The azure sea mirrored the firmament. White rivers cascaded from the clouds. Rainbows traversed a lost sea. Vast cloud waterfalls descended from the heavens, reaching down to the gates of paradise and up to the sacred realm. Island clouds served as the foundation for a unique civilization. Beneath that dreamlike scenery slept an ancient promise that had spanned four centuries.
"This is... incredible?!"
Tiger stared at the gate ahead inscribed with the word [Heaven], his pupils trembling.
The gate at the port was forged from gold. The platforms inside were paved entirely with pristine white marble, giving an impression of extreme opulence.
"A gate structure built on clouds?" Kuina's worldview was being overturned.
This massive gold gate, large enough for ships to pass through, looked like it should be incredibly heavy.
She wondered how were these surrounding seas of clouds, which could barely support their ship, holding it up?
"There are two types of clouds in the sky islands. One is the sea clouds we sailed on, with properties similar to seawater."
Sakura began her explanation. "The other is island clouds, with properties closer to soil and rock. They form the main landmass of the sky islands."
Sailing along the cloud layer, they soon reached the Heaven's Gate.
"Another ship from the Blue Sea? Are you here as tourists, or to fight?"
A bespectacled elderly woman poked her head out from a ticket booth.
"Wow, a winged old lady!" Kuina's eyes sparkled as she leaned over the gunwale. "Do angels age? She kind of looks like a pickled plum~"
"Well, what we do here depends on how you plan to treat us."
Sakura had her hands in her pockets, leaning against the railing.
"It doesn't matter what you're here for."
The old woman aimed a camera adorned with a flash dial at Sakura and her crew, taking a picture. "Alright, pay the vessel docking fee."
"Hmph~, charging to dock~, how stingy!"
Hearing that money was required because of her, Leviathan pouted unhappily. "How much?"
"Five billion Extol."
The old lady pushed up her glasses, already pulling out a pen to jot it down.
"Who's giving you that? Nasty old woman! With that kind of money, you might as well rob us!"
Leviathan bared shark-like teeth. The entire massive ship's bow turned with her as she roared at the old woman.
"Leviathan, calm down, calm down."
Sakura wrapped her arms under Leviathan's armpits, holding her back from lashing out. "The sky island currency's exchange rate is different. Ten thousand Extol equals one Berry."
"That's still five hundred thousand Berries!"
When it came to money, the speed of Leviathan's mental calculations amazed Sakura.
"Hahaha, that's our Leviathan for you!"
Kuina laughed, one hand holding her stomach, the other slapping the gunwale.
"Don't just stand there gloating! Come help!"
Under Sakura's scolding, Kuina pulled Leviathan away. Tiger went below deck to fetch Berry and paid the fee.
Immediately after, propelled by the sky island's special Express Lobster, the Leviathan was carried rushing towards even higher skies, reaching the White-White Sea ten thousand meters above.
"The entire island is white!"
On the deck, Tiger exclaimed in awe, looking at the island in the distance.
It truly was an island entirely white.
Soft and fluffy, it looked just like cotton candy.
"Prepare to land."
Sakura gave the order.
Thus, the Leviathan went full speed ahead, sailing straight towards that Angel Island.
The ship docked at the shores of Angel Island. Sakura and her crew's arrival startled the island's residents.
"Wow, what a big ship!"
"No wings… Blue Sea people!"
"Yeah, they look so strange!"
The sky island's shore was soon crowded with curious onlookers. For them, Blue Sea people landing was a rare event, so the news quickly spread across Angel Island. More residents continuously arriving further congested the shore.
"Hey! Stop crowding here! Everyone, go back!"
An aged, thunderous shout echoed across the shore. The previously chaotic crowd instantly quieted, spontaneously making way.
Knights clad in silver-white armor jogged into position, raising long spears to create a forest of blades along the path.
An elderly man with white hair and beard walked through the crowd, stopping before Sakura.
"It's been over ten years, Gan Fall!"
Sakura looked down. Gan Fall, whose face she once couldn't even see properly when looking up, was now a head shorter than her.
"You... you are..."
The girl before Gan Fall overlapped with a little girl from that pirate ship over a decade ago.
Behind the two conversing, Kuina quietly sidled up to Tiger and whispered, "Hey, Tiger-uncle, don't you feel like Sakura-nee knows someone everywhere she goes on these seas?"
"The saying goes, 'When away from home, rely on friends'~"
Tiger stroked his beard, reminiscing about the glorious old days. "Back in my day, I also..."
"No need for that story."
Kuina raised a hand to stop him, turning to play with Leviathan instead.
"How could you." Tiger hung his head dejectedly.
Ahead, Gan Fall, having finished catching up with Sakura, raised an arm, calling over someone in a priestly robe.
"Let me introduce you. This is my technical aide, Miria. She will be your guide during your stay."
Gan Fall's aide stepped forward, removing her hood to reveal blue hair and wings on her back.
"You..."
Sakura was about to extend her hand, but her expression instantly turned to one of shock.
"Hmm? Is something wrong, honored guest?"
The blue-haired priestess Miria pushed up her glasses, bringing that exquisite face close to Sakura's.
"Stop! Don't come any closer!"
Sakura retreated repeatedly, finally pushing Tiger out in front as a shield.
There was no helping it. This girl named Miria looked far too similar to a certain obsessive woman she knew.
While rationally she knew that obsessive woman had died by her hand, seeing this nearly identical face still made Sakura's heart constrict involuntarily.
"Wow~, that's a shock~! They really look exactly the same!"
Leviathan behind Sakura also gaped, staring dumbfounded at the blue-haired girl.
Kuina smelled gossip. She grabbed Leviathan, pulling her aside for a whispered conversation.
Tiger stood with arms crossed, looking proper, but the rainbow glint of Observation Haki constantly flickered in his eyes.
"Well then, honored guests, please follow me. I will show you around Lovely Street!"
Priestess Miria struck a very professional pose, gesturing with her hand towards the island above.
Led by her, Sakura and her crew passed through stairways built of island cloud stone, entering Angel Island's Lovely Street, lined with buildings in the Tuscan style.
Houses along the street fused with the clouds, floating in mid-air. Most exteriors used tones of white, blue-green, and earthy red.
Winged White Sea residents moved between shops, skillfully using various dials for production and daily life, filling the street with the lively atmosphere of a bustling community.
"Sky island, delicious food, pretty angel ladies."
Along the way, Kuina and Leviathan walked hand in hand, striding forward. The two used the money Sakura gave them to buy various sky island specialties.
Tiger, who had lived deep under the sea for years, was also intensely curious about this sky island with its completely different customs. He bought some specialty dials as souvenirs.
Only Sakura, being scrutinized from head to toe by the blue-haired priestess beside her, felt extremely uncomfortable.
Truly, happiness belongs to others!
"Sigh, Priestess Miria, what exactly do you want?"
With a light sigh, Sakura chose to compromise with the blue-haired priestess.
"Sakura-san, I..."
Miria pushed her glasses up seriously, about to speak.
Boom-!
A sudden explosion interrupted her. Flames and shockwaves erupted. The blue-haired priestess Miria lunged, shielding Sakura beneath her.
Within the smoke, an arrogant voice echoed down Lovely Street.
"Yahahahaha! This is a robbery! Hand over everything valuable!"