Being tasked with tearing up newspapers, Garp always felt there was something a bit strange about it.
As a well-known Vice Admiral in the Marines, his duties seemed to overlap with those of a paper shredder.
It even gave Garp an idea—someday he'd have to get something specifically made to deal with newspapers.
Zephyr's investigation, meanwhile, did not go very smoothly. As a Marine Admiral, he had high-level clearance, and could access most of the database.
Yet among the many Marine operation records he reviewed, he found nothing of the sort.
Instead, he discovered that every so often, certain Marine operation records would simply disappear.
Some S-class, top-secret incidents were off-limits even to Marine Admirals, unless they had direct orders from the Fleet Admiral and the World Government.
At that point, Zephyr stopped forcing the investigation further. He already believed 70 to 80% of what Nereus had said.
"Soldiers who died because of something like this… it really is…"
Zephyr didn't know how to judge it. Those soldiers who truly upheld justice, who wanted to dedicate their strength to the seas, had unknowingly become accomplices in the whole affair.
Garp did not leave the Marines. Neither did Zephyr.
Garp believed someone needed to protect the Marines.
Zephyr believed someone needed to guide the new recruits onto the right path, to help them find true justice, not the so-called justice written on a sign.
Garp privately sought Zephyr out several times, wanting to know what he intended to do, but Zephyr never gave him an answer.
The subtle shifts within the Marines did not attract much attention. But on Delta Island in the New World, a celebration arrived quietly.
It was not to welcome new companions into freedom, nor was it a banquet held solely for the children of Fishman Island. It was a tradition of the island.
Delta Island was a very special place. Beneath the seemingly deep lake at its center lay another island, wrapped in a bubble membrane.
Every year on this day, that island within the island would rise to the surface under pressure. It was also the day Nereus had discovered the island and chosen Delta Island as a place of settlement.
In a sense, this was the day this "nation" was born.
Those who first arrived on the island with Nereus named the day "New Birth."
Its purpose was to commemorate their regained freedom and new lives, and the island would hold all kinds of festivities on this day.
"Wow, that looks like so much fun! Kuma-chi, let's go play too… oh, wait, you're a Devil Fruit user. That game's not suitable for you."
When the island deep beneath the central lake surfaced, enormous waves would surge through the three waterways running across the island. Beneath those waves was a playground for Fish-Men and Merfolk.
GREENROOM—the space formed beneath the massive waves before they crashed down onto the sea surface. For humans, that space was dangerous. One misstep and a person could be overturned by the wave, and under the force of the sea currents, who knew where they might be carried off to.
But for Merfolk and Fish-Men, it was the safest playground of all. Under such massive waves, human ships avoided sailing, and human traffickers would not operate in this kind of weather.
This period thus became the best opportunity for residents of Fishman Island to reach the surface.
The younger children held wooden boards as makeshift surfboards, while the older ones simply stood on the waves with their bare feet.
Whoever could glide beneath the waves the longest and burst out from under the massive wave before it crashed onto the sea surface would be declared the winner.
"It's fine, don't worry about me. If you want to play, go ahead. With those Fish-Men uncles acting as lifeguards, it should be perfectly safe."
All three waterways were watched over by adult Fish-Men or Merfolk. Even if humans went surfing, there was no need to worry about drowning. Not to mention waves of this scale, even a real tsunami would be no problem for these two races to carry people safely away.
"Forget it, I think I'll just go see what's good to eat; having food in stomach is much more practical."
Ginny gave up on the entertainment event and walked with Kuma toward the town center, where she spotted a blonde Mermaid.
"I remember… your name is Otohime, right? Why aren't you surfing with the others?"
The Fishman Island school trip group had been here for more than a day or two. Though Ginny didn't remember everyone, Otohime—the one most curious about the surface, constantly recording everything—had left an impression on her.
"That event is too dangerous. It's not suitable for me."
"Dangerous? That Fish-Man kid earlier said it was very safe."
"It's just because of my body…"
Otohime's body could be described as extremely fragile. Although she was born with a unique talent for Observation Haki, she also had what amounted to a body of glass bones.
If she got angry and tried to hit someone, whether she could hurt them was uncertain, but her own hand would definitely fracture.
So the pounding of the waves was not safe for her.
"Hmm… maybe it's because of your diet. I heard there'll be lots of delicious food today. You should eat more and build up your strength!"
In Ginny's understanding, a full stomach could solve most problems. She had also learned from textbooks about the Mermaid diet.
They didn't eat fish. Their main food sources were seaweed and shellfish. In the past, Fishman Island had lacked access to meat from the surface, and Sea Beasts weren't that easy to hunt either.
Ginny felt it was only reasonable that such a diet would lead to weaker physiques. Eating big chunks of meat was the best way to grow strong.
"Thank you for your concern, but I'll pass. The school trip ends today, and I still have a lot of things left unfinished."
Otohime politely declined Ginny's invitation. She could sense the other girl's goodwill. Ever since arriving on Delta Island, that kind of kindness had seemed to be everywhere.
It strengthened Otohime's belief that there were indeed many humans on the surface willing to get along peacefully with Merfolk and Fish-Men.
But Otohime had also sensed a great deal of sorrow. Some emotions were so intense that she couldn't stop herself from crying; that deep, heartfelt sadness simply could not be concealed.
And the "unfinished business" she spoke of was not merely recording things about the surface. She was also asking people on the island what they truly thought about the deep sea, and how those views had changed.
Her gift allowed her to sense whether someone was lying, and whether their words truly came from the heart.
Over the past few days, Otohime had met all kinds of people. There were those who had always treated every race equally from the beginning.
Then there were also those who had once feared Fishman Island but had changed their views after a series of events. And no matter who she spoke to, the conversation would, in one way or another, turn to Nereus.
The hero of Fishman Island. The hero of the slaves. The hero of liberation…
Otohime had heard such praise countless times, and it caused some of the thoughts deep within her still-young heart to begin to waver.
"To seek peace through peace cannot bring peace…"
Otohime began to reflect on the words Nereus had spoken at the start of school on Fishman Island.
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