After leaving the Holy Land of Apayado, the Dragon Wolf sailed steadily through the White Sea. With the route map given by Gan Fall, they now knew exactly how to reach Birka.
"Never thought I'd see something like this above the endless sky!" Shanks couldn't help but sigh in amazement as he gazed at the rolling sea of clouds outside the ship.
"Mhm~ It's different from the ocean, but it has its charm. This is exactly why I want to travel the world. In places you've never even dreamed of, there are always landscapes you can't possibly imagine." Fang Yi laughed, nodding in agreement.
"Captain! Shanks, Brother Barrett! Lunch is ready! Today's dishes are made with special ingredients unique to Skypiea—hope you'll enjoy them!" Tiffany poked her head out of the cabin and called out cheerfully to the three men, Barrett included, who were still dozing nearby.
"Coming~" Fang Yi stretched and headed toward the cabin.
Barrett also cracked open his eyes with a yawn. If he wasn't training, he was sleeping. Even the breathtaking scenery of Skypiea couldn't stir his interest.
The moment Fang Yi sat down at the dining table, he let out a sigh.
Not because of the food—but because he'd finally realized something: Tiffany was an absolute pink fanatic. She loved pink to the extreme. Her room was entirely decorated in pink, and now she'd even swapped out every kitchen utensil in the dining hall for pink ones. If Fang Yi and the others hadn't fought desperately to stop her, the entire ship would probably have been turned into a giant pink toy by now.
Her cooking, however, was beyond reproach. Whether it was Fang Yi, Shanks, or Barrett, all three recognized her skills. But every time they picked up those pink utensils to eat from those pink plates, all of them had the same urge—to smash the plates to pieces.
"Try this—it's the fish Shanks caught earlier. I experimented with it a bit, and it came out pretty well!" Tiffany said brightly as if she hadn't noticed their discomfort at all.
Fang Yi could only give a bitter smile. Sighing again, he obediently picked up the pink fork and knife and began eating the food off the pink plate.
"Well? How is it?" Tiffany asked, smiling expectantly.
"The flavor is excellent! If it were served on a normal plate, it would be perfect." Fang Yi gave her a thumbs-up in earnest praise.
Shanks and Barrett, however, stayed completely silent, focusing on their food. They'd already given up long ago.
"If you don't like it, I can stop cooking for you. You can make your meals and use whatever plates you want," Tiffany said quietly, casting Fang Yi a sidelong glance.
Seeing Fang Yi completely defeated, Shanks couldn't help laughing. "Captain, just let it go. This is her territory. Once you get used to it, it's not so bad."
"Oh? Fine then. I'll have Tiffany redecorate your room in pink." Fang Yi shot him a glare.
That shut Shanks up immediately. He lowered his head and ate in silence, not daring to say another word.
After lunch, Fang Yi went to the deck to rest. It wasn't long before he spotted the outline of another island in the distance.
"Everyone! We've reached our destination!" Fang Yi stood at the bow and shouted.
"Oh? So that's Birka?" Shanks climbed down from the mast, walked to the bow, and followed Fang Yi's gaze.
Thanks to Gan Fall's letter of recommendation, Fang Yi and his crew weren't subjected to any trouble. They were granted direct passage into Birka's palace, where they were received by its ruler, God Hafid.
"Heso! We are pirates from the Blue Sea. I am Fang Yi, captain of the Dragon Wolf Pirates." Fang Yi greeted him with the Sky Island salute.
"Haha… So you're from the Blue Sea. May I ask what business brings you to Birka?" Hafid asked with a smile.
As the God of Birka, it was rare for him to see Blue Sea people, but that didn't mean he knew nothing about them.
From Fang Yi's perspective, the people of Birka were most likely descendants of the ancient moonfolk who had descended when they ran out of resources.
"We've come to inquire about someone named Enel. We heard he resides in Birka, so we asked Lord Gan Fall for guidance in finding this place." Fang Yi explained with a smile.
"Enel?" Hafid frowned, searching his memory, then shook his head. "I don't recall such a name. Is he one of my priests?"
Fang Yi shook his head. "That, I'm not sure. The only thing we know is that he supposedly lives here in Birka."
"This…" Hafid hesitated. "Though our population isn't as large as that of the Blue Sea, it's still no small number. With only a name to go on, finding him may not be easy."
Fang Yi nodded. "That's true. That's why we came to visit you first—to avoid any misunderstandings. We'd like to stay here for a few days. If we find him, great. If not, we'll leave after a short while."
Hafid nodded slightly, acknowledging Fang Yi's words. "Very well. I'll arrange for you to stay near the palace. Will that do?"
"Perfect. Thank you, Lord Hafid!" Fang Yi bowed his head, smiling with apparent gratitude.
Before long, under escort from Hafid's guards, the crew was settled into a small courtyard near the palace—their temporary residence.
Once inside, Shanks and Barrett immediately checked their surroundings for traps or spies. Satisfied, they regrouped in Fang Yi's room.
"There are eyes everywhere watching us! Why agree to stay here? This will only interfere with our movements," Barrett said bluntly.
"As outsiders, they would have kept watching no matter where we stayed. By staying here, we lower their suspicion," Fang Yi answered with a faint smile.
"Captain, do you know where the Rumble-Rumble Fruit is located? Without precise information, searching for it will be like looking for a needle in a haystack," Shanks said, frowning.
"I have a hunch." Fang Yi nodded. "The fruit is most likely hidden within the palace itself. But where exactly, I can't say yet."
His reasoning was simple. These people were most likely descendants of the moonfolk, who had mastered the use of electricity. If they ever came across the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, they would have safeguarded and passed it down through generations.
The safest place to hide it would be the palace—likely in secret chambers known only to the line of rulers. Perhaps even the current God, Hafid, didn't know of its existence. Otherwise, Enel wouldn't have been able to obtain it in the future.
"At least that gives us a direction to search. Better than wandering. So… shall we make our move tonight?" Barrett's eyes glimmered with excitement.
In his mind, there was no need for stealth. They should simply smash their way in and take whatever they wanted.
Fang Yi saw through his thoughts immediately, but had no intention of resorting to brute force.
"Tonight, we'll rest first. Later, Tiffany and I will head out to purchase supplies. You two stay here. At midnight, we'll make our move. Do your best to avoid conflict. If you're discovered, leave no evidence—just return immediately." Fang Yi instructed quietly.
"Why bother with all this? You saw for yourself earlier—the so-called God isn't anything impressive." Barrett frowned.
"I know his strength likely isn't on our level. But if we can achieve our goal quietly, why make an enemy of an entire nation?" Fang Yi said evenly.
"…Fine. You're the captain, you decide." Though Barrett still wanted to fight, he didn't press the matter further.
Night soon fell. To prepare for the operation, the three returned to their rooms early, while the palace guards watching them gradually grew drowsy.
At midnight, Fang Yi opened his eyes, tapped the wall as a signal to Shanks and Barrett, and slipped out through the window.
"Let's move."
Once reunited, the three quickly advanced, moving silently so as not to disturb their watchers. In no time, they reached the palace grounds.
"Captain, this place is huge. We should split up," Shanks suggested after they entered.
"Agreed. But remember—we've only just arrived. The guards are likely still on high alert. Don't push too hard. We have time. Avoid drawing attention. If we come up empty, then we'll resort to force later." Fang Yi reminded them, his words aimed mostly at Barrett. That man was far more accustomed to using fists than stealth.
"Understood." Both Shanks and Barrett nodded, then each took a separate path.
Once alone, Fang Yi climbed to a high vantage point to study the palace's layout.
If the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was hidden anywhere, it would be somewhere like an ancestral hall or ceremonial chamber. That would be his focus for tonight's search.
"Let's test my luck here first. If nothing turns up, I can gather intel in town tomorrow." Choosing a building deeper within the complex, Fang Yi slipped inside.
To his disappointment, it turned out to be God Hafid's private quarters, where his family resided. After a brief inspection, Fang Yi withdrew.
The place was too heavily guarded, and more importantly, it was unlikely the fruit would be stored there. If it had been, Enel could never have taken it—unless Enel had been Hafid's child.
By dawn, after a long night of searching, the three regrouped—empty-handed.
But Shanks reported that toward the end of his sweep, he had found a building that looked very much like a ceremonial hall. Unfortunately, he hadn't had time to explore it thoroughly.
Then let's head back for now. We'll return tomorrow night, Fang Yi decided after some thought. It wasn't worth risking exposure on their very first attempt.