Petrel Island, shaped like a swallow on nautical charts, features a massive swallow-shaped mountain at its center.
Most of the island's plains are covered in forests, with only a small town built along the coast.
Dier looked up at the sign erected at the town's entrance.
Pleasure Town.
"Doesn't seem particularly special."
A rather ordinary name. To be precise, aside from the brick walls encircling it, this town was no different from any other.
Dier felt a twinge of disappointment. From the entrance, he could see straight into the streets, and after a quick scan, he found no trace of high-tech products.
Either this wild scientist was incompetent, incapable of inventing anything advanced,
or they were just stingy, unwilling to share their creations.
But since they were already here...
"Let's go find an inn first."
Wearing his mask, he took Perona's small hand and walked forward.
Robin stood to his left, her shoulder-length hair now tied into a ponytail, her face hidden behind pink rectangular glasses and a mask.
Hina had shot up ten centimeters in just half a year, towering over the other three on the far right.
With her low bounty and half a year of absence, she had insisted on going without a disguise, wanting to show her real face—only to be mercilessly vetoed by Dier. In the end, she settled for a half-mask.
"Wow~ So cool~"
A fruit vendor by the roadside squinted his eyes and praised:
"That Ogre Mask suits you well! The little girl holding the umbrella is adorable, the pink-haired lady is clearly a beauty, and the ponytailed miss has such a mysterious aura."
With that, the man suddenly gave a thumbs-up, flashing a bright grin.
"A perfect team! How about a perfect apple?"
Thud!
Dier caught the apple in confusion, a flicker of doubt crossing his eyes.
This guy was way too friendly, wasn't he?
Most people would be wary of strangers hiding their faces, yet this one not only didn't hesitate but even greeted them proactively?
Thud! Thud! Thud!!!
Perhaps worried one apple wasn't enough, the man tossed three more in the blink of an eye.
After catching them all, Dier handed the apples to Robin and walked straight up to the vendor's stall.
When in doubt, the simplest solution was to ask directly.
If this place turned out to be another Hunter Island—immune to Hypnosis and full of bizarre phenomena—
the harbor wasn't far.
"Thanks for the apples, sir."
He pulled out 5,000 Belly from his pocket and offered it, feigning gratitude.
"In all my travels, you're the first person this warm and welcoming. Is everyone in town like you?
If so, I might just settle down here."
The man waved his hands dismissively, though a hint of pride lingered on his face.
"Put your money away, young man. Happiness is free!
This is Pleasure Town!
A town that treats everyone with kindness and brings joy to all!"
"If you want to settle down, just head down the street and find the mayor.
And if you need help building a new house, come to me!"
He patted his muscular arms, emphasizing his strength for manual labor.
If not for having to mind his stall, he might have dragged Dier straight to the town office to handle the paperwork.
Dier narrowed his eyes, bent down, grabbed a mesh bag from beside the stall, and swiftly filled it with a large pile of fruits using both hands.
"We'll talk about settling down after we finish exploring. How much for all this, uncle?"
"Let me calculate."
Friendliness wasn't charity. Four apples weren't worth much, but the massive pile of fruits in Dier's hands was another matter. Giving away this much would definitely earn him a scolding from his wife when he got home.
"That'll be 3,173 Belly. Let's call it 3,000 even."
"Alright, here you go."
Dier pulled out a 1,000-Belly bill and handed it over. The vendor accepted it, examined it carefully, then happily pocketed it.
"5,000 Belly total. I'll give you 2,000 in change."
He received 1,000 Belly but gave back 2,000 in change. The vendor was effectively losing 1,000 Belly plus a large pile of fruits. Yet he remained completely unaware, cheerfully recommending other fruits instead.
Seeing this, Dier relaxed with a sigh of relief.
He can be hypnotized—just a normal person.
After exchanging a few more words with the vendor, Dier quietly left a 5,000-Belly note behind before walking off with the fruits.
Some time later, the vendor suddenly snapped out of it, looking puzzled as he patted his pockets and frowned while recalculating his accounts.
By then, Dier and his three companions had already checked into an inn and learned about the island's situation from the innkeeper.
Over a decade ago, this town had been nearly destroyed when a group of vicious, unnamed Pirates set it ablaze. The townspeople rebuilt from the ashes and established a principle: "Be kind to everyone, bring joy to all."
Dier, Robin & Hina: "...?"
The three sat on the bed, exchanging bewildered glances, unable to grasp the logic behind this.
Dier opened his mouth hesitantly and asked, "So... because you suffered, you decided to spread happiness to others?"
The innkeeper nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Dier was at a loss for words. He couldn't imagine being that magnanimous himself. But these were trivial matters—the town's past had nothing to do with him. He was only here to find a scientist.
The innkeeper soon responded, "A scientist? Well, sort of." He hesitated before continuing, "There's Wolf, who lives outside town. He often brings small inventions to sell in the market."
Dier's eyes widened. He pulled out a stack of Belly and tempted, "Could you take us to him?"
He wasn't sure if this was the right person, but it was worth checking.
Right now, the innkeeper wasn't fully under control—he'd only revealed this information under the influence of Hypnosis. That was why Dier needed to use money as bait.
"No! You have to explain your intentions first!"
The innkeeper's firm refusal surprised Dier. It seemed this Wolf held a fairly high status among the townspeople.
Though unexpected, it wasn't a major obstacle. He just needed to adjust his approach.
"I think Wolf's inventions have great commercial potential. I'm here to discuss investment opportunities. Look, this is the deposit."
He took Robin's small backpack and poured out a pile of money with a clatter. A rough estimate put it at several million Belly.
The innkeeper rubbed his chin, going through a mental debate before reaching a conclusion.
With this much money, they were at least not here to rob anyone. Wolf had always stayed on the island, so he wouldn't have had chances to make enemies elsewhere. Plus, Dier was too young to be an old grudge from years ago.
Conclusion: They're good people.
"Alright, follow me."
He nodded and decided to take the investor to see Wolf.
Dier glanced back at Perona lying motionless on the bed and shook his head helplessly.
The girl had complained about being exhausted the moment they disembarked, and once they entered the inn, she collapsed onto the bed without moving.
"You two stay here with her. I'll go alone this time."
He took out two Den Den Mushi, dialed each other, and handed one to Robin after the connection was established.
These two Den Den Mushi would ensure constant communication between them, allowing them to rush over immediately if anything unexpected happened.
Tucking the connected Den Den Mushi into his pocket, Dier followed the innkeeper out the door.
Then, walking along the street, the two soon arrived at the entrance behind the town.
Beyond this point lay dense jungle, but what was peculiar was a narrow path winding through the thicket, as if trodden out by footsteps.
Following this path, Dier came across... plastic greenhouses?
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