Chapter 299: The Dragon Pirates and Fishman Island
Chapter 299: The Dragon Pirates and Fishman Island
_____
Three boxes were laid out in a row, filled with precious stones, gold and silver utensils, and other valuables.
"Is that all?" Aoki asked.
Alice nodded. "That's all I found."
Aoki shook his head inwardly.
Moriah's life was truly pitiful. While it seemed like he had three boxes of treasures, the contents were sparse. Most of the tools were empty shells with little substance inside.
There hadn't been many zombies on the Thriller Bark either, suggesting that Moirah and his crew had only recently begun making shadow zombies.
He waved his hand and closed the lids. "Take these and distribute them among the crew."
Although this battle required minimal effort, they had just endured a grueling fight against the BIGMOM Pirates.
These treasures meant little to him but were invaluable to the soldiers.
Aoki knew that while ideals were important, addressing practical needs was equally crucial.
"Understood!" Alice said.
Though her thoughts were often simple and straightforward, she understood the importance of wealth.
A few years ago, Etania had fallen into a dire situation and nearly faced destruction—all because of a lack of funds.
Just then, two soldiers approached, escorting a group of people dressed in tattered clothing. One soldier stayed with the group, while the other ran over to Aoki and Alice.
"Captain!"
Aoki asked, "Who are those people?"
The soldier replied, "They're people who lost their shadows and are unable to leave the Florian Triangle."
"Do they want to board the ship?" Aoki asked.
The soldier quickly shook his head. "No, Captain. They just want to thank you personally."
"Forget about that," Aoki said, shaking his head.
When they got close enough to see his face, they'd probably run away faster than they arrived. Besides, saving them hadn't been his primary objective.
A moment later, another soldier approached.
"Is everyone back?"
"Yes, everyone has returned!"
"Good, let's move out!"
Aoki waved his hand, and the massive three-masted sailing ship slowly rose into the air. He stood at the bow, watching as the thick fog of the Misty Triangle swallowed the scene below.
"Brook should still be in the Florian Triangle, right? A pity I didn't get to meet him."
He was quite intrigued by the Revive-Revive Fruit.
As the ship ascended, it gained altitude, then turned toward the edge of the Florian Triangle. By the time the sun set, they had finally emerged from the fog-shrouded sea.
Bang!
The enormous ship landed on the ocean surface with a splash, sending waves rippling outward.
Aoki said, "Let's rest here for the night."
The crew immediately sprang into action.
Providing food, water, and basic necessities for over 200 people was no small feat.
However, with the aid of the spatial storage, supplies were never a concern.
Aoki and his companions, naturally, didn't need to bother with chores. They gathered at the bow of the ship, enjoying the cool sea breeze.
"Where are we hunting next?" Esdeath asked, clearly dissatisfied.
During the last battle with the BIGMOM Pirates, Hancock had claimed the strongest opponent, and this time, the enemies had been far too weak.
Since arriving in this world, Esdeath had yet to find a fight that truly excited her.
"Next..." Aoki murmured, lost in thought.
Crocodile likely hadn't made his way to Alabasta yet.
With the Thunder Fruit already in his possession, it was impossible for Enel, the self-proclaimed "God," to rise to power.
Water 7 posed a similar issue—the sea train wasn't operational, and CP9 hadn't begun their undercover mission.
In the first half of the Grand Line, there weren't many suitable targets.
There were certainly capable individuals, but without reliable intelligence, searching for them would be like chasing shadows.
In that case, why didn't he return to the New World?
The number and quality of powerful individuals in the New World far exceeded those in Paradise, the first half of the Grand Line.
Aoki counted on his fingers, realizing that even if the New World was included, his options were limited.
The most suitable target seemed to be the Donquixote Pirates of Dressrosa.
By now, Doflamingo should have overthrown King Riku and his family to become the king of Dressrosa.
Aoki preferred pirates with clear bases of operation.
Moreover, most of the cadres and key members of the Donquixote Pirates possessed unique and powerful abilities.
Doflamingo himself was an exceptional prey.
"Someone's coming!" Kurome alerted.
Aoki's thoughts were interrupted as he looked up.
A massive pirate ship was heading toward them at full speed. The bow resembled a giant fish head with a mouth full of sharp teeth, and the most striking feature was its huge saw-toothed nose.
A pirate flag fluttered on the ship, bearing the emblem of a red saw-toothed fish over crossed skulls.
Activating his Observation Haki, Aoki's eyes scanned the area.
Crash!
Suddenly, a group of peculiar figures leapt from the sea and landed on the deck.
Leading them was a tall man with blue and purple skin and a jagged nose.
To his left was a figure with an octopus-like head and six arms. To his right stood a man with giant fins protruding from his elbows.
The rest of the crew was equally strange in appearance.
"I didn't expect to meet someone I know here," Aoki muttered, a trace of surprise flashing across his face.
Arlong and Hachi—members of the Arlong Pirates.
They were the ones who brought eight years of pain and terror to Nami and the people of Cocoyashi Village.
But why were they here?
Had the Sun Pirates already split up? What had happened to Fisher Tiger? Was he dead or alive?
Aoki had been too busy since returning to the pirate world to look into Fisher Tiger's fate.
Kurome and the others studied the fishmen with curiosity.
Arlong grinned, revealing rows of sharp teeth, his expression cold and menacing.
"Hahaha, I didn't expect to run into a group of humans here!"
"What are they?" Esdeath asked, her tone indifferent.
Hearing her words, Arlong's expression darkened instantly, as though someone had stepped on his tail.
"Lowly creatures! We are fishmen! A race far superior to you humans! You pathetic creatures were born to be our slaves..."
Before he could finish, a pale hand wreathed in frost appeared out of nowhere, pressing against Arlong's face.
His words were abruptly cut off.
Esdeath stood there, her expression icy and filled with murderous intent.
Where had this ant come from, daring to bark in front of her?
"Not good!"
Arlong's pupils shrank in terror, realizing these humans were anything but ordinary.
Though he despised humans and belittled them at every turn, he was well aware of how terrifying the strong ones among them could be.
But this was only the first half of the Grand Line. How could the humans they randomly encountered here possess such strength?
"No, no! My plans haven't even begun—how can I die here?"
Arlong's expression twisted with desperation. Summoning his resolve, he raised his jagged nose toward Esdeath's palm.
"Hahaha, no problem! My nose is the hardest part of my body—it can pierce her palm for sure. I..."
Snap!
His serrated nose shattered.
Esdeath's palm continued downward, pressing firmly against Arlong's face. Her fingers tightened, and the ice that wreathed her hand sliced through his flesh effortlessly.
Scarlet blood gushed out, staining the ice a deep red.
"Ahhhh!"
Arlong's scream pierced the air.
Moments later, a terrifying cold spread through his body, and his skin turned a pale, deathly blue.
The ice began to condense on Arlong's body and gradually spread outward. He could feel himself being frozen bit by bit, but he was powerless to stop it. Overwhelmed by despair, he transformed into an ice sculpture.
"Esdeath truly knows how to make someone suffer," Aoki thought to himself. He then considered, "Nami owes us a significant favor."
Not only would she be spared eight years of suffering, but more importantly, her adoptive mother would still be alive.
That being said…
Without the Arlong incident, would Nami still join the Straw Hat Pirates?
Aoki dismissed the thought.
It wasn't something he needed to worry about.
After all, it wasn't certain whether the Straw Hat Pirates would even exist in this world again.
At that moment, the rest of the Arlong Pirates finally processed what had just happened. Their faces displayed a mix of anger, shock, and fear.
Esdeath glanced at them coldly but didn't act immediately. Instead, she turned to Aoki.
"What do we do with these creatures?"
The fishmen followed her gaze and looked toward Aoki.
Darkness had begun to fall, the light dimming and reducing visibility. The fishmen hadn't seen the crew clearly before—or more precisely, hadn't had the chance to assess the situation on the ship.
Suddenly, one fishman's face twisted in terror.
"Dragon—Dragon King? You're... the Burning Heaven Pirates?!"
The other fishmen froze, their expressions changing instantly.
"The Dragon King? Did they cross the Dragon King?"
The Burning Heaven Pirates, led by the Dragon King, one of the Four Emperors, had become the most talked-about force on the seas recently. Everyone knew about them, and the Arlong Pirates were no exception.
Aoki spoke calmly: "Except for the octopus, kill the rest."
"No!"
The fishmen's faces filled with horror, and they turned to flee without hesitation.
As fishmen, they could survive in the sea. As long as they reached the water, they'd have a chance at escape.
But then a cold wind swept past.
In an instant, the fleeing fishmen froze mid-step. Ice and snow enveloped their bodies, and within moments, they were all transformed into ice sculptures.
The only one left alive, Octopus Hatchan, collapsed onto the deck, his lips trembling in fear.
They had just agreed the day before to head to the East Blue, enslave humans, and build their strength.
Now, in the blink of an eye, he was the only survivor.
Aoki turned his gaze to Hatchan.
"For Rayleigh's sake, I'll spare your life this time."
"Rayleigh?"
Hatchan's eyes widened in confusion. Before he could say anything else, his figure disappeared and reappeared hundreds of meters away, splashing into the sea.
Kurome tilted her head, curiosity evident on her face. "What kind of creatures are they?"
"They're fishmen and merpeople," Aoki explained. "A species of human that can survive underwater."
Esdeath snorted. "It seems they aren't very intelligent."
Aoki smiled slightly. "Fishmen have long been discriminated against and treated as nothing more than fish. To avoid persecution, they live deep in the ocean, thousands of meters below the surface.
"Because of this, many fishmen harbor hatred and fear toward humans. Over time, some develop a superiority complex, going from feeling inferior to believing they are above humans."
Akame picked up on a specific detail in his explanation.
"Living ten thousand meters deep?"
Hancock nodded. "I've heard about this as well. Supposedly, there's an island beneath the Sabaody Archipelago called Fishman Island. It's the only route pirates can take to reach the New World."
"Fishman Island?"
Everyone's expressions turned curious.
Aoki stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Let's make Fishman Island our next destination."
Fishman Island and the Sabaody Archipelago were interconnected.
The latter served as the starting point for the New World, while the former functioned as a critical transit station.
The main focus was, of course, the "Spirit of Nature."
With the abilities of the "Infinite Dragon Beast," completing tasks was simple. Whether it was earning experience points or skill points, there was no need to worry.
Including the points gained from leveling up, Aoki now had 12 free skill points at his disposal.
"I still need 3 skill points to upgrade my Observation Haki to its maximum level and 6 skill points to max out my Conqueror's Haki," Aoki thought as he examined the system panel.
The Spirit of Nature was currently at level 35. Once it reached its maximum level, he would gain an additional 5 free skill points.
Even without completing additional tasks, he could max out his Observation Haki. However, maxing out his Conqueror's Haki would require finding alternative sources of skill points.
After some thought, Aoki decided to hold onto the free skill points for now.
Neither Observation Haki nor Conqueror's Haki could be upgraded to their full potential at the moment, and partial upgrades wouldn't significantly impact his overall strength.
It was better to save the points and allocate them strategically later.
---
The next day.
Aoki and his crew returned to the Sabaody Archipelago, but this time, they didn't dock. Instead, they stopped just offshore.
Robin asked curiously, "Aren't we going to the Sabaody Archipelago for coating?"
To reach Fishman Island, 10,000 meters below the sea, ships typically needed a protective coating.
"Unnecessary," Aoki replied.
As he spoke, his body began to grow taller, and his hair lengthened as he transformed into the Spirit of Nature.
Crash!
The seawater below parted, forming a wide channel.
The massive three-masted sailboat began to descend slowly through the channel. Once it passed, the seawater closed back together.
The ship navigated the narrow, waterless path with ease, a gentle breeze swirling around it.
As the Spirit of Nature, Aoki could manipulate natural forces, and water was no exception. This method was far safer than traditional coating.
While coatings were durable, they were not infallible and could be damaged.
Statistically, only 30% of pirates successfully reached the New World. The remaining 70% perished during the journey.
Hancock, Robin, Kurome, Akame, and the others stood on the deck, marveling at the changes around them.
As the ship descended further, the light grew dimmer and dimmer until it was completely engulfed by darkness.
However, lights on the ship illuminated the surroundings, revealing the deep-sea scenery.
The water was vast and serene.
Colorful corals and seaweed swayed gently, while fish of various shapes and sizes swam lazily by.
Occasionally, one or two bioluminescent creatures drifted past, disappearing into the abyss of darkness.
The deep sea was vast, mysterious, beautiful, and dangerous.
Kurome leaned over the railing, peering curiously into the depths.
"Didn't they say there are islands on the seafloor? Why don't I see any?"
"The depth isn't sufficient yet," Aoki replied, guiding the ship forward. "We're only at about 7,000 meters. We need to reach deeper areas."
For humans, there was little difference between 7,000 meters and 10,000 meters—exposure to such depths would mean certain death.
But Aoki remained unconcerned.
With his mastery of space-time manipulation, spatial storage, and control over natural forces, he had countless ways to ensure the safety of himself and his companions, even in the deep sea.
In a fissure on the seabed, a pair of enormous eyes suddenly opened, each the size of a lantern.
The creature raised its massive head, peering intently at the enormous ship slowly approaching from the distance.
Those who can successfully reach the Sabaody Archipelago from the Twin Capes are among the strongest and most capable pirates.
For Aoki, they represented ideal prey.
By guarding Fishman Island, he could capture all these elite pirates in one fell swoop.
Moreover, he wouldn't need to worry about exposing his identity and provoking trouble with the World Government or the Navy.
Fishman Island was undoubtedly an excellent place to "spawn monsters."
In addition, there were two other advantages to heading there.
First, it was relatively close.
While flying with the power of the Float-Float Fruit was much faster than sailing, the journey to Dressrosa would still take a considerable amount of time.
Second, Fishman Island was one of the Grand Line's most fascinating attractions, and Aoki had long been curious to see it for himself.
No one raised any objections.
Both the locals from the pirate world and the outsiders were intrigued by the legendary island located 10,000 meters beneath the sea.
The appearance of the Arlong Pirates was merely a minor incident and didn't interfere with the Burning Heaven Pirates' preparations for the night.
---
Night.
Aoki sat alone in his room, reflecting.
The gains from the trip to the Florian Triangle hadn't been particularly impressive.
There were two main reasons for this.
First, no tasks had been triggered during the journey.
Second, the Thriller Bark Pirates were severely undermanned.
Zombies didn't count as independent monsters, so defeating them yielded no experience or rewards.
The entire Thriller Bark crew consisted of only four members: Moriah and his three underlings.
Among them, Hogback wasn't even a combatant—just an ordinary person.
The only silver lining was that, despite Moriah's decline, he still had some resources.
A four-star treasure chest had dropped from him, while Absalom had dropped a three-star treasure chest.
A three-star and a four-star treasure chest—this was the extent of the gains from the Florian Triangle.
Aoki decided to open both treasure chests.
---
[You have opened a Revenge Chest (Three Stars) and obtained a Devil Fruit (Clear-Clear fruit).]
- Clear-Clear Fruit? Not bad!
Aoki smirked. He trusted Blackbeard's judgment when it came to selecting crewmates.
Shiryu of the Rain, the captain of Blackbeard's second ship, was a prime example.
Before Aokiji joined, Shiryu was considered the second most dangerous member of the Blackbeard Pirates.
If Blackbeard had chosen to give him the Clear-Clear Fruit Fruit, it must have been a Devil Fruit of exceptional value.
---
[You have opened a Revenge Chest (Four Stars) and obtained a Skill Point Gift Pack.]
"What?"
Aoki sat up abruptly.
A Skill Point Gift Pack?
He opened the system interface and saw a red cartoon-styled package. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
The function of the Skill Point Gift Pack was straightforward: upon use, it granted 10 free skill points.
Moreover, there were no restrictions on how or where the points could be allocated.
This was undoubtedly a good reward, though it wasn't extraordinary.
For instance, items like the Nine Spirit Shuttle could directly enhance strength and remain useful for a long time. Similarly, Senzu Beans could heal any injury and restore strength, effectively acting as a second life.
Those were considered top-tier rewards from a four-star treasure chest.
In contrast, the Skill Point Gift Pack merely sped up the learning process for skills.
While skill points could be gained through other means, the effects of skills wouldn't change regardless of when they were learned.
The Skill Point Gift Pack essentially saved time and effort—useful, but not essential for someone like Aoki, who had an abundance of both.
Still, considering that this reward had come from defeating Moriah, a fight that required almost no effort, it wasn't something to complain about.
Satisfied with the reward, Aoki immediately used the Skill Point Gift Pack.
____
In memory, a "weird creature" would occasionally appear. With a single attack, it could kill the creature and gain an abundance of delicious food.
Patiently, it waited.
When the "strange creature" finally approached its head, it suddenly lunged out of the crevice, jaws wide open, revealing rows of sharp, ferocious teeth. It bit toward the creature with lightning speed.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Streams of light shot out, piercing the massive fish and riddling it like a hornet's nest. Blue lightning erupted across its body, and the giant fish stopped thrashing almost instantly, its life extinguished.
The streams of light returned to Aoki's side, transforming into crystal-clear blades that floated around him.
Alice stared at the massive fish, easily over 100 meters long.
"The fish at the bottom of the sea are so fierce!" she exclaimed.
This wasn't their first attack of the journey. They had already encountered oversized fish and bizarre sea beasts.
Kurome sniffed the air and swallowed quietly. "I wonder if its meat tastes good."
Aoki didn't join the discussion. Instead, his eyes followed the crevice from where the fish had emerged. Soon, a massive trench loomed ahead, emanating a strong suction force that churned the waters.
"Found it!" he declared.
Everyone's attention immediately turned to the trench.
Aoki controlled the ship, guiding it toward the powerful current.
The suction dragged the ship downward, creating a rapid descent through the water.
Not long after, a faint light began to emerge from the otherwise dark seabed.
As they descended further, the light grew stronger and brighter.
Boom!
The three-masted sailing ship broke free of the fierce current, floating in the calm waters above the seabed.
Everyone gazed upward, their faces filled with awe.
In front of them, a vast world suspended quietly beneath the ocean, encased in a massive semicircular bubble membrane. The light from above filtered through, casting a surreal glow and making the scene look almost dreamlike.
There was no need to ask—this was Fishman Island.
Aoki guided the ship closer, circling it slowly. Before long, he spotted a large opening embedded in the bubble membrane.
"This must be the entrance to Fishman Island," he said.
The bubble membrane surrounding Fishman Island was double-layered, with an air layer sandwiched between the two layers.
Forcing entry would cause the ship's coating to merge with the outer membrane, making it impossible to maintain buoyancy. Without the air layer for support, the ship would fall and be destroyed.
Under normal circumstances, entering through the designated entrance was the only safe option.
Otherwise, even those strong enough to force entry would be committing illegal trespass.
Aoki steered the ship toward the entrance. They passed through a long tunnel, and then the ship suddenly burst from the water, landing smoothly on the surface within the bubble.
Bright sunlight greeted them, reflecting off the water and casting a warm glow.
"It is said that the Sunlight Tree Eve channels sunlight from the surface down to Fishman Island," Hancock explained.
Having spent a long time in the Sabaody Archipelago, she was well-versed in such legends.
Suddenly, several fishmen emerged from the water, blocking their path.
They stood on the surface, weapons drawn, their expressions stern and wary.
"Stop the boat! Stop the boat!" they shouted.
Aoki stood at the bow, his gaze fixed on the fishmen.
He had no personal interest in the long-standing feud between humans and fishmen, but he knew that his actions might lead to a confrontation with Fishman Island—or even the Ryugu Kingdom itself.