On the west side of the island, there was a small village. The village was quite remote, and near the mountains and forest, stood a house.
The house had white walls and a yellow double wooden door. Wind chimes hung under the eaves, and a table with several chairs was placed nearby.
Behind the house was a vast orange orchard. At this time, the orange trees were covered in white blossoms, which, set against their long, narrow leaves, looked incredibly beautiful.
In the room facing the orange orchard, the window was open. Behind the window was a square table. On one corner of the table sat several thick books. The covers of these books were labeled with their titles: "Great Encyclopedia of the Ocean," "Waves and Ocean Currents," "Compendium of Marine Life," "Atlas of East Blue Tropical Cyclones," "Drawing," and "Meteorological Observation."
These books covered oceans, marine life, currents, climate, drawing, and meteorology, including both popular science and professional texts.
Most of the books were a bit old.
The owner of these books was just a little girl of eight or nine years old.
At this moment, she was sitting at her desk, drawing something on a large piece of paper with a pen and ruler.
"Finished."
The little girl put down her pen and looked at the sea chart on the paper. It depicted two islands and a large expanse of ocean. In addition to marked longitude and latitude, the islands had contour lines, the ocean areas had depth lines, as well as shipping routes and seabed markings. The depth of the island's port was also indicated, with everything accounted for.
"Nami, are you drawing a sea chart again?"
Behind Nami stood a girl with blue hair, her eyes fixed on the sea chart on the table.
"Nojiko?"
The sudden voice startled Nami. She looked at the other person and said with a smile, "Yes, I just finished drawing a sea chart."
"That's amazing."
Nojiko looked at the sea chart. "Even if you gave me a sea chart, I wouldn't understand it, let alone draw one."
"I'm just copying from the sea charts in the drawing books," Nami said, looking at the chart with a smile. "After all, to draw a sea chart for a region, a lot of data is needed. Besides direction, longitude, and latitude, there are changes in sea currents and tides, used for drawing shipping routes and anchorages. Ocean depth, identifying underwater topography, and marking seabed sediments are also necessary. Furthermore, you need to know the coastal characteristics, port depths and features, and navigation markers, such as distinguishing features on the island. And navigational aids, like the location of lighthouses. All of this requires on-site measurement. So, I've only mastered the basic elements of drawing sea charts."
"That sounds troublesome," Nojiko said, rubbing her hair and looking at Nami. "On-site measurement? So you have to go out to sea?"
Nami nodded and smiled. "That's right. Drawing new sea charts requires on-site measurement; otherwise, the errors and actual deviations would be too great. For example, on the island where we live, the sea chart has significant errors. I've found at least three."
"Huh?"
Nojiko rested her chin on her hand and asked Nami, "So, do you plan to leave Cocos Village in the future?"
"My dream is to travel the world and map out the entire world," Nami said seriously.
"Travel the world?" Nojiko's eyes widened. "You'll go to very dangerous places?"
"Of course."
Nami nodded heavily and added, "But I don't have enough knowledge yet. Next, I plan to study tidal observation and navigation. Once I learn tidal observation, I can start by drawing sea charts around our island."
"Oh."
Nojiko didn't seem very interested and asked, "Nami, want to go out and play?"
"No, I still have to read," Nami replied. She picked up a book, opened it, and began to read it carefully.
"How boring," Nojiko stretched and climbed onto the small bed nearby.
...
In the bay on the south side of the island, Xia Qiu was searching for prey in the sea.
He had been in this sea area for nearly two and a half months, and it was now May.
After more than two months of growth, Xia Qiu had grown from eighteen meters to twenty-one meters, with a weight of nearly seventy tons.
In over two months, he had grown three meters and gained twenty tons, a significant slowdown compared to his previous growth rate.
Xia Qiu had two hypotheses for this slowdown.
The first hypothesis was that he had entered the next stage of growth, leading to a slower growth rate.
For example, a blue whale grows from seven meters at birth to fifteen meters in just eight months, but it takes at least two years, or two and a half to three years, to grow from fifteen meters to over twenty meters.
To reach adulthood, with a body length of over twenty-five meters, it takes about eight to ten years.
He might have passed the juvenile stage and entered the sub-adult stage, hence the slower growth.
However, his growth was also different from the creatures in the One Piece world, so he shouldn't be limited by growth cycles.
The second hypothesis was related to the change in his own strength.
After leaving Naruto Village, he had eaten a Marine Colonel and fourteen pirates. The quantity and strength of his prey were several times greater than before.
This time, the enhancement was enormous.
Before leaving Naruto Village, even without digesting Colonel Lido, he could, with his eighteen-meter body, resist the strength of a thirty-meter giant sea fish.
After consuming Colonel Lido and the pirates, his body's strength increased again, becoming even more robust and far surpassing fish of the same size.
The stronger his body became, the more energy it consumed.
For instance, a pound of muscle consumes 6 calories at rest, while fat consumes only 2 calories.
After becoming stronger, I consumed a large amount of energy every moment.
Originally, the energy I absorbed far exceeded my own consumption. After compensating for the consumption, a large amount of energy was supplied to my growth and evolution.
But now, with excessive energy consumption, the Evolution Energy I obtain from the Sea Fish is more focused on consumption.
The remaining Evolution Energy has greatly slowed down my growth rate.
Between these two guesses, Xia Qiu leaned towards the second one.
This was more beneficial to me.
I don't want to just get bigger; that would only make me a target.
Even the Island-Devouring Monster, capable of devouring islands, was defeated by a single Hagoku from an exchange between Dorry and Brogy.
And the giant Sea Kings of the Calm Belt are merely appetizers for a Vice Admiral.
What I want is powerful strength.
Xia Qiu thought, swimming away into the distance while releasing ultrasonic waves, using echolocation to locate other marine life.
Sonar System.
After I consumed Dolphins, I successfully evolved the Sonar System, including a sound emitter, receiver, and analyzer.
However, it was quite weak at the time; the sonar range and sensitivity were inferior to my perception.
Later, Xia Qiu encountered two more pods of Dolphins. After eating them, the Sonar System is now usable.
Within three hundred meters, I can distinguish the distance, size, and shape of fish.
At the same time, Xia Qiu can also actively receive high-frequency waves to detect different creatures in the water.
Although it's not as good as a Dolphin's yet, it's already a very precious ability.
Not only that, but Xia Qiu felt that I had acquired the resting method of Dolphins, with my left and right brain resting alternately. My ability is still weak now, but if I continue to evolve, I probably won't need to specifically rest.
Xia Qiu thought, planning to continue hunting Dolphins.
Over there.
Northwest direction, two hundred to two hundred and thirty meters away from me, with a body length of about seven meters.
Xia Qiu suddenly detected a signal and quickly swam towards the distance.
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Translation by: randomtranslator.com
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