Generally speaking, if one of the Four Emperors' factions wants to move freely while under Marine surveillance, they have to resort to violence and sink the Marine surveillance ships. Under normal circumstances, the Four Emperors wouldn't do this unless there was a specific, urgent reason. Moreover, even if they sink those few Marine surveillance ships, the Navy will just send more later—it is an endless cycle. In other words, it is practically impossible to move freely while the Marines are watching your every move.
"This humble one has a clever plan. Haruko, who said I was going by sea? Can't I just take to the skies?" Yamato pointed upwards with a grin.
Hearing this, Haruko immediately understood what her young master meant. "Could it be... a Sky Island?"
This time, Haruko was genuinely astonished. Even she hadn't thought of using that method. If they took a route through the Sky Islands, they could indeed bypass the Marine blockade and avoid their surveillance entirely.
"So, Haruko, am I smart or what?" Yamato looked at her smugly, waiting for praise.
Haruko nodded directly, her eyes showing a hint of respect. "I'm starting to see you in a new light, Young Master."
"Hahaha! Then let's set off for the Sky Island!" Yamato laughed heartily and immediately transformed into a massive pink dragon.
Haruko leaped up, landing lightly on top of Yamato's head.
"Haruko, you're standing on a dragon's head now. Not many people in the whole world get this kind of treatment, you know," Yamato said. She stepped onto pink flame clouds and soared into the air, rapidly ascending through the thick cloud layers.
"Mhm, but you're the one willing to let me stand here, Young Master," Haruko replied, the corner of her mouth lifting into a slight smile.
"Of course! You're my personal guard and also my good friend—my bestie! Besides you, only Maria gets this treatment," Yamato laughed, carrying Haruko higher and higher until the shadow of Wano Country was no longer visible. Sky Islands are generally located at altitudes between 7,000 and 10,000 meters, with most being at the 10,000 meter mark. Amidst the white clouds, a pink dragon flickered in and out of view, wrapped in snow-white flame clouds that made her appear almost invisible against the sky.
"Haruko, how does it feel?" Yamato asked.
Haruko sat down, raising a hand to brush a stray hair behind her ear. "The feeling of flying is wonderful. It's no wonder so many creatures yearn for the sky."
"Haha, well said! Whether you're a human or a beast, everyone yearns for the sky. You could say that flying is the highest form of enjoying freedom," Yamato laughed.
Haruko looked surprised at the sentiment. "I didn't expect you to be able to say something so deep, Young Master."
"What do you mean by that? Don't underestimate me, okay? Oh, and check out this thoughtful service."
As Yamato spoke, a faint layer of cyan light radiated from her body. In an instant, a cyan light screen enveloped her, acting as a windshield. Haruko, sitting above, immediately lost the feeling of being buffeted by the harsh high-altitude winds, making the ride much more comfortable. At the same time, Yamato's flight speed increased significantly. This was a special ability she had developed, allowing her to assimilate the surrounding wind while flying and turning it into a propulsive force. Since her Devil Fruit awakening, Yamato's affinity for natural elements like fire, lightning, and storms had greatly increased, allowing her to control them with great ease.
After about an hour of flying, a Sky Island appeared ahead of them.
"Finally, a Sky Island," Yamato said, descending with Haruko toward the edge of the island. Yamato returned to her human form and looked down at the soft, fluffy ground beneath her feet. "It's truly incredible. The ground is actually made of clouds."
"This should be Island Cloud. Besides this, there is also Sea Cloud. Only Sky Islands have such a unique cloud culture in the entire world," Haruko noted, her curiosity piqued. This was their first time setting foot on a Sky Island. Generally, to reach such a place, one needs to use a special route that even pirate ships can use. Someone like Yamato, who flew directly under her own power, was using a very unconventional method. Another wild method involves riding an Knock Up Stream directly into the sky, but that is far too dangerous and prone to accidents.
"Let's go. From here, we can follow the Sky Island route," Yamato said with a smile, striding toward the interior of the island.
Haruko followed behind, and the two soon arrived in a local town. On the streets, they saw many Sky Islanders. Their clothing was a uniform white, their hairstyles were consistent, and they all had a pair of small white wings on their backs.
"Haruko, why do you think Sky Islanders wear those little wing decorations on their backs?" Yamato pondered.
"It's probably just tradition. Even the Sky Islanders themselves likely can't explain the original reason," Haruko replied after thinking for a moment.
"Mhm, I think so too," Yamato agreed.
The two spent some time wandering around the island, experiencing the local customs and the unique "Dial" culture.
"There are so many Dials here! Recording Dials, Vision Dials, Tone Dials, and even Impact Dials... But I feel they still can't compare to Transponder Snails," Yamato said, playing with a Wind Dial she held in her hand.
Haruko held a Lamp Dial. Such a portable light source was quite convenient since it didn't require any special charging.
"Next, let's get a small boat. It's time to head to the next Sky Island," Yamato said, putting the Dial away.
"Mhm, I just checked. There are boats for sale right over there. A small boat for two shouldn't cost many Berries," Haruko pointed toward the western coast.
"Then let's go," Yamato nodded.
Soon after, Yamato and Haruko acquired a small boat about five to six meters long with a small canopy.
"This kind of boat is powered by Wind Dials, so it doesn't need sails. You can drive it directly without worrying about the wind. It's quite convenient," Yamato said as she sat in the driver's seat. With a press of her foot, the boat started moving. The feeling was a bit like driving a car or riding an electric scooter back on the blue sea.
"Haruko, I'll drive for a while. You can take a turn later to experience it," Yamato said, turning the steering wheel and guiding the boat into a white Cloud River.
Cloud Rivers are exactly what they sound like—rivers formed by gathered Sea Clouds that allow boats to travel between locations. Since the Sky Islands are all connected by these rivers, there is no need to worry about getting lost. On the wide river, they saw boats of various sizes, most of them being the unique vessels of the Sky Islands.
"I wonder how long it will take to reach the airspace above the Sabaody Archipelago. Is half a month enough?" Yamato asked.
"If we spend all our time traveling, half a month is more than enough," Haruko affirmed.
"That's good. Maybe we can even go see something interesting while we're up here," Yamato rubbed her chin, a mysterious smile appearing on her face.
"Something interesting?" Haruko asked, her curiosity growing.
"That's right. Haruko, have you ever heard of the Golden City, Shandora?"
Haruko thought for a moment. "I've heard the stories, but didn't that place disappear hundreds of years ago?"
"Saying it disappeared is technically right, but it didn't just vanish. It moved. Instead of staying in the sea, it came to the sky," Yamato explained.
Immediately, Haruko understood and looked incredulous. "Could it be... the legendary Golden City was washed up to the sky by an upward sea current?"
"Exactly! You figured it out right away, Haruko. You're so clever!" Yamato praised her.
"If that's the case, it explains everything. It's why Shandora vanished from the maps hundreds of years ago and why so many people failed to find it. It didn't disappear; it just went up," Haruko was amazed. After a pause, she added, "However, even if it was washed up here, it's impossible that no one has found it in all these years. It seems the people who did find it just didn't spread the news."
"Precisely. Since we've come to the Sky Islands, we must go see Shandora and the Great Golden Bell Tower," Yamato laughed. It was only after arriving that she remembered the legend. It would be a shame to miss it. As for the Sabaody Archipelago, they could just double back later.
"Young Master, your target isn't the gold, is it?" Haruko glanced at her. Her master seemed to have a particular fondness for treasure.
"Why not? I've come all the way to a Golden City. Can't I take a little bit of gold? I don't want their Great Belfry. Think of it as taking a local souvenir. It's perfectly reasonable," Yamato justified.
"Since you put it that way, I have nothing more to say," Haruko sighed.
"Hehe, I'll just take a little. Maybe 100 jin will do," Yamato chuckled.
Haruko shook her head. 100 jin of gold, converted to Berries, would be worth hundreds of millions.
The sky darkened quickly as the small boat sailed slowly along the Cloud River.
"Night comes so fast. Manual driving for a long time really is tiring. It's a good thing there's a semi-automatic mode," Yamato stood up and stretched.
"I'll take over now, Young Master. You should rest," Haruko offered.
"No need. We won't travel at night. We're not in a rush, so let's just sleep," Yamato shook her head and pulled Haruko inside the canopy. "The boat is a bit small, so we'll have to squeeze in. It's been a long time since we slept together, Haruko!"
Yamato grinned and pulled Haruko down to lie beside her. Haruko couldn't resist Yamato's strength and was forced to settle in.
"Heehee, sleeping with a good friend feels so happy. Haruko, do you feel the same?" Yamato wrapped her arms around her guard. Due to the height difference, Haruko's head ended up resting against Yamato's chest.
"No, Young Master. Let's just go to sleep," Haruko said. Feeling Yamato's warmth and the faint fragrance of her skin, Haruko's heart began to race. Previously, Haruko had always refused to sleep in the same bed. Back on Onigashima, Yamato loved to hold her and Maria, which always made Haruko feel embarrassed. She hadn't expected Yamato to seize this opportunity where she couldn't escape.
"Haruko, are you shy? Your face feels a bit warm," Yamato teased, rubbing her cheek against Haruko's.
"No, I just feel a bit hot," Haruko explained weakly.
"Really? I don't feel hot at all. Well, it should be fine. I'm not letting go anyway," Yamato said, tightening her grip. Haruko stopped talking, fearing she would expose her nerves. She simply closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
The night passed quickly. In the morning, when Haruko woke up, she saw Yamato's face right in front of her. Their noses were almost touching, and she could feel Yamato's warm breath on her skin. Haruko froze, her entire body tensing as her eyes widened.
"Too close..."
Haruko never expected to wake up to such a sight. It gave her a massive fright. Yamato's face was so clear she could count her eyelashes. As the seconds ticked by, Haruko's face grew redder and redder. Finally, she pushed Yamato away with both hands.
Thud!
Yamato's head hit the deck of the boat with a loud sound.
"Huh?" Yamato woke up groggily. She didn't feel any pain, but the noise had startled her. By the time she sat up, Haruko was already out of the canopy and sitting in the driver's seat. The boat was already moving. Because Haruko was facing away, Yamato couldn't see the blush on her face.
"Haruko, you're up early," Yamato stretched and then noticed the corner of her mouth was wet. She froze, looking at her hand. "No way... did I drool in my sleep?"
She was twenty-six years old. If word got out that she still drooled, it would be incredibly embarrassing. Yamato quickly wiped her hand on her clothes and cleaned her mouth, pretending nothing had happened. Up front, Haruko had been watching through the reflection. Seeing Yamato's sneaky attempt to hide the evidence made her feel both exasperated and amused. The shyness faded, and the redness on her face finally began to disappear.
------------------------
For Advance chapters visit : patreon.com/Mythic_Muse