"My name is Zhang Da Ye. You can just call me Da Ye. This is Tom," he said.
"So you're Da Ye, huh?" Goodman chuckled, glancing at Tom. "Looks like this cat means a lot to you. If it were someone else, after being hungry so long, they probably would have eaten it."
"Meow!!!" Tom's fur bristled—this guy was terrifying! Eat a cat?
"Tom is my important partner," Zhang Da Ye replied, smoothing Tom's fur. "He's joking, Tom."
Tom rubbed against Zhang Da Ye's face and then hid behind his neck, keeping a wary eye on Goodman.
"Haha, sorry for scaring you, smart kitty," Goodman laughed heartily. He didn't seem particularly surprised by Tom's intelligence.
In this world, clever animals weren't unusual. Take the diligent newspaper gulls, for example. They could carry heavy loads of papers across the sea and even charge according to the number of papers delivered.
"So, Da Ye, what are your plans next?" Goodman asked.
"Plans… hmm, probably find a restaurant or something, maybe work a bit for a meal." Zhang Da Ye's stomach rumbled loudly.
Tom's stomach echoed the sound as if infected, and his paws lost strength. The cat melted from Zhang Da Ye's shoulder into his arms like liquid.
"Judging by your state, why don't you rest at my place first?" Goodman suggested.
"Is that okay?" Zhang Da Ye asked.
"No problem. I'm not rich, but I can provide some food," Goodman reassured him.
"Why help us like this? What if I were a bad person?" Zhang Da Ye asked.
"You don't look like a bad person," Goodman said, flexing his massive arms. "Someone like me? I could take on ten of you! If anyone should be worried, it should be you."
Zhang Da Ye believed him. Goodman's arms were thicker than his thighs, and his height easily topped two meters. At one eighty, Zhang Da Ye looked like a kid in front of him.
Tom's stomach rumbled again. Seeing the pitiful cat, Zhang Da Ye nodded. "Thanks, sir."
"That's right. A man should act decisively, not hesitate. When I was young, whether at work or…"
As Goodman guided him, he rambled on about his heroic exploits.
Zhang Da Ye learned not only where Goodman lived but also how he became the best shipworker on Island 59 at 24, a foreman at 30, married a kind wife, and had a lively son at 35.
He even mentioned a legendary shipwright named Tom, building some kind of sea train, though the government condemned him because he once helped the Pirate King build ships.
Goodman complained about the Pirate King Roger, blaming the man for inspiring too many young people to go to sea after his death.
Most frustrating for Goodman was his four-year-old son, Bail, who recently wanted to become the Pirate King after hearing Roger's stories. Goodman had to discipline him, and his wife Molly scolded him for it days after.
Finally, Zhang Da Ye found a chance to ask how long it had been since Roger was executed.
"About twelve years, I think. I was 28 then, just started dating Molly. Good times," Goodman reminisced.
Zhang Da Ye internally groaned, thinking about how verbose the tough-looking Goodman really was. Every time he mentioned his youth, Zhang Da Ye felt like he was listening to Usopp.
Trailing behind Goodman, Zhang Da Ye calculated: Luffy set sail 22 years after Roger's death, meaning ten years remained. The main crew would still be kids, seven or eight years old.
For now, the key was whether any dangerous events had happened near Sabaody recently. Besides Luffy taking down the Celestial Dragons ten years later, there seemed to be no major chaos, so no need to worry about dying in the wake of a powerful fight.
Currently, the Sabaody Archipelago saw only occasional trouble from small pirate groups or visits from the Celestial Dragons. Most areas were lawless zones. Avoiding trouble would suffice. Goodman's household seemed untouched by pirate raids.
And as for Silvers Rayleigh, the former right-hand man of the Pirate King, he was likely in seclusion on this island and wouldn't harass civilians.
As long as they stayed careful, short-term danger seemed unlikely.
But Zhang Da Ye needed to understand this "finger boost" quickly.
He glanced at his left hand. Energy had risen again.
[72%]
A small increase, but a real one.
It couldn't be solar or wind power—if it were, it would have maxed out during the sea days.
He considered his actions since acquiring the language pack: walking, talking, and random thoughts. Emotional fluctuations like shock, fear, or excitement probably didn't matter.
Walking… could this be a pedometer?
Thinking back to the surge before reaching land, the only physical effort had been paddling.
So maybe this thing is a fitness tracker. Only movement charges it.
He made a mental note to test this thoroughly.
Goodman's chatter paused.
"Almost there. The second building on this street is my place."
Zhang Da Ye looked where Goodman pointed. They were still on Island 59.
Goodman's home was a two-story house. The first floor was ordinary, while the second had a spherical structure.
Many surrounding buildings also had spherical features, hinting at the architectural style of this generation.
Zhang Da Ye didn't know much about architecture, only noting that it reminded him of some country, though he couldn't pinpoint which.
Tom now thought only of food. If there was food, even the "cat-eating" man seemed less frightening.