New Crew Members Arrive

"In other words, you transfer the sharpness of a blade onto your own body, which is why your hands become sharp and hard. If that's the case, can you also convert non-slashing damage, such as blunt force, fire, gunfire, ice, explosions, or other unseen attacks?

Is there an upper limit to the damage you can receive? What happens if you reach that limit? Also, must the damage involve physical contact for it to be converted?"

Faced with Buggy's rapid-fire questions, Mohji froze for a moment. He opened his mouth, reached inside to rummage around, and pulled out a piece of somewhat mushy meat, saying with a hint of pride, "Food can be stored, too!"

"You..." A vein popped on Buggy's forehead as he threw a punch, sending Mohji flying into the sea. "Listen when people are talking to you!"

"Mohji-sama!" Several pirates dove into the sea, scrambling to rescue the drowning Mohji.

"I was wrong, Captain Buggy..." Mohji spat out seawater, standing trembling beside Buggy like an obedient student.

Buggy said earnestly, "Devil Fruit abilities also require development and training. Do not rely on luck or become arrogant; this is merely your starting point."

"Yes, Captain Buggy."

Mohji's face fell. He looked at Cabaji, who was sheathing his sword nearby; despite his cold expression, a hint of a smirk was hidden in his eyes, which made Mohji feel annoyed.

He suddenly bowed to Cabaji. When he looked up, his expression was exceptionally sincere, and he reached out his hand: "Cabaji, your God-Hiding Sword Style is amazing. From now on, I, Mohji, submit to you..."

Cabaji was stunned and couldn't help but reach out: "I didn't expect there to be a time when you'd submit to someone. That really doesn't sound like you..."

Under the dazzling sunlight, the two figures, neither of them particularly tall, seemed to acknowledge each other at that moment, as if years of rivalry had melted away.

Reconciled, are they... As expected, friendship between men is the most direct and unpretentious thing! Buggy nodded with great satisfaction.

"Of course..." Mohji's hand suddenly veered off, bypassing the hand Cabaji had extended, and grabbed onto the other man's wound. "I was lying to you, you idiot!"

Cabaji rolled on the deck in pain. "You despicable bastard, you actually used my trust!"

Mohji waved his hand cheekily. "Don't praise me so much; my despicability doesn't even reach half of yours."

Buggy held his forehead. It seemed he really hadn't slept all night and had been overthinking things.

Ignoring the squabbling of the two idiots, he walked slowly into the captain's quarters, summoned the Square-Faced Navigator, and spread out the sea chart he had obtained from the old woman alongside the East Blue chart already on record.

The two studied the chart from the old woman and the East Blue chart.

Every island he had ever visited was marked on that large East Blue chart, with the navigator noting the shape of the islands, human habitation, and the approximate travel time and distance between them. So far, about seventy or eighty islands had been marked—the result of years of roaming the East Blue. Even so, compared to the vastness of the East Blue, the number of these islands was but a drop in the ocean.

The chart given by the old woman recorded three nearby islands in different directions, and now they needed to use the names and shapes on both charts to determine the current location of this Bear Paw Island.

The chart was drawn very professionally, but that was precisely why Buggy couldn't make heads or tails of it. Eventually, his eyes grew sore, and he sat down in the captain's chair, rubbing them.

After a long while.

"Buggy... Captain... I've got it..." The Square-Faced Navigator finally spoke, pointing to a similar island on both charts. "The Ailu Island we visited a year ago is here. There's no mistake."

Buggy stood up and stared intently at Ailu Island on the chart. Ailu Island was located to the southeast of this Bear Paw Island, and there was an island further to the northeast, centered on Ailu Island, which was his original intended destination.

Buggy pointed to this island and asked, "If we set off from here now, how long will it take to reach that island?"

The Square-Faced Navigator did a rough calculation in his head and said, "Probably within one to two days, if we don't run into any accidents like before..." He clamped his mouth shut at the end, glancing back at Buggy's expression. Seeing no major change, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then go and prepare. We'll be ready to depart at any time."

"Yes, Captain Buggy."

Near noon, countless birds and beasts were startled in the forest. The chaotic noise was clearly audible even at the shoreline. In the distance, a dark shadow could be seen sprinting desperately toward them, roaring excitedly: "I'm coming, sea beast ingredients!"

Watching Shuma, who was carrying a bag and looking like a thieving burglar, Buggy stood on the deck and wiped a bead of cold sweat from his forehead. Could this idiot not arrive quietly for once?

He immediately ordered: "We can set sail!"

It wasn't that he was in a rush, but behind Shuma, a massive crowd of Kumat tribesmen were charging toward him in full force... and they were holding giant pots and pans several times larger than a person.

"Haha!" Shuma leaped, landing impressively on the Big Top, which was dozens of meters away from the shoreline, and let out a hearty laugh.

Then he took a breath, turned around, and shouted at the tribesmen on the shore with all his might: "Thank you all for seeing me off! I'm so touched!"

The shoreline was a cacophony of noise, with people waving their giant pots and pans while shouting all sorts of vulgarities.

Hey, hey, that doesn't look like a send-off at all! They're clearly trying to slaughter you!

Cabaji pointed at Shuma's back: "Captain Buggy, are we really going to keep this idiot on our ship?"

Buggy nodded with some difficulty. Who told this idiot to be so gullible...

At the shoreline.

"Great Matriarch, that brat Shuma got away!"

"That kid is slipperier than a loach and more agile than a monkey. We couldn't even catch him. It's infuriating!"

"When he comes back, we must subject him to the boiling, burning, steaming, and stir-frying punishments."

The Kumat tribesmen crowded around the Great Matriarch, all talking at once.

The Great Matriarch stomped her foot, and the surroundings fell silent.

She looked at the departing pirate ship, her gaze deep. "I raised him, so I know his personality. A fool like him, once he encounters deception and betrayal on the open sea, will surely come crying back. He has the strength to protect himself, so I'm not too worried about him getting hurt..."

As she spoke, a smile like a rainbow after rain appeared on her withered face: "When this little brat left, he actually told me I was young, beautiful, gentle, and kind. I really didn't expect such nonsense to come out of his mouth. It must be because you've been gossiping about me behind my back and corrupted him!"

The surrounding Kumat tribesmen were internally devastated: "We never said anything like that!!!"