"The currency of Qinghai? In that case, it only costs 10,000 Berries per person."
"Huh~ I'm really relieved. The exchange rate is insane!"
Lily sighed, somewhat speechless.
Aside from Caesar, the rest of the crew exchanged bewildered glances, momentarily lost for words.
She then stepped into the room where the financial reports were stored, retrieved 100,000 Berries, and handed them over to the Sky Island gatekeeper.
On the ship, everyone curiously took in their surroundings.
"No matter how you look at it, this place is incredible," Wei Na murmured, glancing around at the endless sea of white clouds. Only the Sky Gate stood as a reference point in this vast sky.
"As long as we pass through the Gate of Heaven, we'll reach Skypiea?"
"It should be. Lily already paid the entrance fee, and the exchange rate is ridiculous."
"I was shocked when I first heard it. I was about to charge in without paying!"
"Lily's quick thinking saved us. She immediately realized the exchange rate disparity."
The crew chattered animatedly.
At that moment, Lily returned to the ship after completing the transaction.
"Okay, I've paid the fee!"
"Now we just wait?"
"Wait? How exactly are we getting there? Are we just sailing forward?" Regina asked, puzzled.
Lily nodded. "I just asked. There's something called an Express Lobster—it's unique to Skypiea. It'll transport both our ship and us to the outskirts of the White Sea. From there, we'll reach the actual Sky Island."
"Huh? There's still a way to go? I thought we'd arrive as soon as we passed through here..." Brad muttered, clearly exasperated.
"No, the woman explained it to me. The White Sea is at 7,000 meters, while the White-White Sea, where Skypiea is located, is at 10,000 meters."
"Enough talk! Let's go—I want to see Skypiea already!"
As soon as she spoke, a massive Express Lobster emerged from beneath the ship. With its massive pincers, it grabbed the vessel and raced along the Milky Road, rapidly carrying the Caesar Pirates toward the White-White Sea.
At last, they arrived at the edge of a massive, floating island, seemingly suspended by enormous vines. The Express Lobster released their ship, allowing them to disembark.
Even though Caesar retained memories of Skypiea from his past life, seeing it firsthand was still a breathtaking experience.
Everyone was in awe.
"Whoa! Is this Skypiea? It's enormous!"
Eli, who had only ever lived on two islands before setting out to sea, widened his eyes in amazement, staring at the majestic, otherworldly landscape before him.
He had assumed Skypiea would resemble islands in the Blue Sea, merely floating in the sky.
But he hadn't expected this—a land formed entirely of clouds, resembling a divine kingdom.
No, this was heaven—just not in the way most people imagined.
"It's so vast and beautiful. It's nothing like I pictured it," Wei Na sighed, feeling like she had stepped into another world.
After over 20 years of life, and two years spent sailing with the Caesar Pirates, she had seen many things. But today was truly eye-opening.
"I never imagined I'd witness an island floating in the sky. This is beyond belief," Hades muttered in shock.
As a Fish-Man who had spent his entire life in the deep sea, he had only known the company of merfolk, Fish-Men, and the giant Sea Kings.
The moment he surfaced, he had been captured and locked in a cage before even seeing the world above water.
But since joining the Caesar Pirates, he had experienced many wonders—none as shocking as this.
"Fish-Man Island is 10,000 meters below the sea, and Skypiea is 10,000 meters above it. I bet no one back home would ever imagine this."
While the crew marveled at their surroundings, Caesar was in high spirits. This was his first time visiting Skypiea, and he intended to enjoy every moment.
As the Caesar Pirates basked in excitement, their exploration was interrupted by the arrival of a group of men in berets, crawling towards them on the beach.
"Hello, welcome to Skypiea," the leader greeted them, making an odd gesture with his arms and ending his sentence with, "Haso, haso!"
"You are...?" Gnaly eyed the strange greeting with suspicion, and the others observed the men with equal curiosity.
"Allow me to introduce ourselves. We are the Beret Squad, responsible for security on Angel Island," the man explained with a stiff smile before his tone grew serious.
"Skypiea welcomes outsiders, but there are rules. If you cause trouble, you will be severely punished. I advise you to behave yourselves."
Gnaly scoffed, clearly annoyed by the man's words.
"Relax, it's just standard protocol," Caesar reassured him before nodding at the Beret Squad leader.
With their message delivered, the soldiers crawled away as quickly as they had come.
With that, the crew was free to explore.
"I can't wait to set foot on Skypiea!" Lily cheered, practically bouncing with excitement.
"So this is Skypiea..." Even Regina, usually composed and aloof, allowed a rare, delighted smile to cross her lips.
Eli eagerly took in his surroundings, while Yakexi, a seasoned traveler, retrieved his camera to document their adventure.
"Let's go check it out!"
"Ohh—!"
The crew cheered and dispersed, eager to explore the town in the distance.
Before long, they arrived at Lovely Street, the bustling heart of Angel Island.
Standing at its entrance, they marveled at the lively scene before them. The street branched off in multiple directions, with well-paved roads lined by shops boasting colorful signs. A constant stream of islanders—sporting tiny wings on their backs and unique braided hairstyles—added to the vibrant atmosphere.
The sheer variety of storefronts immediately captivated the three girls, who had a natural love for shopping. Even the usually stoic Regina had a rare glint of excitement in her eyes.
Noticing their eagerness, Caesar waved his hand.
"Same rules as always—explore as you like, but stay safe."
"Awesome!"
With another round of cheers, the crew scattered into the crowd, blending into the lively street in an instant.
Meanwhile, Caesar headed to the Shell Stores, drawn by the famed Dial technology of Skypiea.
Sky Island was known for its unique shell-based inventions—Dials—each serving different functions. There were Sound Dials for recording audio, Flash Dials for storing and releasing light, Vision Dials for capturing images, and many more, totaling fourteen different types.
Fascinated, Caesar examined them closely, eager to acquire some.
At the same time, in the temple atop the island of gods, Apayado...
Gan Fall, the current "God" of Skypiea, grew tense upon learning that pirates had arrived in the land of the heavens.
Although the Sky People were accustomed to occasional pirate incursions through the High West route of the New World, these events were rare.
A new pirate crew suddenly appearing was cause for concern.
While Gan Fall wasn't afraid of battle, the aftermath—tracking down troublemakers and minimizing the damage—was always a hassle.
Unwilling to take chances, he donned his armor and, accompanied by his guards, hurried toward Angel Island.
Upon arrival, he sought out the Beret Squad for information before making his way toward the Caesar Pirates.
In front of a small market stall, Brad was examining beautifully crafted conch shells.
As he handed over his payment, he sensed a group approaching from behind and turned around.
"Hello."
Gan Fall greeted him with a polite smile.
"Uh... hello. Who are you?" Brad asked, puzzled.
"I am Gan Fall, the 'God' of this island. Are you the captain of this crew?"
"Oh, no. That would be Caesar."
Gan Fall noted Brad's honest demeanor and his willingness to pay—a rare sight among pirates.
After confirming their identities, he proceeded to find Caesar.
When he entered the Shell Shop, Caesar, already aware of his presence through Observation Haki, didn't even look up.
"What do you want with me?"
Gan Fall was momentarily surprised but quickly smiled.
"Can we talk?"
"Talk? Sure."
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