Unknowingly, three months had passed in the blink of an eye.
Deep in the dense forest behind the mountain, Ryoma stood shirtless, sweat trickling down his increasingly muscular physique, evaporating into a faint white mist in the morning sun.
He suddenly threw a punch, compressing the air into a dull explosion. A giant tree, thick enough to require two people to embrace, shook violently in front of him, its leaves rustling down.
"Hoo..."
Ryoma exhaled a long breath, feeling the surging magic power within him and the growing strength in his body.
The rules of this world were peculiar. Pure physical training yielded significant improvements, and Ryoma felt that the enhancement of his body subtly promoted the growth of his magic power.
In short, the results of these three months of arduous training far exceeded his expectations.
He casually drew a stream of clear water from the nearby creek to wash his body, the cool sensation invigorating him. The water swirled around him, washing away sweat and dirt, then silently dispersed back into the creek, without splashing a single excess drop.
When he returned to the tangerine grove, Bellemere was leaning against the railing in front of the house, a cigarette unlit in her mouth, directing Nami and Nojiko as they picked tangerines.
Bellemere glanced at Ryoma as he approached, and said casually in a calm tone, "This year's tangerines seem exceptionally sweet."
Ryoma smiled, walked over to a basket of freshly picked tangerines, and pressed his palm lightly above them.
A thin layer of ice, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, quickly covered each tangerine, instantly locking in their freshest juice and fragrance, allowing them to maintain optimal taste and appearance in the hot weather.
"Perhaps the weather is good."
Bellemere didn't press further, just giving him a deep look.
Three months had passed, and this man calling himself Ryoma had proven his harmlessness through his actions, he had even been a great help.
Whether it was occasionally using his ability to draw water for irrigation or preserving tangerines like now, it had made her work much easier.
The two little ones, Nami and Nojiko, had become Ryoma's little followers.
"Ryoma, can you make another ice butterfly for me to see?"
"It's so amazing, how does water fly by itself?"
Their curiosity was endless, and such words could be heard from time to time, filling the tangerine grove with laughter every day.
Bellemere had only heard of Devil Fruits, these secret treasures worth hundreds of millions in the Grand Line. She couldn't imagine what her impoverished tangerine grove could offer a devil fruit user, so she trusted him even more.
"Hey!"
Nami poked her head out from the tangerine tree and shouted at Ryoma, "Are you still going hunting today? I want to eat barbecue!"
"Got it, little glutton."
Ryoma reached out to catch a tangerine Nami threw from the tree, and tossed it up and down.
"I'll make you an extra meal tonight."
Over these three months, Ryoma would occasionally go hunting in the mountains for wild game.
Besides improving the meals for Bellemere's family, the extra game sold to the village restaurants allowed him to accumulate a small but sufficient amount of Berries for emergencies. He was no longer the penniless castaway he once was.
In the eyes of the villagers of Cocoyasi Village, the young man of unknown origin at Bellemere's house had become a kind, strong, and skilled hunter.
In the evening, after a day of work and training, Ryoma habitually came to the open cliff edge behind the mountain.
This was Nami's secret base, and now it had also become Ryoma's place of relaxation.
"Ryoma! Look!"
Nami rushed over as if presenting a treasure, spreading a large piece of parchment on the rocky ground, her face filled with pride and excitement.
"This is my latest drawing. A map of the seas around Cocoyasi Village."
Ryoma looked down, and the meticulous detail of the map surprised even him.
The curvature of the coastline, the depth of the bays, and even the tidal currents at different times were clearly marked with different colored lines.
Basic depth contours and reef locations were all present. This was far beyond a ten-year-old's doodle, but rather the prototype of a professional nautical chart with extremely high practical value.
"My dream is to draw a map of the world I've seen with my own eyes."
The little navigator stood with her hands on her hips, her orange short hair fluttering in the sea breeze, her eyes sparkling like stars.
Seeing her like this, Ryoma's heart stirred slightly.
He remembered the future genius navigator who would stand out among countless pirates, guiding the Straw Hats through countless dangers with her wisdom and navigation skills.
"A great dream."
Ryoma praised sincerely, then, as if by magic, pulled out a book from behind him.
"A gift for you."
Nami's gaze was instantly drawn to it. It was a thick book, "Introduction to Grand Line Meteorology," a treasure she had coveted for a long time but had given up on due to its price.
"Wahhh! How did you—"
She cried out in surprise, hugging the book to her chest, absolutely delighted with it.
"This book is very expensive. Where did you get the money?"
"From hunting."
Ryoma ruffled her hair. "This secret base you brought me to is great, this is my thank you gift."
"This is amazing!"
Nami hugged the book, her face slightly flushed. She happily spun around in place, muttering to herself, then, clutching her precious map and new book, she dashed home to study them.
Her clear laughter echoed through the mountains, but the smile on Ryoma's face slowly receded.
He once again cast his gaze towards the distant, almost empty port with only a few small fishing boats moored.
"Come quickly, Arlong."
Ryoma murmured in his heart, "The taxes of Cocoyasi Village are not so easy to collect."
He somewhat hoped that the greedy and vicious shark would soon bring his minions to this peaceful island.
Meanwhile, on an island only a few days' sail from Cocoyasi Village, a hellish scene was unfolding.
Burning houses emitted thick smoke, and the once bustling streets were now in ruins, filled with cries and wails.
A group of tall, ferocious-looking Fish-Men were rampaging through the town. They kicked open residents' doors, brutally plundering everything of value.
"Hahaha! See? How weak these humans are. They shatter with a touch."
A Fish-Man easily threw a man who tried to resist, sending him crashing through a wall.
"Money! Hand over all your money! It is your honor, you lowly and inferior race, to contribute wealth to the superior Fish-Man race!"
A Fish-Man laughed wildly as he slung a bag of Berries over his shoulder.
People fled in terror, but could not escape the Fish-Men's encirclement. Despair and fear enveloped the entire town.
In a thoroughly ransacked mayor's mansion, a Fish-Man with a long, saw-like nose and the Sun Pirates' symbol tattooed on his left chest sat in what was once the mayor's luxurious chair, picking his teeth with his long, sharp nails.
He was the leader of this group of Fish-Men, Arlong.
"Arlong!"
A Fish-Man with two small braids in his hair came in to report, "There's no more profit to squeeze from this town. Where do we go next?"
Arlong didn't answer immediately. He picked up a map of the nearby sea from the table and roughly spread it out. His cruel and greedy eyes scanned the map, and finally, his thick, webbed finger pressed heavily on one spot.
Beneath his finger was the archipelago where Cocoyasi Village was located.
"Next, it'll be here."
Arlong bared his rows of sharp teeth, letting out a chilling laugh.
(End of Chapter)
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