As Werther approached the Island, he realized it was enormous.
He couldn't say exactly how large it was, but it felt no smaller than Alabasta.
From a distance, the Island's two enormous horns had looked rough and crude. Up close, Werther found their texture remarkably fine, almost like real horns. Could they belong to a creature like the giant elephant that carried Zou in the New World?
But why were only its horns exposed? Was the enormous creature dead? Still wondering, Werther brought his ship toward the Island's shore.
Up close, the Island was beautiful. A bright stretch of beach bordered a vast forest, and Werther could smell the fresh air before he even set foot ashore.
"Anyone want to go ashore?" Werther asked, testing whether someone might volunteer to watch the ship.
Instead, a pale hand and a furry, pudgy paw both shot up.
"All right, then. We'll lock the ship." Werther secured it, and the three of them headed onto the Island.
As they crossed the beach, Werther spotted plenty of shellfish. That eased his mind. At least the Island had living creatures, so it probably didn't have those damned spores.
One thing was strange, though. The shellfish came in all sorts of shapes, but every last one was black, the same color as the Island's horns.
Werther paid it no mind and continued exploring the Island with Tuski and Anita.
"Tuski, stay with Anita. If anything dangerous shows up, use your Devil Fruit powers to defend yourselves. I'll handle the rest."
Tuski nodded and gave Werther a reassuring look.
"Hey, baldy, doesn't this Island feel weird to you? Something about it seems off."
Anita looked around curiously, her large green eyes narrowing and her brows knitting together.
"What is it? Are you sensing something strange? Tell me."