Summary:
The Shandia are in a terrible panic after Mont Blanc Noland killed Kashigami, who they believed to be their God. Noland’s own crew also begin to panic, unsure of what exactly their captain has just gotten them into. As the villagers challenge Kalgara to kill Noland in retaliation, the two men stare at each other. Calgary’s daughter, Mousse, begins to cry over the inevitable clash between the two warriors. Noland tries to reason, but Kalgara isn’t interested and rushes him. During their confrontation, they exchange taunts: Noland asks if that’s all Kalgara has, while Kalgara claims it’s nothing, but at least it’s “progress”. The Shandia are shocked that Noland is able to match Calgary in strength. Kalgara sees his daughter watching the fight and throws her a dagger. He begs her to take her own life to save the village and tells her she should be ashamed. She tries to comply, but Noland knocks the dagger out of her hand. However, Kalgara took advantage of the opening and impaled Noland in the shoulder from behind. Noland’s crew call out to him in concern, but the villagers hold them at knife point. Kalgara states that the crime of killing their God cannot be redeemed by Noland’s life alone, adding Noland’s crew to the retribution. This infuriates Noland, who states that it is shameful that the concept of using blood to propitiate the gods still exists in this day and age. He vehemently refuses to be sacrificed and scoffs at the idea of using God as an excuse to take lives. Instead, he suggests that Shandia give him time, and he accomplishes the same deed they intended by sacrificing Mousse’s life: curing the village of their disease. This causes an uproar between Shandia and Kalgara reaffirms his intention to kill Noland. However, Noland counters that if he escaped, the villagers would continue their tradition of human sacrifice, something he intends to never allow them to do again. However, Chief Shandia senses Noland’s sincerity and gives Noland until sundown the next day to fulfill his promise while his crew is imprisoned.
As Noland’s crew sit in their cell, there are mixed feelings of doubt and reassurance that they will get the job done. They notice that Mousse is also locked in a cell next to them, and some of them wonder how she can live in a village like this. However, when asked about their captain, the crew universally praise Noland’s reputation as an explorer, botanist, and lovable man in general. While Mousse herself has not responded, it seems to have calmed the crew down, with many of them now wondering what they can do to pass the time.
At the chief’s residence, several villagers ask him why they were not allowed to kill the intruders. He replies that they will get their answers tomorrow because the village’s continued survival is worth the wait. The disgruntled villagers urge Kalgar to speak, who simply states that he will kill Noland immediately at the first sign of trouble. The chief agrees and says that since he can no longer hear the voice of his god, he will listen to the voice of his people instead. Kalgara leaves in frustration, only to see Set outside waiting for him. He asks Seto if he’s feeling better, to which he says yes. However, Seto asks Kalgara to explain his meaning of the word “progress” when he said it to Noland during their fight. Elsewhere in the forest, Noland is delighted to find exactly what he was looking for: a Kona tree.
The next day, Noland’s crew and the rest of the villagers are awakened by an earthquake. The crew pleads to be freed while the villagers panic that Kashigami is unleashing his wrath on them. Kalgara immediately begins hunting Noland, angry at himself for letting the explorer live. The earthquake drastically changed the landscape of the entire island and caused much of it to sink. Kalgara notices this as he makes his way through the forest and eventually discovers Noland wedged in one of the crevices where the island split. He mocks Noland and tells him that God did this to him. However, Noland counters that their god must not be that powerful, he must only be able to take down one man. Kalgara calls him stubborn and Noland asks why he came. Kalgara explains that he will kill him for their god Kashi and asks if he knows why the earthquake happened. Noland is amused by the idea of a snake causing an earthquake and jokes that it must want to eat him first. This brings further anger from Calgary, though Noland continues by reaffirming his intention to get back to the village. However, Calgary will be content to sit back and watch Noland try to get out of his current predicament.