Whale Island is an island located some distance from the mainland, named for its resemblance to a whale.
The terrain on the island is complex, teeming with rare birds and exotic beasts, dense rainforests, and countless deep lakes.
There are few native inhabitants on the island, with only a single village.
Though the permanent population is small, the number of transient visitors is quite large.
Fishermen setting out from the mainland use Whale Island as a temporary rest stop, often staying for a few days before returning to port.
Most of Whale Island's residents rely on fishing, with a small portion engaged in farming. The village has only one tavern in operation.
Most seafaring men love alcohol, so when they arrive on Whale Island, they almost always stop by the island's only tavern for a few drinks.
September 16th, one day after the Yorknew City auction. A small, sail-less wooden boat drifted with the currents and docked at the port, drawing the attention of many fishermen.
Around it, six large fishing boats were moored at the harbor, forming a stark contrast with the small, lifeboat-sized vessel.
"A ghost ship?"
Some fishermen speculated.
A ghost ship, also known as a derelict, is often seen by fishermen as a drifting vessel with no one aboard.
Most fishermen had encountered ghost ships before… either empty or carrying the skeletal remains of a corpse picked clean by seabirds.
A few men closer to the small boat approached. As they neared, they saw a person lying inside the slightly deep hull, their face covered by an old-fashioned straw hat.
The person's chest showed no movement, as if they weren't breathing.
One of the men said, "A small boat like this couldn't have made it here. This guy might be done for."
"Even so, we should carry the body ashore and bury it." Another person said.
"Let's do it."
Among fishermen, it was taboo to speak the word 'death' when referring to corpses found at sea. If encountered, they had to be buried on land… this was one of the customs fishermen followed.
Every fishing boat that set sail carried several buckets of soil from the mainland, just for handling corpses found on derelicts.
The men prepared to move the body from the small boat, and nearby fishermen gathered to watch.
Just then, the supposed corpse suddenly sat upright, and the straw hat fell off.
The men who had approached were startled and took several steps back.
"Excuse me, is this Whale Island?"
The man on the boat picked up the straw hat, placed it on his head, then grabbed a fishing rod and stood up.
This black-haired young man wearing a straw hat was Law.
The men stared at him wide-eyed and nodded reflexively.
Seeing this, Law realized he had reached his destination.
The man who had earlier declared Law dead snapped out of his daze and said, "We thought you were dead."
"Mister, is it really okay to curse people like that?"
Law raised an eyebrow and stepped from the boat onto the shore.
"Sorry, sorry." The man was straightforward and immediately apologized, knowing his words had been inappropriate.
Law didn't mind and rubbed his stomach, "Is there a restaurant here?"
Hearing the question, the men exchanged glances. Along with the others who had gathered, they realized Law was a complete stranger who knew nothing about Whale Island.
"No, but there's a tavern in the village. If you want food, you can go there." Someone replied.
"Thank you."
After expressing his gratitude, Law headed toward the village.
The people at the harbor watched him leave. The minor incident was over, and they soon returned to their usual routines.
Whale Island's port was large, but the village itself was small, with few visible buildings spaced loosely apart.
As Law entered the village, he didn't need to search hard… the scent of alcohol led him straight to the tavern. He pushed the door open and was met with a boisterous atmosphere.
The tavern was nearly full, likely with fishermen from the six large boats docked at the port.
"Welcome."
A pleasant female voice greeted him.
Law looked up, his eyes lighting up slightly.
The owner of the voice was a young woman with short orange hair, her bangs swept back to reveal a smooth forehead. Her features were delicate, and her eyes were particularly expressive, bearing a faint resemblance to Ging.
Mito, Ging's cousin.
In the original work, Mito appeared only briefly and infrequently, but she left a deep impression on Law and was one of his favorite female characters.
This trip to Whale Island was partly to see the Master of the Swamp, but also to meet Mito in person.
"Seats are almost full. If you don't mind, you can squeeze in further inside." Mito said, gesturing toward the crowded seating area after noticing the young man's gaze.
Her tavern had hosted many guests over the years, and in that time, she'd encountered all kinds of men. Most of them looked at her the same way.
That kind of 'eyes lighting up' directed at a woman was, to put it bluntly, the gaze of a lecher.
However, this was the first time Mito had seen such a look from someone as young as Law.
Unaware that Mito had already lumped him in with the rough, uncouth men inside, Law nodded at her and made his way in.
Seats were tight, but he managed to find a table with just enough space and set down his fishing rod.
Without his disguise mask on, his smooth, delicate complexion stood out starkly among the group of men weathered by sun and sea.
The fishermen at his table glanced at him a few more times, finding him unfamiliar and clearly not one of their own.
"What would you like?"
Mito, having finished her previous task, came over to take his order.
From the start, Mito hadn't used any formal language in her service, suggesting this tavern didn't prioritize customer hospitality.
"What food do you have?" Law asked.
"For seafood-based mains, we have rice, fried noodles, rice vermicelli..." Mito listed off several staple dishes, mostly seafood-based but with some mountain game as well.
Whale Island had a sparse population but abundant resources, with plenty of wild delicacies to be found in its dense forests.
"I'll have seafood fried rice and a glass of fruit wine," Law ordered after a brief moment of consideration.
"Got it."
Mito noted the order, gave Law a faint smile, then headed toward the kitchen behind the bar.
While waiting for his food, Law scanned the tavern.
Some fishermen were playing cards, but most were drinking heartily, their conversations growing louder.
Law didn't actively listen, but their topics still reached his ears.
Amid the noisy chatter, he caught mentions of a once-in-a-decade Tide, a narrow escape, and stumbling upon a boatload of rare fish.
"Big brother, are you good at fishing?"
Amid the clamor, a child's voice drew Law's attention.
Turning toward the sound, he saw a six- or seven-year-old boy in a green short-sleeved shirt and shorts, with spiky black hair and eyes the same color as Mito's.
At this moment, the boy was blinking curiously at the fishing rod Law had placed on the edge of the table.
Law looked at the child and grinned.
'Gon, Ging's son.'
"Of course I am."
Law winked at Gon and said seriously, "I don't even need bait, and I can catch any fish I want."
"Really?!"
Upon hearing this, Gon's eyes sparkled with admiration.
The fishermen at the table gave Law skeptical looks. They didn't know his fishing method, but it was true… he didn't use bait. If anything, Kuro could replace the hook entirely and act as bait itself.
"Absolutely. Want me to teach you?"
Law reached out and ruffled Gon's hair. For a moment, he considered taking a photo to send to Ging, but then dismissed the idea, figuring Ging was probably watching his son's growth from the shadows somehow.
"Yes!" Gon nodded eagerly.
"I'll teach you after I finish eating," Law said with a smile.
Just then, someone pulled Gon away… Mito, who had returned with his seafood fried rice and fruit wine.
She set the tray down on the table with a little more force than necessary, her gaze carrying a hint of hostility as she looked at Law.
"Uh…"
Law was momentarily speechless, completely baffled by Mito's sudden hostility.
'Was it because of my claim about fishing without bait? But I am telling the truth… if I hooked Kuro, I could catch any fish he wanted without needing bait.'
"Your seafood fried rice and fruit wine."
Mito placed the dishes on the table, then wordlessly dragged Gon away.
Law scratched the back of his head, utterly confused.