Jinbe?
Daren paused, surprised. The image of a broad, blue-skinned man with a kind, simple face popped into his mind. He smiled with satisfaction.
Fisher Tiger was nothing if not straightforward—trusting someone as reliable as the "just-a-Yonkō" Jinbe to him said all you needed to know about his sincerity.
Tiger was genuinely grateful. That's why he had entrusted his most reliable and promising junior to Daren, assigning him to the North Blue Fleet's underwater combat division.
Others might not get it. But as a transmigrator, Daren understood Jinbe's potential all too well.
In the original story, when Fisher Tiger was betrayed by humans and gravely wounded while being pursued by the Marines, he handed the leadership of the Sun Pirates directly to Jinbe. And Jinbe never let him down. From that point on, he led the Sun Pirates with honor, protecting the Fish-Man race and eventually reaching an agreement with the World Government to become one of the Shichibukai.
By the current timeline, Jinbe was probably only seventeen or eighteen years old—still far from fully grown. But for Daren, that was a good thing.
Unlike adults like Fisher Tiger, who already had strong convictions and an established worldview, someone young like Jinbe still had room to grow. His values hadn't solidified yet, which made his potential all the more remarkable… Talents like his were far more moldable.
Daren could already picture it—the blue, yukata-wearing, geta-clad Jinbe leading the North Blue Fleet's underwater forces, cutting through the seas of the North Blue like an unstoppable force.
And most importantly, beyond his courage, strong will, and a natural talent at least at vice-admiral level, Jinbe's calm and composed demeanor made him a born commander!
Momonga in the skies with his aerial fleet, Jinbe beneath the waves with the underwater forces—the two of them working in tandem... it was the perfect combination!
"Hm, from the way Tiger-san speaks, Jinbe must be an outstanding young man," Daren said with a smile.
Fisher Tiger sighed.
"That kid Jinbe really is talented. It's just that being born in the Fish-Man District has buried a lot of his potential."
"I had originally thought about putting him in the Ryugu Palace guard to gain some experience and help temper his character… but then I figured, training is training. Why not just send him straight to the North Blue?"
"I've heard about Daren-san... and the outstanding training and leadership of Admiral Momonga. It'll be a great opportunity for Jinbe and those brats to train under Admiral Momonga—it's their good fortune."
"I just hope we're not troubling you and Admiral Momonga too much."
Daren waved it off with a smile. "Tiger-san, you've made the right decision."
"The fishmen are born of the sea—they're natural warriors, meant to roam the vast oceans and battle through the waves. They shouldn't be confined within the tiny Ryugu Palace."
"This sea is vast and full of wonders. The young should go out, see the world, and broaden their horizons."
Fisher Tiger seemed deeply moved by Daren's words. His eyes reddened slightly as he nodded in agreement.
"Yes… That's why I chose to sail the seas."
"The fishmen are warriors who ride the waves!"
He clenched his fists.
…
At the same time...
North Blue.
Waters near the 321st Marine Branch.
A merchant ship bearing a flamingo skull Jolly Roger sailed steadily across the sea.
On the deck, dozens of fish-man teenagers in ragged clothes gazed in awe at the endless expanse of ocean. Their eyes gleamed with wonder.
Arms wide open, they basked joyfully in the warm, brilliant sunlight.
"So this is the world above the sea?"
"It's beautiful!"
"The sun!! It's the real sun!! Just like in the books!! A huge ball of fire!"
"And this sea breeze... it feels amazing!!"
"It smells like freedom!!"
Though all fish-men, their appearances varied depending on their subspecies—and even their skin tones were different.
There were shark fish-men with jagged noses and dorsal fins on their backs.
Octopus fish-men with patterned skin and tentacles in place of legs.
Whale shark fish-men with black-and-white striped skin and odd-looking faces.
And giant squid fish-men with red skin and ink spurting from their nostrils...
Despite their differences, right now, every young face shone with the same innocent excitement.
Everything was so new to them.
The warm sunlight, the crystal-clear sea, the refreshing ocean breeze, the distant islands with their lush forests and rolling hills...
To them, it was all a marvel.
Born and raised in the slums of Fish-Man District, most of them hadn't even stepped outside the district, let alone Fish-Man Island itself.
They'd spent their lives among garbage, filthy sewers, and the stench of rot, never once seeing sunlight...
Even what little they knew about the human world came from a couple of battered old books read over and over again.
Young hearts are always full of curiosity.
Though they had lived in darkness, surrounded by illness, poverty, and violence, it didn't stop these fish-man youths from yearning for the sun above the gutter.
If they'd felt a bit of reluctance or fear when Boss Tiger ordered them to board the ship and leave Fish-Man Island, then at this moment...
Every single one of them felt incredibly lucky to have been chosen!
"This... is the outside world!"
Jinbe, dressed in tattered burlap, rested both hands on the mast, eyes wide with wonder.
He wasn't sure why, but there was a lump in his throat and his eyes began to sting.
He had never imagined the outside world could be this breathtaking.
"Is everyone ready? We're about to dock."
A deep voice rang out.
Ripples suddenly spread across the deck, and the hard wooden planks seemed to flow like waves.
Senor, wearing a black Italian-style suit, slowly "rose" up from the deck.
"Where are we going?"
Under the expectant eyes of his companions, Jinbe stepped forward boldly, chest out, and asked.
Senor smiled.
He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from inside his coat, lit one, and said calmly,
"Next, you'll begin training with the most powerful, most elite army in the world..."
He paused, as if remembering something.
"Remember this—this will be the luckiest thing that ever happens to you. No question."
The fish-man youths were momentarily stunned. One of them couldn't help asking,
"But isn't the most powerful and elite army the Marine Headquarters?"
Even though they had lived their whole lives in the Fish-Man District, they still knew that much.
Senor smiled again and looked off into the distance.
"That's not necessarily true."
As soon as he finished speaking, the fish-man youths turned to look.
And then they saw something that left them utterly stunned.
Frozen in place, their eyes widened in disbelief.
"Th-that's…"
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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