The combat prowess of the two Four Emperors was deliberately subdued, almost like they were just going through the motions. Their aim seemed solely to train everyone, leaving people utterly speechless.
Fortunately, everyone possessed a strong belief in their own abilities, so it didn't really matter.
Just then, another sound echoed through the air.
"There it is!"
An old man's voice called out, followed by the appearance of a peculiar large bird flying towards them.
Perched on the big bird's back was an old man clad in antiquated armor, gripping a knight's lance with an unusually serious expression.
"Another odd character is approaching!"
Usopp instinctively raised his giant slingshot to aim, but he held his fire, observing.
Soon, the old man looked taken aback by the scene below. He immediately reined in the large bird, and they slowly descended. He scanned the area as if searching for something.
"Someone must have attacked you recently. Why have they vanished?"
"Oh, he took a dive into the sea around June 20th," Usopp replied proudly, lowering his slingshot now that he sensed the old man wasn't hostile.
Luffy, ever curious, asked, "Who are you, old timer? And what's with the weird bird?"
Hearing this, the old man puffed out his chest and declared confidently, "The old Sky Knight, Gan Fall, is currently undertaking mercenary work in this vicinity. This is Pierre, my trusty steed. Don't underestimate him; he's a Devil Fruit user who ate the Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Horse. In other words, Pierre can transform..."
"Transform? Could it be... a Pegasus?!" Luffy and the others exclaimed, their eyes wide with excitement.
Then they watched as Pierre's talons morphed into horseshoes and his bird head shifted into a horse's head, though the overall difference was rather underwhelming.
"Uh, that's quite a gap in expectations."
"Does such a transformation even serve a purpose?"
Disappointment washed over the faces of the Straw Hats and the Heart Pirates.
Taking the opportunity, Law inquired, "Who are you? And who attacked us just now?"
"As I've said, I am a Sky Knight. As for the ones who attacked you, they are the warriors of Shandora. You hail from the Blue Sea, correct? I didn't anticipate you being so formidable as to defeat the Shandians so swiftly."
Shandians? Blue Sea people?
Unfamiliar terms surfaced, leaving everyone in a state of confusion.
Fortunately, Gan Fall was an approachable fellow.
After chatting for a while, everyone learned that there was actually a normal sea route to ascend to the sky, and there would be other Sky Islands along the way.
Furthermore, there were those who attempted to ride the Knock Up Stream, but without exception, their ships were destroyed, and they perished, resulting in a 100% fatality rate.
As for the term "Blue Sea people," it turned out that the Sky Island inhabitants referred to the ocean beneath the clouds as the Blue Sea.
Gan Fall was also surprised that the Straw Hats had managed to reach this altitude with a ship.
However, it wasn't entirely shocking, as Devil Fruits existed in this world, making unusual feats unsurprising.
Finally, Gan Fall dropped a whistle and said, "If you ever find yourselves in dire straits, you can blow this whistle. I will arrive promptly, and my fee is five million Extol per instance."
Extol? Not Berries?
"Hey, old man, what are you talking about!" Luffy frowned.
"Five million is already a bargain, and an old man has to make a living! In short, blow the whistle and have five million Extol ready, that's the deal!" Gan Fall offered as an excuse before soaring away on Pierre.
As for the value of an Extol, the old man didn't bother to explain.
"What a strange old man," Luffy muttered, tossing the whistle to Chopper with a look of distaste.
Chopper carefully pocketed the whistle, reasoning that in this unfamiliar place, it might be useful to have a way to call for help in an emergency.
"What's the plan now?" Nami asked.
"Heading to Sky Island, naturally!" Luffy declared matter-of-factly.
Ultimately, Usopp, after a bit of aerial observation, identified a direction marked by a waterfall of clouds ahead and what appeared to be an artificial gate beneath it. So, they decided to head towards this man-made entrance.
The waterfall of clouds was a truly magnificent sight, breathtakingly beautiful.
Carrot, meanwhile, wasn't concerned with anything else. Her focus was solely on capturing photographs, selecting the perfect spots to immortalize the stunning scenery, with the intention of compiling them into a future nautical photo album.
It wasn't long before the Merry Go and the Thousand Sunny reached the gate.
Inscribed on the gate were the words "Heaven's Gate," which couldn't help but elicit a few wry smiles.
An elderly woman emerged from a small door and swiftly snapped photos of everyone.
"Wings? That old lady has wings? Is she an angel?"
"Also, why is she taking pictures of us?"
Usopp and Chopper exchanged hushed whispers, refraining from any rash actions.
Soon after taking the photos, the old woman announced, "I am the gatekeeper of Heaven's Gate. Have you come for sightseeing or for battle?"
"Sightseeing? Old lady, what do you mean by 'battle'?"
"If you are here for sightseeing, there is an entry fee of one billion Extol per person. That is the law!"
"One billion?! Then wouldn't we have to pay over twenty billion Extol?! By the way, just how much is an Extol anyway?!"
The entry fee was a staggering hundred million per unit. Everyone felt like Sky Island was ripping them off... However, this time it wasn't a declaration of war. If they didn't abide by the other party's rules, it might genuinely escalate into one.
Nami inquired cautiously, "Excuse me, Grandma, if—and I mean if—we don't have that much money..."
"You can still enter the country."
"Oh, so it was possible after all!"
Everyone was rather speechless at the old woman's antics, wondering why she had to make such a fuss and demand such an exorbitant fee if there was an alternative.
Once the old woman confirmed that the Straw Hats and the Heart Pirates would be entering without paying, she immediately summoned two Express Shrimp. The Express Shrimp propelled the Merry Go and the Thousand Sunny upwards at an astonishing speed, nearly throwing everyone off the decks.
Unbeknownst to the pirates, the old woman seized this opportunity to inform her superiors about the illegal entry of the Straw Hats and Hearts, also sending the photos she had just taken.
The Express Shrimp carried the two ships to a sea area and then promptly sped away.
Everyone spotted the coastline not far ahead, so they prepared to navigate towards it.
However, a colossal octopus suddenly erupted from the sea, its enormous tentacles lashing out at the two ships. This sudden attack startled everyone, and they immediately retaliated.
Sanji leaped into the air and delivered a swift kick to a tentacle, only to hear a loud pop as the tentacle burst like a balloon.
"What's going on here? Is this guy... a balloon?" Sanji exclaimed in surprise.
"It's clearly a living creature, but it's far too bizarre!" Zoro added, slashing at the sea surface, causing another sea monster that had just emerged to instantly explode like a balloon.
The scene was quite unbelievable.
"Hahahaha! This is so much fun!"
Luffy excitedly threw a Gum-Gum Pistol punch, which immediately detonated the giant octopus.
Usopp even managed to catch a small fish. It looked peculiar but didn't resemble a balloon in the slightest.
"This must be the 'Sky Fish' mentioned in books. Due to the environmental conditions here, their bodies swell up like balloons. I just wonder if they're edible," Robin remarked casually.
Without hesitation, Sanji swiftly prepared the small fish into a dish.