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

This feeling... it seems somewhat familiar to him?

Following this peculiar aura, he quietly approached the edge of the dock.

He "saw" (perceived) that in a body of water where various new and old ships were moored, a uniquely shaped caravel with a prow shaped like a cute sheep's head was moored alone in an inconspicuous corner.

Its hull was battered and bruised, its mainmast was broken, its sails were tattered, and its deck was covered with signs of repair. It looked like an old man who had weathered countless storms and was nearing the end of his life.

However, this dilapidated ship exuded a strange "life" aura that Kai found in it.

He could even vaguely "hear" faint "sounds" coming from inside the ship, like sobbing, filled with sadness and reluctance!

That wasn't a physical sound, but rather... a silent call and whisper that was closer to the level of the soul!

A ship spirit?! Kai's heart skipped a beat! He had heard in ancient seafaring legends that when a ship is showered with enough love and care by its crew, and accompanies them through enough adventures, it might develop its own soul—a ship spirit! Could it be… this wrecked ship…

Just as Kai was shocked by the ship's strange aura, he sensed another familiar aura.

On the deck of that wrecked ship, a figure sat alone, radiating a strong sense of resentment, pain, confusion, and struggle!

It's Usopp!

Kai could clearly sense that Usopp was experiencing immense pain.

He seemed to be going through some extremely difficult choice, his deep affection for the ship clashing violently with some harsh reality (perhaps the conclusion that the ship was beyond repair?).

This ship... could it be... the Going Merry?!

Kai's heart felt as if it had been ripped open, a sharp, piercing pain shooting through her.

The Going Merry, that was where he once stayed, a testament to his brief "companion" life.

Although he was filled with resentment and disappointment towards most of the people on board, deep down he seemed to still harbor a complex emotion towards the ship itself, which had carried them on their shared (though brief) adventure.

He could feel the Going Merry's mournful cry, as if it were a life-or-death situation, and he could feel Usopp's heart-wrenching pain.

For a fleeting moment, he even had the urge to go forward and...do something? Comfort? Help?

But the thought only flashed through his mind for a moment before he forcibly suppressed it.

What right does he have to comfort them? What qualifications does he have to help them? He is no longer their partner.

They had long since stopped trusting him.

Rushing forward will only lead to more misunderstandings and trouble.

Moreover, he has his own mission and his own path.

He can no longer be bound by the shackles of the past.

Kai stood there for a moment, letting the ship's mournful cries and Usopp's pain wash over his senses.

His face was expressionless, but deep inside, a complex emotion that no one could understand swept through him.

There is regret, there is sympathy, and perhaps... even a subtle resonance arising from one's own experience?

In the end, he slowly turned around and left the place without making a sound.

He sealed that complex emotion, along with his feelings about the Going Merry and Usopp, deep within the corner of his heart.

He must move on and focus on his task.

The past is, after all, the past.

The nights in the Water City are always more bustling and darker than the days.

The lights on both sides of the canal reflect on the water, creating a dazzling spectacle, but hidden in the shadows are more sins and conflicts.

That night, Kai was meditating in his simple inn room, trying to further consolidate his domineering cultivation and decipher the encrypted booklet about the Baroque Works (he had already cracked part of it, and it did indeed contain a lot of valuable information).

Suddenly, an extremely strong energy wave, filled with anger and sorrow, erupted like a thunderclap from the direction of the abandoned ship island, instantly drawing all his attention!

Kai suddenly opened his eyes (although there was no change in his vision) and instantly focused his senses in that direction!

They were two auras that he was extremely familiar with!

A surge of energy emanated from Luffy, as fiery as the sun, yet also carrying an uncontrollable rage and a hint of pain!

The other was Usopp, who was originally timid and boastful, but was now filled with despair, resentment, and a kind of... almost insane determination!

These two forces, once close allies, now clashed fiercely and brutally on the desolate land of Shipwreck Island, like mortal enemies!

The energy of the collision was filled with deafening explosions (Usopp's various gadgets?), angry roars, muffled thuds of weapons (it seems to be a slingshot and fists?) clashing, and... even more unsettling was the overflowing, intensely negative emotion!

Outrage! Luffy is furious at Usopp for questioning the captain's decisions and even insulting his crewmates (the Going Merry is also a crewmate)!

Sadness! Usopp's sadness at the impending loss of the Going Merry and the feeling of being "abandoned" by his companions!

Resolute! To protect his last bond with the Going Merry, Usopp is willing to break with his captain and all his crew!

Pain! The indescribable, heart-wrenching pain in their hearts as they hurt each other!

Kai clearly "saw" the brutal duel that was taking place between former comrades.

He could sense how Usopp used all his intelligence and tools to fight against the monstrous captain with all his might; he could also sense how Luffy, in anger and pain, repeatedly swung his attacks at his long-nosed companion who had once laughed and adventured with him.

He did not approach.

He simply observed from a distant, safe distance, silently witnessing the unfolding, the climax, and... the final end of it all.

He "saw" Usopp being knocked to the ground, covered in wounds, yet still struggling, shouting out his declaration of leaving the Straw Hat Pirates in a hoarse voice.

He "saw" Luffy standing there, his back to the fallen Usopp, his body trembling violently from pain and anger, but he still managed to endure it and say that he accepted the outcome of the duel and they would go their separate ways.

He "saw" that after the duel, the invisible bond between the two, a symbol of their camaraderie, was completely severed.

Only endless sorrow, pain, and irreversible despair remained, permeating the cold air of the abandoned ship island.

Sensing all of this, Kai's heart was surprisingly... calm.

Perhaps because he himself had experienced similar, or even more cruel, betrayals and abandonments, he was not too surprised or sympathetic about the breakup before him.

In his view, this seemed to be an inevitable result of the long-term accumulation of internal conflicts within the Straw Hat Pirates.

Luffy's autocratic nature, Usopp's sensitivity and inferiority complex, and the inevitable ideological conflicts that arise during the team's rapid expansion... all of these laid the groundwork for today's rift.

This brutal duel, in a way, even proved that his departure (or expulsion) was somewhat "correct."

At least, he didn't turn against his former comrade like Usopp did, completely tearing their friendship apart with attacks.

His departure, though filled with pain and resentment, at least... preserved a shred of dignity (perhaps only in his own eyes)?

Of course, beneath this calm, perhaps there is also a hint of... barely perceptible sorrow for the fallen? Seeing his former comrade meet such a fate, does he also feel a sense of wavering and awakening deep within his heart?

Kai did not investigate further.

He simply withdrew his senses silently and refocused his attention on his own affairs.

Other people's stories are ultimately their own.

He has his own path to walk and his own battles to fight.

For him, the Straw Hat crew's split was nothing more than another cruel drama about dreams, comrades, betrayal, and reality unfolding on the Grand Line.

He was merely a cold, indifferent bystander in the shadows.

After witnessing Luffy and Usopp's heartbreaking falling out, Kai became even more determined to complete his mission as soon as possible and leave Water 7, this place of trouble.

He refocused all his energy on tracking down the former CP agent who had defected.

Through further deciphering the encrypted booklet previously seized from Mr. X (who used the bounty to hire a more skilled decoding expert, the process being extremely secretive), and analyzing and integrating various scattered intelligence gathered recently, Kai gradually discovered that the ultimate goal of the agent he was tracking seemed to be more than just seeking asylum or selling stolen goods. His actions vaguely pointed to an unexpected figure—the mayor of Water Seven, the president of Carrera Corporation, Iceberg!

Chapter 61 Water Seven! Kai makes his move!

Could the so-called "important item" in the defector's possession be related to the Iceberg? Or is his defection itself related to the secrets hidden in the Iceberg or Water 7? For example, the design blueprints for the legendary ancient weapon "Pluto"?

This speculation cast a shadow over Kai's mind.

If the target is indeed connected to Iceberg, a pivotal figure in Water Seven, or even to the legendary ancient weapon, then his mission will undoubtedly be drawn into an even deeper and more unfathomable vortex!

To verify his suspicions and find further clues, Kai decided to risk approaching the Carrera Corporation headquarters, especially near the mayor's residence in the Iceberg, for closer reconnaissance.

He knew the place was heavily guarded and that CP9 members were likely secretly monitoring it, making it extremely risky, but he had no other choice.

On a dark, moonless night, Kai, like a ghost blending into the darkness, silently crept into a secluded corner on the outskirts of the Carrera Corporation headquarters.

This allows him to maximize his perception of the mayor's residence and its surrounding area, while also using the building's shadows and complex structure to conceal himself.

He held his breath, maximizing his "insight," and carefully sensed the movements inside and outside the official residence.

The mansion was brightly lit (he could sense the heat and energy fluctuations emanating from the light sources), but the atmosphere was unusually calm. Only a few loyal guards were on routine patrol, and the Iceberg himself exuded his usual composed aura.

Everything seemed so normal.

However, just when Kai thought there might be no discovery tonight and was preparing to evacuate, a sudden change occurred!

Several extremely powerful, well-trained auras, carrying a chilling killing intent like ice picks, appeared without warning on the outskirts of the mayor's residence like ghosts! These auras moved with incredible speed and silence, their coordination as perfect as a single unit, clearly indicating that they were top-tier assassins or special agents who had undergone extremely rigorous training!

It's CP9! Kai's heart skipped a beat! He had only vaguely sensed their presence before, he never expected them to launch a surprise attack tonight! And their target was none other than Mayor Iceberg!

Almost at the same time that Kai sensed the presence of these intruders, they had already broken through the outer defenses of the mansion like black lightning and silently infiltrated inside!

Immediately afterwards, the once peaceful interior of the official residence erupted in a violent collision of energy! It was the muffled sound of metal colliding with steel, the sharp whistling of air being torn apart by high-speed movement, and... Iceberg's roar filled with shock and rage!

"Who goes there?! How dare they break into the mayor's residence at night!"

A fierce battle erupted instantly! Kai could clearly sense that the energy fluctuations inside the mansion were as chaotic as boiling water! Although Iceberg's aura was calm and powerful, he was clearly struggling under the siege of several equally unfathomable intruders! The intruders used extremely strange and powerful physical techniques, each attack carrying astonishing explosive power and destructive force!

Faced with this sudden turn of events, Kai's first reaction was to get away immediately! He knew very well that this level of conflict was far beyond his current ability to intervene.