The mermaid and starfish Hachi saved were friendly, beaming at him.
Confused but accepting, Hachi introduced himself, prompting them to do the same.
"I'm Keimi. Nice to meet you, Hachi!"
"I'm Pappag, up-and-coming designer!"
Keimi, the mermaid; Pappag, the starfish. They seemed harmless, so Hachi chatted without caution.
"Nyuu~ What were you two doing in that boar's belly?"
"Well, I'm clumsy—always getting eaten or kidnapped by sea beasts," Keimi said.
"Kidnapped over thirty times, eaten over twenty," Pappag added.
"That's rough."
"Hehe…"
Hachi held the golden spear in one of his six arms, tip down, ensuring they weren't scared. Their joy was genuine—he was their savior.
"We gotta repay you, Hachi. What do you want?" Keimi asked.
"You're our savior. Name something," Pappag urged.
"My friend's injured, bedridden. Need something nutritious for him."
"Hmm… nutritious? Clams?" Keimi suggested.
"Keimi, those are my food!" Pappag protested.
"Sorry, Hachi, those are Pappag's."
"Nyuu~ No worries."
The exchange lacked tension.
Unafraid of Hachi despite their history of being snatched, their carefree nature matched his. Three kindred spirits, creating a warm vibe unintentionally.
Clams were off the table. Not that Hachi wanted them, but he needed something else.
Arms crossed, he pondered. Keimi and Pappag mirrored him, racking their brains for nutritious sea food.
"Nyuu~ Nutritious stuff…"
"Something to energize…"
"For healing injuries…"
No ideas came. Time dragged on.
A shadow approached from behind Hachi. Lost in thought, eyes closed, none noticed.
The approach was easy, but then a loud voice rang out.
"Oi, oi! It's Hachi!"
"Nyuu?"
"Eek! They're back!?" Keimi screamed.
"Kidnappers! Mermaid-nappers!" Pappag yelled.
While they panicked, Hachi turned, spotting a familiar face—Macro, a former crewmate.
Overjoyed, he raised all arms in welcome.
"Nyuu~ Macro! Long time!"
"What're you doing here? Weren't you with Arlong?"
"Yeah, but Arlong-san's hurt. I'm looking for nutritious food."
"Hachi, listen, those guys—!" Pappag tried to warn.
Macro's two cronies blocked his view, and Macro pulled Hachi aside, arm around his shoulder, as if for a private talk. Keimi and Pappag seemed desperate to speak but were silenced by glares.
"Hold on, Hachi. I've got a lead," Macro said.
"Nyuu? You know something?"
"Yup. Nearby. You like takoyaki, right?"
"Love it!"
"Look at this map."
Macro pulled out a soggy map. Hachi took it, intrigued.
"Rumor says 'legendary takoyaki' is hidden nearby. I kept the map for profit, but give it to Arlong."
"Nyuu~!? Legendary takoyaki!? For real?"
"Yeah, yeah. But hurry—someone might beat you. I'll watch your friends; you go grab it."
"Thanks, Macro! True friends come through!"
"Go, go! It's a famous rumor!"
Hachi clutched the map, checked the direction, and swam off, oblivious to Macro blocking his view of Keimi and Pappag.
They shouted as he left.
"Hachi~n! Wait!"
"Help! It's not—!"
"Quiet, or that idiot'll notice!" Macro's crony hissed.
Hachi sped toward the map's location.
Navigation wasn't his forte, but he could read a map. Excited to find food to cheer Arlong, the legendary takoyaki thrilled him.
Grinning, imagining his crew's joy, he swam faster, scenery blurring.
"Arlong-san'll love this! Legendary stuff! Might be awake, so I gotta hurry!"
As promised, he reached the spot quickly.
But the map led to a lone, massive octopus, Sea King-sized, glaring grumpily.
No takoyaki shop, no ruins with treasure. Just the octopus.
Hachi realized he'd been tricked.
Fury surged—not just for deceiving him, but insulting Arlong.
All he wanted was to feed Arlong good takoyaki.
Unprecedented strength surged within him.
"Nyuu~ Macro… unforgivable…!"
Trembling with rage, he faced the octopus, which raised a tentacle, annoyed at the intrusion.
Hachi's anger exploded.
"NyuAAAA! Macro!!"
Dodging the tentacle, he charged.
The octopus's shocked eyes meant nothing to him.
His full-force punch—three simultaneous hits—slammed its forehead, knocking it out instantly.
One attack, three punches. Unprecedented power.
His strength and speed were beyond normal, unnoticed by Hachi, consumed by rage.
Even felling a Sea King-class octopus didn't quell his anger.
"I won't forgive you!!"
He raced back, faster than before, scenery vanishing in his fury-driven speed.
Worried for Keimi and Pappag, distrusting everything now, his speed surged.
He returned in under five minutes.
Pappag was crying; Keimi and Macro's crew were gone. His worst fears confirmed.
Rushing to Pappag, he called out.
Pappag, seeing Hachi, wept with relief.
"Pappag!"
"Hachi! Keimi's been kidnapped!"
"What!?"
Pappag's cry fueled Hachi's rage.
Lying and kidnapping a mermaid? Even a former crewmate couldn't be ignored.
He resolved to defeat Macro's crew, make them regret, and save Keimi.
Lifting Pappag onto his back, he swam off.
"We're saving her! Hold tight!"
"You're a real man, Hachi!"
His speed shocked even mermaid standards, Pappag struggling to hold on.
He could catch Macro's crew.
Pappag, knowing the crime was recent, pointed the way. Soon, Hachi spotted a ship's hull, snorting furiously.
Macro's trade was kidnapping.
Keimi was likely trapped aboard.
Without slowing, Hachi charged the hull.
Raising the golden spear, he crashed into it, splitting the ship in two.
His momentum launched him skyward.
The shattered ship sank, its rear tank tilting, freeing Keimi. Macro's crew panicked.
Chaos erupted.
"Keimi! Keimi!"
"Pappag! Hachi~n!"
"Nyuu~ Macro! You tricked me!"
"Hachi!? What're you talking about!?"
"Don't play dumb!"
Pappag, confirming Keimi's escape, dove to her.
Falling, Hachi locked eyes on Macro's trio, clenching his fist and attacking as he plunged into the sea.
"You liar! Punishment time—Takoyaki Punch!!"
"Wait—!?"
All three were struck simultaneously.
They rocketed to the seabed, pain overwhelming, unable to recover, crashing butt-first into the ground.
Hachi approached, finding them half-buried, dazed.
Grabbing Macro's collar, still furious, he vented.
"You tricked me! And kidnapped Keimi!"
"Ugh… It wasn't a lie…" Macro muttered, fainting.
His cronies were already out.
Hachi tilted his head, confused.
Not a lie? But nothing was there.
What did he mean?
Searching Macro's collar, Hachi pondered.
Keimi and Pappag, back in the sea, were elated.
First, Hachi saved Keimi—his presence, even after being tricked, was reassuring.
Second, they claimed Macro's sunken treasure as payback.
Despite the scare, they approached Hachi cheerfully.
"Hachi! Thanks! You're a good guy!"
"Sorry, Hachi, you saved me again. Thank you!"
"Just pissed at being tricked."
Hachi grinned, welcomed by their smiles.
Two treasure chests and a bulging sack.
Hachi took the heavy load, inviting them along.
"I'm still searching. Wanna come?"
"Sure. Gotta repay you," Keimi said.
"Saved us twice. I owe you big," Pappag added.
"Don't worry. I know the place."
Hachi led, swimming ahead.
"Nyuu~ This way."
"Okay!"
"Where we going?"
"You'll see."
They headed to the octopus's spot, no longer rushing. With the spear and treasure, Hachi swam leisurely, enjoying the scenery.
Keimi and Pappag calmed, forgetting Macro, focusing on Hachi.
"You're strong, Hachi. Where you from?" Keimi asked.
"Fish-Man Island. Spent years in East Blue, though."
"Oh, we're from Fishman Island too!" Keimi said.
"I'm the CEO and designer of Criminal Brand, Fishman Island's finest!" Pappag boasted.
"Sounds familiar," Hachi mused.
"Pappag's an amazing designer. I'm his apprentice, aiming to be one too," Keimi said.
"Come back to Fishman Island with us. You're good and strong. We'll thank you properly," Pappag offered.
Hachi glanced back, smiling.
"Nyuu~ Not going back. Traveling with my crew."
"Fair. Can we tag along for a bit?" Pappag asked.
"Sure. The crew'll be cool with it."
"Yay! Traveling together sounds fun!" Keimi cheered.
She beamed; Pappag spun happily.
Hachi, warmed by their joy, grinned.
Soon, they reached the destination.
Seeing the unconscious octopus, Keimi and Pappag gasped.
"Eek! Giant octopus!?"
"It'll eat us!"
"It's out cold," Hachi reassured.
He searched again for the legendary takoyaki. Nothing.
No people to ask either.
Then, he noticed the octopus's head was slightly ajar.
Dropping the treasure, he approached, grabbed the top, and pulled.
It opened like a lid, startling Keimi and Pappag.
Unfazed, Hachi peered inside.
A large, sealed jar.
He grinned, realizing.
"Nyuu~ This is it!"
It was the secret sauce.
The "legendary takoyaki" meant this giant octopus held the "legendary sauce."
Materials gathered—octopus and sauce.
Hachi beamed at the shocked duo.
With the spear, treasure, and takoyaki ingredients, he led Keimi and Pappag back to his ship.
Arlong would smile, he was sure. His joy was infectious.
Keimi peeked at his face.
"You look happy, Hachi."
"Nyuu~ Arlong-san'll love this. Glad I found it."
"You really care about this Arlong guy," Keimi said.
"He's like a big brother. Scary, but kind to us," Hachi replied.
"Arlong… I've heard that name," Pappag muttered, tilting his head.
A near-legendary troublemaker in Fishman Island, but Pappag couldn't recall, dismissing it. Hachi's friend? Good enough.
The priority was the legendary takoyaki.
Materials secured, treasure in hand.
Now to gather tools and cook for Arlong.
They sought cooking gear.
Dragging the octopus, the scenery shifted.
Keimi spotted a sunken galleon ahead, impossible to miss.
"Hachi, Pappag, look!"
"Nyuu?"
"Wrecked ship… and a village?" Pappag said.
Below, a village of Bandana Catfish was crushed by the galleon, its residents distressed.
Not recent—days old, explaining their weary faces.
"Awful… They can't eat or sleep safely," Keimi said.
"Wrecks are unavoidable. Pirates, Navy, merchants—all pass through," Pappag noted.
Hachi stared at the catfish.
A hungry child clung to its mother, the image sticking with him.
Keimi turned. "Hachi, can we help—?"
Before she finished, Hachi dropped the octopus, grabbed the treasure, and swam off at full speed.
"NyuU~!"
"Eek! What!?" Keimi yelped.
"What's that about!?" Pappag shouted.
"Hachi~n!"
Ignoring them, he vanished.
The dejected catfish didn't react to their shouts.
Keimi and Pappag, feeling abandoned, grew anxious.
Hachi had saved Keimi twice—once by chance, once deliberately. Why flee now?
Confused, they stood frozen.
"Pappag, what do we do? Where'd he go?" Keimi asked.
"No idea… Will he come back?" Pappag replied.
"He will. He had a plan, right?" Keimi said, hopeful.
"I hope so…" Pappag muttered.
Unsure what to say, they waited, trusting he'd return.
Hours later, a voice roused them.
Half-asleep on the seabed, they opened heavy eyes to see Hachi.
"Nyuu~ Morning, you two."
"Hachi…" Keimi murmured.
"Hachi! Where'd you go!?" Pappag shouted, waking Keimi.
"You're back!" she cried.
"Sorry for the wait. Need your help."
Hachi smiled. They nodded, clueless.
"I'll go ahead to a small island nearby. You'll see it from the surface. Bring all the catfish."
"All of them?" Keimi asked.
"Yup. I'll be ready."
"Okay…"
Unsure, they agreed.
Hachi swam to the surface, vanishing quickly.
Confused but tasked, they acted.
Keimi, able to talk to fish, visited the catfish village, urging them to the surface. Surprised but compliant, they followed.
Keimi and Pappag hurried to Hachi.
At the surface, a tiny island with one tree appeared.
A stand stood by the sea, labeled "Takoyaki."
Hachi's six arms moved frantically, expertly making takoyaki.
Keimi and Pappag froze, then grinned, rushing to him.
"Hachi!"
"You're something else!"
"Nyuu~ Gonna get busy. Help out!"
"Sure!"
"On it!"
They jumped in, Keimi tying on a bandana, Pappag hopping onto a round platform.
The trio worked in sync.
Hachi crafted takoyaki, passing it to Pappag, who added legendary sauce, mayo, bonito flakes, and seaweed. Keimi inserted toothpicks and handed them to the catfish.
The hesitant catfish, drawn by the aroma and sight, drooled, eagerly accepting.
Devouring the delicious takoyaki, they wept.
The flavor, the kindness, filled their hunger with joy. Once started, they couldn't stop.
No one remained dejected; all smiled.
The starving catfish ate for a while.
Hachi's team, unwavering, worked until every belly was full.
The catfish would never forget this, forever grateful.
A takoyaki stand, appearing amid hardship, gave them joy and hope—a legend in their hearts.
Unaware, Hachi, Keimi, and Pappag smiled, fulfilled.
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