Chapter 86: Idol Activities
ââThe 2nd Captain of the Sun Pirates, "Knight of the Sea" Jinbe!! Now a Warlord of the Sea!!
The news shocked the world.
It hadnât been long since the incident four years ago when Fisher Tiger, captain of the Sun Pirates, launched an assault on the Holy Land Mariejois and freed the slavesâonly to lose his life. The memory was still fresh in the publicâs mind.
That tragedy, which left many fish-men and freed slaves in mourning, occurred just a year ago. Since that day, Jinbe had inherited Tigerâs will, leading the Sun Pirates through an unending series of battles.
A former soldier of the Neptune Army, a master of Fish-Man Karate and Fish-Man Jujutsuâhis power was well-known not just on land, but even more so on the sea, where he was said to be unbeatable.
He was a man of honor, respected and admired by countless fish-men and merfolk alike. Yet, his title as captain of a notoriously troublesome fish-man pirate crew could not be ignored.
Combining all these factors, his bounty was set at 250 million berries. Even so, many within the governmentâespecially among the Marinesâconsidered it an underestimate.
With a vacancy opening among the Seven Warlords, it was no surprise that âKnight of the Seaâ Jinbe would be selected.
He had witnessed the era when pirates and humans frequently assaulted Fish-Man Island. He had seen the abductions of mermaids, which still continued. As a pirate who detested other pirates, Jinbe accepted the governmentâs offer just as they had hoped. Other pirates, however, sneered at the ideaâanother obedient dog of the World Government had been unleashed on the Grand Line.
Though many feared him, his status as a pirate still made him a threatâeven if he now stood aligned with the government.
And yet, the ones most displeased by this development were the Celestial Dragons.
âWhy, Father?! Why would you return our slaves?!â
âWell... you see, a fish-man named Jinbe became one of the Seven Warlords, and thanks to that amnesty, it seems the fish-man and mermaid slaves were allowed to return to their homeland.â
âW-What?! Thatâs awful! All those slaves we collectedâgone just like that?!â
âIt canât be helpedâŠâ
Normally, the Celestial Dragons couldnât care less about who joined the Seven Warlords. It meant nothing to them.
But any pirate crew granted Warlord status was given a blanket pardon, extending to their subordinates as well.
Jinbe used this amnesty to ensure the return of his former slave comrades to their homelandâand to elevate the status of the fish-man race. He joined the Seven Warlords and chose to draw closer to the World Government.
As a result, many of the enslaved fish-men were freedâsomething a number of Celestial Dragons resented.
Still, they could not overturn a decision made by the World Governmentâespecially one involving the Five Elders. Even if they disliked it, there was no room for objection.
And so, the former slave members of the Sun Pirates were released.
Among them⊠was one who had been sold into slavery just a year ago.
ââArlong!!â
âArlong-san!!â
ââŠâŠâŠâŠâ
The release of âSaw-Toothâ Arlong, a crew member of the Sun Pirates.
This fish-man, with a bounty of 20 million berries, had been captured during a battle with the Beasts Pirates a year ago and sold into slavery.
Most of the other captured crew members had gone missing, but Arlong alone had been sold to the Celestial Dragons.
To some, he was a trusted comrade. To others, less so. But all of them, once enslaved, now found relief in seeing Arlong returnâeven dressed in tattered clothes.
His eyes still held life. Though the dorsal fin on his back was completely goneâa sight that darkened the expressions of his crewmatesâit was still a miracle he returned alive.
âArlongâŠâ
âSo itâs true⊠Jinbe-ani is a Warlord nowâŠâ
ââŠYeah. He is.â
At the front of the group, there stood a towering fish-manââKnight of the Seaâ Jinbe, pirate and newly appointed Warlordâwho had come to retrieve his comrades. Faced with the sight of his battered younger brother, Jinbe hesitated. He could only respond with silent affirmation.
And in that moment, Arlongâs expression transformed. His bloodshot eyes bulged, veins protrudingârage.
Jinbe braced himself, expecting to be insulted. He watched Arlong closely, preparing for it⊠But what came was more complicated than just anger.
Arlongâs body trembled. And thenâhe clenched his teeth with force.
âYou became one of them⊠You became a dog of the government⊠of those brutal, twisted humans!!!â
ââŠHave you forgotten Tigerâs words, Arlong? Donât live for hatred and revenge.â
Even so, Jinbe spokeâtrying to remind him of their late brotherâs will. But Arlong no longer heard it.
âHah⊠Donât spout that nonsense, Aniki!! That was just something for the next generationâthose who havenât suffered like we did!!â
â!â
Arlong sneered briefly before erupting again, shouting at Jinbe.
Jinbeâs eyes widened at the words. He clenched his back teeth and listened to his younger brotherâs rage.
âIâm just like Big Aniki!! I⊠Iâve seen the madness of humanity!!! Iâve seen the vile, filthy depths of what they are!!! I suffered through it!!! This past year!!!â
ââŠâŠ!â
Jinbe said nothing. He clenched his fists tightlyânot in anger at Arlong, but at himself. At his own powerlessness. His failure to save his brother in time.
Arlong, too, reflected on the past yearâand spat out his agony in the form of rage.
ââSir, Iâve brought in a few good ones, mostly sharks. Theyâre freshâuse âem as snacks with your drinks or something.â
âHaha!! Discounted shark meat!! Hey hey, is this really okay? The government put a 20 million bounty on him, but their valuations are always off⊠Whatever, letâs have them carved up for a test!â
âYeah.â
ââ!! Stop⊠Let goâŠ!! You bastards, you think youâll get away with thisâGYAAAAAHHHHH!!!â
He had seen the darkest, most feral side of humanity.
âA former fish-man pirate slave! A shark slave!!â
âFunny, right? The other day, Joeâthe brokerâtold me he had something amusing, so I bought it. You can use him to learn how to handle slaves for now.â
âYay!! A slave!! I wanna play with it too, just like Daddy does!!â
âUghâŠ!!â
Those hellish days had been more than enough to sow a deeper hatred within Arlongâs heart than ever before.
âIâm not just carrying the grudge of Big Anikiâs death!! I suffered! I felt the pain! So what if I choose to live for hatred and revenge!!!â
ââŠArlongâŠ!! YouâŠ!!â
âSorry, Aniki!! But Iâm going back to being the Arlong I used to be!! Big Aniki is dead⊠Iâll carry on his angerâwith my comrades, Iâll carry it on!!!â
ââŠâŠâŠâŠâ
With those words, Arlong turned his back on Jinbeâtaking his old comrades and leaving the Sun Pirates behind.
He refused to hear Jinbeâs pleas. Even when struck, Arlong didnât waver, supported by his former Arlong Crew members as he walked away.
The Sun Pirates would eventually split into three factions, each walking their own path.
Among them, Arlongânow a confirmed supremacist who harbored the most hatred toward humanityâswore revenge.
âJust wait⊠One day⊠Iâll make them feel everything they did to meâŠ!!!â
With seething hatred in his voice, Arlongâs crew set sailâheaded for the East Blue.
ââRed sea, white sandy beach, scorching sun.
Everything here exists solely to adorn and accentuate me.
"Mmm~~~âŠâĄ Delicious⥠Seconds!!"
"âHere you go, Nue-sanâĄ"
I lay sprawled across the beautiful summer island beach, savoring fresh seafood and fine wine. Meanwhile, Joker, lounging under a parasol in a beach chair, watched me through her sunglasses and spoke up.
"Fufu⊠Indeed, the texture is quite satisfying. Maybe we should have PÄtan bring us moreâĄ"
"HUH!? Why the hell should PÄtan have to fetch shit for you, Joker, you bastard!? âListen up!! The only ones allowed to boss PÄtan around are Kaidou-sama, Nue-san, and ME!! So PÄtan!! I want my share too, damn it~!!"
"âThe hell!? Youâre right there, go get it yourself!!"
"Myself~~~!?"
Our top performers, Ulti and Page One, bickered as usual, still wearing their masks and hats despite their swimsuits. Then, from another direction, another figure stomped across the sand and raised her voice.
"âEnough!! Why in the world was I summoned to such a place in the first place!?"
"I already told youâit was Nue-sanâs invitation, Hancock."
"I wasnât asking you, Black Maria!! I was summoned to Onigashima under the pretense of important matters, yetâŠ"
"Ah, thatâs a separate issue. This is justâmy little vacation, or rather, a girlsâ gathering invitationâĄ"
"! Again with thisâŠ"
Hancock, clad in a wine-red and pink bikini, clutched her head at my words as I lounged across Black Mariaâs lap in my swimsuit. Hmm. Hancock didnât seem too pleased, but she also seemed resigned. She let out a sigh but pressed on.
"...Haaah. Fine, Iâll concede that much⊠but then!! Why are there men here if this is a girlsâ gathering!?"
"HUH!? I donât give a damn âbout Jack, but if youâre lookinâ down on PÄtan, Iâll slaughter you, Hancock!! âPÄtan could totally pull off cross-dressing, no problem!!!"
"That ainât the damn point!! And the only reason Iâm here is âcause sis dragged me along as a pack mule!! I didnât even wanna come!!!"
"âŠâŠâŠâŠAnnoying loudmouth of a woman."
"âWhat was that?"
Hancock bristled at the presence of men, while Ulti and PÄtan resumed their amusing back-and-forth⊠but then Jackâs muttered remark earned him a sharp glare. And not just any glareâHancock was unleashing her Conquerorâs Haki. Jack glared right backâbut I cut in.
"Hey, Jack!! If youâve got time to glare at Hancock, youâve got time to take more pictures of me!!"
"âMy bad, Nue-san. R i g h t a w a y."
With that, Jack immediately broke eye contact with Hancock, lifted the camera hanging from his neck, and started snapping photos of me. Watching this, Hancock crossed her arms and turned to Page One nearby.
"...What is he doing, Page One?"
"Donât ask me. Just lookâJackâs takinâ pics for the photo book Nue-sanâs puttinâ out in our territory."
"...Why Jack� No, more importantly, why this island�"
Hancock wore an unreadable expression as she listened to Page Oneâs dutiful answer.
I couldâve answered Hancockâs lingering questions myself, but before I could, the masked swimsuit-clad woman under Jokerâs parasolâseated in a chair with a stack of books on the table, reading them one by oneâanswered for me.
"âThe New World, âRainbow Island.â"
"! If you know, then speak, Dulak!"
Hancock turned sharply toward the voice. The speaker was Dulakâanother participant in our girlsâ gathering.
"A perpetually summer-climate island, famous for its sea that shifts between seven colors. Rich in seafood and fruit. Perfect for a vacationâincidentally, this is one of its seven beaches, âRuby Red Beach.â"
"...Is it not under anyoneâs territory?"
"Not at the moment. It doesnât belong to any of the Four Emperors, nor is it affiliated with the World Government⊠A rarity in the New World, perhaps."
"...Are you suggesting we should attack this island, then?"
Hancockâs question made me laugh. I struck a pose, raising both hands.
"Ahaha, no no!! Itâs a vacationâdonât you ever wanna go somewhere outside your own territory to have fun? Staying in your own turf doesnât feel like a real trip⊠plus, itâs perfect for photos!! So today, I just came here to playâȘ"
"...I see. So weâre merely along for the ride."
"You donât mind, do you?"
"...It would be problematic if I were seen with you all."
"âWhich is why Nue-san made you come alone, leaving the Kuja Pirates and your sisters behind."
That was Jokerâs input. Our comradeâa double agent feeding info to and from the GovernmentâStussy, aka Joker, was well-versed in all the Governmentâs tedious red tape.
That said, anyone could guess the trouble if Boa Hancock, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea and the "Pirate Empress," were known to have ties to one of the Four Emperors, the Beasts Pirates.
If exposed, sheâd be stripped of her titleâbut I reassured her it wouldnât be an issue.
"Donât worry!! If it comes to that, Iâll just make sure your identity stays mysteeeeerious!! So letâs just enjoy ourselves!! OkayâĄ"
"...Sigh, as recklessâno, as free-spirited as everâŠ"
"Nue-samaâs freedom is a given, damn it!!"
Hancock finally exhaled in resignation. Whether she was actually in the mood to enjoy herself or not was unclear, but she seemed to accept it.
Well, if sheâs here on vacation with me, sheâs gotta be having fun, right!?
"âNue-san. Iâve finished taking the required number of shots."
"Mmm, alright, letâs shoot in the next swimsuit. âKomurasaki-chaaan, bring me a swimsuit~"
"...Understood."
Jack had just finished his report, lowering the camera, so I called over the cute newbie to fetch my next outfit.
Sheâs only been with us for two yearsâjust about getting used to things, Iâd say.
Beasts Pirates "
" Komurasaki"There are quite a few⊠which one would you like?"
"Hmm~⊠Then that frilly one!!"
"...Yes."
I pointed at the black-and-red frilly bikiniâperfect for someone as adorable as meâand Komurasaki, clad in a pale purple swimsuit, dutifully handed it over. I changed into it and gave her my previous swimsuit to put back in the luggage.
"...How the hell is Jack keeping his cool�"
"Seriously! Any normal guy would be losing his mind getting to photograph Nue-sama in a swimsuit!!"
"That ainât the damn pointâŠ"
Page One and Ulti were side-eyeing Jack as he calmly adjusted his camera again, but hey, Jackâs a serious guy. He takes everything heâs taught to heart and follows orders to the letter.
Sure, heâs a bit rigid and doesnât always pick the cleanest methods, but itâs all for me, Kaido, and the Beasts Piratesâ benefit. Heâs got a thing for destruction, sure, but hand him a pickaxe and heâll drill through mountains like itâs nothing.
Heâs also weirdly good at backstage work for my concerts, idol management, and even handling camera setups. Lately, Iâve had him overseeing business in Kuri, and heâs been handling that flawlessly too. A real jack-of-all-trades. âWell, he still screws up enough to get chewed out by King and Queen now and then.
"...Youâre still fishing, I seeâŠ"
"Tch. Got a problem? I like it, so back off."
"Thatâs right!! PÄtanâs a fishing fanatic!! The best in the Beasts Pirates!! Doesnât matter if itâs tuna or sharksâheâll reel in anything even in shallow water!!"
"Quit setting him up for impossible crap!! âOh, somethingâs bitingâŠ"
Page One, Ulti, and even Hancock were watching as Page One casually cast his line into the shallows. Huh, Hancockâs blending in better than I expected. Then again, they did train together a few years back.
And PÄtan seemed to have hooked something again⊠but huh? Heâs actually struggling for once. And that presenceâŠ?
"! âŠDamn, this oneâs heavyâŠ"
"You got this, PÄtan!! Weâre rooting for you!! âGo, PÄtan⥠Go⥠Donât lose, PÄtan⥠Fight, oh!!"
"Quit distracting me, sis!! Tch⊠but there ainât a fish alive I canât reel inâŠ!! Whale or Sea King, Iâll drag it upâŠ!!"
"Heâs getting fired up."
"Just like when heâs building something."
Black Maria wasnât wrongâPÄtan was getting pumped. Joker tossed in a lazy jab, but hey, everyone gets hyped doing what they love. âAnd yeah, something big was definitely on the line.
"Youâre putting up one hell of a fight⊠but this is where it ends!! âORAaaa!!!"
"!"
"Eh�"
"This isâŠ"
âThe instant Page One yanked his rod up with all his might, a massive splash erupted, revealing a long, sleek silhouette.
A tailfin, a humanoid upper bodyâand atop it, flowing blue hair and a well-proportioned figureâŠ
"âA mermaid!?"
"Holy shit, PÄtan!! A mermaid!! You caught a freakinâ mermaid!!"
"âSigh⊠To think Iâd get fished up⊠What a pain⊠I wanna dieâŠ"
"Wait, seriously? An actual mermaid!? âIt is a mermaid!!"
Even I was a little surprised. I figured it was something big, but a mermaid? Didnât expect that.
The mermaidâyoung, female, and lazily blinking at us with half-lidded eyesâlet out another long sigh.
Sono, a Mermaid of the Oarfish Type (Former Civil Servant, Currently Unemployed)
"If youâre asking whether Iâm a mermaid⊠well, yeah. But even answering is a hassle⊠Iâm Sono. A mermaid from Ryugu-no-TsukaiâŠ"
"You just answered, thoughâŠ"
"Why is a mermaid all the way out here�"
Page One delivered the deadpan, while Hancock voiced the obvious question. Joker and Dulak were the ones who answered.
"Fish-men and mermaids donât only live on Fish-Man Island. Theyâre all over the world. âŠThat said, itâs still rare."
"Especially mermaidsâtheyâre prime targets for kidnappers. You wonât see many outside Fish-Man Island, thatâs for sure."
"Sigh⊠Yeah, probably."
"How are you vague about your own damn life!?"
"Originally, I was a mermaid from Fish-Man Island. But I got sick of my job, quit, and now I just drift around the New World."
"Then say that from the start, dumbass!!"
"Sigh⊠Too much effortâŠ"
âNormally, yeah, but⊠when youâre starving, youâll eat anything. Though honestly, Iâve always eaten fish anyway.â
âThen you didnât need to say the first part!â
âSo, Nue-san, what should we do?â
âItâs funny, so I donât mind!! Go ahead and treat her.â
Black Maria turns to me, asking what to do about Sonoâthe mermaid who, quite unlike a typical mermaid, asked for sashimi because she was hungry.
The question includes whether we should capture and sell her, but I tell them to give her food because it seems entertaining. Sure, we could sell her, but personally, I donât care either way if itâs amusing. Money from selling a mermaid is pocket change to me. Entertainment is priceless.
So she gets the same sashimi that Komurasaki had served me. Sono brings it to her mouth and,
âAhh⊠thank you⊠I havenât eaten anything lately⊠well, thatâs my fault, reallyâŠâ
âWhat? Did you get snatched by traffickers or something and escape?â
âAh, only one question per person, please. Keep it short.â
â...Then answer the one I just asked.â
âI was captured and escaped. âAnd thatâs the end of question time.â
âHey!!â
âAhaha!! Sheâs a funny one!!â
I couldnât help but laugh. Page One looked a little pissed, but since I was the one who said to treat her, no one could lay a hand on her. Joker, Black Maria, and Dulak watched calmly, and Jack stayed silently at the back.
â...Do you live on this island?â
âYes⊠the people here are very kind⊠I was trying to find a way to live comfortably off passive income, but the world turned out to be harsher than I expected. Even a jobless ex-salarywoman mermaid like me, starving and all, was welcomed warmly⊠I owe a lot to the people hereâŠâ
âSo youâve been living here while working, then.â
âââNo, I got a taste for free food and stayed jobless while mooching off the islandersâŠâ
âCome on, get a job at leastâŠâ
âWhat a shameless mermaidâŠâ
After answering Dulakâs question about working, Sono earned exasperated looks from Page One and Hancock. Personally, I think itâs great. Being honest about what you want is a virtue.
âBut latelyâŠâ
ââŠHuh? What now? Whyâd you suddenly stop talkingâŠâ
âOh, I just got tired of talking. Haah⊠the sashimiâs delicious.â
âSpit it out already!!!â
âAnd so, this island is currently occupied by pirates.â
âWhat do you mean âand soâ!? Quit screwing aroundâŠâ
âWhaaa!? Pirates!? On the island where Nue-samaâs vacationing!!? Who the hell are they!? Iâll beat them to death!!!â
Page One and Ulti each flew into their own brand of rage⊠But honestly, I found her explanation pretty convincing.
âAaah, so thatâs why I heard all that noise from the other side of the island.â
âNue-san, you noticed?â
âI figured Iâd head over to the town later anyway, so if something was going on, I thought Iâd check it out then. They sounded super weak, so I didnât think they were pirates.â
âAhh⊠so youâre using Observation Haki to hear voices, right? I had a feeling you were incredibly strong⊠so how about it? Would you consider saving this island while youâre hereâŠ?â
âAhhh!? You got a death wish or something!? Keep messing around and weâll just destroy this whole island!!!â
ââŠNue-san. What should we do?â
Page One bared his teeth at the request, furious. Jack turned to me, waiting for my call.
It goes without sayingâwhen things go like this, we usually just take over the island, or capture the mermaid and wreck her. If I gave the word, this place would be hell in an instant. That pirate or whatever would die, but so would the islanders.
And Iâd be fine with that⊠but with a smile, I said:
âItâs fine!! Letâs help them!!â
âReally? Thank you. Iâll definitely⊠probably⊠maybe⊠most likely⊠repay you if I feel like itâŠâ
âYou better!! Câmon!! âNue-san!! You donât have to listen to someone like herââ
âAhaha, itâs fine, itâs fine. Normally, yeah, Iâd force a payment out of them or just ignore the request and do whatever I wantâââ
Right. Normally I might do that⊠but not today.
âââToday, Iâm an idol, after allâĄâ
â!â
With that, I stood up and led everyone to the other side of the island, where the pirates were. âAlright then, time to go save the day!!
ââThe New World, âRainbow Islandâ
Among the islandâs seven beaches, the âEmerald Green Beachâ stood out for its distinctively green waters. It was here that a pirate ship had dockedâand where the islandâs residents had been rounded up.
âP-please... stop...!!â
âUgh... dammit...â
âWaaah!! Daddy!!â
The terrified townspeople huddled together, trembling before the pirates. Some of the adults lay beaten and bloodied on the sand, while children wailed at the horrific sight.
But the pirates showed no sign of stopping. This was the New World. There was no freedom for the weak.
âââShut the hell up!!! Because of you bastards, that mermaid I went through all the trouble of catching got away! I gotta take my anger out on something!!!â
âGuh...!!â
The pirate lashed out with a savage kick at one of the collapsed villagers. He was the captain of this pirate crew, enraged over the escape of a rare prize.
âCaptain! Weâve searched everywhere! Thereâs no trace of the mermaid!â
âOf course not...! Mermaids are the fastest swimmers in the world!! Once one escapes into the sea, thereâs no catching her... THATâS why Iâm pissed off!!!â
âGahhh!!â
The massive man stomped on another villager, then slumped heavily into a chair planted in the sand. His subordinates stood guard around him, weapons drawn and trained on the townspeople.
âCaptain, what should we do with these guys?â
âTch... Rough âem up first, then put âem to work...!! This islandâs gonna be our turf!! To grow our power, we need solid ground to stand on...!!â
ăCaptain Holdem of the Texas Pirates â Bounty: 76,000,000 Berriesă
He made his intentions plain for all to hear. Judging from his cruelty, this crew was likely among the more brutal kind of pirates. They showed no hesitation in inflicting pain.
Fear gripped the townspeople. Despair followed. An island ruled by pirates had no future.
âEven if the mermaid got away... whatâs gonna happen to us now...?â
âWeâll be fine... Just do what they say for now... Help will come eventually...â
This island had once been under the protection of a certain pirate group, but with their fall, it had become a power vacuumâunclaimed territory. In the New World, most islands survived by aligning with one of the Four Emperors or other major pirates. If they were part of the World Government, the Navy might offer some protection. But with neither of those shields, the people had no choice but to defend themselves.
But no ordinary citizen could hope to stand against pirates in the New World. All they could do was keep their heads down and hope no one else got hurt. Even the children were taught not to resist.
âââDaddy!!â
âHuh?â
â!! Wait, stop!!â
But thenâone little girl broke from the crowd, rushing toward her bloodied father.
Holdemâs eyes locked onto her. He had the adults and the injured father restrained by his men, then stepped forward and grabbed the girl by the neck, hoisting her off the ground.
âYouâve got guts, kid... But guts alone wonât save anyone, and they wonât change a damn thing!!! Weaklings with no power should just obey the strong and keep their mouths shut!!! GWAHAHAHAHA!!!â
âUgh... ahh...!â
âS-stop... please...!!â
Choking a child while grinding his boot into her fatherâs backâHoldem was a tyrant, the worst kind of invader to ever set foot on this island.
In the New World, the powerless die. If you want to live, you submit. No matter the humiliation, no matter how precious your loved ones are, you endure. That was the unspoken law.
But... Holdem had yet to learn something.
âââOoooh, theyâre really going at it~ âȘ And I must say, theyâre being reeeal civilized about it~ âȘâ
âHuh? ââThe hell!?â
Startled by the sudden sing-song voice, Holdem whipped his head around toward the road leading to townâand saw multiple figures approaching.
âWell, this is a smaller crowd than I expected.â
âLooks like just over a hundred or so, give or take.â
âNot much bite to âem... All weaklings, looks like.â
âShould we waste âem quick? Or take âem alive?â
âIf they submit, we donât kill. If they resist, wipe them out... Just like always.â
âTch... What a bunch of vulgar men...â
âHonestly, one of us could handle the cleanup soloâŠâ
ââŠâŠâŠâŠâ
The newcomers were almost entirely womenâand stunning ones at that, dressed in swimsuits.
âWooooah!! Damn, theyâre all smokinâ hot!!â
âHell yeah!! This is the jackpot, boys~!! âĄâ
âWhat, this island had babes like that just hanginâ around!?â
âWaitâone of âemâs huge!! Is she a giant or what!?â
The pirates lit up at the sight of the approaching beauties, excitement surging through their ranks. Holdem was no exception.
âWho the hell are these hotties!? This is the best damn day ever!! Hey!! Come over here!! Iâll treat you real special!!â
âOh? Planning to have us dote on you?â
âYour eyes must be very cloudyâŠâ
âWhat shall we do with them?â
The group of women paused, glancing toward a particular girl in their midst. She stepped forward, addressing Holdem directly.
âWell, I canât really blame you for being dazzled⥠But unfortunately, Iâm not that kind of cheap girl. I came here for a bit of idol promotionâand a side of hero work. Still, if you get on your knees and beg, I might just forgive youââ
âThe hell? Who the hell do you think you are, you brat!? No one asked for you!! Get lost already!!!â
ââŠHuh?â
â!!?â
ââThe moment those words left Holdemâs mouth, the air around them turned glacial.
Everyone frozeâHoldem, his crew, the villagers⊠even their lieutenants, Jack and Page One broke into cold sweats, fear etched across their faces.
The sheer, suffocating pressure that followed made one thing immediately clear: Holdem had just stepped on a landmine. And his misfortune? Heâd been too distracted by the beautiful faces to recognize who they were.
He had no idea that the girl standing before him was none other than the honorary sister of a Yonkoâa pirate with a bounty exceeding 3 billion Berries.
And worse yet, his crude dismissal hadnât just insulted herâit had angered nearly every woman in the group. Taking all that in, Page One came to a single, definitive conclusion:
âAh⊠theyâre dead.â
"Hey, hey? Say it again for me⥠Come on, what was that you said? Who's the brat? Hm? You lowly pirate⊠what exactly did you say to me? Go on, say it againâĄ"
"AaaaAAAAAAGHHHâŠ!! Ugh, ggh⊠ah⊠ah⊠I-Iâm s-sorry⊠AGAHHHâ!!"
âThere was no battle.
Because the difference in power between the two sides was far too great.
Holdem and his subordinates, who had terrified the islandâs residents, now lay bloodied and crumpled on the beach, reduced to little more than machines for screaming and groaning.
Nue, her soles stained red, stood atop Holdemâs large body with a sweet, girlish smile as she questioned him. Her strength was like that of a vice. If she wanted to, she could crush his skull like a tomato and grind his body to pieces.
Realizing this, Holdem ignored his shattered teeth and the pain coursing through his body to desperately force out his voice.
âN-Nue-sama is⊠t-the most⊠adorable⊠in the whole worldâŠ!!â
"Hmm? I can't hear you~ Say it louder. A thousand times. Put your heart into it and I might forgive you⥠But if you can't⊠fufufu⥠Well, that's a surprise for later~âĄ"
"âŠ!! I-Iâll say it!! Nue-sama is⊠the most⊠adorable⊠in the whole world!!!"
"Yes, yes, keep it up~!! âYou all, too!"
âUgh⊠AahâŠâ
âHey! You ultra-shitty bastards!! Nue-sama told you to say it!! You want your skulls cracked open!? Say it already!!â
"My my, what a shame to ruin such a beautiful white beach."
"Well, itâs only natural. They insulted Nue-san. This is their punishment."
"The weak have no rights⊠because I am strong, and beautiful!!"
The female officers of the Beasts Pirates tortured the Texas Pirates, tossing the corpses into their ship. The living were treated no differently. If they declared Nue to be the cutest in the world and apologized, they were finally forgiven and allowed to join the Beasts Pirates. Refusing wasn't really an optionânot for men who had already experienced such terror.
The rescued townspeople stood frozen, too scared and unsure of what to do.
"âŠWell now. I figured they were strong, but not this strongâŠ"
"! Sono!? Did you come⊠to get help�"
"Yes, well, sort of⊠Whether or not that actually helped, Iâm still not sureâŠ"
Emerging from the sea was the Ryugu sea bream mermaid, Sono. She exchanged words with the residents, somewhat relieved but also clearly uneasy.
Would beings this powerful and cruel really just leave without incident� That doubt lingered heavily.
But thenâŠ
"âŠUmâŠ"
"Hmm?"
"Heyâ!!"
"That kid againâŠ!!"
As Nue stood atop Holdem, forcing him to praise her cuteness as a reward, the young girl who had earlier been strangled by Holdem stepped forward and spoke.
It was a move that could only be called reckless, and the villagers panicked. But none dared to interfere. They held their breath as Nue looked at the girl and met her eyes.
"Whatâs up? Want an autograph? Or have you become my fan already?"
"âŠThank you for saving my dad."
"! Ahaha!! Youâre thanking me? Thatâs so sweet~âȘ"
Nue patted the girl's head and smiled. The villagers were confused. She had hurt people, yesâbut at this moment, she seemed just like any ordinary girl.
Maybe⊠she was a good person?
She was still a pirate, but in the New World, the people knew that not all pirates were the same.
At last, the adults began to move.
"âŠAllow me, as a representative of the island, to thank you."
"Oh? So youâre the leader or something? No worries, no worries. I just dropped in for my idol activities today. Total whim~âĄ"
"âŠEven so, please let us express our gratitude. And if possible, weâd like to offer you a token of thanksâŠ"
The middle-aged village chief, leader of the island, stepped forward to speak.
But Nue gave him a crooked smile and immediately saw through his intent.
"âWorried about us helping you for free? Afraid weâll tear this place apart after all?"
"! N-no, thatâs not it⊠It just felt wrong not to offer something in return after being helpedâŠ"
"Ahaha, I appreciate the thoughtâBut since Iâm doing this out of a rare bout of kindness, could you just accept it as is? If we start talking rewards, then money or goods wonât cut it anymore, you know?"
"âŠ!!"
At her words, the chief felt a wave of sweat burst out across his whole body.
For an instant, her eyes turned sharp. The implication was clearâif you make this a transaction, weâll treat it like one.
Giving a ârewardâ to pirates is the same as paying tribute. And once you do, theyâll likely come to collect regularly. Theyâd claim official control of the island and demand payment every month.
Nueâs message was simple: she hadnât done that yet, so take the kindness at face value.
From her point of view, helping someone for fun was enjoyableâbut if it turned into pirate business, it ruined the mood. Thatâs all it was.
Nue was honest and free-spirited. Helping people was just something she did once in a while for fun.
Nothing more, nothing less.
"Hmm~⊠Alright, guess Iâll pack these guys up and get back to my vacation. Oh, weâll be using the beach and the local shops, so take care of that for meâĄ"
"! A-ah⊠of course. Weâll reopen everything right away. Just give us a moment."
"No rush~⥠Alright, see ya~⥠âJack~"
"âYes, maâam!!"
âGuhhâŠ!!?â
Nue casually grabbed Holdem and tossed him toward Jack. Jack caught him and carried him off, then gave orders to the rest of the crew.
"Letâs check out another beach next!!"
Still maintaining the facade of a simple vacation, Nue led her subordinates on a multi-day tour of the island. She took swimsuit photos, held a live concert, sold TDs, and slowlyâbut surelyâwas accepted, albeit fearfully, by the islanders. She gained more fans in the process.
âAnd on the return voyage, after the fun was overâŠ
"âPlease, let me join the Beasts Pirates."
"Sure~! A mermaid crew member sounds pretty useful!!"
"Thank you. I swear Iâm not just trying to coast on⊠I mean, I donât at all want to join a Yonko crew for the sake of passive income. Itâs not because it sounds easyâno, really⊠Uh⊠this is getting tedious, so Iâll stop here."
"Finish your thought!! Properly!!"
âN-Nue-sama is⊠th-the cutest⊠in the whole world⊠Huff⊠Huff⊠Nue-sama is⊠the cutest⊠in the worldâŠ!!â
âAnd so, having quietly added a new member to her forces, Nue returned to Onigashima, her idol activities and vacation complete.
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