The Jackal Guardian's Ascent

Chapter 8

"He's gone." the mysterious stranger told the crew after a few tense moments of silence.

"What the heck?! Who was that guy?!" Nami asked. "AND YOU GUYS ARE PATHETIC!! HE CLOBBERED ALL FOUR OF YOU!!"

"Thank you for saving us." Chopper told the man.

"It was my duty." the man simply replied.

"How could I lose like that?" Sanji wondered to himself.

"I can hardly move." Luffy said while sprawled on the deck.

"Didn't see you fighting him Nami." Anu gruffly responded.

"That's probably because the air's so thin." Robin told the group.

"Huh...now that you mention it..."the man said to himself. "Are you Blue Sea people?"

"What's that?" Chopper asked the man.

"Who are you again?" Nami asked.

"I am the Sky Knight. Blue Sea people live below the clouds on the Great Blue Sea." the man informed them.

"I get it." Luffy said, still laying on the deck.

"This is the White Sea, which floats 23,000 feet above the Blue Sea." the man told them.

"Looks like I couple thousand meters off earlier." Anu remarked.

"And higher still is the White-White Sea, the Upper Stratum, which is 33,000 feet above it. Most Blue Sea people cannot tolerate these altitudes." the man told them.

"Okay! I'm starting to get used to it!" Luffy said as he finally sat up and started beating his chest.

"Yeah, I'm feeling a lot better too." Zoro added.

"I can say the same." Anu added as he rose to his feet.

"What? No." the Sky Knight said, waving the three off.

"Who was the man that attacked us?" Chopper asked.

"One moment. No doubt you have a great many questions, but let's talk business first." the man told the crew. "I am a soldier of fortune. This sea holds many dangers. Those unfamiliar with sky fighting are targeted by the guerillas and become food for the sky fish. But I can save you from them. One whistle for 5 million Extols."

"What are you talking about old man?" Luffy asked the armored man.

"Don't be stingy! That's an incredible bargain!" the man told them. "I won't go one Extol lower! I have to make a living!"

"What the heck is an "Extol"?" Sanji asked the man. "And what's this about a whistle?"

"Didn't you people come by way of the Peak of the High West?" the man asked them, surprised. "Then you must have gotten here by island hopping."

"I don't know what you're talking about old man." Luffy repeated.

"Hold it! You mean there's another way to get up here?!" Nami asked. "And island hopping? Is there more than one island in the sky?!"

"What?! Don't tell me you rode that beastly sea current?!" the man asked them. "So people with such courage still exist, eh?"

"We didn't have to ride the current." Nami said as she almost broke down crying.

"What's the big deal?" Luffy asked. "We made it."

"WE WERE ALMOST KILLED!!" Nami replied while furiously shaking Luffy. "WE SHOULD'VE GOTTEN MORE INFORMATION!!"

"Did you lose any crew members?" the man asked.

"No, we all made it." Luffy answered.

"The other routes are different, but they all have their own perils." The man told them. "The Knock Up Stream is one of those gambles where either everyone makes it or no one does. There aren't many who'd take that risk. Especially these days. You have to have both courage and skill. You're worthy sea dogs."