The tavern's stale air thickened.
Every fishman in the room had turned to glare at the two outsiders who dared walk into their territory without bowing their heads.
The sharp-beaked fishman stepped closer, his grin widening as he placed one webbed hand on Shun Kaien's shoulder, the other on Douglas Bullet's.
"You must be new in town, huh?"His tone was oily, mocking.
Shun didn't react, simply tilting his head toward the fishman with a neutral gaze.
"So what if we are?"
The fishman sneered.
"You two have no idea where you are, do you?"He laughed, baring rows of jagged teeth.
Shun's gaze flicked to the flag outside—the crimson shark splitting the crossed skulls.
"Let me guess," Shun said calmly."Arlong Pirates?"
The fishman puffed up with pride.
"That's right. This is Arlong's turf now. Every island here flies our flag. Humans like you? You pay us tribute, or you die."
Shun exhaled softly through his nose, as if smelling something rotten.
Arlong.
The name scratched at his memory.
He had heard whispers from sailors, passing mentions in old newspapers during his first days after arrival in this world.
"Arlong... right," he murmured, piecing together what he recalled."A fishman pirate crew, led by a former officer of the Sun Pirates.Twenty million bounty, right?"
Douglas Bullet, arms folded, scoffed loudly.
"Twenty million?That's the price of a rookie's head where I come from."
Shun didn't need to explain.
The East Blue was weak.The lowest of the four seas, home to pirates whose bounties barely registered on the global stage.
"Your boss is just another scavenger playing king in a graveyard," Shun added coldly.
The fishman's expression darkened.
"You... what did you just say, human scum?"His voice was low, but the entire tavern bristled with tension as every fishman reached for their weapons.
Shun barely moved.
"Douglas Bullet," he said flatly, sipping the rum the bartender nervously placed before him."I've been curious.I've heard tales of your strength.Show me."
Bullet didn't even glance at Shun.
His eyes had already turned to the fishmen.
"You're insulting me," he growled.
And then he moved.
No theatrics.
No wasted words.
One moment he stood at the bar.
The next, he was in front of the sharp-beaked fishman.
Bullet's fists gleamed obsidian—the iron-hard shine of Armament Haki, the raw manifestation of domination and will.
The fishman had no time to react.
Bullet's strike caved in his face with a sound like splitting bone and steel.
The fishman was flung bodily through the tavern doors, crashing into the muddy street beyond.
The room froze.
The fishmen hesitated only for a heartbeat before their rage erupted.
"Kill them!"They roared, drawing weapons.
But they might as well have been ants trying to drown a lion.
Bullet surged into them, fists black as the abyss, movements brutal and efficient.
Shun watched, sipping his drink, observing Bullet's style.
No wasted effort.
Every punch was death.
The floor quickly became a graveyard.
Not one fishman survived.
When the last body hit the floor, the tavern owner stood frozen, still holding the untouched rum.
Bullet snatched it from his trembling hands and returned to the bar.
He pushed a glass toward Shun.
"You're right," Shun said with a faint smirk."Overkill."
Bullet shrugged.
"If you wanted to see Armament Haki, I showed you.Now you know the difference between monsters and rats."
Shun swirled the drink, his eyes distant.
"I already knew."
The alcohol burned his throat.
He coughed once, shaking his head.
"Strong stuff," he muttered.
Bullet laughed deeply, the first true laughter Shun had heard from him since their escape.
"You're still soft.I was drinking this by the barrel when I was fifteen."
Shun didn't respond.
The rum was nothing like the liquors of his past life.This world's alcohol burned with a rawness that mirrored the seas themselves.
He placed the glass down.
"Boring."
Bullet snorted, finishing his drink in one savage gulp.
Only then did the tavern owner find his voice, his knees shaking.
"You... you two better leave.When Arlong finds out what you've done... you won't escape."
Shun rose slowly, dusting off his coat.
"Let him come," he said simply.
Bullet cracked his knuckles, his smile razor-thin.
"I could use a little exercise."
They stepped into the street.
The townspeople watched from behind shuttered windows, eyes wide with both terror and awe.
They had seen plenty of pirates.
But these two were something else entirely.
Shun exhaled slowly, tasting the fear in the air.
"Let's see how long it takes for your 'Emperor of East Blue' to crawl out of his hole," he murmured.
And deep within the Arlong Pirates' stronghold, news of the massacre had already begun to spread.
The sharks were stirring.
But the ocean would soon learn—there were bigger predators now swimming in their waters.