On the island's shore, the Chris slowly docked.
"From the looks of it, no one's visited this island in a long time," Betty remarked, eyeing the towering trees and unfamiliar flora. The desolate atmosphere made that clear.
"An adventure's about to begin, huh? I'm getting excited!"
Burgess laughed heartily, visibly thrilled.
"Let's head down and take a look!"
Chris leapt off the ship and landed on the ground below.
"There's a big rock over there. Let's check it out," Baccarat said with a charming smile, pointing ahead.
ROAR—!
Suddenly, a tiger burst out from the depths of the island, eyes icy and fangs gleaming. It looked hungry—and it had found prey.
"I might not be able to take on Sea Kings, but I sure as hell can handle you!"
With a sneer, Burgess stomped forward like an arrow loosed from a bow and landed a powerful punch.
BANG! The tiger let out a pitiful yelp and collapsed, unconscious.
"Captain Burgess is awesome!"
The crewmates clapped and cheered him on.
Chris didn't even glance back. He headed straight toward the boulder.
"A treasure lies within. Only those fated may claim it."
The characters were carved in a powerful hand, emanating an intense sword aura.
"These words are sharp… they sting just to look at," Betty muttered, quickly averting her gaze.
Baccarat nodded in agreement.
"I feel it too. Whoever carved this must be really strong."
"Definitely a master swordsman," Doc Q added confidently.
"No, this is the work of a Great Swordmaster," Chris calmly corrected as he walked toward the inner part of the island.
Burgess didn't care for the sword talk. He grinned, rubbing his hands together.
"I don't care about all that—treasure's what matters most!"
Betty looked at Baccarat with admiration.
"You were right. There is luck on this island."
Baccarat smiled sweetly.
"Hopefully the treasure isn't too disappointing. I'd hate for this trip to be a waste."
The crew made their way deeper into the island…
They didn't know how much time had passed, but eventually, after pushing through thick brush, their surroundings opened up.
A wide clearing—and before them stood an ancient palace.
"There really is treasure! Wehahahaha!"
Everyone's eyes lit up with joy and anticipation.
Just then, a voice called out from the palace:
"This is my territory. You're not allowed any closer."
The voice wasn't loud, and it sounded soft and youthful—almost childlike. It was surprisingly pleasant.
Everyone froze—except Chris.
"What the hell was that?"
Betty exhaled her smoke and scanned the area. Nothing.
Baccarat chuckled, "Judging by the voice, it's probably a small animal."
"A talking animal, huh? Interesting." Doc Q grinned from his spot on Stronger, his expression eerie.
Chris didn't stop. He simply walked forward and said flatly,
"Little one, you've got some strength. Come sail with me."
"There's delicious food and fun things out in the world. Don't you want to see it?"
WHOOSH—
A small figure leapt out in front of the palace.
"Is it really that fun out there? Will you take me with you?"
It was a young tanuki (raccoon dog), dressed in a pink shirt and blue pants. Its fluffy, golden tail was especially eye-catching.
This was Padon.
"Aww…"
Baccarat's eyes sparkled. She beamed,
"It's a little tanuki! So cute~"
Betty lowered her sunglasses and gave Padon a quick once-over, clearly unimpressed.
"So it's just a baby raccoon dog. Big deal."
Burgess laughed loudly,
"Captain, this critter talks! It's definitely not ordinary!"
Chris approached Padon, his expression calm.
"The outside world is more exciting than you could ever imagine. You'll see it for yourself."
"And if one day, you want to come back here, I'll bring you back myself."
With that, he said nothing more and headed straight for the palace doors.
Padon's little eyes lit up with wonder. Excitedly bouncing along behind Chris, it called out in a crisp, clear voice:
"Boss! Don't leave me behind! Please take me with you~"
"It's sooo boring here. I wanna go out to sea, eat yummy food, and have adventures! Heehee~"
Betty shrugged and turned to Baccarat.
"Your Devil Fruit power really is incredible."
"With you around, everything Chris does seems effortless."
Burgess nodded in agreement.
"Big Sis Baccarat's powers are totally broken. The Captain can do anything with her luck!"
Doc Q coughed.
"This little animal… it's worth studying. So strange…"
"Doc Q, you'd better not lay a finger on it!"
Baccarat gave him a sharp glare.
"If you end up treating this adorable creature to death, I'll never forgive you!"
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T/N:
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