Take Carina In And Go To Shimotsuki Village

Arias was deep in thought, gazing downward as Yamato contemplated stepping forward to persuade him. However, Hiyori quietly restrained Yamato by the corner of his clothes.

Gone was the naive princess that Oden once knew; Hiyori had evolved. Her convictions were stronger, and she recognized the pragmatic realities of the world. Compared to Yamato, she was more adaptable to new ideas.

She understood the vast number of children in the sea, and even the Holy Mother couldn't accommodate them all. The decision to take Carina in rested solely with Arias.

"Do you know who we are?" Arias inquired with curiosity.

Carina shook her head, having never set foot on this island. How could she possibly know who Arias was?

Arias grinned and declared, "We're formidable pirates! Join us, but be prepared to fight!"

Carina was taken aback. Her parents had fallen victim to pirates, but a gut feeling told her that these people were different from the ones she had encountered before. Despite her reservations, she replied resolutely, "I won't be a burden! Even a boy two years older than me can't outmatch me when it comes to scavenging through garbage!"

Arias smiled, impressed by her determination to navigate the dark corners of the world on her own. Such abilities and talents were valuable. If he intended to stand against the World Government, he needed a force of his own. One Amazon Lily alone was insufficient.

"Alright! Come with me, and I'll teach you how to survive in this world!" Arias declared, leading the way back to the ship.

Carina's joy was evident as she heard Arias' offer, and she quickly bowed and expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Master Arias! I will definitely work hard!"

Accompanying Arias onto the boat, he instructed Rihe to take Carina for a bath and arranged a new room for her. With the Kingdom of Goa's affairs settled, Arias wasn't in a rush to return to Nine Snakes.

Unfurling the East Blue chart acquired from the Marines, familiar islands appeared one after another—Koto Island, Zhumeida Islands, and others, including the hometowns of the protagonists. However, these weren't what Arias was seeking.

"Why not?" he muttered to himself, meticulously checking the name of each island in the hope of finding the one etched in his memory—Xixis Island.

It was an uninhabited island where Ace, not long after setting sail, had experienced a shipwreck similar to Luffy's. The boat was overturned by waves, and Ace found himself washed ashore on this deserted island. Crucially, it was here that Ace consumed the Mera-mera Fruit.

While the Mera-mera Fruit faced ridicule for being left uneaten, its Logia nature made it formidable, especially after Liuku Immortal Thief reduced 95% of the side effects. The weaknesses to sea water and sea-prism stone had almost vanished.

Arias speculated that with complete elimination of Devil Fruit side effects, there might be an opportunity to consume a second Devil Fruit. Despite a thorough search in the cabin, the location of the deserted island remained elusive.

Upon reflection, it made sense. An uninhabited island wouldn't necessarily be recorded on the chart. Perhaps the name Xixis was assigned by Ace later. Considering Ace's early shipwreck near Windmill Village, the island was likely not far from there.

"The sea is vast, and it would be too troublesome to search for it by yourself. Jot this down, and when your power develops, you can send people to search for it."

After stowing away the charts and stepping out of the cabin, Carina had already finished washing up under Hiyori's guidance. However, there were no clothes of her size on the ship, so she still wore the same ragged attire.

Despite her thin frame due to prolonged malnutrition, her original delicate appearance could be glimpsed through her fair skin.

"Brother Ye, should we find an island to buy clothes for Carina?" pleaded the petite Hiyori, hugging Arias's arm.

Originally, Hiyori wanted Carina to wear her own clothes, but at eight years old, Carina was significantly younger than the fourteen-year-old Hiyori, making the clothes too big and inconvenient.

"Sure," Arias agreed, approaching Carina. The little girl suddenly became nervous.

"If you want to survive in this sea, you need the strength to protect yourself," Arias declared, walking to the center of the deck. "Follow me, and I'll teach you how to practice Qi."

Carina quickly followed, attentively listening to his explanation of the key points of Qi cultivation. She paid close attention, fearing that any lapse in understanding might displease Arias.

"Remember?" Arias asked after finishing his explanation, unable to suppress a laugh at her earnest focus. He knew that as long as a smart person took things seriously, they would achieve good results.

"...Remember!" Carina enthusiastically replied.

"Practice on your own. If you don't understand something, ask the sisters. Once you sense the Qi, I'll teach you the next step. Additionally, body conditioning should be done simultaneously."

Arias called Yamato over: "Yamato! You are responsible for her physical training!"

Arias summoned Yamato over, instructing, "Yamato, you're in charge of her physical training."

Yamato readily agreed. Unable to find Sixsis Island at the moment and having arrived in East Blue, Arias planned to visit the hometowns of the protagonist group members. Their influence on the world line could potentially trigger system rewards.

Unfurling the map again, Seisho Shiki Village, also known as Shimotsuki Village, emerged as the closest location. It was the home of the Isshin Dojo where Zoro had trained as a child. Simultaneously, this year marked Kuina's death, and Arias wondered if this event could be altered.

After informing Salome of the next course, Arias took out the Devil Fruit illustrated book to examine the abilities of the Devil Fruit obtained from the Goa Kingdom treasure house.

After a while, Arias exclaimed, "No?"

It turned out to be a fruit that hadn't been recorded. However, this uncertainty made it challenging to make the most perfect arrangement. Arias had no choice but to stow the fruit away and proceed to the refining room. With the materials for the treasure tree Adam acquired, the refining of the black puppet could commence.

They passed a small island en route, purchasing some clothes for Carina before setting sail again. Five days later, the Dawn docked at the port of Shiki Village in Seymour.

"Sister, I'll guard the boat; you can go to the island," Salome volunteered, taking charge of ship security. "This is East Blue; the pirates aren't strong, and I've been practicing on the ship anyway."

Ever since consuming the Renren Fruit, which granted her a maid form, Salome hadn't reverted to her original form. In her human guise, she could learn human fighting skills and assist in dealing with formidable foes.

Salome reminded herself never to let the ship fall prey to attack and plunder. She was determined to resist any such threat, even if she couldn't fully transform back into her original form.