"Pretty impressive, Camie. You can actually command fish schools," Jin said. "In a way, that's basically a kind of superpower."
Watching the school of fish leading the Thousand Sunny, Jin couldn't help but feel amazed.
Maybe this was just a natural talent of the Fish-Man race?
"You could say it's a unique ability of our kind," Camie said shyly with a smile. "But I can only communicate with small fish like these."
"There are people who can communicate with large fish too?"
"Yes!" Camie nodded seriously. "I've heard that Boss Jinbe can communicate with whale sharks!"
"That's incredibly amazing!"
As she spoke, she exaggeratedly waved her arms, which made Jin chuckle.
"Mr. Jin, Mr. Jin!"
"Just call me Jin."
"Ah… Jin," Papagu leaned closer and asked eagerly, "what kind of ninjutsu can you use?"
"Can you use Shadow Clone Jutsu?!"
"Can you use Water Release?!"
Seeing Papagu getting more and more excited, Jin sighed helplessly. As expected, the same questions again.
"Didn't I just use Water Release when I was handling that Sea King earlier?"
"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention back then…"
After Camie received the news about Hatchan being captured, all his attention had been on that, so he hadn't noticed what happened on the sea.
"It's fine. You'll see it when we rescue your friend," Jin smiled. "No need to rush."
"Alright!"
Papagu nodded earnestly, his eyes full of anticipation.
"Jin is really a nice person~"
"'-chan'…?" Jin glanced at Camie. "Is that your catchphrase?"
That suffix gave him a slightly strange feeling.
"Yes!"
"…Interesting."
"Miss Camie~"
Sanji twisted his body as he walked over with a plate, looking extremely attentive. "Please try this—my special strawberry pie~"
"Strawberry pie?"
Camie curiously picked one up and took a bite. Her eyes instantly lit up.
"It's delicious!"
"Thank you, Sanji-chan!"
"Ah~"
"To be able to serve Miss Camie… I can die without regrets…"
"Then go die already," Zoro said coldly.
"What did you say?!"
Veins bulging on his forehead, Sanji handed the plate to Jin, signaling him to share it with Papagu, then rushed at Zoro again.
"Uh…"
Taking the pie from Jin, Papagu pointed at the two fighting again. "Why are they fighting…?"
They had just fought not long ago—why again?
"Yeah, that's their daily routine," Jin said calmly. "You'll get used to it."
Looking at Jin's calm expression, then at the others who didn't even react, Papagu fell into deep thought.
…What a strange way of getting along.
After finishing the food, Papagu said, "Thanks for the meal~"
"For our cook, finishing the food is the best form of thanks."
"I see…"
Papagu glanced at the tray on the ground, thought for a moment, then went back and grabbed another piece.
Seeing that, Sanji's lips curled upward.
Of course, the price of distraction was getting punched by Zoro again.
"Bastard!"
Sanji roared and continued fighting.
"Camie, why aren't you eating?" Merry asked. "No appetite?"
"…I'm a little worried."
"Worried?"
"Hatchan sounded very weak… I don't know if he's being mistreated…"
"Don't worry, Camie," Papagu said, swallowing his food. "That guy's tough. He'll be fine."
'Hatchan…?'
Hearing that name, a trace of doubt appeared in Jin's eyes.
Could it be the Hatchan from East Blue?
But seeing that Nami showed no reaction, Jin figured it was probably just someone with the same name.
"By the way, I've been wondering," Merry said, "why would they kidnap Camie's friend?"
Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and turned over.
"For selling."
"S-selling?"
"Yes," Papagu nodded. "Here in the Sabaody Archipelago, the slave trade is extremely popular."
"And mermaids and fish-men are worth several times more than humans!"
"That's why we were targeted."
As Papagu explained, everyone's expressions gradually turned cold.
Clearly, no one liked human traffickers.
"That's disgusting…"
"Doesn't anyone stop this?" Nami asked. "Or are there no Marines here?"
"The slave auction business is legally protected."
At those words, Nami's expression darkened instantly.
"This kind of thing is actually protected by law?!" Jin said in disbelief.
"Yes."
Jin opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Why?
He couldn't understand.
Had this world really fallen this far?
Corrupt Marines, murderous pirates, and now an open slave market…
What kind of twisted world was this?!
"That's just how things are in Sabaody…" Papagu said helplessly. "Once you're captured, what awaits you is basically hell."
Hearing that, everyone unconsciously imagined it.
"I'd rather die."
"Don't worry, Camie. We'll help you rescue him," Jin said.
"…Okay."
"That said, you should still be careful," Papagu warned. "This involves a kidnapping group called the Flying Fish Riders. They're very strong."
"Very strong?"
"Yes. They're a relatively new group, but extremely powerful. Once they target you, it's almost impossible to escape."
"I've heard they've already captured quite a few pirates."
"They capture pirates?" Franky said in surprise. "That sounds like bounty hunters."
"Not really. They still sell them at auctions."
"Then why target you?"
"Maybe… because of those three fish-men, Macro and the others," Papagu said.
"Fish-men…"
Zoro frowned. "Kidnapping their own kind…"
Seems every race has people like that.
"Don't worry. We're strong," Jin said.
"…Then I feel relieved."
"Tell us everything about the Flying Fish Riders," Jin said. "The more detailed, the better."
"I don't know much," Papagu shook his head. "Just their name and some rumors."
"Oh right—their leader is called Duval. He wears a mask and seems to be searching for someone."
"I heard they inspect every ship passing through, but haven't found their target yet."
"No one knows who they're looking for."
"That's all I know."
Papagu looked a bit helpless.
On Fish-Man Island, he had influence. But on land, he was just… a talking starfish.
"Well… at least he can talk," Jin thought.
"They check every ship?" Luffy said, surprised. "Who are they looking for…?"
"That's some serious hatred," Sanji added.
Searching every passing ship wasn't easy. If they encountered someone strong, they could be wiped out.
Yet they persisted.
"That level of obsession… it must be a deep grudge," Jin said thoughtfully. "They're probably capturing pirates to find that person."
Then he added, "Maybe… they're looking for a pirate?"
"Possible."
"But whoever they're looking for has nothing to do with us."
"Yeah."
"Anyway, Camie, we'll definitely help you save your takoyaki!" Luffy grinned.
"Yeah!"
At that moment, the fish school began to thrash violently, as if sensing something terrifying.
"What's wrong?"
"Is the weather changing?" Chopper asked nervously.
"No," Nami said. "The climate hasn't changed."
"We're already within Sabaody's influence zone. The weather won't shift suddenly," Papagu explained.
"Then what is it?"
"I'll check."
Camie jumped to the side of the ship and listened to the fish.
After a moment, she said, "They say they can only guide us this far…"
"That's bad—it's the Flying Fish Riders!"
"Where?!"
Luffy rushed to the front, but saw nothing.
"They're in the sky!"
"Bzzzz—"
As Jin spoke, the sound of flying fish engines came from above.
"They're really flying?!" Usopp exclaimed.
"They're riding special flying fish," Camie explained. "They can glide for five minutes after leaving the water."
"That's awesome!" Luffy's eyes sparkled.
"Idiot, this isn't the time to admire them!"
Jin appeared beside Luffy in a flash, narrowing his eyes.
"Information just delivered to our doorstep…"
But to his surprise, the three flying fish passed overhead—and left.
"They… left?!"
Were they scouts?
"Hahaha, what a haul!" one rider laughed. "We found the Straw Hat Pirates!"
"Quick, report to the boss!"
"Shouldn't we attack?" another asked.
"Idiot! Their bounty exceeds a billion Beli! We can't beat them!"
"Right…"
At that moment—
A high-pressure water line shot out from behind, slicing straight through one of the flying fish.
"Pff—!"
Like cutting tofu, it split cleanly in half.
"That's Water Release?!" Papagu exclaimed excitedly.
Camie stared in shock.
This was her first time seeing a human control water like that.
"That's right," Jin said with a smile.
"Jin! Why'd you kill the fish?!" Luffy protested. "I wanted it!"
"Idiot, now's not the time!" Sanji snapped. "Catch them first!"
"Exactly," Jin said. "Once we find their base—"
Before he could finish, one of the riders suddenly dove down, grabbed his fallen comrade, and shot upward at incredible speed.
"Hm?"
"Carrying two people and still that fast?"
They threw a smoke bomb, obscuring the sky, and escaped.
"Damn, they're fast."
"They were scouts," Zoro said.
"Or they came for Camie," Franky added.
"Wait," Merry raised her hand. "I heard them say 'we found the Straw Hat Pirates.'"
Jin glanced at her, surprised.
Was that a special ability of the ship spirit?
"So they're targeting us?" Usopp said in disbelief.
"Do we know this Duval guy?"
"No…"
Everyone fell silent.
"Then why is he waiting for us?" Chopper asked.
No one had an answer.
"Who cares," Luffy said. "We'll find out when we meet him."
"Agreed," Jin nodded.
"Camie, which direction?" Nami asked.
"Straight ahead," Camie pointed.
"Got it!"
Under Merry's control, the Thousand Sunny surged forward.
Everyone stood on deck, staring ahead.
They all wanted to know—
Why was that man waiting for them?
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