Fang Yi hadn't been gone long from the Oro Jackson when he spotted a faint glimmer of light ahead.
Guessing that Roger and Rayleigh might be in that direction, he urged Wanzai to head over.
"Captain! Mr. Rayleigh!" Fang Yi called out once he arrived, only to find both men crouched atop a large stone, intently staring at something.
"Fang Yi? What are you doing here?" Roger asked, surprised.
"You heard the explosion earlier, didn't you?" Rayleigh added with a small chuckle.
Fang Yi nodded. "Everyone's worried, so I came to check on you two."
"Well, since you're here, take a look at this," Rayleigh said, pointing forward. "Doesn't this look like… an intestinal opening?"
Fang Yi was stunned. After a careful glance, his expression changed slightly. "Wait—don't tell me you're thinking of…"
"That's right," Rayleigh replied with a smile. "This might be our only way out. The problem is, we can't get through it right now. Even if the Oro Jackson could get here, there's no way we could pass through."
Only now did Fang Yi notice that what appeared to be the intestinal opening was tightly closed, pulsating oddly at the center. It was grotesque and unsettling.
"We should head back to the ship," Fang Yi suggested. "Everyone's getting anxious."
"Fair enough. At least now we know where the exit is," Rayleigh said, standing up.
But as they neared the Oro Jackson, they heard loud cheers and excitement from the deck. The crew was in high spirits.
"Did they figure out another way out?" Fang Yi glanced at Rayleigh, hopeful.
"Let's go see," Roger grinned.
Upon arrival, the trio discovered the truth—no exit strategy had been found. Instead, the crew had unearthed a massive stash of gold buried in the ruins inside the goldfish's stomach.
"Wahahaha! Fang Yi, look what I found! A solid gold crown! Isn't it awesome?!" Bucky exclaimed, proudly showing off his find.
Fang Yi opened his mouth, about to ask, What good is treasure if we can't get out? But seeing the smiles and joy on everyone's faces, he held back and forced a smile instead.
Sometimes I envy Bucky, he thought. He lives for treasure hunting, without a care in the world.
"Captain… Shouldn't we—" Fang Yi began, planning to suggest regrouping and finding a proper escape route. But to his surprise, Roger was off treasure hunting with the others.
Seriously? Am I the only one trying to get out of here? Fang Yi cursed internally.
"Wahahaha! We hit the jackpot! Who would've thought this fish swallowed so much gold? Looks like it's all ours now!" The crew returned with arms full, piling gold high on the deck.
"Captain… It's not like we can spend any of this if we die in here," Fang Yi muttered with a bitter smile.
"Don't worry, I've already thought of a way out!" Roger grinned. "Roven, turn the ship around—point us that way!"
"Huh?" Fang Yi looked confused. Between the ship and the so-called intestinal opening stood heaps of wreckage—there was no way the boat could make it through.
Roger stepped to the bow and took a deep breath, slowly raising his weapon.
"W-wait, Captain… You're not thinking—"
"Slash!"
Before Fang Yi could finish, Roger unleashed a massive flying slash.
Swoosh!
The powerful energy blade tore through the ruins, blasting debris away and carving a clear path toward the intestinal exit. The brilliant light from the slash lit up the entire area.
Barrett, watching from behind, swallowed hard. He had always thought he wasn't far behind Roger in strength—but now, he realized just how wrong he'd been.
"Wahahaha! That should do it!" Roger laughed, clearly pleased with the destruction he'd caused.
"Uhhh, Captain… did you ever stop to think… what that slash might do to this goldfish's stomach?" Fang Yi asked, pale and trembling.
"Huh?" Roger blinked, confused—he had completely forgotten that they were inside a giant fish.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
Suddenly, the entire stomach began to quake violently, as if the world were about to collapse.
"This is bad. That attack pissed it off!" Rayleigh's expression changed. "We've got no choice—full speed ahead! It's now or never!"
The Oro Jackson surged forward. Thanks to Roger's slash, clearing the way, the path was smooth.
RUMBLE—CRASH—WHOOSH!
The stomach churned like a stormy sea. Acid sloshed violently, tossing the ship like a toy.
And then—
WHOOSH!!!
A thunderous rush of water erupted behind them. Towering waves, dozens of meters high, surged forward, bringing with them fish—and even a massive sea beast.
"What… what the hell is this? The apocalypse?!"
The crew stared in horror at the tsunami coming their way.
"It drank a mouthful of seawater… Roger's attack must have triggered it," Rayleigh said grimly. "We're doomed!"
"C'mon, don't give up yet!" Roger called from the bow, still smiling.
They had reached the intestinal opening. Roger's slash had left a gaping wound there, still bleeding.
"Fang Yi! Freeze that water behind us—we need time! Everyone else, with me—blast it open!" Roger laughed wildly, pointing at the closed intestinal passage.
Fang Yi hesitated and looked at Rayleigh. This was dangerous—insanely dangerous. Pushing the goldfish any further might provoke something catastrophic. And who even knew if this opening was truly an exit?
But Rayleigh nodded. "There's no turning back now. Fang Yi, buy us some time!"
"Understood!" Fang Yi climbed the mast, drawing his Solar Bow.
"Rapid Shot – Ice Arrow Rain!"
Whish! Whish! Whish!
Arrow after arrow, each charged with icy energy, flew toward the oncoming tidal wave. Fang Yi didn't shoot in volleys—instead, he used the fastest method: single-target rapid fire.
CRACK—BOOM!
But the wave was too powerful. Each ice arrow froze a small portion of the water, only for the next wave to crash through and shatter it.
"No good—I can't keep this up!" Fang Yi had fired over twenty arrows. His strength was running out.
"Captain! I'm at my limit—this is my last shot!" he yelled, losing five arrows at once in one final effort to freeze a section of the wave.
At the same time, Roger and the others launched their combined assault on the intestinal wall.
FWOOOOSH!
But to everyone's shock, they didn't need to.
As they attacked, the intestinal opening suddenly opened on its own, and an overwhelming suction force pulled the Oro Jackson straight in.
"AAAAAAHHHH!!"
Screams rang out as the ship spiraled down the passage.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" Fang Yi shouted, grabbing a rope and tying himself to the mast—an emergency procedure for lookouts in storm conditions.
"Hold on tight! Don't get flung off!"
The ship hurtled through the narrow tunnel, drawn by some unknown force deeper into the beast.
"My gold… MY GOLD!!!" Bucky screamed as the gold they had piled on deck was blown away by the suction.
"You idiot! Are you trying to die?!" Rayleigh roared, tackling Bucky before he could jump after the treasure.
"My precious gold…" Bucky sobbed, heartbroken as it vanished into the void.
"Hold on! We're almost through!" someone yelled as the ship tilted and spun—the end of the passage was near.
SPLASH!
BOOM!!!