After spending over ten days, Eust and his crew finally wiped out the Black Bear Pirates. Eust then set their next destination as Loguetown.
Eust intended to head to Loguetown quickly, hoping to encounter Luffy and his crew and become friends, thus fulfilling a boast he once made.
However, while planning the route with Lila, an island named Caina Tang caught Eust’s attention.
After learning some details about it from Lila, Eust decided he had to visit the island, as it concerned his understanding of the pirate world.
Thus, Eust and his crew set foot on Caina Tang Island. Eust was very interested in the local culture and observed the people’s behavior and conversations carefully.
Soon, Eust was convinced that despite some differences, this place was indeed the equivalent of Chinatown in the pirate world.
Eust told himself that with Wano Country existing in the pirate world, having a Chinatown was normal and not too surprising. Caina Tang might not necessarily be the influence of some predecessor who crossed over.
Admittedly, Eust did not want to encounter too many otherworldly travelers. Too many would mean he might not be the main character anymore, and if he got sidelined, it would be quite unfortunate.
Eust had been happy when he met Storm Swordmaster Shano, feeling a sense of camaraderie. Even now, Eust didn’t see otherworldly travelers as enemies.
But their presence meant variables. Eust didn’t mind being a variable himself, but he wasn’t comfortable with others being variables, as it introduced unpredictability. The butterfly effect could be very powerful.
As Eust walked and observed, he thought a lot. Soon, he was deep within a bustling street and chose to enter a restaurant, his usual place for gathering information.
The restaurant was doing well. Eust and his crew found an empty table and sat down. Eust called a waiter and began ordering from the menu.
He ordered familiar dishes like fish-flavored shredded pork, couple’s lung slices, and wife cakes, explaining each dish to Lila.
Eust was now almost certain that Caina Tang Island was indeed influenced by some otherworldly predecessor. With such unique dishes, there was little room for doubt.
Eust accepted this reality, even feeling some admiration for the predecessor. Caina Tang had existed for at least a few hundred years, and the dish names hadn’t changed, which was impressive.
After a hearty meal, Eust gathered enough information and lost the urge to delve into Caina Tang Island’s history. He realized that even if he discovered some history, it wouldn’t change much for him. It might take an unpredictable amount of time to find answers, time better spent enjoying the present.
Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? These are the three great questions of life. It’s fine to ponder them occasionally, but dwelling too much can lead to stagnation.
Eust’s thoughts shifted during the meal. Life is unpredictable, and people’s hearts are hard to gauge.
Even though Eust decided against delving deeply into the island’s history, he planned to explore the place and learn about the legendary kung fu.
After wandering for a long time, Eust and his crew found no signs of dojos or similar establishments. What was going on? Wasn’t this place known for its kung fu, with most residents having some skills?
Through inquiries, Eust learned that the kung fu training centers were mostly in the mountains. Not all residents knew kung fu; only a few practiced it, and even fewer were highly skilled. The powerful martial artists trained in the mountains.
The presence of these martial artists protected Caina Tang Island from pirate attacks, and the islanders were very grateful to them.
Having learned the location of these martial artists, Eust wanted to visit and see how their kung fu compared to his knowledge and possibly learn from them.
With clear directions, Eust and his crew soon met a legendary martial artist.
When Eust saw him, the martial artist was practicing spear techniques—not with a gunpowder weapon but a long spear.
Eust knew a bit about swordsmanship, especially after training with Shano. He had a deeper understanding of swordsmanship but little knowledge about spear techniques.
However, from the martial artist’s spear movements, Eust could sense the power. The seemingly simple moves were actually deadly techniques, not mere flashy performances.
Eust felt a palpable threat from the martial artist, initially estimating that he wasn’t a match for him.
The martial artist, about the same age as Eust, around twenty, showed that the martial artists of Caina Tang Island were formidable.
Encountering such a skilled martial artist meant that small pirate crews wouldn’t stand a chance here. Even those with bounties in the millions would have to think twice.
A martial artist’s presence often indicated a school of martial arts, implying there were many martial artists, related by their teacher-student lineage.
For example, the martial artist Eust saw likely had fellow disciples and a master, with the master having his own peers.
Older martial artists were often more skilled. If a young martial artist was this powerful, it suggested the island’s martial artists were indeed strong, and capable of protecting the island.
After the spear practice, Eust was about to greet the martial artist, but he turned and left without a word, disappearing into the forest before Eust could react.
What was this? During inquiries, no one mentioned that the martial artists had strange temperaments. Why did this one leave without saying a word and so quickly? He was familiar with the terrain, making pursuit difficult. How strange!
Eust and Lila were perplexed, unsure what to do next. How could they track him now?
They decided to follow the faint trail, hoping the information they got was correct and that there was a “dojo” at the end of the path.
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