The cargo ship's route was highly regular.
It would depart from the main island in the morning, arrive at Hunter Island by noon to unload and sell goods, then load new cargo;
Sleep aboard at night, set sail back to the main island the next morning, repeating this cycle.
Due to the intrusion of Dier's trio, today's cargo ship had hastily departed without loading new goods.
Without cargo weighing it down, their speed increased significantly, reaching the harbor by dusk.
Few ships sailed at night, as most captains preferred docking at ports to rest.
The harbor was bustling at this hour—laborers hauling goods, vendors loudly hawking wares, sailors arranging their evening entertainment.
Bathed in orange sunset, diverse crowds gathered here, the air thick with lively energy.
Dier maintained his two-meter-tall form, his white hair particularly conspicuous among the crowd.
"Will those six remaining people be alright?"
Robin tugged at his sleeve, her voice laced with concern.
Dier flipped a coin in his hand reassuringly:
"I've placed temporary hypnosis on them. For the next day, they'll subconsciously overlook our presence."
"Plus with the Female Captain keeping watch, it's fine."
"First, we'll buy a Den Den Mushi and a pocket watch, then have a meal and find lodging for the night. We'll take a passenger ship out tomorrow morning."
Robin looked up, puzzled:
"Why buy a Den Den Mushi? That Female Captain already has one."
"Well... I don't like secondhand items."
"Hina thinks a pocket watch is unnecessary."
"How can a hypnotist not have a pocket watch? If not for how intimidating monocles look, I'd have gotten..."
...
Armed with a stack of Belly sponsored by the Female Captain, the trio entered a shop.
Dier purchased a Den Den Mushi, Hina selected sunglasses, while Robin chose a book about local island cultures.
After all, this was a general store, not a dedicated bookstore.
They promptly proceeded to a restaurant, securing a private dining room.
While waiting for their meal, Robin read, Hina toyed with her new sunglasses, and Dier called Bege.
Bruru bruru bruru~
Click~
"It's me. Your ally."
Silence filled the line momentarily before a deep voice responded:
"You shouldn't have called."
"But I already did."
Dier felt an odd sense of déjà vu. Shaking it off, he spoke quickly:
"Are you secure?"
"Completely secure!"
This was their prearranged code—"completely secure" meant Bege was alone and they could speak freely.
"Southeast of Coron Island lies Bait Island. Its King is dead. Gather trusted men quickly to claim the treasures there;"
"Avoid the harbor—land from the south and head east to reach town. The treasures are likely in the central castle;"
"Remember, you must go personally. The hoard is immense, including several Adam Treasure Tree branches. Store everything in your Body Space."
The line stayed silent for an extended period. Dier thought he heard a cigar burning through tablecloth.
Gulp—!
Bege's shocked exclamation came through:
"You killed a King in less than three days?!"
Three days?
Dier silently calculated the timeline.
The alliance with Bege was formed at noon. In the afternoon, he left with Robin, encountered Hina by evening, and faced the Sea Cow late at night.
At dawn the next day, they landed on Bait Island, visited the hunter's house by noon, and set off for the town in the afternoon.
On the third day, they were captured at noon, escaped, hijacked a cargo ship, and took roughly four hours to reach their current island.
Now, it was the evening of the third day.
"Hmm... If we count from the moment we left Coron Island, I killed that King by the 48th hour."
He boasted deliberately.
Their relationship was merely an alliance—whoever proved stronger would take the lead.
"Anyway, that's how it is. Hurry up and send your men to take over before someone else beats you to it."
"Is Gunpowder with you? Let me talk to them."
Bege's eyes were vacant as he obediently stuffed the Den Den Mushi into his stomach.
Gunpowder and Boren had been training inside his Body Space all along.
He sat at the dining table, letting the Flame Power ignite the tablecloth before him, lost in thought for a long time.
The ultimate goal of their alliance was to overthrow the World Government.
Clearly, Dier had already begun moving—and with remarkable speed.
"I can't afford to fall behind."
He lit another cigar and strode out of the room.
...
"What?!"
The head chef of the restaurant exclaimed in shock.
"Another ten servings?!"
"They already ate ten! Are you sure you heard right?"
The waiter wiped the sweat from his forehead and stammered, "Absolutely, Chef! These are all the plates cleared from their table."
The chef glanced at the towering stack of plates nearby and tightened his grip on the spatula.
"Then bring it on! I won't lose to a customer's appetite!"
"Boys, give it your all! Don't embarrass our restaurant!"
"Ooooh!!!"
The kitchen inexplicably erupted with fighting spirit.
Inside the private room, Dier was experiencing the life of a competitive eater for the first time.
He bit through a beef bone, his teeth grinding the bone with a crunch, chewed roughly twice, then tilted his head back and swallowed.
The coarse bone fragments couldn't scratch his throat, nor did they burden his stomach in the slightest.
Steak, ham, grilled fish...
His stomach was like a bottomless pit, urging his mouth to devour everything in front of him.
Sometimes, in his haste, he even chewed and swallowed the plates.
"Should we move farther away? What if Dier ends up eating us too?"
"Hina is worried."
Robin reassured the older woman, who was four years her senior.
"He won't. Dier is just hungry, not insane."
Before Hina could relax, Robin added calmly,
"But we're running out of money. Who knows if the angry chef might chop us into mincemeat."
"Don't say such terrifying things."
Hina grumbled under her breath, scooting closer to Robin.
Not out of fear—just boredom.
Dier was eating, Robin was reading.
She had only bought a stylish pair of purple sunglasses.
Unable to eat or read, she decided to lean in and read alongside Robin.
Just then, Robin turned a page, revealing an illustration of a jungle.
And a group of primitive-looking tribesmen.
Unlike Dier, who was half-illiterate, Hina, coming from a wealthy family, could read.
She instinctively read aloud:
"After sailing due east for three days, you will arrive at an unnamed island brimming with primitive customs..."
The island was inhabited by a group of rude savages who allowed no one to set foot on it.
It was said that, following ancestral teachings, they guarded a stone.
"Children, you must never entertain the idea of going there for fun. They'll poke you full of holes with their ridiculous spears."
"Guarding a stone? Aren't those things everywhere?"
"Hina is confused."
"Robin, hurry and turn the page. See if there's any island nearby suitable for a vacation."
The hand holding the book remained still. Hina looked up in confusion and saw Robin's lips slightly parted, while Dier had stopped eating.
The two spoke in unison:
"The Poneglyph!"
— Now there's one more reason to set sail.