When Eust was selling fish for Beli, he learned about the basic situation on Shields Island. Captain Morgan, who had been oppressing the island’s residents, was defeated by Luffy and Zoro and was subsequently imprisoned by the Navy, ending his tyrannical rule.
Eust also found out that Koby, who came to Shields Town with Luffy, had joined the local naval branch thanks to Luffy’s “performance,” becoming the Marine he always aspired to be.
Although it was a bit disappointing, it was impossible to meet Luffy and Zoro as they had left over a month ago.
Moreover, the real world of pirates was vastly different from the one depicted in the anime, being many times larger in scale.
The vast ocean provided fertile ground for pirates. Capturing pirates on the open sea was a difficult task for the Navy, making pirate bounty posters and bounty hunters essential.
Given the vastness of the sea, chasing after Luffy was practically impossible. Eust decided it was better to go with the flow and enjoy his own adventures.
He planned to set out to sea only after his strength had increased sufficiently. For now, his immediate goal was to settle down and improve his abilities.
With Captain Morgan’s capture, Shields Island had returned to its former peace. Trade had also flourished significantly, as merchants no longer had to pay Morgan’s so-called “tribute.” Many traders were now willing to do business here.
The Franklin Trading Company likely belonged to one of these trading groups. In contrast, Eust’s former employer, the Ample Trading Ship, was not worth mentioning. Nearly a month had passed without any news from Shields Island.
Eust had personally witnessed the ship’s demise in a storm, seeing the ship’s leader swallowed by a whirlpool. Seeking compensation was now impossible, and it seemed he was the only one lucky enough to have drifted to an island.
Being a transmigrator, Eust had no reason to reconnect with his former trading group. It was better to sever ties completely.
Lost in thought while staring at the “Foodfoo” sign, Eust had to be reminded by Sunny to snap out of it. He had gotten so engrossed in his thoughts that he had stopped walking.
Entering the inn, Eust noticed that business was brisk. Despite being slightly past mealtime, many customers were still dining.
Eust soon spotted a familiar face—round glasses, pink hair, and wearing a Marine cadet uniform. It was none other than Koby.
Koby was chatting with a little girl who was much cuter than him. Eust recognized her as Rika, the innkeeper’s daughter.
Zoro had agreed to a one-month bet with Helmeppo to save Rika, only to be betrayed and almost executed, until Luffy saved him. This act of heroism made Zoro Luffy’s first crew member.
Rika had been extremely grateful to Zoro, even risking punishment to bring him rice balls, a truly adorable child.
At that moment, Eust imagined a warm greeting: “Welcome, sir! Are you here for a meal or a room?”
Of course, that was just Eust’s imagination. This wasn’t some sitcom inn with an enthusiastic server.
In reality, Eust didn’t hear any voices. He approached the counter and asked the innkeeper’s wife, “Excuse me, do you have any available rooms?”
“Yes, we have rooms available. Our rate is 800 Beli per night. How many nights will you be staying?”
“Two nights for now, and I’ll decide later if I’ll stay longer.” Actually, Eust had only 1800 Beli left, so he needed Sunny to issue a new task soon.
“Rika, come here and grab a key. Take our guest to room 202.”
“Yes, Mom,” Rika replied obediently, winking at Koby before walking over.
She took the key and politely said to Eust, “Please follow me, sir. I’ll show you to your room.”
Eust nodded and followed little Rika upstairs to room 202. After unlocking the door, she handed him the key and left.
Eust didn’t engage much with Rika. Planning to develop his skills in Shields Town, he knew there would be plenty of opportunities to interact with Koby, Rika, and others later. It was best not to be too forward right now.
Inside the room, Eust and Sunny’s expressions turned serious. After Sunny confirmed their privacy, they both relaxed a bit.
Eust broke the silence, “Everything okay?”
“Meow, everything’s fine. It’s just a regular inn. No one suspicious around. Do you want to issue a new task, Eust? Meow!”
“Of course, Sunny. We urgently need funds, and the fastest way to get them is to reclaim the treasures stored in the Task Fruit.”
“Meow, what are your requirements for the task? Meow!”
“Refer to Plan A for creating Plan B. Just adjust the task rewards to include both strength enhancement and recovered items to suit our current needs. Let’s keep the time limit around 24 hours.”
“Meow, understood. Optional training task, with rewards for strength and treasure, balanced punishment and reward, time frame of about a day. Meow!”
“Meow, new task generated. Please check it out, meow!”
“Be serious, Sunny. We’re discussing world-changing matters here. Uh, quickly, tell me about the new task.”
“Meow, alright, Eust. The new task is an optional training task requiring you to complete 12 sets of the ‘I Will Get Stronger Combo 1’ within 36 hours. The reward is a slight increase in physical attributes and five reclaimed jewels. The punishment is 36 hours of slight bad luck. Meow!”
“Meow, Eust, the punishment is luck-related. There’s nothing I can do about it. Do you want to abandon this task? If we abandon it, I can issue a new one by tomorrow morning. Meow!” Sunny asked uneasily.
“It’s fine. Let’s take this task. We can’t slow down our path to becoming stronger. At worst, we won’t rest tonight or tomorrow night. That way, even with the time required for the ‘Combo 1’ training, we should be able to complete the task.”
“Meow, let me calculate, Eust. Meow, you have about 17 hours of daylight for training. After accounting for meals and other chores, the remaining time is even less. Meow!”
“Meow, considering your current strength, it will be tight to complete 12 sets in 17 hours. Including nighttime training would make it much more manageable. Given your increased recovery rate, nighttime training is an option. Meow!”
“Meow, are you sure you want to accept the task, Eust? Meow!”
“I am willing—uh, I mean, yes, I’m sure.”
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