Jaya Island
"Selling cigarettes and beer! 20% off today!"
...
Thud
"You bastard, you haven't paid today's protection fee yet!"
"Looking for a death wish, are you?"
...
Bang
"Quick, don't let him get away!"
Bang bang
With the sun high in the sky, the streets of Jaya Island were bustling with people. The cries of vendors, the general clamor, and all sorts of noises echoed through the town in a never-ending stream.
The clashing of swords and the roar of guns broke out from time to time. Groups of fierce-looking people frequently bullied and harassed others on the streets; the chaotic and violent environment was plain to see.
Yet the surrounding vendors acted as if they heard nothing, continuing to shout for business. Their faces showed no fear of the violence, only a commonplace indifference.
This was Raiden Ei's direct impression of Jaya Island—a place where pirates and gangs frequently appeared. She would believe it if someone said this island existed solely to serve pirates.
By the time Raiden Ei finished retrieving that treasure, night had already fallen. She didn't mind, however, and used "Geppo" to run through the sky all the way to Jaya Island.
Wanting to see the limits of her stamina and endurance, she traveled at her maximum speed using "Geppo" the entire way without stopping once.
Fixing her gaze on the direction indicated by the log pose, she ran at extreme speed. She passed through several regions experiencing severe weather, choosing to charge straight through them.
She finally reached Jaya Island, the destination of the log pose, just moments ago. It had taken her roughly 12 hours. Despite running for so long, her current condition was still good, though she was a bit hungry.
That was why she came to these streets to see if there were any restaurants or similar shops. She moved through the crowded streets, searching for her target.
Many pedestrians on the street noticed Raiden Ei. Those who brushed past her couldn't help but turn back to take a second look.
Raiden Ei was still wearing the same clothes she had on when she first arrived. She felt the cloak was a hindrance and stopped wearing it; now that she was here, who was she supposed to fear?
She naturally sensed the various gazes of others, but she didn't care. As long as they didn't provoke her, she wouldn't show any mercy in this unfamiliar place.
Many pirates in the vicinity also saw Raiden Ei. Her bounty poster had only been issued two days ago. Anyone interested in such matters could not possibly forget the woman who had made headlines in the World Economic News Report just two days prior.
Once they realized who she was, their faces filled with lingering fear. None dared to step forward to cause trouble; they were practically avoiding her path.
"It's the great pirate with a 1 billion Berries bounty from the Marines, Raiden Ei," a man's voice rang out.
"She doesn't look like much. How could someone so short possibly defeat a Marine Admiral?" another much coarser male voice replied.
"Don't judge by appearances. A Great Swordsman and some kind of lightning Devil Fruit—neither is something we can handle," yet another male voice added.
"Just don't provoke her. Her actual strength isn't our concern."
They didn't believe for a second that someone without real power would dare to kill Celestial Dragons, defeat a Marine Admiral, and be extensively reported on by the World Economic News Report.
After walking halfway down the street, Raiden Ei finally found a restaurant and walked inside without hesitation.
There were quite a few people inside the restaurant, mostly burly, rough-looking men. They were gathered around tables, boasting loudly and drinking. the entire restaurant was noisy and clamorous.
Raiden Ei's entrance drew the attention of many. She ignored them, observed the layout of the restaurant, and walked straight toward the counter.
The owner had seen Raiden Ei the moment she entered. He was the type of person who read the newspaper whenever he had free time; how could he not recognize her?
The moment he recognized her, his heart leaped into his throat. Seeing her approach the counter, he hurriedly stood up to greet her.
"Hello! May I ask what you need?"
Raiden Ei noticed the man's abnormality but ignored it directly. She had felt many such gazes on the street just now, and she could guess exactly what was going on.
She had never been to Jaya Island, yet many people recognized her, some even breaking into a cold sweat at the sight of her. One could guess with their eyes closed that these were people who had seen her bounty poster.
Raiden Ei didn't see anything like a menu, so she asked directly, "What meats do you have here?"
The owner didn't dare delay for a second and hurriedly said, "We have sea beast meat, as well as chicken, duck, pork, beef, and mutton. We also have seafood. What would you like to order?"
Raiden Ei thought about it; she hadn't tried any of these before. She decided to order a portion of each to taste first.
She could always add more of the ones that tasted good.
"Then bring one portion of everything."
The owner immediately agreed, then asked tentatively, "Understood, it will be ready for you very soon. Would you like to dine in the main hall or book a private room?"
Raiden Ei said directly, "The private room." She thought to herself: Why stay here and listen to people boast when there's a private room available?
The owner immediately ordered his staff to prepare the food Raiden Ei had ordered, while he personally led her upstairs.
Click
"This is the private room for your meal. Please, come in."
The restaurant owner opened the door to the private room and made an inviting gesture, letting Raiden Ei enter first.
Raiden Ei said nothing and simply walked inside.
The private room was very large, divided into two spaces. One side had a sofa and a coffee table, while the other had a large dining table. The surroundings were exquisitely decorated with many ornaments, and two windows on the wall provided a view of the outside scenery.
"This is the best private room we have. Please forgive any shortcomings," the restaurant owner said to Raiden Ei as he followed her in.
"It's fine. It's just a meal." Raiden Ei didn't find anything wrong with the place; she actually quite liked it. It was quiet and leisurely, which was very nice.
Relieved, the restaurant owner asked Raiden Ei, "That's good. Is there anything else you need?"
Raiden Ei thought for a moment and decided she could ask him about the location of the Upheaval Current. "Uh... let me ask you something. Is there an Upheaval Current nearby?"
The restaurant owner wondered what it could be, but it turned out to be just this. He directly told Raiden Ei all the information he knew; it wasn't exactly a secret, anyway.
"I see. You may leave now." Having obtained the information she wanted, Raiden Ei had nothing else to ask.
Now, all she needed to do was fill her stomach and then ascend to the Sky Island.
Just then, the meat Raiden Ei had ordered began to arrive one after another. She sat in her chair and began to taste them. Finding the sea beast meat to be the most delicious, she ordered another 100 portions, not forgetting to add some dessert for afterwards.
------------------------------
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! If the fanfiction has you hooked and you can't wait to see what happens next, you can unlock 30 or more chapters in advance over on my patreon: patreon.com/FTLGenBen
Also every bit of support means the world to me so if you're loving the ride, don't forget to drop a Power Stone, Thanks.