After discussing with Lila, Eust set a course for Loguetown. One island on the route piqued his curiosity.
The island was called Caina Tang, inhabited by a united people with a unique and vibrant culture.
Many residents from other islands visited to experience this culture. The islanders loved peace and were capable of defending themselves, a rare feat in the Great Pirate Era.
What intrigued Eust was how similar Caina Tang seemed to Chinatown in his memory, even featuring martial arts. He believed the differences between Caina Tang and Chinatown were due to the world’s peculiarities.
Eust was determined to visit Caina Tang, even if it meant delaying their trip to Loguetown. This was essential for his understanding of the pirate world he was in.
The pirate world had already surprised him with the presence of the Strategist Cat Tribe and the storm swordmaster Shano from the Baratie. Now, the existence of a “Chinatown” added another layer to the mystery.
Eust pondered if perhaps some ancestors from a land called “Tang” had crossed over centuries ago, settled, and created Caina Tang’s unique culture. This seemed plausible given the oddities he had encountered.
Despite his eagerness, Eust decided to wait until Lilith completed her ship form evolution before heading to Caina Tang for exploration.
…
On the second day at Field Island, Eust took on a hunting mission, gathering food for Lilith, and entered his fishing king mode.
Lila continued to immerse herself in navigation, collecting related books and materials at each stop to perfect her nautical charts. She often shared her completed charts with Eust, who genuinely praised her skills, making Lila happy.
Eust secretly thought that with Lila as their navigator and chef, he could afford to be lazier. Most navigational problems were taken care of, and even Sunny often sought food from Lila rather than bothering him. Life was good.
He hoped Lila wouldn’t discover his lazy thoughts, as it would result in another mixed-gender duel.
Poor Sunny, striving to be the strongest strategist cat, never relaxed his training. Despite two months at sea, he hadn’t encountered another strategist cat. Though Sunny mentioned they were rare, Eust still worried for him.
Eust joked to himself that if he sailed around the Grand Line and Sunny still hadn’t found another strategist cat, it would be laughable. Just don’t tell Sunny, as his cat claw attacks were formidable.
The most relaxed was Lilith, who spent her time eating and sleeping. Eust and the crew were grateful to Lilith for helping them avoid storms and the Candy man’s explosion, so they treated her well. She was already a valued member before.
However, Sunny remained Lilith’s best friend, able to communicate with her. This highlighted the importance of learning another language.
Time flew, and Lilith soon completed her ship form evolution. The crew prepared to set sail.
The biggest gain from Field Island was nearly annihilating the Black Bear Pirates. Next was Lilith completing her ship form evolution.
Eust, Lila, and Sunny had improved their skills, but given their short stay, there wasn’t much tangible progress.
Eust longed to enhance his abilities but knew it couldn’t be rushed. With Sunny’s mission fruit, the future looked promising.
During their three days at Field Island, Village Chief Dave became their friend. Eust had thought it was a casual acquaintance, not expecting to feel any sadness upon leaving.
But bonds are strange, and even small things can evoke feelings. Sometimes, casual relationships are simpler. Distance can indeed create a sense of beauty.
Having informed Chief Dave of their departure plans, Eust didn’t expect him to see them off. Yet, Dave came to the shore before dawn, surprising Eust with a sense of loss.
Reflecting on their time together, Eust realized how much Dave had cared for them. Busy preparing food for Lilith, Eust had somewhat neglected Dave.
As they waved goodbye to Chief Dave on the shore, Eust silently bid farewell to Field Island and the kind old man.
The journey to Caina Tang was smooth, without storms or pirates. With Lilith’s speed, they reached Caina Tang in just over two days.
Upon landing, Eust felt like he had stumbled upon an alternate Chinatown, giving him a sense of meeting old friends.
It was magical. Eust had only known of Wano, where the swordsman Ryuma hailed from. Finding Caina Tang was unexpected.
Caina Tang was larger than Shields Island, the first island Eust visited, with a bigger population.
The bustling docks, with numerous ships from large merchant vessels to small sailboats, indicated the island’s prosperity.
Eust was a bit disappointed that the islanders didn’t speak Chinese but decided to stay longer to understand Caina Tang’s history before heading to Loguetown.
If he missed meeting Luffy and his crew because of this detour, he would regret it but accept it. Although the original plan was to go straight to Loguetown, Caina Tang had altered Eust’s course.
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