Chapter 53: Encounter, Crisis? Opportunity?

Chapter 53 - 53: Encounter, Crisis? Opportunity? In the center of the island. Nami, with her friends' help, started mapping the island. She was finishing one map after another. "Nami is amazing. Kuina, look, this map is so clear, even I can understand it!" Daisy praised, holding a map drawn by Nami. "Nami, you're so cool~~~" Kuina agreed, feeling that Nami was really impressive. But Nami didn't respond to her friends' praise. She was very serious when drawing maps and didn't want any mistakes! Slowly, the five kids started to move out of the island. By noon, Xixis Island reached its hottest time of the day. Ryuen was fine, but the four girls had already put on sun protection cloaks. But they didn't want to stop. It was hard to see at night, and the night had its own weather. Nami wanted to record everything. ~~~~~~ At the coast, the Vegetable Pirates finally noticed something strange about the island! "Captain, what do we do? There's no wind here!" Larl stood by the ship and felt the air, but there was no cool breeze. "No wind means we can't set sail!" "Captain, what do we do?" "It seems we were washed onto this island for a reason. It's too close to the Calm Belt, so there might be no wind here. And more importantly, the sea currents are very strange!" Casey said seriously. "What do we do, Captain~~" "Are we stuck on this island?" "Don't panic. If we could get through the Calm Belt, we can leave this strange island too!" Casey said firmly. Casey's calmness made the other six quiet down, but they were still worried. "Let's check out other parts of the island. Maybe we'll find clues to leave here." Casey looked towards the center of the island. "Yes, Captain!" ×6 The seven of them jumped off the ship and started heading towards the center of the island in the hot weather. On the other side, Ryuen and his group were drinking cold juice and heading to the coast. They were about to meet the Vegetable Pirates! "It's so hot. Why is the weather on this island like this?" Daisy said, drinking her juice and wiping her sweat. "It's because this island is in a special location, close to the Calm Belt, so there's almost no wind. And remember the storm we went through yesterday?" Nami asked sweetly. "Of course, that storm was so scary. How could we forget?" Kuina said, feeling excited just thinking about it. "I felt that the weather was very strange, hot and harsh. And with the special sea currents around Xixis Island, it made the weather so hot. I think this island was formed because of this unique weather and those special sea currents." Nami explained to her friends and shared her thoughts. "Cool~~" "So that's why, Nami, you even know this!" The other four looked at Nami with admiration. At that moment, Nami was like a goddess to them! "There's... someone!" "Captain, look, there are five kids over there!" ~~~~~ The sudden voice made Ryuen's group alert. They looked towards the sound and saw seven adults walking towards them, looking exhausted. "Ryuen, what do we do?" Kuina got ready to draw her sword. The others also prepared to attack. "Hey~~~ we mean no harm. Are you the natives of this island? We just want to understand the island and then leave!" Casey shouted when he saw the kids getting ready to attack. "Yes, we mean no harm. We won't attack!" The other Vegetable Pirates said. Ryuen's group looked at each other. Natives? What nonsense! But they didn't lower their guard! The four girls looked at Ryuen, as if asking whether to attack or not! At this point, they were only twenty meters apart, and the Vegetable Pirates stopped. "Who are you, and why are you here?" Ryuen asked the leader. Hearing the kid's question, Casey sighed in relief. If they were willing to talk, they could find a way to leave this strange island. "Hello, we are the Vegetable Pirates..." "Pirates?!!!" Before Casey could finish, Ryuen's group became more alert. Kuina and Nojiko even drew their swords! "No, no, no!" "Listen to me, even though we are pirates, we have never harmed civilians. I swear on my life!" "Yes, yes, we really mean no harm!" "Please don't misunderstand~" Seeing that the other side was about to attack, Casey and his six companions immediately raised their hands in a gesture of surrender. They wanted the kids on the other side not to be hostile towards them. This scene puzzled Ryuen and his group. Would pirates surrender so easily? At this moment, Casey spoke again, "Please don't misunderstand, we didn't come to this island on purpose. We were forced into the Calm Belt to escape our enemies and ended up here by accident. The currents outside this island are too strange, our ship can't get out. So, we wanted to ask if you have any way to leave?" "So, they were washed here by the currents!" Ryuen and his group immediately understood. "The Calm Belt? You crossed the Calm Belt?" Ryuen looked at Casey and his six companions, full of doubt. The Calm Belt is full of Sea Kings, crossing it is like a fool's dream, unless you have the strength of someone like Rayleigh... "Yes, but we paid a heavy price..." Casey then explained everything in detail, and the expressions of the other members of the Vegetable Pirate Crew also turned gloomy. After Casey finished speaking, Ryuen and his group fell silent. Four of their companions had died... "So, you just want to leave here now?" Ryuen asked. He did have a way to help the Vegetable Pirate Crew leave, but it wouldn't be for free! "Yes, yes! If you know a way to leave, can you tell us?" Casey felt hopeful after hearing Ryuen's words. "I do have a way to help you leave, but why should I help you?" Ryuen asked calmly. Ryuen's words left the Vegetable Pirate Crew stunned. Yes, why would he help them? "I can, I can trade the Devil Fruit for information on how to leave this island!" Casey gritted his teeth and said with great reluctance. "Captain!" "Captain..." The Vegetable Pirate Crew had been chased for this Devil Fruit and forced into the Calm Belt. They had lost four companions because of it... "Don't say anything more. As long as we can leave here alive, it's worth it!" Captain Casey stopped his crew from speaking. The other six fell silent. Yes, the currents were too strange, they couldn't even row out with oars! ---- You can read 10 Chapters ahead on my pat reon.com/GMadman