Aokiji glanced at Akainu. "After the World Military Draft, we discovered many outstanding talents. The number of capable people has increased significantly, so I don't think we'll be short-handed."
Akainu remained silent, slowly withdrawing the hand resting on Aokiji's shoulder.
In another stretch of sea.
"Ugh! I'm starving to death!" Ronglin cried weakly. "Jinbe? Is there any food left?"
Jinbe, who was enjoying the pleasant sea breeze at the bow, could not even be bothered to turn around. "Who told you to flee Fish-Man Island like you were running for your life? You didn't prepare anything, so now you're short on this and short on that—you didn't even bring food. If you starve to death, blame yourself!"
It turned out that after Jinbe took Ronglin to inspect the ship that morning, Ronglin had acted on a whim and dragged Jinbe away from Fish-Man Island without saying goodbye, setting off for the New World.
When King Neptune later discovered that Ronglin had vanished, he immediately ordered a search. In the end, only Princess Shirahoshi, who could command giant Sea Kings, managed to catch up to Ronglin's group under the guidance of the giant Sea Kings.
Another tearful farewell followed before Princess Shirahoshi finally bid Ronglin and the others goodbye with great reluctance.
However, because they had left in such a rush, they had prepared nothing at all. Ronglin had been surviving meal to meal. Although Jinbe occasionally hunted marine creatures for him, Ronglin had long grown sick of seafood and could not help missing Shisui's grilled meat.
"Now we have a captain and a helmsman. Looks like we're still missing a cook!" Ronglin weakly crawled out of the cabin, poked a few sparks into the grill, and began roasting the seafood Jinbe had caught.
Jinbe simply ignored him. There were only