Integrating the Fish-Man District

"Waaah!!"

With a scream, the tall fish-man was sent flying by a single punch, crashing heavily onto the ground, unable to get up.

"So, so strong! Too strong!!"

Behind the fish-man, the onlookers who had been watching excitedly exclaimed, "He's as strong as the legends say!"

"Boss Bright! Please let us follow you!!"

The fish-men shouted excitedly.

Bright retracted his fist, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Well, well, well, these guys sure know how to switch sides!"

Behind Bright, Kuroobi sneered, "Wasn't the former boss just defeated?"

"Please, please let me follow you too, Brother Bright--"

The former boss, lying on the ground, said with difficulty.

"Hahaha, that's only natural!"

Arlong laughed heartily, "Bright is the man who inherited Brother Fisher Tiger's will and will completely change Fish-Man Island!"

Stop the flattery already.

Bright felt a headache coming on.

Brother Arlong was indeed on his side now, but the turnaround was a bit too drastic.

He walked up to the fish-man lying on the ground. "So, you know what you need to do next?"

"Of course."

The defeated fish-man slowly nodded. Though his body was weak, his eyes burned with intensity. "Please lead us forward, Boss Bright!"

Born in the Fish-Man District, these fish-men had not received any proper education. The principle they lived by was that the winner takes all.

This was no different from the pirates in the New World. The weak attached themselves to the strong, eventually forming massive pirate crews.

After dealing with this group of fish-men, it was already very late, and Bright prepared to go home and sleep.

"If it's like this, there isn't much left."

On the way back, Kuroobi said seriously, "We are very close to the goal of unifying the Fish-Man District."

"All the hard work during this period wasn't in vain,"

Hachi chuckled. "As a celebration, Bright, do you want some takoyaki?"

Bright glanced at him. As a tako fish-man, don't you feel ashamed making takoyaki?

"No thanks, I'm a pescatarian." he said casually.

These past few weeks had been really busy.

More than a month had passed since he officially decided to become the boss of the Fish-Man District.

Bright had lived a very fulfilling life during this past month.

During the day, he trained with Jinbe. After dinner, he faced endless gang challenges. Later, when fewer people came to challenge him, he started proactively provoking them.

After spending more than a month on it, it was finally coming to an end.

The Fish-Man District was the dark side of Fish-Man Island. Its residents were not under the jurisdiction of Ryugu Palace at all.

The ones who maintained order were the various gangs, with a prominent figure in almost every area.

Gaining the support of all these figures naturally made one the big boss of the Fish-Man District.

This was something Fisher Tiger had achieved in the past.

And now, Bright was about to achieve it too.

Because of Jinbe and Arlong's support, there weren't many who opposed him. Even though he could only fight a few people each night due to limited time, progress was rapid.

Coupled with some who were intimidated and immediately switched sides, the goal of unifying the entire Fish-Man District was already close.

As Bright went home to sleep, somewhere in the Fish-Man District.

"Captain Vander Decken! Captain Vander Decken!! He's amazing! That Bright guy is truly incredible!"

Someone shouted excitedly, "Another gang has been defeated by him. Next, he's really going to unify the entire Fish-Man District like Boss Fisher Tiger!"

"So what?"

In the dark space, a man's voice was cold. "Who rules the Fish-Man District? I don't care at all. If I have the energy to care about this, I'd rather think about where to rob more money!"

"Damn it, these cheapskates in the Fish-Man District can't squeeze any money out! We should really go rob humans!"

The next day, as Bright was preparing to go to the Mermaid Cafe for breakfast, Brother Arlong appeared before him right on time.

"Latest news," Arlong said. "Except for a few who are still observing, the rest of the idiots are preparing to unite and resist you."

"Looks like they're quite unhappy with me."

Bright said with a smile.

The Fish-Man District's fish-men were a mixed bag, with some friendly towards him and others, naturally, quite annoyed by him.

"You think you're Belly? That everyone likes you."

Arlong laughed heartily, "But it doesn't matter. As long as I crush them in the end, the entire Fish-Man District will only obey my every command."

Strictly speaking, the position of boss in the Fish-Man District was more akin to a universally acknowledged leader, a co-ruler, rather than someone with absolute control. Absolute obedience wasn't really a thing.

But it was enough.

"This is good,"

Bright stretched, "Let's do it tonight. End all this sooner rather than later."

"Hahahaha! I'll notify them. Tell them to wash their necks and wait for death!"

"...You don't have to go that far."

Today was another day of training that lasted all day.

When the training ended, Jinbe said, "It's about time."

"What?" Bright didn't understand what he was talking about.

"Your training in Armament Haki and Observation Haki should be about done."

Jinbe smiled, "Haven't you felt that last push, that final breakthrough, many times already?"

Bright nodded thoughtfully.

Indeed, just as Jinbe said, there had been several times before where he felt he was on the verge of unleashing his Haki, but each time it was just a little bit short, and he failed.

"Tonight might be the chance."

Jinbe said, "Are you ready, Bright?"

"Of course."

Bright nodded with a smile.

Suddenly, he felt a sense of anticipation.

What would it feel like to use Haki?

As the night deepened, in the depths of the Fish-Man District, not far from the Sea Forest, Bright arrived with Jinbe and Arlong accompanying him.

Following behind him were the various underbosses who acknowledged him as the leader of the Fish-Man District.

And further back were the subordinates of the subordinates.

"Are there too many people?"

Hachi kept looking back in surprise, "There must be at least ten thousand people, right?"

"Hahaha, Hachi, do you know how many people in the Fish-Man District have decided to follow Bright now? And this is just the more enthusiastic part!"

Arlong laughed heartily, "Tonight is the final battle! Who wouldn't be interested?"

Hachi looked at Bright's retreating figure walking at the forefront. That child who had followed them since he was little was now going to unify the entire Fish-Man District?

Soon, they reached the agreed-upon location.

There were even more people here. The fish-men had practically surrounded the area, leaving only a clearing in the middle.

Just as Arlong had said, there were a lot of people who came to watch the spectacle.

And tonight's opponents were in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by the fish-men who had come to watch.

Led by several prominent fish-men, a large troop stood there. Bright estimated their numbers to be over a thousand.

When the leading fish-men saw the formation on Bright's side, their faces instantly turned pale.

The difference in numbers was too great.

Even Jinbe had come.

How could they possibly be a match in a head-on battle?

Bright smiled and took two steps forward, "If I defeat you, you will follow me, right?"

One of the fish-men gritted his teeth and said defiantly, "That's right! Even though you're a half-breed, if we're defeated by your hand, we have nothing to say!"

But--

Don't think that just because we have more people, we'll be intimidated into submission--

"Then let's begin."

Bright walked forward slowly, "It's fine if you all come at me together. I'm your only opponent."

"What!"

The fish-man who had just spoken was stunned, "Bright, are you serious? We have over a thousand people here!"

"You should be the ones worrying."

Electricity began to crackle around Bright's body, "A mere thousand people? If you want to be my enemy, you should at least bring out a hundred thousand."

Jinbe crossed his arms and simply smiled.

If Bright were to get serious, perhaps a hundred thousand wouldn't even be a challenge.

He'd only need to transform into a red dragon and unleash fire and lightning.

"Brother Bright!!"

Hearing Bright's bold declaration, the fish-men following behind him cheered with excitement.

This was exactly the kind of arrogance they wanted!

"He actually said a hundred thousand?"

The opposing fish-men couldn't help but show excited smiles on their faces. "What an arrogant guy!"

"Hahahaha! Alright, bring it on, Bright!! If you can win, then what of us following you!"

"Then, let's begin!"

His blue figure moved like lightning, even trailing long streaks of blue electricity.

So fast!!

The lead fish-man's pupils constricted; he couldn't even see Bright's movement trajectory.

The next moment, he felt a sharp pain in his stomach and was kicked flying.

Like a cannonball, the flying fish-man knocked over all the fish-men in his path.

"Such exaggerated strength!!"

Another fish-man leader exclaimed in panic, "What kind of monster is this guy—"

He only got halfway through his sentence before a hand wrapped in lightning grabbed his neck.

"Waaah!"

Screaming, he was sent flying, crashing through and knocking over all the fish-men on his route.

In excruciating pain, he could only see a blue flash darting through the crowd, accompanied by numerous fish-men being sent flying.

"Everyone attack together!! No matter how strong he is, he's still just one person!"

"No, he's too fast! We can't even keep up with our attacks!"

"Too strong! This guy is too strong!!"

Exclamations and screams erupted into a cacophony.

"Hahahaha! This is simply a massacre!"

Arlong laughed heartily, "But it's only natural, because it's Bright!!"

Blue lightning surged into the sky, then crashed down.

The ground instantly shattered, and the expanding shockwave blew away a cluster of fish-men.

"That's enough!! Stop, Bright, no, Boss Bright!"

A fish-man shouted loudly, "We lost!"

Bright slowly let out a breath and looked around. There were very few fish-men still standing.

He looked at the fish-man who had spoken.

The fish-man was kneeling on the ground, panting heavily, looking up at Bright with excitement. "This power—this overwhelming power!! Big Brother Jinbe and Arlong were right, you are the man to lead Fish-Man District forward!!"

"Boss Bright!!"

"Boss Bright!!"

Cheers suddenly erupted.

First from the enemy fish-men who were still conscious, then from the fish-men who followed Bright, and finally from all the fish-men who had come to watch the excitement.

The unified cheers almost shook the giant bubble above.

Bright scanned his surroundings, seeing nothing but excited, fanatical smiles as far as the eye could see.

He clenched his right fist.

An invisible wave silently wrapped around his fist.

They hadn't even noticed; it had awakened naturally.

Bright smiled and raised his right fist high.

"From today on, I will lead you forward!"

"Ooooh!!!"