Chapter 1: The Monster on Hachinosu
The New World, Beehive Island—Hachinosu.
Ever since the Rocks Pirates were established and made this their base of operations, Hachinosu had become a true island of pirates.
In a tavern located in the southeast of the island, a tall man with a pair of horns growing from his head sat at the bar.
He held a massive keg of booze in one hand, while the other gripped a spiked Kanabo. Lying around him were numerous people; judging by their wounds and the bloodstains on the Kanabo, the man before them was the culprit.
Aside from the fallen, a dozen more men surrounded him, weapons in hand. The battle, it seemed, was far from over.
Such incidents were common on Hachinosu. With so many pirates calling this place home, a certain order existed, yet mutual slaughter among pirates was a daily occurrence. A single disagreement could lead to a brawl at the drop of a hat.
The little girl tending the bar seemed accustomed to this. She simply wiped a glass in her hand, silent and unfazed.
The girl had smooth skin, dressed in a one-piece swimsuit. Her complexion, however, was unique—a light green distinct from normal humans. Her eyes were red, her ears resembled fish fins, and similar fin-like structures grew on her elbows. Her aqua-blue hair was tied back in a ponytail.
At this moment, she held a small notebook, recording the damaged items.
"Kaido, you're paying for everything you broke."
The horned man was none other than the future Emperor of the Sea, the man known as the "Strongest Creature" on land, sea, and air—Kaido of the Beasts.
Right now, however, he seemed completely wasted. Hearing the word "pay," his voice carried a hint of sorrow.
"Why...? They started it. Why do I have to pay in the end...?"
Kaido looked incredibly aggrieved, as if tears might fall at any moment. Anyone familiar with him knew: Kaido was drunk.
Drunken Kaido was a completely different beast from sober Kaido—emotionally volatile, sentimental, acting like a spoiled brat, capable of anything and utterly unpredictable.
"Hmph. If you wipe all these guys out, who else is there to pay but you?!"
"Worororo!! You make a good point! Looking at it that way, I guess I really do have to pay..."
The sorrow vanished from Kaido's laughter, replaced by sheer delight, as if he found her logic perfectly sound.
He threw his head back, drained the keg, and smashed it to pieces on the floor. The girl immediately added another entry to the bill.
As Kaido stood up, gripping his Kanabo, the surrounding pirates tightened their hold on their weapons.
Yet, neither Kaido (who was just told to pay up) nor the pirates (who the girl judged would definitely lose to Kaido) showed any hostility toward the girl.
"Kaido, you bastard! Get away from the bar if you've got the guts!"
The pirates seemed afraid of something, hesitating to attack Kaido while he was in that spot. Kaido said nothing; he simply stood and assumed a combat stance.
As the brawl commenced, the tavern erupted in chaotic noise.
"Thunder... Bagua!"
Kaido swung the Kanabo forward. The pirate closest to him was sent flying like a ragged doll, smashing into a nearby table.
"You idiot, watch where you're swinging!"
"Get him! Kill that guy!"
"Don't lose, Kaido! I bet all my money on you!"
The clash of combat, the sound of breaking furniture, and the cheers of those watching the drama unfolded into a cacophony of noise.
Meanwhile, the little girl sat calmly behind the bar, tallying her accounts.
"Oi, oi, oi! That table has sentimental value! Extra charge! Seven chairs, twenty-eight glasses, the floor..."
Just then, the tavern doors burst open. A man standing over three meters tall walked in.
He had long black hair and wore a blood-red robe. Overall, he looked no different from a human.
His pupils were also red, containing a hint of cold indifference, though a trace of tenderness emerged when he looked at certain people.
With his arrival, the tavern fell into an instant silence. Only Kaido's battle continued.
Gulp...
The pirates watching the show stopped cheering. They swallowed nervously and tapped their companions, signaling them to stop drawing attention.
"What's wrong?"
"What are your eyes for? Didn't you see Nereus is here?!"
The fear in his eyes as he looked at the door was palpable. He clearly knew how terrifying this newcomer was, unlike his companion who seemed to be a rookie unaware of the local hierarchy.
"Last time, his fight with Rocks lasted seven days and seven nights with no clear winner. If they hadn't just been sparring, they probably would have sunk the entire island. That man is a certified... monster..."
These words made the rookie realize the magnitude of the man's power. He immediately and obediently backed away, not wanting to get burned.
"Good afternoon, Big Bro Nereus."
"Papa, you're here~"
A silly-looking hulk at the door greeted Nereus, and the little girl behind the bar waved.
The man named Nereus was the reason the pirates dared not show hostility toward the girl.
Nereus, a transmigrator. He looked like an ordinary human—after all, a height of three meters wasn't considered unusual on these seas.
But he was actually a Fish-man. Looking human was simply a trait of his specific Fish-man lineage.
Fish-men varied greatly in appearance. Some had obvious piscine features, like Arlong. But they were ultimately a demi-human race. Others showed almost no such traits.
In the original timeline, Jack and Sasaki of the Beasts Pirates were examples of this—both were Fish-men who looked almost entirely human. Nereus belonged to this latter category.
"Nanamo, recording the value of damaged goods is correct. But why didn't you just make them fight outside?"
Nanamo, the girl behind the bar, hid the notebook behind her back, seemingly unsure how to explain.
Nereus didn't dwell on it. He shifted his gaze to Kaido, who was still fighting nearby.
Hachinosu was a mixed bag of pirates. Although Kaido hadn't fully matured yet, dealing with these guys wasn't difficult. By the time Nereus arrived, there were few people left standing around him.
Amidst the battle, Kaido seemed to have grown even more excited. He grabbed a flagon from a shelf, chugging it down, the drunkenness on his face intensifying.
"Hic~ Nereus... You're here? Wanna have a drink together?"
Despite offering a drink, Kaido smashed the flagon onto the last standing pirate. Blood mixed with alcohol flowed onto the floor, adding more filth to the tavern.
"Tch. Did you forget what I told you? Don't cause trouble on my turf!"
No one saw Nereus move. In a split second, he appeared beside Kaido, placing a hand lightly on him.
Kaido, who had been slaughtering everyone moments ago, instantly broke out in a cold sweat. His drunkenness seemed to evaporate significantly.
"Nereus..."
BOOM!
Nereus didn't wait for Kaido to finish. He administered a session of "physical sobering."
Kaido's massive body was slammed into the ground, his head practically embedded in the floorboards.
Nereus walked over to Nanamo, gesturing for her to hand over the notebook.
"Nereus... those guys... started it..."
A moment later, Kaido sat up, rubbing his head and explaining the situation.
"Why else do you think I only helped you 'sober up'? Restore the tavern to its original state, or else..."
"Papa, he's too clumsy to fix things. Just let him pay for it..."
Nereus tapped Nanamo's head lightly with the notebook. Watching her squat down with her head in her hands, pretending it hurt, he spoke sternly:
"Do you think I don't know how much these things cost? Where exactly were you planning to stash the extra money you demanded?"
The prices in Nanamo's notebook were clearly higher than the value of the items. If Kaido actually paid what Nanamo asked, there would be a significant chunk of change left over.
Well, where does money come from if not maintenance costs? Fix the road twice, and the money appears.
"My allowance isn't enough..."
"If it's not enough, tell me. Don't play these little tricks."
Nereus put the notebook away and tossed a wallet to Nanamo.
"I recall you have plans with Katakuri and the others this afternoon. It's almost time. Go on and play."
Nanamo counted the bills in the wallet, flashed a heart sign with her hands, flipped over the bar, and left the tavern. The big guy who had been next to Nereus silently followed her.
This was, after all, an island of pirates. Although certain rules existed for various reasons, he still couldn't feel entirely at ease letting a child run around alone.
It was fine on his own turf, but if she went out, it was best to have someone shadow her.