Yasa had turned the entire house inside out, searching every corner. Convinced the Rumble-Rumble Fruit wasn't hidden there, he reluctantly left the premises.
The ordeal with Enel had left him famished, his stomach growling in protest. He needed to replenish his energy with proper food.
Returning to the beach, Yasa kindled a fire and skewered two fish onto a spit. He couldn't deny that cooked meat tasted ten times better than raw flesh.
"Enel's parents didn't leave him the Rumble-Rumble Fruit," Yasa mused, settling on a sturdy branch of a large tree after eating. "That means he must have acquired it elsewhere."
"Birka Island has about a thousand households and several thousand residents. If any family possessed the fruit, Enel wouldn't have been able to obtain it. So that possibility is minimal and can be ruled out."
"Could it be stored with the 'Maxim' blueprints? No, Enel mentioned villagers can access that location freely. If it's not there, then where could it be?"
Yasa's sword-like eyebrows furrowed as he felt another headache coming on. He hated thinking and preferred to crush his enemies with brute force, but without strength, he had no choice but to strategize—a truly annoying predicament.
"Considering the timeline, Enel won't be able to consume that fruit for many years. Am I supposed to hide behind him for decades, missing out on the most thrilling era of Sky Island's descent into the Blue Sea?"
Though following Enel offered the best chance of obtaining the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Yasa decided to search on his own for a while.
At thirteen, he had plenty of time to grow. Even if he missed this tumultuous period, he'd still reach the pinnacle of power in the future.
"If that Blackbeard bastard could spend twenty years obsessed with the Dark-Dark Fruit, how can I not wait a few more years? I already risked my life in the Upward Current—I've got the time to spare!"
Yasa kept comparing himself to Blackbeard Teach, using the pirate's example to motivate himself.
Yet for some inexplicable reason, a stubborn refusal to accept this fate still burned within him. He was no man content with mediocrity. Had he been willing to remain ordinary, he wouldn't have spent years meticulously calculating the arrival of the Sea Current.
His greatest desire was to carve his mark upon the grand tapestry of history, to achieve feats that would shake the heavens, to indulge in pleasures without restraint—to make this life truly count.
The Golden Lion with legs intact, Whitebeard at his zenith, Marine Hero Garp, Sage Sengoku, and Roger himself—still reigning supreme over the oceans despite his waning strength!
So many titans of the sea were converging in this era, each at the peak of their power. To miss this opportunity would be unforgivable.
"Three years," Yasa vowed, his fists clenching until his knuckles whitened. "I must obtain the Rumble-Rumble Fruit within three years—before Roger claims the title of One Piece!"
Standing atop a towering tree, he gazed toward the horizon where the New World lay. His eyes blazed with an unquenchable fire.
Sky Island hung high in the sky, its days short and nights long. Before Yasa knew it, darkness had fallen again.
As he trained, Yasa pondered where to begin his search.
Gurgle!
His empty stomach protested the physical exertion. He paused, shook his head, and refocused his thoughts.
First fill my stomach, then keep watch on Enel or explore the jungle.
Yasa pulled out a stolen hot bean from his pocket, cooked dinner, and consumed a heart-pounding amount of food before venturing into the night-shrouded jungle.
He searched meticulously, examining every inch of the Island Clouds. Whenever he encountered trees, he climbed up to check for hollows that might hide the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Late in the night, the slightly weary Yasa finally stopped and found a random spot to rest.
At dawn the next day, he immediately rose and headed toward the villagers' area, avoiding the gossipy tongues while keeping an eye on Enel's movements.
One month passed. Two months. Half a year.
A whole year slipped by unnoticed.
In the Sea Circle Era 1494, Yasa turned fourteen. His daily training regimen made his strength grow visibly by the day.
He'd grown taller by a significant margin, now standing at 180 centimeters. His frequent fishing trips had sculpted his physique into a lean, athletic frame. His explosive power and raw strength had increased dramatically compared to a year ago.
His body's bug-like recovery ability had become his greatest asset so far, but he still hadn't made any progress with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Yasa sometimes even considered leaving Sky Island outright, but then he'd think: If he couldn't endure this, how could he ever roam the seas?
By constantly comparing himself to Blackbeard, he managed to suppress his impatience.
Last year, in Sea Circle Era 1493, Roger fell gravely ill and led the Roger Pirates out of the New World. They found the renowned physician Crocus at Reverse Mountain, who agreed to board their ship to locate the Rumba Pirates and comfort the Great Whale Laboon. Thus began the Roger Pirates' voyage across the Four Seas.
This year, the "Poneglyph" expedition team composed of Ohara scholars set sail from Ohara. Nico Olvia entrusted her two-year-old daughter Nico Robin to her brother's care.
As for Yasa, aside from his improved physical strength and combat skills, he'd gained nothing else.
For a whole year, he'd spent nearly every day searching the island's jungles while keeping an eye on Enel.
His Observation Haki grew stronger by the day, allowing him to "see" even the flow of wind. Now it could cover a radius of three hundred meters centered on himself. Monitoring Enel required no effort—he could tail the young man without being detected.
During this period, Yasa didn't seek out Enel. Without his companion, Enel reverted to his old self—expressionless and numb. He endured daily bullying from the village children without resistance, yet the hatred in his heart grew so intense it could no longer be contained.
Given the slightest opportunity, it would inevitably erupt into a raging inferno.
Yasa observed coldly. Compared to obtaining the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, nothing else mattered.
Enel searched the entire island for traces of Yasa. But whether Yasa was in the forest looking for fruits or deliberately avoiding him, he naturally remained undetected. Eventually, Enel gave up on this mysterious companion who had appeared suddenly and then vanished just as quickly, convinced he must have secretly gone to the Infinite Land.
Over this long period, Yasa not only figured out Enel's favorite play spots but also secretly searched every villager's home.
He wouldn't give up on any slight possibility, but naturally found nothing—not even a single clue. It was exactly as he'd imagined.
Yasa had searched every inch of Birka Island's Island Clouds, every household, and every tree. He nearly dug up the entire island, even thoroughly searching the place where the spaceship ark "Maxim" was stored. He was now certain the Rumble-Rumble Fruit wasn't on the island.