"The number three power conduit on the port side has slight metal fatigue. The resonance frequency has shifted by 0.01 hertz. It's because of the aftershocks from Lord Newgate and Gatz's training..."
"There's a slight dent on the memory alloy panel at the stern. It's from when Miss Linlin accidentally bumped into it when she turned over... this is the fifth time this week..." His face was filled with haggard anxiety, a complex emotion that mixed pride and despair. Pride that this ship could withstand the torment of so many monsters, and despair that he felt he could die from exhaustion and stress at any moment.
And the source of all this chaos pointed to the small, thin figure currently standing in the empty storage room, his face expressionless. Ren looked at the last potato, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly. The storage room of the Azure Dragon was now cleaner than Dolum's wallet.
After more than half a month of continuous sailing, and with a group of monsters on board whose appetites were comparable to Sea Kings—especially Linlin, who was a bottomless pit—even the G-2 Branch's material reserves, which were enough to support a fleet on a long voyage, had been completely depleted.
"Head Chef..." Gatz, who had woken up at some point, poked his huge head in from the storage room doorway, a fawning smile on his face, looking like a big dog that had just seen a meat bone. "So... lunch... what are we having?"
Ren glanced at him and picked up the lone potato. "Potato soup for lunch today."
"J-just potato soup?" Gatz's face instantly fell, his massive body seeming to shrink a little. "Not even any minced meat?"
"There's no more meat," Ren's answer was succinct.
"What about fish? We can go fishing!"
"The composition of the seawater in this region is very special. It contains a trace amount of an inert mineral, which gives the fish here a metallic, fishy taste. They are inedible," Ren calmly stated a cruel fact.
A look of apocalyptic despair appeared on Gatz's face. He felt his stomach singing a very sad song.
Just then, Rocks's voice came from outside. "What's wrong? Why does everyone look so down? Are we surrounded by a Marine fleet?" He had just finished meditating in the captain's quarters and came out to see his crew looking half-dead.
"Captain!" Gatz, as if he had seen his savior, crawled over and hugged Rocks's leg. "We... we're about to run out of food!"
Rocks was stunned for a moment, then also realized the seriousness of the problem. He walked into the storage room, looked at the shelves that were cleaner than his face, and the corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch. He could be indifferent to treasure, indifferent to fame, but the one thing he could not be indifferent to was food. This not only affected the crew's morale but also whether he himself could enjoy top-tier delicacies every day. For a pirate crew, there was no crisis more terrifying than running out of food.
"Dolum!" Rocks roared.
"Here! I'm here, Captain!" Dolum came running over.
"Bring me the latest sea chart! Find an island where we can resupply immediately! The closest one!" Rocks's tone was unquestionable.
"Sir!"
Soon, a huge sea chart was spread out on the deck. Dolum's fingers moved quickly across the chart, a fine sweat beading on his forehead. "Captain, our current position is very awkward. We're in an unknown sea region of the Grand Line. There are no clear markings on the chart. The nearest known sea route is at least five days' sail away..."
Just as everyone's heart sank, Silver's voice suddenly came from the crow's nest, as calm as ever. "Straight ahead, ten o'clock. Island sighted."
"What?!" Everyone's spirits lifted. They all looked in the direction Silver was pointing. On the distant horizon, a blurry black dot was slowly appearing. As the Azure Dragon approached, the outline of the island became clearer. It was a sizable island, with dense, lush vegetation. In the center was a high mountain peak. It looked full of life.
"Great! We're saved!" Gatz danced with excitement.
"Good luck," Newgate also grinned.
"Don't celebrate too soon," Dolum said, holding a spyglass, his brow furrowed. "This island... is not recorded on any sea chart. It's an unnamed island. We don't know what's on it."
"Who cares what's on it!" Rocks waved his hand, his arrogant smile returning. "As long as there's something to eat! Even if there's a dragon living on the island, we'll just catch it and give it to our Head Chef for an extra dish!"
"Alright, boys, full speed ahead! Target, that unnamed island! Prepare to land, hunt, and resupply!"
"OOOH!"
At Rocks's command, the Azure Dragon let out a low rumble. Like a shark that had smelled blood, it sailed at full speed toward the island that was filled with both the unknown and hope. The flame of hope was reignited on the faces of the crew.
Only Ren looked at the approaching island, then at the group of monsters beside him who were excited about the prospect of having food. A faint, almost imperceptible hint of amusement, as if he were expecting something, flashed in the depths of his calm eyes. He had a feeling that this resupply trip would not be so simple.
The Azure Dragon docked in a hidden fjord of the island. The crew eagerly rushed ashore, breathing in the fresh island air, which was filled with the fragrance of soil and plants. They felt the fatigue from the past few days of sailing swept away.
"Wahahaha! I smell it! It's the smell of wild boar! A fat wild boar!" Gatz's nose was more sensitive than a dog's. He shouldered his anchor and was the first to charge into the dense jungle, letting out excited roars that startled countless birds into flight.
"You few, go hunt. Dolum, you check if there's any suitable wood nearby for ship repairs," Rocks gave his orders. "Ren, you and Silver go together. See if there are any special spices or edible plants on the island."
"Sir!" The crew received their orders and immediately split up.
Ren and Silver walked side by side in the forest. Silver walked in front, spear in hand, vigilantly observing the surroundings, clearing the way for Ren. Ren was like a professional botanist, occasionally crouching down to pick some unknown mushrooms and ferns and putting them in the ingredient bag he carried with him.
"This mushroom has a weak paralyzing toxin, but after high-temperature processing, it can produce a spicy flavor similar to Sichuan peppercorns."
"The rhizome of this fern is rich in starch and can be ground into powder to make pastries."
Ren explained softly as he picked. Although Silver didn't understand, he listened attentively. The two of them, one in front and one behind, worked in perfect harmony. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful. However, when they passed through a dense forest and came to an open valley, the sight before them made both of them stop in their tracks.
-------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
I, Herta's Fiancé, the Universe's Number One Male Fist (114 Chapter (Simulpub-Full) )
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Succubus in Sixth Street (330 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (254 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (130 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (140 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (330 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (140 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (160 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(80 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (200 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (170 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (120 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (90 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (130 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (140 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (140 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (Ending)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (70 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (80 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (140 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (148 Chapter)
Survival in Blue Archive (70 Chapter)
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Doma Wasn't Hated Today, Either (100 Chapter)
The Vibe of This Chat Group is a Little Off (100 Chapter)
Heartbreak Simulator: I Broke Them and Made Them Cry (80 Chapter)
The Talentless Trainer Doesn't Want to Restart (80 Chapter)
A Journey Starting as a Quincy (80 Chapter)
Uma Musume: The Master of Romance Obstruction (80 Chapter)
Uma Musume: You Can't Be a Hero Without a Little Chemical Enhancement (40 Chapter)
Honkai Impact 3rd Your Boyfriend is Really Amazing (40 Chapter)
Warhammer 40K: My Fiancée, Fulgrim (150 Chapter)
Classroom of the Elite: Trying to Capture Me! (120 Chapter)
Genshin Impact My Named Senji Muramas (150 Chapter)
A Chef, the Vice-Captain of the Rocks Pirates? (130 Chapter)
Naruto : My Uchiha Girlfriend is Too Tsundere (100 Chapter)
Type-Moon: Reincarnated in a Lostbelt, I Became the Alien God (50 Chapter)
The Way These Horse Girls Look at Me Is Terrifying! (80 Chapter)
Naruto: Tsunade's Deskmate (90 Chapter)
I Just Want to Live a Normal (50 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: A Hundred Confessions? It's Just a System Task (50 Chapter)
OnePiece : Starting as a Veteran of the Roger Pirates (50 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it.