Stories, Arlong, Hody

Miss Mirian was an excellent cook, as was evident from the Mermaid Cafe's resounding fame throughout Fish-Man Island.

After all, not everyone could possibly have come here just for the young, beautiful mermaid ladies, right?

Probably.

Bright had already been starving, so he ate with great relish.

The little girl named Nana was enjoying her food just as much.

"Mom's cooking is delicious!"

The little girl beamed.

"Honestly, didn't you already have dinner? You should thank big brother properly."

The little girl's mother said helplessly from the side, "Whose appetite did you inherit, anyway?"

"Hehe."

Nana giggled. "I want to eat lots of food and grow up quickly, so I can help Mom!"

What a good child.

That was what Bright thought.

Did children from single-parent families really mature more easily?

"No!"

But Miss Mirian refused without hesitation. "Mom doesn't want her adorable daughter to grow up so quickly. Right now, Nana only needs to live the happy life a child should have."

"Ehh—"

The little girl looked disappointed.

"Nana, your mother is right,"

Shyarly chimed in. "Children should live carefree lives. Don't wait until you grow up to regret losing such a beautiful time."

The little girl tilted her head, unable to understand at all.

That made sense. Only children wanted to grow up; adults only wanted to return to childhood.

Bright smiled softly.

At every age, one should do what people that age ought to do.

That was something countless people longed for.

"I'm full."

Bright swept all the food from the table clean, then slumped back in his chair in satisfaction and let out a contented burp.

The day's exhaustion seemed to have vanished entirely.

"I'm full too."

The little girl patted her round belly as she sat in a chair on the other side, her face full of satisfaction.

"Now that you're full, want to come play with your big sisters?"

A deliberately coquettish voice rang out from behind him.

Bright's mouth twitched.

Several mermaid ladies had crowded in behind him again.

"Instead of doing this, why don't you clean up the shop?"

Shyarly slapped the counter, her voice cold.

It was already late. There were no customers left in the shop, and it was time to tidy up and prepare to close.

"Ahh, we made Shyarly angry again."

"Because Shyarly cares too much about this little guy."

The mermaid ladies giggled.

"But we're just so curious."

One mermaid lady poked her head out from behind Bright and looked down at him. "Didn't you say before, Shyarly, that he went up to the sea?"

"Mm-hmm, that's right!"

Another mermaid lady nodded repeatedly. "What's the sea like? Tell us about it, little guy."

So that was what this was about.

Bright understood. He had almost thought he had become a user of the Sweet-Sweet Fruit, truly possessing the charm to captivate everyone.

Wasn't it only natural for mermaids who lived beneath the sea and had never seen blue skies or white clouds with their own eyes to yearn for that azure sea above their heads?

"Sure."

Bright readily nodded.

He might as well use it to pass the time and help his food settle.

While Bright was telling stories to the mermaid ladies, Jinbe had returned to the Fish-Man District. Just as he was about to go home and rest, a certain man came looking for him.

"Arlong?"

Jinbe frowned deeply. "What did you come to see me for?"

They had already fallen out on the day he brought Arlong out of Impel Down.

Arlong preached the idea of using fear to make humans unable to resist any longer, and Jinbe had beaten the hell out of him for it.

But out of consideration for their past bond, he had still chosen not to do anything further to him.

"If you came to ask me to let you leave, then give up."

Jinbe assumed that was why Arlong had come. "I strongly support Bright's decision. If we let you run wild, you'll bring great trouble to Fish-Man Island sooner or later."

Arlong glared viciously at Jinbe. "Don't talk nonsense, Jinbe! Even if I die, I'd never come begging you!"

They had disagreed for a long time. Though they had both been Fisher Tiger's followers, before Fisher Tiger returned, Arlong had been a pirate while Jinbe had been a soldier of Ryugu Palace.

Arlong hesitated for a moment. "I only came to ask you a question."

"What question?"

"That bastard Bright said he'll become as strong as a monster like Whitebeard, and make sure no one ever dares look down on Fish-Man Island again."

Arlong was visibly agitated. "I hate to admit it, but you really are the strongest on Fish-Man Island. Tell me—can that guy Bright really accomplish something like that?"

So that was what he wanted to ask!

Jinbe was deeply pleased.

Bright's words had actually worked.

It was not enough to say that they had changed Arlong's outlook on life, but at the very least, just as Bright had said, they had given Arlong a new perspective.

Jinbe said solemnly, "If it's Bright, then I can tell you with complete certainty, Arlong: he has that potential!"

"I'm guiding his training now, so no one understands better than I do. Before long, he'll completely surpass me! Becoming a powerhouse capable of standing alongside monsters is only a matter of time."

"If you don't believe it, then wait and see. It probably won't even take a few years."

Arlong was somewhat dazed.

This guy actually believed in that brat so much?

But what if it was true?

If Fish-Man Island, deep beneath the sea, really possessed such a powerhouse, who on the surface would dare resist them?

After all, the vast majority of this world was ocean!

If Bright truly became that powerful, an unprecedented super fish-man nation would be born!

"So, Arlong, wait a little longer."

Jinbe said earnestly, "Bright will definitely not disappoint you!"

Arlong fell silent.

The next day, training continued.

During the lunch break, Jinbe told Bright about his conversation with Arlong the previous night.

"Although he didn't answer me in the end, I think that guy was moved by it after all." Jinbe smiled.

Bright was delighted. "Is that so? Then that's a good thing."

"So, Bright, don't let down our expectations, Bright. Work hard and become even stronger!!"

"Bring it on!!"

Time passed day by day.

Every day of Bright's life was fulfilling.

He trained all day, helped out at Shyarly's shop in the mornings and evenings, told the mermaid ladies about life on the surface, and rested at the shop at night, repeating the cycle over and over.

The results of his training were average. There was still no sign of him fully awakening either type of Haki, but under such intense exercise, his body improved rapidly instead.

His strength, defense, and stamina improved every day, leaving Jinbe repeatedly astonished.

At the same time, the abilities he had gained evolved alongside him. In particular, since he had been beaten up so much, the defensive ability Bright had gained from the Primitive Diamondfish was rapidly strengthening.

This primitive fish had no scales on its body, but beneath its skin was an extraordinarily tough exoskeleton, stronger even than diamond.

Jinbe remarked in amazement that Bright became a little tougher every day than he had been the day before.

Of course, aside from his defense, his recovery ability was also improving, considering that his injuries were never light.

As a result, Jinbe hit even harder.

More than a week passed like that.

Then, on this day.

A certain man hurriedly shoved open the door to Arlong's home.

"Brother Arlong, I've figured everything out! That damned bastard Bright deserves to die!!"

The man's face twisted with savage fury. "Let's move! Let's kill that Half-breed bastard, then get rid of that piece of trash Jinbe!"

"No, we can even unite the forces of the entire Fish-Man District, overthrow Neptune, and build a new Fish-Man Kingdom! Everyone who betrays fish-men deserves to die!!"

Arlong looked at the crazed Hody, an inexplicable chill rising in his heart. He shook his head. "No, Hody. I've decided to wait."

"Wait?"

Hody asked doubtfully, "Wait for what?"

"Wait and see whether Bright can really do as he said—make everyone in the world respect our wishes!" Arlong said.

"What!!"

Hody's shark-like pupils shrank into slits.

Brother Arlong, have you betrayed our dream?