One Piece: Rising to Power as a Warlord of the Sea

"Sky Island? Let's go! Natsu, I think it's a great idea—there must be a lot of fascinating creatures there!" exclaims Hiro excitedly, waving his hands. The idea of an island floating in the sky excites him, and he can only imagine what rare creatures he might find to study.

"I leave the decision to the captain!" Gin replies with a blank expression. In his mind, Natsu's word is absolute, and he would obey any command, even if it meant his own death.

"Hehe, I'm with the boss!" Kumo cheers, lifting his chubby little paws in support. Wherever the boss goes, Kimo will follow.

"Good. In that case, let's wait here for a few days," Natsu says. "According to the rumors, there are five rising currents each month. If we've calculated correctly, one should appear within the next couple of days."

"But before we set off, there's one thing we need to do—bird-catching."

"Bird-catching?"

"Yes. A unique type of bird, one with a strange call. It constantly faces south, as if following some internal compass. Most people call it the Compass Bird."

"This is currently our only means of navigation to Sky Island," Natsu explains. "After our first visit, we can log its position in the Smile's navigation system, and it will automatically track it in the future."

"Hey, boss! Look ahead! There's a castle up there!" Kumo points his tiny, dark paw towards a distant structure. Natsu squints, realizing it must be the residence of Montblanc Cricket—the quirky diamond-headed man with a chestnut on his head.

From this distance, the "castle" almost looks real, but…

"It's fake!"

"Fake?"

"Yeah, just a backdrop."

"Oh..." Kumo mutters, his excitement deflating. He thought he had spotted a magnificent castle, only to find out it was an illusion. "Humans are such liars!"

Natsu and his crew dock the Smile along the shore, preparing to enter the forest and capture the Compass Bird. Since the task is straightforward, Natsu only brings Kimo and Hiro along.

As they disembark, bubbles begin to emerge from the ocean, and a strange-looking man pops up from below, eyeing them with suspicion.

"Who are you people?"

"Hey there, old man! I'm Monkey D. Natsu, a pirate. These are my friends," Natsu introduces.

"A pirate, huh?" Cricket's brows knit in irritation, though he quickly composes himself.

"What are pirates doing here? There's no treasure to be found in these parts."

"We're just here to capture a Compass Bird for our journey to Sky Island—no ill intentions," Natsu explains.

"A Compass Bird?" Cricket's eyes widen in surprise. This man not only knows about Sky Island but also about the Compass Bird's role. Clearly, he's no ordinary man.

"Yes!" Natsu replies confidently, waving a hand and leading Kumo into the forest. Time is short, and they need to capture a Compass Bird before the rising current arrives.

Meanwhile, Cricket sighs deeply, watching Natsu's group disappear into the trees. His two gorilla-like companions approach, startled.

"Boss, did they say they're going to Sky Island?!"

"Yes," Cricket murmurs, taking a long drag from his cigarette as their figures vanish into the forest. His ashtray fills with butts as he mutters to himself, "Sky Island… are you real?" The Montblanc family has been ridiculed as "the great liar family" for generations, burdened with an unshakable sense of shame and a deep feeling of helplessness.

"I hope they bring back proof of your existence."

Southern Forest

Natsu and his companions make their way into the forest, treading lightly. Natsu uses Observation Haki, scanning a hundred meters around them for signs of the elusive bird. Once it's within range, he's confident he'll capture it in a single strike.

"Whoo-whoo-whooo!"

A strange sound echoes nearby. Natsu spots the Compass Bird on a tree branch around fifty meters ahead and launches himself forward. After Kurokodairu's vulture saved him once before, Natsu had added the Navy's Six Powers to his training routine, and he now uses the Moonwalk technique with ease.

His combined speed and the Moonwalk allow him to soar through the air at supersonic speeds.

"Gotcha!"

"Wind Rope!"

In midair, Natsu utters the command, creating two ropes of wind that fly towards the Compass Bird, ensnaring it before it can escape.

The Compass Bird squawks angrily as Natsu catches it.

"Shut it," he scolds, flicking the bird on the head. "Keep that up, and you'll end up in the cooking pot!"

Feeling Natsu's intimidating presence, the Compass Bird quiets down, eyeing him warily.

Elsewhere, Hiro and Kumo struggle as swarms of insects, controlled by a flock of Compass Birds, descend on them. Hiro manages to fend them off with his ointment, but not before they're covered in bites.

"Enough is enough!" Kumo growls, his eyes narrowing. Taking a deep breath, he lets out a powerful roar that shakes the surrounding trees, stunning the insects mid-flight and knocking them to the ground like rain. A Compass Bird falls from a branch, eyes rolling as it loses consciousness.

"Ha! You thought you could outwit Grandpa Kumo! Not a chance!"

Excited, Kumo dashes forward and grabs the fallen bird, holding it tightly so it can't escape.

"Nice catch, you two!" Natsu calls out as he approaches, grinning.

"Hehe, I'm pretty awesome, right, boss?" Kumo beams.

"You're the best, Kumo," Natsu chuckles, ruffling the little panda's head. Kumo's face lights up with a happy grin.

"Let's go wait for the rising current."

Marineford, Marine Headquarters

In the Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Sengoku convenes a closed meeting about Natsu's recent defeat one of the warlord of the sea, Crocodile.

"Everyone's here? Let's discuss this new pirate, Monkey D. Natsu."

"Monkey? Is he related to Vice Admiral Garp?"

"Hmm, wonder what their connection is?"

"It's a shame someone with so much power didn't join the Marines!"

"Silence!" Sengoku shouts, frowning as he quiets the murmuring officers.

"Yes, you're right; Monkey D. Natsu is indeed related to that idiot Garp—he's Garp's grandson. But a pirate is still a pirate, no matter their connections. Pirates are vile criminals, and the Marines will not let a single one escape. Now, let's decide on the bounty for this pirate."

Three hours later, they agree on a bounty of 100 million Berries for Natsu. It's a significant bounty, making him one of the most feared pirates in the first half of the Grand Line.

Gin's bounty is set at 40 million Berries, while Kumo's bounty rises to 300 Berries—triple the previous amount.

 Kumo: "I tried my best too, you know! (｡•́︿•̀｡)"

"There'll be plenty of chances, Kumo," Natsu reassures him. Inwardly, though, he has his doubts. Like Chopper, the "pet" label means his bounty may never rise above a trivial sum.

Hiro: "Don't worry, Natsu! Next time, I'll make sure I earn my own bounty!"

Karina, inwardly: "I'm totally okay with not having a bounty."

With Natsu's victory over Crocodile, the Smile Pirates have made a name for themselves. Their wanted posters fly across the world, reaching the Revolutionary Army, Windmill Village, and the New World.

And this is only the beginning.