"Saint Ross! It's his ship!"
"Run for your lives!"
"The Pirate Demon's here—scatter!"
Chaos erupted across Jaya Island as Ross's vessel glided into view. Distant shouts and the frantic creak of ropes filled the air, pirates scrambling like rats from a sinking ship.
Jaya Island wasn't a World Government affiliate—just a lawless speck in the Grand Line, a haven for scoundrels long before the Great Age of Pirates kicked off. It served as a vital pit stop for crews stocking up on supplies and rum. Word of Ross's approach spread like wildfire, and now every rogue on the island was bolting.
Everyone knew the score. Admiral Sakazuki of the Marines and Saint Ross of the Celestial Dragons were the sea's deadliest enforcers. They'd razed Ohara just last year. Not long after, they'd taken down Red the Aloof together. Day in and day out, the pair prowled the Grand Line, carving through pirate fleets like a storm through sails. In tavern whispers, Ross had earned the grim moniker: the Pirate Demon.
No soul dared stick around with that nightmare docking. Those with ships shoved off in haste; the rest fought over scraps or dove into the surf, desperate to put distance between themselves and doom.
The island dissolved into pandemonium—screams, splintering wood, and the roar of engines fading into the horizon.
Gion, perched on the deck, caught the frenzy through her Observation Haki. She let out a sharp laugh, turning to Ross with a sly grin. "Pirate Demon, huh? Sounds like you've got the whole ocean shaking in its boots."
Ross shrugged, leaning against the rail. "Not my pick, but it gets the job done. Beats being called some soft-hearted saint." The title irked him—it painted him as a boogeyman among his own kind—but pirates dubbing him that? That was a win. At least it opened doors with the upright folks who mattered.
Gion's smile softened, her eyes sparkling. "Fits you perfect, though. Demon or not, you're my kind of trouble."
She glanced toward the fleeing dots on the water. "We letting them all slip away?"
Ross shook his head, eyes narrowing. A bunch of small-time thugs held zero appeal. But turning a blind eye? Not an option. Pirates were leeches—raiding villages, torching farms, and cutting down anyone in their path without a second thought. They produced nothing, just spread ruin. To Ross, every farmer or builder they slaughtered was one less hand building his empire. Waste like that couldn't stand.
Onboard, though, Zephyr was already on the hunt. The old Vice Admiral had sensed the panic with his own Haki and launched into the sky on Geppo, a black blur against the clouds. Smart move, too—waiting for the pirates to shove off kept the collateral off the island's civilians. Jaya Island might be a non-affiliated rock, but not every soul there was scum. Zephyr's mercy in that regard was almost saintly.
"Zephyr's bloodlust is off the charts these days," Gion noted, a touch of concern in her voice. "Rivals Sakazuki's, even."
Back in her Marine days, she'd heard tales of a kinder Zephyr. Even under his training, he'd never radiated this edge. The shift? She shot Ross a knowing look. He was the spark.
Ross just chuckled. "Good. It's about time."
No regrets on his end. Zephyr's fire had ignited after joining him—fueled by clashes over Ross's ruthless calls. The old man bottled it up, then vented on pirates, purging crews left and right to vent the steam. In Ross's eyes, it suited him. Hell, in the original timeline, Zephyr had gone full mad dog: rigging bombs to nuke key New World spots and drag the whole region down. That kind of plan screamed extreme, and Ross figured Sakazuki's brand of absolute justice was the benchmark Zephyr needed to hit.
Gion nodded faintly as distant booms echoed—Zephyr's work kicking off. "Yeah... he deserves to let it out."
She pitied the guy, truth be told. Zephyr had never swung the sword at a pirate, yet they'd slaughtered his family to mock his no-kill vow. A brutal test: could the unbreakable man stay pure after that? It twisted her gut just thinking about it. Sailing with Ross had shown her the wreckage firsthand—gutted towns, orphaned kids, fields turned to ash. Pirates weren't rebels scraping by; most were bullies with muscle, preying on the weak because the sea chewed up the rest. No strength? You drowned or got shanked by your own crew. The survivors? Parasites, plain and simple. Wiping them out aligned her with Sakazuki and now Zephyr. The ocean had no room for them.
"Enough gawking," Ross said, straightening. "Push on. We're not wasting time on Jaya Island—straight to Skypiea."
The crew snapped to, sails billowing as the ship cut forward. Jaya Island was just a waypoint; his real prize floated 10,000 meters overhead. He'd ride the Knock Up Stream to punch through the clouds.
"Your Highness!" Sora burst from below decks, papers clutched in her hand, eyes alight. She'd been buried in charts and reports, the only one Ross trusted to crack this puzzle.
Ross had hyped Skypiea to the crew days back, but Sora was the brains for the ascent. Gion could handle a brawl up there, sure, but plotting the route? That was Sora's game.
She caught her breath. "I've got it pinned down. The Knock Up Stream hits about once a week, tied to underwater volcanoes. CP9's latest intel on seismic activity puts the next one at 10 a.m. in three days."
Ross's brow furrowed. Fresh data from CP9 that morning, and she'd already crunched it. Sharp as ever. But three days? "Too damn long. I'm not cooling my heels here."
Sora paused, then ventured, "There's a faster way, Your Highness. Your Gravity-Gravity Fruit could trigger a volcano early—force the stream. It might not hit full power, but combined with your abilities, we could rocket the ship straight up."
Gion cut in, arms crossed. "Hold on. If the whole ship's blasting to Skypiea, how do we get back down? That's a long drop."
Sora grinned, undaunted. "We fly. You and His Highness have the strength—and his powers—to make it easy. I've always wanted to see that view from the top."
The thrill in her voice was infectious, visions of the endless blue dancing in her eyes. A 10,000-meter plunge with Ross watching her back? Irresistible.
Ross smirked, the plan clicking. Pirates scattering below, Zephyr's justice raining down, and now a shortcut to the heavens. The Grand Line never disappointed.
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