Above the boundless sea of clouds.
"So, we've reached the sea of clouds? Why is the compass still pointing to the sky—"
Facing Nami's question, Luffy cheerfully looked at Roman, who was steering the ship.
"Roman, what's going on?"
...
Luffy had already mastered the essence of being a captain: ask Nami for internal matters, ask Roman for external matters.
"This is the White Sea, located 7000 meters above the sky, and Sky Island is in the 'White-White Sea' 10,000 meters above. So—"
"Got it, let's keep going up!"
Luffy stood at the bow of the ship, raising his arm and shouting.
"Keep flying, Going Merry!"
Going Merry: Come on, you do it if you can.
"By the way," Roman rubbed his forehead and decided to explain first.
"There are other 'normal' ways to reach Sky Island, so it's not really isolated from the world."
"If we encounter an attack, it's normal. After all, our peers are all after the legendary City of Gold."
"What, robbing others' gold. — Are those guys that poor?"
...
Facing Luffy's naive question, Roman didn't know how to respond! If it weren't for him and Nami, the Straw Hat crew would have been broke long ago! Everyone is a big eater, and the captain is a food-devouring black hole...
The most ridiculous thing is that since the Straw Hat crew was formed, they haven't done a single 'pirate' job properly! They're the epitome of living off their savings, and now that they're in a treasure mountain, are they going to leave empty-handed?
"Alright, since you said that, Luffy." As expected, Nami was thinking the same as Roman.
"From today on, your food allowance is halved!"
"Ahhh~~~~ No!!"
"Careful, someone's coming."
Roman controlled the paper crane to scout, created a new 'White Knight' to steer the ship, and wrote on the paper in his hand, multitasking.
"Really, someone's coming!"
---
"He's running on the clouds~~"
"Stop, what are you doing?"
Facing the guy speeding towards them with a curved tower shield, a face painted with totem carvings, a muscular and well-proportioned body, and a fur belt around his waist. —If it weren't for the rocket launcher in his other hand, he would look like a typical jungle warrior.
"Destroy you all!"
?
Without another word, the intruder jumped onto the deck of the Going Merry and started fighting. Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji immediately engaged him, but the result was completely unexpected!
The ones who fell were actually the three fighters of the Straw Hat crew?!
...
Hmm, this 'War Demon' Wiper is quite skilled, at least at the level of 60 million! With his insane endurance and unique weapons, he could even fight evenly with Luffy now...
"That's enough!"
At that moment, a voice shouted from the sky! A knight riding a bird swooped down and knocked away the jungle warrior with a single spear thrust. The jungle warrior clearly recognized him and immediately jumped off the Going Merry, speeding away on the sea of clouds.
He had the feeling of 'invading like fire, retreating like the wind'.
"We're saved!"
Nami wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and then looked towards the helm.
"Roman, what are you doing? Why didn't you help?"
"He's not an enemy... cough cough," Roman almost slipped up and quickly waved his notebook to change the subject.
"I'm arranging our 'Sky Island Training and Strengthening Schedule'."
??
In an instant, the entire Straw Hat crew felt weak.
"I can't do it, I have a disease that makes me die from training..."
"Why do we have to train even on Sky Island~~"
"I can't breathe—"
...
"Cough cough, Blue Sea people."
A knight in armor, wearing a red cape and holding a knight's lance, who had just driven away the jungle warrior, had an old face under his helmet. He had to cough to remind the Straw Hat crew, who had no sense of crisis.
"My name is Sky Knight Gan Fall."
"You feel weak now because of 'high-altitude hypoxia'. This is the 'White Sea' at 7,000 meters high. Blue Sea people will feel weak and unable to move here—"
Puff puff,
Luffy, using his index fingers, did dozens of push-ups and got up, "Great, I'm finally getting used to it."
"Indeed, much better than before." Zoro, who did a series of deep squats in one breath, stretched his neck.
???
Are you still human?
"Cough cough, anyway, I am a freelance mercenary."
The old knight had to forcibly bring the topic back.
"If you're not good at 'air combat', you'll be at a disadvantage in this sea area and will be killed by those 'guerrilla soldiers'."
"Five million Extol 'per whistle', I will come to rescue you."
...
Four faces of confusion.
"It can't be less, we have to make a living too."
"So... never mind, Roman."
Nami turned to look at Roman, who was still deep in thought, writing and drawing.
"Hmm? Oh—"
"Extol is the currency unit of Sky Island, and the exchange rate with our Berry is 10,000:1. So, the fee for this Sky Knight's service is five hundred Berry per time."
"So cheap... cough, expensive?"
For Nami to think it's 'cheap', it shows that this old knight is really an honest person. — At least a skilled fighter with a bounty of 5000, only charging 500 Beli per job. If those below knew, their souls would probably laugh out loud.
It's like holding a golden rice bowl and begging for food? Just robbing... people would come to give you money while you sit...
"Wait, didn't you come all the way from the top of the Western Sky?"
The old knight named Gan Fall finally noticed the 'unusual' nature of this ship.
"You should have passed through one or two islands and have some understanding of the culture here, unless—"
"We came up using the 'Knock Up Stream'."
Faced with Luffy's answer, the old knight looked 'impressed': "You actually used that ancient method to come up, I never thought there would still be such reckless... brave people nowadays."
?
"I knew there had to be a normal route." Nami was already in tears, feeling that ever since she got on this ship, everything had become increasingly difficult!
Ding,
The old knight placed a whistle on the deck, then turned and jumped onto the large bird beside him.
"The so-called 'one whistle' means that if you blow this whistle once, I will descend from the sky to help you. Consider it a gift for meeting you brave warriors."
After saying this, the old knight rode his large bird... no, it should be a Madara point Pegasus that ate the 'Horse-Horse Fruit', and soared into the sky, while on the Going Merry.
"Great, 'high-altitude hypoxia' environment, and the unique 'Mantra'... it's time to strengthen..."
"Please, Roman."
Nami spread her hands, "We've just achieved the feat of flying to Sky Island, can't you stop thinking about improving your strength all the time and just relax and enjoy it?"
"Hmm, I guess it's a habit."
Roman shrugged, "I can't help it, if I don't quickly improve my strength, I'm afraid I won't keep up with—" the speed at which strong enemies appear!
Unintentionally spoken, but intentionally heard.
Usopp's face stiffened, considering his strength...
"By the way, we don't know where to go!"
Faced with this awkward question, Luffy immediately used his 'ingenuity'.
"Let's use this whistle to call that old man back and ask him—"
Crunch, merciless iron hands!
Nami and Usopp, one in front and one behind, grabbed Luffy tightly in anger, pulling the whistle-blowing Luffy into Usopp's shape!
"This is a life-saving tool for emergencies!"
"Yeah, what if that wild man with mask attacks again..."
While they were making a fuss on the deck, the Going Merry had already started moving slowly.
??
"Roman, what's this?"
"Oh, I've found the entrance to the upper level."
"Roman is still reliable," Nami rubbed her forehead and snatched the whistle from Luffy's hand, "This thing can't stay with you, or it will be used up immediately."
The paper cranes flying far in the sky had already taken in the entire sea of clouds, allowing Roman to find the target.
As the Going Merry sailed forward on the sea of clouds, bypassing a 'cloud mountain', a huge archway appeared in front of everyone.
"It says 'Gate of Heaven' above."
"Are we dead?"
"Hahaha, Heaven is so fun—"
"Don't say such ominous things~~~"
"There's someone over there!"
Click, click, click~~
Amidst a series of flashing lights, an old woman holding a camera shell looked at the Going Merry from under the giant gate.
"Are you here for sightseeing or war?"
"Each person needs to pay a toll of 100 Million Extol. If you don't pay..."
Swish,
A stack of Berries was casually tossed by Roman in front of the old lady holding a camera.
"Eighty thousand Berry, which is 800 Million Extol. Is that okay?"
"Yes..."
"Then please let the 'Express Shrimp' take us up."
"...Alright,"
As a giant shrimp suddenly appeared from below the sea of clouds, lifting the Golden Merry on its head, its pincers securing the ship, it sped up the giant cloud path spiraling behind the gate! The old lady guarding the gate clicked her tongue in annoyance.
Damn, they encountered someone who knows so much about Sky Island!
"Roman, what was that just now..."
"I told you, Sky Island may be a 'legend' in the first half of the Grand Line, but for many forces, it is real and recorded. — If we didn't pay the toll just now, it would be considered a violation of Sky Island's 'laws', and we would face huge fines and battles once we got up there."
"Ohhh," everyone nodded in unison.
Got it, got it.
Well, although with Luffy's temperament and Sky Island's 'rules', conflict is inevitable sooner or later, but—
"Once we get up there, train for an hour to adapt to the environment!"
"Ah~~~"
——————
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