Testing Mary Geoise

Fisher Tiger? The man who supposedly climbed to the top of the Red Line with his bare hands and infiltrated the Celestial Dragons' holy land, Mary Geoise, alone to rescue the slaves!

Ryan carefully sized up the man before him. He had red skin, a tall build, thick curly hair tied back with a headband, and a broad, wide mouth.

One thing is certain: the incident where Mary Geoise was thrown into chaos hasn't happened yet. But it seems like it'll happen this year! Ryan thought as he examined Tiger.

Ryan smiled at Tiger. "Are you here to find Master Tom too?"

Tiger didn't answer. He simply walked over to an empty spot, sat down, and fell silent. If the old Tiger had run into Ryan, he might have chatted for a while, but the current Tiger clearly wasn't in the mood.

Everyone waited until sunset before Tom finally arrived, with two others following behind him.

"Bloody Swordsman—Ryan!" the blue-haired young man behind Tom cried out. Clearly, he recognized Ryan and the others.

"Is he the great pirate with a bounty of one billion?" Although Tom was absorbed in his research, he still knew some of the recent news.

"If you're here to have me build you a ship, you can leave."

Tom had more or less guessed Ryan's purpose. After all, ever since he had built Roger's ship and Roger became the Pirate King, countless pirates had wanted him to build their ships every day.

As soon as he said that, Ryan remained calm, but Kid immediately blew his top. He was just about to rush over and argue with Tom when Ryan pinned him down with one hand.

Buggy, who had wanted to befriend Ryan, saw this and stepped forward to address Tom. "You old man, why are you still like this?"

"Hm? The red-nosed brat from Roger's ship?"

"If this had been before, I might have considered it. But I no longer build ships for people." Tom explained.

Buggy flew straight in front of Tom and shouted, "Don't call me red-nose!"

When Tom's apprentice saw that Buggy could detach his head from his body, excitement appeared on his face. His eyes practically sparkled, and he looked ready to grab Buggy and study him thoroughly.

So Franky has liked flashy things since he was little! Ryan thought as he watched the blue-haired boy's expression.

Ryan wasn't angered by Tom's refusal. He simply said, "Build me a ship, and I'll save your life. You can't trust the World Government!"

Tom's expression didn't change at those words, but the two young men behind him both shrank their pupils in shock.

The other young man spoke up. "What makes you think you can guarantee that? You can't change the World Government's decision!"

"I can simply tell the world that I stole the blueprints. Then your master will be safe. After all, they only want the blueprints, not your master's life."

The young man's eyes lit up. He cautiously looked at Tom. "Master?"

"Iceburg!" Tom shouted at the young man. Then he walked toward Tiger and said with a faint smile, "You've been waiting a while, haven't you? Come inside."

With that, Tom and Tiger went inside. Franky hurried after them, while Iceburg glanced at Ryan, then at Tom's retreating figure. He gritted his teeth before following them in the end.

Seeing Iceburg's reaction, Ryan knew there was still hope for getting the ship built. If things really don't work out, I can still find Iceburg. Of course, that was the worst-case scenario.

"Captain, he won't build one for us. Let's find someone else." Kid spoke irritably.

"No rush. Let's wait a little longer." Ryan believed Iceburg would come back to him. After all, Iceburg was much more sensible than Franky.

Inside the room, Tom sat cross-legged opposite Tiger. Two jugs of wine sat on the table between them. The jug nearest Tiger was already empty, clearly drained almost entirely by him.

"Tom, is it really impossible for fish-men and humans to coexist peacefully?" Tiger pounded the table furiously.

If this had been in the past, Tom would definitely have told Tiger that it was possible. But Tom had just learned what Tiger had experienced over the past few years, and all he could do now was shake his head and sigh.

Seeing that Tom remained silent, Tiger understood the answer. But he still refused to accept it. His experiences in Mary Geoise had shown him humanity's ugliest side and exposed him to the darkness of the world.

"I really can't accept this. Is there truly nothing I can change?"

"No! I can still save people like me."

Tiger's gaze slowly hardened.

Tiger clenched his fists and said to Tom, "I've decided! After I return to Fish-Man Island, I'll do what I've been wanting to do these past few days!"

"What is that?"

"Rescue our comrades in Mary Geoise. Rescue the slaves who are like me!"

Watching Tiger's departing back, Tom felt sorrowful—for the entire fish-man race.

"Perhaps you're right, Tiger. Just don't become like me."

Ryan didn't get to wait for Iceburg. Instead, he got a drunken Tiger. As Tiger passed him, he turned around and asked, "Can fish-men and humans coexist peacefully?"

The next moment, Tiger realized he had let the question slip. Why did I ask a pirate that? I must really be drunk.

Ryan didn't know why Tiger had asked him such a question, but he remembered the words Tiger had cried out before his death: I can't love humans anymore! I'll never love humans again!

Ryan shouted at Tiger.

"They can! Tiger, humans and fish-men can coexist peacefully!"

Tiger stopped walking and turned around, staring fixedly at Ryan as if he wanted to see through him completely.

"You really believe that?"

"Of course. Aren't you and I coexisting peacefully right now?"

Tiger froze for a moment before saying, "But you alone can't represent all humans!"

"Then go and change that!"

As Tiger looked at Ryan, he seemed to see Queen Otohime's shadow in him.

"Want to have a drink?" Ryan invited.

Tiger hesitated only briefly before nodding in agreement.

When Ryan saw Tiger's lost expression earlier, he thought of how Tiger had ultimately refused a blood transfusion because he couldn't stand the thought of human blood, leading to his death.

Tiger's tears—his desire to love, yet inability to do so—had deeply shaken Ryan.

Ryan decided to change Tiger's fate.

The man had been hurt too deeply by humans. Tiger, who had never taken the initiative to harm humans, had ultimately died indirectly at the hands of a human he trusted.

"You go back first. I'll come find you later." Ryan addressed the others.

"I would like to come along as well." Fujitora sensed that his teacher, Ryan, was about to start another lesson, so he wanted to follow.

Ryan, Tiger, and Fujitora found a tavern and had a little to drink.

Ryan cautiously asked, "Are you planning to go to Mary Geoise to free the slaves?"

Tiger was shocked. He stood up and stared at Ryan. "How did you know?"

"Because I can hear what's in your heart." Ryan casually made up an excuse to brush him off.

Tiger felt somewhat relieved at those words. After slowly sitting down, he looked at Ryan with a complicated expression. "Not only do you have the same ideals as Princess Otohime, you even possess the same ability as her!"

Seeing that Tiger had believed him so easily, Ryan thought, You believed me just like that? You didn't even ask why I have such an ability?

Because of this beautiful misunderstanding, Tiger's favorable impression of Ryan increased dramatically.

Meanwhile, a huge question mark appeared in Fujitora's mind. Why didn't I know the captain had this ability?

Ryan continued, "When are you planning to act?"

Tiger already regarded Ryan as a human version of Queen Otohime, so he didn't hide anything. "After I return to Fish-Man Island."

"Count me in!"

Tiger slowly nodded. "All right, but it's dangerous..." He left the rest unsaid, since he remembered that Ryan was a great pirate with a bounty of one billion. His strength had to be extraordinary.

"Why not count me in too?" Fujitora asked tentatively. When it came to freeing slaves, Fujitora was duty-bound to help.

Before Tiger could say anything, Ryan nodded in agreement.

Ryan had his own reasons as well. If there were any places he was most curious about, they were undoubtedly Laugh Tale and Mary Geoise.

While Tiger was freeing the slaves, Ryan planned to probe Mary Geoise's depths. Mary Geoise was home not only to the Five Elders, who controlled the world, but also to the mysterious Imu!

Ryan had two reasons for deciding to take the risk. First, in the original history, Tiger hadn't encountered any danger, which meant that fate protected him. Otherwise, even someone stronger than him might not have been able to accomplish it.

Second, the Kukuku Fruit had given Ryan confidence. If he couldn't win, he could always run!

Ryan also planned to gather more people. After all, he still had several favors he could call in. It would be a waste not to use them for such a major undertaking. In a place this dangerous, the more people there were, the safer they would be.

And so, a plan that would shock the world was finalized in a small tavern.