"Sigh!" Boodle looked at the street destroyed by the Buggy Pirates and sighed deeply.
"What's wrong? Old man." Jotaro asked sideways.
These days, while recuperating in Orange Town, he had been learning about the local customs of this world.
But the East Blue was essentially in a closed state compared to other places, and it was difficult for him to understand the world beyond the East Blue.
The transcription of Shinobu's medical books was also nearing completion. He planned to leave the island the next morning and head toward the main stage of this world, the Grand Line.
Because of this, when Boodle invited him to stroll around Orange Town, he did not refuse.
Boodle forced a smile and said, "It's nothing really. The town was occupied by the Buggy Pirates, and we have been drifting outside. We haven't been able to carry out production activities for a long time."
"The food reserves in the town can hardly support us through this winter, and now so many houses have been destroyed. That's why I feel distressed."
"As the mayor, I have to give these people an explanation, but right now I have absolutely no idea."
Although the climate of East Blue is also variable, it's far less harsh than the Grand Line, and many places here still have seasonal changes.
"Haha… don't mind me." Boodle became cheerful again, "Complaining to an outsider like you makes me feel much better."
"Kujo, you're leaving tomorrow. I'm actually a little reluctant. You really don't plan to stay? Those few girls all seem to fancy you."
Boodle lowered his voice and looked around cautiously, afraid that Shinobu might jump out from some corner.
"Old man, I've already said, I have important things to do. Don't waste your energy."
Jotaro was speechless. He took out several large bags of seeds from his space and threw them at Boodle's feet.
"What is this?"
Boodle widened his eyes.
"This is a crop called hybrid rice. Judging by the climate of this island, it will mature in about three months after being planted." Jotaro gave a simple explanation.
"Th-Three months to mature?" Boodle opened his mouth wide, obviously shocked by the growth rate of hybrid rice.
But after he learned about the yield of hybrid rice, he was even more completely dumbfounded.
"How is that possible!"
He had never seen a crop with such a high yield and felt a sense of disbelief.
"It's true. The person who developed this crop fed a great nation of 1.4 billion people."
Speaking of this person, Jotaro's eyes were also filled with deep respect.
Boodle looked deeply at Jotaro. From his expression, he could determine that he wasn't lying.
He sucked in a breath of cold air.
If it was really as Jotaro said, then Orange Town could be completely self-sufficient in the future.
They wouldn't need to venture into dangerous seas to fish for food.
Not only that, they could even sell the surplus grain to other islands.
Thud!
Boodle directly knelt on the ground, eyes full of tears, and bowed deeply to Jotaro.
He was so choked up that he couldn't say a word.
Jotaro, who gifted them the seeds, was practically their reborn parent.
Jotaro stopped him and said, "If you want to thank someone, thank the person who developed this seed. With such a benevolent heart, he probably couldn't bear to see ordinary people suffering from hunger and cold."
———
The next morning, Orange Town was shrouded in deep sadness.
Because soon, the group led by Jotaro, who helped them reclaim the town and solve the food crisis, would leave this place.
Boodle's old eyes were red, and wiping away his tears, he pointed at the mountain of gifts beside him and said to Jotaro, "I hope you can accept these meager gifts, as a token of my gratitude."
These were probably local specialties of Orange Town, including several types of fruit trees Jotaro had never seen before.
The oranges from these trees not only provided necessary vitamins but also had the effect of strengthening the body and had miraculous effects on male health.
Because of this, the entire island only had a few of these trees, and each one would be worth a fortune outside.
Given Boodle's sincere feelings, Jotaro had no reason to refuse.
"Thank you."
With a thought, the mountain of gifts was stored into Jotaro's system space.
"Mayor! Bad news! Mr. Kujo's ship is gone!"
A townsman rushed over gasping for breath, in a panic.
He wiped the sweat off his forehead, supported his hands on his knees, and reported, "According to your instructions, today we were to hold a farewell ceremony for Mr. Kujo by the shore, but when we got there, it was completely empty."
"Mr. Kujo's ship is gone!"
"What!" Boodle was also shocked.
Jotaro's eyes swept over Boodle's face.
At first, he thought Boodle wanted to keep him on the island and had hidden his ship.
But Boodle's reaction didn't seem fake, and he didn't look like someone who would use such underhanded means.
Shinobu and Nezuko came out of Nami's room and asked, "Jotaro-san, have you seen Nami?"
"She clearly said she would go to sea with us, but now we can't find her anywhere. It's really strange."
Jotaro's gaze sharpened, and his face gradually turned gloomy.
"Yare! That woman!"
Everyone came to the empty shore.
Looking at the vast blue sea, Jotaro stood there with a dark expression, saying nothing.
The people Boodle sent to find Nami also came back.
"We've practically turned the whole island upside down, but we haven't even seen Miss Nami's shadow."
After hearing their report, Jotaro's last hope completely died.
"Looks like we've been played. Most likely, she left here last night."
Shinobu asked puzzledly, "Why would Miss Nami do this? I don't think she's a bad person."
"Not sure. But besides her, there's no one else." Jotaro asked Boodle, "Old man, are there any seaworthy ships left on this island?"
Boodle shook his head, "All the previous ships were destroyed by Buggy. Even if we used the whole town's strength to build another, it would take at least half a month."
Jotaro frowned.
'Half a month? Nami would be long gone!'
To find someone in the vast ocean, what a difficult task. That means he had no choice but to let go of this grudge.
But to let her off so easily, how could he be willing?
Just as he was deep in thought, the calm sea suddenly rolled with turbulent waves. Under everyone's shocked gaze, a massive shadow loomed over them as a giant Sea King surfaced from the water.
"Why would a Sea King appear here!" Orange Town residents screamed in fear and retreated from the shore.
"Roooaar~" The Sea King let out a thunderous cry. The deafening roar made the timid ones tremble all over.
"It's you!" Jotaro finally recognized it and nodded, "You mean you know where that woman went and are willing to help me find her?"
"Roooaar~" The Sea King's eyes glowed red, baring its teeth and roaring.
'Despicable human! How dare you treat this princess as a mount! This princess came to take revenge!'
With a carp leap, it sprang out of the water and opened its deep, bottomless bloody mouth.
———
Thirty minutes later, on the endless sea, the Sea King, covered in bruises, pulled Jotaro's small boat and sped forward, tears of regret streaming from its eyes.
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