Yi-ge, are we going to be okay doing this? Buggy asked nervously, looking at Fang Yi.
"Relax. If anything goes wrong, I'll take responsibility. For now, let's head to Sister Shakky's shop. While we're collecting intel on Mary Geoise, we'll also have her pass along a message to the captain—let them know we're safe. Otherwise, if the four of us suddenly vanish from the ship, the captain will worry," Fang Yi replied with a calm smile.
Fang Yi was leading Buggy, Shanks, and Barrett toward Shakky's bar, while the Oro Jackson had already set sail toward Fishman Island.
Originally, only Fang Yi, Shanks, and Buggy were supposed to carry out this operation. But out of caution, Fang Yi invited Barrett along, both because of his overwhelming strength and to prepare for forming his pirate crew in the future through this exclusive mission.
"You little rascal... I knew you wouldn't give up so easily." Shakky raised her brows when she saw Fang Yi, but couldn't help feeling it was typical of him.
"Hehehe... Sister Shakky, we're here to request intel on the Celestial Dragons at Mary Geoise. And also, please pass a message to Rayleigh and the captain that we're safe. Once we've rescued the person with the Surgery Fruit ability, we'll meet up with them again," Fang Yi explained cheerfully.
Shakky chuckled and shook her head. "So you've prepared for this and didn't just act on impulse?"
"Of course! First of all, all four of us are unfamiliar faces. Even though Barrett and I have bounties, they're not high. Pretending to be slaves should be no problem. Also, Mary Geoise is full of Celestial Dragons, and no one keeps track of who owns which slave. The guards don't dare mess with slaves, because they don't want to offend their masters—after all, even dogs are judged by their owners."
"To make sure, we're also planning to brand ourselves with the Celestial Dragon hoof mark in advance. That way, we'll blend in perfectly. As long as we can persuade the user of the Surgery Fruit to escape with us, the mission is as good as done," Fang Yi said with full confidence.
"But have you considered your escape plan?" Shakky asked with a sly smile. "Even if everything goes smoothly, how will you get out?"
"That's a secret—unless Sister Shakky agrees to help us. Then I'll tell you everything," Fang Yi grinned.
"You're not worried, I'll contact Rayleigh right now and have you all dragged back? You left the ship without the captain's orders, which is a serious offense for a pirate crew," she said, eyes narrowing.
Fang Yi wasn't rattled. "You can keep in touch with Rayleigh anytime, right? That means you're not using a regular Den Den Mushi. Maybe it's a special one or some kind of carrier beast like a pigeon."
"If it's a special Den Den Mushi, then of course you could contact him instantly. But if it's a slower method like a messenger bird, then now that Rayleigh is headed toward Fishman Island, there's no way for him to get the message in time."
Shakky clapped her hands and smiled. "You're quite sharp, kid. But tell me—why should I help you?"
"Hehehe... Sister Shakky, as Rayleigh's wise and supportive partner, I doubt you want to see Captain Roger die, right?" Fang Yi teased.
Shakky paused, then laughed while lighting a cigarette. "No wonder Rayleigh said you were a sharp one—quite the character. All right then. Let's hear your escape plan. If it's not convincing, I won't help. Rayleigh may care for Roger, but not enough to risk your kids' lives."
Mary Geoise is built atop the Red Line, surrounded by sheer cliffs. There's only one official entrance, a grand gate leading to two paths—one to Sabaody Archipelago, and the other to Marineford. All other areas are sheer drops, impossible to pass through," Fang Yi explained.
"Exactly," Shakky agreed. "Which means any disturbance will bring Marines from HQ instantly. Your only path out is through the main gate—and you won't make it. Encountering the Marines will be the end."
"That's true. But, Sister Shakky, those cliffs might not be deathtraps. They could be our way out," Fang Yi said, eyes gleaming. "If we plan it right, the very terrain the Celestial Dragons ignore might be the key to survival."
"You want to jump down and use the water below to break the fall?" Shakky asked, frowning. "Even if the cliffs are unguarded, you'd need to jump. Climbing would take too long. And how do you survive a drop from that height?"
"Hehe... Buggy, show Sister Shakky your ability," Fang Yi said with a smirk.
Buggy laughed proudly, then detached his feet from his body, letting his upper half float into the air.
"A flying ability?" Shakky was surprised. Abilities that grant flight were extremely rare and often just as valuable as Logia-type powers.
"Not exactly flight. Buggy has the Chop-Chop Fruit. As long as his feet stay on the ground, the rest of his body can levitate. With Buggy's help—and support from Wangcai—we can escape safely," Fang Yi explained.
"You mean that odd little dog?" Shakky puffed on her cigarette.
"He's not that odd—just happens to swim like a sea beast," Fang Yi chuckled. "He's already waiting nearby. Once we finish gathering intel, we'll scout out our escape route."
"You think I'll just hand you that intel?" Shakky raised a brow.
"Of course. Otherwise, why are we still talking? If you weren't going to help, you'd have turned us in to Rayleigh the moment you saw us."
Shakky laughed. "You're a scary little guy. Fine. Wait here. I'll go prepare the documents."
"Yi-ge... You sure she's not going to sell us out?" Shanks asked nervously.
"You fool. You think she's asking all these questions out of curiosity? She needs to report back to Rayleigh. Right now, with time so tight, they can't afford to come drag us back. Their priority is reaching Fishman Island and retrieving the Road Poneglyph. By the time they think about catching us, we'll already be in Mary Geoise—maybe even done with the mission," Fang Yi grinned.
"Yi-ge, you promised I could pick anything I wanted from the Celestial Dragons' treasury!" Buggy reminded him.
That was the bait Fang Yi had used to get Buggy on board. Without Buggy's powers, their escape would be much harder.
The plan was to tether the four of them to Buggy's upper body, while his legs carried them down the cliff. With breathing pills and Wangcai's assistance, they'd swim away underwater.
The next step was gathering intelligence on the Celestial Dragons. If they could convincingly pose as slaves, their infiltration would be much easier. Fang Yi wasn't too worried about being discovered—Celestial Dragons had so many slaves, they wouldn't recognize them all.
They could even use Sabo's method from the original timeline—impersonating armored guards whose full-body armor hid their appearance completely.
"Don't worry, Buggy. I always keep my word. But let's be clear: our top priority is rescuing the Surgery Fruit user. Only if we have time after that will we loot the treasure. If things get tight, we'll have to abandon the loot. No treasure is worth our lives," Fang Yi said seriously.
"You say that... but why do I feel like you're trying to trick me?" Buggy narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"How could I trick a genius like you? Besides, you said it yourself—what I'm saying makes sense, right?" Fang Yi rolled his eyes.
"Wahaha! Of course! I'm too clever to be fooled! Don't worry, I'll handle everything!" Buggy boasted proudly.
Off to the side, Shanks and Barrett just gave him a look of pity. Everyone knew—once they got the Surgery Fruit user, there'd be no time left for treasure hunting.
Mary Geoise wasn't some sightseeing resort. Once the Marines responded, even jumping off a cliff might not save them.