Hunting for Gold

"So…how are we gonna find the gold?" Ryomen asked.

"Are you stupid!? We explore!" Luffy replied.

"Yeah, explore!" Chopper echoed, raising his arms.

"How about not!" Usopp exclaimed fearfully.

"Exploring doesn't really seem to be your thing." Ryomen remarked to Luffy with an amused smile.

"How about calling the old man?" Zoro suggested, lazily leaning against a tree.

"That's only for emergencies!" Nami said, tinkering with some maps.

"Still, it'd be good to know what we're up against." Robin replied.

"Yeah! Who knows what's lurking in these woods!" Usopp added, glancing nervously behind him.

"Neihee!" Stronger neighed excitedly.

"He says it would be safer if Gan Fall was with us." Chopper translated.

"Stop lying." The crew deadpanned, eyeing Stronger's sheepish expression.

"Alright." Ryomen sighed, "Who wants to use the whistle, raise your hands."

Luffy, Zoro, Robin, Stronger, Chopper, and Usopp all raised their hands and hooves.

Sanji glanced between Robin and Nami, looking conflicted. "I'll…have to abstain!" He declared dramatically.

"Doesn't matter." They all replied.

Ryomen then took the whistle from his pocket and blew into it.

"Where is he?" Luffy immediately asked.

"Wait a moment!!" Everyone shouted.

They continued waiting in silence.

"By now, I would've died a thousand times over." Usopp muttered.

Suddenly, rustling came from the forest. The crew looked on with caution, while Stronger suddenly stood up tall, dropping Ryomen to the ground.

"Are you alright!?" Gan Fall questioned, arriving atop Pierre.

"Yeah, yeah." Ryomen said, dusting himself off. 

"Then why did you call me!?" Gan Fall asked, annoyed.

"We wanted to ask about the Upper Yard." Ryomen replied, throwing a glare at Stronger.

"The Upper Yard…why would you willingly come here?" Gan Fall asked.

"To find the gold!! And then beat God!!" Luffy declared.

"What!?" The knight looked at them, wide-eyed. "Do not say that! He will hear you!"

"Hm? Is he here!?" Luffy began looking around.

"Luffy…he probably has Observation Haki, like those priests." Ryomen pointed out.

"You met Enel's priests!?" Gan Fall asked, shocked.

"Yeah, even beat two of 'em." Zoro replied, calm as always.

The knight got off Pierre and sat around the campfire with them, trying to absorb it all.

"Nehee!" Stronger took the chance to inch closer to Pierre, trying to make a good impression.

"So…you want to know about this land, right?" Gan Fall muttered. "For you, land is a given…but here in the sky…this shouldn't exist. Things can grow on island clouds, but they cannot be born there. We call this...Varse. To those who live in the sky, it embodies our eternal hopes."

"I'm sure I can explain that." Nami chimed in, suddenly wearing glasses.

"Where did you get those?" Ryomen asked, baffled.

"Who cares! Nami-san's charm is now overflowing!" Sanji swooned.

"Alright everyone!" Nami stated, pushing up her glasses. "I now call the official Straw Hat's 'What are we going to do tomorrow?' meeting to order!"

"Right!!" Everyone replied.

"So, we know now that this island is a fragment of Jaya that ended up in the sky."

"By the knock-up stream?" Chopper asked.

"With its location always changing, it's possible." Sanji replied.

"And do you remember what was on the last page of Noland's log?" Nami continued.

"I saw gold in the skull's right eye." Robin recited.

"Exactly! And look at this!" Nami held up a map of Jaya and one of Skypiea, showing how they fit together to form a skull.

"See! This is the shape of Jaya…four hundred years ago!!"

"Whoa! It's just like a skull!" Luffy exclaimed.

"So that's what he meant…" Ryomen murmured, studying the map.

"Noland was talking about the island's shape! With only half of it left, it's no wonder the mystery couldn't be solved." Nami smirked.

"It all makes sense now!" Usopp shouted.

"Treasure!" Luffy threw his arms up.

"Tomorrow, we'll go there. But we can't leave the ship alone for too long, so we'll split into two teams." Nami stated. 

…

"A delicious feast tonight…and tomorrow, gold!!" Luffy declared.

"I hope it's a clear day." Chopper mumbled.

"Well, we're above the clouds." Usopp pointed out.

"It's late. We should put out the fire…or the enemy will know our position." Robin warned.

"If they wanted to attack, they would have by now." Ryomen replied, ever prepared but unfazed.

"That's ridiculous. Did you hear that, Usopp? Put out the fire she says…" Luffy shook his head.

"Give the poor girl a break, Luffy. Robin's lived in the dark, she wouldn't know." Usopp replied, patting his friend's shoulder.

"Can you not say that in front of her?" Ryomen rolled his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Robin asked, curious.

Luffy and Usopp immediately knelt on the ground.

"When you go camping, it's normal to have a campfire!!"

"At camp at night, even if your life's on the line, you've gotta have a campfire. That's just how it is!"

"You guys are total idiots." Sanji remarked.

"Weren't you shaking in fear just a moment ago?" Ryomen asked Usopp with a raised eyebrow.

"That's why a campfire's needed! It takes your mind off things!" Usopp shot back.

"Will you cut it out!? You should know how dangerous this forest is!" Nami scolded.

"Hey, Luffy!!" Zoro called out from behind. "How's this for a bonfire!?"

He presented a human-sized bonfire with Sanji leaning on it, giving a thumbs up.

"Not you too!" Nami yelled.

"How can you all be so relaxed in enemy territory?" Gan Fall asked in disbelief. "Did beating the priests make you too confident?"

"Honestly, that'd be understandable. But that's just how they are." Ryomen replied with a resigned sigh.

"It'll be fine, Nami-san. Besides, monsters are afraid of fire!" Sanji insisted, waving a torch.

Suddenly, several pairs of eyes appeared from the dark.

"Behind you!! There's something there already!!" Nami shrieked. 

…

The night continued, and the Straw Hats danced around the bonfire with a pack of wolves joining in.

"Hahah!!" Nami laughed, tears in her eyes at the scene before her.

"Oou woo woo!!" Luffy howled with the wolves.

"Nehee!!" Stronger and Pierre circled the campfire excitedly.

"C'mon, cut loose!" Usopp shouted, banging a drum. "It's the pre-bounty bash!"

"Haha, this body hasn't left me yet!" Gan Fall laughed, joining in.

"This is so much fun!!" Chopper said from atop Ryomen's shoulders.

"Right!? Can't believe we've never done this before!" Ryomen said, his face red from the alcohol.

"The treasure's as good as ours!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Gold, here I come!" Sanji added.

Zoro leaned back, sipping from his bottle, while Robin watched with a smile.

"Hey, Robin! Party with us!" Ryomen said, coming to her side, Chopper now dancing with the others.

"I'm fine here." She replied, though smiling. "Why not try Zoro?"

"I'm already partying." Zoro muttered, taking another swig.

"He's used to this." Ryomen told her. "But you haven't done it before. And I promised to be someone important to you, didn't I? Making such memories is a good start, don't you think?" He held out his hand.

"Is that so?" She looked at him, intrigued, and then took his hand, joining the fun.

"Heh. Can't wait to see that stupid cook's reaction." Zoro smirked to himself, amused.

…

The next morning, the Straw Hats split into two teams: the search team—Ryomen, Luffy, Zoro, Robin, and Chopper—heading to the ruins for the gold, while the others went on the Merry.

"Alright! Let's do this!" Luffy shouted, and they set off. 

…

Far above, amidst a sea of clouds, stood a small, ancient shrine encircled by towering structures. The air was tense with anticipation, as if the very sky held its breath in expectation of the conflict ahead.

A tall man with elongated ears and drums on his back surveyed the scene, his gaze sharp and calculating. He turned to his subordinates, a sly smile forming on his lips.

"Have they all left?" He asked, his voice laced with an almost casual menace.

A soldier nodded, though a hint of unease flickered in his eyes. "Yes…everyone's prepared. Both priests are in position, ready to unleash their trials. Commander Yama and fifty soldiers of God's army await your command. But…do we really need our entire battle force?"

The man's laughter echoed like thunder through the shrine. "Yahahaha! Why not? More enemies mean more entertainment! Besides…" He waved dismissively. "…you underestimate the true art of sky combat."

He then looked at his assembled forces. "With me, the priests, and the soldiers, that makes fifty-three fighters in total. The invaders consist of twenty Shandians and eight Blue Sea intruders. That brings us to eighty-one in all."

The man's eyes gleamed as he tallied the numbers. "Perfect! A survival game awaits!" His lips curled into a grin. "The question is…how many will still be breathing after three hours?" He turned abruptly, pointing at a woman nearby. "You! Care to take a guess?"

The woman blinked, taken aback. "M-me? I couldn't possibly…I have no idea…"

He clicked his tongue in mock disappointment. "What? No sense of thrill? Just follow your instincts!" He turned to another servant, his gaze intense. "You, then! What's your prediction?"

The second servant hesitated, considering the question. "Our forces are strong, but the enemy…some of them could rival the priests. I'd say, after three hours…fifty fighters will remain."

The man threw his head back, laughing. "Fifty! Yahahaha! You're far too optimistic. You underestimate the bloodshed that's about to unfold."

The soldiers exchanged nervous glances. One finally spoke up, voice wavering. "Then…what does God foresee?"

The man's smile widened, and his voice dropped, heavy with conviction. "Very well. I'll reveal it." He raised his hand, fingers outstretched, as though divining the outcome. "After three hours…out of the eighty-one fighters, only six will still be standing."

Silence settled over the shrine, broken only by the distant rumble of thunder. The soldiers' faces paled, but their leader's gaze remained unyielding, a glint of dark satisfaction in his eyes.

"Let the game begin."

…

In the forest, the search team headed toward the ruins, prepared to take all the gold.

"Zoro, you're going the wrong way!" Ryomen scolded.

"You're wrong on this one. We need to go to the skull's right eye. Right is this way!" Zoro pointed left.

"Sheesh. You two have no sense of direction. We need to go west." Luffy muttered, heading east.

"We should be going south!" Ryomen shouted, exasperated.

"South? Why didn't you say so sooner?" Luffy replied as he picked up a stick.

"Luffy, that's such a cool stick!" Chopper told him.

"Haha! Isn't it? But you can't have it. I found it first." Luffy said, proudly clutching the stick.

"Aww…You're so lucky!" Chopper started searching for his own. "A stick…A stick…"

"As cute as he is, we can't have him start collecting sticks too." Ryomen sighed. "Luffy's already filled the ship with them."

"This is starting to get boring. When are we going to find another priest?" Zoro mumbled.

"Not quite a priest, but this might be enough." Robin replied, cryptically.

Before they could ask what she meant, a slithering sound made them freeze. A massive snake emerged from the trees, towering over them.

"Whoa!! A giant snake!" Luffy yelled, his eyes wide with excitement.

"Cursed Dismantle!" Ryomen flicked his fingers, sending slashes through the snake's head.

"Hissss!" The snake glared, enraged, and charged forward.

The group scattered, while Ryomen leaped up, landing on the snake's back.

"Despite its size…it's so fast." Zoro observed.

"Not for long!" Ryomen shouted, pressing a hand against the snake. "Cleave!" With a brutal slice, the snake's body was suddenly torn apart, blood pooling around it.

"That's it?" Luffy muttered, sounding disappointed.

"Hey, Ryomen, don't you think your powers are a little too convenient?" Zoro asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, sorry, I'll tone it down." Ryomen replied with a smirk, rolling his eyes.

"Well, I don't mind it." Robin added, lounging in a nearby tree.

"Y-Yeah, keep going at it!" Chopper agreed.

"Let's just keep moving." Ryomen said with a sigh. 

…

"Humpty Dum! There's a lovely island in the south…My head is empty, I'm a fool~" Luffy sang as they marched through the forest.

"At least he's self-aware." Zoro muttered.

"And what's with this awful singing?" Ryomen groaned, covering his ears.

"Hey! You got a problem with my voice!?" Luffy demanded, clearly offended.

"Luffy, singing isn't really your strong point." Chopper said kindly.

"Yeah, well, Robin enjoys it! Right, Robin?" Luffy looked at her, hopeful.

Robin turned to them, removing small earplugs. "Did you say something?"

"Ghhh…" Luffy kicked a rock in frustration.

"Baa…" A strange noise then echoed through the forest.

"A goat?" Luffy murmured.

"Don't think that was a goat…or an animal at all." Ryomen replied, skeptical.

"How could a goat be here?" Zoro asked.

"It wouldn't be too strange for a 'sky goat' to exist." Robin pointed out.

"Then…could there be a sky Chopper?" Ryomen teased.

"Whaaat!? You think there really could be!?" Chopper gasped, hooves on his head in shock.

"Baa!" A man suddenly dropped from the treetops, aiming for Luffy.

"Hyah!" Luffy turned and punched him, knocking the man out cold.

"Aw, I was excited about seeing a goat! What a letdown!" Luffy complained.

"What's so exciting about a goat?" Chopper asked, tilting his head.

Ryomen narrowed his eyes at Luffy, pondering. 'Are all these coincidences just his instinct…or something more?'

Before he could think too deeply, Luffy began singing again.

"The island in the north is oh-so-cool…My head's empty and I'm a fool~"

"Uuuhh…" The others groaned.

Suddenly, Luffy froze, his face serious. "Dodge!!"

Though confused, the crew followed his lead, jumping aside just as an explosion erupted where they had been standing.

"Aaah! What happened!?" Chopper yelped.

"What's the big deal!?" Luffy turned, spotting a tattooed man with wings and a rocket launcher perched on a tree branch.

"You…are the ones who defeated the priests?" The man asked cautiously.

"That's right. What about it?" Zoro replied, readying his sword.

"Nothing. I thought you were part of God's army." The man answered plainly.

"Hm? His army?" Ryomen questioned.

"That's right. God sent his men to kill everyone here. This place is now a battlefield."

"That's how you got injured?" Chopper asked, concerned.

"I fought one of the priests earlier. Enough with the questions!" The man snapped. "I'll take you all down!"

"Huh!? Why!?" Chopper cried, startled.

"Don't question it, Chopper. He's clearly insane." Robin said calmly.

"Cursed Dismantle!" Ryomen suddenly flicked his fingers, shattering the man's bazooka.

Zoro and Luffy shot glares at Ryomen.

"Do you want a beating too!?" Ryomen retorted, exasperated.

The man blinked, stunned by the bazooka's destruction, but quickly regained his composure, lunging at Ryomen.

"Seis Fleur Twist!" Robin's hands appeared on the man's body, twisting him painfully and stopping his attack.

"Alright, this is really pissing me off! When am I actually going to get a fight!?" Luffy yelled in frustration.

"Don't worry." Ryomen said as they continued toward the ruins. "I'm sure you'll get your wish soon enough."