OP: My Aircraft Carrier Evolves#132+133: The Attention of the Red-Haired and Whitebeard Pirates! The God of Skypiea, Enel's Wrath!

To the Red Hair Pirates, Uta was more than just a crewmate.

She was everyone's daughter.

So when they saw her face in the newspaper, the memories came flooding back.

That final farewell.

No one had ever truly gotten over it.

But why?

Wasn't she supposed to be on Elegia? Had Gordon taken her off the island? Or had she been threatened?

They didn't know.

Shanks sat down, his expression hardening as he passed the paper to his crew. "I don't know what's going on—"

"But we're not ignoring this."

A dangerous glint entered his eyes.

Anyone who dared to use Uta as a pawn would have to answer to the Red Hair Pirates. He would cut them down himself.

"But the World Government and the Marines won't just let us waltz back into Paradise," Yasopp said, polishing his rifle.

The Red Hair Pirates were now one of the Four Emperors of the New World. They were no longer the nobodies they'd been in the East Blue.

Their every move was watched.

Any action, any disappearance, would send shockwaves through the world.

To return to Paradise now... it was possible all three Marine Admirals would be deployed to stop them.

And compared to the long-established Kaido, Edward Newgate, and Charlotte Linlin, the Red Hair Pirates were the newcomers.

Were they weaker?

There were plenty of pirates on the sea who thought so, who were just waiting for a chance to take them down and claim their place.

Shanks stood and faced the sea, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon of Paradise.

"This time..." he said, "I'll go alone."

"What?"

"Captain!?"

"Are you sure?"

His crew looked at him, worried.

Shanks just grinned. "You all just keep sailing as usual. As long as I don't make an appearance in Paradise, there won't be any problem. Hey, what's with those looks? I'm one of the Four Emperors of the New World, you know. Besides the Admirals, who in Paradise can stop me? I hear Aokiji and Akainu have already headed to the South Blue to hunt down that 'Tyrant,' Kuma, for killing a king. That just leaves Kizaru to hold down the fort. I doubt they have the spare manpower to worry about me."

Benn Beckman nodded slowly. "It is good timing."

"Then it's settled," Shanks declared. "Snake, get a boat ready."

——————————————

Gol D. Roger...

To hide the existence of the "D," the World Government had altered his name.

The only man in history to conquer the Grand Line and become the King of the Pirates.

Enough time had passed since his death for a newborn to grow into an adult.

This was the Great Pirate Era—a century of adventure on the high seas, all centered around the "One Piece."

Among the countless pirates, a select few reigned over the "New World" as Emperors of the Sea. They were known as the "Yonko."

To counter their growing power, the World Government had established the "Three Great Powers": Marine Headquarters in Marineford, and the "Seven Warlords of the Sea," privateers granted a license to plunder.

This created a delicate balance.

If that balance were to be broken, the fragile peace of the world would shatter with it.

The stronger each power became, the more they vied for supremacy, and the more dangerous the future grew.

Power and domination. Alliances and betrayals.

A swirling vortex of ambition and unease.

This era was blazing with an unknown light.

And one thing never ceases—the dreams of men.

——————————————

The whale-headed prow of a massive ship cut through the waves, sailing serenely on the churning sea.

"Gurararararara..."

In the captain's quarters, the master of the ship, Whitebeard, leaned back in his chair, a joyous laugh booming from his chest.

He was looking at the news.

The Spade Pirates, Portgas D. Ace, had refused the World Government's invitation to become a Warlord. Due to a series of events, Ace had only received the invitation a few days ago, after entering the New World.

Prior to that, he had burned Whitebeard's flag on Fish-Man Island...

And he had gotten their attention.

On the high seas, a flag is a symbol of status and power. To burn a flag is a provocation.

It is a declaration of war.

The Spade Pirates had declared war on one of the Four Emperors, the Whitebeard Pirates.

"So, a brave little upstart has made his way to Paradise," Whitebeard rumbled, his eyes fixed on the strangely familiar face in the newspaper.

And the middle initial.

"D."

Whitebeard stroked his magnificent mustache, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "How long have these guys been at sea? A few months? What's the rush?"

Thatch entered, carrying a tray of food and medicine. Under his watchful eye, Whitebeard reluctantly swallowed the pills.

"Oh, right. I think Jinbe is about to head out," Thatch said, clapping his hand as if he'd just remembered.

"What? He's already gone?"

"Not yet... but he said not to see him off."

"What nonsense is that!" Whitebeard stood up, his towering frame filling the room with an overwhelming presence.

This was the man who had once vied for supremacy with the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. Though he was now in his seventies, as one of the Four Emperors, his power was undiminished, his territory in the New World vast.

His flag was the mark of Whitebeard.

To invade a land flying that flag was to declare war on a force of tens of thousands—the sixteen division commanders and their crews, and the dozens of allied pirate crews under his command.

Edward Newgate.

The World's Strongest Man.

His power could shake the very earth, roil the seas, and obliterate an island in the blink of an eye.

Newgate stepped out onto the deck.

The cool night air brushed against his skin.

In the black of the open sea, only the stars, the moon, and the Log Pose guide a ship's way.

"Hey, Jinbe!"

"Pops..."

A man who had been gazing out over the rail, as if about to dive into the sea, turned at the sound of his voice.

He stood three meters tall. The "Knight of the Sea," Jinbe, was a whale shark Fish-Man.

The Fish-Man race could breathe freely in the sea, and their physical abilities far surpassed those of ordinary humans. They were not, however, a completely different species; they could have children with humans.

Whitebeard smiled at Jinbe. "You're being too formal. Let me see you off."

Jinbe, looking somewhat intimidated, walked over and stood before Whitebeard, looking up at him.

"It's just that Marineford has issued a summons..."

"Sengoku?"

"Yes..."

<><><><><><><><>

Jinbe had once been a member of a Fish-Man pirate crew that was hostile to humans, and his bounty had reached 250 million Berries. Now, however, he stood on the side of the World Government.

"After all, the Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters seems to hold you in high regard," Thatch said, walking out with a lantern.

"Yes, Mr. Thatch. Even among the Warlords, who are all a rather whimsical bunch, you're probably the only one who bothers to show his face at Marine Headquarters," he continued, turning to Jinbe. "Putting aside the 'Pirate Empress,' Boa Hancock, the rest of them, like Doflamingo and that crocodile bastard... they're all just in it for themselves."

"I only accepted this position in exchange for a pardon for the Fish-Man race," Jinbe said. "In any case, it's a job."

And so, even if he was an old acquaintance, as a Warlord, Jinbe had to be careful. He couldn't be seen openly fraternizing with one of the Four Emperors.

"You really are a stickler for the rules, Jinbe."

"Not at all..."

"With the Warlord positions still unfilled, and what happened in the South Blue, Paradise is swarming with more and more pirates. The Fleet Admiral must be swamped."

"Speaking of which..." Thatch produced another newspaper and handed it to Whitebeard. "That king in Paradise who defeated Hanafuda... he's been in the papers a lot lately. Have you seen him, Jinbe?"

Jinbe glanced at the paper and shook his head.

"A very powerful king. It seems he's quite ambitious."

Whitebeard was aware of the situation on Fish-Man Island. His protection alone was not enough. If something were to happen to him, the island would be in grave danger. If they could get the recognition of even one more king of a member nation, it would be a great help to the Fish-Man Kingdom.

Jinbe said. "I'll be passing by on my way to Marineford. I'll look into it."

"Sorry to have kept you. Farewell, Jinbe. May you have fair winds," Whitebeard said.

"You too, Pops."

Whitebeard waved and walked back to his cabin.

Suddenly, a massive boom echoed across the sea.

On the distant horizon, a small red light flared, like a flame.

Was it a volcanic eruption?

Thatch and Jinbe were momentarily distracted.

"Mr. Thatch... about Pops..."

"He's in fine health," Thatch said. "At least, it's not getting any worse."

"I see." A look of relief washed over Jinbe's face.

"But no one can stay young forever. His sense of taste is getting duller, so he prefers stronger flavors. We have to be careful he doesn't take in too much salt..."

"Mr. Thatch. I know it's not my place to ask, but please take care of Pops. He is the benefactor of the Fish-Man race."

"I know, Jinbe," Thatch said, gripping his hand. "Pops... he understands everything."

"Good. Then I'll be on my way."

"Take care... Oh, and one more thing. About this rookie in the paper... if you find out anything, please let me know."

"I will," Jinbe replied. "A young man who refuses to become a Warlord and sets his sights on the New World..."

And who burned Pops' flag. What was he thinking? What was he planning?

Portgas D. Ace.

Savoring the name, Jinbe leaped from the rail and into the sea. His massive body sank in an instant, disappearing into the darkness.

——————————————

"A sky island? Do they really exist?" Robin asked, her curiosity piqued.

Jin just smiled. "There's only one way to find out, isn't there?"

A hot air balloon was lifting the massive demonic carrier into the sky. Under the effects of a certain Devil Fruit, it now weighed a mere one kilogram—lighter than a piece of paper of the same volume.

As they ascended, to counteract the effects of the wind, its weight gradually increased.

After the concert, Jin had set sail once again. This time, he had brought only Robin and the soldiers of Germa 66.

Law, Reiju, Wilson, and Maya had each been assigned to patrol the waters around one of his islands, to hone their skills. They couldn't stay under his wing forever.

As for Robin, she had been through enough.

Besides, there was a Poneglyph on the sky island, something for her to translate. Jin's interest in the Poneglyphs was more about uncovering the true history of the world, to use it as a weapon against the Celestial Dragons. He could, of course, have Robin teach him the ancient language, but compared to Robin, the famed "Devil Child of Ohara," he lacked authority.

Why do so many products use experts and professors as spokespeople? To create an air of "authority," of trustworthiness.

To the people of the Blue Sea, a sky island was a place of fantasy.

And the journey there was an arduous one. To ascend from the surface to the sky without the ability to fly was an unimaginable feat.

And so, the very existence of sky islands was questioned by many.

"The sky islands are divided into the White Sea and the White-White Sea," Jin explained, crossing his arms. "The White Sea is at an altitude of 7,000 meters. We're going to the White-White Sea, at an altitude of 10,000 meters."

He was enjoying the rare opportunity to lord his knowledge over the intellectual Robin.

"There are generally two ways to get to a sky island. The first is to take the normal route, starting from the 'High-West.' You'll encounter several sky islands along the way. The second is to ride the 'Knock Up Stream,' a massive, upward-flowing current. But the survival rate is extremely low. The islands in the White Sea... the famous weather island, Weatheria, is in the White Sea, but it's very close to the Blue Sea. Besides Weatheria, there are other entrances to the Upper White Sea. But to get from the White Sea to the White-White Sea, you have to pass through the 'Gate of Heaven'. And getting through the White Sea to the Gate of Heaven is no easy task. The islands of the White Sea are home to many terrifying creatures: massive sky fish, sky people who are masters of aerial combat... But the biggest challenge is the oxygen."

"The oxygen?"

"That's right. At this altitude, the air is thin. Your physical abilities will be greatly reduced."

The Empress ascended into the White Sea.

Robin frowned slightly, feeling a sense of discomfort. But with her constitution, she quickly adapted. She walked over to the rail. As far as the eye could see was a vast, white sea of clouds.

A ship could actually sail on this?

"The clouds of a sky island are divided into 'island clouds' and 'sea clouds',"

Jin explained. "They contain a particle called 'pyrobloin,' which is shot into the sky by volcanic eruptions. When it mixes with water vapor, it changes its density. The low-density clouds are the sea clouds, similar to seawater. The high-density clouds are the island clouds, similar to land. You can walk on them."

As he spoke, Ai activated the radar and released the ship's stored Observation Haki, searching for a path.

Soon, they arrived at the Gate of Heaven.

After paying the gatekeeper, an old woman, a fee of one billion Extols—the currency of the sky islands, equivalent to about 100,000 Berries—they boarded a "Speedy Shrimp," a specialty of the White Sea, which carried them up a spiraling river of clouds to the White-White Sea.

The moment they arrived...

CRACK!

From a clear sky, a bolt of lightning struck a distant island.

Jin and Robin both saw it. A house was destroyed, and someone was struck dead. The people nearby were terrified, but they didn't dare to run. They fell to their knees and begged for mercy.

"Oh, God! We meant no offense!"

"Please forgive us!"

"Please have mercy!"

They all lowered their heads, trembling with fear.

"God?"

Jin looked up. A dark cloud was slowly swirling, like the "eye of God," watching the mortal world below.

He knew that Enel, with the power of his Rumble-Rumble Fruit, had used the electric waves to greatly enhance his Observation Haki, turning it into a God-like power.

An All-seeing eye, with perfect aim.

But Jin wasn't afraid. He gave the sky the middle finger. "Hey, you up there!"

The sound, amplified by the Scream Scream Fruit, instantly transformed into a blue sonic beam, rocketing into the sky.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The clouds exploded.

And then, his voice echoed across the sky islands, a sonic storm that was heard by all.

"You a god...?"

"Eh??"

The anxious natives of the sky islands all turned their heads in shock.

In the Shandia village, everyone was stunned.

"Whose voice was that?"

——————————————

On Upper Yard—the part of Jaya that had been launched into the sky by the Knock Up Stream 400 years ago, and was now occupied by Enel—in his shrine, the normally languid Enel erupted in fury.

His "Mantra" quickly locked onto the target.

His arm crackled with electricity, and a massive cluster of thunderclouds formed above the demonic carrier.

"God's Judgment."