Chapter 32: To East Blue
Birka, Enel's hometown, was completely destroyed by Enel sixteen years after the Great Pirate Era began.
That time hasn't come yet, meaning there was a high possibility that the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was still in Birka. Otherwise, a person with a god complex like Enel would've destroyed it. It might take more than ten years before Birka was destroyed.
"Birka? Now that you mention it, that place barely left any impression, but I don't seem to have any. That being said, are you planning to go to Skypiea?" Rayleigh tried to remember but there was really no useful information.
Giotto didn't pay too much attention to this. It would be best if he got a relevant information, but even if he didn't, he would just look for it himself. Anyway, the island called Birka should have its own native resident, but they should have more common sense, and it wouldn't be as troublesome as going to Skypiea.
Just use the Dying Will Flame to fly up. He didn't need to go up using the ocean current or anything!
Using ocean currents to get there was terribly dangerous. Aside from crazy people like Luffy, who was the protagonist of the anime. Among 101 people who attempted to go to Skypiea via Knock-up Stream, one hundred wouldn't survive.
"That's right, I have some business there, hence I will be going alone. After all, Rayleigh-senpai should be aware of the situation in the New World now. There is chaos everywhere, and even a peaceful place may not be so peaceful by the next day. For the safety of our base, the only one who can move in the Family is me."
Giotto's words were not exaggerated at all. The New World really was a mess.
The powerful big pirates were growing rapidly, and the smaller ones planned to take advantage of this situation. Except for those who are particularly strong, no one could truly feel at ease.
"Hehe, chaos has always been the beginning of the new era, but I believe it will not take long for this to subside. After all, every era will have its own ruler. Just like us, there will always be someone who will stand up and take the rein."
Rayleigh smiled as he seemingly reminisced the past, obviously thinking of the era of the Three Great Pirates, but he only recalled it because he knew very well that that era had passed.
His own captain was executed after he surrendered himself, and the golden lion was arrested in the Impel Down. Only Whitebeard, who seemed indifferent to the world, would continue his legend on the sea.
The Dark King himself was already old!
"Little Giotto, you're quite lucky, I found the information about your island along with the map. Your one hundred million Belly is well spent."
At this time, Shakky came over with a stack of papers and placed it directly in front of Giotto: "This island is a little dangerous, but it should not be a problem for you."
"Thank you." Giotto picked up the papers and got up immediately, "Then I'll leave now. Let's have a proper drink next time we meet, Rayleigh-senpai..."
When Giotto was about to walk out of the bar, Rayleigh suddenly showed a meaningful smile on his face, and his eyes became sharp in an instant as if a ray of light flashed through them: "Giotto! In the future, I believe your name will go down in history. After all, you're a kid from our ship!"
Giotto pushed the door of the bar with one hand, paused for a few seconds, and then shook his head: "It's very unfortunate Senior Rayleigh, but I'm no longer a pirate..."
When the voice fell, he walked away.
Seeing Giotto's figure leaving, Rayleigh laughed while sitting in his chair, with mixed feelings on his face: "Hahaha! You are wrong, Giotto. Whether you're a pirate or a mafia, from the moment you stand in the new world, you're already inside the vortex of this era. Others don't care whether you are a pirate or not. They only care about...how capable you and your Family are!"
Shakky on the side also nodded, expressing her agreement with Rayleigh's words: "Actually, little Giotto has drawn the attention of countless people. It has only been a year since he made his appearance, and his bounty has already reached 960 million Belly. I don't think there's anyone out there who had done this."
"Yeah, but I'm not surprised at all. I reckon that he was different from everyone else back when we were on the ship. Looking back, someone that Barrett acknowledges definitely has something in them. Also, I've always felt that he has something in common with Roger, that kind of charisma as a leader of theirs is quite similar."
Rayleigh drank the drink in the glass: "People will flock to that kind of guy, following in his footsteps... Vongola Family, was it? It's good to be young, too. I wonder what Shanks and Buggy are up to now?"
After leaving Shakky's rip-off bar, Giotto didn't stop there. He immediately set off for the East Blue.
He decided to go to Skypiea once he got the Flame-Flame Fruit.
The highest priority now was the Flame-Flame Fruit. After all, it could significantly improve his strength, and Giotto has already had the rough idea of how he'd hone the Flame-Flame Fruit ability. In addition to the technique that Ace invented, he would focus on raising the flame's temperature and, at the same time, find a way to combine the flame of Flame-Flame Fruit with his own Dying Will Flame.
If the two could be combined, it was definitely one plus one greater than two.
And this trip was inevitable for him. The sea area in East Blue was called the weakest sea because the pirates that roamed this sea were far weaker than the other three of the four major sea areas.
Of course, this was partly because the Marine Hero returned to his hometown occasionally. However, at this time, Garp should not have time to return to the East Blue. He was probably trying to find a way to help Portgas D. Rouge. After all, Roger entrusted her to the Marine Hero before he died.
After all, it was safer to leave his family to Garp than Rayleigh and others...