When Fisher Tiger once again set foot on the land of Fish-Man Street, he was shocked.
After several years, he had finally taken a rare opportunity to escape from that hell on earth.
But for this native who grew up on Fish-Man Island since childhood, perhaps the word 'unfamiliar' was more fitting.
Brand new road surfaces, Tiger could tell they were made from high-grade plaster ground from deep-sea shells.
Those low, dilapidated small buildings along the street had completely disappeared from Fish-Man Street, replaced by rows of neat and beautiful two-story buildings.
"Fish-Man... Commercial Model Street?" Tiger read out the slogan beside the street, character by character. He felt it was somewhat incredible; after all, in his impression, Fish-Man Street could never be called a model district.
It wouldn't even be an exaggeration to say it was the district with the worst public security on Fish-Man Island. Pirates, thieves, mercenaries, thugs... figures from all walks of life gathered here. Even the Neptune Army, belonging to the Ryugu Kingdom, was unwilling to interfere in this gray area teeming with diverse characters.
Tiger strolled along the extraordinarily bustling pedestrian street, almost making him think he was wandering through Fish-Man Island's most prosperous port area—Coral Hill.
Previously, apart from the Fish-Men settled in Fish-Man Street, few Merfolk and islanders from other districts visited. But now, Fish-Man Street had clearly become a commercial complex with a high flow of Fish-Men traffic. Merfolk and Fish-Men arrived in droves.
Especially in front of a small stall making Takoyaki on the spot, a long queue had formed.
Walking along the road, the faces were still familiar, but the spirit radiating from each person secretly startled Tiger.
It was a joy that came from the heart, making every face appear vibrant with life.
"Tiger! It's the great explorer Mr. Tiger, he's back!"
Before he could investigate these changes, the original residents of Fish-Man Street recognized this Fish-Man explorer who was highly respected on Fish-Man Street and even Fish-Man Island.
"Mr. Tiger! It's me, Hachi!" Although quite far away, the sharp-eyed shop owner recognized the appearance of this big brother at a glance.
Wearing a headband with a seagull pattern, the Octopus Fish-Man calling himself Hachi was bustling with activity. His six sturdy arms each had their own task, packing the secret-recipe Takoyaki into boxes.
He wiped the sweat from his brow, looked up, and saw the familiar figure standing alone in the middle of the road carrying a single-strap backpack.
Hachi decisively put down the kitchen utensils in his hand, disregarding the long queue of business, and shouted loudly to the surroundings: "Closing up! Closing for the day!!"
"Eh!!" Exclamations from the diners rose and fell. Many among them were repeat customers, and there were also foodies who had come attracted by the reputation from various districts.
But without exception, they were won over by this richly sauced Takoyaki.
Hachi hastily squeezed out from the crowd, rushing towards Tiger's direction with leaps and bounds.
"You're Hachi! My goodness, you've changed so much!" Tiger laughed heartily as he met the Octopus Fish-Man running towards him, giving him a tight bear hug.
This renowned Fish-Man explorer carefully examined Hachi, who used to follow him listening to adventure stories: "How did you become the owner of a Takoyaki shop?"
"Big Bro Tiger, in the years you weren't on the island, Fish-Man Street and even the entire Fish-Man Island have undergone huge changes! Come, come, let me tell you slowly in my shop!" Hachi eagerly pulled Tiger towards the shop.
The diners looked at each other. "Big Bro Tiger? Wait... is that the adventurer Mr. Tiger!" The Fish-Men and Merfolk who reacted subsequently surrounded the shop, making it impenetrable.
Tiger hesitated for a moment. He had originally intended to go directly to the Ryugu Kingdom to find Neptune, to inform the ruler of Fish-Man Island about the actions he was about to take.
But along the way, the patrolling Neptune Army and human Navy squads in various districts, as well as the transformed Fish-Man Street, temporarily suppressed Tiger's urge to seek out Neptune immediately.
He also needed someone involved to clear up his confusion at this moment: Why had Fish-Man Island undergone such earth-shattering changes in just a few short years?
"By the way, where are Arlong and Jinbe?" Tiger suddenly remembered these two old brothers from Fish-Man Street. Since Hachi was doing so well here, there was no reason those two more outstanding brothers would be doing worse.
"Boss Jinbe is currently helping Vice Admiral Kuzan with things. A year ago, he already led a group of brothers from Fish-Man Street to join the Navy." Hachi immediately answered Jinbe's current situation. It should be known that this Whale Shark Fish-Man, as the first batch of Fish-Man race Marines recruited by Navy Headquarters, enjoyed a good reputation and standing both within the Navy military and on Fish-Man Island.
Tiger's brow furrowed, feeling increasingly troubled: "The Navy? You're saying Jinbe joined the Navy? What about Arlong? He wouldn't still be engaged in robbery, would he?"
At the mention of Arlong, Hachi's voice lowered: "Big Bro Arlong is dead."
"Dead?" Tiger was stunned at first, unsure what he associated it with, his face instantly darkened, and then his fists began to crack audibly. "Was it done by the human Navy?"
"No, no, no, you misunderstand. Arlong was personally executed by His Majesty Neptune." Hachi shook his head like a rattle drum. Fearing Tiger might misunderstand again, he quickly added, "Boss Jinbe choosing to join the Navy was also his own voluntary decision. And the fact that Fish-Man Street could change like this today is largely due to the efforts of Vice Admiral Sakazuki and Vice Admiral Kuzan, one after the other."
But this great adventurer was exceptionally unfamiliar with these names Hachi mentioned, which were already well-known on Fish-Man Island, as if he had never heard them before: "What... did they do?"
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki accepted His Majesty Neptune's private invitation and, braving immense pressure from the Celestial Dragons, wiped out numerous pirates and human traffickers who had long acted wantonly on Fish-Man Island in one fell swoop."
"Celestial Dragons..." A haze flickered in the depths of Tiger's eyes, but he managed to restrain his emotional fluctuation well, raising his hand to put a Takoyaki into his mouth. "Mmm! Hachi, your skill is simply unmatched on Fish-Man Island."
Although Hachi was somewhat puzzled why the adventurer, usually the most well-informed, knew nothing about these major events, the simple-minded Octopus Fish-Man didn't dwell on it. Maybe Big Bro Tiger went to play in other sea areas with poor information flow, it wasn't impossible.
However, the cruel reality was something Hachi could never guess: how could a tormented prisoner under a Celestial Dragon possibly receive news?
"Then these streets are also the work of that Vice Admiral Sakazuki?" Tiger chewed the delicious Takoyaki, casually pointing to the surrounding districts that had already greatly changed.
"No," Hachi shook his head, smiling happily. "This is thanks to Vice Admiral Kuzan and His Majesty Neptune implementing the reconstruction plan on Fish-Man Island, giving guys like us who couldn't afford shops a chance for entrepreneurship and employment."
This decree fundamentally boosted the employment and entrepreneurial enthusiasm of residents in various districts, rapidly driving the development of various commercial streets.
And with the good public security environment provided by the Navy garrison, the residents of Fish-Man Island had multiple choices.
Engaging in commerce, medicine, military service... various industries on Fish-Man Island began a trend of prosperous development. And this increase in employment rate further enhanced the social stability of Fish-Man Island.
Tiger seriously looked around at the greatly changed buildings and scenery, the smiling faces of those Merfolk and Fish-Men. For the first time, he felt a momentary waver regarding the thing he was about to do. If he really acted according to his original plan, the hard-won peace and prosperity of Fish-Man Island would likely return to square one.
But subsequently, that trace of wavering solidified again.
If a small minority is sacrificed for the sake of the majority, then one day, the number of people he himself deemed sacrificable would grow larger and larger.
He didn't know if doing this would do right by the Navy who, according to Hachi, had worked hard for the peace of Fish-Man Island. But he firmly believed that, at the very least, he had to do right by those compatriots still enslaved.
At least, when he himself was in trouble, Tiger hoped others would extend a helping hand.
Those compatriots still struggling to survive in the Holy Land Mary Geoise, even if they had long lost hope, in the deepest part of their hearts, still held a glimmer of hope for salvation.
And that was enough.
Tiger stood up abruptly, patting Hachi's shoulder: "I still need to find His Majesty Neptune to discuss some matters. The Takoyaki you make is truly delicious. I hope I can eat it again next time I come back."
If I can even come back... Tiger silently added a sentence in his heart, walking towards the Ryugu Palace without looking back.
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