January 18, 1498
The Sixis Island is currently busy right now as Raeven and the others are preparing to go to Skypeia. Raeven even called Shakky to guard his island while they were away, and he also left 100 Ninja Khans to protect the island. With their current strength of Admiral Candidates, if the Marines or CP tried to attack Sixis Island while they were gone, then they would all become fish food for the fish on the shore of this island.
"We'll be gone for a month; as for your payment, I'll give you a barrel of my special oak-aged wine," Raeven said to Shakky.
"I didn't need a payment, but I won't say no to that offer at all," Shakky said. She was confident that no one will dare to go here, and if someone did, those ninjas are not to be trifled with.
After that the tree took off, and they headed straight towards Jaya Island. When the log pose on Stussy's hand pointed upward, Raeven told Strife to fly higher, and after flying for another 10,000 kilometers, they finally reached it: a grand arc that had the word "Skypeia" on it.
"How beautiful—it's like we entered heaven," Stussy said as she looked around.
Beside the gate is a man dozing off. He was surprised when he saw the 3 visitors, so he hurriedly said his welcome. There are no entrance fees yet; the only thing he offered is a map of Skypeia and its other neighboring sky islands. Raeven quickly bought it.
"So if we go and keep travelling east, we will reach a sky island named Birka?" Raeven asked.
"Yes, blue sea dweller, you can reach that island if you sail for 2 days," the gatekeeper said. Raeven gave him 200,000 beli for the information, and they quickly left. After 2 hours, they finally reached Birka Island.
Birka, just like Skypeia and Angel Island, is made of island clouds, which are solid enough to walk on, but you can't plant anything here.
Flying above the island, Raeven used his Observation Haki looking for that long-eared version of Slim Shady, and after a while, he found him.
Enel, currently being hungry because of constant bullying from the other inhabitants of the island, is quietly collecting some jet dials; he can sell them for a low price, and maybe he can eat some food with the money he earns.
Suddenly 3 individuals came towards him, and his first reaction was to cower in fear. When Mihawk and Stussy saw this, they were stunned, and then they felt anger.
"Relax, kid, we didn't come here to hurt you," Raeven said, and with that, Enel looked up, and he saw them all wingless like him, which made him panic more.
"You guys are not from here, right? You should leave quickly, or the villagers will bully you too," he said while he stood up, nearly reaching Raeven's shoulders.
"Relax, kid; for now come with us and eat. You look like you haven't eaten for a long time," Raeven said as he patted Enel's shoulders.
"As for those who want to bully us, they can try. I'll destroy this island if they touch a hair of my siblings. Of course, I'll protect you too, so just relax," Raeven said, then he summoned Castle, which surprised Enel.
"That's a ninja?!" he said, and this time Raeven and the others were surprised.
"You know what a ninja is?" Mihawk asked.
"Of course I know them, the mythical warriors that can walk on seas and even clone themselves. I read about them in the ancient books in the village," Enel said.
"Wahahahahaha, then come inside; this place is not suitable for talking," Raeven said as he pushed Enel inside the castle.
Inside Castle
Enel is currently eating like there is no tomorrow. This day his world view was shattered; this is the first time he saw a lot of mythical ninjas, and they are all serving this man named Dracule Raeven. After he ate, he introduced himself.
"My name is Enel, a resident here at Birka. As you can see, I'm wingless like you guys, and my earlobes are too long. That's why the residents here bullied me a lot," Enel said.
"That's it? They bullied you because you look different from them?" Mihawk said. When they were going, Raeven and Mihawk suffered this kind of treatment too because their eyes look terrifying, so Mihawk quickly became irritated with these kinds of people.
"Yes, that's it. Being different here caused me a lot of trouble. The only thing I can do is to collect jet dials to sell. If someone buys it, I can eat a meal," Enel said.
"Hey Enel, do you want to join our family?" This question quickly shocked Enel.
"You want me to join your family? But I'm too weak, and all I know how to do is collect dials," he said.
"Then are you satisfied with your way of living right now? Do you want to be bullied forever?" Raeven asked.
"Of course I want to be strong too, just like those Birkan warriors," Enel said.
"Those warriors you are calling strong aren't worthy enough to even spar with my brother Mihawk here. If you want to grow stronger and leave here, then join our Dracule family; I will train you myself," Raeven said.
"Then I'll join. I want to leave this place too, and I want to get strong," Enel said. He thought about it, and lying to him will get them nothing at all, and they are offering to join them, so Enel didn't need to think too long; he accepted.
"My training is hellish; are you prepared?" Raeven asked as he used a sliver of his Conqueror's Haki, which made Enel's body tremble. His legs were going to give up, but he held on, and a burst of Conqueror's Haki came out from his body.
"Of course I'm prepared," he said. He didn't know what happened to him; he just felt that if his legs gave up now, the man in front of him and the family that acknowledged him would be disappointed in him if that happened, so he held on and used everything that he had to stand against that pressure.
"Magnificent," Mihawk said, smiling.
"He had it too, the qualifications of being a king," Stussy said.
"Wahahahahaha, as expected of the man I recruited, you didn't let me down, kid," Raeven said. With that, he turned off his Conqueror's, and Enel sat down on the ground wet with sweat.
"Welcome to the Dracule Family. This is Mihawk, my younger twin brother, and this is Stussy, our younger sister. She is currently 9 years old and going on 10 this coming April."
Raeven added
"I'm currently 13 years old, and my birthday is on May 6th," Enel said as he looked at the 9-year-old Stussy, who looks stronger than him.
"Then another big brother for me. Welcome to the family, Big Bro Enel," Stussy said. She is happy that she had another big brother.
When Enel heard that tears unexpectedly fell from his eyes, he sobbed silently for a while while the others comforted him. An hour later, the 4 of them came out, and Enel is now wearing clothes of Mihawk. After all, they are the same height. The clothes of Mihawk are a lot bigger because Enel was too thin.
The next day they did was to search for a devil fruit, a bright yellow pear with jagged edges that forms thunder-like patterns. After searching for 7 days, unsurprisingly, Enel was the one who found it. Raeven didn't let him eat it straight away; he needs to know general knowledge first. After that, he will train in Rokushiki and Haki; only then will Raeven give this fruit to him. When they found the devil fruit, the 4 planned to leave Birka.
As they were leaving Birka, Mihawk suddenly pulled Yoru out while looking at the island.
"Don't destroy it; just cut it in half," Raeven said, which shocked Enel. Stussy is already immune to it, as she watched Mihawk and Raeven spar on the seas near Sixis Island before.
A loud shing sound was heard, along with a massive flying slash that sliced down on Birka, making the island split into two. When Enel saw that, he said to himself that his choice was correct.
"Big brother Mihawk, I want to learn that too," he said seriously. That power, that massive flying slash—this is the first time he's seen something like that.
"I don't have the time to train you right now; I'm still doing my journey towards the world's strongest swordsman, but don't worry, our big brother here will train you well. I just hope that you can persevere through it," Mihawk said.
When Enel heard the first part, he became sad; when he heard the middle part, he became happy; but when he heard the last part, he became terrified. The way his face changed so fast made the tree laugh.
"Don't worry, Enel, even if you're nearly dying, I have my ways to revive you quickly," Raeven said, which terrified Enel more, but thinking about that slash from Mihawk, he resolved himself; as long as he can become stronger and protect the family that picked him up at his lowest, he will persevere.