Chapter 12: New Bounties!

“Sky Island?”

Montblanc Cricket’s face looked serious when he heard that but then broke into laughter the next moment!

“Gyahahahaha! You guys actually believe that?”

Nami was about to hit him for laughing but Lucas held her still.

“Err, calm down Nami. He’s sick!”

“Sky Island doesn’t exist?”

Luffy asked, still confused.

“Hehe...I don’t know either...but I knew a man who said it does. He was known as a great liar though, someone who was always being laughed at.”

Hearing Cricket say that, Luffy turned to Usopp in disbelief!

“It’s not me!”

“You mean Norland right? You are...his descendant?”

“...Right. He was my great great great grandfather...it’s an annoying legacy that goes so far back. But there isn’t a trace of his lineage in me. The whole Montblanc family was exiled to a life of shame. Even now, we are still bad mouthed.”

Cricket sighed.

“However, nobody hates him for it…”

“Why not?”

“Because Norland, out of all things...was a very honest man.”

Since it seemed as if Cricket was about to start explaining from the start of his backstory, Lucas cut in, kinda annoyed with how drawn out it was already getting.

“Ahh, no need for the backstory. We saw the Sky Island already. Right, that monkey guy also saw it so you can ask him.”

Cricket’s mouth went agape!

At first, he was annoyed that someone had disrupted him but then heard what he just said.

“Did someone call me?”

As if having heard they were called, the monkey brothers appeared again from the door.

“Masira, these guys said they saw Sky Island?”

“Hm? Ah! Right! This was what I wanted to tell you earlier boss!”

Masira started to talk nonstop about the incident from before.

His spit keeps flying around as he talked but Lucas redirected those to his orangutan brother who now had a black face.

“...”

Seeing as Cricket was silent for a while after Masira finished, Luffy was impatient.

“As I was saying...I want to go to Sky Island! Do you know a way or not!?”

Cricket smiled wryly at Luffy and took a book from the side.

Nami saw the cover and was surprised.

“Captain’s Log...could it be Norland’s!?”

“Yeah, read that line aloud.”

“Ah! Wow, a 400-year-old logbook...Year of the Sea 1120, June 21st, clear weather, I set sail from the lively city of Villa following the direction from the log pose, we went northeast, straight out of the dock.”

Nami continued reading from the logbook.

It told of a strange small boat that can travel without the help of the wind called ‘Waver’

Nami seemed to have taken a liking to that boat.

Continuing on, the waver’s source of energy seems to only exist on Sky Island. There were also mentions of a living Sky Fish found in the Sky Island.

The log expressed that though their ship was unable to travel to the island, as a sailor, he wanted to travel to the Sky Island someday.

When Nami finished reading it, they were still excited!

“Sea of the Sky!”

“Just like what Robin said!”

“And judging from the text, it is without a doubt that sky island still exists!”

Chopper was too excited he can’t say anything.

Lucas smiled wry seeing the Luffy and the rest so excited and wondered if they did indeed find a way for him back to his world, would they also...want to visit?

As he thought of such fantasies, Cricket had left the room already and talked to the monkey brothers.

“Now listen up. Do you like them?”

“? Why are you asking?”

“They seem to want to...go to Sky Island.”

“But there’s only one way to reach Sky Island.”

“If they do it alone, they will die for sure boss!”

Cricket grinned and crossed his arms as he faced the sea.

“Well then, should we...give them a hand?”

Once they decided, Cricket decided to tell Luffy and the rest everything he knows regarding the Sky Island.

“In some parts of the sea during the day, it would suddenly become dark as if it’s ‘night-time’”

“Ooh! I’ve seen it! I’ve seen that happen! Right!?”

“Yeah! It suddenly becomes night-time then those shadows appeared! Then Lucas punched a hole in them and we saw the Sky Island behind it!”

Luffy and Usopp nodded.

“P-punch a hole!? In those...giant shadows!?”

Cricket’s jaw fell to the floor and looked at Lucas in disbelief.

Lucas laughed sheepishly as if saying it was nothing while Nami was angered again and pinched his waist!

Lucas was speechless...why am I getting pinched again!?

Ignoring the two, Cricket continued.

“In regards to the sudden arrival of 'night', it is caused by shadows cast by a very dense cloud.”

“Nimbostratus? Clouds like that don’t cause the sky to turn completely black.”

Surprised, Nami asked while Lucas, Usopp, and Chopper added on.

“Mister, you’re so stupid. Days with lots of clouds are just ‘cloudy’.”

“Yeah, just ‘cloudy’.”

“Yah, ‘cloudy’!”

“Be quiet and listen!”

Cricket was pissed! His head hurt from explaining to these idiots.

He sighed and continued.

“‘Millennium Cumulonimbus’ is the name for that piece of cloud. It does not ascend or rain. But when it appears in the sky, the sunlight gets blocked completely. The ‘day time’ on the ground becomes ‘night-time’. Some say that the ‘Millennium Cumulonimbus’ has been in existence for millions of years, it wouldn't change form and it continues to float around in the sky as if a ‘cloud fossil’.”

“...So it’s an ‘impossible cloud’?”

That was all that Luffy can take from the conversation…but Chopper seemed to be impressed by him.

“More or less, it’s something that still can’t be explained.”

“Luffy, so smart!”

Lucas sighed and added on.

“Basically, what he’s saying is, we can find the Sky Island inside that big cloud. Only something like that kind of cloud can possibly carry a whole island.”

“Right.”

Luffy nodded as if he wanted to say what Lucas just said.

Chopper was still impressed.

“Luffy, so smart!”

“...”

Lucas gave up.

Ignoring them, Luffy raised his arm excitedly!

“Alright! I got it! Let’s get onto that cloud! Zoro, wake up!”

“Huh? It’s morning?”

“Everyone, man your positions! Turn the ship towards the cloud in the sky! Thanks for telling us those things mister!”

“We don’t know how to get there! How many times do I need to tell you that!?”

Nami was angered again and shouted at Luffy’s impulsiveness.

Rather than that...just what was Luffy thinking? Did he seriously want to turn...upwards? And just sail like that?

Lucas was amused at the thought.

As Nami pummeled Luffy and Usopp, Cricket spoke again.

“The real deal is just starting now. I’ll warn you first, you need to risk your life!”

Lucas stared at the two with bruises on their faces.

“No need to worry, they just did.”

“...”

Cricket continued.

“The current that shoots upward. If you can get on this current, you can get to the sky, understand?”

“Really? We just need to get blown to the sky, on top of the cloud? Hahaha!”

Luffy seemed to be quite excited.

Nami was a bit doubtful.

“But then, I heard that the ships that get blown into the sky will crash back down into the sea...I heard it in Mock Town.”

“Normally, that is the case. The key here is timing…”

The more Cricket continued to explain, the paler Usopp’s face became!

Eventually, he became more afraid than excited! He didn’t want to go to Sky Island anymore.

Lucas sighed and know that this is just temporary and he would still go anyway. Since it seemed like they will take a while more to plan out, Lucas headed to the forest as he remembered something.

Soon, Luffy and the others came back noisily as ever, as he demanded food and drinks!

Sanji quickly brought in the food and drinks and the party began!

As everyone ate and drank, Robin was the only one who remained reading.

Seeing this, Cricket approached her and read the last line of the book she’s reading.

“In the skull’s right eye, gold is seen!”

“Gold?”

Nami’s ear twitched upon hearing the word.

“The page that has teardrop on it, is Roland’s last words...his sentence was carried out that day. I still don’t understand what that passage means.”

Cricket drank some more wine, completely intoxicated.

“The skull’s right eye!? Is that a city that was here before? Or is it hinting his death? It’s all blank after that. That’s why we need to go underwater! Daydream on the bottom of the Sea!”

“Yup, whoohh!!!”

“Yohaaaaa!”

“We’re going to fly!”

“Fly into the sky!”

“Ooooohh!!!”

The crowd becomes all excited after drinking and screaming their dreams.

After that, the partying became even louder!

In a good mood, Cricket showed off one of the gold they got underwater, a golden bell!

“Take a look at this!”

“Woah! Golden bell!”

Nami’s eyes turned to belis once again and held the golden bell close to her face and rubbed it on her cheek repeatedly!

“So the golden city does exist!”

Cricket showed them another piece of gold.

A strange bird holding a bell.

“The bird is called the ‘South birds’. They still exist on this island.”

“Speaking of South bird, ever since long ago, the sailors…!!!”

“DAMMIT!!!”

As the two monkeys were about to explain, Cricket suddenly shouted as he noticed something!

“!? What!? What happened!?”

“This is bad! You should go to the forest quickly! Go to the forest south of here!”

“Huh? What are you saying? Are you stupid?”

Luffy asked, still confused.

“Catch one of these birds right away!”

“What? Why?”

“Bird...what for?”

Cricket explained in a solemn tone.

“Listen carefully...the ‘Knock-up stream’ that exist directly south of here, how do you think you will get there!?”

“Just sail south!”

“No! This is the Grand Line! Once you set sail, you lose all sense of direction!”

Nami’s face paled as she remembered this.

“That’s why you need this bird! It is said that some animals contain some bio-compass enhancing their direction sense.”

“Hmm...I heard that pigeons also have this ability.”

“So Zoro, you are worse than some animals!”

“And who’re you to judge!?”

Luffy said to Zoro but was pissed that it was Luffy who pointed this out to him!

Cricket ignored them and continued.

“Among those animals, South bird has the best sense of direction. No matter how far away you move the bird, it’ll always point to the right direction. In other words, you can’t do anything without a bird like that! You wouldn't be able to even try getting onto sky island!”

“Ahh!!!”

Everyone panicked!

At this moment, the doors opened and Lucas appeared.

“Hm? Everyone’s here?”

“Lucas! Where were you!? Also, hurry and get out! We need to catch a bird!”

Luffy ordered.

“Bird? Oh, speaking of bird, Sanji, see if this is edible? Can you cook it?”

“Choh~!”

Lucas appeared oblivious to the situation but was in fact just playing dumb. He knows that these guys will forget about this and would rush it so he just went ahead and captured one ahead of them.

The bird Lucas was holding was indeed the South bird they were looking for. Right now, after hearing Lucas wanted to eat it, the South bird panicked but still faced its head to the south!

“Look, this thing seems tasty?”

“Choh~!?”

The South bird flapped its wings in panic but was unable to break free from Lucas’ grasp.

“Choh~!!!”

“Quiet, or I’ll deep fry you!”

“Choh~...”

At this time, everyone finally reacted!

“The South bird!”

“Lucas! You’re amazing!”

“Nice one!”

Lucas continued to act confused and let them explain.

Once they finished explaining, Lucas sighed and looked at the bird with disappointment.

“Too bad, and it looks tasty too...maybe just forget you saw this and we can go grab one more? After we eat this one?”

“CHOH~!!!”

“...”

Naturally, they didn’t agree and just directly placed the south bird in a cage.

Seeing everyone so excited, Lucas smiled wryly.

There was another reason why Lucas captured the South bird earlier than scheduled.

Because at the moment when Luffy and them leave to find the South bird in the original story...he will come here.

Sure enough, in a few minutes, his crew arrived.

“To rob treasures that others worked so hard to acquire...it’s such a unique sensation! Let me tell you what people call me. They call me, the ‘Hyena’ Hahahahahaha!”

Hyena Bellamy!

Lucas knows that this bastard had insulted Luffy and them back in Mock Town. Though he knows that Luffy didn’t want to fight at that time, the truth is, Lucas was still unsatisfied.

It was time for revenge!

“It’s you!”

Nami exclaimed when she saw the crew.

One of Belamy’s crew was a man named Sarquiss, he wore a goggle-like sunglasses and a fur coat and appeared to be fancy.

When he saw Nami again, he grinned.

“If it isn’t the expensive woman from before and her loser Captain! How about it, did you change your mind yet? Soon, we’ll have the gold you know? It’s not too late to follow me. Hahaha!”

Nami’s face went blank when she heard their laughter again and clenched her fists.

“Hahaha- aaah!?”

However, in the middle of his laughter, he suddenly coughed up blood!

Sarquiss touched his mouth and found...his tongue was gone!

Lucas glared at Sarquiss with killing intent!

“Is it this tongue that just insulted our Navigator and Captain?”

“Mmmpph!!!???”

Everyone looked confused about how Lucas was able to cut his tongue without them noticing!

The answer was a high speed and small water current to cut and retrieve it. It was easy to aim and time it with Observation Haki.

“Tch, such a dirty tongue.”

As if disgusted by the tongue, Lucas dropped it to the ground and trampled on it a few times.

“Nnnggg!!!”

Sarquiss was unable to utter a word!

At the side, Bellamy finally appeared serious.

“This the guy you had the run in before, Luffy?”

“Yeah.”

“They don’t look much.”

“They’re just pirates.”

Luffy shrugged as if Bellamy and the others weren’t that far apart from those normal pirates in Mock Town.

Sanji calmly lit his cigarette and puffed smoke.

“It seems they’re here to steal the gold these guys painstakingly dove for.”

“Seems so.”

“Want me to turn the guests away, captain?”

Zoro also had his hand on one of his katanas.

“No need.”

Luffy shook his head. He was pissed!

When they were in the bar, he let them insult him since there wasn’t any hurt they could do and it was pointless to fight with them.

But if these guys were to trample on a man’s dream and hard work...he would no longer stand still!

Bellamy grimaced seeing as it was Luffy who stepped out and not Lucas.

He snorted and turned his legs into springs!

“Spring...Lunge…!”

With the release of the spring, Bellamy shot forward at high speed!

Still, Luffy stood there calmly and raised his fist.

Without minding Bellamy’s speed, Luffy brought his fist down hard!

“!!! Gah--!?”

Luffy didn’t even need to use his Rubber ability for a small fry like Bellamy!

It was an instant KO!

Suddenly, a News Coo dropped a stack of paper on the ground. The wind blew and the paper appeared right before everyone’s eyes!

It was the new bounty of Luffy and Zoro!

“Hm?”

Lucas looked at the papers in surprise!

Surprisingly...even he had a bounty now!

[Monkey D. Luffy: 100,000,000 Beli]

[Roronoa Zoro: 60,000,000 Beli]

[Lucas: 80,000,000 Beli]

As for the rest of Bellamy’s crew, they were all frightened!

Sanji blew a mouthful of smoke and said.

“Pick up your captain and get lost.”

Hearing that, the crew quickly scrambled to pick up Bellamy and ran away!

Lucas sighed and didn’t bother with them. Instead, picking up his own bounty.

“80 million Beli…and where did they get this picture? I look awesome...”

Lucas wondered why those marine officers from before had even given him the bounty rewards of Blackbeard when he is already wanted himself…

Well, those corrupt officers are probably not too informed...

Zoro also picked up his bounty and grinned.

“Heh, not too bad.”

“Woo! 100 million!”

Luffy was the most excited!

However, Usopp and Nami were scared!

“No good... there are 3 big criminals on our crew now!”

“The marines are sure to chase us!”

At the side, Sanji lamented.

“Why!? Why don’t I have a bounty too!?”

“Don’t ask for one!”

Usopp smacked him at the back of his head! Are you kidding! 3 of them having high bounties is enough! You want to add more!?

“Fufu, what do you mean only 3? I also have a bounty remember?”

Robin giggled and Usopp’s face paled even more!

“It’s over...half of the crew have high bounties!”

Lucas grinned and walked over to Usopp and handed his phone to him!

“Usopp, quick, take a picture of us as commemoration!”

“...”

Usopp weakly took a picture of Luffy, Zoro, Lucas, and Robin holding their bounties!

But soon, it became some sort of photoshoot when Cricket joined in and asked for a picture to be taken as well when he heard of what the phone does.

No one spoke about Lucas being from another world as if it was a tacit agreement. Only the straw hat pirates knew of this secret!

After a while, they soon began to work on the ship and fit it to be able to travel the current of the ‘knock-up stream’!

Lucas held his phone and stared at the night sky in excitement!

Sky Island...here we come!”

Next chap will be delayed a bit since I have work stuff...on a Saturday...sigh...T_T

So...new bounty for Lucas! 80 million as a starting bounty. Had to raise it higher than Zoro since most marines saw how powerful Lucas was when he controlled the sea back in Alabasta. Figured that they would think of him more as a threat...that and some marines probably exagerated the details after they heard Vivi's announcement that time XD But only maybe :P

Next up! Skypiea! See ya in the next chap!