The Return Of Joyboy!

The first rays of dawn painted the horizon in mesmerizing hues as Robin stepped onto the deck after a night of strange, deep dreams. She hadn't even expected to get any shut-eye, especially while staying with a crew that was surely wary of her, except for the captain. But surprisingly, for the first time, Robin had truly slept without a care in the world, which was immensely relaxing for her.

Robin let a small smile slip as she rejoiced at the soft swaying of the waves and the serene rhythm that matched the tranquil air, while running her gaze over the ship, which eventually landed on the figure on the figurehead of the ship.

There, curled like a child, was Luffy, with his strawhat tipped over his face. Robin titled her head in slight confusion while a soft smile spread on her lips. It was really strange for her to see the captain sleeping on the figurehead, specially considering that he is a devil fruit user and a child, who can topple over to the sea without proper supervision.

Noticing the chill of the early morning breeze, Robin was quick to summon a blanket with her powers as arms sprouted to fold it neatly into her hands as she approached the teen. But as she drew closer, her sharp observing eyes caught sight of something strange. There's a faint glow emanating from Luffy's back, illuminating through the fabric of his shirt in a peculiar, almost rhythmic pattern. Almost like a circle, or was it the sun encompassed with some other figure?

Curiosity got the best of Robin, unable to keep itself locked even though she heard the faint footsteps on the deck. Her hands reached forward to lift the fabric, with her mind already piecing together theories, when-

"Oi, Robin. What do you think you're doing?"

Robin was quick to straighten up and turn to see Sanji approaching, his expression a careful mix of charm and suspicion.

"Just curious about captain-san. That's all." Robin replied evenly, as she slipped the blanket gently over Luffy but not without first showing the faint glow emanating from his back to the cook.

Sanji's eyes widened for a moment before he was quick to school his expressions. "Our Captain's full of surprises and mysteries but it's his story to tell. Not ours to dig into."

"A fair point." Robin smiled, noticing how Sanji observed her every move until she was far away from Luffy.

When Robin finally left Luffy alone, Sanji took a glance of Luffy. He had seen and known enough to know that Luffy wasn't normal. He has a plethora of secrets which he wasn't going to pry into, not until Luffy was ready to say. After all, it was only fair to return the favor since even he has not said anything about his past. Though, that didn't stop him from pondering over the little hints Luffy drops like a bombshell: Luffy muttering to Chopper about not being human, the time where he commanded the sea kings like they were under him, the unnatural body temperature. the quiet moments where he seemed lost in thought and many more.

Still Sanji couldn't help but doubt whenever he sees Zoro's eyes flick with understanding at something Luffy does, making him question whethr Luffy told Zoro about something. He truly didn't like the idea that Zoro knew something Luffy which he didn't but as long as someone knew what to do if things spiraled out of control regarding Luffy, Sanji could live with it. At least for now. Until his blonde hair doesn't turn grey with all the trouble and mishaps Luffy finds himself in.

"Care for tea?" Sanji offered Robin, letting his usual flirtatious grin slip into place, wanting to keep the woman somewhere within his reach. And if it was for distracting himself from Luffy's secrets then no one needs to know.

"That would suffice. Thank you." Robin chuckled, reading his intent easily.

"Right this way, my lady." Sanji gestured towards the galley with a sweeping bow, leading the woman in.

Time was soon too pass and the rest of the crew to stir awake. Zoro was the next to emerge from the men's cabin, stretching with a groan before glancing at the figurehead instinctively and groaning when he found Luffy sleeping there, bundled under a blanket, without a care in the world.

"Why am I not surprised?" Zoro muttered, trudging over to his sleeping captain.

"Oi, Zoro. Wake Luffy up! Breakfast's ready!" Usopp shouted, waking groggily inside the galley once again after completing his assigned job by Sanji.

At the sound and smell of meat and other delicacies wafting through the air, Luffy was quicl to stir awake, rubbing his eyes and yawning wide. "Zorooo~" He mumbled groggily, reaching up like a child wanting to be picked up.

Zoro blinked, his brow twitching at Luffy's actions and his unsaid wants. "Oi, what's with you?"

"'arry me." Luffy whined, still half asleep, with his voice muffled against the blanket, which he half seemed like going back to cuddle and sleep to.

"Are you kidding me? You've got legs, you moron! Don't act like a spoiled brat." Zoro grumbled, though he bent down to scoop Luffy up with practiced ease, knowing well enough that this wouldn't be the last time he would have to pick up the god child and go along with his whims. But did he even want to? "You're lucky I don't toss you overboard."

"'ro wouldn't." Luffy mumbled confidently, snuggling against Zoro's chest as if wanting to make up for the loss of warmth from the blanket.

Zoro could give Luffy that. He wouldn't ever drop him into the ocean and if he did, Zoro knew he would dive straight after him, no matter the circumstances. "Oi.. you're warmer than usual." Zoro commented, his brow furrowing when Luffy's body temperature felt much higher than normal.

"Got new powers." Luffy mumbled through a yawn, barely audible to anyone but Zoro as his eyes blinked sluggishly and he struggled to keep his eyes open.

Even if the sight of Luffy's sleepy cuteness was too adorable, Zoro's feet froze for an entirely different reason. It was the weight of those words—new powers. It was that phrase which pierced his heart with a blade. "New powers?" Zoro's voice came out low, his usual steadiness replaced by something softer, almost fearful. His mind raced with implications he didn't want to face, scenarios he didn't want to imagine which came with Luffy getting one more step closer to his godly powers. "Luffy.. are you.. are you gonna leave us?" Zoro's heart almost stopped beating as he stared at Luffy with those wide fearful eyes.

The uncharacteristic vulnerability in Zoro's voice startled Nami, who had just turned to see him carrying Luffy inside. She stiffened, her brows drawing together. "Zoro, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." Her tone wavered, and her gaze flicked nervously to their captain, dreading that whatever had shaken Zoro had something to do with the boy who held all their hearts together.

"Yeah, mosshead," Sanji chimed in, his voice lined with forced nonchalance as he approached with a tray of tea. "Saw a nightmare or something." Unknown to Sanji, he hit right on mark. But Sanji wasn't able to realize that as his smirk faltered when he noticed how Zoro's gaze was fixed solely on Luffy, who was absentmindedly rubbing his eyes. Zoro's expression wasn't just fear—it was raw, unguarded panic. And that was extremely rare.

"Oi.. what's going on?" Usopp asked hesitantly, clutching his cup of coffee as if it might shield him from whatever was unraveling in front of him.

Robin's gaze lingered on Zoro, her sharp eyes catching every unspoken detail. She didn't press, but her raised brow betrayed her curiosity.

Zoro, however, didn't hear any of them. He couldn't hear them. His world had narrowed to the boy in his arms, the weight of his thoughts spiraling into a single, terrifying possibility: that Luffy was being pulled further into the godly realm and away from them. That would absolutely leave his heart bleeding. And Zoro was sure that if Luffy was to ever leave then it would rattle everyone (except Robin but Zoro doubted she was here without any deal from Luffy) to their very cores or even leave their hearts hollow. They were already not over with Luffy's kidnapping by the 3C's. That had let them absolutely scared shitless, even if none of them said it aloud.

Luffy blinked fully awake and smiled softly as though the weight of Zoro's unspoken fears was nothing more than air now. "Nah, I've decided." He said simply, his grin widening and rivaling like the sun. "I'll fight to stay with you guys."

Zoro exhaled sharply, the tension he hadn't realized he'd been holding draining from him in a rush. His shoulders sagged, and for the second time that day, he let his emotions show openly. A rare, genuine smile curved his lips, unguarded and full of relief. "Idiot," he muttered, his voice tinged with fondness. "You should've told me earlier. Made me worry for nothing."

"Shishishishi!" Luffy's laughter bubbled out, and he nuzzled closer, clearly enjoying Zoro's relief. For once, it seemed, his captain's impulsiveness had brought peace instead of chaos. "Sorry, Zoro!" Luffy chirped gleefully. "I'll stay. No matter what destiny says."

"What do you mean by staying?" Nami asked with her eyes slightly wide, unable to forgo the implications that statement carried. "Were you.. were you planning to leave us?"

"What?!" Chopper's eyes went wide as tears glistened in them and he nearly toppled his drink. "L-Luffy! You weren't—were you?!" Chopper spluttered.

Usopp's jaw dropped, his cup of coffee trembling in his hands. "Don't tell me—! How could you?!" He cut himself off, unwilling to finish the thought.

Even Sanji's usual composure cracked, his gaze narrowing on Luffy and his heart sinking at the very thought. "Oi, idiot! You've got some nerve scaring us like that. Where would you even have went without needing us?!"

Robin didn't say anything, but her sharp gaze lingered on Luffy, curiosity dancing in her eyes as she wondered if Luffy was going to ditch her after giving her hope.

Luffy blinked at the sudden barrage of questions, his grin faltering just slightly as he took in the worried, almost hurt expressions of his crew. For a moment, the room fell into a tense silence, and then Luffy shook his head vigorously.

"Never!" Luffy said with conviction, his voice cutting through the tension. "I didn't want to leave you guys, not even when I was confused with.." Luffy stopped for a while, remembering the fear and the dreaded feeling of time zoning on him, which left him scared and panic. "I just didn't know what I was supposed to do back but now I do!" Luffy lifted his head from Zoro's crook and looked at each of his friends with his grin returning as warm as ever. "I'll stay no matter what. Even if destiny says otherwise, you guys are stuck with me."

The crew exchanged glances, everyone wondering if they should press further on, but decided against it when Luffy's stomach growled. They could always ask about it later and hope to get slightly less insane answers, which they could digest.

Luffy wriggled slightly in Zoro's arms, clearly intending to hop down. "Let's get to breakfast! I'm starving!"

Zoro gave a small huff but smirked, loosening his grip to let Luffy slide down. But just as Luffy took a step towards the galley, he froze mid-step. His body stiffened, and his eyes widened as he turned his gaze skyward.

"Luffy?" Zoro called, concern flashing across his face as he reached for his shoulder.

"Is something wrong?" Sanji questioned, with worry clear in his voice.

Before anyone else could press further, there was a soft clink on the deck, followed by another and another.

"Eh? Is it raining now?" Usopp asked, squinting upwards as he picked the noises.

"Nami!" Luffy's voice was firm, absent of all of his usual playfulness as he further commanded. "We need to move. Now."

The urgency in Luffy's tone sent a jolt through Nami. "What-?!"

"No time to explain. Just do it!" Luffy shouted as he himself rushed down to the deck, followed closely by the others.

Nami's breath hitched, but she trusted her captain's instincts. She dashed to the helm, quickly turning the Merry's rudder and directing the ship under Luffy's command. The rest of the crew also scrambled to action, their confusion quickly turning to alarm as the sky above them began to darken.

"Oi, what the hell is this?" Sanji muttered, shielding his eyes with a hand as he peered upward.

Debris of all things began raining down—splintered planks, broken barrels, tattered sails—and the unmistakable smell of old, rotting wood filled the air. Suddenly, there was a loud crack, and a massive fragment of what could only be a ship came plummeting toward the sea. The crew's jaws collectively dropped as it narrowly missed the Merry, crashing into the water with a thunderous splash.

Luffy darted to the railing, gripping it so tightly that his knuckles turned white and eerily pale, almost as if they were drained of blood. His wide eyes sparkled with unrestrained awe and curiosity as he stared upward at the chaos unfolding. "Ships..!" He murmured, his voice full of childish wonder. "They're falling from the sky." His voice brimmed with unleashed excitement and curiosity as his body trembled with joy.

The crew, however, was less enchanted and more spooked and panicked.

"A galleon?!" Nami gasped, her eyes wide and sweat trickling down from her temples.

"What the..!" Sanji's cigarette dropped from his mouth, rolling on the deck as the Merry swayed along the waves but none of them felt like toppling and getting crushed by the enormous waves.

"What the—what the hell is going on?!" Usopp shrieked, ducking behind the mast. "This has to be a nightmare, right? Right?! I'll open my eyes, and everything will be fine!" He squeezed his eyes shut, muttering fervent prayers to himself, but when he opened them, his worst fear greeted him—a skeleton, still clutching the remains of a shattered coffin, landed squarely on the deck in front of him.

"AAAHHHHHHHHH!" Usopp's scream could have woken the dead as he stumbled backward, his arms flailing wildly.

Robin, even though shocked at the absurdity of the situation, managed to stay calm and was arriving at a possible conclusion. "Navigator-san, what does the log pose say?" She asked, her eyes not straying from the coffin which Usopp threw aside to hold the mast for his dear life like Chopper.

Pulled from her shock, Nami quickly glanced at the log pose on her wrist, only to freeze. Her face turned pale as she let out a horrified shriek. "It's broken! The log pose is stuck pointing straight up!"

"No matter how bizarre it seems, Nami-san, one must never doubt the log pose. That's an ironclad rule when sailing these seas. Doubt the common sense in your mind if you must, but never the log pose." Robin calmly answered, her calm voice cutting through Nami's panic.

Luffy's eyes lit up with sparkles and stars as he pointed skyward. "There's gotta be an island up there! A sky island!"

"A what?" Zoro questioned with wide eyes like everyone who had never even heard the concept of a sky island.

Without answering, Luffy turned and did the unthinkable. He leaped over the railing, eliciting simultaneous shouts of alarm from the crew.

"LUFFY!" Zoro and Sanji shouted in unison as they scrambled to the railing and were about to dive in after their idiot.

Instead of splashing into the sea, Luffy landed deftly on a large piece of debris, laughing gleefully as he hopped from one fragment to another. "Shishishi! It's so fun!" He exclaimed, his joy infectious even amidst the chaos.

"What's with him?!" Sanji growled, gripping the railing tight.

"I swear, he's gonna be the death of us all," Zoro muttered, though his relief was clear. His sharp eyes stayed locked on Luffy, watching the captain hop from plank to plank with a carefree laugh.

"Usopp, Chopper! C'mon! It's fun!" Luffy called, waving to them with an enormous grin.

Usopp hesitated, glancing nervously at the wreckage below. "If he can do it, I can do it," He muttered, psyching himself up. "I mean, what's the worst that could—ACK!" A sudden gust of wind sent him tumbling over the railing, his shriek of terror echoing as he landed awkwardly on a floating plank. He sat up, laughing nervously, "See? No problem!"

Chopper shook his head furiously, gripping the mast. "I'll pass!" He squeaked, his hooves clutching the wood as if it were his lifeline.

Zoro sighed. "Idiot," He muttered, leaping down with practiced ease to join Luffy and Usopp on the debris. He landed firmly beside them, arms crossed, and shot Luffy a warning glance. "You better not fall in, captain. I'm not diving in after you again."

"Shishishi! Don't worry, Zoro!" Luffy chirped, bounding over to a broken crate and rooting through it.

"Oi, what's this?" Usopp muttered, picking up a water-damaged scroll from the wreckage. He unrolled it cautiously, his eyes widening as he saw a crude but detailed map of an island floating among clouds. "Guys! Look at this!"

Luffy bounded over, his face lighting up as he snatched the map from Usopp's hands. "Sky island!" He exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement. "We need to show it to Nami and the others!" Luffy chirped, happily darting towards the Merry to show their findings and the proof of the sky island to others, who were reasonably in doubt.

Robin, who had been inspecting the skeleton that had fallen earlier, nodded at her findings with the inputs from the doctor of the crew. "The skeleton is about 200 years old. Perhaps, a sky island truly exists even though I haven't ever read about it."

"That type of surgery only happened in the past." Chopper nodded pointing towards the two holes in the skeleton's skull while still hiding behind the mast with Nami.

"Then there has to be an island up in the sky!" Luffy grinned wide, jumping up and down on the deck, holding up the map like a treasure. He had never doubted about the existence of the sky island, having been told stories from his dad and mother. But he was not going to take help from any of them. This sky island–Skypeia–was theirs to find without the help of the others.

Robin gave a small, mysterious smile as she watched the endless energy in Luffy. "It's possible." She spoke, her eyes glinting with curiosity about the sky island.

"WOOHOO!" Usopp and Luffy cheered, spinning in circles with Chopper in excitement and glee. "WE CAN GO TO THE ISLAND OF DREAMS!"

"Sky island..." Nami muttered from the deck, staring at the log pose on her wrist, which still pointed straight up. "Sky islands are just a myth, right? There's no way this is real."

"Don't ruin it!" Usopp wailed, looking utterly dejected, along with Chopper.

"I'm not saying that it might not exist.." Nami said hurriedly, waving her hands when she saw Luffy's pout and the hollow faces of Usopp and Chopper. "But, umm, the thing is... I have no freakin' clue how to get there."

Luffy puffed up his cheeks in frustration but he soon lit up. "Then we'll have to find more clues." He uttered looking at the sea where the ruins of the ship had already sunk.

Zoro, leaning against the railing, considered her words. "If the ship fell from a sky island then whatever's left might give us some answers. Could be worth diving for it."

"Yeah, plus it wouldn't hurt to check for valuables," Sanji added, lighting a cigarette as his gaze flicked to Luffy. "You never know, a wreck like that could hold something interesting."

"Hell, yeah!" Luffy chirped, even though he could feel they won't be finding anything much from the ship but maybe he can get some armour or something?

"Lemme bring my latest diving suits–"

"LUFFY!" Usopp was cut off with shrieks erupting from everyone's throats as Luffy dived headfirst into the water, without any warning.

"WHAT THE HELL IDIOT!?" Sanji shouted, tossing off his jacket as he dove in right after his moron captain.

Zoro threw his katana aside, while his mind replayed the memory of the last afternoon. Would Luffy even need their help? Or was he completely okay in the waters all by himself?

A splash sound of Sanji tearing through the water resounded, snapping Zoro out of his thoughts and to follow them into the water.

But the moment Zoro entered the water, he could see Sanji's wide eyes. And the source of it? Luffy! Lufffy who was getting nudged by a big ass sea turtle who was wiggling like a noodle.. Almost like Sanji when he would swoon after girls. The sight would have made Zoro laugh, if it didn't feel so unnerving.

"Zoro! Sanji! Over here~!" Luffy called cheerfully, gesturing them toward the wreckage of the ship, not even affected by the strange behavior of the sea turtle and the other small sea creatures who were soon approaching Luffy.

Zoro glanced at Sanji, who utterly wanted to question everything, especially Luffy able to talk in the water. Hell, who was he kidding? Even he wants to know! After yesterday's incident, he hadn't been able to get to ask Luffy, and had later chalked it off to Luffy's godly powers but was that because of it? It was a high possibility though.

"C'mon guys!" Luffy's call finally had Zoro swimming towards the wreckage, followed by Sanji. They would need to resurface to take a breather soon though–

The air around them shifted strangely, and the water shimmered and parted, revealing an open space inside the hull filled with breathable air.

"What the–!" Sanji spluttered the moment he landed on the wreckage and felt his lungs greedily gulping for the air which was somehow mysteriously present around them, despite them being in the middle of the ocean. "This doesn't make any damn sense!"

Even Zoro was utterly surprised but he knew that it had to be the doing of Luffy.

"Oi, Luffy!" Sanji lost it, especially after seeing Luffy still surrounded by water and talking excitedly to the sea turtle and the other aquatic creatures, which were gathering around him. "What's going on? How can you talk in the waters? Heck, how are we even breathing down here?!" Sanji let out a barrage of questions, From his eyes glancing at the gigantic sea turtle, who could easily make a meal out of them, out of Luffy! But everything the sea turtle displayed was utter loyalty and affection. "And what's with that thing?"

"Huh? Why can't I?" Luffy blinked, tilting his head curiously, clearly puzzled by Sanji's reaction while the giant turtle nudged him gently again, eliciting a giggle out of Luffy. "And, this guy? He's Mr. Turtle!" Luffy giggled gleefully as he patted the massive turtle's head again. "Oh, this guy? He's Mr. Turtle!" The turtle nudged him gently, a low, rumbling purr escaping from its throat, causing small ripples to vibrate through the watery space.

Sanji gawked at the interaction, still trying to process the absurdity of everything he was seeing, It was a lot to take in, even when he was considering if from 'Luffy standard'.

"Anyways," Luffy hoped away from the turtle with an excited laugh, landing with a splash near the wreckage. "Let's go guys! Maybe we'll find some awesome treasure here!" Luffy grinned wide, about to run away in some hidden parts of the ship, when the turtle let out a series of deep, rumbling sounds catching Luffy mid way. "What is it, Mr. Turtle?" Luffy questioned, paying attention to the words the ancient turtle was uttering, which was quick to make Luffy grin wide like a sun in the ocean.

"What is it now?" Sanji grumbled, rummaging through pieces of junk. At least they were successfully occupying his mind and not making him feel crazy.

"Shishishishi! Mr. Turtle says that we can learn more about the sky island in Jaya!" Luffy declared, floating back to the sea turtle effortlessly to take a seat on the crown of its head. "Let's go there!"

"Jaya?" Zoro frowned, having heard of the name somewhere. "Why does it sound familiar?"

"It's one of the pirate islands in the Grand Line! Lots of pirates hang out there, and dad and Ace told me it's full of treasure maps, stories an crazy stuff!" Luffy explained excitedly, while in the water, which was truly making Sanji want to shoot an array of questions to Luffy right there and now, specially seeing how the mosshead was taking this well than him.

"Let's go to Jaya then, captain!" Zoro spoke.

Sanji sighed, choosing to resurface now that the next destination was fixed. There was no use of asking Luffy questions, who takes everything abnormal as normal. But as much as he hates to think about it, he would need to ask the mosshead about it, considering how he wasn't even batting an eye to Luffy's absurdity.

"Okay! Let's go!" Luffy grinned, his laughter echoing through the water as he happily kicking his legs as Zoro and Sanji swam to the surface alongside the giant turtle.

But as soon as Sanji, Zoro, Luffy and the turtle broke the surface of the water, the rest of the Straw Hats were already gathered at the railing, their voices blending into a cacophony of shrieks and gasps.

"W-W-What am I even looking at, a continent?!" Nami shrieked, as she scurried away from the railing.

"I dunno! I dunno! I'm not lookin'! I'm not lookin'!" Usopp wailed, as his hands stayed glued to his eyes the moment the gigantic monster appeared. "This is a dream! Thisisadream!Thisisadream!"

"A dream? Really?" Chopper, the ever naive one, questioned from behind the mast.

"Everyone relax! Mr. Turtle's a friend!" Luffy called out, waving enthusiastically at the others from the giant sea turtle as it surfaced alongside the Merry while Zoro and Sanji, both soaked and visibly annoyed, climbed onto the deck.

"Relax, he says," Sanji muttered, wringing water from his soaked shirt. "Like it's normal to have a sea monster trailing us. Not to mention, him talking in the water." He grumbled the last part only to himself and Zoro.

"Luffy's idea of normal is completely broken," Zoro grumbled, but his eyes flicked warily to the massive creature now swimming placidly beside their ship.

Before the others could also begin to process the insanity of the situation, Luffy clapped his hands together, drawing everyone's attention. "Mr. Turtle says that in Jaya we can find clues about the sky island—Skypeia!" He declared, beaming as if he's the sun himself.

"Jaya?" Nami repeated, crossing her arms, and squinting her eyes at Luffy's beaming figure.

"Shishishi! Yeah! We are setting sail for Jaya!" Luffy cheered, his enthusiasm practically contagious, though it earned a few skeptical stares.

"What about the way, captain-san?" Robin questioned with a faint smile, watching Luffy's every move carefully. She wouldn't be surprised, though, if somehow the captain possess an eternal pose of the pirate island.

"Mr. Turtle would show us the way!" Luffy declared proudly, patting the creature's head as though it were a loyal steed.

"Can we trust that thing?" Usopp asked nervously, as a bead of sweat rolled down his temple as he glanced uneasily at the towering turtle. One might think that the crew were accustomed to Luffy's oddities, specially after having seen Luffy sitting on the crown of so many sea monsters by this time.

"Like we have a choice," Zoro muttered, leaning against the railing with his arms crossed as Robin's fruit powers helped to secure a rope between the Merry and the turtle.

Just as the crew began to settle, a sudden shift in the atmosphere made the air grow heavy and cold. A strange chill ran down their spines, and an unnatural darkness descended over the sea, extinguishing the light.

"What's going on now?!" Nami exclaimed, gripping the railing as an oppressive tension settled over them.

The sea turtle let out a deep, mournful groan, its massive body trembling as it began to retreat slightly. Luffy's eyes widened in confusion as he looked upward at the untimely darkening sky. 'Was the sun going astray without him, its guardian?' Luffy thought but that didn't make sense since his powers still are sealed and the sun has been without him for almost 800 years.

"The day turned to night?!" Chopper cried, his voice rising with panic as he clung to Usopp's leg.

"Just what the hell is going on, Luffy?!" Usopp hollered, his voice cracking as he cupped his hands around his mouth.

The crew froze, their collective gazes snapping upward as the swirling sky above them revealed three colossal silhouettes that materialized out of thin air.

The figures were humanoid but impossibly large, with wing-like structures extending from their backs and long spears in their hands. They loomed in the heavens like ancient guardians, their features indistinct but their presence oppressive.

The figures were impossibly large, their features shadowed and indistinct, with wing-like structures extending from their backs. Long, spear-like weapons gleamed faintly in their hands, their presence suffocating as though they were divine guardians, or harbingers of doom.

"What the hell are those?!" Zoro demanded, his hand instinctively moving towards his swords.

"Monsters!" Usopp screamed, his legs trembling as he darted toward the nearest cover.

"We're doomed!" Chopper wailed, his fur bristling as the figures loomed closer.

The tension shattered when one of the figures raised its enormous spear, the movement slow but deliberate. Its weapon caught the faint light of the moon, casting an ominous glow that made it clear it wasn't hesitating to strike.

"MOVE IT! GET US OUT OF HERE!" Zoro bellowed, rushing toward the helm.

Nami's hands trembled as she scrambled to steer. "We can't outrun those things!"

"Everyone, row or paddle—do something!" Usopp screeched, already fumbling for a cannon he wasn't even sure would work.

But amidst the chaos, one voice cut through with eerie calm.

"Whoa," Luffy murmured, his tone low and almost reverent as he stared at the figures. His eyes shimmered with fascination, a wide grin splitting his face. "Cool..."

"COOL?!" Zoro and Sanji roared in unison, their frustration boiling over as they snapped their heads toward their captain.

Before they could yell at him further, the sea turtle suddenly let out a terrified wail. The massive creature thrashed in the water, its fear palpable, and began to flee, its frantic movements rocking the Merry violently.

"Wait! Mr. Turtle! Slow down!" Luffy cried, clinging to the turtle's head as it barreled away from the towering figures.

"IT'S TAKING THE SHIP!" Usopp screamed, his grip on the mast turning his knuckles white.

"LUFFY, GET BACK HERE!" Zoro roared, barely managing to steady himself as the ship was dragged along.

"This isn't awesome, you idiot!" Sanji shouted furiously, holding onto the rigging as the waves crashed against the Merry.

But Luffy didn't seem to hear them, his gaze fixed upward as the figures grew smaller and smaller in the distance, a glimmer of curiosity and faint recognition still sparking in his eyes. The rest of the crew, meanwhile, could only focus on survival as the turtle dragged them further and further from the danger above.