Q: When the Shark Giant swims, does it move lying flat like a submarine, or upright like a person?
A: However it wants.
It could stroll along the seabed, glide like a diver, or even keep half its body above water. Nothing about it seemed scientific.
Sitting inside the cockpit, Zhang Da Ye felt like he was riding in a submarine—though he had never actually been in one.
Tom was practically plastered against the screen, pawing at it as he watched the fish swim past.
Zhang Da Ye quickly pulled him back, worried Tom might get too excited and dismantle the Shark Giant.
"Shark Chili, when you dive with the Shark Giant, do you need to worry about water pressure?" Zhang Da Ye asked.
"No need. Both my body and the Shark Giant have automatic regulation systems, kind of like a fish's natural ability," Shark Chili replied.
Rui Meng Meng suddenly had an idea. "Wait, does that mean we can just go straight to Fishman Island? Can the Shark Giant dive ten thousand meters?"
"The Shark Giant can handle it, but you can't," Shark Chili said. "The cockpit's air is limited. For a short trip it's fine, but if you don't reach Fishman Island within an hour, you'll suffocate."
The deep sea really was troublesome. Not only were there enormous sea beasts and Sea Kings, but also chaotic currents that could sweep you away to who-knows-where.
"Maybe we could prepare oxygen tanks. Or use the local method—coat the Shark Giant with bubble film?" Zhang Da Ye suggested.
"Maybe. I'll go find those shipwrights we met earlier and ask about coating. Payment won't be an issue—one performance of my Super Transformation should cover it."
"Also, Boss Da Ye, I was thinking… maybe I could be the navigator? When it comes to the sea, none of you know it better than me. Of course, I'll need to relearn the oceans of this world."
"If you want to try, that's perfect. We'll buy books on currents and weather when we get back… and Tom can study with you." Zhang Da Ye grinned. If Shark Chili had the talent, great. If not, Tom definitely did.
"Sea beast approaching, right rear," Artoria warned. She detected it before the Shark Giant did.
"Alright, let's meet it head-on!" Shark Chili yanked the controls, and the Shark Giant turned toward the threat.
Within seconds they saw it clearly: a beast with the body of a lion and the tail of a fish. By naming convention, it should be called a Sea Lion. It was slightly larger than the Shark Giant.
The Sea Lion showed no fear and lunged forward with teeth bared.
"Shark Fin Ship-Cleaver!" Shark Chili slammed a button and swung the controls.
The Shark Giant's right arm swept its blade down, tearing open the Sea Lion's body, nearly splitting it in half.
The beast rolled belly-up, dead in an instant.
"Too fragile. Can't even show off the Shark Giant's power," Shark Chili said, but he clenched his fist in satisfaction.
"This water combat ability is strong," Zhang Da Ye muttered. Ordinary ships would be no match for such a beast. "What about that cannon on its left arm?"
"Let's test it on him." Shark Chili aimed the Shark Giant's left arm at the floating carcass.
"Shark Cannon!" A golden beam shot from the cannon, piercing straight through the Sea Lion and blasting a towering water pillar into the air.
"I—" Zhang Da Ye almost swore. "That's Kizaru's laser!"
You called it a cannon, but it's a laser? So the flashy names really are just for show!
Shark Chili, who had learned about Kizaru from the papers, nodded. "Now that you mention it, it does seem similar to Admiral Kizaru's ability. Not sure if the power compares, though."
As he spoke, Shark Chili shrank back into his little shark form, and the Shark Giant's blade and cannon folded back into place.
"Ah, time's up," Shark Chili said, rubbing his belly. "I probably need to eat something."
The Shark Giant hauled the Sea Lion ashore before vanishing with a wave of Shark Chili's hand.
Watching him devour skewer after skewer of roasted meat, Zhang Da Ye finally understood where the Shark Giant's energy came from.
Apparently, after experiencing a sudden blackout once, Shark Chili had linked the Giant's power source directly to his own body—like his little helper shark. Black technology, no questions asked.
After eating, everyone trained. Zhang Da Ye swam laps for stamina, while Shark Chili demonstrated his natural underwater prowess.
Even without transforming, he swam faster than most sharks.
Tom, ever playful, had Shark Chili pull him around on a surfboard with a rope—calling it "training."
Amused, Zhang Da Ye tried it too, tying the rope around his waist to tow Tom. He was immediately dismissed as too slow, not thrilling at all.
By noon they returned, bringing only the best cuts of meat back, tossing the rest to the fish.
"Wouldn't it be great if this meat attracted a Sea King? We could try hunting one," Zhang Da Ye said.
"No problem," Shark Chili replied. "I'll dive, lure one in, then let it taste the Shark Giant's power."
Zhang Da Ye sighed. "At this rate, the Shark Giant's going to turn into the Killer Giant."
"I agree," Artoria said. "It would be the perfect chance to test my sword."
Liar. You just want to taste Tom's cooking.
"Boss Da Ye, I've spotted a wanted man," Shark Chili said as they neared the tavern.
His vision split into three sections: the right side was normal, focused on a passerby, while the left split into two. The top half showed a bounty poster photo, and the bottom listed details.
Name: Hyde
Age: 25
Sex: Male
Bounty: 500,000 berries
Crimes: April, Sea Circle Calendar 1508, robbery. June, robbery and murder.
"You can do that?" Zhang Da Ye asked, stunned. He thought Shark Chili could only identify B-series robots, not bounty criminals.
"Yes. You said you wanted to catch criminals for bounty money, so during sleep-learning I added all the posters stored with the newspapers. Same as before, just switched robot ID for face recognition. It's something I was built to do."
They had picked up stacks of wanted posters from the Navy branch—hundreds, maybe over a thousand. Shark Chili had processed them all.
"Incredible! You can spot even low-bounty criminals hidden in crowds, without missing a single one. This is amazing!"
Zhang Da Ye was thrilled. He could only recognize anime characters or the high-bounty names he remembered—nothing close to this.
"Shall we capture him then?" Shark Chili asked.
"Of course. He's a murderer."
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