With Shoujou able to land safely, the crew members aboard their ship began to notice a strange sensation in their bodies. Many of them started breathing heavily, struggling to take in air as though the air itself was thinner than usual.
"Boss, something's wrong! I think we're being poisoned!" one of Masira's crew shouted, his voice shaky. Masira immediately reacted with anger, assuming someone had dared to attack his crew. Shoujou also noticed that several of his men were showing the same symptoms, yet not everyone seemed affected. That small detail made him pause, realizing something about the situation was not adding up.
"Don't panic, you're not being poisoned," Douglas said as he calmly stepped forward. "We're around seven thousand meters above sea level. The oxygen here is thinner compared to the environment you're used to. You just need some time for your bodies to adjust." His words instantly eased Masira and Shoujou, who both exhaled in relief.
"Then why aren't some of us affected?" Cricket asked, still breathing steadily despite the altitude.
"You and your crew are used to diving, right?" Douglas replied. "That kind of activity makes your lungs stronger and helps you adapt to areas with low oxygen. I'd also assume that those who aren't feeling sick are the ones who have strong endurance or physical conditioning. The body just needs time to catch up."
Douglas glanced around. Usopp, Chopper, and Nami looked fine as well, which he knew was due to the strengthening serum he had injected into them earlier, helping their bodies adjust faster to new environments. Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Robin, and Douglas himself had natural endurance, enhanced further by the serum, allowing them to function normally despite the thin air.
While they waited for the affected crew to recover, Douglas suggested that those who were already adapted begin scouting the surroundings. Since they had entered an unfamiliar region, gathering information about their environment was the most important thing to do first.
As the scouts explored, one of them spotted something in the distance — another ship floating across the sea of clouds. Confusion spread among the lookouts as they tried to understand what they were seeing. The scout used a transponder snail to report back, but before he could finish, everyone saw something strike the distant ship. It exploded in a burst of air and disappeared beneath the white sea in a single moment.
"Captain! A vessel just got sunk! Someone attacked it!" multiple scouts shouted at once. Both Masira and Shoujou immediately went on high alert, shouting orders to prepare for possible battle. Douglas, who had already sensed an unfamiliar presence approaching through his advanced Observation Haki, raised his hand.
"Dark Vortex!" Douglas called out, activating his Devil Fruit power. The space in front of him twisted slightly as he pulled the approaching enemy straight toward him. In an instant, a masked man appeared, forcibly drawn into Douglas's grasp, his movements restricted. The Straw Hats immediately stepped into formation, ready for anything.
"Who are you?" Zoro asked, standing close to Douglas and gripping his swords.
"You do not belong here," the masked man said in a firm but calm voice. "Leave now, or you will regret it." His eyes scanned the group, counting their numbers, but suddenly his expression froze when his gaze landed on Cricket.
"You…" he said, pointing directly at Cricket's head. The tone in his voice carried both shock and recognition. Everyone looked confused, except Douglas, who already understood what was happening. The masked man was a Shandian warrior — and not just any one of them. Douglas recognized him as Wyper, a well-known fighter from the Sky Island legends.
For a moment, Douglas hesitated, realizing the potential trouble this encounter could bring. Wyper took advantage of that brief distraction, kicking Douglas square in the chest. The force broke Douglas's grip and sent him sliding back, while Wyper launched himself upward using the recoil. He aimed his weapon at the Going Merry, energy building at the tip.
Before Wyper could fire, an elderly man wearing armor suddenly appeared, striking Wyper from the side. The unexpected attack threw Wyper off balance, causing his shot to miss entirely. Wyper quickly recovered in midair and glared at the old man. Recognition flickered in his eyes, and with an annoyed click of his tongue, he began retreating. A large bird swooped down to catch the old man before he fell, carrying him safely toward the Going Merry.
The Straw Hats watched as the bird gently landed on their deck, setting the armored old man down. Douglas, brushing off the dust from his coat, looked at the newcomer and immediately realized who he was.
"Who are you?" Luffy asked eagerly, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the knight-like armor and weapon the old man carried.
"I am the Knight of the Sky," the old man said proudly, straightening his back as he introduced himself. Masira, Shoujou, Luffy, and Chopper were all amazed, seeing a real knight for the first time in their lives. Robin, Douglas, Cricket, Zoro, and Sanji, however, simply watched quietly, unfazed by the formal title.
"Did that man leave already?" the old man asked, scanning the sky for Wyper but finding no trace of him.
"Who exactly are you?" Nami asked again, narrowing her eyes slightly.
"My name is Ganfall," the old man replied, placing a hand on his chest. "Ganfall, the Sky Knight. That is my full title."
He looked around at the group and nodded approvingly. "It's impressive that you've adjusted so quickly. Most people from the Blue Sea have a hard time breathing up here. You are now standing in what is called the White Sea, located seven thousand meters above your ocean. Ten thousand meters above that lies another region known as the White-White Sea."
Chopper tilted his head curiously. "How can that guy from earlier run on the White Sea like it's solid? Can we walk or run on it too?" he asked, quickly followed by more questions from the others, who were equally fascinated.
Ganfall raised his hands to calm them down. "You have many questions, but before that, let's discuss business first," he said firmly. Nami turned to Douglas, who sighed softly before stepping forward.
"Alright, what kind of business are we talking about?" Douglas asked, already preparing himself for some kind of unusual deal. The others leaned forward, waiting to hear what the old knight would propose.
"I offer a protection service," Ganfall said as he produced a small silver whistle from his pouch. "Whenever you blow this whistle, I will come to your aid. Each use costs five million extol."
Everyone looked at the whistle with interest, impressed yet unsure about the currency. Douglas was the first to ask, "What's the exchange rate between extol and berry?"
Ganfall paused to think before answering, "Roughly one berry equals ten thousand extol."
That answer shocked the crew. To them, Ganfall's price sounded unbelievably cheap for someone offering personal protection in such a dangerous place.
Douglas crossed his arms and thought for a moment before speaking. "Then here's my counteroffer," he said. "In exchange for providing us with every piece of information you can — about the citizens, the structure of this place, its systems, and anything else that might seem unimportant — I will pay you ten billion extol."
Everyone turned to Douglas in surprise, especially Nami, who nearly jumped. "Douglas! Why would you offer that much? You could've haggled first!" she complained, grabbing his shoulder.
Douglas simply replied, "Information is more valuable than gold in an unfamiliar environment. We should be willing to invest heavily in it."
Ganfall smiled, clearly satisfied with the proposal. "You're a wise man," he said. "Then we have a deal."