Takero did not directly answer his question. Instead, he took a sip of the fine wine in his cup with great interest, then asked a question in return.
"I've actually always had a question," He placed the empty wine glass on the table with a soft 'thud'. "It's just… why does your Fish-Man Island want to 'coexist peacefully' with humans so much? From what I know, they don't seem to think highly of you, do they?"
"..." Tiger was at a loss. This question, like a simple fastball, struck his heart hard. Tiger truly didn't know how to answer for a moment. He thought for a long time, his mind returning to his dreamlike homeland, ten thousand meters beneath the deep sea. He recalled the figure of the queen, who tirelessly worked day and night in the square to collect signatures; he recalled the expressions of his compatriots, a mix of longing and confusion on their faces.
Finally, he slowly said, in a somewhat uncertain tone: "I… I don't know either. But, this has always been Queen Otohime's lifelong wish. She believes that through understanding and communication, we will definitely be able to resolve the centuries-long hatred between us and humans. Over time, everyone else seems to have started thinking the same way."
"So that's how it is," Takero nodded, indicating his understanding. As expected. The ideology and beliefs held by a country's ruling class will inevitably permeate the hearts of every common person below, like spring rain nourishing silently. It is precisely because of this that such a peculiar phenomenon exists: after being discriminated against, persecuted, and even treated as commodities to be freely bought and sold by the human world for hundreds of years, there are still so many Fishmen and Mermaids naively advocating for "peaceful coexistence" with their "perpetrators."
Whether it was foolish or naive, Takero offered no comment on this; everyone has the right to choose their own way of life. He simply continued to express his most direct view on the matter.
"If you ask me, your queen is truly incredibly naive in her actions."
"Lord Takero!" Tiger's expression instantly changed! He still could not tolerate anyone insulting his friend, who had dedicated her life to the future of their entire race! "What do you mean by that?!"
"My meaning is very simple," Takero shrugged indifferently. "Just as I said earlier. In today's world, you Fishmen and Mermaids are regarded by the vast majority of humans as 'talking advanced fish,' 'inferior races' that can be bought and sold at will. Under such circumstances, attempting to move to the land and 'coexist peacefully' with humans through a method as peaceful as it is almost laughable, like a national petition..."
He looked at Tiger and said, word by word: "...is simply wishful thinking."
"Moreover," he continued, using his cold and cruel logic to tear apart Tiger's beautiful "fantasy," "even if we don't consider the deeply ingrained problem of 'discrimination' first, the enormous interests involved are enough to make countless human forces try every possible means to stop you."
"Why?" Tiger asked, puzzled. In his opinion, the migration of Fish-Man Island should not touch upon too many interests of the human world.
"Isn't it simple?" Takero looked at him with an expression as if he were looking at an idiot. "Your Fish-Man Island wants to 'coexist peacefully' with humans and move to the land; you must... find a suitable island to be your new home, right?"
"But, look at those rich islands in this vast sea that are truly suitable for large-scale habitation—which one is unclaimed? Either it's the territory of a kingdom, or the domain of a great pirate, or an important stronghold of a World Government member nation!"
"The arrival of your Fish-Man Island, a massive population of several million, no matter where you choose to settle, means you will be forcibly taking a large share from others! This will inevitably lead to irreconcilable and fierce conflicts!"
After saying this, Tiger fell into thought again. Actually, Takero's words were somewhat biased. After all, the world is so vast, and on the Grand Line, there would always be some unclaimed, resource-rich lands that had not yet been fully developed. However, such places were truly difficult to find; they couldn't be located in a day or two. Moreover, even if found, the manpower and material resources required to establish a new home would be an astronomical figure.
But at this moment, Tiger's mind was merely replaying Takero's words. Yes... the conflict of interests... This was the most realistic problem that he and his idealistic queen had never deeply considered before.
And Takero, seeing him lost in thought, the curve of his lips widened upwards, like a demon tempting mortals to fall, and he continued to express his "violent aesthetics" filled with "Saiyan" style...
"If you ask me..."
His voice became full of allure. "...If your Fish-Man Island wants to gain true 'respect' and achieve your goals... there is only one path to take."
"That is... War."
"War?!" Upon hearing this, Tiger instinctively wanted to deny it! Are you kidding me?! If so, wouldn't it mean dragging the entire Fish-Man Island, along with millions of innocent compatriots, into the abyss of war, leading them to their doom?!
But for some reason, this time, Tiger did not immediately object as he usually would. Because Takero's previous words had already torn a small crack in his heart, which firmly believed in "peace."
"I've always felt," Takero continued, enticing him with a captivating tone, "...that your Fish-Man race is actually... a very excellent race."
"...Excellent?"
Tiger was stunned. He... his Fish-Man race... excellent? This word was so unfamiliar to him. For so many years, what was the most common thing he heard on land? "Dirty Fishmen," "inferior race," "walking goods," "slightly stronger trash"... This was the first time he had heard someone say they were... "excellent." And the person who said this was... this man before him, powerful as a god or demon. For a moment, Tiger didn't know how to describe his current feelings. It... felt pretty good?
Takero looked at him and continued to use the most objective facts to support his point: "Think about it. Your Fish-Man race is naturally endowed with powerful strength, ten times or more greater than humans!"
"Among you, there are also various subspecies with unique abilities! For example... those who can shoot water bullets, those who can release venom, and even those who can generate powerful electric currents!"
"More importantly..."
His tone became emphatic. "...You can breathe and live freely in the great sea! Ninety percent of this world's surface is submerged by endless seawater! Land is the true rare resource! In such an environment, your Fish-Man race is simply... cherished by the world, uniquely blessed, truly the darlings of the great sea!"
This wasn't Takero deliberately trying to mislead Tiger; he truly thought this way. In his view, in a world where the ocean covers such a vast area, simply being able to "live in water" alone was enough to make the Fish-Man race invincible! Not to mention, Takero also learned from Robin that among the Fish-Man race, there existed martial arts called "Fish-Man Jujutsu" or "Fish-Man Karate," which could control surrounding seawater and harness the power of the sea! They were simply the natural nemesis of all Devil Fruit users!
Takero had never quite understood. How could such a race, seemingly endowed with a "protagonist template" by the entire world, why... did it ultimately not become the overlord of this world? Instead, it was targeted everywhere, cowering like a bunch of pitiful creatures on Fish-Man Island, ten thousand meters beneath the deep sea, like roadside trash fish?
He even seriously suspected... whether those high and mighty Celestial Dragons chose to live on the "Holy Land Mary Geoise," so high and far from the sea... was precisely to... avoid these true "Children of the Sea" who live in the great sea?
Of course, whether it was the Celestial Dragons or the Fish-Man race, he didn't care who ruled this world. He, after all, was a Saiyan.
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