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Ten thousand meters below the sea, two large bubbles enclose a pair of islands—one large, one small. Despite being deep underwater, the islands have a sky and clouds. This is due to the giant Sunlight Tree Eve near Fish-Man Island, which transmits sunlight from the surface down to the island, creating changes in light that mimic day and night.
The entire island, bathed in sunlight filtered through seawater, is stunning—like a dream world.
Everyone, including Jason, was awestruck. The gap between what they had seen in the original story and the reality before them was immense.
Soon, their coated ship reached the entrance to Fish-Man Island. After completing the entry procedures, the ship entered the island's domain. As it passed through the bubble at the entrance, the coating membrane stayed intact, guiding the ship to Fishman Bay. Once inside the bay, the membrane naturally detached from the ship.
Before disembarking, Jason noticed a pirate flag prominently displayed—it was the flag of the Whitebeard Pirates. At this time, Fish-Man Island was under Whitebeard's protection, and his flag was prominently displayed at the entry port, serving as a powerful deterrent.
Jason glanced around at the surroundings, unimpressed, and jumped off the bow without looking back. This area, Fishman Bay, is designated for pirate ships to dock, so there are no mermaids or fishmen in sight.
The pirates on the ship watched him leave, relieved. "Great! We survived!" they exclaimed, nearly moved to tears after sending away the feared King of Hell.
Jason wandered through the streets, wide-eyed and amazed by the sights. He couldn't help but ogle at the beautiful mermaid ladies, his eyes practically popping out of his head.
"Suck, suck! I wonder if kissing a mermaid would taste like fish, hehehe!" Jason laughed perversely, drawing wary glances from the fishmen and mermaids around him. Some even kept their distance. Though Whitebeard's protection had reduced the frequency of kidnappings, they still occurred occasionally, and Jason's behavior was suspicious.
But Jason didn't mind. The relationship between humans and mermaids was strained, so a bit of hostility was normal. He thought, "It's not my problem!"
An otaku at heart, Jason was captivated by everything—the coral reef houses, the fish taxis in the water channels, and the mermaid girls with bubble rings around their waists. This was his ideal home.
But it wasn't just the mermaid beauty that fascinated him; it was also the unique food. Soon, his hands were full of snacks as he wandered from stall to stall, eating as he went. Eventually, he got lost.
"Woo~" Jason blew the conch that Fisher Tiger had given him, one that would alert the other connected conches. At the same time, in Ryugu Castle, Fisher Tiger, who was talking with King Neptune and Princess Otohime, was startled when he felt the conch in his pocket vibrate.
"What's wrong, Tiger?" asked Neptune.
"It's a friend," Tiger replied. "The one who saved me at Mariejois! I must greet him, so excuse me. We can discuss the pirate group later."
"Don't worry, Tiger," Neptune said, "let's go together. He's also our friend. Let's invite him to Ryugu Castle as our guest!"
"Good idea!" Fisher Tiger agreed, and the three of them left Ryugu Castle on a whale.
Meanwhile, Jason sat in front of a shop, sipping sea grape juice. "Where are they? Could this conch be fake? If they don't show up soon, I'll just ask the boss for more fried clams."
A few minutes later, a commotion erupted on the street. "His Majesty the King! His Majesty the King is here for an inspection!" a mermaid shouted nearby.
"Huh? What's all the noise?" Jason muttered as he turned around, still chewing his fried clams. He spotted Neptune, a giant merman, and realized, "Oh, right, this is Fish-Man Island. Seeing Neptune is normal."
"Brother Jason!" a voice called from above. Jason looked up to see a giant goldfish descending toward the shop where he was sitting. On the whale with Neptune were Fisher Tiger and Princess Otohime, who was small compared to Neptune.
Jason's mind raced. "How on earth was Shirahoshi born? It's impossible for a coelacanth and a goldfish to have kids! And those two princes—a sunfish and a shark? Your family is very mixed!"
But Jason kept these thoughts to himself and greeted them with a smile. "Yo! Uncle Tiger, you're finally here!"
"Welcome to Fish-Man Island," Fisher Tiger said. "These are King Neptune and Princess Otohime."
Neptune thanked Jason, saying, "I heard you fought with a Marine Admiral to save Tiger. Thank you! On behalf of all Fish-Man Island, we welcome you."
Princess Otohime's voice was sweet, and she was polite without any royal airs, making Jason feel both refreshed and a bit embarrassed. He had forgotten the etiquette of the pirate world, so he improvised by placing his right hand on his left shoulder and giving a slight bow.
"Haha, it was just a coincidence. Anyone causing trouble there would have gotten my help!"
"Well, it's hard to talk here. Brother Jason, come aboard. Let's head to Ryugu Castle! There's a banquet just in time!" Fisher Tiger suggested.
Jason thought for a moment. Though he was almost full, the palace might have even better food! Without hesitation, he jumped on the whale.
Ryugu Castle Banquet Hall
The luxurious, spacious hall had a shell-shaped stage in the center where singers and musicians performed, with a giant bubble film inside. Jason sat in a huge bubble, with a flounder cushion beneath him. The palace food was far superior to the street food, and it was free!
After everyone had a few drinks, Neptune asked, "Mr. Jason, do you have any particular reason for visiting Fish-Man Island?"
Jason, chewing on some sea beast meat, replied, "I'm here mainly for fun. I've heard Fish-Man Island is the most beautiful place on the Grand Line, and I've wanted to visit for a long time! Plus, I've been away for a while, so I want to bring back some unique souvenirs for my wife. I'll head back tomorrow."
Jason suddenly missed Robin. It had been nearly two months since he'd left, and he longed to hold her soft, fragrant form each morning.
"Then let Minister Zuo gather all of Fish-Man Island's specialties for you," Neptune offered.
"Oh, thank you very much!" Jason said happily, delighted to have someone else handle the shopping.
As Jason ate, Fisher Tiger and the others discussed forming a pirate group. Princess Otohime expressed concern, but Fisher Tiger reassured her. "I've decided to leave Fish-Man Island with Brother Jason tomorrow! We can discuss the pirate group later. In any case, we cannot involve Fish-Man Island in our plans."
"Are you in such a hurry?" Otohime asked.
"Yes, time is running out," Tiger replied.
"But have you considered the challenges? You're a fish-man. Humans won't easily accept you. I suggest you recruit some adventurous young people from Fish-Man Island first. Form a pirate group with them!"
Jason, sensing an important moment, paused his eating. "Here it comes," he thought.
Tiger nodded in agreement. "Indeed, are there any compatriots willing to join me?"
"Your usual brothers, Jinbei and Arlong, are willing. And some young fishmen who love freedom are also eager. Let's choose together after the banquet," Neptune said.
"Thank you, King and Princess!" Tiger said gratefully.
After the Banquet:
The group went to Gyoncorde Plaza, the site of Princess Otohime's assassination and where the Straw Hats once fought. A crowd of fishmen had gathered, including Jinbei and others. As the whale descended, four people stepped down.
"Humans? What are they doing here?" one fishman growled.
"Did they sneak in? Should we kill them?" another questioned.
The moment they saw Jason, the fishmen grew agitated, especially Arlong, who harbored the most intense hatred for humans.
"Calm down!" Fisher Tiger commanded. "Brother Jason is my friend and my savior! I escaped Mariejois only because he and another friend held off two Marine Admirals!"
"Marine Admirals? They're just a weaker race that can't even breathe underwater!" Arlong sneered. But despite his disdain, he was less hostile. He didn't truly understand the power of an Admiral but trusted his brother's judgment.
"I'm here to announce something!" Tiger declared. "I caused a big stir on the surface this time. To avoid implicating Fish-Man Island, I've decided to leave and form a pirate group! Who among you is willing to join me?"
"Brother Tiger! I want to go!" Jinbei said immediately.
"Me too!" several others echoed.
The fishmen were enthusiastic. They respected Fisher Tiger deeply and were eager for adventure after being confined to the island for so long. Ultimately, Fisher Tiger selected a few dozen fishmen, including Jinbei, Arlong, and Hatchan. Thus, the Sun Pirates were born!
It's ironic that while Princess Otohime devoted her life to fostering peace between fishmen and humans, the existence of the Sun Pirates complicated her efforts. But no one spoke of the damage countless human pirate groups had done to Fish-Man Island.
"Brother Jason, what do you think?" Fisher Tiger asked, hoping for some advice from his powerful friend.
Jason thought for a moment. "They're pretty good. Though their strength is a bit low, with caution, they should be fine. Fishmen have a natural advantage as pirates. With diligent practice, they could dominate the first half of the Grand Line! But the second half is very dangerous. Better not venture there until they're absolutely sure."
Fisher Tiger pondered Jason's advice, but Arlong bristled, and even Jinbei's eyes sharpened.
"Hey! What do you mean, human? The second half is dangerous? Don't go there unless you're sure? Just because you saved Brother Tiger doesn't mean you can talk nonsense! If I were there, I'd have killed that Admiral!" Arlong shouted.
Jason and Fisher Tiger exchanged a glance.
"Do you dare fight me?" Arlong challenged.
Fisher Tiger tried to intervene. "Brother Jason, don't be angry. Arlong's temper is like this."
Jason remained calm. "It's okay, Tiger. We're friends. I won't argue."
Arlong felt insulted. "Why don't you dare?"
Jason sighed. "It seems I'll have to fight to settle this."
Fisher Tiger became nervous, but Jason reassured him. "Don't worry, I won't hurt him. Just enough to show the difference in our strength."
The crowd backed away, giving the two room to fight.
"You can attack first. If you scratch me, I'll admit defeat," Jason offered.
Enraged, Arlong charged at Jason with his "Shark on Darts" attack, but Jason easily dodged. Arlong followed up with another move, but Jason effortlessly blocked it. The fishmen watching were stunned by his skill.
"Fight me head-on, if you dare!" Arlong yelled.
"As you wish," Jason replied.
In a blink, Jason disappeared from Arlong's sight. A voice behind him said, "Behind you!" before Arlong was sent flying into a nearby rock wall, embedding into it.
"ARLONG!" the fishmen cried out.
"He's fine. I held back," Jason assured them. Sure enough, Arlong dug himself out of the rock, still burning with anger.
"Come at me directly this time!" he demanded, grabbing his weapon, the "Kiribachi."
Jason didn't dodge. Instead, he faced Arlong head-on. "One-Sword Style: Blind 78 Cuts!"
With a flash, Arlong was sent flying again, landing in the same rock wall. This time, he was knocked out cold.
The fishmen were stunned. Could humans really be this strong?
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If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Phoenizbeelze
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