Rare Beast Island

Kaya was talking with Merry, who looked reluctant to see her go, while Usopp was mired in heartbreak over Kaya's "change of heart," unable to pull himself out of it.

Kaya had just announced that she wanted to become the ship's doctor for the Moya Adventure Group, follow the knowledgeable and well-traveled Moya, and set out on the path to becoming a world-renowned doctor.

Merry earnestly tried to persuade Kaya, whose health had always been poor, to stay home and rest.

Meanwhile, Usopp kept sadly asking Kaya why she was going to sea without joining him on the same ship.

"Because Moya is so handsome, and he's really capable, too. He's the ideal captain I've always wanted to follow on my path to becoming a world-renowned doctor!

"Besides, the Moya Adventure Group isn't a pirate crew, so it's much safer. Sorry, but I can't become a pirate with Usopp and board Luffy's ship."

Kaya shattered Usopp's fragile heart with a single sentence.

Just then, Moya walked in. Merry hurriedly asked him to help talk Kaya out of it, but of course, Moya had no intention of helping.

Still, he put on an expression that said he had no idea what was going on, but would do his best to help.

"Kaya, what's wrong?" Moya asked gently.

The moment Kaya saw Moya, she looked like a lovestruck fan and hurried over.

She stood in front of him, gazed at him with admiration, and gathered her courage to speak.

"Moya, I want to join your adventure group and follow you. Just as you said, I want to become a world-renowned doctor and help more people!"

Moya looked at Kaya's upturned, lovely face, and his heart skipped a beat. My inner young maiden!

Inside, he was happier than a four-hundred-pound man at a buffet, but he put on a slightly hesitant expression.

"Well..."

Kaya didn't know why Moya's attitude seemed a little different from the night before, but it didn't matter much.

She was still keeping their promise from the previous night and boarding the Moya Adventure Group's ship.

"Moya~" Kaya continued to wheedle.

"All right, I have no problem with it!" Moya immediately agreed. He couldn't take Kaya's coaxing any longer. What a hypocritical "protagonist," staging the whole thing himself!

Merry and Usopp were both stunned. They had thought Moya would refuse because Kaya was so frail.

They hadn't expected Moya to agree just because Kaya wheedled him. Usopp's heart shattered, while Merry was left dumbfounded...

In the end, the heartbroken Usopp was dragged aboard the Going Merry by Luffy and Zoro, and their adventure began...

Merry resigned herself to it and could only ask Moya to take good care of Kaya.

Kaya brought her medical books and some of her gold and Beli aboard the Yanhuang, while entrusting the rest of her wealth and her fixed assets to Merry to manage.

Moya brought Nami along and gathered the members of the Moya Adventure Group to begin their voyage...

Aboard the ship, Nami watched Kaya jealously, Kaya gazed intently at Moya, and Moya looked helplessly at Nami, who was puffing up in a huff.

Rika watched the three of them with a cute, blank look.

Buggy and the others acted as though they couldn't see a thing. The atmosphere was a little awkward.

Moya cleared his throat and solemnly introduced Kaya to the crew. "Kaya, our new ship's doctor."

Then he turned to Kaya. "Nami, our navigator; Rika, my maid and cook; and Rim, our head chef."

Noticing the awkward atmosphere, Moya hurried on with the introductions.

"Buggy, our combat commander;

"Dis, our butler; Jango, our dancer;

"Beast Tamer Mohji, Acrobat Cabaji, Sham the Siamese cat, and Buchi the spotted cat, our squad leaders.

"And, of course, our pet, Richie."

Kaya gave a serious, earnest greeting. "It's nice to meet you all. I look forward to working with everyone!"

The others responded in turn. Moya nudged Nami with his elbow, and she finally put on a gracious expression and answered Kaya.

"Captain, there's an island up ahead," the lookout reported to Moya.

"Good. Full speed ahead. We're going ashore!"

Moya seized the chance to break the awkward mood, eager to escape the scene.

There are only two of them, and my future harem is already like this. I need to take a long, hard look at myself.

Why can't I be like those transmigration veterans? They release their kingly aura, and lackeys flock to them; their harems are peaceful and harmonious!

Looks like I'll have to learn another skill: how to keep a harem peaceful.

Caw! Caw! Birds scattered in every direction through the forest.

With a boom, the three ships—the Yanhuang 1, 2, and 3—came ashore, and everyone disembarked onto the unknown island.

"This forest feels kind of strange, Captain," Dis said uneasily, frowning.

"What's there to be afraid of? With the great Buggy around, there's nowhere dangerous in the East Blue!" Buggy shouted, carefree and loud.

"Lord Buggy is the best!" Cabaji, Mohji, and the other underlings chimed in.

Buggy looked rather smug.

The former members of the Buggy Pirates had all noticed the change in Buggy. He'd become even more childish, but none of them dared ask why.

"Rika, Kaya, Nami, ride on Richie and stay in the middle. Everyone else, protect them from the sides. Leave some people to guard the ships. Move out!" Moya ordered.

"Yes, Captain!" everyone answered.

They hadn't gone far when a bizarre, four-legged creature suddenly charged past them from ahead, putting everyone on alert.

Moya saw the monster and wondered, Why does that four-legged creature look so familiar? Could it be...?

They continued onward, but a shadow suddenly darted through the forest. They assumed it was an animal or something.

But the shadow kept following them and harassing them. If Moya and the others hadn't been skilled and fearless, an ordinary pirate crew might have been scared off.

Moya had already started to suspect what was going on, and the shadow's antics were getting on his nerves.

Slip-Slip Fruit: Glazed Ground.

Moya planted one hand on the ground. Fast Slide! He vanished from where he stood.

With a thud, a strange middle-aged man stuck inside a treasure chest was kicked out by Moya.

Just as Moya had guessed, this had to be Rare Beast Island.

He hadn't expected them to follow the same route as Luffy in the original story. Where could Luffy have gone now, without a navigator?

"You damned pirates! Get off this island!" Gaimon shouted angrily.

"We're not pirates, mister," Rika said in her soft voice.

Moya ignored Gaimon and gave the crew their orders.

"This island isn't dangerous, and it's full of rare beasts. Spread out and gather supplies for the ship. If you get the chance, bring back a few cute, gentle rare beasts as pets or merchandise."

There weren't any particularly powerful rare beasts on the island, nor anything Moya wanted, so he planned to do a quick sweep and then leave.

The crew spread out and began gathering supplies for the voyage.

When Mohji heard that the island was full of rare beasts, he immediately went off with Buggy and the others to look for them.

In no time, only Moya, the three girls, and Richie the Lion remained, facing Gaimon...

"You wicked devils! Don't you dare touch my rare beasts!" Gaimon roared, his voice breaking.

"Big Brother Moya, what's wrong with him?" Rika asked. Nami and Kaya also looked at him curiously.

"This man's name is Gaimon. He was a pirate over twenty years ago. Then, while looking for treasure, he got stuck inside that treasure chest and couldn't get out. His companions accidentally left him behind on this island. Now he's the guardian of the rare beasts here. Am I right, Gaimon?"

Moya turned to look at Gaimon.

Gaimon stared at Moya in shock. How could this handsome young man know so much about him?

"Who are you? How do you know about me?"

Moya had no intention of recruiting Gaimon, so he turned to the three girls and said, "This island is full of cute animals. If you like, we can go look for some, too. Let's have an adventure. It's too boring just sitting on the ship."

"Okay! Let's go adventuring!" Rika shouted happily.

Nami and Kaya also smiled. Kaya hadn't set foot on another island in a long time, so she looked even happier.

Nami, meanwhile, held a pen in her mouth and a chart in her hands, studying the island and recording what she saw.

Gaimon was left behind, trapped by the Glazed Ground and cursing nonstop.

There was no major battle. The Moya Adventure Group stayed on the island for only a few hours, and Mohji tamed a new battle beast.

The three girls also caught a few cute, gentle little beasts, while the crew gathered fruit and fresh water.

They also collected some rare beasts, which could be raised, sold, or kept as emergency food.

The three ships of the Moya Adventure Group set sail and disappeared over the sea. Not long after Moya left, the Glazed Ground trapping Gaimon also vanished, leaving him behind to weep and curse.

The Moya Adventure Group continued sailing across the vast ocean.