In fact, if not for Observation Haki, Rayleigh wouldn't have been able to find the Sky Island so quickly, located in the White Cloud Sea.
He habitually swam through the sea of clouds and soon reached a huge column of water rising into the sky. An elderly lady was sitting at the gate. She seemed to be jotting something down. She had short angelic wings. Rayleigh knew this person, but several decades ago, she hadn't been like this.
"Hey, long time no see, Amazon, ha-ha, my boat capsized, and I can only swim here myself."
Amazon heard the voice ring in her ears. She slowly lifted her head and saw a man swimming in the sea.
"It's you…"
Amazon's pupils slightly narrowed, recognizing the man in the sea as one of the people who had visited Sky Island decades ago.
After a moment of silence.
"The entrance fee is one billion Extols per person," said Amazon.
"One billion Extols, well, I remember that's equivalent to one hundred thousand Berries," Rayleigh recalled the currency exchange rate, then patted himself to find his mobile phone. "Sorry, can I pay by phone?" he asked; it was quite trendy in Alabasta. This mobile payment function had just started being used by people and required an account with the Bank of Alabasta.
"I don't support this strange way of payment," Amazon shook her head.
"Could you let me pass for free? After all, we're old friends," Rayleigh asked.
"Yes, go on," Amazon didn't hesitate to add Rayleigh to the list of criminals, noting his appearance: a silver-haired, dreadful old man, insane.
Rayleigh finally passed Heaven's Gate in the White Sea, swimming along ocean currents straight into the sky, climbing another three thousand meters, and still swimming in the sea of white clouds.
The first thing he saw was Angel Island, formed from cloudlike islands.
In the center of the White Sea, there is the most unique island, land that was transported into the air hundreds of years ago.
Swimming a bit further, Rayleigh came ashore and noticed the stunned expression of a girl watching him. The girl had white wings, a harp in her hand, and seemed surprised that someone would suddenly emerge from the sea.
"Heso!"
Rayleigh smiled and waved, "heso" being a kind of greeting here.
"Hello, I'm a tourist. Is there a mirror here?"
His mirror had sunk with the boat.
"There is..."
Conis was bewildered for a moment before she regained her composure. This was a guest from the Blue Sea, but why did he swim here? Can anyone really emerge from that ocean current alive?
At this time, a group of men in white berets and uniforms was quickly approaching from afar. All of them were exceptionally tall, with small white wings on their backs, and they too were residents of Angel Island.
Rayleigh laughed. Divine Guard? This group seems just as they were decades ago. I wonder if they have the same Captain?
"Residents, attention, there is a criminal on Angel Beach!"
Rayleigh kept his hands in his pockets, shook off his flip-flops, his gray hair almost dry, and said with a smile:
"Hey, brother, I'm not some kind of rogue."
The Captain of the Berets frowned. He thought this guy looked familiar, but he couldn't recall who it was.
"I am McKinley, Captain of the White Berets Garrison. You didn't pay the entrance fee to Sky Island, and now you are fined ten times that amount!"
"Hmm, a million Belli? No problem," Rayleigh smiled, "but first I need to find a large enough mirror, especially since the person who will pay hasn't arrived yet."
"I won't tolerate jokes!" McKinley growled angrily.
Conis hesitated slightly when she saw this scene, then turned and ran to her house on the beach. A little while later, she brought back her father, Pagaya, and a large mirror.
"Will this do?" she asked Rayleigh.
The moment Pagaya saw Rayleigh, he froze in place and then said:
"I heard from my daughter that a foreigner arrived and needed help. I didn't expect it to be you."
The last time Rayleigh came to Sky Island was over 20 years ago. At that time, Pagaya was still a young guy.
"Heh-heh, well, I'm back, Pagaya."
"Is he an acquaintance of yours?" McKinley was stunned but then said:
"But you still have to pay the fine!"
Rayleigh waved his hand, greeted Pagaya, then took out his phone, dialed a number, and said with a smile:
"I think you'll have to pay this fine, Your Majesty."
In the next moment, the landscape in the mirror changed.
Feet in elegant black shoes slowly stretched out from the mirror, stepping onto the soft beach of the White Sea. Then half the body appeared, and finally, the entire body.
Conis and the others watched in shock as the mirror changed into something like a door, and a handsome young man emerged from inside. On his head was a magnificent golden crown, and his presence was majestic. Is this the King?!
Immediately after, a blind samurai emerged from the mirror, followed by an entourage and an excitable girl, and the mirror returned to its original state.
"Is this Sky Island?" the girl said, looking around.
There was a silent pressure that immediately rose in the hearts of those around them. It was hard for everyone to lift their heads and look directly.
"You have illegally intruded into Skypiea, and you must pay a tenfold fine!" McKinley said.
"How much money?" Ezekiel wasn't angry; he just smiled and asked.
"In Skypiea's currency, that's one million Belli per person," McKinley said.
Hm? Are you crazy?! - Nami immediately became agitated, like a furious rabbit; she couldn't stand such jokes. - One million Berries per person?! Do you even realize how much that is?!
Ezekiel patted her on the shoulder. He saw no problem as long as everything could be resolved with money.
If you can't pay, you are an enemy. Sorry... even if you have friends here, - McKinley slowly reached for his weapon, but before the sword was half-drawn, his pupils narrowed, and he didn't notice how suddenly, an old man with gray hair appeared in front of him, holding his sword, and whispered in his ear:
Young man, don't be so angry. The one before you is not someone who will allow a sword to be drawn against him.
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