Save Tiger, Furious Jinbei

The ghostly Arias moved swiftly, his pace accelerated as he trailed the echoes of the ongoing battle. Gradually, a towering red figure materialized in front of him.

Tiger, riddled with bullet wounds, was bleeding profusely. Despite the adversity, Marine leader Rear Admiral Stolo Berry remained largely unscathed, avoiding serious injuries. He remained elusive, lacking the strength to engage with Naval Headquarters directly.

As Arias closed in, he employed the Earthly Immortal technique, sinking into the ground. Reaching Tiger's feet, he extended his hand, pulling him beneath the surface. On the ground, Stolo Berry realized Tiger was missing. Before he could comprehend the situation, a colossal fist descended.

"Samewa Shoken!"

Jinbei's furious punch met Storo Berry's dual blades, causing him to stagger backward. Inquiring about Tiger's whereabouts, Jinbei was incensed by the betrayal and Marine's ambush. His rage peaked as he found no sign of Tiger upon reinforcements' arrival.

Stolo Berry, taken aback, considered whether the fishman had rescued Tiger. However, it became apparent that wasn't the case.

Refusing to divulge information, Stolo Berry, in a cold tone, claimed, "He's been beaten to a pulp!"

Jinbei's anger intensified, his eyes seemingly ablaze.

"Ah! Murai Tsuki!"

A water ball formed in the palm of 020's hand, delivering a potent impact to Stolo Berry. Despite his attempt to counter with dual knives, the forceful water ball knocked him away.

If it weren't for the two knives folded in front of his chest, his body would have been penetrated. Stolo Berry was shocked. This fishman is so strong! The relentless assault left him unable to mount any defense.

Arias, sensing Jinbei's arrival and the mounting anger, understood that if the battle continued in this manner, the Marine Rear Admiral would likely be beaten to death. While Arias didn't care about the Rear Admiral's fate, he knew that Kizaru, the Rear Admiral's superior, could pose a significant threat to the entire Sun Pirates if provoked.

Swiftly emerging from the ground, Arias secured Tiger in a safe location and whispered to him, "Shh! I am a friend of Princess Shirahoshi, and I am here to save you!" He then manipulated his voice, shouting loudly, "Jinbei! Tiger has been rescued. Evacuate quickly!"

The furious Jinbei, upon hearing this, regained his composure. Though unsure of the speaker's identity, he demanded, "Who are you? Where is Boss Tiger?"

Arias replied, "This (befe) is not the place to talk. Let's meet under the sea!" Although Jinbei remained skeptical, he had no other option and immediately turned to leave.

With Jinbei departing, Stolo Berry, despite his injuries, felt a sense of relief. His left arm was broken, a high skull fracture sustained, and at least two broken sternums. The continued fight would undoubtedly lead to his defeat.

Arias, leaving Stolo Berry behind, returned to Tiger and asked, "Can you hold your breath?" Before Tiger could respond, Arias instructed, "Take a deep breath. You won't be able to breathe any air for at least three minutes." Immediately, he took Tiger underground once again.

Di Xingxian swam with all his strength, reaching the shore and sinking into the sea through the soil. Only then did Tiger, seriously injured, gasp for air.

As Jinbei leaped into the sea, he noticed a creature emerging from the side. Turning around, he saw Arias carrying Tiger on his back. Unable to speak underwater, Arias handed Tiger to Jinbei, pointed in a direction, and signaled to follow.

Convinced that Tiger had been rescued, Jinbei followed Arias to the Dawn, gathering other fishmen in the sea.

"What about the rest?" Jinbei asked, noticing that not all the fish people were present.

Aladdin explained, "Arlong said he wanted to seize a Marine warship, and he led his people to take the warship!"

Jinbei decided, "I will follow this person. You go and take Arlong out of here as soon as possible." Aladdin nodded and left.

On the Daybreak, Jinbei boarded the ship with Arias carrying Tiger on his back. "Who are you?" Jinbei finally expressed his doubts.

Arias introduced himself, "I am Arias, and this is my wife Boa Hancock. You may have heard our names."

Jinbei suddenly realized that indeed they were familiar names. In the cabin, Arias placed Tiger on the bed. This time, he rescued Tiger earlier than Jinbei, making Tiger's injuries lighter than in the original plot.

"Did you mention fishmen trying to seize the Marine warship?" Jinbei inquired.

Arias confirmed, "Yes, Tiger has lost a lot of blood and needs a blood transfusion. I'll remove the shrapnel first. You go back and bring the blood pack stored on the Marine warship."

Jinbei immediately plunged into the sea, searching for the scent of his companions. Meanwhile, Arias utilized the Op-Op Fruit's ability to extract the bullet and carefully bandaged Tiger.

Despite the care, Tiger's eyes remained vacant, silent and contemplative. He couldn't fathom why the villagers betrayed him despite his benevolent actions. Previously, he had believed that only Celestial Dragons and those in power were unjust, but now even the villagers, who suffered like him, had turned against him.

Unable to reconcile this betrayal, Tiger questioned the righteousness of his beliefs. Arias, noticing his inner turmoil, spoke calmly, "Can't figure it out?"

He continued, "In any race, only a few individuals are truly selfless, be it fish people or humans. Among the fish people, there are examples like you and Princess Otohime. Similarly, among humans, there are those who transcend racial boundaries."

Arias explained the inherent mistrust and fear between fishmen and humans, perpetuated by propaganda from both sides. He emphasized that most individuals fail to understand each other, relying on biased legends and stories to form opinions.

Tiger, slowly returning to his senses, questioned Arias, "Why did you save me?"

Arias responded matter-of-factly, "Because you saved my wife."

Confused, Tiger asked, "Savior?"

Arias exchanged a glance with Hancock, respecting her privacy in sharing this sensitive information. Hancock nodded and explained to Tiger, "The three Hancock sisters were kidnapped and sold to the Celestial Dragons at the age of twelve. It was your daring actions in Mariejois that allowed them to escape and regain their freedom."

Understanding the shared torment they endured under the tyranny of Celestial Dragons, Tiger recognized the connection and nodded in acknowledgment.