Time shifts back slightly.
At the edge of Totto Land, near Wano Country.
The Thousand Sunny cut through the waves, its sails billowing, the straw-hat-wearing skull emblem strikingly visible.
Perched on the lion figurehead, Luffy sat cross-legged, the fierce sea wind whipping his hair about, occasionally lifting the straw hat hanging around his neck.
He wore a red sleeveless top, light-yellow cropped pants, and his ever-present sandals.
Behind him, Zoro—dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt, black pants, a green apron tied around his waist, and three long swords at his hip—stood with a calm expression, gazing at the vast ocean.
His eye, marked with a vertical scar, was open, revealing a normal pupil, not some hawk-eye or sharingan.
"This feels off, Luffy. We've openly appeared near their base, but no pirates have come to intercept us. Could it be that the Beast God Pirates have all set out for Marine Headquarters? Today is August 28th, after all."
"Yep! I already heard—the fish in the sea told me hundreds of pirate ships passed by here this morning."
"Should we turn back then?"
"Not yet... I've picked up some other news."
As he spoke, Luffy lifted his head, looking toward the sea ahead of the Thousand Sunny.
The water there bulged continuously, as if some massive sea creature was about to emerge.
Splash.
The sea parted, and a giant whale shark surfaced, a blue, portly figure standing on its broad head.
"Luffy-kun!"
A deep voice rang out, filled with joy and a hint of unspoken guilt.
"Jinbei!"
Luffy grinned and stood up.
Soon, Jinbei leaped onto the deck, scanning the area before asking in confusion.
"Why don't I see the others? Where are Nami, Robin, Usopp, and Chopper?"
"They're in the East Blue, in Shimotsuki Village." Luffy and Zoro exchanged a glance before he replied.
Jinbei was taken aback. "If none of them are here, who's steering the ship?"
"Franky," Zoro said with a laugh.
"Franky? He came too? Why hasn't he shown himself?"
Jinbei glanced toward the ship's cabin but saw no sign of Franky.Luffy chuckled softly, then opened his mouth and shouted.
"Franky!"
"What do you want from me?"
Under Jinbei's astonished gaze, the massive lion head of the Thousand Sunny rose with a mechanical clatter, turned around, opened its mouth, and emitted Franky's voice.
"Fr...Franky? What's going on?" Jinbei was utterly shocked.
"So it's Jinbei! Hahaha, I've merged myself with the Thousand Sunny! Can't be helped, I've lost most of my body.
Actually, in my original design plans, I incorporated some design concepts from the ancient warship Pluton into the Thousand Sunny. Now that I've merged with it, I can perfectly utilize some of the Thousand Sunny's special functions!"
A clear expression of sorrow immediately appeared on Jinbei's face, as if he wanted to speak but hesitated.
"Hahaha, don't be sad! This version of me is the most super! So, Jinbei! Want to travel together? The Thousand Sunny can now soar through the skies and dive into the seas - we can reach anywhere!"
"Franky, don't pressure Jinbei," Luffy said softly.
"Luffy..."
Jinbei's expression showed inner conflict as he suddenly took two steps back and knelt heavily on the deck.
His powerful body bowed forward as he knocked his head against the deck several times with loud thuds.
Luffy quickly reached out to help him up, but Jinbei stopped him.
Jinbei raised his head, the struggle on his face gradually calming.
"I'm sorry, Luffy, Zoro, Franky! I'm afraid I cannot continue this journey with you."
Luffy and Zoro remained silent, but Franky's voice spoke up again.
"What's wrong? Don't tell me you've joined the Beast God Pirates too, Jinbei?"
"No! I would never join the Beast God Pirates!"
Jinbei's response was resolute, without a hint of hesitation.
"But... you must have heard by now that King Neptune has promised Shirahoshi's hand in marriage to Caesar. The Fish-Man Island has now left the sunless depths ten thousand meters below the sea."
As he spoke, Jinbei pointed toward a distant island.
"The Fish-Man Island is down below over there, and that island was granted to the fish-men race by Caesar as their territory.
From now on, the fish-men race will no longer be trapped in the deep sea! We can come up to enjoy the sunlight anytime and interact with the races on land!"
"This is what the entire fish-men race has been seeking for hundreds of years! Countless fish-men have lost their lives for this cause. Caesar caused Brook's death - I will never forgive him for that!"
"But... he is also the benefactor of the entire fish-men race, the son-in-law of King Neptune, the husband of Princess Shirahoshi, and the protector of the fish-men race."
"Therefore, I have decided that for the rest of my life, I will remain here and not go anywhere else. I will protect the fish-men race until the end of my days."
"So, I'm very sorry, Luffy. Please... remove me from the Straw Hat Pirates!"
As Jinbei finished speaking, his eyes involuntarily filled with tears.
After hearing this, Franky fell silent, and the Thousand Sunny's lion head slowly retracted.
"What nonsense are you talking about, Jinbei! We'll always be nakama! We've fought side by side so many times, and without you, I probably would have died after Ace."
Luffy laughed as he exerted strength with both hands and helped Jinbei up from the deck.
"Luffy..." Jinbei tried to say something more, but Luffy stopped him.
Luffy placed his hands behind his back, his black hair flowing in the wind.
"Jinbei, are the Fish-Men doing well here? They haven't been bullied, have they?"
"Not at all! Captain Caesar, though domineering in style, is a man of his word.
This island he granted to the Fish-Men has an excellent geographical location, very close to Wano Country, making it convenient for travel between the two places.
Initially, there were some humans, even including subordinate pirates of the Beast God Pirates, who wanted to target the Fish-Men.
But they met a terrible end—all were executed directly by Captain Caesar. Since then, no one in these waters has dared to offend us Fish-Men."
"Tottoland, also known as the Land of All, is home to many races. Our Fish-Man tribe blends in without standing out. Now, the hostility our kin once held toward humans is gradually fading.
This is something I never dared to imagine before. Queen Otohime's wish has been perfectly fulfilled. In the future, I will witness the Fish-Man tribe moving toward an even brighter future!"
Luffy and Zoro listened quietly, and by the end, they both smiled in unison.
"That's great, Jinbei! Congratulations, your dream has come true. Well, let's part ways here! See you next time!"
As he spoke, Luffy gave Jinbei a firm hug.
Zoro walked over and patted Jinbei on the shoulder.
"Protecting what you cherish is happiness."
...
"I never expected the Sunny could fly."
On the sea surface, Jinbei watched with a complex expression as the Sunny shot out strong gusts of wind from below, lifting it into the air and swiftly soaring away.
In the distance, Neptune and a group of Fish-Men silently observed the scene.
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