At dawn the next day, as the first light of daybreak tinted the eastern sky, Kaidou prepared to leave Sky Island with his subordinates. The rising sun cast golden rays upon the White White Sea, bathing the sea of clouds in a soft, luminous glow. A sea breeze brushed past, carrying the distinctive chill of early morning.
"Wororororo..." Kaidou let out his signature laugh, turning to Gan Fall standing beside him. "I'm leaving. Don't forget what I've tasked you with."
Gan Fall immediately bowed his head respectfully, replying in a humble tone, "Please rest assured, Lord Kaidou. Before your return, I will surely complete the conquest of the Shandians and continue arranging personnel to cultivate Impact Dials and various other Dials. As for the gold in the City of Gold, I have already assigned people to smelt it into gold bars for your convenience when you return."
By now, Gan Fall had completely abandoned any thought of resistance. After witnessing the overwhelming power displayed by Kaidou and his subordinates, he clearly understood that continued defiance would only lead to needless sacrifices among Sky Island's people. As the ruler of the divine land, he had to take responsibility for his subjects' safety. Though filled with reluctance, he recognized this as the best choice under the circumstances.
Just then, King descended from the sky, unfolding his massive black wings and landing steadily beside Kaidou. He gave a slight bow and reported respectfully, "Brother Kaidou, everything is ready. Supplies have been replenished, and we can depart at any time."
"Good, let's move out!" Kaidou's command echoed through the port like thunder. He led everyone aboard the pirate ship docked in the harbor. Surprisingly, Kaidou chose not to transform into his Azure Dragon Form and carry the ship directly back to the Grand Line using Flame Clouds. Instead, he decided to have the pirate ship sail southward along the White White Sea. This decision surprised many crew members, but none dared to voice any objection.
The pirate ship slowly departed from the port, its sails billowing in the morning breeze.
After gaining control of Sky Island, Kaidou had obtained crucial information about Birka through historical documents. This legendary sky island was located in the southern seas of Skypiea. What concerned Kaidou more was the high likelihood that the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, reputed as the "strongest Logia Type fruit," existed there.
From any perspective, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit could be considered a top-tier Devil Fruit. It not only possessed speed comparable to the Glint Fruit but also destructive power rivaling the Magma-Magma Fruit. Even more remarkably, the user could significantly expand their Observation Haki range through lightning power, potentially covering an entire island.
In Kaidou's assessment, even someone with mediocre talent could easily surpass Vice Admiral-level combat capability after eating the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. If a naturally gifted individual obtained this fruit, achieving quasi-admiral or even right-hand man level strength would be entirely possible. For this reason, Kaidou had long regarded this fruit as his for the taking.
However, the voyage from Skypiea to Birka was no easy journey.
Three days after leaving Skypiea, Kaidou and his crew encountered extremely bad weather.
The previously calm White White Sea had completely transformed. Thick dark clouds hung like an enormous black curtain, enveloping the entire sea in darkness. Dazzling lightning occasionally split the sky, accompanied by deafening claps of thunder.
The wind howled and raged across the sea, whipping up waves dozens of meters high that crashed against the pirate ship's hull one after another. The wooden structure groaned with an ear-grating creak under the violent rocking, as if it could be torn apart by the furious ocean at any moment.
The crew struggled to maintain their balance on the deck. Rain mixed with salty seawater lashed against their faces, making it nearly impossible to keep their eyes open. Everyone's clothes were completely soaked, but no one had time to care about that now. They had to focus entirely on dealing with this sudden disaster—a single misstep could send them to a watery grave.
"Furl the main sail!" Queen shouted at the top of his lungs through the storm, a cigar clenched between his teeth. "Helmsman, maintain a 45-degree course to port!" His voice remained clear despite the roaring wind. The well-trained crew sprang into action like a precision machine, each performing their duties. Some swiftly climbed the mast to reef the sails, others rushed to the hold to check the cargo's security, while still others assisted the helmsman in adjusting their heading.
Kaidou sat steadily in his specially designed chair at the center of the deck, paying no mind to the chaos around him. He tilted his head back and took a large swig of liquor, letting out his characteristic laugh: "Worororo... I never thought we'd encounter such interesting weather even ten thousand meters above sea level." As a pirate who had weathered countless storms, this level of tempest was nothing more than a minor inconvenience to him. He trusted his crew's ability to handle it completely, seeing no need to intervene personally.
At the top of the violently swaying mast, King stood as steady as a statue. His black wings were slightly spread, remaining utterly motionless in the gale. Lightning illuminated his stern features, his sharp eyes continuously scanning the distant sea.
In contrast, Bullet and Gavin on the deck appeared somewhat flustered. Bullet gripped the railing tightly, feeling the raw power of nature, yet a excited smile spread across his face; Gavin seemed somewhat nervous initially, but gradually calmed down after observing Bullet's reaction.
Sebastian led the Fish-man crew members as they moved swiftly across the ship. Their natural aquatic abilities allowed them to traverse the slippery deck with ease, nimbly assisting other crew members in securing loose ropes and cargo. The presence of these Fish-man sailors significantly enhanced the ship's overall safety, as they could immediately detect any abnormalities with the vessel.
The storm persisted for a full two hours, during which every person aboard remained tense. Only when the first rays of sunlight pierced through the heavy dark clouds, falling upon the drenched deck, did everyone finally breathe a sigh of relief. The sea gradually calmed, the churning waves softening into gentle ripples. After the clouds dispersed, the blue sky reappeared overhead.
"Boss Kaidou," Queen turned to address Kaidou standing at the bow, "the storm has thrown us off our planned course. It might take us longer to reach our destination now. Additionally, some of our supplies got soaked by the rain—we'll need to stop at a Sky Island to restock."
Kaidou waved a hand without turning around. "Queen, you handle those minor details. After all, you're the most knowledgeable about navigation on this ship now."
His voice carried its usual trust. Queen nodded and immediately began directing the crew to inspect the hull damage and take stock of the material losses. The sunlight shone on his damp golden hair, casting a faint halo of light.