"Kid, stop crying. This is something to be happy about. What's there to cry over?"
"Sorry, but… I can't really control it."
"We'll take you home right away. You can try the bars on Fishman Island. Even by Fishman Island standards, this is a fine brew. This wine bottle is something I bought at a specialty shop in Gyoverly Hills."
Shaq could no longer remember how he had been brought back onto the ship. From the moment he stepped onto the deck, he was once again enveloped by the warmth of his own people.
The songs of his homeland, the wine of his hometown—he had once thought he would never have the chance to touch these things again. And now, they were within arm's reach.
Fishman Island's wine wasn't strong liquor, but light fruit wines brewed from various fruits. Their smooth taste made Shaq start reminiscing about the past.
"Fish-Man District, No. 37? That was your old place? Someone else lives there now, but don't worry, we'll arrange a new place for you once we're back."
That was just how Fish-Man District was. People came and went constantly; if someone disappeared for a while, their room would be given to newcomers.
Someone like Shaq, who had been missing from Fish-Man District for years, was even more so. After all, housing there was never left vacant.
"Come on, kid, see which design you like? If you're determined to join us and walk the path of battle, I recommend the Boss's flag. It's the most popular design on the ship.
If you've got something you like yourself, you can talk to me about it."
There were professional tattoo artists on Nereus's ship. Many slaves bore brands that symbolized humiliation, and simply covering them with a branding iron would be cruel.
Usually, they used various designs to conceal them. And even those without a history of slavery would sometimes get tattoos, so outsiders couldn't judge a crew member's past based on that.
After all, this was a different world. Tattoo culture was quite widespread across these seas.
"Can I… join too?"
"Of course. As long as you're willing to follow some rules, it's not hard to join the Boss. After all, you're a Fish-Man too."
Fishman Island's wine wasn't strong, but it was intoxicating. The people around didn't hesitate to keep pouring drinks for Shaq, the newcomer, until, before anyone realized, the deck was littered with drunk bodies.
Moments of such indulgence were rare for them; after all, it's not like they could afford to be drunk and hungover every day.
In a daze, Shaq also managed to choose his design, and the tattoo artist was now working on his body.
"Mmm… I'm full… Kuma, you've shrunk again. That's more like how a little brother should look."
Ginny lay off to the side with her belly puffed out, watching Kuma dancing with the Fish-Men nearby.
After pulling Shaq out of the sea earlier, Shaq had returned to the church to call these two companions over.
They were life-and-death comrades from God Valley, and had spent several months living together as well, forming a bond between them.
Shaq hadn't thought much of it initially. He simply figured they could eat better at the banquet. Besides, Nereus was already planning to meet them anyway; some things taken from Kuma needed to be returned.
The banquet was split into two distinct phases: the first half of the night and the second. By the latter half, those who were tired had already fallen asleep, leaving mostly heavy drinkers behind.
Perhaps it had been a long time since they'd been this happy. Both Kuma and Ginny were still full of energy, and it was then that Nereus came over to them.
"Tomorrow morning, I'll be taking Shaq away. Have you thought it through? Will you continue living in the Sorbet Kingdom, or go with Shaq to a new home?"
One had mastered the skill of intelligence eavesdropping at a young age, while the other was the user of the Paw-Paw Fruit—both were talents in their own right.
And on these seas, talent was important. Sometimes, the gap between people was even greater than that between a person and a dog.
"If it won't cause you trouble…"
"Trouble? No, you'll be a huge help to me. The Paw-Paw Fruit you ate is a Devil Fruit with tremendous potential."
"You should be able to tell this as well. The fact that the Celestial Dragons treated it as a prize on God Valley is proof enough.
What it can repel isn't just people: pain, emotions, even souls…"
Once they find a qualified user for the Door-Door Fruit, they can open up sub dimensions in the air and have Kuma go inside together with them.
Open a few doors near the Red Line and repel some dangerous little things over there…
When different abilities are combined, what can be accomplished far surpasses what a single Devil Fruit can do.
Kuma hadn't been back in the Sorbet Kingdom for long. Aside from that empty church, there really weren't any bonds tying him to the place.
Ginny stayed behind in the Sorbet Kingdom instead of continuing to roam with Ivankov. What she wanted was a stable life.
But tonight's banquet made Kuma realize that leaving with Nereus might offer a better quality of life.
On top of that, Nereus had saved so many people back in God Valley. Deep down, Kuma felt a sense of trust toward him, believing that he was someone worth trusting.
In the end, Kuma and Ginny boarded Nereus's ship together and left the Sorbet Kingdom. Before leaving, Kuma put up a sign in front of the church, stating that no one lived here anymore and that anyone in need was free to use it.
"Dad, I get the feeling that you're far more interested in those two kids than in Shaq."
Early the next morning, while most people were still lost in the land of dreams, Nanamo was already up. After a quick wash, she found Nereus still on the deck and voiced the doubt she'd had since last night.
"Among the Fish-Men, Shaq isn't particularly outstanding. How far he goes will depend on his own efforts from now on. But Kuma and Ginny… their potential is higher. One is nine, the other thirteen. They are about your age.
You can interact with them more. Consider them part of your future team."
"You really think far ahead, Dad. Don't tell me you've already picked subordinates for me among the Fish-Men and Merfolk too."
"More or less. But there aren't many yet. Just one, Jinbe."
"Jinbe? That little blue chubby guy? You think that highly of him?"
Hearing Jinbe's name, Nanamo froze for a moment. If Nereus himself was the uncrowned king of the Fish-Man District, then Nanamo was the king of the kids there.
Even though she hadn't been back often, she still remembered quite a few people. She never would have thought that Nereus believed Jinbe had that kind of potential.
In Nanamo's own view, Jinbe really couldn't be called strong.
"It's normal for you to look down on your peers. It's not that they're weak, it's that your talent is too great."
Jinbe was already one of the few Fish-Men known to be considered truly strong in the future timeline. The only one with greater talent than him was Jack, who had risen to the rank of one of the Three Calamities by the age of twenty-eight.
"That's not true. I think Sister Amphy is pretty strong. Her strength has been skyrocketing lately, though she probably won't count as a peer for much longer…
That aside, Dad, is this the direction back to Fishman Island?"
"No. There's one more thing we need to do. You like holding concerts, right? This time, on the way, let's find you an accompanist."
TN: Hey guys, I will be releasing extra chapters for every 20 power stones. (5-7 chapters.)
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