After analyzing his previous mission experiences, Eust reassured Lila, “I’ll take on the information-gathering mission from the mission fruit. You don’t need to worry.”
“Eust, should Sunny issue a life mission for me too?” Lila, feeling somewhat relieved, asked another question.
“Yes, let Sunny give you a navigation-related mission. I can handle my mission on my own. Having a mission to work on will keep you from worrying about other things, and we should take every opportunity to use the mission fruit.”
“Meow, I agree. Lila doesn’t need to worry. Eust can handle it.”
“Alright, Sunny, give me a life mission related to navigation,” Lila requested.
“Meow, got it, Lila.”
“Meow, here’s the mission: Select a life mission. Memorize most of a navigation book within 24 hours. The reward is a small increase in navigation knowledge. The penalty is losing the ability to swim for 48 hours.”
“Uh, Sunny, what does ‘most of the content’ mean?” Eust noticed a difference in this mission compared to previous ones, which was similar to his own information-gathering mission.
“Meow, ‘most of the content’ means that if you meet a certain standard, the more content you remember, the better the reward. Failing to meet the standard counts as mission failure.”
“Meow, also, the reward is related to the difficulty of the navigation book. Choosing the right difficulty is important. It needs to be challenging enough to earn a good reward but not too hard to meet the standard.”
“So, the same applies to my information-gathering mission. The more detailed the information, the better the reward?”
“Meow, correct, Eust.”
“Alright, we understand the basics. Let’s get to work. Sunny and Lila, stay at the inn. Sunny will protect Lila while she works on her navigation mission. I’ll go out and gather information on Desli’s gang.”
“Okay, Captain.”
“Meow, come back soon, Eust!”
Eust disguised himself slightly before leaving, though he didn’t really know any “disguise techniques.” He just changed his clothing style to complete his “disguise.”
Despite what he told Lila, Eust did take the mission seriously. Since it mentioned an unknown crisis, he naturally paid close attention. But as the captain, he couldn’t panic, nor could he let his crew panic.
Lila and Sunny couldn’t help much with gathering information, so he left them in the room. Giving Lila a mission kept her occupied, preventing unnecessary worry.
After Eust left the inn and walked along the main street, he faced a dilemma.
Typically, taverns are the best places to gather information. Relaxed patrons often reveal a lot in their conversations, and there are always loose-tongued drunks.
But it was morning, and whether the taverns were open or not, they wouldn’t have many customers. Going to a tavern to gather information wasn’t suitable.
Then Eust remembered that he had beaten up Desli’s underling, Dally, on the street the previous day. Desli’s gang had “disappeared” after that. It would be easy for anyone associated with Desli to identify him, especially since he had been with a little girl and a white cat, both quite noticeable.
Disciplining a thief wasn’t a big deal,
but taking down Desli’s gang without interrogation was a problem. He had failed to gather information before eliminating them. Had he questioned them first, he wouldn’t be in this predicament. If they were unorganized, there would be no issue. But if they were part of a larger group, he could have decided whether to lay low or take them all out.
Knowing their information would allow him to make an informed decision. If they were too strong, it wouldn’t be shameful to retreat. A great strategist once discussed guerrilla warfare, highlighting that a head-on fight isn’t always wise. By the time he grows stronger, he might not even need to bother with local forces.
Eust then thought of how to gather information and finally came up with a plan.
Since Desli’s gang was part of the island’s gray forces, finding another member of the gray forces might yield information.
Eust decided to look for “three-handed” thieves in places where they were likely to strike, hoping to find a suitable target.
Soon, Eust led a thin figure into an alley.
Without speaking, Eust first beat the guy hard. Once he was compliant, Eust began questioning.
“Answer my questions truthfully, or else…” Eust threatened with an evil laugh.
“Okay, I’ll tell you everything.”
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Luffy.”
“Your name is really Luffy? How did you become a thief? No, how long have you been in this town?”
“I’ve always been Luffy, living here since I was little.”
“What’s the name of your organization?”
“Organization? I haven’t joined any organization. You must be mistaken.”
“Cut the crap and answer my questions properly.”
“Yes, yes, I haven’t joined any organization.”
“Do you know a thief named Dally?”
“Dally? I know him. His thieving skills aren’t as good as mine, but because he somehow hooked up with Desli, we all had to yield to him.”
“What’s the deal with Desli?”
“Desli is a swordsman, quite skilled. He’s been showing off a new sword recently. Normally, Dally relies on Desli to break our rules.”
“Is Desli a pirate?”
“No, Desli isn’t a pirate. His brother, however, is a strong pirate hunter. Desli is good, but he’s nothing compared to his brother, Fast Blade Perry. That fine sword of his was a gift from Perry.”
“Luffy, tell me more about Perry.”
“Perry is also a swordsman, very strong, and a pirate hunter by trade. Several million-Berry bounty pirates have fallen to his blade. He’s quite famous around here, known as ‘Fast Blade Perry.’ I heard he recently caught another million-Berry pirate and went to the Navy branch to collect the bounty. He should be back soon.”
“Oh, does Perry have any companions?”
“I haven’t heard of him having any. He always works alone. Even his brother doesn’t join him in hunting pirates due to their skill difference.”
Eust continued to gather detailed information about Perry and some minor details before letting the thief go. Since he cooperated, Eust decided to spare him.
“Alright, since you’ve been cooperative, I’ll let you off this time. Don’t let me catch you stealing again, or it won’t just be a beating next time.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll mend my ways.”
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