"Whoa!!"
At the bow of the Freedom.
Ah Hua straightened his back, pushed up his glasses, then stepped forward, spreading his arms as if to welcome someone, greeting the strong wind mixed with seawater that was blowing towards them.
He gasped and shouted.
He was extremely excited.
Indigo, wearing sunglasses, glanced at Ah Hua through the lenses, then looked up at the colossal sailing ship already ascending the sky path ahead. He grinned and laughed silently.
He had once thought he wouldn't get excited or moved by such a scene.
But now, facing the sky path, witnessing the awe-inspiring artistry of nature, and riding this swift, immense ocean current, he realized it was nothing like he had imagined.
He hadn't been at sea for long before he joined Shiki's crew. Shiki's Devil Fruit ability ensured his ship would never experience such thrilling moments.
Therefore, while he had seen countless wonders with Shiki, he hadn't truly felt what made them wondrous or their charm.
Following Sora's crew was different. Sora could also make their ship fly and ensure its safety, just like Shiki, but he had never done so.
Unless absolutely necessary.
All the way, it was Aru and the others who piloted the ship.
This fresh thrill and sense of accomplishment were something he could never have experienced on Shiki's ship.
On Shiki's ship, he was an observer, a subordinate.
But on this ship, he was a participant, a master.
That feeling…
Was incomparable.
Woooosh!!
The wind constantly swept past him, making his blue fluffy hair and the blue and yellow dotted scarf around his neck rustle behind him.
He paid no attention to any of this. His gaze swept past the giant sailing ship ahead, and as he looked at the lightning flashing in the sky, like erratic white snakes, a hint of excitement flickered in his eyes.
"Kala kala!!"
"Is this what adventure feels like?"
"It's truly exciting and exhilarating!"
Robin, standing to the left of Kuina, pushed away the hair blowing into her face, her palm shielding her eyes as she squinted at the sky.
Her face also showed excitement and exhilaration.
"The legendary Sky Island must hold many, many interesting histories and stories!"
She was full of anticipation.
Kuina, meanwhile, tilted her head, gazing tenderly at Sora, letting the bangs on her forehead dance in the wind.
Sora lowered his hand, turned his head to meet Kuina's gentle gaze, his lips curling up into a soft smile.
He reached out and gently smoothed Kuina's hair.
Just then, he stopped and, along with Kuina, turned to look to the left of the Freedom.
Beneath the sea surface to the left of the Freedom, a massive dark silhouette was rapidly approaching.
In an instant, the calm sea surface swelled rapidly, pushed up by the dark shadow.
A colossal creature, whose head alone was the size of the entire Freedom, breached the water. It then lowered its head and, with its gaping maw, unhesitatingly lunged at the people standing on the bow of the Freedom.
Just as lightning struck.
*Boom—!*
Thunder roared out of nowhere, drowning out the incessant peals from the sky.
Sora looked up to meet the beast's eyes. Nebulae swirled within his pupils, his irises contracted, and his eyes widened.
"Scram!!"
The beast froze as if it had seen something terrifying. Its entire head halted in mid-air.
Seizing the beast's momentary paralysis, the Freedom swiftly darted beneath its open jaws with a whoosh.
Everyone looked up, their gazes unwavering as they observed the gleaming, sharp fangs. They continued to feel excited and moved.
Regarding the beast's arrival,
Ah Hua didn't even look back, his eyes fixed on the sky path ahead the entire time.
Sora withdrew his gaze, no longer looking at the beast. After smoothing Kuina's hair, he lowered his hand, smiled at Kuina, then raised his gourd and took a large swig.
"Sea Kings of this size are also one of the hardships of this sky path!"
They might not have to take such colossal sea beasts seriously, but he wondered how the ship ahead would cope.
Since they had been attacked, the ship in front was bound to be attacked as well!
After all, the ship ahead didn't have a Child of Destiny.
As the beast's stiffened body slowly warmed after the Freedom had sailed away and Sora had averted his gaze,
It slowly closed its mouth, then warily eyed the Freedom, a hint of fear in its massive eyes.
Seeing the Freedom truly depart, seeing that terrifying man really leave, it quickly turned and dove into the sea, disappearing.
Today must have been a bad day to go out.
Who would have thought that just coming out for a meal would lead to encountering such a terrifying man?
What rotten luck.
Its brother must have gone to attack the ship ahead.
Hopefully, there wouldn't be such a terrifying human on the ship ahead.
Praying for its brother.
"Amen!!"
The medium-sized sea king, similar to an eel, was swimming towards the sailing ship ahead, the same type as the one that had attacked the Freedom.
Yes, medium-sized.
Even though they could swallow a medium-sized sailing ship, about 40 meters long, in one gulp, they were still considered medium-sized.
Above them were large, giant, and colossal sizes.
As it swam, it inexplicably felt a sense of foreboding.
It shook its head, dismissing the slight premonition, and focused its gaze on the prey so close that it was practically in its mouth, a ferocious glint in its eyes.
Humans might be small, but for them, sea kings who had survived in the ocean for a long time and tasted human flesh, they were the most delicious food in the world.
It locked onto its target, its massive tail flicking rapidly, its body surging forward like a launched torpedo towards the huge sailing ship.
Its strategy differed from its brother's.
It intended to devour the ship in one bite. Once the humans were in the water, it would savor them at its leisure.
The medium-sized sea king broke through the surface, its maw agape, and bit down on the ship without hesitation.
If this bite landed true, no ship could survive intact in this current. It would likely be torn apart instantly by the flow.
Just then, the brawny man standing at the ship's bow seemed to sense something. He quickly turned around.
As he rotated, his body rapidly swelled, and an incredibly fierce, wild aura emanated from him.
This caused the sea king's head to pause for a split second.
That single moment saved the ship and everyone on board.
As the brawny man completed his turn, his body had completely transformed into a monstrous beast resembling a monkey, with a ghastly face, a long snout, a bright red nose bridge, and fangs protruding from its mouth.
"Roar~"
The beast tilted its head back and let out a roar. Its legs bent, crushing the deck with a *thump*, and it instantly appeared beside the medium-sized sea king's head. Its fist, the size of a sandbag, retracted before snapping forward like a spring with unimaginable speed, striking the sea king's head.
*Bang—!*
The shockwave created a gust of wind that halted the ship between the beast and the sea king's maw. Then, buffeted by the current, it quickly shot past the sea king's gaping jaws.
The sea king was dazed by the punch from the beast that the brawny man had transformed into.
A deep, conspicuous indentation was embedded on the sea king's head where the brawny man's fist had made contact.
One could only wonder how its brother would mock it upon its return.
After all, its brother had merely been stared back by Sora, while it had been injured by a human and left with such a prominent scar on its head.
Seeing that the ship was safe, the brawny man turned, pushed off the sea king's head with his legs, and with a whoosh, charged towards the sailing ship.
Under the force of the brawny man's legs, the sea king's body toppled backward, crashing into the water with a splash that sent water flying everywhere. The spray quickly subsided under the current, and the sea king's massive body slowly sank to the seabed, disappearing.