Chapter 332: The So-Called Reality
The pirate captain crashed to the deck, sending Nana rolling across the boards.
"Ow, ow, ow!"
Nana grimaced and tumbled back upright. But when she tried to stand, she remembered she wasn't wearing a bubble—she couldn't stand like she could on Fish-Man Island.
"Now you understand your limits, right? Don't get too cocky from now on."
Brett smiled. "You've still got a long way to go, kid."
"I'll get stronger! Just you wait and see, Brett-niisan!"
The little girl clenched her fists, speaking with utter seriousness.
"I'll look forward to it."
This kid was genuinely interesting.
Her heart was quite thick-skinned.
But that wasn't a bad thing.
Not being overly sensitive meant she wouldn't easily feel discouraged by setbacks.
Once she made a decision, she'd always persist stubbornly.
That was an excellent quality—just like Luffy.
During their brief exchange, the other pirates on deck had already dropped to their knees en masse. Their weapons clattered across the floor.
The captain who'd led them had been defeated in an instant. What could they possibly do?
Before this monster, whatever they tried would be futile.
"Amazing, Brett-niisan!"
Unable to stand, Nana simply coiled her tail and sat on the deck. She grinned. "These guys all seem really scared of you!"
"Obviously. Who do you think I am?"
Brett winked at her.
"Hehe!"
The little girl crossed her arms and smiled. "I want to be as strong as you someday, Brett-niisan!"
"That won't be easy, but do your best."
Brett encouraged her.
Though it was indeed extremely difficult.
Not to brag, but without top-tier talent, becoming as strong as him was virtually impossible.
"Lord Brett, thank you—thank you so much for your assistance..."
With all the pirates subdued, the merchant ship's leader—a fellow plastered with cosmetics—carefully approached Brett and bowed respectfully.
Behind him, the remaining guards had quickly restrained all the pirates.
Brett didn't acknowledge him, simply waving his hand to summon a fierce wind that swept Shirahoshi from the sea surface onto the deck, along with the unfortunate souls who'd been thrown overboard earlier.
So huge—
Brett heard whispered exclamations from the crowd—whether from the merchant crew or pirates, he couldn't tell.
Shirahoshi's size was indeed massive even by Fish-Man Island standards.
Brett had only seen one person larger—that guy Wadatsumi, who now served as a captain in the Immigration Bureau.
"Can you sense it, Shirahoshi?"
Brett said. He extended his hand, raising his index finger and pointing in a circle at everyone on deck—both pirates and merchants.
"The pirates we defeated, and the ordinary people we saved—what do you sense?"
For Shirahoshi, who possessed an ability similar to his own to perceive hearts, Brett felt no need to explain much. Better she experience it herself.
"Sense what?"
Nana—who knew nothing—grinned. "Obviously the pirates' anger and fear, and gratitude from the people we rescued, right?"
The pirates were certainly like that.
But were the rescued people truly just grateful?
Brett's Observation could perceive people's hearts.
Many of the rescued people were indeed anxious but undoubtedly grateful to them.
Ordinary people at sea didn't know the true relationship between Fish-Man Island and the World Government.
In their view, Brett sided with the World Government, representing order. Since he'd rescued them, they surely wouldn't face disaster again.
Naturally, Brett hadn't intended to harm these people anyway—otherwise he wouldn't have rescued those who'd fallen overboard.
However, mixed among these grateful emotions were many others.
Princess Shirahoshi had already furrowed her brow.
She pressed her lips together, her fingers anxiously twisting the hem of her clothes.
She heard many voices she didn't want to hear.
Heard what Brett was hearing now.
Aside from guards, most aboard this merchant vessel were businessmen traveling for trade.
Merchants valued profit above all. So what thoughts arose in their hearts upon seeing two young mermaids?
Not everyone was the same, of course. But there were always some.
"..."
Little Princess Shirahoshi fell silent. Then she turned to look at Brett. "Brett-niisan, why?"
They'd saved them, hadn't they?
So why did some still harbor such greedy malice toward them?
"You need to learn a very simple truth, Shirahoshi."
Brett said. "We can't hold everyone to the same standard. Among humans are good people, but also bad ones."
"Perhaps many humans' rejection of Fish-Man Island stems only from unfamiliarity, from strangeness."
Brett spoke seriously. "But there are also those who understand everything yet remain purely greedy."
Little Princess Shirahoshi looked somewhat bewildered.
The real trouble was—those who knew nothing about Fish-Man Island were actually the least threatening ordinary people.
Those harboring malice toward them were the nobility who truly controlled this world's direction.
Shirahoshi's mouth opened slightly. She'd also heard the voice in Brett's heart.
"Alright, let's go."
Brett smiled. "This was just an interlude. What I really want to show you comes next."
"Okay."
The little princess nodded heavily.
Though she didn't fully understand, Observation Haki let her empathize completely.
Brett brought the two little girls back into the sea and departed, leaving behind only the devastated merchant and pirate ships.
Brett led the two little girls forward through the ocean.
Before long, they arrived at an island's offshore waters.
"Is this our destination?"
Far from the island's shore, Nana surfaced. She looked toward the island ahead with a grin.
"This is our first destination."
Brett said with a smile. "Though it's not exactly a good country, perhaps places like this will help you see this world more clearly."
"Oh! I can't wait!"
Nana said excitedly.
"No rush. Before landing, we need to make some preparations first."
Brett smiled.
Two young mermaids couldn't simply land on a human island normally.
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