"That was definitely Captain Roger's 'Divine Departure.' There's no mistaking it."
The Roger Pirates collectively gasped, their faces filled with disbelief.
"How can this kid Ethan possibly know 'Divine Departure'?"
"It doesn't make sense. He's only been on the ship for a few days. Captain Roger never taught him that move. Where could he have learned it?"
"Well, even if Roger didn't teach him, maybe someone else did."
"Who?"
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.
The tall, bespectacled Rayleigh, the Dark King, stepped out from the crowd, with Roger and Gaban following close behind.
Rayleigh walked straight up to Ethan, his words slow and deliberate.
"You learned 'Divine Departure' from Shanks, didn't you?"
"Me?" Shanks blinked in confusion. "I've never taught him. Today was the first time I ever used 'Divine Departure' in front of him."
"Rayleigh, are you saying he picked it up just by watching me once? That's impossible."
"If that were true, he'd be a once-in-a-generation swordmaster."
Shanks couldn't bring himself to believe Ethan's talent could be that monstrous to master 'Divine Departure' after seeing it just once.
Shanks himself had spent half a year of grueling practice just to scratch the surface of the technique.
He was convinced Ethan must have pulled some kind of trick to fool them all.
Rayleigh glanced at Shanks' doubtful expression and shook his head.
"Shanks, you're still young. You don't understand there's always someone better out there. The Grand Line is unimaginably vast. There are swordsmen far beyond you and Roger."
Rayleigh's sharp gaze swept over Ethan, his tone growing more serious.
"Never thought you were such a sword prodigy. Roger and I almost misjudged you."
Rayleigh and Roger, both masters of Observation Haki, could easily gauge a person's strength at a glance.
They'd always known Ethan was strong around the level of a Vice Admiral.
But they hadn't expected his swordsmanship talent to be this terrifying.
"Just luck," Ethan quickly said, trying to downplay the attention.
"I'd seen Captain Roger's 'Divine Departure' a long time ago and secretly practiced it in private. I was already somewhat familiar with the move. After watching Shanks perform it, everything clicked, which is why I could replicate it so effectively."
Shanks, hearing this, regained his confidence.
"So that's it! You'd been sneakily studying it all along. No wonder your version is so strong."
"Give me another year of training, and I'll definitely surpass you."
While Ethan's explanation might have fooled the rest of the crew, Rayleigh, Roger, and Gaban weren't buying it.
As the strongest three on the ship, their instincts told them Ethan was lying through his teeth.
Watching Ethan walk away, Gaban frowned.
"Roger, Rayleigh, just what kind of monster have you picked up?"
"He mastered 'Divine Departure' after seeing it once. His power is already enough to threaten a Vice Admiral."
"If he learns to infuse his attacks with Conqueror's Haki, the strength of his 'Divine Departure' will skyrocket."
Roger's expression also grew serious as he sighed.
"Everyone from the Rocks Pirates is a monster. First Whitebeard, then Shiki, Big Mom, Kaido… now this Ethan."
Rayleigh nodded in agreement.
"If the Rocks crew had actually worked together, the outcome of the God Valley Incident might have been very different."
"Luckily, they could never get along. Otherwise, we would've had no chance to steal that victory."
Roger cut the conversation short.
"Enough about that. Our goal now is to find more Poneglyphs, uncover the secrets of the Void Century, and eventually reach the One Piece."
"Agreed," Rayleigh said seriously. "Since the battle at God Valley, all the major powers have been licking their wounds and rebuilding."
"I heard the Marines recently promoted Zephyr to Admiral. He's widely respected. Also, there are three promising youngsters rising through the ranks. If nothing changes, those three will become the next Marine Admirals."
"Then we need to move faster," Roger said sternly. "While everyone's recovering, we need to find all the Poneglyphs."
"Where's our next destination?"
"Skypiea," Rayleigh answered after a moment's thought. "The Sky Island has a long history. There's bound to be a Poneglyph there."
"Perfect!" Roger's eyes lit up. "In three days, a special weather phenomenon will appear. We'll ride it straight up to the sky."
With their plan set, the entire crew sprang into action to prepare.
…
After the recent battle, Ethan's reputation skyrocketed.
His fame points surged rapidly.
Within moments, his fame hit two thousand, unlocking another treasure map.
[Reputation Points +2000. Treasure Map Unlocked.]
Ethan immediately pulled it out and checked the location.
His eyes widened in surprise.
"The treasure is on Skypiea."
At this point in the timeline, Enel had not yet arrived. He hadn't declared himself the "God" of Skypiea.
So Ethan wouldn't have to deal with that particular problem at least not yet.
Still, reaching the Sky Island was no easy feat.
They'd have to wait for the rare special weather that could catapult ships into the sky.
"And I still owe the Roger Pirates a year of service. I can't leave on my own right now. I'll have to wait until I'm free to make my own plans."
Ethan turned his attention back to studying the Poneglyphs.
This time, something was different.
As he examined the strange, twisted script, he could faintly begin to understand it.
He still couldn't fully decipher the ancient language, but at least he'd found a breakthrough.
…
For the next three days, Ethan barely left his cabin.
He completely shut out the outside world, immersing himself in the study of the Poneglyphs.
It seemed like his Three-Eyed Tribe bloodline had finally started to awaken. His vertical eye was beginning to glimpse fragments of historical projections from the past.
"Could it be that the Three-Eyed Tribe can read Poneglyphs because they can see these historical visions?"
Ethan wasn't entirely sure whether this was the true ability of the Three-Eyed Tribe after their third eye awakened.
But one thing was certain it would help him now.
With the ability to see these ancient projections, he just needed time. He could study the historical visions and eventually master the ancient language.
Once he fully understood it, he'd be able to help Roger decipher the Poneglyphs.
[Ancient Language Comprehension +25%]
"If this goes well, I might not even need the full year to complete Roger's request."
Ethan grinned to himself.
"Once I finish translating the Poneglyphs, I'll demand they teach me Conqueror's Haki infusion."
Only by mastering Conqueror's Haki infusion could he step into the ranks of the top powerhouses.
If he wanted to roam the seas freely without being forced into submission by anyone, Ethan knew he had to obtain this skill.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, a deafening clap of thunder roared outside.
Waves pounded against the ship, making it sway violently.
As Ethan was about to go outside to investigate, Roger's booming laughter echoed across the deck.
"Listen up, everyone! Get ready we're about to soar ten thousand meters into the sky and head to the Sky Island!"