Chapter 460: Rope Art
Chapter 460: Rope Art
Skypiea
High above the Grand Line, at an altitude of several thousand meters, lies a realm of clouds and islands known as Skypiea. This particular island, named Angel Island, floats above another island called Gaya.
On a stretch of coast on Angel Island, a group of six or seven young girls with short, white wings on their backs were working. They wore baskets made of white cloud-like material on their backs.
Even in Skypiea, there was the task of gathering seafood.
While collecting Sky Crabs and Sky Shrimp was a secondary task, the main objective was to gather various shells. Shells were the primary tools in Skypiea, serving a multitude of functions and fulfilling all daily needs.
The daily haul from gathering seafood was usually enough to cover their expenses, and occasionally, they would come across some rare and valuable shells that could be sold for a high price, providing a brief period of comfort.
A girl with brown shoulder-length hair bent down and picked up a shell from the cloud-like beach. After examining it, she broke into a delighted smile and gestured excitedly to her companion in the distance.
"Nolti! Come quick and look at this!"
"Wow! Is that a Knock-up Shell? You're so lucky today!"
Another Skypiean girl with golden short hair blinked, a hint of envy flashing in her eyes, but she quickly straightened her modest chest and puffed out her cheeks. "I have a feeling my luck will be good today too."
As shells used by Skypiean warriors for hunting and combat, Knock-up Shells were relatively expensive compared to other shells. Finding one usually meant their entire day's work was paid for, and any additional finds would be pure profit.
"Good luck!"
Roya, the brown-haired girl, smiled cheekily at her companion and made a playful gesture before carefully putting away the Knock-up Shell.
Nolti, with her cheeks puffed out, took quick steps along the beach, searching intently. However, as she flipped over shell after shell, she only found ones that had no special function.
After picking up yet another shell that seemed unique at first glance but turned out to be ordinary upon closer inspection, Nolti scowled, grinding her small tiger teeth in frustration. With a forceful throw, she sent the ordinary shell flying into the distant sea.
"Losing patience so soon? Hahaha."
The sound of laughter escaped from her companions as they watched Nolti's frustrated antics.
But before their laughter could subside, the shell that Nolti had thrown landed far out in the sea, causing the calm waters to erupt abruptly.
Boom!!!
Like a violent explosion, the sea erupted, sending a powerful surge upward and spraying clouds in all directions. Roya and the others were drenched, their clothes soaked.
Startled, they paused their activities and turned towards the sea. There, they saw a massive sailboat that had run aground on the beach of Skypiea.
"What is that...?"
Roya's initial fright gave way to recognition as she stared at the ship. "It's... a ship from the Blue Sea!"
Skypiea, floating high above the Grand Line at an altitude of 10,000 meters, did not exist in complete isolation from the Blue Sea below.
There were multiple routes to reach Skypiea, one of which involved riding the Knock-up Stream, a powerful current that propelled ships upward to the sky and deposited them near Skypiea.
The girls were young, only sixteen or seventeen years old, but they had all seen remnants of ships that had been carried up to Skypiea by the currents. However, these ships were usually nothing more than damaged wreckage.
This was the first time they had seen such a well-preserved ship make its way up.
After a brief moment of silence...
Roya and her companions gradually calmed down and began to observe the large sailboat that had run aground not far from them.
"A ship this intact should have survivors, right?"
"But I don't see anyone..."
After a brief discussion, the girls quietly reached a consensus.
Let's go take a look!
It was rare for a ship from the Blue Sea to be carried up to Skypiea. Such an event usually occurred only once in a long while, and when it did, it often brought good fortune.
Many ships from the Blue Sea carried items not found in Skypiea, and these items were highly valued by the Skypieans. Even a single piece of wreckage could attract many explorers and treasure seekers.
Most importantly, the ship had conveniently landed right in front of them. The commotion caused by the shell would soon attract other islanders, so they had to act fast if they wanted to explore it.
The group quickly made their way to the ship.
Although the large vessel, a grand sailboat, was difficult to board even when grounded, it was no challenge for Roya and her friends, who carried the necessary tools.
Gulu Gulu!
Roya took out a shell and activated it, causing it to spew out chunks of white island clouds that piled on top of each other, forming a path up to the ship.
After ensuring its sturdiness, they all grasped the cloud staircase and slowly climbed onto the deck.
Roya, who had been the first to ascend, didn't rush in. Instead, she politely called out towards the direction of the ship's cabin.
"Hello! Is anyone there?"
"... "
There was no response.
She carefully scanned the surroundings. The vast deck of such a large ship was empty and deserted, yet the vessel itself seemed largely undamaged.
The eerie scene made Roya and her friends feel uneasy.
"Strange... Is there really no one here?"
"An intact ship with no crew... Could they have all perished when the ship was swept up here?" Roya rested her hand on her chin, deep in thought.
The bolder one among them, Nolti, walked towards the cabin, waving her hand dismissively. "Don't overthink it. We'll know once we take a look inside."
"Anyone here? Sorry to disturb you."
She reached the cabin entrance and called out, ready to step inside to investigate.
But just as she was about to enter—
Swoosh!!!
The previously quiet ship sprang to life. Several ropes shot out from the side at incredible speed, wrapping around Nolti's body and pulling her out of the cabin.
"Waaahhh!!!"
Nolti screamed in fright.
Despite the apparent absence of any people, the ropes moved on their own, a bizarre sight that terrified Roya and her companions, causing them to cry out as well.
Some of the girls tried to flee in panic, while others attempted to rescue Nolti, who was bound by the ropes. However, their efforts only resulted in more ropes entangling them.
Swish! Swish! Swish!!!
In mere moments, the six young women were bound in various positions, showcasing their remarkable flexibility, and hung in a row beneath the ship's sails.
"Wuu... Wuu..."
Some of them tried to call for help, but the ropes twisted and tied knots, effectively gagging them and leaving them able to make only muffled sounds.
After what felt like an eternity—
As Roya and the others were on the verge of tears, a handsome man with silver short hair emerged from the cabin. It was Feng Ye.
He wore a loose-fitting short-sleeved haori, tying the sash as he stepped out. Seeing the scene on the deck, he couldn't help but smile.
"What kind of rope art are you playing at? Let these people down!"
"Yes!"
The ropes responded in unison and quickly loosened their grip.
The six Skypiean girls fell to the deck in succession, struggling to stand but hindered by their bonds. They knelt and sat, shaking from the exertion, and gasping for breath.
Robin followed Feng Ye out of the cabin, a hint of pink still tingeing her cheeks, though her demeanor remained calm. She observed Roya and the others thoughtfully. "The people who live on the empty islands, floating 10,000 meters above, are indeed a little different from us."
"Yes, their physical structure is somewhat unique."
Feng Ye nodded slightly.
(End of Chapter)
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