the crew spread out on deck and started an intense game of mahjong to pass the otherwise dull hours at sea.

“So that’s Jaya Island?”

Thompson eyed the Eternal Pose, shaking it from side to side. The pointer stayed fixed, aiming straight at the island ahead.

“Captain, we’ve reached Jaya Island!” Thompson called out.

“We made it?”

Karl was reclining in a chair, resting, when Thompson’s words reached him. He immediately focused, releasing his unique Observation Haki to sense the sky.

“Hunter, adjust course. Twenty nautical miles to port.”

Karl gave the order.

“Understood, Captain.”

Hunter quickly turned the helm.

“Captain, aren’t we going to land?”

Someone asked out of curiosity.

“Of course not. Today I’m going to show you something thrilling.”

Karl flashed a mysterious smile.

Soon, the ship approached the designated spot.

Karl pressed a button by his chair. He hadn’t spent the recent months idle.

In the last eight months, he’d acquired the blueprint for the Mohist mechanical beasts from the Legend of Qin as a prize.

After a thorough refit, their ship was now capable of flight.

With a little help from his Golden Light Spell, the vessel could easily soar high into the sky.

“Creak, creak!” the ship gave off an odd sound.

“Whoa, what’s going on?” someone cried out.

“This is so cool!” Fields ran over, eyes wide with excitement as he inspected the mechanism.

“Heh, this is our captain’s masterpiece—the Wings of Flight,” Hunter declared proudly. He was the only one who knew the ship could fly, having helped Karl rebuild it in secret.

“Alright, everyone hold on tight!” Karl shouted.

He pressed down on the ship’s controls and the Golden Light Spell erupted into dazzling radiance, spreading across the ship’s wings and powering up for takeoff.

Karl had taught the Golden Light Spell to the others, but only Notty and Fields had managed the basics. The rest weren’t interested or just couldn’t memorize the technique, maybe because their talent didn’t match up.

Still, after months of effort, they could just barely pull off utilitarian versions, giving them a bit of extra defense.

With great beating of wings, the ship rose off the water and soared upward. Jennifer, terrified of heights, collapsed onto the deck.

“You can’t be serious, Jennifer,”

Johnson hurried over and helped her up.

“Hahaha! You’re really afraid of heights?”

Fields ran up and hoisted Jennifer right off the deck.

Lifted into the air, Jennifer had a clear view as the sea dropped away. Her face went pale, her whole body twitching as she struggled to get free of Fields’ grip.

“Alright, enough Fields!”

Davis, the oldest and most reliable, stepped in.

“Don’t scare our doctor. If you get sick later, you’ll have only yourself to blame.”

Fields promptly put Jennifer down.

“Don’t get mad, okay? It was just a joke!”

Fields scrambled to explain.

Jennifer wasn’t having it. She shot Fields a glare, pouted, and marched toward the cabin. If she was afraid of heights, she’d just stop looking.

“Now what do I do?”

Fields looked lost, but Brown poured cold water on his mood.

“Figure it out yourself.”

Brown said coolly.

“Why do you always have to show up?”

Fields snapped back, annoyed.

“Alright, listen up. We’re about to arrive at Skypiea!”

A massive island, held aloft by white clouds and ringed with rainbows, shimmered ahead. The view was breathtaking.

“There really is a sky island!”

Everyone on board gasped in awe, as if they’d just discovered a hidden gem.

“I didn’t expect the islands in the sky to be this beautiful.”

They gazed at the scenery, feeling as though they’d stepped into a dreamlike paradise.

“I’ve got to get some photos—capture these moments for everyone!”

Jennifer came running back out, camera at the ready, eager to seize every happy second.

“Smile!”

She snapped away, each shot like a timeless memory frozen in joy.

“Thunk!”

The ship docked smoothly at the island’s edge. Karl turned and looked at everyone, almost as if asking, “Who’s staying with the ship?”

“I’ll stay behind.”

Davis volunteered without hesitation. He too wanted to explore Skypiea, but he understood someone needed to keep watch.

“Don’t worry, Uncle Davis. I’ll bring back something nice for you,”

Jennifer promised with a sunny smile.

“You’d better bring a lot back!”

Davis gave her head a gentle rub, obviously expecting good things.

“I’ll wait here for your good news,”

he called out, waving as the others set off.

“Alright, let’s get moving!”

Led by Karl, the crew set off into the island with eager steps.

No sooner had they landed than everyone felt a bit short of breath. Turned out the thin air up here was to blame.

After Karl explained, they paused to recover, then walked on toward the settlement.

“Stop!”

Suddenly, two native islanders with small wings rushed out from the jungle, mistaking them for enemies about to launch a sneak attack.

“Blue Sea people?”

They eyed the oddly dressed group with suspicion.

“Take me to Gan Fall!”

Karl stated his demand without hesitation.

“No way. You think we’d just let you meet the god?”

One young man flatly refused.

“Why do you want to see the god?”

The older man was more level-headed, trying to discern their purpose.

“Sorry, but my time is limited,”

Karl’s eyes grew sharp, and an invisible pressure filled the air.

He had come to Skypiea for two reasons—first, to establish a secret backup base here, and second, to launch a full search for the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. There was no point wasting time with these two.

Going straight to Gan Fall was the most efficient choice.

With Karl’s piercing gaze holding them, the two islanders felt like prey stared down by a leopard—a natural force pressing down from above.

They knew at once this man was a formidable force—one they couldn’t resist.

The older man turned pale, sweat pouring off him, but summoned his courage.

“P-please, follow me,”

The younger islander looked confused, whispering to his captain.

“Hey, is it really okay to take them to the god?”

“Enough!”

Even if the younger one didn’t get it, the captain surely did.

Someone who could unleash pressure so casually was not someone they could hope to challenge.

The two led the way, hopping through the woods.

Karl’s crew followed right behind.

About ten minutes later, guided by the pair, Karl and company reached a gigantic vine.

“The god lives up there.”

“How will you all get up?”

The older islander glanced skeptically at the new arrivals—tall and short, even some women. He doubted all of them were strong.

“Don’t worry about us. Just lead the way,” Karl replied.

“Whoosh!”

At Karl’s words, the captain said no more and led the way on his skates, sliding upward along with the younger islander.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

Hearing movement below, they glanced down.

They saw Karl’s group walking through the air—moving even faster than the locals.

Cold sweat broke out on both guides. They hadn’t expected all these outsiders could fly.

With no tricks to play, they simply sped up, hurrying ahead.

Soon, they reached Gan Fall’s palace—the Shrine of the God.

The area wasn’t actually that large—maybe the size of a college track field—fenced in by wooden rails, with a three-story pagoda at its center.

“Stop!”

“Who are these people?”

Just as they arrived, they ran into a palace guard.

The older captain replied at once.

“They’re Blue Sea dwellers. They say they want to meet the god!”

“Wait here, Blue Sea people. I’ll report to the god.”

But as he started to turn away, Karl’s calm voice sounded behind him.

“That’s not necessary.”

“Since we’ve come this far, I’ll just go in myself.”

“How dare you! You think you can walk in the god’s domain so casually?”

“Buzz!”

A crimson glint flashed in Karl’s eyes.

“Thud!”

“Thud!”

“Thud!”

The two guides and the guard collapsed to the ground.

“It’s not my first time witnessing it, but that pressure always makes you want to kneel…”

“That’s Conqueror’s Haki—one in a million can wield it!”

Notty looked on with envy.

Everyone else nodded in agreement.

“Alright, let’s pay this ‘god’ a visit.”

…