Deep-Sea Terror: A Smile, Begging, and Kneeling-So Practiced
A massive shadow blocked the ship's path, filling the crew with terror.
Wude took out something useful he had bought from the Sabaody Archipelago.
It was a device that could cover a person in a layer of bubbles.
After putting on a bubble coating that functioned like a diving suit, Wude grabbed a rope, tying one end around his waist and the other to the main mast.
Then, clad in the bubble coating, he raised his blade and rushed out of the ship, passing through the enormous bubble surrounding it.
He entered the deep sea. Protected by the bubble coating, he swiftly swam toward the shadow with his blade in one hand.
The current battered him, but with the rope firmly tied to the main mast, he was not worried about being swept away and getting lost in the deep sea.
Wude and the enormous figure drew closer, each seeing the other clearly.
"The prophecy was wrong," Wude said as he looked at the deep-sea monster.
There really was a monster blocking the way, but it was not an octopus monster.
A huge yellowish-brown eye stared at him. Light brown mane-like fur drifted with the current, and sharp fangs protruded from its mouth. It was a deep-sea monster with a lion's head and a patterned fish tail for its lower body.
Sea beasts in the world of One Piece were just like that—strange and grotesque, like some kind of genetic patchwork.
"Could this ocean have been a genetic testing ground for some civilization thousands of years ago?" Wude came up with a bold theory.
The lion-headed sea beast opened its bloody maw and lunged forward, trying to devour him.
To it, a human as tiny as an insect was beneath notice. Its goal was to tear apart the ship behind him.
Wude drew his long blade, grinned happily at the "food," and swung.
A sky-blue slash wave surged rapidly through the seawater. Ripples trailed behind the curved slash as it cut across the lion-headed sea beast, slicing through its fish tail.
Splat!
Blood dyed the seawater red. The huge fish tail separated from the sea beast's body, and Wude kicked it toward the ship.
"Catch it! Tonight, we're having a lion sea beast feast!"
The people aboard hurriedly threw out hooked ropes, iron hooks catching onto the enormous fish tail.
The lion sea beast howled miserably and turned to flee.
Wude gripped his blade with both hands, his eyes locked on the beast's head. He thrust straight ahead.
A cold gleam detached from the blade's tip, transforming into a long, piercing slash.
The flash vanished in an instant, piercing through the lion-headed sea beast's head and killing it instantly!
The lion-headed sea beast lost consciousness, its body drifting slowly forward with inertia. An inconspicuous bloody hole ran from the back of its head to its forehead, crimson blood floating out.
More hooked ropes were thrown from the ship, catching onto the sea beast's body.
"Next, we'll have braised lion's head, steamed sea beast fish tail, and pan-fried sea beast fins," Wude said as he looked at the sea beast hanging behind the ship.
After cutting off several chunks of sea beast meat, Wude began his grand deep-sea culinary plan.
Before long, the group sat on the deck with him, each holding a huge bowl of sea beast feast and eating heartily.
They were getting closer to Fish-Man Island, and the light had improved somewhat.
The shadowy outline of another ship appeared not far away.
Bored as they ate, everyone looked over.
They could vaguely see a graceful figure performing a seductive dance on that ship, while quite a few people waved their hands and cheered.
Everyone became even more interested.
As they continued approaching the Fish-Man Island region, the light finally became good enough to clearly see the other ship.
Thump, thump, thump~ Thump, thump!
Someone aboard the other ship beat a hand drum rhythmically, while on a makeshift stage, a figure in lace clothing with a ponytail performed a fiery dance.
He looked back at Wude and the others with a smile... a killing blow!
A face horrifying beyond description was covered in floral makeup. His smile deserved a 9.8-rated horror film. Combined with that graceful, gorgeous figure, it was a truly terrifying combination—scary as hell.
"Bleurgh~!" Wude nearly threw up.
Even someone as bold as him broke at the sight. He hurriedly waved his hand and ordered everyone to turn away.
"Stop looking! If you keep watching, someone's going to die!" The lackeys turned around while desperately suppressing their nausea.
"What a hilarious person," Jia said in amazement as he looked at that guy. "Is he a comedian?"
"It's not about whether he's funny or not. He's the kind that makes you want to throw up."
Keeping far away from that bizarre pirate ship, Wude and the others passed through the entrance to Fish-Man Island.
The butchered sea beast hanging behind their ship drew the attention of the soldiers stationed at Dragon Palace.
However, Tiger was not on Fish-Man Island at the moment, and Fish-Man Island was in its most chaotic period. They did not dare make things difficult for Wude and simply let them pass.
But how could Wude and his group be considered especially eye-catching? This was just nothing compared to what came next.
Another ship sailed over. Rhythmic drumbeats carried through the air, and the cross-dresser gave the Dragon Palace soldiers a floral smile while dancing seductively, making a whole group of them vomit and collapse.
Fish-Man Island was enclosed within an incomparably huge bubble. There were not only pure seawater residential areas where only fish-men and merfolk could live, but also air-filled areas suitable for humans.
Colorful corals grew all around, emerging from the water. Beautiful mermaids in swimsuits sat atop giant scallops, smiling sweetly.
There were also adorable little mermaid girls wearing hats, bubbles around their bodies as they happily chased after the older mermaids and played.
"Damn it, that cross-dresser disgusted me so badly I threw up everything I ate. I need to find a mermaid lady to heal my wounded heart!"
In the distance, a man shouted from a docked pirate ship.
"Hahaha, why not just take them?" another pirate sneered. Holding a blade, he lecherously glanced beneath a mermaid lady's collarbone.
The mermaid ladies shielded the children behind them, warily watching these unruly outsiders as they slowly backed away.
"Hey, brothers on the ship next door, how about we work together? We'll snatch a batch of mermaids, split them sixty-forty, have some fun, then sell them for a good price!" the pirate captain shouted toward Wude's side.
Wude ignored them. He sat on the ship's railing with a small notebook in hand, while the lackeys also held notebooks and searched through pirate bounty posters.
"Hey! I'm talking to you! Did you hear me, you bastards?" the dark-skinned pirate captain roared angrily.
The mermaid ladies also looked nervously toward Wude.
"They aren't flying a pirate flag. Captain, they're not pirates, are they?" the navigator said, pointing at the mast of the other ship.
"Hahaha, so they're just a bunch of..."
The sea beast body hanging behind Wude's ship slowly rose from beneath the water, revealing its massive form.
The pirate captain swallowed the word "weaklings" before it could leave his mouth. He saw Wude look up at him, and that sharp gaze frightened him into wiping away cold sweat.
What should he do? He had not read much, so he did not know how to talk. How should he respond to avoid getting killed?
Waiting online. This was urgent.
"Barlow, a pirate from the West Blue. Bounty: 9 million Berry," Jia said after finding the man's bounty poster.
"9 million Berry. That's a little low." Wude stood at the edge of the ship, one hand gripping his sword hilt as he stared coldly at the other side. "You won't need to go get beaten up in the New World. This is where your journey ends."
With a thud, Barlow dropped directly to his knees.
"..." The handsome guy was speechless. I haven't even fought yet, have I?
Why was he so practiced at kneeling and begging for mercy?
The mermaid ladies also stared at the pirate in astonishment. He had knelt before the fight even began—what was wrong with this man?