As soon as they landed on the island, Roger, Rayleigh, and the other experienced crew members tensed up.
"Captain, First Mate, is there something wrong with this island?" someone asked, noticing their expressions.
"The atmosphere here is heavy. Just be careful while you're exploring," Roger advised.
"Yes, Captain!"
A few strong crew members stayed behind to guard the ship, while the rest ventured into the island.
A town was located not far from the shore. As Shirakawa approached it, his expression changed.
The town was in ruins. The houses were barely standing, offering little protection from the elements. The people were dressed in rags, their bodies gaunt. Some looked timid, while others had a crazed glint in their eyes.
"Captain, maybe we shouldn't stay here," Buggy said cautiously, unnerved by the townspeople's appearance.
Suddenly, a man lunged at Shirakawa with a dagger. Shirakawa reacted quickly, grabbing the man's wrist and throwing him over his shoulder, knocking him unconscious.
"Shirakawa, that was too rough," Roger reprimanded him.
"Sorry, Captain. I'll be more careful next time," Shirakawa apologized, confused as to why he had been targeted.
But that incident seemed to trigger something. More and more people, armed with various weapons, approached them, most of them glaring at Shirakawa.
"Hey, what's with the stares? I haven't done anything to you, have I?" Shirakawa said, feeling uneasy under the hostile gazes.
"They don't hate you personally. They hate the nobles of this country," Rayleigh explained.
"Nobles? That's not my problem. I'm not one of them."
"Maybe it's because you have a similar aura," Rayleigh said. Even though Shirakawa was part of the Roger Pirates, he still carried an air of nobility.
"Is my aura that noticeable?" Shirakawa wondered.
"Just knock them out. Don't hurt them too badly," Roger instructed.
"Understood, Captain."
Shirakawa stepped forward, his eyes glowing slightly as he released a controlled burst of Conqueror's Haki. The surrounding people instantly collapsed, unconscious.
Shirakawa had carefully regulated the intensity of his Haki. Otherwise, these people, whose spirits were already fragile from prolonged oppression, might have been killed by the shock.
"Let's go. We won't get any useful information in this town. Let's keep moving," Roger said.
They continued their journey, and after two days, they reached a more prosperous city.
"Split into groups and explore. Try to keep a low profile," Roger instructed.
Shirakawa, Buggy, and Shanks formed a team and entered the city.
Shirakawa was impressed by the city's appearance. It was clean and well-maintained, with all the necessary amenities. While the people weren't dressed in finery, their clothes were neat and clean.
"Let's go to a tavern," Shanks suggested. The tavern was always a good place for pirates to gather information.
"Sounds good," Buggy agreed.
"Let's go then."
They found a tavern on a quiet street. To their surprise, Rayleigh was already there.
"First Mate, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with the Captain?" Shanks asked.
"Of course I'm here to drink. Roger's off somewhere, who knows where," Rayleigh replied.
Shanks and Buggy ordered beer, while Shirakawa opted for fruit wine.
As they drank, they learned some information about the island from the bartender.
The island was large and divided into three countries, constantly at war with each other. The wars had drained the countries' resources and manpower, and the civilians suffered the most. They were heavily taxed and often forced to fight.
This had led to deep resentment towards the nobles, who were seen as the cause of the wars and the ones profiting from them.
"So, Captain, you already knew about the situation on this island?" Rayleigh asked Roger.
"We sensed a war was going on somewhere when we landed, but we didn't know the details. That's why I told everyone to be careful," Roger explained.
"It seems as long as we stay away from the main battlefields, we should be fine."
"By the way, First Mate, how long are we staying on this island?" Shirakawa asked.
"Who knows? We'll leave once the Log Pose sets for the next island. It could take a month, or even a year."
"A year? That long?" Shirakawa was surprised.
"Unless you have an Eternal Pose for a specific island, we're stuck here until the Log Pose is ready," Rayleigh explained.
"I don't have one of those," Shirakawa said.
"Then we wait," Rayleigh said casually.
After a few drinks, they were all feeling a bit tipsy and decided to find a hotel to rest.
As they were leaving the tavern, a figure bumped into Shirakawa, knocking him off balance. The figure remained nestled in his arms.
"Miss, we haven't even been introduced. This is a bit forward," Shirakawa said, looking down to see a woman in his arms.
"Shut up," a muffled voice said from his embrace.
"Looks like someone's popular with the ladies," Rayleigh teased, his tone dripping with mock jealousy. He had seen the woman heading towards him, but she had changed direction at the last moment and thrown herself at Shirakawa.
"Being handsome sure has its perks," Shanks added with a grin.
"It's not my fault! She ran into me!" Shirakawa protested.
"Shut up," the woman repeated.
"Okay, okay, I'll shut up."
A group of soldiers rushed past them, seemingly searching for someone.