Arthur had searched every nook and cranny of the house. He was certain the Rumble-Rumble Fruit wasn't there. Disappointed, he finally left.
Because of the whole Enel situation, his stomach was growling fiercely. He needed food, and fast.
Returning to the beach, Arthur built a fire and roasted a couple of fish he'd caught. Cooked food was definitely a significant improvement over a raw diet.
"Enel's parents didn't leave him the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. So he must have found it somewhere out there," Arthur mused, after finishing his meal. He found a large tree and lay down on a thick branch, lost in thought.
"Birka has about a thousand households, a few thousand people. If the villagers had the fruit, Enel probably wouldn't have gotten it. So, we can rule out that possibility."
"Could it be in the place where they store the 'Maxim' blueprints? No, that's impossible. According to Enel, any villager can go there. If it's not either of those places, then where could it be?"
His eyebrows knitted together in frustration. Arthur's head began to ache again. He hated thinking. He preferred to solve problems with brute force. But without strength, he had to use his brain. It was maddening.
"Based on the timeline, Enel won't eat the fruit for many years. Do I have to shadow him for years, missing out on the most exciting era happening down below in the Blue Sea?"
Although following Enel was the most likely way to get the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Arthur was determined to search for it himself for a while.
He was only thirteen. He had plenty of time to grow stronger. Even if he missed this era's most turbulent times, he would still reach the pinnacle in the future.
"Blackbeard spent twenty years chasing the Dark-Dark Fruit. Surely I can wait a few years? I gambled with my life on the rising current. I don't lack this bit of time!"
Arthur constantly compared himself to Blackbeard, trying to motivate himself.
But somehow, he still felt a pang of unwillingness. He wasn't someone content with mediocrity. If he were, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths, scheming and calculating the timing of the sea current.
What he desired most was to leave his mark on this great era, to do something earth-shattering, to live a life of unrestrained joy. That was the only way to make his journey to this world worthwhile.
The still-able-bodied Golden Lion, Whitebeard in his prime, the Marine hero Garp, Sengoku, and Roger, are still at the top of his game even in a weakened state!
So many powerful figures were converging in this era, all at their peak. It would be unacceptable for anyone to miss it.
"Three years. I must get the Rumble-Rumble Fruit within three years, before Roger becomes King of the Pirates!" Arthur clenched his fists, his expression resolute.
He stood at the top of the tree, gazing into the distance. That was the direction of the New World. His eyes burned with ambition.
Sky Island was high above. Daytime was short. Without realizing it, night had fallen again.
Arthur trained while pondering where to begin his search.
The physical exertion made his stomach protest loudly. He stopped training, shaking his head, pulling himself out of his thoughts.
"First, I'll fill my stomach. Then I'll keep an eye on Enel, or maybe I'll take a look in the jungle."
He took out a stolen Heat Dial and cooked dinner. After eating a shocking amount of food, Arthur entered the jungle under the cover of night.
He searched meticulously, examining almost every inch of the island cloud. He climbed trees, checking for hollows that might hide the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Late into the night, a weary Arthur finally stopped. He found a place to rest.
The next morning, he rose with the sun. He headed towards the village, avoiding the gossipy residents. He began to monitor Enel's movements.
One month, two months, half a year.
A whole year passed without him noticing.
The year was 1494. Arthur was now fourteen. His daily, relentless training had visibly improved his strength.
He had grown taller, reaching five foot nine. His frequent swims in the sea had given his physique a streamlined look. His explosive power and strength were far greater than a year ago.
His body's cheat-like recovery was his greatest asset so far. But the Rumble-Rumble Fruit remained elusive.
Sometimes Arthur even considered leaving Sky Island altogether. But then he thought, if he couldn't even handle this, how could he expect to conquer the Grand Line?
He kept comparing himself to Blackbeard, managing to suppress his restlessness.
Last year, in 1493, Roger had fallen ill. He led the Roger Pirates out of the New World and found Crocus at Reverse Mountain. Crocus, wanting to find the Rumbar Pirates to comfort Laboon the whale, joined the crew. The Roger Pirates began to tour the Four Seas.
This year, the scholars of Ohara formed an expedition to study the Poneglyphs. Nico Olvia entrusted her 2-year-old daughter, Nico Robin, to her brother's family.
And Arthur, aside from his increased physical strength and improved fighting skills, had gained nothing.
During that year, he had searched the island's jungle almost every day. He also made time to monitor Enel.
His Observation Haki grew stronger. He could even "see" the flow of the wind, and his range now encompassed a radius of 900 feet around him. Monitoring Enel was effortless. He could always stay one step ahead without being detected.
During this time, Arthur hadn't interacted with him. Without a companion, Enel reverted to his old self: expressionless and numb. He was bullied daily by the village children but didn't fight back. Yet, the hatred in his heart grew to an unbearable degree.
It just needed a spark, and it would surely ignite into an inferno.
Arthur watched coldly. Compared to obtaining the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, he didn't care about anything else.
Enel had also searched the entire island for him. But Arthur was either in the forest looking for the fruit or intentionally avoiding him. Naturally, he wasn't found. Eventually, Enel gave up on his sudden appearance and disappearance. He assumed his "kindred spirit" had secretly gone to the Endless Vearth.
Over this long period, Arthur not only figured out where Enel liked to play, he also secretly searched every villager's home.
He wouldn't give up any possibility. But he found nothing, not even a clue. It was just as he had imagined.
Every inch of Birka's island cloud, every household, every tree, Arthur had searched them all. He had almost overturned the entire island. He had even carefully examined the place where the "Ark Maxim" was stored.
He was certain the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was not on the island.