Chapter 28

Two years of training had not only sharpened their bodies but also their resources.

In the ship graveyard of the White Sea, Kurumi had found the remains of a sleek, black-wood brigantine that had likely drifted up from the West Blue decades ago. With the help of the Shandian engineers and Perona’s ghosts (who were excellent at carrying heavy beams), they had rebuilt it.

It wasn't a normal ship. It was a sky-hybrid.

The hull was reinforced with Iron Dials for defense. The sails were rigged with Breath Dials to catch wind where there was none. And the keel was lined with Jet Dials, allowing it to accelerate instantly like a bullet.

"It needs a name," Perona said, floating around the mast, admiring the dark varnish.

"The Clockwork Rose," Kurumi decided, running her hand along the railing. "Beautiful, thorny, and precise."

She turned her gaze to the tree line. Someone was watching them.

The Sniper

Leaning against a cloud-tree, polishing a long-barreled rifle made of white Shandorian iron, was Laki.

The Shandian warrior had changed over the two years. Her hair was shorter, more practical. Her muscles were defined, honed by sparring daily with Kurumi. She wore a poncho made of cloud-wolf fur and goggles around her neck.

She wasn't just a warrior anymore. She was a marksman who had learned to weave Mantra (Observation Haki) into her bullets, allowing her to hit targets she couldn't even see.

Kurumi walked down the gangplank, her boots clicking on the cloud floor.

"We are leaving, Laki," Kurumi said simply.

Laki didn't look up from her rifle. "I know. The wind feels different today."

"You’ve hit a ceiling here," Kurumi continued, leaning against the ship. "The Sky Sharks are too slow for you. Your Mantra covers the entire island now. There is nothing left in the White-White Sea that can challenge your aim."

Laki paused. She looked at the golden city of Shandora in the distance. "My duty is here. To protect the Bell. To protect Aisa."

"Wiper can protect the Bell," Kurumi countered, her voice low and tempting. "And Aisa… she needs a world where she is safe not just from Enel, but from the monsters below who would come up here again."

She extended a hand.

"Come with me, Laki. Become the eyes of my crew. I need a sniper who can shoot the wings off a fly from a mile away. I need someone who understands the wind."

Laki looked at Kurumi. She thought of the last two years—the sparring, the terrifying training, the stories Kurumi told of the Blue Sea, of Admirals made of light and Warlords who cut islands.

"It’s going to be difficult," Kurumi warned, her red eye serious. "The Blue Sea isn't like this. Down there, the monsters don't apologize. If you miss, we die."

Laki stood up. She slung her rifle over her shoulder. She adjusted her goggles.

"Shandian warriors don't miss," Laki smirked, a fierce light in her eyes. "And if there are monsters down there… they'll need someone to put them down."

She walked past Kurumi and jumped onto the deck of the Clockwork Rose.

"I'm packing extra Flash Dials," Laki called out to Perona. "If we're going to the dark sea, we'll need light."

Kurumi smiled.

Crew Member Acquired: Laki (The Shandian Sniper).

Role: Long-Range Support / Mantra Specialist.

The Descent

"All hands, prepare for descent!" Kurumi ordered, taking the helm.

Perona released her ghosts to check the perimeter. Laki climbed to the crow's nest, her rifle trained on the horizon.

"Octopus Balloon deployed!" Perona shouted, pulling the lever that inflated the massive balloon they had bought from the Pagaya family.

"Jet Dials… ENGAGE!"

Kurumi slammed the throttle. The Breath Dials roared. The ship shot off the edge of the White Sea, plummeting into the clouds below.

The wind screamed. The altimeter spun wildly.

"Goodbye, Heaven!" Perona screamed, half in terror, half in thrill.

"Hello, Hell," Kurumi whispered, gripping the wheel.

They broke through the cloud layer. The blue ocean stretched out infinitely below them. The New World awaited.

"Set course for the Red Line," Kurumi ordered. "We have a date with a Law surgeon."