Before the pursuers arrived, Buggy had already descended from Red Line cliffs and was climbing back up at Shanks's urging. His feat—scaling the sheer rock face using his separated feet—was exhausting, especially uphill. Without Shanks watching, Buggy might have given up.
As he neared the summit, he heard shouts and saw guards falling from above—it meant a fight was breaking out. He surged upward again. But just before reaching the top, Fang Yi plummeted from the sky!
"Not again!" Buggy flew toward him, barely catching Fang Yi. The shock nearly dislocated Buggy's arm—he'd had to separate and reattach it mid-air.
"Buggy, get me back. Barrett's still up there. While the Marines' captains haven't arrived—" Fang Yi began, then Buggy knocked him out with a palm strike.
"Back? Are you insane? Look how many enemies are up there! I'm not dying with you," Buggy cried, carrying the unconscious Fang Yi down quickly, guided by Wangcai.
Fang Yi awoke later on a deserted isle. Shanks approached. "You're awake?"
Scanning their surroundings, Fang Yi called into the brush, "Buggy? Where's Barrett?"
Buggy backed away. "—I don't know."
"I've never liked cliffside riding," Fang Yi muttered. "Shanks, how long was I out? Where are we?"
Shanks explained they'd left Mariejois via Wangcai's assistance and headed offshore.
"Shanks, Dini's safe—but Barrett was left behind. I accept nothing less than going back for him. Go join the captain and crew with Buggy and Dini—this is Yamon's Life Card. Bring it to them when you meet."
Shanks protested: "I want to go with you!"
Fang Yi gently shook his head. "I don't trust Buggy alone, and saving Captain Roger is our priority. If I find Barrett, I'll go see Shakky. But if we can't help him… Worry about Dini's safety."
Buggy was incredulous: "Without me, you'd have died! That's how you treat your savior?"
Fang Yi calmly replied: "Buggy—I'm grateful. You never wanted to be here. I forced you. And you're right—without you, I would've died. But I won't abandon my comrades. If you were in trouble, I'd come get you."
Buggy simmered, then shambled off. To Shanks, Fang Yi said, "Please look after Roger and the rescue. I'm going back."
Shanks nodded. "Be careful—you're secretly going to be my captain one day!"
Fang Yi grinned. "Don't worry. If things go south, I'll retreat. If Roger ends up in Impel Down, we'll go together to rescue him."
Then he remembered the trinkets he pocketed earlier.
"Buggy! Remember the treasure I promised? This is the deposit. Someday, we'll raid Sky Island's vault together."
Buggy retorted: "I never said I'd join your crew!"
Fang Yi didn't respond — affirmations like that could wait.
But before he could leave, Dini spoke: "You're ignoring one thing. Once Mariejois raises the alarm, the Navy will enforce a manhunt. They're already likely pursuing us."
Fang Yi and Shanks exchanged worried glances—they'd underestimated how close they were to search routes.
Buggy pointed toward the distant sea. "What's that?"
Fang Yi tossed him a spyglass. Buggy looked. "It's a Navy warship!"
Dini added quietly: "If Barrett stayed behind… the Navy will focus on capturing him."
Fang Yi nodded. "He's strong. Something's unsettled about whether he's still alive. But we can't risk staying. That warship could appear at any moment."
He quietly handed Dini an underwater breathing pill, tied it to Wangcai's harness with rope, and motioned forward.
"Let's move." Wangcai leapt into the water. Fang Yi, Shanks, and Dini followed.
With Wangcai guiding underwater currents, their escape was swift, but after hours, they still hadn't spotted Oro Jackson or any islands.
Shanks gasped faintly. "Are we even in the New World yet?"
Fang Yi shook his head, checking Yamon's Life Card for direction. "Eat, rest, then press on."
That night, they drifted across the open sea with only faint hope. Until tomorrow, they'd rely on Wangcai—and each other.