Sailing: I was falsely accused of watching Nami bathe, but I'm blind.

There was shock, shock at the unimaginable power of nature, shock at Luffy and his crew's almost insane courage and luck.

I am filled with感慨 (gǎnkǎi, deep feelings), amazed by the wonder and wonder of this world, and amazed by the vastly different paths chosen by different people.

There was also a hint of... relief.

Seeing them actually rush towards that ethereal sky island, Kai's last ties to the "past" seemed to be severed as well.

Their voyage was destined to be a journey of fantasy, adventure, and unpredictable "dreams."

His own path, however, was one of walking alone in the darkness, struggling in reality, and being tempered in blood and fire, pursuing strength, dignity, and that "benevolence and righteousness" that belonged to him, perhaps even colder and more pragmatic.

They eventually drifted apart.

Kai withdrew his senses from the sky and refocused his attention on himself.

He knew he didn't have time to marvel at other people's adventures.

He has his own path to follow.

He turned and left the beach, returning to Magic Valley.

He found the one-eyed bartender and accepted the bounty he had previously set his sights on: a pirate captain from the waters near Mogu Town with a bounty of fifty million Berries.

This pirate crew is known for its cruelty and cunning. They frequently attack passing merchant ships and are rumored to have unclear connections with certain forces in Mock Town, making them a tough nut to crack.

But that's exactly what Kai needs.

He needs to fight, he needs to hone his skills, and he needs to pave his lonely but determined path to a higher realm with the blood and bounties of his prey.

He checked his weapons and supplies, then quietly left the chaotic town of Mogu, steer a rented, inconspicuous small boat, and headed towards his target sea area, cutting through the waves.

The distant Golden Land had nothing to do with him.

His battlefield was on this turbulent blue sea, filled with the real evils of the world.

After leaving Magic Valley Town, Kai 10 embarked on another voyage.

Instead of venturing out alone in his small boat, he cautiously boarded a seemingly more reliable merchant ship, preparing to travel to a more prosperous and information-rich island in the middle of the Grand Line.

He needs a more stable environment to process his previous gains, study the encrypted booklet, and plan for the long term.

However, voyages on the Grand Line are never smooth sailing.

After sailing for several days, the merchant ship encountered an unusually powerful and strange ocean current.

The experienced captain tried various methods, but could not completely escape the pull of the current. In the end, he had no choice but to go downstream, temporarily deviating from the planned route and anchoring at an unexpected island.

As the ship slowly approached the island, Kai's senses detected its unique atmosphere.

The air here seems exceptionally fresh, carrying a rich aroma of green grass and some peculiar floral scent.

What surprised him even more was that the island's outline, as he perceived it, was not round or irregular like a normal island, but rather... extremely long and narrow, like a ribbon stretched countless times, meandering and floating on the sea.

"This is... Long Chain Island."

"The captain's somewhat helpless voice came from the cockpit. Kai could hear a hint of frustration and vigilance in his tone. "What bad luck, we were swept here by that damned 'Annual Ring Current'."

Everyone, stay alert. This island may look peaceful, but it's not a safe place.

"

Long Ring Long Land.

Kai silently memorized the name.

The ship docked at a makeshift pier for necessary checks and resupply.

Kai also stepped off the deck and onto this peculiar island.

As its name suggests, the island's scenery is indeed quite unique.

The ground is a vast grassland, but all the plants, whether tall trees or low shrubs, have an unnaturally elongated shape, with thin trunks and sparse branches and leaves.

Even animals that leisurely graze on the grass—such as horses, sheep, and even rabbits—have extremely long necks, legs, or ears that are disproportionate to their size.

Kai even sensed that the movement of the air seemed to have a slow and drawn-out rhythm.

The entire island seemed to be stretched and slowed down by some mysterious force.

The island's inhabitants appear to be tribes that lead a nomadic lifestyle.

They lived in mobile tents, herding their equally stretched livestock as they slowly migrated across the vast grasslands.

Kai sensed the aura emanating from them; it was mostly simple and peaceful, but also carried a deep-seated wariness and alienation towards outsiders.

They don't seem to welcome outsiders.

During the brief stopover and resupply, Kai did not explore the peculiar island in much detail.

He simply stayed near the dock, replenishing his fresh water and food while extending his senses to gather information about his surroundings.

Soon, he heard rumors about a special pirate crew from the crew members of other ships that had also been forced to dock there.

"Have you heard? That Foxy guy has been active in these waters again lately!" a sailor said to his companion in a low voice, his tone filled with disgust and apprehension.

“Foxey? That ‘Silver Fox’ Foxey?” Another sailor clearly knew the name too. “Him and his damn ‘Davy Back Fight’ game? They’re haunting us!”

"That's right! I heard that last month a hapless merchant ship was targeted by them. They played a game and ended up losing their most important navigator and half of their cargo! What a huge loss!"

“Davy Back Fight?” Kai keenly caught the peculiar word and the strong negative emotion in the speaker’s tone.

He moved closer discreetly and continued to listen.

Through the crew's discussions, Kai roughly understood the so-called "Davy Back Fight".

This appears to be an old pirate game, rediscovered and popularized by the Foxy Pirates.

The rules of the game are simple: the two pirate crews agree to a series of competitions, and the winner can choose any crew member from the loser's ship or steal the ship's sail emblem.

This is a brutal game where camaraderie and honor are at stake.

Using your partners as stakes?

Upon hearing this, Kai frowned.

His heart, which had become exceptionally sensitive due to his past experiences, was pierced sharply by this word.

In his heart, his companions were once sacred and inviolable beings, bonds worth protecting with his life.

Although he was ultimately betrayed, this did not make him completely deny the value of friendship itself. On the contrary, it made him feel an instinctive disgust and... contempt for those who easily treat their partners as stakes and can be exchanged at will.

In his view, this kind of game is the greatest desecration of the words "partner" and "bond"!

A chilling sense of disgust rose within him.

He immediately labeled the "Silver Fox" Foxy and his pirate crew, whom he had never met before, as "absolutely untouchable".

However, he only felt disgust.

He had no interest in interfering in other people's affairs, and even less desire to provoke the Foxy Pirates, a group that seemed destined for endless trouble.

He just wanted to finish resupplying as soon as possible and then get on a merchant ship to leave this godforsaken place.

After gathering the necessary supplies and confirming that the merchant ship had been repaired and was about to set sail, Kai returned to the ship, preparing to leave the long chain island that made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.

However, just as the merchant ship untied its moorings and slowly sailed away from the dock, Kaina's keen senses suddenly detected a familiar, storm-like surge of energy, full of vitality and chaos, rapidly approaching Long Chain Island from the distant sea!

This aura... Kai's heart skipped a beat again!

It's the Straw Hat crew! They actually came to this godforsaken place too?!

Almost simultaneously with sensing the Straw Hat Pirates' presence, Kai also sensed another aura—one filled with cunning, mockery, and a kind of playful malice (the Foxy Pirates?)—becoming active in a certain direction on Long Chain Island.

Immediately afterwards, a peculiar energy connection seemed to be established between the two pirate forces, which were completely different in nature! This energy field was mixed with tense confrontation, excited shouts, declarations of rules, and a kind of... a crazy gambling atmosphere with comrades as stakes!

Davy Back Fight! Without a doubt, the Straw Hat crew is going to have that game with the Foxy Pirates, a game that Kai considers blasphemous!

Kai stood on the deck at the stern, facing the direction of Long Chain Island, his brow furrowed.

He could clearly "hear" the increasingly loud cheers and jeers coming from the island, and even the signal gunshots and explosions that started some of the smaller competitions.

He could even catch Luffy's signature laugh, full of boundless fighting spirit and inexplicable excitement, amidst the chaotic atmosphere!

This guy... doesn't he see anything wrong with gambling with his partners?! Or does he have absolute, unquestionable confidence in his partners and believe he will never lose them?

Kai felt a surge of inexplicable irritation.

He didn't want to see, didn't want to hear, and didn't want to have anything to do with the people on the island!

He immediately turned around and walked towards the cockpit, where he found the captain directing the voyage.

"Captain," Kai's voice carried a barely perceptible urgency, "this place is no place to linger. Could you please speed up and leave this area at full speed?"

The captain glanced at Kai with some surprise. Although he didn't know why this taciturn blind man was suddenly in such a hurry, he really didn't want to linger near Long Chain Island (who knew if he would be targeted by the Foxy Pirates). So he nodded: "Understood, we'll speed things up."

"

Thicker black smoke billowed from the merchant ship's smokestacks, the engines roared louder, and the ship's speed noticeably increased as it headed away from Long Chain Island.

Kai returned to the stern, his back to the cabin, facing the elongated island that was gradually receding into the distance.

He could still "hear" the faint cheers and clamor coming from the island, feel the energy fluctuations of the "game" between the two pirate forces, and clearly capture Luffy's unique, seemingly inextinguishable, and vibrant aura...

There are mixed feelings in my heart.

There is a strong sense of alienation.

He felt that he was now in a completely different world from everything that was happening on the island and from the group of people he had once called "comrades".