This must be the Florian Triangle, right? Last time we were here, we met Brook! That whole experience is something I'll never forget!
Shanks looked out at the dark, misty waters ahead, speaking to Tiffany and Jessica, who were traveling through this sea for the first time.
After defeating CP9's Foz Fu at Water 7, the Dragon Wolf set sail directly toward the Sabaody Archipelago, and before long, they reached the infamous Florian Triangle.
Fang Yi didn't deliberately try to avoid it. If fate brought them back into those strange, dark waters, he didn't mind.
So now, Shanks found himself explaining their first encounter with Brook to Tiffany and Jessica, describing what it was like to suddenly meet a walking skeleton in such a terrifying place.
"Wha—? A creepy place, and then suddenly a skeleton appears? Wouldn't you be scared out of your mind?" Tiffany shuddered at the thought. If it had been her, she probably would have fainted on the spot.
"Huh? Scared? Why would we be scared? Skeletons, ghosts… aren't those things interesting? It's just a shame Brook didn't join us back then, or it really would've been fun." Shanks tilted his head innocently, clearly not understanding.
Tiffany's face darkened instantly. She turned away, refusing to continue the conversation.
Fang Yi chuckled at the scene. He understood now.
In the original history, people like Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji never flinched at bizarre things like ghosts or skeletons. Not only were they naturally thick-skinned and reckless, but they also had confidence in their strength. Whatever happened, they trusted they could handle it.
Just like Shanks now—utterly confident in his abilities. Even if a real ghost showed up, he wouldn't be afraid; he'd just be curious.
But Tiffany was different. Without the overwhelming strength to protect herself, she naturally felt fear toward the unknown.
Shanks's mention of ghosts reminded Fang Yi of the "Ghost Princess." He wondered where she was now—perhaps she had already joined Moria's pirate crew.
Lately, the names of Gecko Moria and "Desert King" Crocodile had been echoing loudly across the seas. Many even regarded them as "supernovas" among pirates, comparable to the three Marine upstarts of this generation.
Fang Yi wasn't sure how strong Moria was at this stage, but Crocodile right now felt far stronger than the one in the "future." At least until Barrett went all out, Crocodile could truly fight him to a draw.
Whether Crocodile had been going all-out or holding something back, Fang Yi didn't know.
Not long after, the Dragon Wolf passed safely through the Florian Triangle this time without drifting into that pitch-black fog.
"Well then, our next stop is the Sabaody Archipelago. I hear plenty of pirates have been gathering there." Fang Yi smiled.
"Is that so? Now that's exciting!" Barrett laughed in anticipation.
With Roger executed and Shiki locked away, a few great pirates of the old era remained active—Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido. But a new era was rising. Young pirates with dreams surged onto the seas, though how many would survive to the end was another matter.
Fang Yi himself was also looking forward to Sabaody. There would be enough bounty heads there for him to perhaps earn the points he needed to exchange for the last two Intermediate Inheritances.
He had already consumed one Body Inheritance (Intermediate), and the boost had exceeded even his expectations.
Now, seeing the two still left in the store made him itch with desire. But he lacked the points to exchange for them.
And now that he understood the true use of the Bounty Tower, he was more eager than ever for high-bounty targets.
After all, he still had that untouched Rumble-Rumble Fruit in his inventory. With the right quality soul to match it, he could create another powerful commander for his crew.
Before long, more pirate ships appeared around them—they were drawing close to Sabaody.
"Captain, should we head to Sister Kiki and Mr. Rayleigh first?" Shanks asked excitedly, staring at the mangrove trees on the horizon.
"Of course. Once we—"
BOOM!
A cannonball exploded beside the Dragon Wolf, cutting off Fang Yi mid-sentence. His smile instantly faded, replaced with a frown.
"What's going on?!" Tiffany rushed up from below deck, wide-eyed and panicked as the ship shook.
"We're under attack!" Shanks narrowed his eyes toward the side, where a pirate ship aimed its cannons at them. The pirates on board were laughing mockingly.
"Hah! A bunch of brats flying a pirate flag? Being a pirate isn't child's play! Go home before you start crying when you meet real pirates!"
"Captain, don't scare them too much—they really might start bawling!" another jeered.
Their mocking only made Fang Yi smile faintly. On their ship, he had spotted a familiar figure.
"Shanks, I'll leave this to you. Any problem?" Fang Yi asked calmly.
"No problem." Shanks pressed down on the straw hat atop his head and stepped forward.
"Careful with that one…" Fang Yi pointed at a plump figure among the enemy crew. "That guy's probably strong. If you can, invite him aboard. As for the rest, deal with them. Oh—and if their captain's bounty tops… let's say fifty million, call me."
Shanks blinked, then followed Fang Yi's gaze. Among the rowdy crew, one fat youth stood out. He wasn't laughing or mocking—just calmly munching on food in the corner.
"Captain, we've got enough funds for now, don't we?" Shanks asked warily, thinking Fang Yi was after another bounty.
They had just come down from Skypiea. In Water 7, the gold they exchanged had given them more than 200 million Berries—plenty to live on for a while.
"You don't get it… Our expenses are too big. While there are still bounty heads around, I'd rather save up." Fang Yi sighed bitterly.
Shanks frowned. Their crew didn't seem to spend that much, did they? Why was their captain so worried?
"You don't know anything about our food costs, do you?" Fang Yi said softly.
"Food… costs?" Shanks blinked. "We eat a lot, sure, but… it can't be that bad, right?"
Fang Yi resisted the urge to cry. Covering his face, he groaned: "Everywhere we go, Tiffany insists on buying the finest local ingredients. And you guys—whether it's top-grade or ordinary, you eat the same. Do you have any idea how much you and Barrett alone eat every meal? That's all the money!"
Shanks scratched his head sheepishly. "Ahahaha… well, I am still growing. Eating a lot is normal!"
"I'm not blaming you for eating too much." Fang Yi shook his head. "But the truth is, we do spend too much. Tiffany's partly to blame, but as captain, it's my job to make sure you can all live the way you want—never forced to give up your joys just because of money. That's why I've never told Tiffany to buy less."
Shanks grinned. "Heh… I get it, Captain. I'll make sure to bring that guy back alive then!" With a laugh, he kicked off and leapt toward the enemy ship.
"I'll go too!" Barrett suddenly said, scratching his nose awkwardly behind Fang Yi.
"No rush. Once we reach Sabaody, there'll be plenty of bounty heads. Leave this one to Shanks." Fang Yi's eyes stayed locked on the fat youth devouring his food.
Barrett blinked. He wasn't trying to compete with Shanks—just a little guilty, since Fang Yi had lumped him in with the "big eaters."
But then he noticed where Fang Yi's attention lay—not on the enemy captain, but that food-obsessed youth.
"What's so special about him?" Barrett asked curiously.
"He's promising… let's see if Shanks can win him over. If so, we'll have a new comrade." Fang Yi smiled faintly.
"Oh? Now I'm interested. Let's see what he can do," Barrett chuckled.
By then, Shanks had already boarded the enemy ship, sending it into chaos. Despite being outnumbered, Shanks had the upper hand—until the plump youth finally put down his drumstick and joined the fray. Only then was Shanks's assault checked.
"Heh… so it is him." Fang Yi chuckled. "I'll head over. Keep an eye on the other ships, Barrett."
"Got it." Barrett scanned the gathering pirate vessels circling nearby.
"Captain, why'd you come over too?" Shanks asked while clashing with the fat youth.
"Don't mind me—just checking if their ship has anything I need." Fang Yi grinned.
"Damn brats! Don't get cocky! I'm the great pirate Curlybeard—bounty: sixty-four million Berries!" roared the enemy captain, his face covered in curly whiskers. "Lucky Roo! Take them down! All the food on board is yours!"