Ever since the Zunesha Shower had ended, Wanda noticed that Jerry seemed distracted and restless. Guessing that he was eager to pursue some activity, she offered a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, Mr. Jerry. Getting you settled won't take much time at all."
"Well, I suppose it's still early," Jerry admitted, glancing up at the sky. The sun hadn't even reached its zenith yet.
They'd climbed onto Zunesha's back in the early morning, and despite two fights and lengthy conversations, it felt like only half a day had passed. There was still plenty of time for fishing.
"Sister Wanda! I heard you're escorting visiting guests?"
A lively female voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts. Everyone turned to see a small rabbit mink with short golden hair, a petite frame, and distinctively long ears bounding toward them with infectious energy.
Looking at the smiling girl approaching, Wanda pressed a hand to her forehead and shook her head with obvious exasperation.
"Carrot? Didn't I specifically tell you not to come here today? You're still just a trainee—you haven't been promoted to full Musketeer status yet."
"But I really want to see what people from the outside world are like!" Carrot protested, her ears drooping slightly. "I've never met anyone from beyond Zou before..."
Fearing another scolding, the young rabbit quickly lowered her head and clasped her hands together in an apologetic gesture, hoping to escape further punishment.
Looking at the white rabbit who had suddenly appeared, Jerry felt a sense of familiarity. On impulse, he pulled out a carrot from his supplies and waved it gently, saying with a teasing grin, "Hey there, little rabbit. Are you here to watch us like we're zoo animals?"
"Wow! A carrot! Mine!"
At the mention of her name and the sight of her favorite food, Carrot's head snapped up with laser focus. Her eyes locked onto the orange vegetable with the intensity of a predator spotting prey.
With an excited squeal, she instantly accelerated to impressive speed, launched herself at Jerry's outstretched hand, grabbed the carrot with both hands, and immediately took a large bite.
"Whoa! That excited about a carrot?" Jerry laughed, genuinely surprised by her explosive reaction. He simply let go and allowed her to claim her prize.
"Mmm, delicious! Do they grow carrots in the outside world too?" Carrot asked between enthusiastic bites.
"Of course we do. By the way, you didn't have breakfast, did you?"
"Carrot! Don't be so rude to our guests!" Wanda scolded.
"Eh? Sorry! I was hungry, and carrots are just so irresistible! I couldn't help myself..." Carrot mumbled, still chewing rapidly while her curiosity about the outside world continued to shine in her eyes.
Despite hearing Wanda's reprimand, she kept her head bowed in apparent contrition while never stopping her vigorous carrot consumption.
Deuce found the scene absolutely fascinating. It seemed the mink tribe retained many behavioral traits from their animal counterparts. He immediately buried his nose in his notebook, scribbling observations with renewed enthusiasm.
Jerry gently patted the top of the little rabbit's head as she continued her apologetic bow, then waved dismissively with a warm smile.
"Ha ha, it's fine, Wanda. She's just a kid. When you're hungry, you should eat."
"Yay! Then I'll keep eating!" Carrot announced cheerfully.
Wanda rubbed her temples and glanced at the grinning rabbit, clearly deciding the situation was beyond her control. Turning to Jerry and the others, she said, "Well then, honored guests, please follow me to arrange your accommodations."
Under Wanda's guidance, they quickly settled into their temporary lodgings before heading out to explore the city. However, according to the established protocol, each person would be accompanied by a mink escort when venturing out alone.
Perhaps as a reward for the earlier carrot gift, and responding to Carrot's enthusiastic volunteering, Jerry found himself paired with the energetic young rabbit. Along with Kotatsu, they formed an unlikely trio for his expedition.
After leaving the town proper, Jerry surveyed the terrain and extended his senses to locate the nearest water sources. Then he set off purposefully in the direction of the flowing streams he'd detected.
From the moment Carrot had appeared, Kotatsu's eyes had been gleaming with predatory interest. After all, rabbits were traditionally part of a lynx's natural diet. While he knew he couldn't actually hunt her, the instinctual excitement was impossible to hide. Once they left the city, he began playfully chasing Carrot around the area.
Initially, the pursuit made Carrot shriek with alarm, but soon the two small animals had devolved into what could only be described as an elaborate game of tag. They rolled around together in a chaotic but harmless tangle.
Jerry strode forward with growing anticipation, paying minimal attention to what looked like a live-action version of a cartoon chase scene behind him.
"Carrot, do many people usually come this way?" he asked casually, fishing rod in hand as he examined the well-worn path.
"Oh yes! Everyone comes fishing regularly," she replied between dodging Kotatsu's playful pounces.
Jerry nodded, unsurprised by this information. Even with regular fishing pressure, Zunesha's twice-daily deliveries meant the waters had to be constantly restocked with fresh arrivals from the ocean depths.
By midday, they reached the shore of a large, pristine lake. Jerry surveyed the peaceful environment with deep satisfaction—it was absolutely perfect for fishing.
He immediately began setting up his equipment with practiced efficiency, extending his rod and arranging his tackle. Just as he was about to call Kotatsu and Carrot over for lunch to fuel up before the serious fishing began, a familiar chime echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Random Quest Triggered: Zou Fishing Master]
[Quest Objective: Successfully catch fish on Zou]
[Reward: 2x Daily Quest attribute rewards for one week & one (1) Surprise Treasure Chest.]
[Penalty for Failure: Uncontrollable laughter for 24 hours, including during meals and bathroom breaks]
"Oh, really now?" Jerry snorted with disdain. "The system thinks I can't catch fish here?"
"Impossible! Even without bait, this place is obviously teeming with fish. I refuse to believe this!"
Glancing at the quest notification with contempt, Jerry was thoroughly unimpressed by what he considered an insultingly easy challenge.
He pulled out some food supplies and called his friends over. A man needed proper fuel before serious fishing, after all.
"Carrot, have you ever tried roasted carrots?" he asked while gathering kindling.
"Eh? You can roast carrots?" she asked, ears perking up with interest.
"Of course! Want to give it a try?"
"Yes! I love anything carrot-related!" she declared with absolute conviction.
Since Jerry was feeling hungry himself, he quickly built a small fire and pulled out the seasonings he'd acquired during his time with the Whitebeard Pirates. Soon he was preparing his signature outdoor cooking.
The aroma began wafting through the air, and Carrot grew increasingly impatient. She hadn't eaten much that morning, and the smell was driving her crazy.
"Alright, it's ready," Jerry announced.
"Wow! Mmm, hot! But so delicious!" Carrot exclaimed, immediately grabbing a roasted carrot despite its temperature.
Jerry was just about to start eating when he heard a distinctive sound from behind him—the telltale noise of something tugging on his fishing line.
"There we go! I told you it was impossible not to catch anything!" Jerry called out triumphantly.
He appeared beside his fishing rod faster than Carrot could snatch a carrot, which was saying something.
Carrot and Kotatsu, who had been enjoying their meal, felt a gust of wind and blinked in confusion as they turned to see what was happening.
The fishing rod was bent significantly and still trembling from the weight of whatever was on the line. Jerry rubbed his hands together excitedly, then gripped the rod firmly and began reeling in his catch.
"Let's see what we've got! With so many fish in these waters, how could I possibly fail to catch one?"
"What does a system know about fishing anyway? It's like saying Oda doesn't understand... huh?"
Jerry's confident boasting trailed off as he stared at the unidentified object slowly emerging at the end of his line. It looked suspiciously like some kind of container.
"No way... why does this seem familiar?" he muttered.
With a bit more effort, he hauled his "catch" onto the shore. Since it was already hooked, he might as well investigate what he'd found.
Carrot and Kotatsu gathered around with wide eyes, equally curious about the contents of the mysterious box.
Without further hesitation, Jerry reached out and opened the sealed container, which appeared to be in surprisingly good condition despite its time in the water.
Carrot, who had been as still as a statue during the opening, suddenly exploded into motion like a spring-loaded projectile, jumping and shouting with pure joy. Jerry, meanwhile, stood frozen in disbelief.
The box was filled with various vegetables and fruits, including—naturally—a substantial quantity of Carrot's beloved carrots. Someone had apparently lost their entire produce shipment to the lake during transport.