The golden ship Erebus dove into the deep sea once again, heading straight for Fishman Island, ten thousand meters below the surface. The last time they came here, the Hell Pirates were just another group of rising Overlord Candidates.
They had assassinated the Celestial Dragon, Saint Rothschild, and escaped into the New World. Back then, they had no territory and weren't strong enough to hold their own. That's why they left the two Poneglyphs behind.
"Uncle Tom! Brother Tiger! We're finally heading back to Fishman Island!!"
The little mermaid Ariel was crying tears of joy, visibly thrilled. It had been over a month since she was captured by a slave ship. Since then, she had sailed across the Grand Line and the West Blue with the Hell Pirates.
This crazy adventure? She was definitely going to brag about it once she got home. Hell, she might even write a whole book about her travels!
Now that they were deep underwater, Ariel became more energetic than ever. Though she was shy, a bit of a crybaby, and quite skinny, she wasn't short by any means. At only sixteen, she was nearly two meters tall—taller than Shakky or even Stussy.
"Hey Ariel, what kind of mermaid are you, anyway?" Brook asked, tilting his head slightly, curiosity written all over his face—or at least in his tone. Her wavy blond hair and big watery blue eyes seemed oddly familiar.
"Master Brook, I'm a goldfish mermaid!" Ariel replied sweetly, eyes sparkling. Despite being a little airheaded, she clearly respected Brook and wasn't afraid of him at all.
"A goldfish mermaid...?" Brook's eye sockets seemed to widen. "No way. Could it be...? Is this adorable, ditzy girl actually Otohime's mother? Shirahoshi's grandmother?"
He remembered that Otohime had been killed by Hody Jones about ten years before the Fishman Island arc. She was only 36 when she died. That meant she would be born in the next five or six years. Could this crybaby girl really be her mom?
Was it possible that this overly emotional gene had been passed down for three generations?
Otohime's oldest son, Fukabkshi, was born when she was around 22. That meant Neptune, the king of Fishman Island, was already in his forties when he married a twenty-something Otohime.
Damn... That guy was on the same level as Gol D. Roger. Roger knew he was terminally ill and still married Portgas D. Rouge in his fifties—and she gave birth to Ace!
"Tell me," Brook continued, narrowing his nonexistent eyes, "can you... feel other people's emotions? Like their joy, anger, sadness? Can you tell how others are feeling without them saying anything?"
He needed to be sure.
Otohime had a rare, innate form of Observation Haki—one that bordered on mind-reading. It wasn't just strong—it was divine. On par with Redfield's mind-reading skills. It let her sense people's emotions and even communicate her own feelings in a way that resonated deeply, sometimes enough to change someone's entire worldview.
This kind of Haki couldn't be learned. It was a gift—rarer than Conqueror's Haki.
Otohime's speeches moved crowds. Her empathy and compassion broke through centuries of hate between fishmen and humans. She was that powerful.
Brook couldn't help but compare it to Belo Betty's Inspire-Inspire Fruit, Luffy's ridiculous protagonist aura that pulled people to his cause, or even Buggy's insane luck that turned him into a Yonko by accident.
"Ah! Lord Brook, how'd you know?" Ariel exclaimed, giggling. "I can talk to little fish, sure—but I can also feel how Mom and Dad are doing. I can tell when Uncle Tom is worried or when Brother Tiger is mad..."
Yup. No doubt about it. Ariel had that gift.
It wasn't as refined as Otohime's, but the bloodline was there. This kind of Haki might just run in her family—but only certain generations awakened the full potential.
Brook's mind raced. He had just met the grandmother of Poseidon—the real Poseidon, the Sea King Shirahoshi. Was he messing up history just by being near her?
Then again, so what? He'd already kicked future Yonko off their timeline. If he was the butterfly flapping his wings, then so be it. Brook wasn't going to let fate chain him down.
Once he claimed the red Poneglyphs from Fishman Island, Roger's path to becoming Pirate King would rest in his hands. Not Gol D. Roger's.
The one in Wano? He'd take that too. After all, how could Roger read the ancient texts without Brook's permission? The Ohara survivors and the Kozuki clan would be under his protection.
Brook wasn't just a bystander in this world. He was going to decide whether the Pirate King dream came true.
Besides, the prophecy of Poseidon was already carved into the Poneglyphs. It didn't matter what Brook did—Shirahoshi would still be born on Fishman Island. Her fate was locked in.
Still, Brook couldn't help but curse destiny. What a damn pain.
There were super giant Sea Kings and the elephant Zunesha out there, all helping Nika's prophecy unfold. Toki had traveled 800 years forward just to birth Momonosuke, and even Zunesha followed that pink dragon's command. If that didn't scream "chosen one," what did?
Brook's theory? Momonosuke might be the reincarnation of Uranus, Shirahoshi was clearly Poseidon, and Luffy—the Straw Hat with the Will of D—was the Sun God Nika.
And with Devil Fruits that allowed transformations into giant Buddhas, dragons, phoenixes, and more, was it really that far-fetched to think Nika had become a Mythical Zoan himself?
Maybe Nika's spirit still lingered inside the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika, waiting for a worthy host.
Brook exhaled sharply. "So much worrying. Why bother traveling through time if you're going to be afraid of changing things?"
Especially in these system-based stories—everything revolves around the main characters anyway. The rest are just tools, puppets playing their part. So screw it. Brook wasn't going to play it safe anymore.
He smiled at Ariel.
"Ariel... do you want to be as strong as Uncle Tom and Brother Tiger?" he asked, his voice soft but firm. "Strong enough to protect Fishman Island with your own hands? So no one can ever capture your friends again?"
Brook wasn't about to let this Observation Haki go to waste. This sweet, silly goldfish mermaid might just become his secret weapon.
"Let's train, Ariel. Roar, my failed mermaid! For Fishman Island!!!"
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The silly crybaby, the goldfish mermaid Ariel, stared blankly at Brook. Wait—what did she just hear?
The great Lord Brook... wants to recruit me?!
"I-I'm just a vegetarian mermaid!" Ariel stammered, flailing her fins in a panic. "I'm weak! I've only ever eaten clams! I can't even lift anything heavy! I mean, sure, I can swim fast, but that's it! That's all I can do!"
The mermaid, who had been happily babbling just moments ago, suddenly teared up, completely overwhelmed by Brook's offer.
"Captain Brook, you… you really want me to be a pirate? No way! I-I can't! I'm useless!"
Tom and Tiger, the two fish-men beside her, were also stunned.
What the hell's going on? Has the Hell Pirates' recruitment bar dropped that low? Or has Brook lost his mind? Or… is this about her looks?
No, that couldn't be it. Brook still had that calm, detached, and intelligent air about him.
Redfield and the other crew members glanced over, curiosity piqued. Was there something special about this weak, crying mermaid?
"As a human, you shouldn't underestimate your potential," Brook said, his voice as composed as ever. "You may have awakened an extremely rare form of Observation Haki. And that is very powerful."
He continued to observe Ariel's life force. Yeah, she was weak—really weak. Like Queen Otohime, she wasn't cut out for combat. But her Haki… it could turn into something world-changing.
If Antonio and Vegapunk could build a custom Den Den Mushi speaker system for her, she could influence others just by speaking. A powerful Haki that could shift people's values and beliefs—that would be dangerous in the right hands.
"Captain Brook, wait…" Redfield raised a brow. "Are you saying this little crybaby has the same kind of Haki I do?"
Brook nodded. "Yes. Her Observation Haki can already sense thoughts and emotions. If she trains, she could reach the point where she can project her own will—change how others think and feel. With mastery, she could even reshape someone's entire belief system. But right now, she's still at the most basic stage."
Brook wasn't sure how far Ariel could go, but it was worth the gamble. What if she became a figure like "Adolf Ariel"—a leader whose very words created iron-willed believers? An army of unwavering loyalty born through influence rather than force?
"No way," Tiger muttered, clearly jealous. "She has that kind of power? I could flick her across the ocean with a finger."
"I'm sorry, Brother Tiger…" Ariel sniffled, sensing the bitterness in his heart. She couldn't stand to upset her fellow Fish-man or one of her saviors, so she immediately apologized with tears forming again.
Tiger suddenly felt several intense stares locking on him. Especially Tom, who walked over and smacked him upside the head.
"Seriously, you're jealous of her? How desperate are you for praise?" Tom growled. "You want the captain's attention? Then train harder! You've been here longer than her and still can't beat the rookie Kaido. You've had plenty of chances to grow!"
He kicked Tiger aside like an annoyed big brother. The last thing they needed was drama interrupting Brook's decision.
Tom sighed. If someone from Fish-man Island really could become that strong—even if Ariel didn't look the part—he'd be glad to see it. Captain Brook clearly saw potential in her, and if he was right…
"Ariel," Brook said firmly, "you're now a trainee crew member of the Hell Pirates. You don't have to leave Fish-man Island yet. For now, focus on honing your ability here. Visit Fish-man Street often and speak to the people. I'll have Tom's brother, Dan, and the Royal Army of Ryugu Palace protect you."
No hesitation. Brook had already made his decision. Whether it was her Haki or a possible connection to Otohime and Shirahoshi, she was worth the investment.
"Thank Captain Brook already, will you?" Tom muttered.
Ariel blinked, then her eyes lit up like golden lanterns. "Y-Yes! Thank you, Captain Brook! Thank you so much!"
She was thrilled. Not only could she stay home, but she'd also become a crew member of her idol. It was like a dream come true.
Fish-man Island revered the Hell Pirates now. With two fish-men among their ranks and Tom being one of their key officers with a bounty over 100 million berries, they were seen as legends.
Before Queen Otohime saved Donquixote Mjosgard, Fish-man Island was in a dire position. Rejoining the World Government brought a sliver of peace, and Jinbe becoming a Warlord helped, too—but the island still had a long way to go.
Now Ariel had a goal.
She would tell everyone about the greatness of the Hell Pirates. About their strength, their justice, and the kindness of Captain Brook. She would become their voice, their messenger.
From a crybaby to a speaker. From weak to a potential world-shaker. A mermaid who could shape hearts and minds with her voice.
Her rise was beginning.
One day soon, Brook would return to Fish-man Island and find that Ariel had transformed the whole island into his loyal fanbase.
"Keep going, Ariel," Brook said, gently patting her golden, wavy hair. "I believe in you."
The silly mermaid gazed up at him, eyes full of admiration.
Thank you, Captain Brook, she thought. You gave me, a nobody, the chance to be something greater. I won't let you down.
From now on, I—Ariel—won't cry anymore!
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