Summary:
As the crew approaches the center of the vortex, a sea king will appear and attack them. However, he too quickly succumbs to the power of faith, scaring Nami, Chopper, and Usopp while Luffy looks on unperturbed. Masira and Shoujou wish the crew luck as Usopp and Nami frantically try to get them to bring them back from the vortex. Noticing that the hot tub is actually sucking them in, they then turn their complaints to Luffy. They try to convince Luffy that the hot tub itself is deadly enough and the sky island is just a fantasy, but to their horror, this turns Luffy on even more. He tells them that if they missed such an adventure, they would regret it for the rest of their lives. As they sulk to admit their failure, Zoro points out what has been happening during their futile efforts: the ship is now fully airborne and about to descend into the center of the vortex. However, once it falls, the whirlpool seemingly disappears.
While wondering how such a large vortex could just disappear, Nami notices something: the vortex has actually fallen to the bottom of the sea. As they contemplate this new revelation, Usopp, Luffy, and Zoro notice the Blackbeard Pirates approaching them from behind. Nami remembers him from Mock Town, while Sanji doesn’t recognize him. Blackbeard announces that he is here to collect Luffy’s Beli 100,000,000 bounty while the Saruyama Alliance wonders who he is from afar.
Blackbeard wonders why it’s only dark where they are, while a confused Luffy questions the bounty, confirming Blackbeard’s suspicion that he didn’t know about it, but reveals Luffy’s bounty increase anyway, announcing the bounty to Zoro. Usopp looks through the binoculars and confirms and informs Zoro that he has also become a wanted pirate. Sanji asks Usopp to look again, hoping that there is one for him as well, but he coldly tells the cook that there isn’t, much to his disappointment. Luffy is excited about the new reward while Zoro casually smiles at his and wishes the amount was bigger. Nami herself wonders what role the events of Arabasta played in this and tells Luffy and Zoro not to get bored. Shoujou and Masira yell at them to focus as the Knock Up Stream approaches. Just then, the water under the Going Merry begins to swell and rise. Blackbeard is confused and all the Straw Hats are frantically looking for a place to hide or something to grab onto. There is a massive explosion below them and the Knock Up Stream finally emerges. He immediately blasts the Going Merry into the air, but completely destroys the Blackbeard Pirates’ raft in the process.
Mont Blanc Cricket watches Knock Up Stream from a distance and takes a breather. The stream is shown reaching up to the sky, above the clouds. The Straw Hats are still trying to pick themselves up as they ride upstream while Shoujou and Masira cheer them on to Sky Island. The Straw Hats are confused as to what’s causing them to float vertically upwards, and Nami wonders if it’s the wind. Sanji notices that the ship is slowly losing contact with the current itself and points out that if this continues, they will eventually be blasted away. The crew aren’t sure what to do about it, as they have enough trouble just staying on the ship. To make matters worse, the Sea King from earlier emerges from the current and falls towards them, amongst the other debris that has fallen victim to the power of the current. Sanji further deduces that sooner or later it will end unless they do something, which sets off a flurry of mixed reactions from the crew. Amidst the chaos, Nami tells the crew to release the sails. They are confused by this, but Nami explains that it’s not just a current they’re sailing on: this is the sea itself, and they’re riding the current, it just happens to be going vertically upwards. He goes on to explain that the water vapor from the explosion below actually creates an updraft for them to ride. Since their opponents are the wind and the sea, they conquer them by sailing face to face. She concludes by reminding them all who the crew’s navigator is, reaffirming their confidence in her abilities.
Nami orders the crew to align the ship so that it is parallel to the current itself. Sanji tells them to use the wind to help level the ship, but he also actually picks up Luffy and throws him overboard to give him extra momentum. However, Chopper points out that the ship has almost lost contact with the current and is falling. He begs Nami to come up with another plan, but she says it’s not needed. The Going Merry drifts completely off the Knock Up Stream, but with the sails loose and new wings as part of the rebuild, the ship begins to fly along the stream. The crew is impressed with the ship’s capabilities and Nami’s navigational skills, with Sanji drooling excessively. Nami states that if they follow this wind and current, they can go anywhere. Luffy asks Nami when they will get there. She’s not sure, but the crew is finally approaching the Millennium Cumulonimbus cloud, and she believes it should be behind it. Luffy wonders what will be on top of the cloud when they get there as the Going Merry finally begins to enter the clouds.