116 Chapter 115

Fisher's Tiger's mind was filled with turbulent emotions as he faced Smoker. The hardships that he's gone throughout his life replayed in front of him,

Being caught and sold as a slave. Witnessing how other minor tribes were brought as slaves to receive unjustifiable treatments. Then, a lucky escape due to an incident that made people believe that he died. In the ocean, Fisher Tiger grew hatred for the humanity. He couldn't tolerate their vile tendencies, and driven by the rage, returned back to Mariejois by his own will, and by using the knowledge of Mariejois's layout that he attained throughout the years of experience as a slave, he freed others and made a miraculous escape with them.

<Slavery... no one should be suffering from something as ridiculous that!>

He established the Sun pirates. He covered up the 'hoof of the soaring dragon' with the sun-like tattoo, such that no one will know who was slave and who wasn't.

It was for this reason that Fisher Tiger never believed in Otohime's dream. Fish Man kind, co-existing with humans? His perception has already been set, that humans are dangerous to them. Even the Pirate King, Whitebeard, and Red Hair who had good relationships with the royalties—Fisher Tiger refused to trust them, for he's seen far too many cases of humans betraying other kinds for their selfishness.

This was frankly the reason why Fisher Tiger told Smoker to lay his interest off of Fish Man island, even though he understood that his act will hinder Otohime's goal. Then, right after came Bullet's invasion, one who fit the very image of humanity that Fisher Tiger imagined.

Bullet, a force to reckon with, was a powerhouse whom no one in Fish Man island was able to face against. Once again, the humanity has decided to oppress them, Fisher Tiger thought. He believed that today would've been the final day of his life before his death.

And at the final moment, he was saved... by a human.

"Why..."

Humans ruined their lives. At the same time, humans saved them. Fisher Tiger despised this helplessness, this feeling of having his entire life being dictated by humans.

"Why did you come... White Hunter?" Fisher Tiger, far too emotional to hide his rage and hatred, snarled at Smoker, "Have I not told you to stay away from us?! Did you come here, thinking that saving us will grant you a reward of some kind?! Do you feel some kind of pride for yourself, that you fulfilled the so-called noblesse oblige by saving us lowly fish men?!"

The audience instantly fell silent. Jinbe and Arlong, in particular, expressed shock, not having expected Fisher Tiger to react in a violent fashion.

"IT'S ALWAYS YOU HUMANS!!!"

Fisher Tiger roared, and Smoker looked at Fisher Tiger, seriously. Maynard, who was by his side, seemed irked by Fisher Tiger's statement.

"Those who claim themselves as good people, how many of them do you think I've been seeing up until today?!!"

Otohime, standing up rigidly with a stoic expression, tried to stop Fisher Tiger, "Fisher Tiger, please calm down first—"

"Why do you force us to trust your folks?!! After slamming up down in this deep ocean... can't you at the very least leave us alone?!!"

Though not spoken, the majority of fish men and merfolks resonated with Fisher Tiger's words. Their faces darkened, showcasing the pain that the entire race have accumulated over hundreds of years.

"..."

Smoker, sitting still, closed his eyes to collect his thoughts. As Fisher Tiger gritted his teeth with quickened breathing, Smoker opened his eyes back up and gazed at Fisher Tiger with a clear resolve in them. The Red Hair pirates curiously watched Smoker, and Smoker finally said,

"Is fish man a human or not?"

That's when Fisher Tiger's eyes widened in realization. By 'humanity'... he meant the humans living above the water. However, by doing so, he unconsciously discriminated themselves as the inferior beings.

"In case you don't know, let me tell you." Smoker clenched his right hand tightly—to an extent that blood began to drip out of it. The blood, being red in colour, made Fisher Tiger take a step back, for the blood seeping out of bandages wrapped around his body... had the exact same colour.

"Fish man is a human," Smoker said, "Innocent humans of weaker strengths suffered from the despicable humans of greater strengths—that's the essence of fish man tribe's case."

Smoker remembered when he found young children in the filthy slave ships. The fact that those kinds of wrongdoings were occurring all around the world—it clearly showed that World Government viewed humans as nothing but bugs.

"Nothing is absolute in this world. There are good people, and at the same time, bad people. Those people, in terms of race, may be humans living above the ground, ones living in the sky, or ones living in the underwater. But one thing is for sure," Smoker shifted his eyes and viewed Arlong, who frowned in a mix of caution and anger, "An individual's act shouldn't be attributed to the entire kind. The parents' sins shouldn't be crossed over to their children. Similarly, the responsibilities for Celestial Dragons' doings should solely be tied to them and them only. The moment that hatred of yours start getting directed to innocent ones, weaker ones—those who didn't contribute to your pain, you become the same as your nemeses."

Arlong opened his mouth, trying to refute. However, he couldn't find anything other than the usual curses that he throws—ones that didn't get to be voiced by his vocal cords.

Jinbe, in a thoughtful manner, lowered his head to the ground and listened in silence.

Smoker continued, "Tom, the shipwright, was born here. Yet, he lives in the world above with humans without any discrimination. Though Celestial Dragons continue to conduct evil acts, the victims of said acts are not only limited to fish man kind, but all kind of races across the world. In the end," Smoker pointed his finger at Fisher Tiger, "You are discriminating yourselves against the world. Though you feel miserable from your lives, you refuse to make any changes out of baseless fears."

Smoker paused momentarily, wetting his dry lips. Then, he repeated,

"Let me say this once more. Nothing is absolute."

This time, he looked at Otohime and said,

"If Fisher Tiger and the majority of fish men are excessive towards one end, queen Otohime is far too optimistic. Though accepting humans for the sake of co-existence matters... you need an ability to discern well, of who may be your allies and who may be your enemies."

Throughout 4 years, Smoker saw the rise and fall of many kingdoms, cities, towns, and other gatherings of people. He learned that in this harsh world dictated by World Government, people have to become cunning.

"I..." Otohime remembered the number of times their kinds were enslaved and killed. She believed that those things happened because people didn't understand that they too are humans just like them. However, she came to learn today, that there are some who commit wrongdoings out of pure selfishness. You can't expect them to 'understand' anyone.

"...And even so, even after fixing your ways, not much may change." Perhaps Smoker was being unreasonably pessimistic. Maybe he was being far too nosy. But he regardless continued, knowing for sure that he is heading in the right direction, "This world, as long as it is ruled by World Government, will continue to suffer. Those Celestial Dragons, they would want to keep their position, won't they? If so, what do you think they are the most afraid of?"

With a thud, Fisher Tiger sat down. He, with his eyes trembling, said after letting out a shaky sigh, "...Unity between the pests... namely us."

Smoker grinned to that, "Exactly."

Poseidon, being the mermaid princess. Pluton, being the large battleship built and made by ones living on the ground. Uranus... a creation linked to the sky, Smoker speculated.

<The Ancient Kingdom, and Will of D. It is likely that Kingdom was the harmonious country created together with all tribes. Every kind excels in different areas. human being born talents. If we collaborate together, then not even World Government able to oppress us,> Said Dragon back in the past, <There were three different Ancient Weapons, Smoker. And though I cannot figure out the specific details, in middle of all those things... there was this being named Joy Boy.>

'...And if Dragon with limited information speculated this,' Smoker grimaced, 'Blackbeard, who seems to know more, may have reached further.'

Looking around the crowd around him, Smoker could only hope that his words managed to change their thoughts. He made a concluding statement,

"Discard your biases and think for yourselves, of what is the best way to progress towards the peace and prosperity that you seek for. That's the reward that you'll be giving me for saving you."

Then, losing all sense of seriousness in him, Smoker casually walked back and slapped the back of Maynard, jolting him out of his daze.

"Get up, we're leaving."

Maynard cried, "A-Already?!"

"I got a schedule to keep. Have to go now," Said Smoker, before picking his ear with his pinky finger, "And it's not like you are going to live here, right?"

"No party or anything? Man..." Maynard grumbled but nonetheless complied and began walking by Smoker's side.

Watching as the two of them walked away, Neptune was left speechless.

'Without getting any words of thanks, after getting yelled at for things that he didn't do, there he is, leaving.'

How can he forget? He knew just how many fish men Smoker saved in the past. Today, he added yet another debt that made Neptune's mind heavy.

'...Are you really someone whom we can trust?'

Neptune turned and looked at Otohime, who seemed far too occupied with her thoughts to ask for the 'votes' of Smoker and Maynard. He knew, that they had many things to think about.

___________

[Sphinx, New World]

"The effects of poison is evident. The magnitude of Whitebeard's actions for the past years have been decreasing gradually. Considering that he's the man who chose rationality and didn't go after Kaidou who killed Kozuki Oden, this was the only way to pull him out of his turf." Sipping a cup of coffee, Ochoku briefed to the members of the group who were sitting on a round table, stuffing down loads of foods and drinks.

"Mm, kay. Anyway, you got anymore of this wine?" Asked John as he pointed at his empty glass.

"Shut up and listen, John! Geez, annoying as always!" Remarked Shiki, frowning at John's antics.

"Shurororo, joining you guys was the best choice I ever made in my life!" Commented Caesar the mad scientist, as he laughed boisterously while stuffing down a burger in his hand.

"Hm..." Shiryu, with a cigar bitten between his teeth, eyed Caesar impassively.

"..." Sitting still with his arms crossed was a man wearing a heavy-looking armour: Silver Axe.

"Weakened Whitebeard with his Commanders. Though their number will be vast..." Ochoku narrowed his eyes while looking around Sphinx...

...which has become a barren land where skulls rolled across the charred and ruined ground. Standing on top of this island were millions of regal pirates who laughed while drinking their respective alcohols, wildly.

"In terms of manpower, we won't lose." Looking around the executive members sitting on the table, Ochoku then said, "In terms of experience and strength, we don't lose either. And Whitebeard himself..."

Turning around, Ochoku looked at the enormous man with a black captain's hat and a messy black beard. Sitting with women around his arms,

"ZEHAHAHA!"

Ochoku smiled shrewdly, "What's there to worry when we have the one who managed to subdue Whitebeard at his prime?"

The captain, the ruler, the commander of all these forces gathered in Sphinx—'Blackbeard' Marshall D. Teach. The executives knew that the true identity of this man was none other than Rocks D. Xebec, their past captain who has fallen in God Valley—only to rise again.

Then, Teach said with a dark grin, "Eat while you can."

Everyone subsequently flinched, having noticed a strong presence that entered their senses. Teach, standing up and turning his head around, said,

"Zehahaha... here he comes."

"TEACH!!!!!"

A rage-filled roar boomed across the air. Everyone knew, that this voice belonged to none other than...

"Whitebeard…" Teach whispered, "The time has come… for you to hand me that power od yours…!"

Up high in the air was Whitebeard, dropping with his naginata surrounded by the intense black lightning—Conqueror's Haki: Infusion—and the white aura that represented the power of his Tremor Tremor fruit. His eyes were red in nothing but hatred aimed at Teach, wishing for nothing but the blood of his worst foe.

Ochoku urgently said, "Quickly! Get out of the way!"

As soon as he said so, Teach's darkness-covered hand met Whitebeard's naginata,

and then, the sky and the island below broke into two, before the large burst of black lightning exploded—signalling the start of 'Sphinx War.'

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