After everyone had vented their excitement, the Freedom set sail again, heading into the distance.
Half a day later.
Looking at the familiar scene appearing once more, Kong Tai, sitting on the ship's railing with a fishing rod in hand, smiled.
"We're finally close to our destination."
Angel Island, it should be the largest of all the Sky Islands!
Not only are there the original inhabitants of Angel Island, but also a part of Jaya Island below, the golden city of Shandora, which ascended with the rising current.
Except that it's not called Shandora anymore, but the island where gods reside, known as "Seiiki" or the God's Island "Apayaado".
There are also the descendants of Shandora from 400 years ago, the "Shandia" tribe, who now live in Skypiea.
The Shandia tribe and the Angel tribe on Angel Island have been at war for years, all for the sake of fighting over Apayaado.
The Shandia are fighting to reclaim their ancestral land.
The Angel tribe is fighting to protect the land gifted to them by the heavens.
Thus, neither tribe yields, until the emergence of Gan Fall, the new generation of the Sky God, which gradually began to break the hatred between the two tribes.
Originally, under the leadership of Gan Fall, a god dedicated to fostering peace between the two tribes, they would have eventually shared Apayaado.
But…
Four years ago, a figure appeared whom neither tribe could resist.
That was Enel, a user of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. Upon his arrival, he forcefully seized the divine seat and began ruling the Sky Islands.
He then declared Apayaado his private domain, forbidding anyone from entering.
Anyone who dared trespass would face the punishment of God.
"Huh!"
Suddenly, a roaring sound interrupted Kong Tai's thoughts. He looked up, his gaze fixed on the island clouds to his front left.
He saw a man wearing a bull mask, with his upper body bare, two small white wings on his back (whether they were real or just decorations was unknown), a shield in one hand and a massive cannon barrel in the other. The man was standing on two semicircular objects, leaping out from behind the island clouds.
The man landed on the island clouds without pause, pushed off with his feet, causing the cloud to sink rapidly like cotton. Then, using the rebound from the cloud and the power of the equipment on his feet, he leaped high into the sky.
As he ascended, the man raised the cannon barrel he held, shouldered it, and aimed the muzzle at the Freedom. At the peak of his ascent, he unhesitatingly pulled the trigger.
With a deafening "boom," a black cannonball broke free from the barrel and, amidst sparks and smoke, hurtled towards the Freedom.
At the same time, Aruo, who had been resting on the grassy area in the center of the deck, suddenly sprang up. With speed imperceptible to the naked eye, he rapidly drew his Moby Dick, his eyes flashing red. Just as the cannonball left the masked man's cannon:
*Snap—!*
A semi-transparent bullet pierced through space, appearing directly in front of the cannonball with speed the cannonball could not match.
Then, it effortlessly shot through the cannonball, and with a "slish" sound, entered the masked man's head, much to his terrified gaze.
At that moment, the masked man felt as if time itself had stopped.
His mind raced, contemplating countless things.
He never dreamed that he, who often hunted those from the Blue Sea, would meet his end in this sea of clouds.
In the past, whether they were pirates, other individuals, or even Marines in white uniforms, anyone who encountered him was usually easily defeated. Their ships would be shattered by his Burning Blaze, and they would sink into the sea of clouds.
As long as the troublesome former God, now a solitary old man, didn't interfere, nothing would change.
But…
Feeling the piercing pain in his head, "Vivi's" eyes flashed with immense unwillingness.
He… "Warrior of God - Vay Vay", a warrior of the Shandia, the descendant of the legendary great warrior Kalgara!
His shoulders bore the mission of leading his people to reclaim their homeland, Apayaado.
How could he, how could he, how could he die so easily here!
However, no matter how much unwillingness he felt, when facing Aruo, whose strength was incomparable, his fate was already sealed the moment he appeared, fired without hesitation at the Freedom, and Kong Tai showed no reaction.
It was his arrogance, his overconfidence, and his impulsiveness towards those who came from the Blue Sea.
Even if his temperament had been a little milder, if he had first distinguished between friend and foe, and assessed the difference in strength before acting, he would not have met such an end.
But in this world, there are no "ifs."
In his life, he must have killed no small number of people, and he had given them no chance to beg for mercy, so…
*Boom—!*
*Boom—!*
Two explosions, one after another.
They thoroughly annihilated the strongest warrior of the Shandia generation. No matter how much unwillingness or ambition he harbored, it all vanished with the flames and smoke.
Kong Tai tilted his head, the firelight illuminating his face and eyes.
His azure eyes remained utterly unfazed.
Even though he had sensed the man's presence long before Vay Vay appeared, and even with the mask, Kong Tai knew who he was.
If it were in the past, Kong Tai might have considered showing some leniency.
After all, strictly speaking, this guy wasn't a bad person.
But…
After experiencing so much, and after their recent encounter with the Marines, he would no longer show mercy to those who pointed guns and weapons at them and attacked them.
Regardless of good or bad, regardless of righteousness or evil.
Since they raised their weapons and fired, they must bear the consequences of firing.
Did they really think anyone could shoot at their crew?
Moreover, this guy wasn't a Marine. He might hesitate if he encountered those Marines who truly upheld justice and protected civilians. But for these individuals, whose allegiance was unclear, he wouldn't hesitate in the slightest.
And this guy wasn't exactly a civilian either.
He wouldn't act against civilians.
After all, it was understandable for civilians to pick up weapons out of a sense of security and self-preservation upon first encountering them.
Who told them they were wanted criminals by the World Government and the Marines!
Who told their crew that they were seen as villains in the eyes of civilians!
Unless, one day, his adventure crew could truly gain the world's recognition, no matter how many good deeds they performed, in the eyes of those who didn't know or understand them, they were inherently devoid of justice, inherently exuded a villainous aura, and no one could change that.
Having experienced so much, he was no longer the thirty-year-old programmer who lived in a peaceful era in his previous life, nor the naive, self-righteous young man he was when he first set sail.
At this moment, he was a true adventurer, pursuing freedom, adventure, and circumnavigating the world.
He was also a peak world-class powerhouse.
He never considered himself a pirate, even if the whole world believed him to be one.
He understood this, remembered it clearly, and vowed to uphold it his entire life.
Because people!
Sometimes, all it takes is a change in stance, a change in faith, and they truly change.
He didn't want to become a pirate in the truest sense of the word one day.