After more than ten days at sea, the merchant ship finally reached a bustling little island.
When Law first woke up, he found that not only had he been treated, but he had not been imprisoned or watched. Even his weapon had not been taken away; it was simply placed beside his bed. For a moment, Law almost thought he had never been captured by Uchiha Hikaru at all.
But once he was fully awake, Law understood that this was Uchiha Hikaru showing him goodwill. Law did not reject that goodwill, but neither did he agree to join Uchiha Hikaru's ranks because of it.
Uchiha Hikaru's goal was clear. First, he needed to find a shipyard and buy a ship. After all, he would be on his own from now on. He needed his own vessel; he would not always be lucky enough to find a ship to hitch a ride on.
The merchant ship's captain kindly told Hikaru that good ships could not be bought just anywhere. Only by finding shipbuilding experts and having them custom-build one could he truly get a high-quality vessel.
Hikaru knew buying a ship could not be rushed. After bidding farewell to the merchant ship with Law, he headed toward the island's town.
He had only been in the pirate world for a short time, but he was already fairly familiar with it. What he lacked was firsthand experience. Now, Hikaru intended to visit a densely populated city and experience the atmosphere of this world.
Law followed quietly behind Hikaru. Although Hikaru had practically left Law to his own devices, seeming as though he would not react even if Law tried to escape, Law appeared to have something else on his mind and did not flee while Hikaru was not paying attention.
Law did