The companions walked up the steps made of soft clouds, ascending little by little as if they were stepping into the heavens themselves.
"What a beautiful sight!" Nami said, her eyes sparkling as she gazed around.
Everyone found the scenery new and dazzling.
Chopper hopped along happily, giggling. "Hehe! So much fun! It feels so soft and springy to walk on!"
Luffy leaned forward, spotting a busy area by the white cloud river in the distance. He shouted excitedly, "Hey! Look over there! They're working on the clouds!"
Shirogai scanned the bustling workers of Sky Island with his sharp gaze.
[Host observed: Master of Perfect Cloud Forging Technique. Acquired: Master-level Cloud Forging Technique.]
The system's voice echoed in his mind.
Usopp scratched his head curiously. "Wow! Is that like… a construction site or something?"
Pagaya chuckled warmly. "That's a cloud quarry. It's where we mine and process clouds."
"Cloud quarry?" Zoro muttered with his hand resting on his katana. "That's a strange name."
Shirogai smiled faintly. "Think of it like a quarry in the Blue Sea. Instead of stone, they process clouds."
"Oh! So cloud mining is like rock mining!" Usopp slapped his palm in sudden realization.
"Hehehe! That sounds fun!" Luffy's eyes gleamed. He turned to Pagaya. "Uncle, can we try it?"
Pagaya smiled awkwardly. "Sorry, Luffy, that's serious work. We can't let outsiders mess around there."
"Aww, what a shame…" Luffy drooped, but before anyone could console him—
"Wow! So fun!" Luffy had already bounced away, jumping on a nearby puff of cloud like a child on a trampoline.
"Hehe! It's like a springy mattress!" Chopper and Usopp quickly joined in, laughing as they bounced around too.
Conis covered her mouth and chuckled at the sight.
"Don't mind them," Shirogai said calmly, watching his crewmates with his usual faint smile. "They're natural optimists. Nothing keeps them down."
Conis gave him a light, admiring laugh. "Your crew seems so lively and happy… I can tell you're all close."
Shirogai's expression softened, though his tone stayed calm. "They may look unreliable, but they bring joy wherever they go. Perhaps even to Angel Island, Miss Conis."
"Joy to Angel Island…?" Conis whispered, shaking her head faintly. There was a trace of bitterness in her voice, though she said nothing more.
Shirogai walked on silently with the others.
Sanji, who had been waiting for his chance, appeared at Conis's side with a gentlemanly bow. "Miss Conis, if you like, I could tell you about our crew's heroic deeds."
"Oh, Sanji San…" Conis hesitated, then lowered her voice shyly. "Could you tell me instead about Shirogai San's deeds?"
"What?!" Sanji froze as if lightning struck him. His eyes widened in outrage as he glared at Shirogai's back. "That greedy bastard is stealing all the attention again!"
Shirogai glanced back with his usual nonchalant shrug, as though the matter had nothing to do with him.
Sanji ground his teeth, muttering under his breath, "You damn perverted kappa…" Then his eyes lit up mischievously. "Alright then, Miss Conis, let me tell you about the heartless Shirogai and the poor princess whose heart he broke…"
Conis leaned in, listening eagerly, while Sanji puffed out his chest proudly. In his mind, he thought, Hehe! Once she hears this, she'll lose interest in that smug bastard for sure!
…
Meanwhile, Pagaya explained to the others. "There are two main types of natural clouds on Sky Island. First, the sea clouds, which you traveled through when you arrived. Second, the solid island clouds, which form the ground beneath our feet."
Zoro frowned. "Why do these clouds become solid when normal ones don't?"
"In the Blue Sea, you have a mineral called Sea Stone. Within it is a rare component known as pyroxene crystals," Pagaya explained. "When volcanic eruptions launch these particles into the air, they mix with water vapor, changing its density. That is how sea clouds and island clouds are formed."
The Straw Hats blinked in surprise.
"Whoa! So Shirogai was right!" Usopp gasped.
"Yes. But artificially recreating that effect is almost impossible," Paggaya said with a shake of his head.
Shirogai's lips curved faintly, though he didn't respond. In truth, he had already worked out the synthesis himself. The thought of forging his own artificial Sky Islands lingered in his mind.
"The quarry compresses and reshapes island clouds into materials for all kinds of uses," Pagaya continued.
Shirogai's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. What would happen if I merged my smoke with these clouds?
When no one was paying attention, he quietly released a wisp of pale smoke into the island cloud beneath their feet. The cloud absorbed it seamlessly, its color darkening slightly to gray.
A faint whisper of lost souls echoed in the air.
"Hmm?" The crew froze, glancing around.
"Was that… crying?" Luffy tilted his head, confused.
Usopp and Chopper clung to each other, trembling. "L-Luffy, don't joke like that!"
But then, a childlike sob echoed from behind Usopp.
"G-Ghost!!" Usopp screamed, his eyes bulging as he bolted into the middle of the group. "Pagaya San! Do Sky Islands have ghosts?!"
Pagaya looked bewildered. "Ghosts? I've never heard of such a thing here."
Calmly, Shirogai suppressed the aura within the cloud, silencing the revenants hidden inside. "It's just the wind," he said smoothly. "You probably misheard it."
"See, Chopper? Nothing to be scared of," Zoro muttered.
But Chopper had already fainted, his little body twitching as he whimpered, "G-ghost…"
Shirogai stayed silent, hiding the satisfaction in his eyes. The test was successful—the clouds could host the revenants of the Land of Finality. If infused across Sky Island, the clouds themselves could become a defensive shield strong enough to repel even Admirals or Yonko.
In his mind, a tiny chibi version of himself grinned slyly. Sky Island will be the perfect base. Perhaps it's time I contacted those people I've left waiting…
---