Mr. Jaba! Island sighted ahead! shouted Fang Yi from the crow's nest, currently serving as the temporary lookout.
"We've arrived already? Then this must be it—Whiskey Peaks," Jaba confirmed after checking the map and nodding.
"Whiskey Peaks? What a weird name…" Buggy mumbled softly.
"Heh… This island looks interesting, like a bunch of cacti!" Fang Yi laughed as he climbed down the mast.
He recognized the island. This was the very first island the Straw Hat crew had visited after entering the Grand Line. Back then, it had already become a stronghold of Baroque Works, full of bounty hunters working under Sir Crocodile.
Of course, at this point, Crocodile wasn't even a major player, let alone commanding bounty hunters. So right now, the island should still be relatively normal.
But upon landing, Fang Yi and the others quickly realized something was off. The island didn't seem very prosperous. The two cactus-like peaks were bare, and beneath them sat a small, quiet town, not exactly bustling.
"Mr. Jaba, I don't think we'll be able to buy enough food here," Shanks said with some concern.
"Let's buy whatever we can, at least," Jaba shrugged. "Worst case… Fang Yi, you can just use some of your fish bait and catch a sea beast."
Fang Yi's expression instantly darkened. "Please, don't make me do that again. If I attract another Island-Eating Goldfish, we're done for!"
Ever since he accidentally summoned the Island-Eating Goldfish with his special bait, Fang Yi had been reluctant to use it again. The ocean was far too unpredictable—who knew what horrors it could lure next?
"Haha, don't worry. We're at the Grand Line's entrance. Creatures of that level won't be around here," Jaba laughed.
Fang Yi wasn't convinced. He knew the Twin Capes housed Laboon the whale, and on Little Garden, Luffy's crew had encountered a massive goldfish too. According to Usopp, it was another Island-Eating Goldfish—but compared to what Fang Yi summoned, that one was probably just the size of a head.
"Excuse me, is there anywhere we can buy food? We're just passing through and would like to stock up on supplies," Fang Yi said politely after entering the town.
"Travelers? You'd better leave. Don't linger here," the man replied, glancing at Fang Yi and shaking his head.
That response confused Fang Yi.
"Mr. Jaba… something's off here," Shanks whispered.
"You're right. The townsfolk look exhausted, and it's broad daylight, yet most homes are shut tight," Jaba frowned.
"Why don't we split up to gather information?" Fang Yi suggested. "Shanks, Buggy, and I are still kids, so they'll probably be less wary of us."
"Alright. We'll wait for you at that tavern over there. Once you've learned something, come meet us," Jaba pointed to a nearby building.
Fang Yi, Shanks, and Buggy dispersed through the town to investigate, while Jaba and the others waited at the tavern.
Before long, all three regrouped inside.
"How'd it go?" Jaba asked quietly.
Rather than answer directly, Fang Yi looked at Shanks and Buggy. "You guys find anything?"
"I did," Shanks replied. "This used to be a thriving island. But because it's so close to the Grand Line's entrance, pirates show up here all the time. Over time, they just drained the town dry."
Buggy nodded. "The townspeople fought back, but pirates who make it to the Grand Line aren't weak. They could maybe fend off one crew—but not all of them."
"It's a geographic issue," Fang Yi added. "Every pirate from the Four Seas trying to enter the Grand Line has to pass through Reverse Mountain. Even though multiple routes branch off after Twin Capes, this place still sees a lot of traffic. The locals just aren't strong enough to defend against it all."
"So we understand the situation now—pirates wrecked this place," Jaba said, sipping his drink. "But did you ask why the people don't just leave?"
"Huh?" Shanks and Buggy blinked, clearly not having considered that.
"Because… It's also an opportunity," Fang Yi smiled. "Most of the town's true residents have already left. The ones still living here? They're bounty hunters."
Jaba grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. "That's my boy. Solid work."
"How did you figure it out, Mr. Jaba?" Fang Yi asked curiously, noting his teacher's confident posture.
"Just look around," Jaba said proudly. "The tavern walls are plastered with bounty posters—some of them brand new. Neither the bartender nor the staff behaves like ordinary townsfolk. Even the patrons don't bat an eye at those posters. Everything lines up. Add in what you found, and the picture is clear."
"You're amazing, teacher!" Fang Yi praised.
Watching the two flatter each other, Shanks and Buggy rolled their eyes. Shameless, they grumbled internally.
Now that they understood the island's real situation, there was nothing to worry about. After hitting up a few shops and paying extra to secure supplies, they planned to head back to the Twin Capes.
But as they returned to the shore, a group blocked their path.
"Leave your valuables and food, and we'll let you go," the leader said coldly. Their lavish spending had caught the bounty hunters' eyes.
"Seriously? Haven't they seen our bounties?" Fang Yi muttered in disbelief.
Fang Yi's bounty of 8 million wasn't too threatening, but Jaba's was terrifying. And every member of Roger's crew carried a hefty bounty. Any smart bounty hunter would steer clear.
"What are you staring at, brat? Didn't you hear me?" the bounty hunter leader snapped, irritated by Fang Yi's puzzled look.
"Shanks, Buggy… I'll leave them to you. Shouldn't be a problem, right?" Fang Yi wasn't even interested in fighting them himself.
"No problem," Shanks grinned.
"They look broke. I'm not interested," Buggy snorted, but still stepped forward.
In a short time, Shanks and Buggy knocked out every bounty hunter except the leader.
"Wait—please! Don't hurt them!" A little girl suddenly ran out and stood in front of Shanks, arms spread wide, pleading with tear-filled eyes.
Her sudden appearance caught Shanks completely off guard.
"Xiao Ya! Get back here! They're dangerous pirates!" the bounty hunter leader yelled.
But the girl, Xiao Ya, stood her ground.
"Little girl… he's the one who blocked our path. We didn't attack first," Shanks explained helplessly.
As Xiao Ya explained, they learned the truth: these so-called bounty hunters were once ordinary residents. Pirates had made their lives miserable. But when they managed to fight off one crew and received a reward from the Navy, it sparked an idea: if pirates could rob them, why couldn't they cash in on pirate bounties?
And so the remaining residents turned to bounty hunting, targeting any pirates who landed on their island.
Unfortunately, they weren't strong enough. Life remained tough.
Normally, because Fang Yi's group hadn't caused any trouble, the townspeople wouldn't have attacked. But their excessive spending while buying food and water had tempted them, so they tried to get it back.
In truth, Fang Yi's group wasn't supposed to be able to buy so much—the food they'd acquired represented most of the town's stock. But the townsfolk had been planning to take it back anyway.
Understanding the situation, Jaba and the others decided to leave behind half of their food and water as a gesture of goodwill. Had their resources not been limited, they might've given it all.
"Big brother… these are vegetables my family grew. Please take them. I heard sailors can get sick if they don't eat enough veggies," Xiao Ya said shyly, handing Shanks a small bag as they prepared to leave.
Her kindness made Shanks emotional.
"Yi-ge… I wish I could help them," Shanks said softly on the deck, watching the townsfolk wave goodbye.
Then go ahead, Fang Yi replied, tossing him a few of his mysterious fish baits with a grin. Try your luck. I'm not brave enough to use them again!