The sunlight was gently intoxicating, and golden scales of light rippled across the sea. Beside the Sun Pirates' ship, several fish-men skilled in coating had already taken up special brushes and buckets of resin, beginning preparations for another deep-sea voyage. The clear resin gleamed amber in the sunlight as they spread it evenly over the hull, gradually forming a new protective membrane.
On deck, the time for farewells had come. Jinbe crouched his massive body down and carefully lifted little Koala over his head, letting her sit on his broad shoulders. Koala let out a rare, carefree laugh as clear as silver bells, waving her little hands with all her might to say goodbye to Robin and Boer beside the Blossom's railing. Sunlight fell on her innocent face, forming a stark, heartbreaking contrast with the heavy racial divide surrounding them.
Robin smiled and waved back, while Boer merely nodded, his gaze calm. His eyes passed over the laughing Koala and the gentle-faced Jinbe before finally settling on the silent blue-purple figure at the edge of the crowd-Arlong.
Arlong stood among his companions, but his gaze wandered, sometimes sweeping over Boer, sometimes turning toward the deep sea, its complexity difficult to decipher. Yesterday's banquet had subjected him to a violent storm of reason and emotion, hatred and understanding.
The memory returned to when the banquet's festivities had begun to subside:
Drunk and carrying a half-empty liquor bottle, Arlong staggered toward the main table. Suddenly, he pointed straight at Boer's nose and roared, his tongue stumbling but his volume undiminished, "You-you inferior land races! You're the biggest hypocrites! The most despicable of all! Acting friendly on the surface... but behind our backs, aren't you still thinking about capturing us as slaves?!"
The instant his words fell, it was as though someone had