While Kai was heading toward the city, Arkan had slipped out of his pocket unnoticed and began exploring the new house.
With sparkling eyes and boundless curiosity, he moved from one room to another, touching the walls and leaping gracefully over the furniture. Everything was new and exciting to him, from the high ceilings to the smooth floors.
Suddenly, he stopped his mischief when he heard an unfamiliar sound from outside. The noise of wooden wheels striking gravel and heavy footsteps seemed to draw closer to the door.
Silently, he crept toward the small window overlooking the front yard. When he peeked outside, his eyes widened in astonishment.
Kai stood outside the door, pulling a massive horse-drawn cart loaded with an enormous amount of food!
Arkan cautiously opened the door and rushed outside, standing stunned by the scene. The cart was brimming with all kinds of food: huge sacks of rice, fresh cuts of meat dangling from the sides, crates filled with shiny fish that looked like they had just been caught, baskets overflowing with colorful fruits, and neatly stacked bags of vegetables.
The sight was so overwhelming that Arkan couldn't stop staring. Slowly, he lifted his head to look at Kai, who was wiping sweat from his forehead with a broad smile as he proudly said:
"Do you think this will be enough for us to last a whole month here?"
Arkan, still stunned, raised his hands in the air and shouted loudly:
"This isn't food for an ordinary person! This is enough to feed a herd of elephants!"
Arkan began hopping around the cart, examining everything closely, trying to take it all in. He picked up a shiny red apple with his small hands and exclaimed, "Kai, are you planning to start a food business instead of drawing manga? Or are we opening a restaurant in this forest?"
Kai laughed as he tied the cart beside the house, replying:
"Don't worry, all of this is just for us. I need this much because I won't be leaving the house for a while. Work is waiting, and I need all the energy I can get!"
Arkan looked back at the cart, then at Kai, shaking his head in disbelief.
"You're crazy, Kai... but at least we'll have a feast every day!"
Quickly, Kai began unloading the cart into the house. The food filled every kitchen table, leaving barely enough room for one person to walk through the space.
---
Days passed quickly, and Kai became completely immersed in drawing the manga chapters, completing a full one hundred chapters detailing the entire East Blue Arc.
Kai worked tirelessly and relentlessly, sitting at his small desk on the upper floor of his house, surrounded by scattered papers, pens, and drawing tools. Like magic, he recalled every scene with incredible precision, as if those moments were etched into his mind. He didn't miss a single detail, from characters' movements and expressions to the vivid backgrounds that breathed life into every panel.
Each day seemed repetitive, yet brimming with creativity:
By day, Kai poured himself into his drawings, the sunlight streaming through the high windows illuminating his desk.
By evening, he took short breaks, enjoying pre-prepared meals or sipping a cup of tea while gazing at the starlit sky.
When night fell, he returned to his work with unbreakable determination, guided by the light of small lamps in his room. His hands never stopped moving, his eyes laser-focused on the paper before him, as if transferring his memories seamlessly onto the manga pages.
---
Meanwhile, Arkan was living a completely different life.
While Kai was busy drawing, Arkan relished his daily explorations in the forest surrounding the house. Every day was a new adventure for him.
He discovered hidden corners, collected dry wood, and looked forward to the moment he cherished most: lighting a fire and preparing his daily feasts.
He would choose a large piece of meat or fish from the food Kai had brought.
He'd light a fire next to the house in an open space, the flames dancing gently under the dense tree shadows.
The aroma, a blend of roasted meat and spices Arkan gathered from the forest, filled the air and enveloped the area with a warm, delicious scent.
Sitting by the fire, he eagerly awaited the cooking to finish. Taking a bite of the roasted meat, he'd mumble happily, "Oh, this is the best thing in the world!"
---
Beyond the forest, in the outside world, Kai's disappearance became a topic of intrigue everywhere.
Days and weeks passed with no sign of him, as if the earth had swallowed him whole.
The Navy, who had considered him a mere minor nuisance, felt a sense of relief. Officers mockingly discussed his absence in their meetings:
"I guess our threats were enough to scare off that rookie."
"The so-called pirate vanished like the smoke of a snuffed-out candle."
But they didn't realize that his disappearance wasn't an escape—it was the calm before the storm, as Kai was planning something far greater.
Meanwhile, manga fans were gripped by anticipation and worry. They eagerly awaited any news about the "mysterious creator" who had delivered the first chapter of Luffy's adventure. The wait was driving them mad, and some couldn't contain their excitement:
In cities, small crowds gathered daily in front of art stores that sold manga, hoping for a sign or announcement of the upcoming chapters.
Hopeful seekers searched for Kai everywhere, speculating whether he had gone to another island or disappeared into the depths of the sea.
Pessimists, however, gradually lost faith: "Maybe he quit drawing. The Navy must have forced him to stop."
---
Then, one quiet morning, a world engrossed in its routine was caught off guard.
At exactly 10:00 AM, a magical event unfolded. Display screens in stores across the land lit up with an otherworldly glow, pulsating as if alive. Suddenly, bold golden text appeared:
"The second chapter of the adventure is now available!"
The message alone was enough to captivate attention and steal breaths. Whispering turned to shouting, and shouting to cheers. There was no time to think—everyone knew this was an event not to be missed.
Within moments, manga fans raced to the nearest stores in a frenzy. It was as if the ground trembled beneath the growing tide of eager footsteps. Men and women, young and old, flooded the streets like an unstoppable wave.
Even the Navy soldiers, usually prepared for emergencies, stood dumbfounded in the face of the chaos. They tried to maintain order, but their voices were drowned out by the crowd's excitement.
"Let me through first!"
"Step back!"
"Stop pushing me!"
---
Inside the stores, pandemonium reigned. Shelves were emptied in seconds, staff struggled to keep up, and voices echoed:
"Someone took my copy!"
The madness continued until midnight, with endless lines outside stores and people refusing to leave empty-handed.
Those unaware of the manga's allure were drawn in by the commotion, asking, "What's going on here?"
Upon hearing the enthusiastic answers, they found themselves swept into the excitement, buying both the first and second chapters.
In homes, streets, and under the light of night lamps, everyone immersed themselves in the second chapter, forgetting everything else.
And as the hours passed, and fans devoured the new chapter with insatiable passion, the screens lit up again, glowing with the same golden brilliance.
The words "The upcoming chapters will now be released weekly... Let the chaos begin!" appeared, promising more excitement and cementing Kai's legend.
The reaction was nothing short of an emotional explosion. Cheers echoed everywhere, and the streets filled with the sounds of people clapping and shouting with excitement:
"Weekly releases? This is unbelievable!"
"The chapters will come without delay! It's a dream come true!"
Crowds gathered around the art stores as if it were a grand celebration. They exchanged conversations about the upcoming chapter, imagining twists that could turn the manga upside down. Some were jumping with excitement, while others started planning their weekly schedules around the release time of the new chapters. Meanwhile, children ran through the streets, waving their copies like flags of victory.
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