Luffy slowly said, word by word.
"I've been looking for a Devil Fruit."
"It's a Logia-type Devil Fruit, the Mori Mori Fruit. Eating it allows one to control and manipulate plants!"
"But I heard it seems to have already been eaten by someone!"
So, I want you to find this person's location and exchange that information for the blueprints in my possession.
In fact, the Mori Mori Fruit was the fruit Luffy considered for Nojiko.
For Nojiko, this fruit should be the most suitable for her.
However, he doesn't know where Aramaki is right now.
It just so happened that he met Doflamingo, so he thought of using his connections and network to help him find Aramaki in advance.
Luffy knows that as their influence grows, the World Government will definitely not stand idly by.
Future developments will certainly not be like the original story, allowing them enough time to train.
So he has to increase the strength of his subordinates as soon as possible, lest they be unable to cope when encountering some powerful enemies.
After hearing Luffy's proposal, Doflamingo's eyes showed a thoughtful expression.
Using information about a Devil Fruit in exchange for an opportunity to make a huge sum of money is undoubtedly a very good deal.
However, he was a little curious: since Luffy knew that this fruit had already been eaten, why would he still look for it?
Even if he wanted to seize this fruit and kill the other party, it wouldn't necessarily respawn near him!
Doflamingo was at a loss as to this question.
But he also thought of a possibility.
That is, Luffy might have the ability to seize other people's fruits.
This speculation made Doflamingo's heart incredibly excited.
Having such an ability would undoubtedly make him a figure who would influence the world in the future.
What's more, the power Luffy is currently displaying has completely impressed Doflamingo.
If he could establish such a relationship, it would be of great benefit to him.
After some thought, Doflamingo looked at Luffy, a slight smile on his lips, and nodded.
"Deal!"
Seeing Doflamingo nod in agreement, Luffy exchanged contact information with Doflamingo, telling him to contact him when he found Aramaki's location.
At that time, they would proceed with the transaction.
Meanwhile, while Luffy and Doflamingo were negotiating, the Blackbeard pirates were hiding far away in the dark.
Van Auger, seeing that the battle between Luffy and Doflamingo had ended, asked Blackbeard.
"Captain, should we start fighting now?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard Blackbeard curse angrily.
"Fight my ass, run!"
His subordinates might not be able to tell, but he himself saw it clearly.
Luffy didn't use his full strength against Doflamingo; he didn't even use Haoshoku Haki Infusion.
He knew too little about Luffy.
He simply didn't know what the other party's true strength was.
However, even a figure like Doflamingo was so easily handled.
This made Blackbeard not dare to act rashly against Luffy.
After all, if Luffy really defeated him, he would truly kill him!
He dared not take this risk.
Moreover, he also knew that Luffy had likely already discovered their existence.
After all, they had been hiding here peeking, which seemed too out of place compared to the other people who had fled.
So, after leaving a remark, Blackbeard took the remaining few subordinates and ran away.
On Luffy's side, he had already made an agreement with Doflamingo.
He was about to go check on the several unusual auras he had sensed earlier, but then he found that the other party had also started to flee.
Luffy was too lazy to bother with them anymore.
He called Vivi and went back to the East Blue coast with her.
...Jaya Island, East Blue Coast!
When Luffy and Vivi rushed back.
Cricket and Shoujou's injuries had recovered quite a bit after Chopper's treatment.
They were currently working with the rest of the crew to modify the Merry.
"Everyone, we're back!"
While still in the sky, Vivi excitedly greeted the people below.
As she finished speaking, she had already landed with Luffy.
And the moment they landed, both were attracted by the Merry's new form.
At this moment, the Merry had wings added to both sides, like actual wings.
However, it was not yet finished, and everyone was working on reinforcing and installing parts.
Looking at the Merry in this state, Vivi couldn't help but exclaim.
"sugei! It's the going merry Flying Mode."
At this moment, the voices of the others also sounded one after another.
"You guys are too slow, Luffy! Vivi!"
"Why did you cause such a big commotion again? It's too eye-catching."
Luffy heard this and casually replied.
"Oh! I met Doflamingo and fought him."
Hearing Luffy's explanation, Usopp nodded understandingly and said.
"I see! So you met Doflamingo! No wonder it took so long."
The next second.
Everyone suddenly reacted.
They all stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Luffy.
"Doflamingo?!"
"It's not the person I'm thinking of, is it?"
"No way? It's not really that person, is it?"
Luffy smiled and nodded.
"It should be the person you're thinking of."
Immediately, everyone's faces fell.
Nami's eyes were filled with disbelief, and she said in a deep voice.
"Don't tell me, you eliminated another Shichibukai!"
No matter what, the Shichibukai are part of the World Government's forces, and continuously eliminating Shichibukai like this would surely make the Government not give up.
At that time, their future sailing days would turn into a disaster.
"I didn't eliminate him!"
This time, Luffy's answer made Nami and the other timid crew members breathe a sigh of relief.
However, Luffy then continued.
"I've formed a partnership with him."
As soon as these words came out, the Straw Hat completely exploded.
"What did you say?"
"Partner with a Shichibukai?"
"Luffy, what are you thinking? How can you partner with someone like Doflamingo?"
"That's right, Luffy! Didn't you refuse to become a Shichibukai? Why are you getting involved with a Shichibukai again?"
Seeing everyone's confused expressions, Luffy told them his thoughts.
"So that's how it is! Is it to find a Devil Fruit for Nojiko?"
"In that case, it's indeed much better to entrust such a matter to a Shichibukai than for us to find it ourselves!"
"But you made an agreement with him; are you really going to hand over the blueprints to him then? That would bring disaster to many countries."
Luffy smiled at the words.
"The agreement I made with him, of course, I won't break."
"However, the moment I hand over the blueprints to him, our partnership will also end."
"At that time, it would also be reasonable for me to take the blueprints back, wouldn't it!"
Hearing Luffy say this, everyone's mouths twitched involuntarily.
"You guy... you're really cunning!"
"But knowing that you're thinking of not letting those cannons fall into the hands of dangerous individuals, we feel relieved."
"Alright, enough about that. Come help, Luffy! Cricket said we must set sail as soon as possible, otherwise we'll miss the Knock Up Stream."
Hearing this, Vivi couldn't help but wonder.
"Knock Up Stream?"
Then, everyone continued to work while explaining to Luffy and Vivi what Cricket had told them about how to get to Sky Island.
Although Luffy already knew, he heard a crucial piece of information.
That is, according to Cricket's judgment, a Knock Up Stream would soon form in a certain nearby sea, so they had to hurry and complete the Merry's modifications and go into the forest to catch a South Bird that could indicate direction.
The South Bird had already been given to Robin and Uta to catch.
Uta's ability can make animals enter the world of song, and then she can control all animals to come to her.
And Robin only needs to use her ability to trap those animals, find the South Bird, and bring it back.
So, with the two of them, it's enough.
Luffy and Vivi, meanwhile, joined the rest of the crew in the Merry's modification project.
...About half an hour later, the Merry was finally modified with everyone's concerted efforts.
And Robin and Uta also brought back the South Bird during this time.
Everything was ready.
"Alright, hurry up and get on board, we're running out of time."
Cricket stood on the shore, urging everyone.
And Shoujou and Masira also boarded their respective ships and said to Luffy and the others.
"We'll lead the way, and you follow behind."
Luffy's crew quickly boarded the ship.
Looking at Cricket standing on the shore, Luffy smiled slightly and said.
"Uncle, the Golden City definitely exists!"
"We'll help you look for it in Sky Island!"
"If the Golden City is in the sky, I will definitely ring that Golden Bell and use its sound to tell you."
Hearing Luffy's words, Cricket couldn't help but smile, his eyes filled with emotion, and he said,
"Kid, thank you for getting the gold back!"
"Don't you guys fall from the sky!"
As Cricket finished speaking, a chorus of farewells rang out from the ship.
"Goodbye, old man."
"Mr. Cricket, thank you for your care!"
"Old man, take good care of yourself, and don't act recklessly anymore!"
"Goodbye!"
...
The sky was clear, and a gentle breeze blew.
The merry go, led by two ships, advanced in a certain direction.
Approximately three hours after leaving Jaya Island.
Vivi suddenly swooped down from the sky, coming near the merry go.
"Luffy, everyone! Southwest direction, I've spotted the arrival of 'Night'! It's the Cumulonimbus Cloud!"
Upon hearing this report, everyone, including the two groups of Masira and Shoujou, immediately perked up.
Masira and Shoujou spoke loudly in succession.
"The Cumulonimbus Cloud has appeared, the ocean current must be nearby."
"Deep-sea divers, quickly go out! Dive into the sea to find the ocean current."
Soon, reports came one after another from the two ships.
"Sonar confirmed! Large ocean current found in the 12 o'clock direction!"
"Giant creature found in the 9 o'clock direction, it should be a Sea Kings!"
"Wave opposite to the ocean current confirmed in the 10 o'clock direction, it's very likely a giant whirlpool!"
Upon hearing the report of the giant whirlpool, Shoujou immediately roared with excitement.
"That's it! Immediately turn the ship around and head towards the 10 o'clock direction."
"That's a sign of an imminent eruption! Follow the whirlpool, don't back down!"
Meanwhile, on the merry go.
The ship had already fallen into chaos.
"Waaah... What's happening? Why did the sky suddenly turn dark?"
"The waves suddenly got bigger!"
"Ahhh... If this continues, the merry go will capsize!"
"Those guys just mentioned a whirlpool, where is the whirlpool?"
"Look... I see it! What a huge whirlpool!!!"
A cry of alarm came from the merry go.
In the sea ahead, an incredibly massive whirlpool suddenly appeared, sucking the merry go along the direction of the whirlpool's current.
Everyone, along with the merry go, rapidly spiraled around the edge of the whirlpool, constantly getting closer to its center.
At this moment, Shoujou's warning came from afar.
"Enter the whirlpool! Don't reverse the rudder!"
"Keep going deep into the center of the whirlpool!"
Looking at the merry go, which was about to be swallowed by the whirlpool, everyone on board was terrified.
"Will we really be okay like this?"
"This is bad! This is bad! We're going to be sucked into the bottom of the sea by the whirlpool!"
"Stop! Stop! Turn around quickly, let me go back!"
"Give up, Usopp! It's too late! We've already entered the center of the whirlpool."
At this moment, Luffy suddenly felt an incredibly massive movement from the seabed, rushing upwards.
He immediately shouted a warning.
"Everyone hold on tight, the Knock Up Stream is coming!"
Boom!
No sooner had he spoken than a huge sound came from the center of the whirlpool.
The next second, Luffy and everyone on the ship felt an incredibly powerful pressure from above, suddenly pushing their bodies downwards.
At the same time, everyone suddenly felt as if the merry go had floated into the air, giving them a feeling of falling.
Immediately following that were incredibly miserable wails.
"Waaaaah...."
"Waaah-yah-yah-yah...."
260 When they felt like they were about to fall, everyone was surprised to discover.
An incredibly massive ocean current suddenly shot up into the sky, connecting the sea and the sky.
And the merry go, just as it was about to fall, caught this Knock Up Stream, ascending vertically and speeding upwards.
"What... what's going on?"
"It's going straight up! sugei!"
"We're going to fall! We're going to fall! We're going to fall..."
"I'm telling you, Usopp, can you stop being a Crow? We're riding the ocean current upwards right now!"
"Eh?"
Usopp was stunned when he heard that, opened his eyes, and the next second, he became incredibly shocked.
"It's true! sugei! We're actually flying towards the sky!"
Such a magical sight brought smiles to everyone's faces.
On the sea, Shoujou and Masira waved goodbye to the merry go crew in mid-air.
And on the merry go, Luffy and the others clenched their fists, smiling, looking at the thick dark clouds in the sky, and shouted loudly.
"Let's just go for it, towards Sky Island!"
...
"Wooo wooo wooo..."
"Gurgle gurgle gurgle....."
On the merry go, the moment everyone rushed into the Cumulonimbus Cloud, they immediately felt as if they had entered the sea, unable to breathe.
Luffy and the other Devil Fruit users felt completely drained of strength, holding their breath, and rushing towards the sky above the cloud sea.
Bang!
Crack!
The merry go pierced through the cloud sea and shot up into the sky, its wings on both sides shattering with a crash.
And everyone on the ship suddenly seemed to come back to life, breathing heavily and coughing from choking on the seawater.
"Cough cough....."
"Huff huff..."
"Ugh..."
After everyone had recovered for a while, they began to examine the surrounding scenery.
Around the merry go was an endless white sea of clouds, and the distant horizon was also connected by cloud sea, making it impossible to distinguish between them.
"Where is this place? It's all white all around!"
"So amazing! We're actually floating on top of the clouds."
"But it's so strange! Is this Sky Island? It looks like there's no one here!"
"No! The Log Pose is still pointing upwards, so this shouldn't be Sky Island yet."
Nami suddenly spoke, looking at the Log Pose in her hand, which was still pointing upwards.
Just as everyone was wondering, Vivi suddenly spoke.
"Everyone! A sailboat has been spotted on the starboard side of the merry go!"
Everyone immediately rushed to the starboard side of the merry go upon hearing this.
Although they couldn't see as clearly as Vivi, they could indeed vaguely make out a black dot.
Suddenly, everyone saw that black dot suddenly seem to explode in half, emitting a red light.
Just as everyone was wondering, Vivi suddenly exclaimed.
"That ship was sunk by cannon fire!"
"That person is coming towards us!"
"Everyone be careful!"
Hearing Vivi's words, everyone immediately prepared for battle.
Soon, they saw a masked person running at high speed across the sea of clouds, rushing towards the merry go.