One Piece: Bai Ye Deputy Captain of the Straw Hats

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

"These paintings are really easy to understand," Nami observed.

In the depths of an ancient city hidden beneath the moon's surface, Luffy, Bai Ye, and the rest of the crew stood before a vast mural. Ironically, it was Luffy who stumbled upon this mural. As the banquet wound down, while the others began feeling the pull of sleep, Luffy's energy surged undiminished.

"Show me the coolest spot around here!" he demanded of a nearby robot, which promptly led him to a grand building at the city's highest point, reminiscent of Alabasta's palace or the Shandora Shrine. Inside, a throne hovered in the air, but it was the murals encircling the room that captured everyone's attention. Time seemed to have forgotten this place, preserving the murals in near-perfect condition.

Luffy, sensing the importance of his discovery, excitedly roused everyone to show them. "These aren't just easy to decipher; they're remarkably well-preserved," Nami added, peering closely at the intricate carvings.

Bai Ye, standing next to her, nodded, "This appears to tell the history of the Moon People."

Together, they reached the mural's final scene, where the secrets of a lost era awaited them, ready to be rediscovered by the Straw Hat Pirates.

-----

Thousands of years ago, the moon was teeming with life, just like the blue sea. It had mountains, oceans, lakes, and forests. "Humans" lived here, thriving through the power of science and technology, which made life more comfortable. However, this technological advancement came at a cost—it started consuming the planet's resources.

Gradually, the natural environment began to suffer. Lakes dried up, lush forests turned to deserts, but at first, no one noticed these changes as disasters. It was only when a catastrophic event destroyed their homes that the reality struck hard.

As the planet's surface turned into a barren landscape of sand and pits, the "humans" retreated underground, building a city to safeguard their remaining life. This arrangement lasted until about 800 years ago when their resources dwindled to critical lows. Faced with extinction, they decided to venture into space in search of a new home, hoping for a second chance.

Luck was on their side. They discovered a vast land rich in flora and fauna reminiscent of their own moon. They planned to return one day, but found they could no longer travel by balloon as they had before. So, they sent robots back to their original home to record their history on the temple walls.

This was their way of ensuring that if their descendants ever returned, they would understand their heritage. As they bid farewell to their moon, they named their new home Birka, after their old city.

------

Robin mused aloud, "Birka? This name rings a bell..."

Beside her, Nami's brow furrowed in thought. "I swear I've heard that somewhere before."

Usopp chimed in, not missing a beat. "That's not the shocker here. The real deal is Robin translating this name from the mural!"

Sanji waved off the surprise, his focus clear. "It's no mystery. We now know the moon dwellers were from the great kingdom, and the script they used? Ancient text, like what Robin knows, right?"

Robin nodded, her smile reflecting a touch of pride. "Exactly. Though the characters here have some differences from the ones I'm used to, it's understandable. Languages evolve over centuries."

She continued, connecting another dot. "Nami mentioned Birka before. Remember? Gan Fall and the priests told us that Enel went to Upper Yard from a sky island called Birka."

Luffy's face lit up with a sudden understanding, though his grasp on the facts was tenuous. "Oh! So this is Fairy Vearth, Robin!"

His question seemed to wake everyone from a reverie. They had all subconsciously accepted this truth without articulating it, but Luffy's excitement about the discovery was great.

"Yes, Luffy, this is indeed Fairy Vearth," Robin confirmed with a warm smile.

Luffy's laughter echoed in the chamber, pure and delighted. "Awesome! Even Pirate King Roger hasn't been here! Shishishi!!"

Merry glanced up at Bai Ye, puzzled by Luffy's jubilation. "What's got into Luffy?"

Bai Ye chuckled, watching Luffy celebrate. "He's thrilled to have embarked on a unique adventure, something even Roger didn't."

While Luffy reveled in the thrill of their discovery, the others returned their focus to the mural. The links to the void century were too significant to ignore. Being potentially the first to uncover these truths in centuries was exhilarating, a feeling that resonated deeply with each of them as they delved deeper into the ancient city's secrets.

From the ancient murals, the Straw Hat Pirates quickly pieced together key insights. It became apparent that the first landing site of the moon people was Sky Island, specifically Enel's hometown, Birka.

One mural detail stood out—depictions of three types of moon people, all of which were familiar to the Straw Hats.

The first group had larger wings compared to the others and closely resembled the priests and followers of Enel from Birka.

The second group featured smaller wings and wore distinctive animal headgear, mirroring the appearance of the Shandia tribe's village chief.

The third group was marked by unique, tentacle-like appendages on their heads, similar to those of Conis.

Though the mural's narrative concluded with the Moon People's arrival at Sky Island, the crew deduced more of their history from their previous encounters and explorations there. It seemed inevitable that after settling on Sky Island, the Moon People underwent a significant division for reasons yet unknown.