No wonder the scene had felt familiar—Jerry suddenly remembered catching a similar box during one of his previous fishing expeditions. The universe apparently had a sense of humor about his fishing adventures.
Disappointed that his catch wasn't a fish, Jerry cast his line once more. This time, luck was on his side, and a powerful tug signaled a massive fish on the line, filling him with a surge of excitement
"Well, at least I don't have to spend the day laughing uncontrollably," he muttered, straightening his back and stretching. "Could've been worse."
Jerry methodically organized his fishing tackle and set up his fishing line and turned back toward their impromptu campsite. However, when he reached the fire, he discovered that all the roasted carrots he'd prepared had vanished without a trace.
Carrot had apparently consumed every last morsel while he was dealing with his "catch." Fortunately, he'd grilled other foods as well, so he wouldn't have to compete with Kotatsu for lunch.
While eating, Jerry opened the quest reward that had materialized in his consciousness.
[Reward: Weapon Mastery]
[Weapon Mastery: Achieve basic competency with various weapon types. When wielding weapons, you will no longer resemble someone frantically waving a burning stick.]
"Huh. I don't really use weapons that often," Jerry mused, blinking in confusion.
Was the system actually criticizing his earlier performance against Duke Inuarashi, when he'd improvised with a fishing rod and tree branch? The description certainly seemed pointed.
Still, the skill wasn't entirely useless. Even if he rarely relied on traditional weapons, better understanding of combat techniques would help him analyze opponents who did use them. It might also improve his unconventional use of his fishing rod in battle.
No more needing to indirectly manipulate his fishing line through moisture control, like when he'd tied up Carina back on Gran Tesoro.
Jerry and his friends spent the remainder of the afternoon by the peaceful lake, but his mood grew increasingly frustrated as the hours passed. Despite being able to clearly see numerous fish swimming beneath the surface, not a single one showed any interest in his bait.
It was maddening. The water was practically teeming with aquatic life—fish of every size and species glided past his hooks with complete indifference. They seemed to actively avoid anything connected to his fishing line, as if they could sense some invisible barrier.
As the sun began its descent toward the horizon, Jerry realized it was time to head back. He couldn't keep a young girl like Carrot out here until nightfall, especially with the changing of the guard approaching.
In a moment of desperate inspiration, Jerry decided to employ his newly acquired Weapon Mastery. With more precise control than he'd ever possessed before, he cast his line with surgical accuracy, deliberately tangling it around a small fish that was swimming nearby.
As he reeled in his "catch," he glanced back at Carrot and Kotatsu, who were still engaged in their ongoing game of chase. Wiping imaginary sweat from his brow, he called out with forced enthusiasm, "Hey! Finally got the last one for today! Let's head back to town!"
"Yay! Let's go back!" Carrot cheered, raising her hand and pointing toward Kurau City. Her sudden stop caused Kotatsu to nearly crash into her as he failed to brake in time.
After packing their supplies, the trio began their return journey through the peaceful countryside.
Upon reaching their lodgings, Carrot immediately grabbed two carrots from Jerry's remaining supplies and bounded away with evident satisfaction. Her day had clearly been a complete success.
Jerry found Skull sitting comfortably in the entrance hall, looking up from what appeared to be inventory notes for his collection.
"Oh, Boss Jerry! Welcome back," the collector greeted him warmly.
"Are Deuce and Carina still out exploring?" Jerry asked, glancing around the small but elegant building they'd been provided.
"Yeah, Boss Deuce seems absolutely fascinated by the city. I don't think he'll be back for hours—you know how he gets when he's gathering material for his writing."
"And Carina returned a while ago. She's in her room, I think."
Jerry frowned slightly. "Are you sure she came back?"
"Definitely. I saw her return after I got here myself."
That was strange. Jerry had been extending his Observation Haki since entering the building, and he couldn't sense Carina anywhere within their accommodations. The structure wasn't large—just a few meters separated the entrance hall from the individual rooms. His perception was definitely accurate enough to detect someone at this range.
Which led to only one logical conclusion: Carina had deliberately deceived Skull and snuck back out.
After reaching this realization, Skull immediately understood the implications. "What?! Is she going after that treasure she was speculating about?"
"The Whale Forest," Jerry confirmed grimly. "She heard it was heavily guarded and assumed there must be something valuable hidden there."
"She's either making a reconnaissance run or attempting direct action. Neither option is good."
"Wait here for Deuce," Jerry instructed, already moving toward the door. "I'm going to find Carina before she gets herself into serious trouble."
Jerry had vague but important memories about Zou from his knowledge of the original story. What the minks guarded so carefully in the Whale Forest wasn't treasure in any conventional sense—it was a Poneglyph, one of the ancient stone tablets containing fragments of the lost history.
If Carina attempted to break into that sacred space, her efforts would not only be pointless but potentially deadly.
As Jerry stepped outside, he spotted Wanda approaching their building and went to intercept her.
"Wanda, one of my friends went out earlier and may have gotten lost. I need to search for her."
"Eh? Do you mean Mr. Skull? But I just escorted him back a short while ago."
"No, it's Carina—the woman with purple hair. I'll start searching the town center and work outward."
"I'll come with you," Wanda offered immediately, her expression growing concerned.
The two began their search methodically, starting from the town center and expanding their coverage in concentric circles. Jerry kept his Observation Haki active but restrained, scanning for Carina's distinctive presence among the many minks going about their evening routines.
When they found no trace of her within the city limits, Jerry's suspicions were confirmed. She had definitely ventured beyond the safe boundaries of Kurau City.
As darkness began to settle over Zou, Jerry stopped pretending to search randomly. The timing was becoming critical—this was exactly when Nekomamushi's Guardians would begin their night patrol of the sacred forest.
He turned to Wanda with a carefully crafted expression of realization. "I think she may have gotten confused and wandered toward the Whale Forest."
"The Whale Forest?!" Wanda's expression turned grave. "Are you certain? This isn't something to joke about."
The rabbit mink's reaction was entirely justified. The Whale Forest was the most sacred site of their entire civilization, protected by warriors who took their duty with deadly seriousness. The Guardians were masters of jungle warfare, using the dense canopy to move unseen while maintaining constant surveillance of the area.
If a visiting guest accidentally trespassed on holy ground, those same protectors might not hesitate to use lethal force.
"I'm fairly sure," Jerry replied, opening his palm to reveal a few strands of purple hair he'd discretely plucked from Carina's belongings earlier. "I found this on one of the paths leading out of town."
"Then we need to move fast!" Wanda declared, immediately breaking into a run without questioning the evidence further.
Jerry followed close behind as they raced through the darkening countryside beyond the city walls. He maintained a wide-range sensory sweep, constantly scanning for human presences like a living radar system.
He could push his perception range even further, but doing so would strain his mental processing ability. When searching for a specific individual, he needed to maintain the precision to identify Carina's unique aura rather than simply detecting water sources or large-scale movements.
The two moved at impressive speed through the twilight landscape. As they drew closer to the Whale Forest's perimeter, Jerry's Observation Haki finally detected the distinctive signature he'd been seeking.
Carina was positioned on the outskirts of the sacred grove, concealed behind a large tree as she observed the area ahead. She appeared to be conducting reconnaissance, trying to identify patrol patterns and security measures.
But what she didn't realize was that a leopard-like figure sat motionless in the branches not far from her position, watching her every move with predatory focus.
Pedro, the leader of the Guardians, had spotted this "welcomed guest" during his routine evening patrol. Rather than immediately confronting her, he'd decided to shadow her movements and determine her true intentions. If she actually attempted to enter the Whale Forest, he would act without hesitation.
At that moment, Carina seemed satisfied that no guards were visible either on the ground or in the trees within her limited field of view. Taking this apparent absence of security as her cue, she began to move forward with careful, deliberate steps.
A cold gleam flashed in Pedro's remaining eye as he unsheathed his blade. His powerful legs coiled like springs, and in the next instant, he launched himself from the tree branch in a lightning-fast strike aimed directly at the intruder.