Arthur had searched every nook and y 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 signifit 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 rge tree and y down on a thick branch, lost in thought.

  "Birka has about a thousand households, a few thousand people. If the vilgers had the fruit, Enel probably wouldn't have gotten it. So, we rule out that possibility."

  "Could it be in the pce where they store the 'Maxim' blueprints? No, that's impossible. Acc to Enel, any vilger go there. If it's her of those pces, then where could it be?"

  His eyebrows kogether in frustration. Arthur's head began to ache agaied thinking. He preferred to solve problems with brute force. But without strength, he had to use his brain. It was maddening.

  "Based oimeline, Enel wohe fruit for many years. Do I have to shadow him for years, missing out on the most exg era happening down below in the Blue Sea?"

  Although following Enel was the most likely way to get the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Arthur was determio 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 iure.

  "Bckbeard spent twenty years chasing the Dark-Dark Fruit. Surely I wait a few years? I gambled with my life on the rising current. I don't ck this bit of time!"

  Arthur stantly pared himself to Bckbeard, trying to motivate himself.

  But somehow, he still felt a pang of unwillingness. He wasn't someone tent with mediocrity. If he were, he wouldn't have goo such lengths, scheming and calg the timing of the sea current.

  What he desired most was to leave his mark on this great era, to do somethih-shattering, to live a life of urained joy. That was the only way to make his jouro 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 weakeate!

  So many powerful figures were verging in this era, all at their peak. It would be uable for ao miss it.

  "Three years. I must get the Rumble-Rumble Fruit within three years, befer bees King of the Pirates!" Arthur ched his fists, his expression resolute.

  He stood at the top of the tree, gazing into the distahat was the dire of the New World. His eyes burned with ambition.

  ...

  Sky Isnd was high above. Daytime was short. Without realizing it, night had fallen again.

  Arthur trained while p where to begin his search.

  "Growl!"

  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 stole Dial and cooked dinner. After eating a shog amount of food, Arthur ehe jungle uhe cover of night.

  He searched meticulously, examining almost every inch of the isnd cloud. He climbed trees, cheg for hollows that might hide the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.

  Late into the night, a weary Arthur finally stopped. He found a pce to rest.

  The m, he rose with the sun. He headed towards the vilge, avoiding the gossipy residents. He began to monitor Enel's movements.

  ...

  One month, two months, half a year.

  A whole year passed without him notig.

  The year was 1494. Arthur was now fourteen. His daily, releraining had visibly improved his strength.

  He had grown taller, reag 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 sidered leaving Sky Isnd altogether. But thehought, if he couldn't even hahis, how could he expect to quer the Grand Line?

  He kept paring himself to Bckbeard, 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 fort Laboon the whale, joihe crew. The Roger Pirates began to tour the Four Seas.

  This year, the schors 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 isnd's jungle almost every day. He also made time to monitor Enel.

  His Observation Haki grew stronger. He could evehe flow of the wind, and his range now enpassed a radius of 900 feet around him. Monit Enel was effortless. He could always stay oep ahead without beied.

  During this time, Arthur hadn't ied with him. Without a panion, Enel reverted to his old self: expressionless and numb. He was bullied daily by the vilge 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 igo an inferno.

  ...

  Arthur watched coldly. pared to obtaining the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, he didn't care about anything else.

  Enel had also searched the entire isnd for him. But Arthur was either in the forest looking for the fruit or iionally avoiding him. Naturally, he wasn't fouually, Enel gave up on his sudden appearand disappearance. He assumed his "kindred spirit" had secretly goo the Endless Vearth.

  Over this long period, Arthur not only figured out where Enel liked to py, he also secretly searched every vilger'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 isnd cloud, every household, every tree, Arthur had searched them all. He had almost overturhe entire isnd. He had even carefully examihe pce where the "Ark Maxim" was stored.

  He was certain the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was not on the isnd.