Peter stared at the Ring of invisibility. His hands trembled with excitement.
"Wow… I can vanish from sight? This… is perfect for sneaking anywhere," he muttered, imagining all the possibilities.
His eyes glimmered mischievously.
"Hehehe… With this, I can spy on Nami and Robin while they bathe. If Sanji knew I had this ring, he'd probably bow and admit I'm his father," he thought, laughing lewdly.
---
The next morning, Peter woke up before the sun fully rose.
The sea breeze pierced his skin, making him shiver uncontrollably. His teeth chattered, shoulders trembled, and fingers went numb.
Each breath puffed clouds in the cold air, and his whole body felt stiff, as if rejecting the penetrating chill.
"Damn, I didn't expect it to be this cold."
Peter complained, hugging his shoulders.
The previous night had been harsh. He had slept only on a pile of leaves, with a makeshift roof of dry leaves that could hardly block the cold. Thankfully, it hadn't rained—or things would have been worse.
Peter stared at the vast glimmering sea, waves rolling slowly, reflecting the sunlight like shards of gold.
But for him, it felt like mockery. The endless ocean, freedom right in front of him, yet he was trapped on a small island.
"I can't stay here forever… sooner or later, I'll freeze or starve. Better to take risks than die slowly," he muttered, clutching the Ring of invisibility.
At first, he thought about teleporting off the island immediately. But his body didn't have enough stamina. If he ran out of energy in the middle of the sea, it would be suicide.
"Seems like I need a boat. At least a place to rest and recover stamina," he said heavily.
With determination, he began cutting some coconut branches. Using vines and roots he collected, he tied them together to slowly form a simple raft.
It wasn't very big, but strong enough to hold him and some belongings. Peter smiled, sweat soaking his body.
"Not bad. Following the currents, maybe I'll find a pirate ship, a merchant ship… or, if lucky, an inhabited island."
But his smile faded as his stomach growled.
"I better gather more supplies, or I'll starve before meeting anyone," he muttered, getting up.
He walked into the forest, climbing trees to pick wild fruits. Though sour, they were enough to fill his stomach.
He also collected many coconuts, both young and mature, as a source of water. Along with the leftover shellfish from last night, this simple provision would last two days.
After gathering everything, he placed the supplies on the raft, then gazed at the increasingly bright sky. The midday sun was hot and scorching, yet he had to leave.
"All right… time to go. Hope I find something before my supplies run out," he said, sitting on the raft with everything packed.
Suddenly, the raft vanished along with him.
When he reappeared, he was five kilometers out at sea.
On the worn raft, Peter lay exhausted. Breath ragged, body drained.
"Maybe… eighty percent of my stamina is gone all at once. Haaahhh, if I knew, I wouldn't teleport this far," he groaned, forcing himself to sit upright.
He opened a coconut, drinking until empty, then split it open to eat the sweet white flesh. Gradually, his strength began to return.
After recovering, Peter teleported again, this time upward. He floated a hundred meters in the air, surveying the surroundings.
This trick he discovered yesterday while training. By teleporting repeatedly to the same spot, he could create a sensation of floating.
He shielded his eyes from the sun, scanning the horizon. But all he saw was endless blue ocean.
"Seems like I need to go farther to see anything," he muttered.
Back on the raft, he teleported short distances several times. Past experience had taught him: never overextend teleportation with limited stamina.
After a few attempts, his stamina waned again. He rested, ate a little, and repeated the process.
---
By evening, after countless teleports, Peter finally saw the shadow of an island in the distance.
"Finally… huuuh, this is really exhausting."
If he didn't find a ship or island, he would have to spend the night on the raft, exposed to the wind.
Filled with energy, he teleported to the island.
Reappearing, he was on the shore. Fresh air mixed with the scent of leaves immediately relaxed his tense nerves.
But before he could enjoy it, his body shivered again from exhaustion. The journey had been too hard for his weak body.
"Seems I need to train my body, or I'll keep running out of energy," he thought, observing his surroundings.
Several small fishing boats were tied to a wooden pier. The salty aroma mingled with fresh fish, hitting his nose.
"Thankfully… there are people on this island. I won't have to sleep in the wild," he said, relieved.
Following a worn dirt path, he reached a small village.
The wooden houses were simple, some with mud walls. People busied themselves drying fish, mending nets, or chatting with neighbors. Life here seemed simple but warm.
Peter waved to a middle-aged, sun-darkened man.
"Hello, sir. Is there an inn on this island?"
The man studied him cautiously but spoke kindly.
"There's one at the end of this road. But why are you here on our small island?"
Peter smiled, telling a light lie.
"I actually got lost at sea. My destination was Orange Town, but I lost my way. Hahaha…"
The man snorted, then shook his head.
"You dared sail without knowing navigation? You're lucky to arrive here safely," he said, scolding lightly, though his gaze softened.
"Hahaha, true. Sir, do you know the way to Orange Town?"
The man paused, then pointed east.
"About two days' journey. But I heard a month ago the town was occupied by pirates. If you want to survive, don't go there now."
Peter was surprised by the news but kept his expression calm, storing the information.
After thanking him, he went to the simple inn at the village's end.
The inn was entirely wooden, looking shabby and minimal. Calling it an inn, it was just a small hut, without even a toilet.
Night fell slowly, and Peter lay on the wooden bed. For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt slightly safe.
Before falling fully asleep, the last thought on his mind returned to the middle-aged man's words.
Orange Town… taken over by pirates.
"I have to be more careful… This world is dangerous. Teleportation is great, but I have no sensory skills to detect attacks. My reflexes aren't exceptional. If someone shot or ambushed me suddenly, I might die before I could even teleport."
Peter clenched his fists softly, as if vowing to become stronger.