"Alright, then I'll take Frodeku to town to see if there's anything he needs to buy, and maybe get him a weapon for self-defense."
Barnett's thinking was quite thorough. While Frodeku can now control his Future Sight with ease, his other physical abilities are still lacking.
Therefore, it's safer to carry weapons, since people don't necessarily stay together after arriving on the island, just like last time when Vic disappeared without a trace.
"Hmm, I'll go with Barnett." After thinking for a moment, Frodeku didn't refuse Barnett's arrangement. After all, his current strength was the weakest among them. Although he was improving quickly, his foundation was still weak and he couldn't catch up in a while.
"Alright, since everything is arranged, let's proceed according to plan. Send a signal if there's any danger, and I'll notify you of any urgent matters."
Vic said to the two big men that this time they would split into two teams, a very simple method. He would be on his side, so there would be no major problems. And with the reliable Barnett on the other side, there would be no issues either.
As the warship drew closer to the island, the group could already see the view from the edge of the island—a sea of blue came into view.
That's the color of the island's coastline; the entire coastline is this color, enveloping the island.
Further in, there's a sea of pink flowers, with uniquely styled wooden houses dotting the landscape. The whole island has a dreamlike feel, and there's even a sweet and sour romantic atmosphere permeating the air.
Seeing this scene, Vic couldn't help but marvel at how magical the islands of this world were. With different terrains, climates, specialties, and customs in each of the four seasons, they were truly unique.
"No wonder people in this world love to go on sea adventures, experiencing different customs and cultures every day. Would you choose that or be stuck in one place?"
Vic thinks that adventurous people would choose to go out and see the world. No wonder Straw Hat said that if he wasn't satisfied after sailing around the world, he would choose a different route and continue his adventure.
" Vic, once the warship docks, you can do your own thing. I'm a little sleepy right now, so I won't be going down with you."
Just as Vic was sighing, Zephyr walked over, patted him on the shoulder, and said something that was also meant for Rebecca and the others to hear. After saying that, he yawned and walked into the cabin. Vic nodded without saying anything, which was normal practice. Zephyr had also had no intention of going to many islands before.
Not long after Zephyr left, the warship docked at a small pier, which was bustling with activity. Two cargo ships were moored there, unloading their cargo. A road extended from the pier into the depths of the island.
There were carts transporting goods to the center of the island, suggesting that the island is indeed very safe, and the islanders seem unhurried in their actions.
Vic stood on the warship and glanced at the distant coastline, where there was another dock and a passenger ship. Judging from the ship's markings, it was still the business of that shipping tycoon.
I encountered him once before on that hot spring island. This king of the Underworld is quite powerful now, with businesses spanning the Grand Line and the Four Blues, handling both passenger and cargo transport.
As for whether he was involved in the slave trade, Vic doesn't know for sure, but given his status as a kingpin of the Underworld, it's highly likely he was.
Vic had previously clashed with Rod, a kingpin of the Underworld in Sabaody, and injured one of his subordinates. Rod was also involved in human trafficking.
They're probably all backed by the Celestial Dragons, or even secretly instructed by the World Government. As for why, Vic can guess a bit. What kind of Celestial Dragons? Garp himself made it very clear: they're trash.
I'm not going to think about the Underworld anymore. We can deal with any conflicts that arise later. Although the king of the Underworld has some strength, he's no match for Vic right now.
Vic guessed that they probably had some Special Paramecia users as trump cards, like Sugar in Doflamingo's hands later, used as a killer move. Otherwise, it would be difficult to thrive in this world if their own strength wasn't sufficient.
"Wow! The soil here is blue! I thought it was some kind of blue ferns growing there!"
As Rebecca approached the pier, she realized that the blue surrounding the island was actually the color of the land—completely bare earth, devoid of any vegetation, not even a single tree, as if it had been deliberately removed.
"Yes! How amazing! I've never seen blue land before. Is this what makes this island special?"
Wendy had been a little absent-minded, but she perked up after hearing Rebecca's words. After all, she was a young girl, and it was hard for her to resist beautiful things.
Whether it was an illusion or not, as Vic approached the island, he smelled a faint sour scent mixed with a stronger sweetness. This wasn't a sensory illusion, but a real smell he detected. The island truly felt like a cake exuding fragrance, giving off an infinitely wonderful feeling.
Vic didn't speak, leading everyone off the warship. The cargo ship workers unloading goods nearby didn't react much to the warship. They all knew their country wasn't Affiliated Nation of the World Government, and the navy was probably just making a temporary stop and taking a look around the island. It had nothing to do with their lives; it had probably become a habit.
Vic didn't care about these people's reactions. You can't expect everyone to have a good impression of the Navy. Not everyone in the Navy is a good person. There are also Navy members who prey on the locals.
Although they were dressed in civilian clothes, they were still seen coming off the warship. Vic walked to the side and grabbed a handful of blue soil.
It's not just a blue surface; the inside is also blue. It wasn't intentionally dyed to attract tourists. When Vic smelled it, he discovered that the sour smell was coming from the soil, and the smell lingered.
Rebecca was puzzled by Vic's actions. "What's with grabbing dirt as soon as you arrive on the island? I've never seen you do this before. Is this some new island-landing etiquette?"
Before he could even ask a question, Vic threw away the handful of dirt in his hand, clapped his hands, and continued walking into the island as if nothing had happened. Barnett and Frodeku followed along, since there was only one way to get into the island.
Walking along the path, what looked like field ridges on both sides and fields all around had now turned into a blue, empty area, without a single tree in sight. I wondered if they had abandoned farming to attract tourists or what.
There wasn't even a single blade of grass in those fields, as if someone had been cleaning them regularly. This made Vic frown slightly. Although he could already see a sea of pink flowers ahead of the road, and everything looked so beautiful, Vic still felt a little uneasy.