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The Sabaody Archipelago wasn't a traditional island that resulted from accumulated land masses.
Instead, it existed through the support of a unique plant native to the Grand Line: the Yarukiman mangrove.
Strictly speaking, the Sabaody Archipelago should be called the Yarukiman mangrove forest. All the island's buildings were attached to the exposed roots of these massive trees.
Over centuries, enough soil had accumulated for human habitation.
For a grove of mangroves capable of supporting an entire archipelago, one could only imagine the scale of the root system hidden beneath the sea.
Kyoma was witnessing that scale firsthand.
He and Kanna had entered the ocean in dragon form. His original plan had been to play with her while testing his dragon form's strength against the local Sea Kings.
But the moment they'd submerged, the scenery before them had stolen his breath.
Countless enormous tree roots intertwined together, extending for hundreds of meters in every direction.
They formed a complex network as intricate as the veins in a human body.
Each individual root measured ridiculously large. Kyoma and Kanna were already giants on land, yet they appeared minuscule before these intertwined root systems.
"So beautiful."
The white electric dragon's blue pupils gleamed in the deep sea.
Combined with her already elegant form, she appeared even more extraordinary in this underwater area.
Kyoma felt completely confused.
Why could he hear Kanna's voice underwater when she hadn't opened her mouth?
He'd tried speaking himself after entering the water, assuming that underwater speech was a natural dragon ability. The seawater had rushed into his mouth the moment he'd tried, nearly choking him.
Now he remained silent, even when Kanna spoke.
"Don't open your mouth. Say it in your mind," Kanna instructed.
'Can it still work like this?'
Kanna's voice did seem much clearer than on land, ringing directly inside his head rather than through his ears.
'Is this how dragons communicate?'
"Hey, Kanna, can you hear me?" Upon discovering this ability, Kyoma felt like a gamer finding a new exploit. He couldn't resist testing it repeatedly.
"I can hear you, Kyoma," Kanna replied patiently while examining their surroundings.
She'd never witnessed such wonders in the world where dragons lived. For creatures like dragons with extraordinarily long lifespans, any new experience aroused their interest, especially for Kanna, a young dragon with the most vigorous curiosity.
If she hadn't known Kyoma would probably disapprove, she would have started eating the tree roots by now.
"What an incredible communication method. Is this your ability, Kanna?" Kyoma was finally satisfied.
"Not just me, but us. Our kind... can... do it."
Kanna paused between words, finding explanation difficult. It was challenging for a young dragon to articulate such concepts clearly.
"Oh, I understand now." Kyoma grasped the basics. It aligned with his assumptions; this was simply how dragons communicated.
After acquiring the dragon bloodline, he could barely be considered a dragon now. He and Kanna didn't need to speak at all. They could transmit their thoughts directly to each other's minds.
This reminded him of the first dragon speech Kanna had used when she'd arrived, which had also appeared directly in his consciousness.
However, he'd habitually answer aloud afterward, causing Kanna to continue speaking verbally alongside him.
While Kyoma contemplated this, Kanna suddenly proposed the idea of chewing on the tree roots.
As expected, Kyoma rejected the suggestion.
He felt that after staying here for so long, eating their host's trees would be excessive.
Kanna didn't insist.
She fell quiet. She'd been particularly well-behaved since arriving, which pleased Kyoma considerably.
But he wanted her to enjoy herself, so he decided to take her to eat something else, such as the Sea Kings that were fleeing frantically after sensing their presence.
For a time, the sea churned violently. Blood and flesh filled the water.
Two predatory dragons invaded the deep ocean. Whether facing Sea Kings measuring dozens of meters or those stretching longer, nothing proved a match for the two dragons. They dispatched each creature easily with just a few bites.
If the dragons hadn't disliked eating raw food, they would have filled their stomachs already.
During this hunt, Kanna used her abilities several times.
When she opened her dragon mouth, a beam of light wrapped in crackling lightning went forth. Like a searchlight piercing the deep sea, it crossed a thousand meters in an instant and blasted an attacking Sea King into nothingness.
Because the attack carried electrical energy, after the light column dissipated, residual arcs formed an electrical grid in the seawater. It covered the area within several dozen meters. Unlucky fish and smaller creatures were stunned and floated motionless to the surface.
"Wow! So many fish!"
Kyoma heard fishermen's cheers from above the water. They were thanking nature for this gift and celebrating such a bountiful harvest, never knowing they owed their fortune to a dragon's attack.
Eventually, seeing that Kanna had grown tired, the two returned with great satisfaction. They also brought considerable prey.
****
"You jerk, Kyo-chan! You went out to play without me."
The moment he entered the house, Kagura rushed over from where she'd been reading a magazine on the sofa. She climbed onto Kyoma's shoulders, grabbed his hair with both hands, and began pulling.
When she spotted Kanna following him through the door, her anger intensified.
"You took Kanna out to play without me. I'm never speaking to you again!"
"Wait, let... let me explain..." Kyoma's face was covered by the girl, so he couldn't see.
Her legs wrapped around his neck like iron chains, squeezing him so tightly he could barely breathe.
"Look behind you first." Kagura's strength exceeded his own, so he could only try to distract her.
Kyoma struggled desperately, finally managing to get his hands between her legs and his neck, giving himself a chance to breathe.
"Huh?" Kagura looked toward the door with confusion.
In the yard lay seven or eight Sea Kings, each measuring nearly ten meters long. Their bodies were slightly charred all over, as if they'd been electrocuted. A faint aroma of cooked meat drifted from them.
This was the prey Kyoma and Kanna had brought back. They'd actually defeated far more Sea Kings, but based on his cooking experience over recent days, Kyoma had only brought back specimens with the most delicious meat.
Kagura naturally noticed the meaty aroma.
She immediately licked the corners of her lips. Her stomach growled, and the strength of her legs wrapped around him loosened considerably.
"Kyo-chan, you're the best!"
Watching the girl's attitude reverse completely, Kyoma felt speechless.
He knew exactly what she wanted; she was waiting for him to head to the kitchen and cook a feast.
****
That night, to celebrate Kanna's arrival, Kyoma employed all his culinary skills.
He combined cooking techniques from before his transmigration with new methods he'd learned in this world. After working for a full hour, he'd prepared more than a dozen different dishes.
In the small yard, the dining table overflowed with a dazzling array of food. Just as everyone began eating, Drake returned at that exact moment.
Kyoma remained speechless.
This guy disappeared during the day but always showed up at mealtimes.
He seriously suspected that half the reason Drake had agreed to travel to the New World with them was because of the food.