As Cricket recovered from his initial shock, his expression slowly shifted from confusion to anger. He thought that the Straw Hat Pirates were making fun of him and his lifelong dream, believing that they were only here to trick him and his friends for their amusement.
"What kind of people would take advantage of someone else's dream? You have no shame, playing with others like that!" Cricket shouted with anger in his voice. The words caught Luffy off guard, and the usual bright smile on his face faded.
"You're the one making fun of our dream, old man! I want to reach Sky Island, and my friend said it's real, so don't talk like you know everything! SCREW YOU!" Luffy shouted back, his frustration rising as he clenched his fists. Cricket froze for a moment, his anger giving way to surprise at Luffy's sudden outburst.
"I think there's some kind of misunderstanding here," Douglas said as he approached the group. He had heard the yelling and decided to step in before things escalated any further. Douglas knew that Luffy, once provoked, could easily start a fight, and the last thing they needed was to create unnecessary trouble before their next journey.
"Anyway, let me introduce myself first," Douglas said in his usual calm manner. "My name is Dougan D. Douglas, and I serve as the Scholar and Engineer of the Straw Hat Pirates." He extended his hand politely toward Cricket, who looked at it but did not shake it. The air felt awkward for a moment, and Douglas slowly lowered his hand before continuing.
"So, let me explain how we arrived at this conclusion," Douglas said, keeping his tone steady. "I have examined the available evidence and deduced that there truly is a Sky Island. The existence of magnetic poles that point upward, and the ship that fell from the sky, both support that theory. I understand that you might look at us with doubt, but I have already made a promise to my captain that I will help him reach the Sky Island. When Masira heard about this plan, he wanted to include you as well, since they both call you boss. My captain also agreed to take all of you there. I am not someone who fails on his promises, and I intend to make this one real. I will bring everyone here to the skies. That is my resolve."
Douglas's steady explanation, filled with confidence but not arrogance, caught Cricket's attention. The more Douglas spoke, the more Cricket's expression changed.
He listened carefully as Douglas laid out his reasoning, describing how the natural forces around the island supported the idea that something existed above the clouds.
Slowly, Cricket began to believe that maybe, after all these years of searching, his dream wasn't foolish.
Finally, after a long silence, Cricket asked quietly, "What do you need me to do?"
That simple question made Masira and Shoujou cheer loudly, their crews joining in the celebration. Everyone around them was filled with excitement, their spirits lifted by the possibility of finally proving that Sky Island existed.
"First, I'll need all the rubber and metal materials you have," Douglas said, pulling out his notes. "I have to expand production so that we can finish the preparations before tomorrow. I'll also need as much dirt as you can collect — the kind of soil that trees can grow in."
Everyone looked confused at first. Douglas noticed their puzzled expressions and continued, "If Sky Island really exists and there's a civilization up there, then they might not have proper soil. If we bring them dirt, we can trade or learn from them. It could become an exchange of knowledge and resources." Hearing this, the others finally understood his reasoning.
The Shoujou Pirates and Masira Pirates divided the tasks evenly, with both crews sharing the workload. Meanwhile, the Straw Hats returned to the cabin to rest, except for Sanji and Zoro, who went diving to hunt for food, and Luffy, who stayed behind to talk more with Cricket.
Douglas began working immediately. Using the alloys he had developed earlier — lighter and stronger than standard metal — he started building a new engine. It was designed to release continuous bursts of air for thrust while using fire as its main energy source.
He carefully incorporated this new mechanism into the Going Merry, combining it with the engine he had previously made.
He also added movable flaps to help control direction during flight, all linked to a remote control system.
When Douglas finished modifying the Merry, Masira and Shoujou returned with a huge supply of metal and rubber. It was enough to complete his plan.
Douglas also crafted protective suits for the Masira and Shoujou crews using the synthetic rubber he had produced.
These weren't as advanced as the Straw Hats' personal suits, but they were durable enough to guard against lightning, which Douglas anticipated they might face in the sky.
He then modified Masira's and Shoujou's ships as well, adjusting the design to fit their larger structures while maintaining balance and stability.
During this time, Douglas also noticed that Bellamy and his crew had not attacked or appeared again. It seemed that Bellamy had learned his lesson after their last encounter.
Later, the Straw Hats came out to capture a South Bird, as Cricket had explained that it always pointed south — the direction of the Knock Up Stream that would carry them to the sky.
"Awesome! Merry has wings now!" Luffy shouted in excitement as he saw the new flaps Douglas had installed. Usopp and Chopper's eyes sparkled beside him, while Nami looked curiously at the large exhaust pipe fitted to the back of the ship.
"What's this part for?" Nami asked, pointing toward the machinery.
"It works the same way as the boots I made for you," Douglas replied. "It releases short bursts of air strong enough to lift the Merry a few meters at a time. We can use it repeatedly, but it will consume a lot of power if we keep it running too long."
As he finished explaining the mechanics, Douglas began distributing the newly made protective suits and parachutes to the Masira and Shoujou crews.
"What's this for, Boss?" Masira asked curiously.
"Protection," Douglas answered. "Since we'll be heading to the skies, we might get hit by lightning. These suits will protect you from electrical shocks." Masira and Shoujou's eyes widened with amazement. They immediately put on their suits, followed by their crews, who proudly posed after wearing them.
"And this one," Douglas said while holding a folded pack, "is in case we're wrong and there's no Sky Island. It's called a parachute. It will slow down our descent if we ever fall. Let me demonstrate."
He activated the boosters on his own suit and climbed high above the ships. Then, turning off the thrusters, he allowed himself to fall. Everyone below gasped as they watched him drop rapidly, but moments later, a large parachute deployed from his suit, slowing his fall until he landed gently on the ground.
The demonstration earned him applause from both pirate crews. Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp were ecstatic, already imagining how fun it would be to use it.
"Douglas! Do we also have that?" Usopp asked eagerly as he and the others crowded around him.
"Of course," Douglas replied with a sigh. "It's a failsafe if something goes wrong. But don't use it just for fun — there's no benefit in doing that." Unfortunately, his warning went mostly ignored as Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp continued chatting excitedly. Zoro, Sanji, Nami, and Robin laughed softly, knowing how much effort Douglas had put into all of this.
"Alright, let's get everything installed and start preparing," Douglas said, raising his voice so everyone could hear. "We don't want to be late for the Sky Island, do we?"
His words fired up everyone's spirits. The three crews immediately boarded their ships.
Douglas walked from vessel to vessel, explaining how the modifications worked and demonstrating each control system in detail.
Both Masira and Shoujou listened carefully, determined to avoid any mistakes.
Cricket, now wearing his own protective suit marked with the emblem of the Saruyama Alliance, stood among them, finally smiling with genuine hope.
When only two hours remained before noon — the time the Knock Up Stream was expected to rise — the three ships set sail together.
The Masira Pirates, the Shoujou Pirates, and the Straw Hat Pirates, with Cricket on board, all followed the direction pointed by the South Bird.
Everyone's faces were filled with excitement and determination as they prepared for the journey that would take them straight toward the legendary Sky Island.