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

In the harbor of Whispering Town, the sea breeze still blows, bringing with it a salty, damp atmosphere and the cries of seagulls.

The Going Merry (or the early Sun) had untied its moorings and raised its sails, which bore the Sombrero and Skull emblem.

The crew members took their positions, and no one looked back at the lone figure on the dock.

At Nami's command, the ship slowly sailed away from the harbor, its hull breaking the water's surface with a splashing sound.

That sound, once a horn of adventure and hope for Kai, now sounded like a funeral dirge, announcing the end of everything he had ever known.

Kai stood alone at the end of the pier, the sea breeze blowing his slightly worn clothes and lifting his messy black hair.

He "listened" to the familiar sound of waves breaking, felt the air currents stirred up as the ship departed, and traced its trajectory in his perceived world, growing farther and farther away, more and more blurred...

He could "hear" the faint voices of his companions coming from the deck—Luffy's energetic shouts, Usopp's boasting, Sanji probably flirting with Nami again, Zoro perhaps dozing off or wiping his sword... Those sounds that were once a part of his daily life now seemed to be in another distant world, separated from him by an insurmountable chasm.

He strained to extend his senses to their limits, trying to grasp the last "shadow" of the ship, until the sound of waves crashing, the presence of people moving about, and the overall presence of the ship completely disappeared from his perception, merging into the background noise of the vast ocean.

Everything is gone.

It was like a brief and dazzling dream, leaving only the cold reality upon waking.

The past hustle and bustle, the camaraderie of fighting side by side, the partners he once thought he could entrust his back to, all the hopes and sense of belonging for the future... all receded from his life quickly and completely, like the receding tide.

He was left all alone.

Chapter 18 Abandoned

They were abandoned on this strange island called "Whisper".

Like a lonely orphan, standing on an empty dock, facing the vast ocean and an even more uncertain future.

The sea breeze dried any moisture that might have been in the corners of his eyes (if he could shed tears), but it couldn't dispel the intense, unyielding coldness, anger, and sense of betrayal in his heart, as well as an absolute loneliness that could completely devour a person.

For the first time in his perception, the world became so desolate, so silent, so full of... malice.

The Going Merry vanished completely from the edge of our perception; the last thread connecting us to the past was severed as if by a sharp blade, leaving no trace.

A profound sense of emptiness and loss spread through Kai's heart like an abyss.

The last bit of strength that kept him standing seemed to have been drained away with the departure of the ship.

His knees buckled, and his body could no longer support him, causing him to kneel heavily on the cold, hard dock floor.

His forehead pressed against the rough stone slab, his hands clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, causing sharp pain. But this physical pain was nothing compared to the overwhelming agony he felt inside.

Betrayed by the most trusted partner.

They were abandoned by the group that they considered family.

They were falsely accused and stigmatized.

All explanations were considered lies.

All the efforts were misinterpreted as pretense.

All trust vanished.

Anger, resentment, unwillingness, confusion, and the deepest despair, like a tsunami that had been building up for thousands of years, erupted at this moment and instantly swallowed him up completely.

His chest heaved violently, and a low, hoarse growl, like that of a trapped beast, escaped his throat, but he couldn't form any meaningful syllables.

He wanted to shout, to question, to pour out all the emotions that were about to explode in his chest, but in the end, all the sounds got stuck in his throat, turning into a silent, violent tremor.

He knelt there like a puppet whose soul had been taken away, motionless, with only his shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

The world around him became unusually noisy and jarring in his perception.

He could “hear” the curious, pitying, and even gloating glances from the townspeople coming and going at the dock (he could sense the faint energy fluctuations that came from those glances when they were focused on him).

He could "hear" their hushed whispers, words that slithered into his ears like venomous snakes:

"Look, that's the guy. His pirate crew left him here."

"

"I heard he did something shameful and was kicked off the ship by the captain."

"

"Tsk tsk, they look so pitiful, but pirates are all the same, none of them are good people."

"

"Stay away from him, don't get into trouble."

"

These words, each one like a needle, pierced his heart.

Rumors spread as quickly as a plague.

The fact that he was abandoned has become an indelible "stain" in the eyes of the town's residents, and the latest label on his identity—a pirate outcast who was despised by his companions and had done bad things.

For the first time, the world appeared so clearly, so nakedly cold and malicious in his perception.

There will be no more playful banter with friends, no more warm shelter, and no more shared goals and dreams.

He was left all alone, kneeling on this unfamiliar land filled with strange looks and malicious speculation, enduring isolation and hostility from the whole world.

He had never felt so lonely, so helpless, so... angry.

This anger is not only about Luffy and his crew's betrayal, but also about the world that so easily rejected him, distorted him, and abandoned him.

After an unknown amount of time, Kai slowly raised his head.

His face was expressionless, and his empty eyes revealed no emotion.

But if someone could delve into his heart, they would discover that beneath the desolate depths of despair and pain, a faint but exceptionally tenacious flame was beginning to burn.

He used his trembling hands to support himself on the ground and struggled to his feet.

His legs were numb from kneeling for so long, but he forced himself to stand up straight.

He ignored the pointing eyes and whispers around him, turned around, and walked steadily towards the desolate, sparsely populated wilderness in the opposite direction from the town center.

His steps remained slow, even somewhat unsteady, his silhouette stretched long in the afterglow of the setting sun, appearing incredibly lonely.

But he took each step firmly, as if he wanted to bury all his pain and anger deep into the ground beneath his feet.

He needs to leave this place, to leave these people filled with malice and prejudice.

He needed a place where he could lick his wounds alone, where he could think quietly, and, most importantly, a place where he could survive.

The wilderness, though full of unknowns and dangers, at least lacks the complex and hurtful gazes and words of humans.

As night fell completely, the lights of Whispering Town gradually faded into the distance and became blurry behind him, and Kai found himself in a true wilderness.

The surrounding area was a dense forest, and the ground beneath one's feet was uneven and covered with dead leaves. The air was filled with the damp smell of soil and the stench of decaying vegetation. In the distance, the howls of unknown wild animals could be heard from time to time, adding to the eeriness and terror.

For an ordinary person, spending the night alone in such an environment is already a challenge, but for Kajin, who has just suffered a huge blow, is physically and mentally exhausted, and is blind, it is undoubtedly a hellish test.

He lost the support of his companions, the shelter and supplies provided by the ship, and even the most basic conveniences of human society.

The inconvenience caused by blindness is magnified infinitely at this moment, becoming sharp and cruel.

He is unable to use his vision to determine direction, find paths, or detect danger like a normal person.

All he could rely on was his still-developing sensory abilities and the faint, unyielding will to survive within him.

Chapter 19 Still Daring to Be Stubborn

The first night was exceptionally difficult.

The cold, like a venomous snake, seeped into his bones through his thin clothes.

Hunger burned in his stomach like fire.

Exhaustion washed over him like a tidal wave, constantly assaulting his tense nerves.

The greatest threat, however, comes from the unknown dangers lurking in the darkness.

He dared not lie down to rest, so he could only sit with his back against a relatively thick tree, pushing his senses to the limit.

He listened intently to every subtle sound around him: the rustling of leaves in the wind, the chirping of insects, the babbling of a distant stream, and... the approaching footsteps and breaths of predators.

Several times, he sensed wild beasts lurking nearby, probing him.

He suppressed his fear, remained calm, and struck the tree trunk with a stone to make noise, or released the somewhat violent aura of anger and despair emanating from him, trying to scare them away.

Fortunately, these nocturnal predators also seemed to be quite cautious, and did not launch an attack rashly without being absolutely certain of success.

Finding a water source also consumed a great deal of his energy.

He could only rely on listening to the faint sound of flowing water in the distance, or sensing the direction where the moisture in the air was denser, and then grope his way forward through the rugged, obstacle-filled woodland.

Several times, he nearly tripped over tree roots or had his cheek scratched by drooping branches.

When he finally found a cold mountain stream and cupped the sweet spring water in his trembling hands, a feeling of exhaustion, as if he had survived a disaster, almost made him collapse to the ground.

Food is an even bigger problem.

He tried to catch some small animals, but given his current condition and abilities, the efficiency was extremely low.

More often than not, he can only rely on his senses to find edible wild fruits or plant roots.

He had to be very careful because many plants are poisonous, and the consequences of accidentally ingesting them could be disastrous.

He could only rely on his exceptionally keen sense of smell and touch, as well as his faint perception of the energy of plants, to make judgments.