After their short time sailing together, Brook had already become well-acquainted with Jerry's unique approach to fishing. Whether using a straight hook or conventional bait, it never seemed to matter much whether he actually caught fish or not. Yet day after day, he'd sit by the boat with an unwavering attitude of "I'm going to have a massive catch today," fully equipped with every possible tool and tackle.
The peculiar thing was that while Jerry rarely caught many actual fish, he had an uncanny ability to reel in the most bizarre and unexpected items from the depths of the ocean.
"You guys are seriously underestimating me!" Jerry declared with a dismissive wave, his expression growing combative. "I'm destined to become the King of Fishing!"
Skull's face twitched slightly as he felt it necessary to remind Jerry, who seemed to be lost in his own grandiose fantasy.
"Ah... Boss Jerry, your ambition is certainly admirable," Skull said carefully, "but considering your track record of fishing for three days, catching no fish for two and a half days, and pulling up random junk for the remaining half day... are you absolutely certain about this?"
Skull didn't mean to crush his captain's dreams—he was simply observing that although Jerry frequently proclaimed himself the "Fishing King," his actual approach seemed far more inclined toward going with the flow. Fishing appeared to be Jerry's biggest hobby, but when it came to serious dedication or in-depth research to improve his skills, he showed remarkably little effort.
He was the complete definition of a laid-back, go-with-the-flow type of person, someone who enjoyed the process and unexpected rewards of fishing far more than pursuing any actual achievement or mastery.
"Well, if all else fails, I could just marry whoever becomes the Fishing Queen, right?" Jerry joked with a grin. "Haha, obviously I'm kidding!"
His expression suddenly turned serious as he raised his fist toward the sky. "But in all honesty, including today's competition, I've already reserved the championship for myself."
If it weren't for the system quest, Jerry wouldn't normally care too much about rankings—but he would still participate in any fishing competition that caught his attention. Fishing-related contests held a special appeal for him that he couldn't resist. Even if the championship prizes were just a simple trophy, a certificate, and some modest prize money, he didn't want to miss such an opportunity.
The actual ranking mattered less than the chance to truly showcase his skills in front of an audience. Of course, Jerry would feel even more satisfied if he could take advantage of the opportunity to stroll around the festival carrying a massive fish on his back, showing off his catch to everyone.
The three of them continued joking and bantering as they walked toward the contestants' restaurant. As long as they showed their registration receipts, they could enjoy a complimentary feast before the competition began.
Skull had also registered for another morning event, so they entered without any obstacles and quickly began sampling the generous spread of food available to participants.
After their satisfying meal, the group set off toward the competition venue where Jerry would demonstrate his fishing prowess.
The location was a tranquil lake situated close to the main streets of the city. Thanks to the influx of several clean rivers, the water quality was excellent and the aquatic life in the lake was relatively abundant. The surrounding environment was genuinely pleasant, with fresh air and carefully maintained landscaping that suggested this had been a popular competition site for many years.
The venue was surrounded by tiered spectator seating arranged in a semicircle around the lake, allowing people to watch the competition and cheer for their favorite contestants. At that moment, people were already gathering—sitting and standing throughout the audience area, most wearing sun hats or carrying binoculars, engaged in lively conversations about the upcoming event.
In the center of the competition venue, along the shoreline of the lake, was the designated contestants' area. Multiple fishing spots extended from the shore at varying distances into the water, each carefully positioned to provide different advantages and challenges.
There was a respectful distance maintained between each position, and every fishing spot had its own corresponding benefits and drawbacks based on water depth, current flow, and fish population patterns. Contestants were free to choose their own locations, and determining the optimal spot would depend entirely on their individual skills and strategic thinking.
Official referees and staff members were already positioned around the venue, responsible for maintaining order during the competition, ensuring everything proceeded smoothly, and overseeing the public evaluation of final results.
The detailed rules of the competition were posted on bulletin boards near the entrance, and Jerry noticed that the winning conditions varied for each event and would be announced officially just before the competition began.
When Jerry and his friends arrived, they found themselves in the extended preparation period before the official start. They immediately headed to the bulletin board beside the entrance to study the posted rules and winning conditions. After reading through everything, Skull and Brook exchanged meaningful glances while Jerry's mouth stretched into a wide, satisfied grin.
"Oh? Based on these criteria, Boss Jerry actually does seem to have a genuine chance of winning," Skull observed with surprise.
"Yes indeed, Mr. Jerry!" Brook agreed with his characteristic laugh. "Setting everything else aside, you certainly do have remarkably good luck sometimes! Yohohoho!"
Hearing Skull and Brook's teasing commentary, Jerry turned around and shook his head with an amused smile. He began walking toward the contestant area while waggling his finger dismissively, calling back over his shoulder:
"Don't be jealous of my natural talents! Just head over to the spectator area and wait for my triumphant news!"
He struck a confident pose as he continued, "Watch how I conquer every angler in the world with my pure, unadulterated fishing skills!"
The winning condition for this particular competition was that the value of each contestant's catch would serve as the primary judging criterion. In other words, regardless of how many fish anyone managed to catch, everything would ultimately need to undergo public appraisal, with the winner determined by the total value recognized by expert judges and audience consensus.
Jerry was extremely satisfied with this rule structure. If the competition had been judged solely on the quantity of fish caught, he might have needed to resort to other methods to secure victory—such as secretly manipulating water currents or using his abilities to directly guide fish onto his line underwater.
Since the final ranking was directly connected to his system quest's reward and punishment outcomes, he had briefly considered whether he should employ unfair means to guarantee victory. However, that approach went against everything he actually wanted from the experience.
But with victory determined from the perspective of value rather than volume, he didn't believe that success could be achieved simply through catching large numbers of common fish. This criterion would reward skill, luck, and the ability to land truly exceptional catches—exactly the kind of challenge that appealed to his competitive nature.
Therefore, Jerry decided to observe the performance of other contestants first, gather intelligence about their techniques and catches, then consider whether any additional action might be necessary. He understood that real victory could only be achieved by fully understanding the competitive landscape and making informed decisions accordingly, but he preferred not to implement extraordinary measures unless absolutely necessary.
Beyond this central rule, the competition guidelines were refreshingly simple and straightforward, with almost no excessive or overly complicated clauses that might confuse participants.
One of the most important regulations clearly stated that it was strictly forbidden to use personal items or foreign objects to impersonate genuine fish catches in any attempt to cheat. Once such behavior was discovered, the contestant's qualification and all accumulated points would be immediately canceled, and they would be permanently blacklisted by the organizing committee as punishment.
This rule existed to ensure the fairness and authenticity of the competition, allowing every participant to demonstrate their genuine abilities in a relatively equitable environment.
Another significant regulation specified that if any contestant accidentally fell into the water after the competition began, they would be required to immediately return to shore for a thorough inspection and remain on dry land for a mandatory ten-minute penalty period.
This rule served the dual purpose of preventing contestants from taking advantage of "accidental" water entry to catch fish by hand or other unfair means, while also functioning as a minor but meaningful punishment for carelessness.
Following the guidance of helpful staff members, Jerry slowly walked into the designated contestant area, gripping his carefully prepared fishing rod in one hand while carrying various specialized tools and equipment on his back.
The fishing competition venue buzzed with a palpable atmosphere of tension and excitement. Every contestant who had already arrived seemed eager to demonstrate their skills and compete for excellent results and the generous rewards that would follow.
While the prizes prepared by the competition organizers seemed relatively modest in Jerry's eyes—given his recent adventures and the treasures he'd encountered—they represented the fame and recognition that many people spent their entire lives hoping to achieve.
As time passed, the audience in the surrounding seating areas began cheering enthusiastically for their preferred contestants, shouting encouragement and creating an atmosphere of infectious enthusiasm. The entire venue filled with joy and passionate energy, radiating a genuine love and appreciation for the sport of fishing that touched everyone present.
Jerry surveyed the dozens of available fishing spots scattered around the venue, noting that five positions in particular stood out from the rest. Those locations were clearly the "premium fishing spots" that had been carefully selected and prepared by the competition organizers. Not only did they extend furthest into the lake's deeper waters, but they had also attracted the largest crowds of contestants, creating bustling clusters of serious competitors.
Jerry recognized that even though the referee had not yet announced the official start of the competition, the real contest had already begun quietly. Contestants were studying each other, evaluating positions, and making strategic decisions that would influence their chances of success.
"Alright then," Jerry declared with confidence, adjusting his grip on his fishing rod, "let me begin the first step toward my inevitable coronation as the true Fishing King!"
A broad smile spread across his face as he added with characteristic bravado, "Today, I claim the championship! No doubt about it!"
Jerry held his fishing rod firmly, radiating self-assurance as he walked calmly toward the closest available spot among the premium fishing locations—one that extended furthest into the lake's promising depths.
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