The storm raged for two full days before finally calming. Fortunately, the Traveler hadn't been caught at the center of the downpour, and so the ship itself suffered no real damage.
At the first break of sunshine, Felina was already up, barking orders as she directed everyone to clean up the heaps of sea debris the storm had washed aboard. Aside from Big Pan, who was hopelessly seasick, even Eli Winters wasn't spared from her authority. With Felina in charge of day-to-day affairs on the ship, there was no arguing.
The return of the sun after days of darkness lightened everyone's mood. They laughed and joked while tossing away soaked planks, barnacles, and bits of wreckage. For a brief while, the warmth made them forget the misery of the storm.
By the time the deck was more or less clean, Big Pan finally stumbled out of his cabin. He looked miserable, his broad bear-like frame sagging with exhaustion. Even his fur, usually sleek and tidy, drooped as though it had lost its spirit.
What made it stranger was the fact that Big Pan never got sick in normal rough seas no matter how badly the waves tossed the ship. Yet, whenever a full storm hit, he inevitably ended up curled in his bunk, completely incapacitated. No one had ever figured out why.
"Felina, big sis… you got anything to eat?" he groaned, voice weak and pitiful.
Felina couldn't help but laugh. "Big Pan, this won't do at all. How can a warrior of the sea be defeated by seasickness?"
"I don't get it either," he muttered, clutching his stomach. "Storms just… do this to me. But don't say anything else, Felina I'm starving."
"My sister's already cooking," Felina said with a grin. "This morning, the storm brought us a bounty of fresh seafood. Fiona's turning it all into a seafood porridge."
As if on cue, Fiona's voice rang out from the galley. "Everyone, breakfast is ready! Come eat!"
The moment food was mentioned, Big Pan's weakness vanished. He sprang toward the kitchen with surprising speed, leaving the others shaking their heads.
"That Big Pan really is a glutton," Eli said helplessly, watching him disappear.
After breakfast, the crew wasted no time in preparing to set sail again. Dote and Simon raised the sails, and soon the Traveler was cutting across the waves toward their next destination: Chomia Village.
Three days later, the village finally came into sight.
Just as they approached the harbor, a pirate ship sailed toward Chomia, intent on raiding. But before it could land, the vessel was blasted apart by a barrage of cannon fire. The pirates never even reached shore.
Eli was astonished. Normally, remote islands had little to no defenses, let alone cannons.
"Looks like whoever runs this place isn't an ordinary person," Eli remarked with a faint smile.
As the Traveler entered port, a group of flashy-looking young men swaggered over, waving a mix of swords, clubs, and makeshift weapons.
The moment Eli and his companions stepped ashore, one of them a blond with a nasty scowl snapped, "Who are you people? Are you with those pirates we just drove off?"
Before he could say another word, a sharp slap cracked across his head.
"Dylan! How many times do I have to tell you?" scolded a lean man in a fine suit. His hair was slicked back so neatly it looked like it had been licked into place. "We are not street thugs. We are gentlemen of the underworld. You can't go around threatening our guests."
Then, with a polite bow, he turned to Eli and the others. "Esteemed visitors, forgive my men. I am Mica Hall, leader of Chomia Village's… underworld. You may simply call me Hall. Docking your ship here requires only a symbolic protection fee."
His manner was so courteous that he hardly resembled a gangster at all.
"We can pay," Eli said evenly. "But tell me why are you so sure we're not pirates?"
Hall chuckled. "I've sailed as a pirate myself. Believe me, no pirate ship is as finely kept as yours."
Felina tilted her head, curious. "So why run an underworld gang here instead of staying at sea?"
A shadow passed over Hall's face. "Because I was a failure. My crew was wiped out in battle. This is my hometown. I returned here to live out the rest of my days." His tone carried a note of melancholy, as though the memories weighed on him.
Fiona, however, snorted. "So you fail at sea, then come back to trouble your village instead?"
The insult didn't bother Hall, but his young followers bristled.
"Hey, watch your mouth! Boss Hall's a good man!"
"That's right! He's protected Chomia Village for years!"
"We don't welcome disrespectful outsiders here!"
"Apologize to Boss Hall, now!"
Fiona blinked, taken aback by the sudden uproar. Eli placed a hand on her shoulder, silently telling her to let it go.
"I apologize for my companion's rudeness," Eli said smoothly. "But perhaps you can tell us more about this story of yours, Mr. Hall?"
The young men were only too eager to share. Bit by bit, they painted a strange picture:
After Hall lost his crew, he returned home with nothing. His reputation as a pirate meant most villagers shunned him, and with no trade to fall back on, he had no real livelihood. Still, every village had its idlers and troublemakers, and when word spread that a former pirate had returned, they came one by one to test him.
Naturally, none could defeat a man who had once nearly reached the Grand Line. After being beaten soundly, those same youths began to admire him. Against his protests, they declared him their leader.
When pirates later came to raid Chomia, Hall rallied his new followers to defend the village. Together, they drove the attackers off. From that day, he became known as the "underworld boss" of Chomia. In truth, he was more like the head of a local security force.
With his connections, Hall acquired cannons and trained his men to fight. Under his watch, the village grew safe, prosperous, and free of pirate raids.
Hearing this, Eli couldn't help but reflect. Until now, the pirates he had seen were cruel and vicious, but Hall showed him another side. Even those who once lived by plunder might still guard something they cherished.
Fiona, realizing her mistake, bowed her head. "I was wrong to speak so harshly. Please forgive me."
Hall waved it off. "Think nothing of it."
After paying the protection fee and politely declining Hall's offer of a guide, Eli and his companions set off into the village.
"Big brother," Big Pan said as they walked, "didn't you tell me pirates are all bad? But Hall seemed like a good guy."
"Hall is the exception, not the rule," Eli answered. "And don't forget we don't know what kind of deeds he committed in his pirate days. Most pirates live by plunder, and that means robbery, slavery, and worse. They produce nothing themselves, so where else would their food and wealth come from? Remember this: never show mercy to the truly wicked ones. Death is often the only justice for their crimes."
Big Pan clenched his fists. "Got it! I'll smash every rotten pirate I meet!"
The others nodded silently.
Dote and Simon, who had once been pirates themselves, exchanged glances. When they first left Fishman Island, they were naive dreamers, inspired by Queen Otohime's vision of peace between humans and fishmen. But before they had even begun to see the wonders of the sea, human pirates marked them as prey. On the Sabaody Archipelago, fishmen were highly valued in slave markets, and slavers hunted them relentlessly.
Chased across the seas, they barely survived until reaching the West Blue only to be captured by Xiongli. Their memories were bitter reminders of how ruthless pirates could be.
"Where to now, big brother?" Big Pan asked, eager to change the subject.
"First thing in any new place," Eli said with a grin, "is to taste the local food."
Big Pan's eyes lit up. "Yes! Food!"
Everyone laughed.
They soon found Chomia's most famous tavern. The place was lively, filled with travelers drawn by the village's specialties. Aside from its renowned pears, Chomia was celebrated for its "pear-fed chickens" enormous birds raised on the fruit until they grew to the size of sheep. Their meat was famously tender, and visitors flocked to the village just to try it.
This prosperity, too, was thanks to Hall. Since his return, no pirates had dared touch the village, and with safety came trade and tourism.
The crew ordered a feast, with the pear-fed chicken as the centerpiece. For a long while, the tavern rang with the sounds of laughter, clinking cups, and satisfied sighs.
At last, Eli set down his chopsticks and looked around at his companions. "You all can do as you like for the next few days. I need to go into seclusion for a while."
"Big brother, is your Devil Fruit about to awaken?" Big Pan asked excitedly.
The others leaned forward with equal anticipation. The stronger their captain grew, the safer their voyage became.
"I don't know," Eli admitted. "But I feel the opportunity for a breakthrough." He certainly wasn't about to tell them that his mysterious sign-in system had just rewarded him with a powerful gift.
After parting ways, Eli climbed into the mountains. There, in a quiet and hidden spot, he prepared for his very first closed-door cultivation.
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