When Fang Yi returned to the Dragon Wolf, he immediately ordered Lucky Roux to set sail.
The reason Sengoku had let them go wasn't out of respect for Rayleigh. It was simply because he was alone.
If Fang Yi's crew had fought to the death, even if they lost a few people, Sengoku would not have come out unscathed. There was even a risk he might fall here.
That was why Sengoku had allowed them to withdraw.
If they had waited until the Navy's warships arrived, escape would've been impossible.
Only once the Dragon Wolf fully submerged beneath the sea did Fang Yi finally breathe easier. At least the Navy wouldn't be chasing them any further.
"By the way… everyone's okay, right?" Fang Yi asked at last, realizing his comrades had all been injured.
"We're fine, nothing too serious!" Lucky Roux shook his head with a wry smile. "When we got back, there were only some ordinary marines guarding the Dragon Wolf. But just after we finished clearing them out, that admiral showed up!"
"As long as everyone's alive, that's what matters." Fang Yi nodded in relief, then turned to Barrett and Shanks.
"Not great—I pushed my Haki too far. But… it feels like my Armament Haki is on the verge of awakening!" Shanks scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin.
Fang Yi rolled his eyes. Seriously? Get into one fight, and he's awakening Armament Haki?
Barrett, meanwhile, wore a stiff smile. He'd had the worst of it, clashing head-on with Sengoku the whole time. His armored fusion had been shattered multiple times. And now? Shanks was awakening Armament Haki, but he got nothing for his troubles.
"What about you, Barrett? How bad are your injuries?" Fang Yi asked, turning toward him.
"Nothing fatal. Just need a few days' rest," Barrett replied, shaking his head.
Still, the fight had left him feeling strange—not physically, but in his heart.
Back when he first met Roger, it was Roger's overwhelming strength that made him join the crew, hoping to one day defeat him.
But once aboard, he soon realized the Roger Pirates weren't a fit for him. Roger and Rayleigh could draw power beyond their limits for the sake of their comrades, but Barrett couldn't. Having crewmates only felt like being held back, never making him stronger.
For a long time, he was lost in that mindset. Only Fang Yi had managed to pull him out, giving him a new goal to chase.
After Roger's death, Barrett should've lost his purpose again. But strangely, he hadn't.
And during the recent battle, he had felt something new—anger. A feeling he'd never had when fighting alone. That emotion had driven his strength to a new height. Though his mastery of the Fusion-Fusion Fruit was incomplete, in that moment, he had pushed his transformation until his giant form was only slightly smaller than Sengoku's Buddha.
At that time, he had been stronger than ever before.
He finally understood why Roger and the others valued their bonds so much. Now, he too had begun to like the feeling of fighting alongside comrades. For their sake, he could bring out power beyond his limits.
It was a sensation he hadn't felt since first joining Roger's ship.
Day after day, he had trained, but his progress had been painfully slow. In fact, back on Roger's crew, his strength had even declined.
When he first boarded, he could still spar evenly with Rayleigh. But over the years, he had regressed.
Meanwhile, Fang Yi had kept forging ahead, growing to the point of clashing with admirals.
Even so, Barrett felt no jealousy. He had finally found his own path, one he believed would one day let him surpass even Rayleigh—perhaps even Roger.
"Oi, Barrett!" Tiffany's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"What is it?" Barrett turned, confused.
"What do you mean what? I'm saying you're amazing! That was a navy admiral—and you actually stood toe-to-toe with him!" Tiffany said, eyes shining with admiration.
Barrett shook his head. "Not enough. The gap is still there. But next time… it won't end the same way."
"Damn right!" Fang Yi nodded firmly. "Next time, we won't lose to him!"
He, too, had recognized his shortcomings. Against opponents who relied on raw physical combat, his attacks lacked bite. His Flame Dragon Burst was powerful, but the charge-up was long, and landing a hit wasn't easy. It was more of a trump card than a true finishing blow.
What he needed was to refine his skills, crafting new combinations strong enough to challenge enemies above his level.
Right now, Fang Yi could easily handle those weaker than him. Against equals, he could manage.
But against the truly strong, he was helpless.
Some might say, of course, that's what makes them stronger than you.
But Fang Yi didn't see it that way. Sengoku was immensely powerful—stronger than Shanks and Barrett—but the two of them could at least fight him.
Without allies, Fang Yi felt like nothing but a child in front of Sengoku, swatted aside at will.
Still, there was no need to rush. After confirming there was no immediate danger, Fang Yi, Shanks, and Barrett—the three main fighters—went to rest and recover from their drained stamina.
Meanwhile, Tiffany, Jessica, and Lucky Roux focused on steering the Dragon Wolf, making sure it stayed on course. After all, none of them had been to Fishman Island before.
Back in Roger's days, Fang Yi, Barrett, and Shanks had gone to Mariejois instead. By the time they returned, the Roger Pirates had already come back up from Fishman Island.
"Wow~ the sea down here is beautiful!" Tiffany gasped.
As they descended, the waters grew darker. But the Dragon Wolf emitted its own light, illuminating the ocean around them.
"For now, it's fine. But the deeper we go, the more dangerous it gets. We'll need to cut the lights soon—or else the Sea Kings down here might mistake us for prey." Fang Yi emerged from the cabin, smiling.
"Captain, you're up already? Shouldn't you rest a bit longer?" the others asked, gathering around.
"I'm not injured. Why rest?" Fang Yi chuckled.
"Huh? Not injured?" Tiffany blinked in surprise.
"Of course. Barrett was the one fighting the admiral head-on. I barely got touched," Fang Yi said lightly.
But Lucky Roux gave him a knowing look. He had clearly seen Sengoku land a devastating strike on Fang Yi—yet here the captain was, completely unharmed.
That didn't mean Fang Yi was tougher than Barrett. More likely, he had some hidden ability that nullified or diverted damage.
Since Fang Yi hadn't explained, Lucky Roux didn't ask.
Before long, the Dragon Wolf reached the deep-sea zone. Fang Yi ordered all lights extinguished except the prow's searchlight. He also brought Wangcai out onto the deck.
Here beneath the sea, Wangcai was in his element. The environment seemed to invigorate him—he remained alert and energetic instead of dozing off.
Their luck held. They encountered no large Sea Kings along the way. At one point, Wangcai even grew bored and swam off for a while, returning with an enormous fish as a gift for Tiffany.
But as they neared Fishman Island, a patrol of the Neptune Army blocked their path.
"Humans! There is no place for you. Leave at once!" their captain barked at the Dragon Wolf.
Fang Yi wasn't sure how voices carried underwater, but since he could hear them, speaking back should work too.
"Greetings. I am captain of the Dragon Wolf Pirates. I am a friend of Knight Neptune, and I've come to Fishman Island to visit him," Fang Yi said politely.
The Neptune soldiers exchanged uncertain glances.
"Here's the deal—we'll wait here without advancing. Please inform Knight Neptune that I've come on behalf of Rayleigh to visit him." Fang Yi added after a moment's thought.
He avoided mentioning Roger's name, which carried too much weight. Rayleigh's name, however, was safer. To outsiders unfamiliar with him, it meant nothing.
The soldiers seemed to relax slightly at that.
"You stay here and keep an eye on them. I'll report this," the squad captain ordered his men. "Be cautious!"
For generations, the Fishmen had suffered from human treachery. Even with Neptune's name dropped, they couldn't afford to let down their guard.
As the captain departed, Barrett and Shanks emerged from the cabin, bandaged and battered.
"Not there yet? Why not rest a little longer?" Fang Yi teased when he saw them.
He was beginning to think they badly needed a ship's doctor—someone skilled enough to keep up with their constant battles.
But for now, he couldn't think of anyone suitable.
"We've rested enough. What's the situation?" Shanks asked, looking curiously around.
Ah~ it seems too many pirates have been causing trouble lately. Fishman Island has tightened its defenses—especially against human pirates, Fang Yi replied with a shrug.