Chapter 31: Birka

Ten thousand meters above the Blue Sea. It was a height even birds rarely reached, a remote place where the white clouds surged like ocean waves. Strange sky fish leaped and darted through the billowing whiteness, a sight that completely defied the imagination.

Amidst this vast expanse of cloud-sea, a pirate ship sailed as steadily as if it were on water. It was, of course, Doflamingo and his crew, heading towards the land of their dreams.

"Hey, kid," Diamante, ever the loyal lackey, voiced the question weighing on Doflamingo's mind, "how much further to Birka from Angel Island? You're not messing with us, are you? Our patience has limits."

Three days had passed since Doflamingo's departure from Angel Island. Three days that felt like an eternity. Doflamingo's heart was in constant turmoil. Every time he thought about how close Birka was, how the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was right there, he ached to get his hands on it. Although Enel certainly couldn't have obtained the fruit yet, it was best to act quickly. Only when it was in his possession would he feel at ease.

The unknown always breeds fear and anxiety.

And the things we fear the most are often the things that come to pass. This was the essence of Murphy's Law, and it perfectly described Doflamingo's current state of mind.

"My lord, How could I dare deceive you? It's just that Angel Island is quite a distance from Birka. It takes a considerable amount of time to get there," the guard captain replied, trembling with fear.

"Hmph, it better not be. Just lead the way honestly, or you'll be sorry," Diamante continued, threatening the guard captain.

"Yes, yes, I understand! I'll lead the way properly. At most, it will take another three days. I guarantee we'll arrive at Birka smoothly," the guard captain, seemingly terrified by Diamante's words, kept wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, acting exceedingly cautious.

Diamante, upon hearing the answer, immediately and obsequiously reported to Doflamingo, who was inside the ship's cabin.

"Doffy, it will be another two or three days before we reach Birka. You shouldn't be too anxious or get worked up," Diamante said, comfortingly, observing Doflamingo, who had been immersed in training for the past few days.

Truly a loyal and capable lackey – and a considerate one, at that!

These past few days had been agonizing for Doflamingo. Only by throwing himself into the world of iron could he briefly forget his troubles.

Hearing Diamante's report, Doflamingo's mood improved slightly. While he hadn't reached Birka yet, he was very close.

"My state of mind has become quite obsessive lately. This won't do! What is meant to be will be, and what is not meant to be cannot be forced. I've made all the necessary preparations. If I still can't get the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, it simply means my luck has run out. I can't be like this, possessed by a single goal. There are plenty of powerful Devil Fruits out there. And even without a Devil Fruit, can't I still become a strong force in this sea?" Doflamingo thought it all through, and a sense of clarity washed over him. He exhaled a long, stale breath, free of any lingering melancholy. He was once again the arrogant, self-assured Doflamingo, who believed himself to be supreme.

"I am invincible. I am the strongest weapon. A Devil Fruit is just another tool. True strength always comes from within."

Doflamingo left those words hanging in the air and exited the training room, leaving a bewildered Diamante behind, unsure of what had just transpired. Although he didn't understand what had happened, Diamante knew that his once spirited Young Master had returned. The worry in his heart gradually subsided.

Doflamingo walked out of the cabin and stood at the bow of the ship, gazing at the scenery, so utterly different from the Blue Sea. White mist billowed, and the cloud sea surged, creating a scene reminiscent of a fairyland.

Behold the fluffy white clouds, frolicking in the White-White Sea. They roamed like a flock of sheep, darted like white dragons, and strolled like elegant maidens. They moved with the lightness of a young debutante, freshly adorned in light makeup, taking small, deliberate steps, exuding an infinite charm. They displayed their myriad forms before Doflamingo's eyes without reservation.

Doflamingo stretched out his hand, as if the clouds were within his grasp, pure white, flawless, soft, and yielding. In this moment, his mood grew increasingly joyful.

Before the Donquixote Pirates had even begun their advance on Birka, the released guards had not disappointed Doflamingo. They had gone and tattled, reporting the events to the priests, ultimately attracting the attention of the current God, Gan Fall. Gan Fall dispatched a large number of soldiers to search for Doflamingo and his crew. Unbeknownst to them, Doflamingo had already taken a step ahead and departed for Birka. The soldiers' search proved fruitless, and Gan Fall could only wait. Although he didn't know their purpose in going to Birka, he knew that place wasn't to be trifled with. He could only patiently wait for Doflamingo and his crew to reappear.

This search of the sky islands, while failing to find Doflamingo's group, had brought considerable hardship to Mont Blanc Cricket. Because Blue Sea residents were distinctly different from sky islanders – their lack of wings was the most obvious proof. Affected by Doflamingo's actions, Cricket, though initially successful in evading the search, was inevitably noticed by Gan Fall as he searched Angel Island for clues to the Golden City. Immediately, Gan Fall ordered Cricket's capture. Whether Cricket would be lucky enough to escape was unknown, but of course, none of this had anything to do with Doflamingo anymore. Life and death were in the hands of fate.

Six days had passed since they left Angel Island. During this time, Doflamingo, aside from his daily exercise, spent his time standing at the bow, admiring the beauty of the White-White Sea. Although they occasionally encountered attacks from the White-White Sea's creatures, there were no major incidents. Each encounter was resolved smoothly. Compared to the Blue Sea, the sky sea had far fewer monsters.

A hazy island, shrouded in a layer of light gauze, appeared and disappeared in the ethereal mist, sometimes near, sometimes far, elusive and indistinct. It was like a few strokes of light ink, smeared on the blue horizon.

Doflamingo stood at the bow, gazing at the distant, hazy island. A surge of joy filled his heart, yet his expression remained remarkably calm, betraying no hint of his inner turmoil.

"My lord, we've arrived! We've arrived! The island ahead is Birka!" the guard captain exclaimed, his voice filled with joy. The previously quiet ship was now filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

"Full speed ahead! I want to see what makes this Birka different from Angel Island," Doflamingo commanded.

As the sailing ship moved forward at full speed, the hazy island finally came into clear view. From afar, numerous green trees stood neatly along the white coastline. Birka sat amidst the vast White Sea, the flowing white clouds billowing like a scarf draped around the island. The buildings on the island were also surrounded by white clouds, resembling a fairyland. The most striking feature was the incredibly tall tower that pierced the clouds, its peak invisible. It was even adorned with a rainbow, making it exceptionally beautiful. Birka's beauty was in no way inferior to that of Angel Island.

Soon, the Donquixote Pirates' ship arrived at Birka's shore. Even those who had seen the mysterious beauty of Angel Island couldn't help but be awed by Birka's splendor.

"Indeed, the sky islands are where the gods reside. Both Angel Island and Birka are like paradise."

"Wow, it's so beautiful! This trip was worth it."

"Haha, I'm definitely going to brag to my brothers about this when I get back. They'll be so jealous!"

The crew members exclaimed in admiration, their voices overlapping in a lively chatter.

Doflamingo ignored the crew and didn't bother to admire Birka's beauty. No matter how beautiful the scenery was, he wasn't in the mood. His mind was currently preoccupied with figuring out the exact location of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.

"My men, disembark! Let's go, Birka!" Doflamingo, no longer hesitating, immediately gave the order.

Birka, I, Doflamingo, have arrived. Your god has come.

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