Sky Island.
It's silent and deserted here.
All the humans who lived here have already left.
A small pirate ship with a cute lamb figurehead emerged from the thick, white clouds, followed by a giant raft, both floating atop the cloud layer.
It's the Golden Merry of the Straw Hat Pirates and the raft of the Blackbeard Pirates, with Donflamingo still standing on the raft's mast, cautiously scanning the surroundings.
The Golden Merry and the raft floated along the clouds, everyone curiously observing this quiet world, encountering numerous magical creatures within the clouds.
For instance, flatfish or sea creatures swelling like balloons, even the scales of these fish had become so light they were like feathers.
A bit novel.
Nico Robin caught a fish, speculating on the evolution of these fish: "Did they evolve this way to lighten their weight and float up?"
"Seems so..."
Zoro slowly nodded.
In contrast to these curious rookie pirates, the Blackbeard Pirates on the raft were all mature adults, their expressions still very wary.
The Golden Merry and the raft drifted slowly on the clouds, floating to a building with letters written above it.
HEAVEN'S GATE.
Usopp rubbed his chin, feeling a bit uneasy: "Heaven's Gate, it's a bit ominous. Are we going to die?"
"Hard to say..."
"Maybe it's truly heaven..."
"Otherwise, why would it be so magical here?"
The Straw Hat Pirates are unfazed, causing a stir.
Once they entered Heaven's Gate, they saw a long cloud staircase, and a giant creature appeared, pulling the Golden Merry and the big raft up the cloud staircase...
The two ships traveled up the cloud staircase, reaching Angel Island atop Sky Island, where they encountered many human-built structures.
But...
It was completely empty inside.
Every building was devoid of people.
The Straw Hat Pirates were curious, inspecting the place with interest; Donflamingo and the Blackbeard Pirates had a sudden change in expression!
Because...
There seemed to be traces of someone having lived here, even until recently, yet why did they disappear at this time?
Based on what they knew...
It must have been something those scoundrels of the Konoha Pirates did!
Donflamingo pressed his sunglasses against his nose, mentioning a little-known story: "I've heard about the tradition of hunt games... any place selected as a hunting ground, the natives are also hunted as game..."
"Did those Konoha guys make a move?"
Teach's mouth twisted into a grin.
However, any guess was futile now, as everyone saw a sign apparently directing their path.
Even knowing there could be danger...
Donflamingo and the Blackbeard Pirates had no choice but to venture forward.
As for the fearless newcomers of the Straw Hat Pirates, they didn't feel any fear, instead looking around with interest.
Until...
The two ships reached the airspace of Apayado.
At the end of this airspace was a tall altar, upon which a giant golden bell was placed, instantly catching everyone's eyes.
"Golden Bell!"
Luffy's eyes lit up instantly!
Everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates remembered something!
Because with Montblanc Cricket's help, they had the opportunity to reach Sky Island; before they came, Montblanc Cricket had mentioned a story about his ancestor the great liar Montblanc Norland!
Four hundred years ago.
A man named Montblanc Norland was sent by the king to find the Land of Gold, Shandora, claiming it was on Gaya Island, where he found endless gold and a giant golden bell.
However, the king demanded Norland bring people to the Land of Gold again, but when Norland returned to Gaya Island, he found no Land of Gold, Shandora...
Clearly.
Norland deceived the king, committing a grave offense.
Before being executed, Norland kept insisting he had seen the Land of Gold, claiming it had merely sunk to the seabed...
Since then.
North Sea preserved the legend of the great liar Norland.
Norland's descendants didn't believe their ancestor would lie, so they went to Gaya Island, searching generation after generation for the location of the Land of Gold, Shandora, beneath the sea.
Now it seems...
The Land of Gold didn't sink to the seabed...
Nico Robin looked at the golden bell and slowly spoke: "Four hundred years ago, the Land of Gold, Shandora, didn't sink to the seabed but was instead carried up to Sky Island by an upward sea current, so it seems that the legend of the great liar Norland in North Sea might not have been a lie after all..."
"Truly intriguing..."
Akihara Kagura looked at the golden bell in front of her, speaking leisurely: "Perhaps it was a good thing that the Land of Gold was carried up at that time..."
"Hmm?"
The Straw Hat Pirates curiously looked at the Navy Lieutenant.
Akihara Kagura slowly explained: "If Norland had found them with people again, the king of North Sea might have ordered the slaughter of all the natives of the Land of Gold, plundering all their gold..."