Lily exclaimed excitedly.
Everyone shared her enthusiasm—compared to drifting aimlessly at sea, setting foot on land was always a relief.
As the ship neared the island, the details of its landscape became clearer.
"Look! There are people over there!" Alexis gasped.
Arnold furrowed his brows. "If we can see them, they can see us too."
Regina observed calmly. "I thought it would be an empty island."
"It seems to be fishermen," Hades muttered with a smirk. "I hope they're not some mountain bandits... If they try anything, I won't hesitate to send them to hell." He had little regard for people outside his crew.
Caesar, standing at the bow, remained indifferent as he gazed at the approaching shore.
"Let's dock and see for ourselves," he said coolly. To him, it didn't matter who they encountered—none of them could pose a threat.
On the Island
The islanders quickly noticed the ship's arrival.
"Look! A ship!"
"It's a pirate ship!"
"My God! Pirates!"
"PIRATES ARE COMING! SOUND THE ALARM!"
Panic spread like wildfire. Some islanders froze in fear, while others ran to warn their fellow villagers. The more prepared among them grabbed harpoons and makeshift weapons. The entire settlement descended into chaos.
Bika, a sky island located in the White Sea, was not a frequent target for pirates, but the stories of raids from the "West Sky" were enough to keep the people wary. Until now, they had never thought such danger would reach them.
Within minutes, the island's guards assembled, armed with spears, flintlocks, and dial-based weaponry. Though not battle-hardened, their numbers gave the villagers a sense of security.
Caesar's Landing
Caesar's ship finally reached the shore.
"They don't seem happy to see us," Gnaly remarked coldly, eyeing the gathered islanders.
"Maybe it's because you look so scary," Lily teased.
"Then let Caesar step forward—he's the handsome one," she added with a chuckle.
"I'm handsome too," Hades laughed.
"Enough," Caesar ordered, stepping off the ship first. His crew followed closely behind, ignoring the nervous stares from the gathered islanders.
The island's guards tightened their grips on their weapons. Some even pointed their flintlocks at Caesar, their hands trembling slightly.
Caesar ignored their fear. He walked straight to the leader of the guards and asked, "This is Bika Island, correct?"
The guard captain hesitated but nodded. "Yes. What business do you have here?"
A smirk crept onto Caesar's face. He had come here for one reason—on this island, somewhere, lay a Devil Fruit of immense power.
The Goro Goro no Mi.
A Logia-class Devil Fruit, capable of granting its user control over lightning. Among all Logia fruits, it stood at the pinnacle, rivaling the Pika Pika no Mi (Glint-Glint Fruit) in speed and surpassing most in destructive capability.
But Caesar had no intention of eating it.
While the fruit was powerful, it wasn't suited for him. Still, he couldn't let it fall into the hands of another pirate. If nothing better came along, this fruit would serve as his backup plan.
Caesar reached into his coat and, using his telekinetic ability, summoned a thick stack of papers from the ship's cabin. The sheets floated smoothly into his grasp, as though carried by an invisible force.
The islanders gasped.
"H-How did that paper move on its own?"
"Is he using a power like our dials?"
"No… It looks like he's controlling it without touching it!"
Whispers spread among the crowd. Even the guards hesitated, shifting uneasily at the display of Caesar's ability.
Meanwhile, Caesar's crew exchanged glances.
"What's with the paper?" Gnaly muttered.
Arnold narrowed his eyes, spotting an illustration on the top page. "That's a Devil Fruit… Is he planning to hand out fliers for someone to find it?"
Regina, too, noticed the drawing. The fruit was sketched with jagged patterns, resembling a thundercloud.
"A lightning-themed fruit?" she mused. "If Caesar is searching for it, then it must be something extraordinary."
Caesar, holding up the image of the Goro Goro no Mi, spoke with cold authority.
"This fruit. Find it and give it to me." His tone carried an unspoken warning. "Or die."
[121] A tense silence fell over the island.
Then, without warning, Caesar raised his blade, and with a single slash, unleashed a silver-white shockwave that cleaved through the air.
The sky above Bika split open.
The very clouds that supported the sky island were ripped apart, sending shockwaves rippling through the White Sea. Even the Blue Sea far below trembled slightly from the sheer force of the attack.
Every islander froze in place, paralyzed by shock.
The guards, who moments ago had stood firm, felt their knees buckle. Weapons slipped from trembling hands.
The once-lively settlement fell into complete silence.
Beyond Bika—Shockwaves in the Blue Sea
On the Blue Sea below, distant sailors and travelers looked up in horror.
"The sky just split apart… AGAIN!"
"This isn't natural… It's an omen! Is this the end of the world?"
"God's wrath has been awakened!"
Frightened whispers spread across distant lands. Even those who had dismissed the first sky-splitting incident as a trick of the weather could no longer deny what they had seen.
Back on Bika, Caesar's crew remained unfazed.
The Caesar Pirates had made their demand clear.
Now, the islanders had a choice—find the Goro Goro no Mi… or face annihilation.
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