After several days of sailing, the Beasts Pirates led by Kaidou finally arrived at the legendary Birka Sky Island.
As their massive pirate ship slowly sailed into the port, two to three hundred fully armed soldiers were already gathered on the docks, standing ready. Each of them gripped their weapons tightly, watching the menacing pirate ship with tense expressions.
A middle-aged man wearing ornate Priest Garments stood at the forefront of the formation. Raising his Scepter, he shouted toward the approaching pirate ship, "This is the sacred Birka Sky Island! We do not welcome any outsiders! Leave immediately! Otherwise, we will resort to force to drive you away!" His voice echoed over the harbor, carrying an undeniable authority.
Hearing this warning, Queen, standing on the deck, couldn't help but burst into loud laughter: "Muhahaha! Boss Kaidou, this is the first time someone's dared to refuse our landing so openly!" His signature laugh reverberated across the deck, causing the other crew members to join in the uproarious laughter, completely disregarding the warning.
Kaidou's towering figure stood at the ship's bow, arms crossed as he looked down upon the heavily guarded defenders on the docks. A ferocious grin spread across his face: "Wororororo... If they don't welcome us, then we'll make them change their minds the pirate way!" At his command, the entire ship erupted with deafening battle cries as the pirates grabbed their weapons, ready for combat.
Amid the excited pirates, Urouge stood out as distinctly out of place.
The young man, who had been forcibly brought aboard just days before, was covered in bruises—clear evidence of the "special attention" he'd received from King, Bullet, Queen, and the others. He stood at the edge of the deck, watching the impending battle with a complicated expression.
"Muhahaha, boys, follow me!" Queen brandished his longsword and was the first to leap from the deck toward the docks.
Almost simultaneously, King and Bullet had already charged into the enemy ranks like lightning. Their agile figures weaved through the soldiers, leaving chaos and fallen bodies in their wake. The pirates surged after them like a tidal wave, flooding the docks as the sounds of battle instantly filled the entire harbor.
Faced with the sudden assault, Birka's defenders scrambled to organize their defense, but it was already too late.
Kaidou stood at the bow, watching with satisfaction as his subordinates wreaked havoc on the docks. This "welcome ceremony" was proceeding exactly as he had envisioned.
"Urouge, get down there and help, or do you want a taste of my Hassaikai?" Kaidou turned his head, addressing Urouge, who was still standing on the deck. His tone carried an undeniable threat.
Hearing Kaidou's words, Urouge could only sigh helplessly before jumping off the ship to lend a hand. After all, he had no desire to experience Kaidou's Spiked Club again—that kind of pain was truly unbearable for an ordinary person.
The battle ended in an extremely short amount of time.
The Beasts Pirates, led by Bullet and the others, achieved an overwhelming victory. The fight had been a foregone conclusion from the start; faced with the power of the Beasts Pirates, Birka's guard force was simply no match.
Gavin escorted a middle-aged man dressed in ornate Priest Garments as he slowly walked toward Kaidou.
The once lofty ruler now staggered with unsteady steps, the meticulously maintained hem of his robe stained with dust, fine beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. Trembling, he fell to his knees, head bowed low, not daring to look up at the towering demon-like figure before him.
"Are you the ruler of Birka?" Kaidou's deep voice rumbled like thunder through the air, carrying undeniable authority. He looked down upon the kneeling man from his superior position, dangerous glints flashing in his eyes.
"Y-yes, my lord. I am Birka's god, Federico Zoey." Zoey's voice trembled with fear as he answered cautiously, his forehead nearly touching the ground. He could feel the terrifying pressure emanating from Kaidou, like an invisible mountain crushing him, making it hard to breathe.
Kaidou snorted coldly and got straight to the point: "Listen well, I'm only here for one thing."
Hearing this, Zoey's tense nerves relaxed slightly. He secretly rejoiced that the other party didn't seem intent on destroying Birka, and mustered the courage to ask, "May I ask what it is you seek, my lord?"
Instead of answering directly, Kaidou countered, "First tell me, are there any shrines or similar places on this island?" He remembered that the original story hadn't clearly specified the exact location of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, only seeing in some fanfiction that it might be inside Birka's Shrine. Kaidou calculated privately that if there really was no shrine here, he'd have to order his subordinates to turn the entire island upside down.
Zoey immediately replied, "Yes, my lord. There is indeed a shrine behind Birka Palace, said to house Birka's Divine Artifact. However..." He hesitated before continuing, "According to Birka's rules, no one except the High Priest is allowed to enter the shrine, so I don't know what's inside specifically."
A flicker of delight crossed Kaidou's eyes as he said in a deep voice, "Good, lead the way."
"My lord, you wish to go to the shrine?" Zoey looked up in surprise, his face showing distress. This move seemed to violate some taboo, making him instinctively want to dissuade Kaidou.
"Hmm?" Kaidou glared, releasing a suffocating pressure around him. Zoey immediately felt dizzy, as if an invisible force was choking him. Only then did he realize that before absolute power, any rules and traditions were meaningless.
"Y-yes, my lord! I'll lead the way immediately!" Zoey hurriedly complied, not daring to hesitate any longer. Trembling, he stood up and began guiding Kaidou forward.
The group passed through the garden behind the palace and arrived before an ancient and mysterious shrine. The shrine's architectural style was simple yet solemn, with mottled stone walls bearing marks of erosion by time. Complex patterns were carved into the walls, their lines and symbols seemingly telling some lost ancient legend.
"What's this?" Queen suddenly stopped, carefully examining the murals on the wall before letting out his signature laugh: "Muhahaha, Boss Kaidou, these appear to be records of some Ark Technology."
Kaidou continued walking without looking back, simply instructing, "If you think it's useful, arrange for someone to document these murals."
"Understood!" Queen immediately turned around and barked orders at the pirates behind him: "You lot, photograph every single mural here for me right now! If you dare miss even one, you'll see how I deal with you!"
"Aye aye!" the pirates hastily responded, scrambling to pull out their cameras and begin work. They moved carefully along the walls, afraid to overlook any detail. Queen stood by supervising, occasionally letting out dissatisfied grunts.