Fisher Tiger blinked.
"…Huh?"
When he saw Chenos approaching earlier, Fisher Tiger had assumed this human Devil Fruit user was here to stir up trouble with the Fish-Men.
He never expected Chenos to suddenly say something like helping him escape.
That single sentence left Fisher Tiger completely stunned.
Chenos continued calmly,
"You heard me right. I really do want to help you escape this hell. Of course, I won't pretend I'm selfless—I want you to come back and save me after you get out."
Fisher Tiger had been wary of Chenos's intentions, but when he met the boy's earnest gaze, his doubts wavered.
He could tell.
This human child genuinely wanted to help him escape.
Fisher Tiger shook his head.
"It's impossible. I've tried. There's no way out."
"Mary Geoise is built on the edge of a cliff. One side is a sheer drop thousands of meters high. There's no escape there. Even if there's sea below— even if I'm a Fish-Man—falling from that height would still mean death."
"The other three sides are all heavily guarded by World Government soldiers. Slaves can't even get close. The moment we do, we're dead."
"There's no chance at all."
Chenos frowned.
Given Mary Geoise's terrain, it really was a natural fortress—easy to defend, nearly impossible to breach.
Leaving this place was harder than ascending to the heavens.
Then… how had Fisher Tiger escaped in the future?
At that moment, Chenos realized something crucial.
When Fisher Tiger later returned to Mary Geoise, he climbed the Red Line.
Which meant—
His original escape route must have been one-way only.
A path that could be used to leave… but not to enter.
What kind of place fit that description?
Chenos knit his brows, sinking deep into thought.
After a long moment with no clear answer, he spoke again.
"You're Fish-Men. You can breathe underwater—that's a natural advantage. As long as you can make it outside, you can escape through the sea. Once you're gone, the Celestial Dragons won't be able to catch you."
"I haven't figured out the method yet, but trust me—I will find a way."
"All I ask is this: once I help you escape, come back as soon as you can and get me out too."
Chenos's almost naïve determination made Fisher Tiger burst out laughing.
"Human kid, you really like dreaming."
"Even if I could escape, there's no way I'd be able to come back. And that's assuming I can even leave in the first place."
"You're interesting. The first human I've met who's willing to approach Fish-Men like this."
"I'll let your wild talk slide this time—but don't joke about hope like that again."
"I'm serious," Chenos said quietly.
With that, he turned and walked away, his mind already racing for a solution.
Lost in thought, he wandered up to a group of human brutes, casually picked a large chicken leg off one of their trays, and headed toward the serving window—ignoring the stunned looks behind him.
"Hey! Kid, are you looking for death? That's my food!"
Chenos didn't hear him.
He was still thinking.
The brute's face darkened. Veins bulged on his forehead as he stomped after Chenos.
"Kid, I'll give you one last chance. Hand it over. Otherwise, you become the food."
He hadn't attacked immediately only because he'd seen Chenos talking to Fisher Tiger earlier. He was worried this kid might have some connection to that monster of a Fish-Man.
But Chenos continued standing there, oblivious—even the canteen worker's warning went unheard.
"You're dead!"
The brute roared, eyes bloodshot, veins standing out like ropes.
He threw a full-powered punch straight at Chenos's head, clearly intent on smashing the boy into the floor.
At that instant, Chenos's Observation Haki reacted on instinct.
The warning snapped him out of his thoughts.
But it was already too late.
The fist was right above his head.
Some of the bolder slaves shouted in excitement, eager for some bloody entertainment to spice up their hellish lives.
The more timid ones covered their eyes, certain the boy would be smashed into pulp.
Fisher Tiger watched with interest.
After all, Chenos was a Devil Fruit user—normal logic didn't apply.
Deep down, Fisher Tiger doubted the brute could win.
Still… he wanted to see just how strong this human child really was.
The punch landed.
And—
Nothing happened.
No crushed skull.
No splattered blood.
The brute's fist stopped dead on Chenos's head, as if blocked by something invisible.
"…What?!"
Gasps erupted around the canteen.
A kid barely one and a half meters tall had just tanked the full-strength punch of a two-meter brute—and looked completely unharmed.
Chenos frowned.
"I hate it when people interrupt my thinking."
The brute stared at his own fist in disbelief, then at Chenos's head.
He couldn't understand it.
How could his strength fail to even budge this kid?
Chenos's words only fueled his rage.
The brute swung wildly, punching again and again—but every blow stopped at the same invisible barrier.
Not a single hit got through.
Gradually, his punches slowed.
Fear crept in.
In the end, he froze, no longer daring to attack.
"Not hitting anymore?" Chenos said flatly. "Then it's my turn."
He lifted his leg and kicked the brute square in the abdomen, releasing the stored energy he'd accumulated.
The reflected force sent the brute flying across the room.
He smashed into the stone wall, leaving a deep crater before finally collapsing.
The canteen fell into stunned silence.
Everyone stared at Chenos in disbelief.
The brute had attacked relentlessly, yet Chenos hadn't even flinched.
And now, with a single kick, Chenos had sent him flying like a rag doll.
Slaves hurriedly backed away, afraid to draw Chenos's attention.
All except one.
Someone stepped toward him instead.
Chenos turned, irritation clear on his face.
"I don't want to be disturbed right now."
The man looked at him and spoke quietly—
"I know how to leave this hell."
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