"What in the world is this place...?"
Standing atop the city wall, Meiser frowned as he surveyed the town below.
Everywhere his eyes landed... was filled with women??
Had he somehow arrived at the Land of Women?
Or perhaps... the men of this island were working elsewhere?
After pondering for a moment, Meiser decided to investigate further.
Using the Transformation Technique, he transformed himself into a woman, adopting attire similar to the island's inhabitants.
"This should prevent anyone from noticing anything amiss."
After examining his new appearance with satisfaction, Meiser nodded and leaped down from the wall.
Once on the ground, he began observing his surroundings.
Admittedly, the island's environment was quite pleasant.
It's just... the women's clothing styles were rather bold, making Meiser somewhat uncomfortable.
After wandering around for a while, Meiser reached a conclusion.
There truly weren't any men here...
Scanning the crowd in the streets, Meiser frowned inwardly: 'Does such an island really exist in this world?
The Land of Women?
Just where has that bastard Kuma sent us...?
If Sanji were here, wouldn't he go crazy with joy?
Hmm... Next time we meet, I can use this to tease him.'
At this thought, Meiser's lips curled upward involuntarily.
He could already vividly imagine Sanji's furious reaction.
("Damn you, Meiser! Why do you guys get to go to a country full of women?!")
"Haha."
Meiser couldn't help but laugh aloud.
Shaking his head to dismiss the amusing thought, he continued exploring the town.
"Come take a look!"
"Freshly butchered Sea Kings meat! Anyone interested?"
"Fresh fruits! Fresh fruits!"
"They even sell Sea Kings meat here," Meiser murmured. "Interesting."
It seemed this island's combat prowess wasn't low... Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to hunt Sea Kings.
With this in mind, Meiser glanced at the muscular woman selling the Sea Kings meat.
If nothing else, her physique was truly intimidating.
"Interested in some Sea Kings meat?" the woman asked.
Meiser shook his head, having no intention to purchase.
Come to think of it, his Storage Scroll still contained a portion of pre-cut Sea Kings meat.
Fortunately, it was preserved in a Sealing Scroll, otherwise it might have spoiled.
"Not buying, huh..."
The woman nodded and resumed hawking her goods to others.
"Hey, how about some fruits?" another woman cheerfully called out to Meiser. "Freshly picked, very delicious."
Examining the unfamiliar fruit being offered, Meiser thought: 'I've never seen this type before...'
Though tempted to try, he chose to decline to avoid unnecessary complications.
Watching Meiser wave and walk away, the woman muttered in confusion: "How strange... Why won't this girl speak?
She didn't answer when Sister Yi asked about the meat, and now she won't talk to me either... Could it be... she's mute?
Born without the ability to speak?"
At this thought, the woman couldn't help but feel pity for Meiser.
"Wait a moment, let me get you some to try," the woman said before turning to fetch some fruits.
But when she turned back, she found the other person had mysteriously disappeared.
"Huh?"
"That's strange... where did he go?"
"Was that guy trying to give me fruits?" Meiser, now some distance away, scratched his head and muttered, "Did I... just meet a kind person?"
What a strange island indeed.
Shaking his head, Meiser turned and walked further away.
Only after passing through the commercial district did Meiser stop again.
Glancing at the nearby forest, he thought for a moment and said, "I should ask someone."
Spotting a woman walking toward him, Meiser called out, "Hey, hello there."
"Hmm?"
Hearing this, the woman instinctively looked toward Meiser and immediately noticed his Sharingan eyes.
"Those eyes are..."
The thought had barely formed in her mind when she felt a pair of enormous crimson pupils appear before her.
"Illusionary Technique · Sharingan!"
"Clang!"
In the next instant, the woman's eyes lost their light as she fell completely under Meiser's control.
"Come with me," Meiser commanded.
"Yes."
Once they reached the forest, Meiser asked, "What is this place? Why are there only women here?"
"This is Kuja Island. The country here is called Amazon Lily."
"It's a nation composed entirely of women."
Meiser was momentarily stunned. A real-life Kingdom of Women?
In the world of pirates, such an island actually existed... How had they survived?
After all—for pirates, an island like this would be paradise.
Would those scoundrels really leave it alone?
With this in mind, Meiser voiced his doubts.
"That's because this island is located in the Calm Belt," the woman explained. "The surrounding waters are the nesting grounds of Sea Kings, making it impossible for outsiders to reach here."
"Calm Belt?"
"Sea Kings'... nesting grounds?" Meiser stroked his chin. "No wonder this island has survived."
This was probably similar to the Land of Wano—completely isolated from the outside world.
That way, pirates from beyond would have no chance to discover this place, let alone invade it.
Heh, this sea truly is full of wonders.
"If I remember correctly, Luffy and his crew once broke into the Calm Belt," Meiser murmured.
The Sea Kings there... were at least a kilometer in size.
This place was probably no different.
In that case, forcibly controlling a Sea King to leave here might be an option, Meiser thought to himself.
After all, with the Pupil Power of his Mangekyō Sharingan, controlling a kilometer-long Sea King shouldn't be a problem.
Of course, that was a last resort.
If possible, Meiser would prefer to have a ship at his disposal.
Because... returning to Sabaody Archipelago would take quite some time!
Luffy was tough—he could be hung up and left in the sun for three days without issue—but Merry couldn't.
Thinking this, Meiser asked, "Do you have any ships here?"
"Yes!"
"You have ships?!"
Meiser's eyes lit up. "Where?!"
If there were ships, things would be much easier. Even if he had to buy one, it would be fine.
At worst, once they reached Sabaody Archipelago, they could just ask Sister Shakky to help him sort it out.
Hmm, come to think of it, he hadn't contacted Sister Shakky yet. He should send her word later to let her know they were safe, so that Uncle Rayleigh could focus on coating their ship without worry.
"Our entire Kuja Island has only one pirate ship," the woman explained. "That is the Kuja Ship of the Serpent Princess."
"The Nine Serpent Pirates of the Serpent Princess rely on this ship to go out hunting."
"Go out hunting?"
Meiser was taken aback—this island actually had the ability to traverse the Calm Belt?
It seemed their ship must also have external paddle wheels.
Hmm, just like their Thousand Sunny.
"That's right, go out hunting," the woman nodded. "The Serpent Princess is one of the Royal Shichibukai, with the legal right to plunder."
"Another Shichibukai?" Meiser frowned.
Had their Straw Hat Pirates stumbled into a Shichibukai nest or something?
How had they run into so many Shichibukai in just a few months?
"Yes, the Shichibukai," the woman said. "The Serpent Princess is the ruler of this nation. To protect her people, she agreed to the World Government's demands and became one of the Royal Shichibukai."
This was common knowledge on the island and the reason they revered the Serpent Princess so deeply.
Their ruler had sacrificed so much for them...!
Hearing the woman's explanation, Meiser paused. So that was the reason?
She had agreed to become the World Government's lapdog to protect her people...? This one seemed different from the other Shichibukai.
Come to think of it...
What was Kuma's reason for becoming a Shichibukai? Meiser wondered silently.
From what Robin had implied, Kuma was the most obedient to the World Government among the Shichibukai.
But his actions before hadn't seemed to align with that.
At the very least, he hadn't followed the World Government's orders to kill them—instead, he had saved them at Sabaody Archipelago!
If he got the chance, he'd have to talk to that guy.
Though he wasn't sure if they'd ever meet again.
At that moment, Kuma's words resurfaced in his mind.
That "Goodbye" still weighed heavily on him.
Well, once they returned to Sabaody Archipelago, he could ask Sister Shakky to look into Kuma's whereabouts.
For now... he should focus on figuring out this Shichibukai situation first.
With that in mind, Meiser asked, "Where is your ruler now?"
"I don't know," the woman replied.
"You don't know?"
"The Serpent Princess has already set sail. As for when she'll return..." The woman shook her head. "I'm just an ordinary person, not even qualified to be a warrior of the Nine Serpent Pirates. Naturally, I wouldn't know when the Serpent Princess will return."
"I see..." Meiser frowned.
On second thought, it made sense. As the ruler of a nation, her movements would be top-secret. It was normal for ordinary people not to know.
After a moment's consideration, Meiser pressed, "Is there anyone else who might know?"
If no one really had that information, he'd have no choice but to take Luffy and Merry and leave on a Sea King.
After days of exposure to wind and sun, he wasn't sure Merry could endure much more.
"You can go ask Granny Nyon," the woman said. "She's the most respected elder on our island. She might know this information."
"Granny Nyon, huh..."
"Yes."
The woman nodded, then gave Meiser a rough description of the house's location along with Granny Nyon's physical features before adding, "Though I'm not sure if she's still in her room right now."
"Alright, thanks for the info. You can go now."
The woman said nothing more, turning blankly to walk back the way she came.
Once she returned to the street, her awareness suddenly returned.
"Huh?!"
"That's strange... Did someone just call me earlier?" she muttered in confusion. "Was it just my imagination?"
After glancing around and finding nothing unusual, she shook her head and dismissed her doubts. Must have been her imagination.
"Gotta buy groceries~"
"Let's see if there's any fresh Sea Kings meat—I'll get some to replenish my energy!"
Her cheerful mood restored, the woman happily headed down the street.
Meanwhile, Meiser silently perched on a rooftop, watching her leave.
"Royal Shichibukai..."
"I wonder what kind of person that is."
Shaking his head, Meiser turned his gaze toward the area where Granny Nyon lived.
After a moment's thought, he returned to the street and headed for the target location.
But unfortunately, he didn't find her there.
"Must be out..." Meiser frowned. "Guess I'll have to search elsewhere."
Thinking it over, he created several Shadow Clones to spread out and look for her, while sending one to deliver a message to Luffy and the others.
Watching the clones depart, Meiser muttered, "Hope Luffy hasn't caused any trouble while I'm gone."
"WAAAH!!"
"Luffy, what's wrong with you?!"
"Don't scare me like this!"
Merry burst into tears at the sight of Luffy, his body now covered in mushrooms.
Just moments ago, he had been laughing and sharing how tasty the mushrooms were—how did he suddenly end up like this?!
Was Luffy going to die?! No way!!!
Just then, several people came running over.
"What's going on?!"
"There's a kid here... Is he from the village?"
"Kid, what happened?"
"Don't be afraid, we're villagers—we won't hurt you," Marguerite said.
"Villagers...?"
Merry blinked. Had Meiser sent them?
"Whoa, why is this kid covered in mushrooms?!"
The group stared in shock at Luffy's mushroom-covered body.
Spotting the mushroom in Luffy's hand, Marguerite asked, "Did he eat this?"
"That's the Mushroom-Growing Mushroom..."
"Quick, take him for treatment, or his life force will be drained completely!"
Merry barely followed their conversation, but she understood the last part clearly.
"Huh?!"
"Can you help me save him?" Merry asked.
"Of course!" Margaret laughed. "Since we've run into villagers, we can't just stand by and do nothing."
Merry opened her mouth, wanting to say that she wasn't actually from the village.
But she swallowed her words at the last moment.
After all... Luffy still needed their help.
"Efrandra, carry this child back to the village," Margaret said. "We'll go find Doctor Belladonna."
As the island's doctor, she would surely know how to save this child!
"Right!"
The towering Efrandra bent down and picked up Luffy, then headed toward the village.
Meanwhile, Merry was cradled in Margaret's arms.
"Let's go back to the village first," Margaret said.
She couldn't understand why these two children were here in the first place. Didn't they know how dangerous the forest was?
Especially for kids this young... Were their parents really so careless?
"Luffy..."
Just then, Merry noticed Meiser standing on a tree branch, and her eyes lit up with joy.
"Meiser!!"
But Meiser raised a finger to his lips, signaling her to stay quiet.
If these people could save Luffy, then he'd let them handle it.
After all... he really had no experience with such a bizarre condition.
Merry nodded and closed her eyes.
With Meiser here... there was no danger anymore!
The thought filled her with immense relief.
"Hm?"
"What is it?"
Margaret glanced up curiously but didn't spot anything unusual.
"What was this child looking at just now?"
"Nothing," Merry shook her head. "Sister, please hurry and save Luffy."
"Luffy... So that's this boy's name..."
"Don't worry, we'll definitely save him!"
"Quick, get back to the village as fast as possible!"
"Right!"
Watching them leave, Meiser stroked his chin. "Mushroom-Growing Mushroom... What a vivid name."
He had no idea what that idiot Luffy was thinking, eating every dangerous thing in sight.
Didn't he fear poisoning himself to death?... At least Merry hadn't eaten it with him, or she'd be suffering too.
Sighing quietly, Meiser silently followed after them.
He could only hope that after this lesson, that fool would be more careful about what he ate next time.
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