On a deserted island, Arima was enjoying a leisurely holiday with his family. He decided to stay a while longer, waiting for the commotion outside to quiet down before setting sail again.
He hadn't expected that his actions would once more ignite the entire sea.
On the very morning he returned from the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, the news birds delivered shocking headlines across every corner of the world: the Celestial Dragons' treasure had been completely stolen.
The impact of this news was no less than Roger's final words before his execution. The seas boiled with uproar.
Countless pirates surged out from the Four Blues, all rushing toward the Grand Line. To them, the ship carrying such an enormous fortune had to still be somewhere along the route.
Ambitious men everywhere sprang into action. Whoever found the culprit first might carve out a share of the loot. The value of this treasure was no less than Roger's own legacy.
In the New World, however, the Four Emperors kept their composure. None made a move, waiting instead for the truth to surface before striking with thunderous force.
The Warlords of the Sea each had their own plans, but their restraint mirrored that of the Emperors.
Among them, Boa Hancock paid particular attention to the incident.
She didn't care for the wealth, what she wanted was to meet the one bold enough to defy both the Celestial Dragons and the World Government.
Whoever this was, they had vented her hatred in her stead.
As the storm outside grew fiercer, Arima's life remained tranquil.
Tsunade's birthday was only days away, but in the meantime, the true instigator was planning a trip of his own, to Skypiea.
He had to secure the Rumble-Rumble Fruit before anyone else laid hands on it.
As for the Dark-Dark Fruit, it still slept deep beneath the sea, and he wasn't in a hurry.
Seeing that his family's training in Rokushiki had already borne early results, Arima judged it was the right time to move for the lightning fruit.
That day, with a casual excuse, he left the island and set off alone for its location.
Harnessing the levitation power of his Rinnegan, Arima soared into the sky, quickly breaking into the stratosphere where the climate was calm and steady.
He flew eastward, and after three days, reached Reverse Mountain. Without stopping, he drew in a deep breath and accelerated toward Jaya.
On his way over Reverse Mountain, he witnessed a strange sight: an enormous whale, so vast it resembled an island, ceaselessly ramming its head against the Red Line.
Its cries carried the weight of sorrow.
'That whale must have a story,' Arima thought. He decided he'd pay it a visit after finishing his business.
Less than an hour later, he hovered above Jaya. According to Garp, Skypiea lay ten thousand meters above the island, and his system showed the lightning fruit was right there as well.
He rose higher, pierced through dense cloud banks, and finally reached the legendary Sky Island.
The inhabitants bore small white wings on their backs, seemingly ornamental, for they gave no power of flight.
Their homes rested atop clouds as solid as land, a sight that stirred Arima's curiosity.
But he didn't linger. A nagging feeling told him if he wasted even a moment, he might miss the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
On his way, he noticed a large-eared boy struggling up the mountainside, toward the very place the fruit lay. The child was wounded, stumbling step by step.
'Could it be… this kid knows where the fruit is?'
But he soon dismissed the thought. The boy was clearly searching for food. Anything remotely edible, he devoured in desperation.
Arima split off a wooden clone to secure the fruit, while his true body approached the boy.
"I have food here for you."
He drew fresh fruits from Kamui's space and held them out.
The boy only cast him a sidelong glance, ignored the offering, and went on foraging.
'Stubborn, even at this age,' Arima mused.
Moments later, he sensed his clone had sealed the Rumble-Rumble Fruit away into his inventory with Kamui.
With his objective complete, he chose not to linger. The Poneglyphs of Skypiea could wait for another visit with his family.
After watching the boy for a while, Arima left behind medicine, fresh fruits, and some gold, then prepared to depart.
As he looked back, he saw a complicated expression on the boy's face, part disgust, part pity. The child never spoke a word to him.
Arima felt as though he had done something wrong, though he couldn't say what.
The return trip was far smoother; he had planted numerous Flying Thunder God marks along the way, so reaching his family again would be easy.
But first, he wanted to meet that great whale.
When he returned to Reverse Mountain, the whale's mood seemed calmer. It swam along the Red Line's edge. Nearby, an old man in a beach shirt and glasses lounged in the sun.
Arima descended before him.
"Oh? You can fly? What kind of Devil Fruit is that? Don't tell me the old Golden Lion finally died and you ate the Float-Float Fruit?"
The old man showed no surprise at Arima's arrival, as though storms and wonders were everyday sights.
"My name is Arima. May I know yours?"
"Me? I'm Crocus, a ship's doctor. So you're Arima, eh? Hah, young and promising indeed! That brat Shanks asked me to look after you if you ever came by."
"Shanks, huh? Heh, Garp's probably on his way to give him a good thrashing right about now."
Arima chuckled, a hint of schadenfreude in his voice.
"Hahaha! Garp still hasn't accepted his age? Why's he after Shanks?"
"Because he's worried Shanks will corrupt his grandson into becoming a pirate. The moment he heard Shanks had been to Foosha Village, he rushed back in a fury."
"Hah! Now that's rich. If the grandson of the Navy's hero became a pirate, the whole world would roar with laughter!"
Crocus tipped back his jug, drinking deeply with a gleam of excitement.
Arima produced several great barrels of fine liquor from Kamui's space and set them before the elder. "Try this brew. Rarely will you find one more fragrant."
Crocus eyed the mark of the Celestial Dragons on the barrels, and with the recent news in mind, a knowing smile spread across his face.
"So it was you, huh? Well done! This rivals the uproar our captain caused back in his day."
"I'm flattered."
"Hahaha! You're a fine one. I can't help but cheer for you. The Celestial Dragons are pigs, every last one! You've given my captain some justice.
For an old man at death's door, to share this trust with you is an honor. But tell me, why are you here alone? Where's your crew?"
"I came searching for a Devil Fruit. My family is resting on an uninhabited island in the Calm Belt.
On my way here, from above, I saw that whale bashing its head against the Red Line, its cries heavy with grief. So I descended to see it."
"Ah… that's Laboon. He's been waiting here for his companions for over fifty years. Back then, the Rumbar Pirates brought the young Laboon with them from West Blue.
But the Grand Line was too perilous, so they left him here, promising they would return. Chances are, the Rumbar Pirates are long gone beneath the waves."
Regret shadowed Crocus's face.
Arima was moved by Laboon's loyalty. He shouted toward the sea.
"Laboon! If I meet your companions, I'll tell them you're still here, waiting for them!"
Far out on the waves, the whale responded with jubilant cries, breaching and splashing the waters with joy.
Arima stayed until nightfall, learning many stories of Roger from Crocus. His respect for that man only deepened.
With the Rumble-Rumble Fruit secured, Arima resolved to set sail soon, bound for the East Blue.
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