"Hody!"
Jinbe's voice tore through the rhythmic humming of the deep ocean, his eyes widening in sheer terror. He watched as Hody Jones was swatted aside with the casual indifference one might show a bothersome insect. Hody's body went limp, soaring through the water like a discarded sack of flour before slamming violently into a jagged coral reef. The impact was sickeningly heavy, and as Hody lost consciousness, his body began to drift aimlessly toward the dark, crushing depths of the seabed.
Jinbe felt a surge of heat behind his eyes, his heart pounding against his ribs with a mixture of anxiety and rising fury. He whipped his head around, his gaze locking onto Takuro with a ferocity that could have withered a lesser man. His jaw was set, and his voice trembled with a cocktail of anger and disbelief as he barked out a sharp question.
"Human!" Jinbe roared, his fins tensed. "What have you done?! Why did you strike such a devastating blow? To injure a member of the Royal Guard in such a manner... what could possibly justify this?!"
Takuro, who had been standing calmly on the deck of the Conqueror, blinked in genuine surprise. He tilted his head to the side, a look of puzzled amusement spreading across his face. To him, the situation was almost comedic.
"Hey now, you big blue fatty," Takuro replied, his tone light and mocking. "You have a really strange way of looking at things. Didn't you see your crazy friend over there? He's the one who came charging at me like a wild animal. He had that rusty trident held high, trying his best to skewer me like a kabob! All I did was throw up a hand to block him. Back where I come from, we have a very specific name for that. It's called 'self-defense.' Do you understand the concept, or do I need to simplify it further?"
Jinbe felt the words catch in his throat, a sudden lump of realization forming. He opened his mouth to retort, but the logic was sound. When he searched his memory of the last few seconds, he saw it clearly: Hody had indeed been the aggressor, launching an unprovoked and lethal attack. However, Jinbe was the Captain of the Ryugu Palace Royal Guard. Seeing a fellow Fishman—a brother of the sea—lying broken and bleeding was enough to override his sense of reason. His duty and his pride as a warrior of the depths surged to the forefront, drowning out the voice of logic.
"It does not matter who started it!" Jinbe declared, his voice dropping into a low, dangerous register. "You have greviously injured a member of the Fish-Man Island Royal Guard. As a representative of the law, I must apprehend you. You will be brought before His Majesty, King Neptune, to face judgment for your violent actions!"
"Oh?" Takuro's smile sharpened, turning into something playful yet predatory. He leaned against the railing, surveying Jinbe's form. The Fishman had dropped into a low, wide stance—the unmistakable starting position of Fishman Karate. "Interesting. Based on that little pose you're striking, it seems you actually want to try your luck against me too?"
Jinbe offered no verbal reply. He didn't need to. His muscles were coiled like steel springs, and his eyes were fixed on Takuro with unwavering resolve. Behind him, the other Ryugu Palace guards followed his lead, raising their spears and swords. Their hands were shaking, and their eyes were wide with the lingering fear of the slap they had just witnessed, but their loyalty to Jinbe was absolute. They stood their ground, prepared to advance or retreat as one.
Takuro rolled his shoulders, his neck emitting a series of audible, metallic crunches. He let out a soft chuckle that carried no warmth. "Well, I suppose I didn't get a proper warm-up earlier. If you're so eager to join your friend, step right up. I'll be happy to teach you a few things about... basic manners."
The tension in the water was thick enough to choke on. The guards tightened their grip on their weapons, and Jinbe began to draw in a deep breath, ready to strike the first blow. The atmosphere was a powder keg, seconds away from a violent explosion.
"Wait! Stop! Jinbe, stand down at once!"
The command was frantic and heavy with desperation. It came from the direction of the Conqueror, cutting through the silence of the abyss.
Jinbe froze mid-motion. That voice was one he knew better than his own. He turned his head in shock, watching a tall, muscular figure swimming toward them at an incredible speed. As the figure drew closer and the light of the bioluminescent coral hit his face, Jinbe's pupils shrunk to pinpricks.
"Tiger... Big Brother Tiger?!" Jinbe exclaimed, his voice cracking. "It's really you! How can this be? Why are you here? And why are you coming from a human ship?!"
The man who arrived was Fisher Tiger, the legendary adventurer. He moved through the water like a red blur, reaching Takuro's side just as the situation was about to turn bloody. He didn't greet Jinbe with a smile; instead, he shot him a stern, warning glare that screamed for him to stay back. Without wasting a second, Tiger turned toward Takuro. He lowered his head, his posture shifting into one of profound humility and respect.
"Respected Mr. Takuro," Tiger said, his voice urgent and pleading. "I beg of you, please calm your anger. Show them mercy, I implore you. I know these people—they are my brothers, my family from Fish-Man Island. I promise you, what just happened was nothing more than a terrible misunderstanding!"
Jinbe was utterly floored. He stared at Tiger—the man he respected above all others, the hero of the Fishmen—and saw him acting with a level of deference that bordered on fear. To see Tiger so subservient to a human youth was a sight that shattered Jinbe's understanding of the world.
"Big Brother Tiger," Jinbe stammered, his confusion mounting. "What are you doing? Why are you acting like this?"
Tiger didn't even look back. He couldn't afford to take his eyes off Takuro for a single second. He was terrified that if his "boss" became even slightly more annoyed, he might decide to erase every Fishman in the vicinity from existence.
Takuro crossed his arms over his chest, watching the scene with a bored expression. When he spoke, his voice was flat, but it carried a weight of pressure that made the surrounding water feel heavy.
"Tiger, let's be clear. I didn't start this. Your people from Fish-Man Island came at me like a pack of rabid dogs, looking for a kill. And now, this blue guy here is talking about 'capturing' me and putting me on trial. You're the one who knows them. Tell me, how should I handle a situation like this?"
Tiger's heart hammered against his ribs. He forced a strained smile, his forehead slick with sweat despite being underwater. "A misunderstanding, sir! I swear it! You know how it is, Mr. Takuro—everywhere you go, there are always a few hot-heads who act before they think. Hody... he's always had a bit of an extreme personality. I promise you, once we arrive at Fish-Man Island, I will personally ensure that Jinbe and the others give you a sincere, formal apology. Please, for the sake of our journey, find it in your heart to be generous."
Takuro stared at Tiger for several long, agonizing seconds. He then shifted his gaze to Jinbe. The Fishman Captain looked unconvinced and frustrated, but he was clearly being held back by Tiger's behavior. Finally, Takuro gave an indifferent wave of his hand.
"Fine," Takuro muttered. "I'll give you face this time, Tiger. I'll leave this mess for you to clean up. All this shouting is starting to give me a headache."
Without another word, Takuro turned his back on the crowd. He walked back toward the entrance of the Conqueror with a slow, leisurely pace, as if he were simply taking a stroll through a park.
Only after Takuro had disappeared into the ship did Tiger allow himself to let out a massive sigh of relief. He felt a cold shiver run down his spine, realizing his back was drenched in cold sweat. He had been genuinely terrified that Takuro would lose patience. If he had, the consequences for the Fishman race would have been unthinkable.
Jinbe could no longer contain himself. He swam quickly to Tiger's side, his voice a hushed, indignant whisper. "Big Brother Tiger! You have to explain this! That human just crippled Hody! He's one of us! Why are you letting him walk away? Why are you being so... so respectful to him? Are we really so weak that we fear one man?"
Tiger turned a sharp, angry gaze toward Jinbe. His voice was heavy with a gravity that Jinbe had never heard before. "Do you have any idea what you were just doing?! Do you have a death wish, Jinbe?! That is Mr. Takuro! He doesn't give a damn about the World Government or their laws! I have seen him take on Marine Admirals and Vice-Admirals—he either crushes them or takes them prisoner like they're nothing! For a man like him, wiping out this entire squad would be easier than taking a breath. If I hadn't stepped in when I did, you would all be corpses floating in the current right now!"
"Wh-What...?" Jinbe felt as though he had been struck by a bolt of lightning. His entire body went numb. The Marines? The World Government? They couldn't stop him? The information was too massive, too terrifying to process.
He looked over at the unconscious Hody Jones. Half of Hody's face was swollen to the size of a melon, a gruesome testament to the power of a "light" slap. Jinbe recalled the nonchalant way Takuro had moved—there had been no effort, no strain. A sudden wave of pure, primal fear washed over Jinbe, and cold sweat broke out across his brow.
If he had actually launched an attack... he didn't even want to finish the thought.
Seeing the mixture of shock and lingering terror on Jinbe's face, Tiger knew the message had finally hit home. He understood Jinbe's pride, and he knew how many Fishmen felt a deep-seated contempt for humans, believing themselves to be naturally superior. It was a belief that wouldn't change overnight, but for now, survival was the priority.
"Let's put that aside for a moment," Tiger said, changing the subject to ease the tension. "Tell me, why are you out here in the first place?"
Jinbe took a few deep breaths, trying to steady his shaking hands. "King Neptune sent us. A short while ago, the entirety of Fish-Man Island was rocked by a violent tremor. The ground was shaking so hard the residents were panicking. His Majesty feared some kind of cataclysm in the deep sea and ordered me to investigate the source. We found the remains of those giant Sea Kings... and then we found that ship."
He paused, looking at the massive, shredded carcasses of the sea monsters. "Big Brother Tiger, you've been here. You must know. What caused it? What could possibly create a tremor that powerful so deep in the ocean?"
Tiger's expression became incredibly complex—a mix of awe, respect, and a touch of helplessness. He pointed one finger at the floating remains of the Sea Kings, then shifted it toward the Conqueror.
"I know exactly what happened," Tiger said, his voice dry. "The cause of all of it... was Mr. Takuro."
He watched as Jinbe's eyes threatened to pop out of his head. Slowly, Tiger revealed the impossible truth.
"Just a few minutes ago, that ancient Sea King decided to attack the ship. It didn't know its place. Mr. Takuro didn't even break a sweat. He just... threw a single punch at it."
Tiger let that sink in before continuing. "Just one punch, and the creature exploded. The terrifying tremors you felt all the way at Fish-Man Island? Those weren't the punch itself, Jinbe. Those were just the aftershocks."
"...Aftershocks?" Jinbe's voice was a mere whisper, trembling with disbelief.
What kind of monster could throw a punch so powerful that the mere vibrations could travel through miles of high-pressure water and shake an entire island protected by a massive bubble? If this was the truth, the power Takuro possessed wasn't just martial arts—it was world-ending.
Jinbe knew Tiger would never lie to him about something so grave. The realization that he had been seconds away from challenging a being of that caliber sent a freezing chill down his spine.
He looked at Hody Jones again, and for the first time, he felt a strange, absurd sense of relief. Hody was lucky. He had only been slapped. If Takuro had used a fist instead of an open palm... there wouldn't be enough of Hody left to bury. Jinbe shivered, turning his gaze back to the silent, dark hull of the Conqueror. His eyes were no longer filled with anger, but with a profound, soul-crushing sense of awe.
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