In order to predict the time and location of the next Knock-Up Stream, Takumi needed to first find out where in the waters near Jaya Island the Emperor Cloud had appeared.
And there was no better place to gather information than a tavern.
With that thought, Takumi turned around and headed back to his small boat.
Seeing that Takumi seemed ready to leave, Cricket asked, "Hey, kid, are you leaving now? Going home, or off to gather information?"
"Gather information," Takumi replied calmly.
Cricket was taken aback. "I was just making a suggestion, but you didn't even hesitate or ask any questions before believing me?"
"Yeah," Takumi said simply, not bothering to explain further as he steered his boat around Jaya Island, heading for Mock Town.
Cricket watched him sail away, feeling a mix of emotions.
Since he could remember, no one had ever truly believed him—except for his own family—because he was the descendant of Norland the Liar.
What he had told Takumi earlier, about someone who always believed in the existence of Sky Island, referred to his ancestor Montblanc Norland.
Norland, who lived 400 years ago, was the Admiral of the expedition team and a botanist from the North Blue's Lvneel Kingdom. During one of his adventures, he arrived on Jaya Island, where he saved the Shandian people from the deadly "Tree Fever" and ended their tradition of human sacrifices. He also befriended the great warrior Kalgara.
Despite Norland saving the Shandians, his actions were misunderstood when he cut down their sacred trees, leading to his expulsion from the island. By the time the Shandians realized the truth behind Norland's actions, they were too late to give him a proper farewell.
Later, in Sea Calendar 1127, Norland returned to Jaya Island under orders from the king to search for the City of Gold.
However, by the time he arrived, the island had already been blown into the sky by a Knock-Up Stream. Unable to find the City of Gold, Norland was accused of lying to the king and was executed for his crime. Before his death, he made a cryptic statement about seeing gold in the "right eye of the skull," but no one believed him. The "skull" referred to the original shape of Jaya Island.
From then on, Norland the Liar became a well-known figure in North Blue folklore. In these tales, Norland was portrayed as a foolish liar who insisted on the existence of the City of Gold, even up until his execution. But in reality, he was more honest than anyone else.
Because of this story, Cricket's childhood was a nightmare. Everyone who knew he was Norland's descendant—especially those from the North Blue—mocked and scorned him, even when he was just a child.
Though Cricket later became a pirate and formed his own crew, his crewmates eventually left him too.
As a result, he had spent the past several years alone, constantly diving into the ocean in search of the City of Gold that Norland had spoken of.
Even if he didn't fully believe it himself, Cricket was determined to prove that the City of Gold existed and to break the "curse" on the Montblanc family.
He had long accepted that no one would believe or support him in this endeavor. He was ready to fight alone for the rest of his life.
But now, this kid who wanted to go to Sky Island had believed him without hesitation. Without even a hint of doubt, the kid had taken his word seriously?
At first, Cricket thought Takumi was simply too young and naive, too trusting of others. But when he had looked into Takumi's eyes, he had discarded that idea.
Cricket realized that Takumi was completely serious—there was no trace of mockery in him.
And while Cricket wasn't an expert on swords, the aura surrounding the blade Takumi carried gave him a deep sense of unease.
A child who could handle a sword like that was certainly no ordinary kid.
Takumi steered his small boat around Jaya Island for about half an hour, eventually reaching the long stretch of wooden planks that connected Mock Town to the rest of the island.
Mock Town was built entirely on these large planks.
After securing his boat, Takumi jumped onto the planks and calmly walked into Mock Town.
The people who came to Mock Town were mostly pirates.
As a result, there were no rules here. Fights and even murders on the streets were seen as normal occurrences.
As Takumi walked through the town, his presence quickly caught the attention of several wandering pirates.
"Look at that! A little brat's wandering into a town full of pirates. He must have some guts, haha."
"Hey, kid, which pirate crew are you with? No way you came here alone, right?"
"Maybe he washed up here after a shipwreck, haha. Look, he's even carrying two swords. Maybe he's a skilled swordsman!"
"A swordsman? That brat? I could pin him to the ground with just one finger."
"Haha, big talk! Why don't you show us? Let's see you pin him down with one finger."
"Fine! Just watch!" one of the pirates said, taking a swig from his bottle before smashing it on the ground and approaching Takumi with a smug grin.
"Hey, kid, kneel and beg for mercy, and maybe I'll let you live," the pirate sneered.
The other pirates around them stifled their laughter, eager to see what would happen next.
Takumi ignored him and kept walking.
"Hey, kid! Are you deaf, or just pretending not to hear me?" the pirate growled, quickening his pace as he reached out to grab Takumi's head.
But just as his hand was about to make contact, Takumi effortlessly dodged it, his movements swift and fluid.
"What the—?" The pirate froze in confusion.
The other pirates burst into laughter.
"Haha! Can't even handle a kid, huh? Guess all that talk was just hot air!"
"Look, the kid didn't even acknowledge you. Clearly, he thinks you're beneath him!"
"Jerry, if you can't handle this, step aside. I'll show you how it's done!"
"Shut up, all of you!" Jerry snapped. "It's just a kid! Watch, I'll deal with him right now!"
Furious, Jerry drew a large machete from his waist and swung it at Takumi without hesitation.
But no matter how hard Jerry tried, he couldn't land a single hit. It was as if Takumi had eyes in the back of his head, effortlessly dodging every attack.
"Damn it! I don't believe this!" Jerry, now enraged, pulled a grenade from his pocket and prepared to throw it at Takumi.
But before he could act, Takumi glanced back at him, releasing a wave of intense pressure that paralyzed Jerry where he stood, cold sweat pouring down his face.
Takumi turned away, continuing his walk through the town.
Moments later, there was a deafening explosion.
Jerry's grenade had detonated in his hand, leaving nothing but chaos in its wake.
******
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"Eh? What's going on? Why didn't Jerry throw the grenade?"
"He must've gone mad. If he wants to blow himself up, why not do it somewhere else instead of here? He's going to drag us all down with him, cough cough..."
"No, something's off. He was about to throw it, but after that kid looked back at him, Jerry's expression changed, like he'd seen a ghost."
"That's impossible! How could a kid that young scare someone like Jerry with just a glance?"
Covered in dust from the explosion, the pirates argued back and forth, their faces full of confusion.
Takumi, however, didn't pay any attention to the chatter behind him. As he approached the tavern, a man dressed in a long brown-black fur coat and a black hat, with long hair, suddenly fell off a tall horse right in front of him.
Takumi recognized the man's outfit instantly.
It was Doc Q, the future ship doctor of Blackbeard's pirate crew, known as the "Grim Reaper." He was a ruthless individual.
Why he was here, Takumi didn't know—and frankly, he didn't care.
Looking frail and weak, Doc Q said in a raspy voice, "Excuse me, could you help me up?"
Takumi shot him an unimpressed glance and simply walked around him.
Doc Q, seemingly unfazed, pulled out a basket of red apples. As Takumi was about to pass him, he said, "These apples are my gift to you. I'm sickly by nature, but could you help me up in return? I'd appreciate it."
Takumi's expression didn't change. Ignoring the man's theatrics, he continued walking and entered the nearby tavern.
"What a heartless brat," Doc Q muttered darkly, his face turning grim.
As soon as he said that, his gaze landed on a group of people not far off. They looked like they had just arrived from somewhere else, and Doc Q smirked slightly.
Takumi had entered a tavern that was a mix of a bar and a restaurant.
Sitting down at the bar, he hadn't said a word when the bartender, surprised to see such a young boy, placed a glass of orange juice with ice in front of him.
Takumi looked at the drink with a blank expression.
"Hey kid," the bartender said kindly, "you're probably with a crew, right? This town isn't safe for someone your age to be wandering around alone. Just drink this juice and head out, alright?"
Takumi stared at the orange juice, picked it up, and downed it in one go. Then, pulling out some Berries, he said flatly, "Give me a drink."
"Eh?" The bartender was taken aback. "You can drink alcohol?"
Takumi nodded slightly. "Yeah."
The bartender, awkward but obliging, accepted the money and quickly poured Takumi a glass of liquor. Watching Takumi gulp it down like water, the bartender couldn't help but sigh. "I guess it's true. People who come to this town aren't ordinary. At your age, you should be carefree, playing with other kids. But here you are, calmly drinking like an adult. Seems like you've been through a lot, haven't you?"
Takumi, uninterested in small talk, replied, "Another."
The bartender gave a light chuckle. "Alright, hold on a moment."
Just as the bartender brought Takumi a second drink, two loud explosions echoed from outside.
"Ah, must be another fight," the bartender said casually, wiping a glass without much concern.
The customers inside the tavern continued eating and drinking, unfazed by the sound of explosions, as if it were an everyday occurrence.
Takumi, equally unbothered, continued sipping his drink.
Suddenly, a furious voice from outside reached their ears.
"Damn it! Someone dared to kill my men! Get after him, boys! Capture that guy on the horse—I'm going to kill him!"
Takumi paused, putting his glass down. That voice sounded oddly familiar...
"It's probably that apple guy again," the bartender remarked with a laugh. "A few days ago, a sickly-looking man riding a horse showed up in Mock Town. He had a basket full of apples, handing them out to anyone who passed by. People who didn't know any better would take one, only to get blown up. So, kid, if you run into someone offering you apples, make sure not to take one."
Takumi remained silent, staring at his half-empty glass. Without a word, he lifted it and finished the drink.
Seeing that Takumi wasn't interested in conversation, the bartender shrugged and went back to his work.
Takumi ordered another two bottles of liquor, along with some snacks. As he quietly ate and drank, he listened to the pirates around him boast and gossip. None of them mentioned anything about the sky suddenly turning dark.
Just as Takumi finished his first bottle and opened the second, that familiar voice from earlier sounded again, this time much closer.
"Damn it, he got away! You two, handle the bodies. Mochi, Cabaji, stay here. The rest of you, return to the ship!"
After giving those orders, the man stormed into the tavern, his face twisted in anger.
Takumi didn't turn around. Just hearing the names of his subordinates was enough to confirm who it was.
It was Buggy.
Once an apprentice on the Roger Pirates, Buggy had grown up alongside Red-Haired Shanks. The two had been close friends until an incident where Buggy, due to Shanks, accidentally consumed the Chop-Chop Fruit—a Devil Fruit he had planned to sell for a fortune. Ever since, Buggy had harbored a grudge against Shanks. After the Roger Pirates disbanded, Buggy formed his own crew, the Buggy Pirates.
"Hey, get me the best food and drinks you've got here!" Buggy shouted, his voice echoing through the tavern as he and his two subordinates, Mochi and Cabaji, sat down at a table. His face was filled with irritation.
"Right away!" the bartender responded quickly.
Sitting at the table next to Buggy's were two men who couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Haha! Look at that guy's nose! It's hilarious!"
"Is he a clown or something? Haha... hey, buddy, why don't you give us a little performance?"
Buggy turned to glare at them, his face shadowed ominously. "You think my nose is funny, huh? You think I look like some kind of idiot with this big red nose?"
"Yeah, that's exactly what we're saying. It's big and red, haha!"
"Didn't expect you to be so self-aware! Haha…"
The two men laughed even harder, causing a ripple of laughter to spread throughout the tavern.
"Hehe, those guys are done for," chuckled Mochi, a man dressed in fur clothing and animal-paw shoes. His hair resembled a fluffy animal mane.
Buggy's other subordinate, Cabaji, who wore a plaid scarf and had hair covering his left eye, smirked. "Yeah, they're doomed. They've just made the biggest mistake of their lives."
As the laughter continued, Buggy's grim expression slowly twisted into a terrifying smile. "Looks like you're all ready to die. So, go ahead and die!"
******
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