Chapter 74: Breath Dials
Kyle lay on the soft island clouds, his body exhausted but his mind racing. He was replaying his fight with Netero in his head, frame by frame.
He saw the clash of lightning and Nen, the flow of their techniques, the precise timing of every counter.
He had learned a hard lesson: even by converting his Aura into lightning, gaining speed and destructive power, the core was still Nen.
Lightning could be blocked by a stronger Aura. It could be neutralized by an Aura of equal quality.
The elemental change gave him variety and a power boost, but against an opponent with vastly superior Aura capacity, his lightning still couldn't break through.
I need more, Kyle thought, refining his understanding of his own strength.
His thoughts were interrupted by a distinct vroom-vroom sound cutting through the silence of the clouds.
Everyone looked up. A middle-aged man was riding a strange, single-person vehicle, carving a graceful arc across the white cloud-sea toward them.
It looked like a surfboard with a raised front and a shell-like engine on the back. It was a Waver—Skypiea's unique mode of transport.
The rider, Pagaya, noticed the Hunter docked at the edge of the clouds. The sleek, steel hull and the cold glint of metal were a stark contrast to the wooden ships of Skypiea. It looked like a sleeping iron beast. Pagaya's eyes widened in awe.
But he quickly composed himself, bringing the Waver to a smooth stop near Kyle's group.
"Is that... a jet ski?" Knuckle asked, eyeing the vehicle curiously. It had no sails, yet it moved freely.
"No, up here, that's called a 'Waver'," Kyle explained, playing the expert. "It's powered by a Breath Dial."
"Breath Dial?" Everyone looked at Kyle, their curiosity piqued. They were used to his strange knowledge by now, attributing it to his "ability."
"That's right," Kyle said, recalling the lore. "Civilization up here revolves around 'Dials'."
"There are Breath Dials for wind power, Tone Dials for recording sound, Lamp Dials for light, Heat Dials for cooking, Cloud Dials for making... well, clouds. Basically, any tech we use in our daily lives, they have a seashell that does the same thing."
"That's incredible!" Knuckle marveled. He never imagined seashells could be so versatile.
Pagaya smiled warmly. "Welcome, guests from the Blue Sea. Your ship is truly magnificent." His tone was sincere.
"Father!" A bell-like voice called out.
They turned to see a young girl with blonde hair standing on a cloud path nearby, waving enthusiastically. She had a sunny smile and small, delicate wings on her back that fluttered slightly.
Seeing the father and daughter, Kyle's fragmented memories of the Skypiea arc finally clicked into place.
"Father, are they Blue Sea people?" the girl, Conis, jogged over, looking at the group with bright curiosity.
Pagaya nodded lovingly. "Yes, Conis. I told you not to come pick me up."
"I wasn't doing anything, so I thought I'd come see," Conis said, then turned to Kyle's group. "Are you tourists here to see Skypiea?"
Kyle stepped forward with a friendly smile. "Yes. We just arrived and we're curious about everything. Could you tell us a bit about this place?"
"Of course!" Pagaya said, realizing his manners. "My apologies. I am Pagaya, a resident of Angel Island."
His humble, warm attitude made the Hunter Pirates feel slightly embarrassed, and they politely introduced themselves.
"Father, did you catch anything today?" Conis asked, noticing the basket on his back.
Pagaya patted the basket, which thumped with life. "Great luck today! A big haul!"
He looked at Kyle. "By the way, would you like to join us at our home? We can share some Skypiean dishes. Consider it a welcome gift."
His sincerity hit Knuckle hard. The tough guy's eyes welled up with tears. "I... I haven't met anyone this nice in so long..." he choked out.
Kyle, knowing Pagaya's nature, accepted happily. "If it's not too much trouble, we'd love to! We're dying to try the local food."
"I'll help carry the stuff!" Knuckle shouted, rolling up his sleeves, eager to help.
Meanwhile, Morel was eyeing the Waver. He walked over, examining the structure and the Breath Dial engine. "Mr. Pagaya, mind if I try this?"
Pagaya looked concerned. "You may, of course. But Wavers are notoriously difficult to control. It usually takes ten years of practice to master."
"He's right," Conis added. "I've been practicing since I was little, and I only just got good at it recently."
That only fired up Morel's competitive spirit.
He stepped onto the Waver. The moment his feet touched the deck, his Nen flowed out like invisible tentacles, analyzing the balance and the energy flow from the Breath Dial.
VROOM!
The Waver shot forward, cutting a sharp wake in the cloud sea.
It wobbled for a second, but Morel used his immense core strength and Nen to stabilize it instantly.
In seconds, he had figured it out. He was turning, accelerating, and maneuvering with a fluidity that surpassed even Pagaya.
Conis covered her mouth, her eyes wide. Ten years... and he learned it in seconds?
Morel tore across the clouds, drifting around corners and spraying cloud-mist into the air. The father and daughter watched, stunned. This Blue Sea person was driving better than veteran Skypieans!
Morel drifted to a stop beside them, grinning. "Not bad! The speed and handling are just as good as a jet ski!"
Kyle was tempted to try, but decided against embarrassing himself in front of the master.
Led by Pagaya and Conis, the group walked up the stairs made of Island Cloud.
Shoot pointed to a busy area in the distance. "Is that a construction site?"
"That's a Cloud Quarry," Pagaya explained. "They mine Island Cloud there."
"You can... mine clouds?" Knov adjusted his glasses, his scholarly curiosity piqued.
"Yes," Pagaya pointed at the ground. "The 'Milky Road' you took to get here, and the canals connecting the islands, are all man-made, built from mined Island Clouds."
"I see," Knov nodded. It explained the sturdy cloud-path the Shrimp had carried them on.
"There are two main types of clouds here," Pagaya continued. " 'Island Cloud' is dense enough to build houses on and walk on. 'Sea Cloud' is less dense, fluid like water, allowing ships to sail."
"Both properties are due to a substance called 'Pyrobloin' found in the moisture, ejected by seafloor volcanoes..."
As they walked and talked, passing the fantastical architecture of Skypiea, the group soaked in the atmosphere. Even if they didn't fully understand the science, they were enjoying the dreamlike reality of the Sky Island and the warmth of their hosts.