Laina looked toward the enemy who had just fired a shell at them from a distance.
The man wore a four-faced mask painted with strange, ancient markings. His outfit was primitive—nothing but a grass skirt around his waist—and his bronze skin was covered with tattoos that glowed faintly under the sunlight.
He looked like some savage from an ancient tribe… yet he was holding a rocket launcher.
The contrast was so absurd that it made everyone's brain stall for a second.
At that moment, the man stood on the surface of the White Sea, and the curved blades on his feet sprayed bursts of cloud-force, propelling him swiftly toward the Going Merry.
Laina recognized him immediately—a descendant of the Shandia tribe.
Before the crew could react, another figure swooped in from above, riding a giant bird and clad in silver knight armor, charging straight toward the Shandian warrior.
The two met midair, and their clash erupted instantly.
Sanji stepped to the rail and watched them with raised brows.
"What the hell is going on up there?"
Zoro shrugged, utterly unconcerned. "Who knows. Doesn't look like it has anything to do with us."
"Then let's just go," Sanji said flatly.
"Yeah, let's go."
Laina ordered his undead rowers to move. The Merry turned, heading toward the distant arched gate they had seen earlier, leaving the battling pair behind.
"Who fires a rocket without a word first?" Laina muttered. "What a bunch of lunatics."
His Sky Island adventure hadn't even begun, and he had no intention of getting dragged into their quarrels—he would face Enel sooner or later anyway. There was no need to start now.
Sanji lit a cigarette and scanned the endless whiteness around them.
"Something about this place feels off," he said slowly. "If our earlier guess was right, part of Jaya Island was blasted into the sky. But I don't see any actual islands here."
"You mean the Sanctuary, right? That's higher up," an old, gravelly voice said from above.
Everyone looked up.
The knight who had just intervened descended slowly through the clouds.
"Huh? That fast?" Laina blinked. The Shandian attacker was already gone.
"He didn't want to fight," the knight said quietly.
The crew finally got a good look at him: white beard, weathered wrinkles, and a suit of battered armor that had clearly seen decades of battle. A long spear rested in his hand.
Laina recognized him immediately — the former "God" of Skypiea, Gan Fall, who had once been defeated by Enel. What had he been doing since then? …Laina couldn't quite remember.
"You may call me the Sky Knight," the old man said with a weary smile.
"Sky Knight?!" Luffy's eyes sparkled with excitement. He bounded forward, circling Gan Fall like a child around a toy.
"You're from the Blue Sea, aren't you?" Gan Fall asked. "This is the White Sea, seven thousand meters above the Blue Sea. Another three thousand meters above us lies the White-White Sea."
"Blue Sea?"
"Yes," the old knight nodded. "That's what we call the world below."
As Gan Fall explained, the crew began to understand the geography of the Sky Islands.
Above the White Sea was the White-White Sea, home to Angel Island, one of many floating islands. Together with the Sanctuary, it formed the Kingdom of God, ruled by Enel.
The people who had attacked earlier were the Shandia guerrillas, warriors who resisted Enel's rule.
Gan Fall introduced himself as a mercenary roaming between the White Sea and the White-White Sea.
"For a fee of five million Extols, I'll come to your aid whenever you call—just like earlier." He held up a small silver whistle. "Of course, that one was free."
"Eh?! Five million?! That's robbery!" Nami's eyes bulged.
Gan Fall looked offended. "What do you mean by robbery? Five million Extols is already cheap! Even an old knight has to eat!"
Laina rubbed his chin. "Uncle, we use Berries down below. What's that worth in your money?"
Gan Fall blinked. "You mean… You don't know? Didn't you come up through Heaven's Gate? Wait a second—how did you even get here?"
"Knock-Up Stream," Laina said casually.
Gan Fall froze. "…What?"
"Wait! You mean there's another route up here?!" Nami screamed.
"Yes," the old knight replied. "There's a route from the western Blue Sea that connects to the Sky Islands. Dangerous, yes—but still safer than that monster current you used."
Nami immediately turned and grabbed Laina by the neck, shaking him furiously. "You idiot! There was a normal route, and you didn't tell us?!"
"How would I know?! Nobody on Jaya even believed Sky Island existed!" Laina shouted back, completely wronged.
Gan Fall coughed into his fist, trying to regain control of the conversation. "In any case, one Berry equals about ten thousand Extols."
Nami's mind raced. "Then five million Extols is… five hundred Berries? That's cheaper than a newspaper!"
Everyone stared blankly.
"That's it?!"
"You're risking your life for lunch money?!"
Gan Fall looked utterly mortified. He wanted to defend himself… but couldn't.
Laina sighed. "That's just sad. Doesn't this island have any pension system?" He reached into his wallet, pulled out a few thousand-Berry notes, and shoved them into Gan Fall's hand. "Here, old man. Go buy yourself something good to eat."
Gan Fall's wrinkled face flushed red, but he didn't refuse—truth be told, he was starving.
"Ahem… not many Blue Sea people are this generous," he said awkwardly. "Since you've paid me, I can't take it for nothing."
He handed the whistle to Laina. "Consider it prepaid. If you ever need help, blow it, and I'll descend from the sky to assist you."
"Sure," Laina said—and immediately tossed the whistle to Chopper.
"Hey!" Gan Fall snapped. "What's that look supposed to mean? You think this old man can't fight anymore?!"
"Yup."
"Don't answer so directly, you brat!"
Fuming, Gan Fall turned and slapped the flank of his bird. "Pierre, let's go! I've had enough of these insolent kids!"
The creature beside him—pink with black spots—cried sharply and began to transform.
"Wait—what is that?"
"It's a Pegasus!" someone gasped.
"…Is it, though?"
The so-called "Pegasus" looked like a clumsy, pink horse with wings that seemed far too small for its body.
"It's ugly," Zoro muttered.
"That's not a Pegasus. I refuse to accept that," Sanji said flatly.
Everyone stood in silence, watching the strange pair wobble away into the clouds.
Soon, under the undead's steady rowing, the Merry reached the massive gate they had seen earlier.
"The Heaven's Gate," Laina murmured. "Sounds like we're about to enter paradise."
A tiny old woman stood guard at the arched entrance. After explaining that the passage required a hefty "toll," Laina simply waved his hand.
"Fine! You dare charge me a fee? I'll pay it!"
He knew that skipping the toll would mark them as illegal entrants—and he hated sneaky enemies.
Now that he understood the currency exchange, the toll—ten billion Extols per person—amounted to only 800,000 Berries total for all eight of them. Pocket change.
After paying, the old woman summoned a Speed Shrimp, a giant cloud-crustacean that attached itself to the ship and carried it upward through the spiraling white current.
"So fast!"
Even Laina was impressed. He'd heard of the creature—it was a specialty of the White Sea—but seeing it in action was something else. He even quietly saved its template with a flick of his hand.
Though the White Sea and White-White Sea were only three thousand meters apart, the winding cloud road made the journey long.
At last, the Merry broke through into the White-White Sea.
Before them stretched a breathtaking sight: layers of soft white island-clouds rising like mountains, massive green vines weaving between them, and countless golden-white structures glimmering in the distance.
For a moment, everyone stood silent, mesmerized.
"So this is the Sky Island…"
"Angel Island," Nami whispered. "It really is like heaven."
"Angels… that means there are angelic ladies here!" Sanji declared with sparkling eyes.
"You're ruining the moment, idiot cook!" Nami snapped.
"Hopeless pervert," Zoro muttered—and then blinked. "Hey! The Speed Shrimp ran off!"
"Wow, talk about unprofessional service," Laina said dryly. The island was still kilometers away, so he waved a hand and summoned a Speed Shrimp undead. "Do they have a complaint hotline here? I want to leave a bad review."
Zoro snorted. "Didn't that old man say a 'God' rules this place? Maybe try him."
"Hey, don't joke about that!" Usopp cried.
"Yeah, seriously! You'll get cursed!" Chopper added.
The cowardly trio was back in full force.
Before long, the undead Speed Shrimp carried the Merry to the white shores of Angel Island. The crew disembarked, awestruck by the strange cloud-world around them.
Meanwhile, deep within God's Island…
"I hear them," a low voice murmured. "Eight distinct heartbeats."
A pale-skinned man reclined lazily on a throne made entirely of solid gold.
His upper body was bare, and a white turban wrapped around his head. His earlobes were long, and on his back hung four golden drums, each engraved with the Three Tomoe symbol.
"Hmm… a few of them don't sound weak," he said, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "Interesting."
He opened his eyes, revealing cold, electric blue pupils.
"Someone," he said lazily.
A massive man in a loose white uniform entered the hall and dropped to one knee. "What are your orders… my God?"
"Are there Blue Sea people here?" Enel asked softly.
"Yes," the captain of the Divine Soldiers replied nervously. "Madam Amazon said a group of them just entered."
"Send the White Beret Unit," Enel said, his voice devoid of emotion.
The captain hesitated. "But… Madam Amazon said they entered legally…"
Enel's gaze sharpened. "Does it matter? I'm bored. Or…" A faint spark danced across his shoulders. "Would you like to keep me entertained?"
The captain went pale, sweat pouring down his face. "N-no, my Lord! I'll dispatch them immediately!"
He bowed and stumbled out of the golden hall. None who had ever served under Enel doubted the cruelty of their so-called god.
Left alone, Enel stretched lazily on his throne, muttering to himself.
"The Shandia grow restless again… the priests and soldiers are in place… and the Ark Maxim nears completion."
A cruel smile tugged at his lips.
Before I leave this sky… let's have a little game, he whispered. Whoever survives… will earn the right to follow me to the Infinite Earth.