Fisher was in an excellent mood. He kept clinking cups with Chenos, smiling the entire time.
Chenos also told Fisher about everything they'd been through lately. Seeing Fisher so happy, he deliberately focused on the amusing parts of the journey, making Fisher burst out laughing again and again.
After several rounds of drinks, Chenos gradually turned serious and said,
"Brother Fisher, you're being hunted by the Navy and the World Government. Your situation isn't looking good. What are you planning to do next?"
Fisher's smile faded. After a short silence, he pulled open his shirt, revealing the Sun mark on his chest.
"This is my plan. I'm going to form a pirate crew called the Sun Pirates. And we'll have only one purpose—spreading the idea of liberation and freedom, and finding more humans like you who can become friends with us fish-men."
After hearing that, Chenos drained his drink in one gulp, then slammed the cup down hard. Furious, he said to Fisher,
"Brother Fisher—wasn't your dream for fish-men to live on islands in the open sea? Why has it turned into 'spreading some damn ideology'?"
The moment Chenos slammed the cup, Jinbe and Arlong both rolled up their sleeves and stood up.
"Damn human—how dare you be disrespectful to our boss!"
"Human, you're asking to die!"
Fisher pressed them back down with his hands.
"Chenos is my friend. Remember that."
Seeing the irritation in Fisher's eyes, the two sat back down—though they still glared at Chenos, clearly meaning: Say one more thing and we'll cut you down.
Chenos didn't care. Neither of them was his match right now. This Jinbe wasn't yet the future Warlord Jinbe—nor the Jinbe who could toss Big Mom aside.
Once they stopped causing trouble, Fisher said with a bitter, self-mocking smile,
"That dream… has no chance of coming true. I stopped dreaming it."
Chenos curled his lips and asked,
"Does it truly have no chance… or did what those people did to you make you think all humans are like that? Did you become hopeless about humans—and decide not to fight for it anymore?"
Fisher's emotions exploded. He crushed his cup in his hand and smashed his fist into the stone table, shattering it into pieces.
"Yes! I was affected by them! As long as those people exist in this world, our dream of living on the surface will never happen! As long as they exist, fish-men will always be persecuted—captured by humans and made into slaves, made into pets!
Most humans reject us. They treat us like monsters. The moment they see our faces, they look at us with hostility.
So tell me—how am I supposed to achieve my dream under those conditions?
Queen Otohime is trying to erase fish-men's 'misunderstanding' of human cruelty and violence… but is it a misunderstanding? Those things happened to us for real!
That's why I want to spread liberation and freedom—to find more humans like you, Chenos—so that someday fish-men might finally have a chance to realize that dream!"
Faced with Fisher's roaring anger, Chenos didn't get mad—he smiled instead.
Because Fisher had finally opened his heart completely.
And that meant Chenos finally had a real chance to pull Fisher into his crew.
"Brother Fisher," Chenos said. "I can help you achieve your dream."
Fisher jolted, looked up at him—then lowered his head again, sighing.
"Chenos… thank you for saying that. But it won't work. That dream can't be achieved. Don't waste your effort."
Chenos suddenly asked,
"Brother Fisher—I also started a pirate crew. It's called the Warriors Pirates. Do you know why I chose that name?"
Off to the side, Shark—who had been stuffing his face with Fish-Man Island food—also focused instantly.
He'd asked Chenos before, but Chenos had only said, "I'll tell you after you meet my friend." Shark had swallowed his curiosity for a long time.
Now he finally perked up, ears practically standing straight.
Fisher thought seriously for a moment, then shook his head.
Chenos smiled.
"Warriors—it means 'heroes.' And what do heroes do?"
"What do heroes do…?" Fisher muttered. "Heroes… are dragon slayers."
At first he didn't understand what Chenos meant. But the instant he realized—
That "heroes" were meant to slay "dragons"—
Fisher's eyes widened in disbelief.
"T-This… is your dream?"
Chenos shook his head.
"Dream is too far away. This is a goal. A goal can be achieved step by step.
Right now, I'm moving toward it. I'm gathering like-minded companions.
And you, Brother Fisher—you're the best possible choice.
I didn't come here just to drink with you. I came to ask you to become my partner.
If I achieve my goal… then doesn't your dream become achievable too?"
Fisher stared, stunned.
Back in Mary Geoise, he'd heard Chenos say he wanted to kill the Celestial Dragons—but at the time, Fisher hadn't taken it seriously. Plenty of slaves said the same thing. None had the guts to do it.
Then Fisher suddenly thought of something.
"Charlmark… was it you?"
Chenos smiled and nodded.
"When I killed him, I felt pure joy. I'd love to experience that again."
"You… lunatic!!!"
Only now did Fisher realize Chenos wasn't bluffing, wasn't selling fantasies—he really meant it.
Meanwhile, Shark—who had been listening—looked completely done with it.
Couldn't Chenos just speak normally for once? Why did he always talk like everything was a riddle?
Shark leaned toward Tesoro and whispered,
"So what does our crew name actually mean? Chenos always talks like some damn puzzle. I can't make sense of it."
Tesoro looked at Shark like he was looking at an idiot, which made Shark instantly furious.
"Hey—hey! Out of everyone here, I'm obviously the smartest, okay?! Keep looking at me like that and I'll shoot you!"
Tesoro glanced at Shark's chest with deep disdain. Ever since Tesoro saw Shark's body while bathing, his worldview had been permanently damaged.
"You? The smartest? Chenos already explained it that clearly and you still don't get it? Are you stupid?
Fine—I'll explain it once. If you still don't understand, go stare at a wall until you do.
'Warriors' means heroes. And what are heroes for?"
Shark answered as if it were obvious.
"Slaying dragons. Chenos already said that."
Tesoro pinched the bridge of his nose.
"He said it and you still don't understand?"
"How am I supposed to understand that?"
Tesoro sighed.
"Who's the 'dragon' in this world?"
Shark opened his mouth to answer—then froze. His eyes widened in shock.
"Ce… celestial…"
Tesoro nodded, satisfied. Finally.
But the moment Shark truly understood the crew name—
He snapped.
He screamed in disbelief,
"Huh?! You guys are going to kill the Celestial Dragons?!"
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