Chapter 75: The Liberation of the Slaves

That day, the monumental incident reported worldwide truly stunned people across the globe.

Though minor differences existed between the World Economic Journal and other newspapers, their headlines were largely the same:

—HOLY LAND MARIJOA ATTACKED!! The Fish-Man Adventurer, Fisher Tiger!!

—Has a Fish-Man Pirate Crew, Led by the Notorious Fisher Tiger, Been Formed?!

"H-Hey!! Today’s news is insane!!"

"No way… A fish-man, all alone, went up against the Celestial Dragons…?!"

"He actually did it…!! Fisher Tiger is a hero who freed the slaves!!!"

People read the unbelievable article and erupted in praise.

The tyranny of the Celestial Dragons was known worldwide. Countless had harbored resentment but were forced to endure it due to their overwhelming authority and military might.

Amidst this, Fisher Tiger—who scaled the Red Line with his bare hands, rampaged through the Holy Land of Marijoa alone, and liberated countless slaves—was hailed as a hero.

The reaction among fish-men was especially fervent. Not just the roughnecks, but even ordinary citizens of Fish-Man Island celebrated his deeds as legendary.

Alongside the freed fish-men and merfolk slaves, the outcasts of Fish-Man District who admired Tiger rallied to him.

"—Listen up!! If you follow me, there’s no turning back!! You’ll all be hunted too!! If you’re fine with that… then come with me!!!"

"Of course, Aniki Tiger!!! We ain’t lettin’ you die alone!!!"

"Shahaha!! Damn right!! The real sinners are the humans!!"

To erase the distinction between former slaves and the rest, they branded themselves with the "Sun Pirate Mark."

Thus, the "Sun Pirates" were born—a crew composed entirely of fish-men and merfolk, also known as the Fish-Man Pirates.

Most of the world believed Fisher Tiger and his Sun Pirates were solely responsible for the incident, that they alone were the heroes who freed the slaves.

…But whispers lingered.

Some claimed the assault on the Holy Land wasn’t Tiger’s doing alone—that someone else had been involved.

For a time, the rumor spread. After all, it made more sense for multiple perpetrators than a single man.

But who could it be? The moment speculation began, the stories grew disjointed, and soon, the rumors faded.

—Yet, some knew the truth.

And they were primarily Marines.

At Marineford, the gateway to Marijoa, a Marine sat in a certain office, munching on rice crackers while reading the news.

"…The article pins the Holy Land attack on Fisher Tiger alone… but that’s not the case, is it?"

"No… According to Borsalino and others stationed there, the ones who freed the slaves and slaughtered 16 Celestial Dragons weren’t just Tiger’s crew. The true masterminds were forces tied to the Four Emperors—specifically…"

CRUNCH. The sound of crackers echoed.

The room belonged to the Fleet Admiral, and only two men were present:

One was a Marine Admiral, one of the Navy’s strongest, a man with a long braided goatee who embodied "The Justice of the Supreme Ruler"—Sengoku the Buddha.

The other was his old comrade, a Vice Admiral also hailed as a "Hero"—Garp the Fist.

Garp sat on the office couch, listening intently as Sengoku revealed the truth—and the name of the other mastermind. Finally, Garp nodded, his expression grave. It all made sense now.

"I see… Yeah, that bastard would pull somethin’ like this. No wonder the government’s coverin’ it up… They’re makin’ Tiger take the fall, huh?"

"…I’m only telling you because it’s you, Garp. Don’t go blabbing."

"Yeah, yeah."

Snorting, Garp picked up the updated bounty posters. Sipping his tea, he added:

"But it’ll leak eventually. Too many Marines, slaves, and witnesses saw it. Can’t shut up every mouth."

"Even so, this cannot go public. The government’s already suffered enough humiliation from her… This time, they’re suppressing the truth to avoid war and preserve credibility. Orders are to capture the Sun Pirates and the escaped slaves—directly from the Celestial Dragons."

"Figures. Fish-men are a pain, but we’ll manage."

"Right. Borsalino’s handling the Sun Pirates. Speaking of which, Garp, I need you to—"

"…Ah, just remembered, I got urgent business. Tea was great, though."

"—HEY, DON’T YOU DARE RUN, YOU OLD BASTARD!!!"

At Marineford, under the Fleet Admiral’s command, the Marines mobilized to clean up the aftermath of the incident.

—Meanwhile, in the very place where the orders originated… the site of the incident itself.

Marijoa, where 70% of the city had burned, was now undergoing rapid reconstruction.

In Pangaea Castle at its heart, five elders gathered to discuss the matter.

"—The damage is catastrophic…"

"Indeed… A headache-inducing mess. Had it been Tiger alone, containment would’ve been possible…"

"No use dwelling on it. Our priority is capturing Tiger and the escaped slaves."

"Anti-fish-man sentiment is rising. The Ryugu Kingdom will face severe backlash. Unfortunate."

"At least the castle itself was spared…"

"We must reinforce Marine presence. Stationing at least one Admiral is necessary—anything less won’t even stall a Four Emperor."

"Still, the cover-up is proceeding… Barely. An outright war with the Four Emperors is unthinkable."

"We could never admit Celestial Dragons were killed by anything but age or accidents. Did they truly hate them that much…?"

"Had that been the case, more would’ve died. CP reports no particular grudges… She likely did it for fun."

"Monsters… Once they rampage, there’s no stopping them. Provoking them further would be disastrous."

"The Holy Land’s losses and stolen resources are troubling… but the balance remains intact. For now, Tiger must bear the blame."

—The Five Elders, the highest authority of the World Government, finalized their decisions and future plans.

Every piece of information released to the world was meticulously controlled by the government’s manipulation.

And in their hands lay two new bounty posters—for the true masterminds of this incident.

---

"In My Opinion… The Government Probably Doesn’t Wanna Pick a Fight With Us~"

"…………"

The ship’s brig was dark. But then again, prison cells usually are. I’d know—I’ve been locked up dozens of times. That’s just how they’re built.

Well, maybe it’s just 'cause they have to be sealed rooms. Still, I figure there’s meaning in keeping the light out, too.

"The news articles don’t mention the Beasts Pirates once. According to them, Fisher Tiger acted alone—the big hero who freed the slaves, all by himself~ ♡ Tsk tsk, the government’s obsession with information control is so annoying. What, are they scared I’ll get too popular?"

"…………"

Without sunlight, your sense of time gets fuzzy. And humans need light to stay healthy—fish-men, I dunno. But for humans? Absolutely.

Darkness feeds negative emotions—fear, despair, paranoia. A lightless environment grinds down the mind and the body.

All living things adapt. They evolve.

"Still, the real reason the government covered us up…? Probably the Celestial Dragons~ ♡ It’s less about hiding it from the public and more about keeping them in the dark. If the world knew the real masterminds behind the attack, the government couldn’t let it slide—their pride’s on the line. That’d mean declaring war on us… the Four Emperors. So instead, they pinned it all on Tiger."

…Not that evolution happens overnight. But personally? I think humans are creatures of habit.

No matter how harsh the environment, once it becomes normal, people push through. Do it enough, and they even build up resistance.

We did. And so did she—the girl chained up in front of me.

"~And yet, they still raised my bounty like crazy! How sloppy~ ♡ Oh well, I’m not complaining! Hey hey, Shinobu-chan, look! My new wanted poster! Oh, and Tiger’s too, just for fun!"

"…Shut up… I don’t want to see that…!!"

I fluttered the posters teasingly in her face. She scowled, glaring at me with one sharp eye—did she even see them properly?

[BEAST PIRATES VICE CAPTAIN "PHANTOM BEAST NUE" — BOUNTY: 3,380,100,000 BERRI]
[SUN PIRATES CAPTAIN FISHER TIGER — BOUNTY: 300,000,000 BERRI]

"See it? Isn’t my photo adorable? ♡ And my bounty went up by three billion! …Though, for massacring Celestial Dragons, that’s kinda cheap, don’t you think? I was expecting at least five billion~"

"Like I care… you scum…"

"Huh? Where’d all your fire go? C’mon, scream at me like you mean it!"

"…!!"

Shinobu’s remaining eye snapped to me—the left one was gone, after all. Ahaha~ ♡

"—Kidding, kidding! Honestly, Shinobu-chan, five years as a slave really sharpened you! You’ve got that ninja edge now! So much better at controlling your emotions—I love it! And that eyepatch? Super cool~ ♡ Wanna rebrand as 'One-Eyed Shinobu'?"

"…Yeah… thanks to you… I’ve seen the depths of human cruelty…!!"

"Glad to hear it! Oh, I know! Why not join us? We’d love to have you~ ♡ I’ll even forgive all our past squabbles!"

We don’t kill the strong—and we always let bygones be bygones. If you’re on our side.

"…Forgive…?"

"Yep! Not interested? C’mon, forget the old grudges! With us, you’ll have fun!"

"Hah… Right… You would say that… You animals don’t care about anyone’s feelings…"

Oof, harsh. Not wrong, though! But Shinobu-chan still doesn’t get it—you don’t need to care. I grinned as I explained:

"The weak have no rights on these seas. They exist to be taken by the strong. The only choice they get is which cage to crawl into. So… what’s wrong with the Beasts’ cage?"

"If I could make you suffer everything I’ve endured… then I’d consider it."

"Ahah~ ♡"

Shinobu’s eye locked onto me—clouded, like she’d stared straight into hell.

Right now, she’s probably imagining it—me, broken, begging for my life, dying in despair. She wants it.

But… but.

"You really think… the torture you’re imagining… could break me or Kaido?"

"Gh…!!"

"Ehehe~ ♡ Whining about your pain is pathetic, y’know? 'Boo-hoo, I suffered, so I’ll get revenge!' Who cares? Nobody."

"You…!!"

"Now now, no tantrums~ I’m helping you. If you really wanna break us… try living as a slave for ten more years, claw your way up alone… Maybe then you’d have a shot~ ♡ But right now? You’re still weak. Just blindly spitting hate. Honestly… your master’s kid has more potential than you~"

"Wha—?! What the hell does that mean—?!"

"—Ahaha! Find out for yourself! Don’t worry, we’ll free you with the other slaves if you behave~ ♡ Now sit tight!"

“Wait!! What on earth are you—”

I waved my hand to say goodbye to Shinobu-chan, then left the cell and made my way through the ship until I stepped out onto the deck.

Outside, my crew and the freed slaves were gathered. We’d docked the ship deep in the archipelago—Area 13, Grove G.

In the lawless zone of the Sabaody Archipelago, we were giving the slaves some food. I’m just so kind. I snagged the food from around the area—nothing fancy.

“Ah! Lady Nuezaurus!!”

“How’s it going? Are you doing everything properly?”

“Of course-zaurus!! I’ve been working with Pe-tan just like you said… Oh! Oh! My bounty went up-zaurus!! I want you to see it-zaurus!!”

“Stop calling me Pe-tan!!”

As soon as I stepped out, Ulti rushed over first, with Page One following close behind. Ulti-chan was holding up their wanted posters.

Beasts Pirates “Tobiroppo” — Ulti: 168 million berries

Beasts Pirates “Tobiroppo” — Page One: 110 million berries

Both of their bounties had increased. Judging from this, the government clearly figured out who was there that day. Still, they went out of their way to keep it quiet. Honestly, such tireless effort every time—it’s almost admirable.

“Hmm, we’ve got quite a bit left, huh?”

“Yeah… looks like half of it is still here.”

“Glad there weren’t too many idiots like that Tai guy who turned down our help-zaurus.”

“Seriously… oh!”

“Hmm? What is it, Lady Nuezaurus?”

“I’m just gonna go have a little chat~♪”

Leaving Ulti and Page One, I spotted a certain group among the slaves and approached. It was three girls, each with different hair colors.

“Yoohoo~♡ Enjoying your first proper meal in a while?”

“! Y-Yes… thank you so much…!!”

“S-Sister…”

“……!!”

When I spoke to them, two of the three shrank back, hiding behind the third girl. But of course, they couldn’t fully hide—so they just cowered in fear. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ahahaha!! No need to be that scared~♡ I’m not gonna eat you or anything—so, what are your names?”

“…Boa Hancock.”

“Boa Sandersonia…”

“B-Boa Marigold…”

“Ohhh, you're sisters! Hancock-chan, Sandersonia-chan, and Marigold-chan!! Looks like Hancock-chan is the big sister, huh?”

“…Yes.”

“Hmm~? What is it♡? Is there something on my super-pretty face?”

Even though I’d rescued them, they still seemed scared of me. Why’s that, I wonder? I even used a gentle voice and gave them a sweet smile… but they’re still on edge. Well, I guess they did just get freed from slavery—hard to relax that easily. Just as I was thinking that, Hancock-chan stood up, looked at me, and said:

“Um…”

“Hm? What is it?”

“…How can I… become that strong?”

“! Ohhh? Hancock-chan wants to get stronger, huh~♡”

“S-Sister…?”

Of all the things she could’ve said… Hancock-chan looked at me with eyes full of resolve and asked how to become strong. Hoo boy, those are some good eyes. No wonder she’ll become a Warlord one day. The future empress of the warrior tribe Kuja really is built different. She's about sixteen now, right? Yeah, around that. If she’s gonna awaken the Conqueror’s Haki, she’s actually a little late.

This is… very tempting. But let’s see what her reason is first.

“Why do you want to become strong?”

“If I’m strong… no one will ever be able to control me again… If I just had strength…”

“Hmm, I see!! You’re not wrong there♡”

“Then please… tell me how to become strong…!! I’ll… I’ll do anything I can… I’ll pay you back, I swear… So please…!!”

“Aaanything~? If you’re gonna go that far, I can’t say no, now can I~♡”

“!”

Hancock bowed her head deeply and begged me. Well, I’m not that kind of person, but when a beauty like Hancock-chan says she’ll do anything… even a girl like me has to say yes~♡ When I agreed, a flicker of hope and happiness crossed Hancock’s face.

But… just because I helped her doesn’t mean she should trust me so easily. She says she doesn’t want to be controlled, but now she’s relying on us—if you think about it, that’s kind of contradictory, isn’t it? Poor thing. But once you get involved with me, and once you beg for my help… I’m not so sweet that I’ll not take advantage of that.

I pointed my finger at them and said:

“I could make all three of you strong… but I’m a pirate. I don’t do favors for free. And there’s no guarantee you’ll come out of it alive. You might die before you even get there—are you okay with that?”

“…I don’t care…!!”

“Sister…!!”

“Then… us too!!”

Hmm hmm. Looks like their minds are made up. Oh! Now that I think about it—maybe they’re asking me because I’m a strong woman. Probably saw men as terrifying after all that. If I were a man, they might never have asked. Being a pretty girl really pays off! Life’s tougher, sure, but beauty captivates and provokes desire. Maybe Hancock-chan’s getting greedy for my charm too? Hehe.

Well then, they’ll pay the price.

I patted Hancock-chan’s head and gave them the condition:

“──Then the three of you… join my crew♡”

“…!!?”

“J-Join a pirate crew…!?”

“That is…”

“Hm~? Why so surprised? It’s not like you didn’t see this coming, right? If I’m going to train you, we’d have to be in the same place. You didn’t seriously think you’d get stronger with just a few days of training, did you? Or did you think I’d stick around wherever you happen to live? You weren’t that naïve, were you?”

When I said that, the three of them fell silent. It’s not like they’re against becoming pirates, per se. More like… they’re scared of being in a crew full of men.

Even though there are a good number of women on my ship, and the Beasts Pirates have some female members too, men still outnumber us by far. And let’s be real, we’re talking about rough, nasty, actual pirates. They can be pretty vulgar. Sure, once you get used to them, they can be kinda fun and even a little cute in their own way. Honestly, compared to my old ship, they’re a walk in the park.

Anyway, what should I say now? They seem to be hesitating. Hancock’s got sweat forming on her forehead. She glanced—just with her eyes—at my crewmates still making noise in the distance. Then she looked back at me.

“...The captain…”

“It’s not me, you know? I said it before—I'm the Vice Captain of the Beasts Pirates. The captain, my sibling ‘Kaido of the Beasts,’ is a man.”

“...I see…”

Hancock gritted her teeth, just barely. Is she thinking this would mean being under another man’s rule again? Hmm… if this keeps up, she might refuse. I guess it’s time to play a card I’ve been keeping up my sleeve—not that this wasn’t the plan from the start, of course.

“Well then, how about this? You stay under me for a year or two, gain some experience, and once you’ve gotten strong enough… I’ll send you back to your island.”

“!! You mean it!?”

“Yup, I mean it~♪ You three are from Amazon Lily, right? The island of women?”

They nodded quickly, their faces lighting up with surprise and relief. Must be the thought of being able to return home. But they weren’t fully relaxed either. Given their past as slaves, it’s no wonder they’d worry about being questioned or judged back home. Still, I guess I’m the best case scenario for them—same gender, their rescuer, and someone who already knows their past.

But it’s not like this is a totally sweet deal. I continued.

“Buuuut~♪ If one of you becomes the captain of the Kuja Pirates back home… then your crew joins the Beasts Pirates as our subordinates♡”

“S-Subordinates…!?”

“Mmhmm♡ Isn’t that fair? You’d be leading your own all-female crew on your own all-female island. You wouldn’t even have to ride with us anymore. Of course, you’d still be under our banner and expected to follow orders—but we won’t force you around. As long as you're strong, we don’t sweat the small stuff. Kaido doesn’t blow a fuse just because someone ignores one or two orders. Heck, even our top brass cancel stuff on each other all the time! Honestly, saying it out loud makes us sound like a total mess of an organization, huh? But strength is what matters! If you’re strong, nothing else really does!!”

“I… see…”

“What should we do… sister…”

As I grinned and laid out the perks of joining us, the three sisters hesitated, clearly wavering. Honestly, saying it out loud made me realize just how loose our hierarchy is. We’re harsh on the weak or anyone who screws up big time or betrays us. But once you reach a certain level—say, the Flying Six—there are a couple of them who blatantly ignore orders from the All-Stars. Heck, there’s even a girl who bites back at me and Kaido, and another who constantly questions things. And let’s not forget that slightly rebellious archaeologist. Honestly, the higher up you go, the more chaotic the chain of command gets.

But you know what? It kinda works. That’s probably because Kaido and I are just that amazing. Yeah. That must be it.

Satisfied with that thought, I waited for Hancock’s answer.

“…We accept your terms!!”

“Ahahaha♪ Then… welcome to the Beasts Pirates!!!”

I couldn’t help but break into a smile. And just like that, I gave them a warm welcome—yes!! Three sisters, recruited~♪

---

So after I showed the three sisters to their cabin and was about to say bye-bye to the Sabaody Archipelago, I jumped up to go say my farewells first.

The slaves were being sorted by the other Lead Performers, along with Ulti, Page One, and the rest of my subordinates. Just earlier, I had told them this:

“You can either come with our pirate crew… or stay here and escape on your own. Decide now.”

Yeah—obviously, I’m not taking all the slaves with me. That’d be a pain, and honestly, kind of cruel. I mean, they just got freed—shouldn’t they choose their own path? That’s what freedom’s all about, right?

So, I’m leaving about half of them behind on this island. I’m sure they’ll manage to escape on their own somehow. Frankly, dragging around a bunch of weak, dumb nobodies would just slow us down… Well, they could still be decent labor, so it’s not a total loss. And the ones who feel indebted might end up being more useful later on, so I figured I’d at least give them the choice.

By the way, the ones who choose to follow us? They're either getting put to work or becoming pirates themselves. A lot of the slaves were former pirates or criminals anyway.

Naturally, more of the men decide to come along. The women and kids tend to stay. I wonder if it’s the image problem? I mean, becoming my underling is basically winning the jackpot—protection and everything! But like Fisher Tiger, some of them are just plain scared of me. Guess they want to keep their distance. That’s fine. Everyone wants to be free, sure, but let’s be real—if you stay weak, someone else is just gonna rule over you eventually.

That said, there were a few promising ones. Like that young man who came up to talk right after we docked.

“Thank you… for everything…”

“Oh? You’re leaving already? Didn’t enjoy my show?”

“…That’s not it…”

“…Fufufu♡ I’m glad you had fun then! Alright—here, take this!”

“!? This is… m-money…?”

“Yep, money♡ You’ll need it, whatever you decide to do. So I’m lending it to you♡”

“That’s… true, but… why?”

“You seem like you’ll be a big shot someday♡ So just pay me back with interest then♪ And hey, even if you croak in a ditch somewhere, it’s not like that little bit of money matters to me, so don’t sweat it!”

“…A loan, huh?”

“Exactly! So go live your best life, okay? Oh, and when you make it to the New World, come see one of my shows! Or who knows…♡ Maybe you’ll be good enough to be one of my backup dancers, or even open the show?”

“…Excuse me…”

“Aww, don’t be shy. See you around~♡”

Yup, just like that, I lent some money to a walking goldmine—he’s got trauma, ambition, and a future obsession with money written all over him. He’ll probably sprout in a few years. Helping him out now might pay off later. If he does make it to the New World, I’ll be sure to take care of him.

Oh yeah, I feel like there was one more cute girl among the slaves, but she didn’t end up on my ship. Can’t be helped—after all, I didn’t bring all the slaves myself. I’m guessing she was one of the ones Tiger set free. Let’s just call it fate and move on. I got plenty of other rewards anyway♪

And with all that going on, I arrive at the house. Not mine, mind you. It's a certain shop on Grove 13, where a familiar face has taken up residence.

“Alright then, I’m heading out~!! Oh—want to have one last deathmatch for old times’ sake?”

“Spare me. I’m just a retired old man now. A one-on-one against a Yonko’s first mate is way too much.”

“What are you saying, right hand of the Pirate King!? You can totally still fight!! …Oh right, Shakky and you, old hag—I’m dropping off some ex-slave girls from Amazon Lily in a year or two, so take care of them when they return, okay?”

“Old hag, you say!? What nerve… After all I did to raise you—”

“…I don’t mind, but what are you planning to do with those ex-slave girls?”

“They asked me to make them stronger, so I’m gonna make them stronger! Ehehe~ Isn’t that sweet?”

“You’re still doing things that aren’t very cute.”

“Hey! It is cute!! What part of me isn’t cute, huh!?”

“I never said your looks weren’t cute… Haa, honestly…”

And just like that, I enjoy a cheerful chat with the three people inside the house. Or rather, the shop. All of them are big names.

First, there’s “Dark King” Silvers Rayleigh, the former first mate of the Roger Pirates. He’s probably still pretty strong. I think I’m stronger now, but I doubt I’d come out unscathed if we really went at it. He’s still smiling, still humble—but completely without openings.

Then there’s Shakky. It’s been ages. She used to be captain of the Kuja Pirates. Last time we met, I was still just an apprentice. She quit pirating partway through, so in her memory, I’m probably still a weak little cutie.

She really doted on me back then. Now, of course, the power dynamic is completely flipped. Still, she’s managed to keep a decent edge. Makes you wonder why she quit. I always thought it was weird, and I wondered where she went, but… maybe she and Rayleigh ended up together? I’m kinda curious, but adult stuff like that—asking too much would be rude. Even if I act like I don’t care about reading the room, I do know how to read it when it matters.

And then there’s the old hag—Gloriosa. She used to be hot back in the Rocks days, but now she’s just a shadow of her former self. Probably broke her heart or something. Whatever. An old hag’s still an old hag.

“Oh, are you feeling inspired to do my hair ‘cause I’m just too cute? Fufun~ Normally I’d never let you, but since we’re old buddies, I guess I’ll allow it.”

“I was the one who was your old buddy! Don’t twist history!!”

“You want me to, huh? Fine then… Come on over here.”

“Yaaay♪ Shakky, you’re lucky you get to style someone this adorable!!”

“Nue-chan, you really haven’t changed at all, have you?”

“To think such a girlish-looking girl is the Vice Governor of the Beasts Pirates...”

“Heh... Keep underestimating people based on appearances and you’ll find yourself eating a nasty counterattack. Well, not that we ever lost, of course.”

“If you're looking for a fight, I’m happy to oblige!! Oh, and for the record, I can look more grown-up whenever I want. I just don’t bother because my natural self is the cutest!”

“—Could you stay still for a moment?”

While getting my hair done on Shakky’s lap, I shot back at Rayleigh, who clearly wanted to pick a fight. Then, just a little, I transformed into my adult form. She scolded me for it.

Rayleigh stared at me and said:

“Still... I never imagined the Beasts Pirates were behind that slave liberation. What’s gotten into you? Planning something shady again?”

“Is it really that strange for me to help people or be nice? I’ve helped before, you know—when I was working with you guys.”

“That’s true. But lately, all I hear are bad rumors. Seems you’ve been raising hell in the New World.”

“It’s our business what we do!! No one gets to complain!!”

“Relax... I’m not complaining. Didn’t I say? I’m retired. The shape the sea takes now is up to those living in the present.”

“You always say stuff like that... Hmph, and I wanted to fight. Oh well—guess I’m heading out!!”

“Do as you like.”

And with that, I stood up and left the shop. I really pushed to get him to fight, but no matter what I did, he had zero intention. Honestly, it’s kind of a letdown. He’s not as strong as he used to be, and even if I did win, it wouldn’t feel satisfying. But I still wanted a little payback, so it’s complicated.

Now with my cuteness enhanced by a stylish side ponytail, I headed back to the ship and returned to the New World. Thanks to my powers, it’s easy to float the ship into the sky with a UFO. No need to re-coat and pass through Fish-Man Island again—I can just cross the Red Line straight over.

This raid paid off big time. We gathered tons of spoils, and our crew’s gotten a great upgrade. Kaido’ll be thrilled. Especially with these kids:

“—Anyway, tonight you get to sleep in my bed!! There’s a bath too, so you can wash up and get all squeaky clean~♡”

“Thanks a ton, Don!! Getting to bathe with Lady Nue and sleep next to her is a privilege mere mortals would never dream of!! Oh, Pē-tan, you're sleeping alone tonight, okay? No sneaking into bed!”

“Don’t say that like we always sleep together!!! We’ve never done that!! And quit it with that weird speech pattern!! And stop calling me Pē-tan!!”

“You can’t, Ulti-chan. Pē-tan’s hitting puberty, after all. If he sleeps next to us—me, you, and the three sisters—he’ll end up with a nosebleed for sure.”

“Well, when you put it that way, Don, that does make sense.”

“That’s not the issue!! And I won’t get a nosebleed either!!!”

“...The seas sure have some sharp-tongued men these days…”

“I didn’t get good at this by choice!!!”

—And so, once again, Pē-tan’s snappy comebacks stole the spotlight. After teasing him enough, Ulti-chan and I took the three sisters to the bath, got them all cleaned up, tucked them into bed, and then we returned to our territory in the New World.