Chapter 144: First Impressions of Fish-Man Island

At the front entrance of Fish-Man Island, a large three-masted ship with an expansive approached slowly, riding the deep ocean current.

The vessel sported a light blue hull with a streamlined design. At the prow, a solemn black reaper adorned with a hood and wielding a scepter served as the figurehead. The name "ABYSS" was emblazoned in dark red letters along the side.

What was unexpectedly absent were the black skull flags typically flown on such imposing ships.

The Abyss docked smoothly in the harbor, unimpeded and unchecked.

Rumi, clad in a pointed hat, peeked her small head out from the helm's crevices.

Nearby, the little fox Love perched on the railing, her eyes wide as she took in the surreal surroundings of Fish-Man Island. Her fluffy white tail mirrored her mood, swaying to and fro.

Looking towards the deck, Rumi inquired, "Adrian, should I move the Abyss into the castle?"

Lack of protection for the ship is also one of the unavoidable inconveniences of being a lone wolf.

While large pirate crews can afford to leave members behind to watch over their vessel, such a luxury is not afforded to the solitary traveler.

This is why many lone wolves opt for the simplicity of a single-person dinghy—easy to construct and of little consequence if lost.

Adrian shook his head, "No need, we'll just disembark."

Mimic Ghost - Mimicry Game.

With a thought from Adrian, spectral figures emerged from the void. They morphed into robust sailors, taking up posts around the Abyssal Ship and patrolling its decks.

Adrian had prepared his "Lookout" for such moments.

Should the Abyss come under attack, Adrian could swiftly return, using Ghost Warrior.

"Now, let's officially begin our journey to Fish-Man Island!"

Adrian gestured to Rumi, and the ship's spirit plunged into a lead-gray pocket watch, flying straight to him.

The ship's spirit was averse to strangers, yet the little fox, Love, reveled in lively scenes.

Adrian pocketed the watch, accompanied by Love, and left the harbor, wandering leisurely through Fish-Man Island.

The Fish-Man Island is known for it famous "shell culture."

Unlike the Sky Islands, where shells are transformed into combat tools, on Fish-Man Island, shells play a significant role in daily life.

Given its deep-sea location, coral and large shells are abundant.

The islanders, having polished and refined them, integrate these shells into various aspects of life. Colorful giant shells and vivid corals are used as decorations and in building construction.

Some mermaid girls even have beds made from large shells.

Yet, as Adrian traversed Fish-Man Island, it wasn't as lively as he had expected.

The broad streets were sparsely populated with merfolk, with more intimidating, sharp-toothed Fish-Men prevalent.

For a moment, Adrian wondered if he had arrived at 'Fishman Street.'

As he walked, Adrian felt the fishmen's overtly hostile stares.

He quickly understood the reason and shook his head.

"Merfolk, fish-men, humans… It's another complex case of racial discrimination."

"Adrian-sama, the way these people look at us is so scary…"

Love's fox ears twitched slightly, and she tugged at Adrian's clothes, her anxiety evident.

Though she hailed from the mink tribe of Zou Island, Love was not a fighter but a simple cook.

"It's okay," Adrian reassured, stroking her head, "If you'd rather not be around them, you can join Rumi in the castle. Come out whenever you feel comfortable."

"Okay!"

Love nodded, and with a subtle ripple, she vanished into Rumi's pocket castle.

The Fish-Man inhabitants couldn't help but notice. Their eyes shifted, and they quickly looked away, feigning indifference. They no longer dared to cast hostile looks at Adrian.

"Heh, is this the power of a Devil Fruit user?" Adrian mused with a chuckle.

It was only after Fisher Tiger's rise and the Sun Pirates' emergence that the Fish-Men of Fishman Island began to find their racial self-esteem.

Yet, over a decade later, under Hody Jones's Captainship, the Fish-Men had become a faction of extremists with warped ideologies…

Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the distance, punctuated by high-pitched screams.

Adrian's eyes glowed red as he activated his Observation Haki, a spark of curiosity lighting up his face.

"Something interesting is about to happen… What kind of reaction will this group of fish-men who have not yet 'awakened' have to the kidnapped mermaid?"

Minutes later, the disturbance reached the area Adrian was in.

A band of pirates charged down the streets, their presence commanding and unruly.

Their Captain, a colossal figure in black leather pants and a jacket, towered at seven meters tall. His short, brownish-yellow hair stood on end like steel spikes, and his face, etched with horizontal lines, featured bell-like eyes. Two massive bull horns arched from his forehead—a true minotaur in form.

At that moment, the minotaur pirate hoisted a shapely mermaid over his shoulder, her cries echoing around them.

"Hahaha! Who would've thought I'd snag a mermaid on Fish-Man Island! She'll fetch at least 50 million Beli at the Sabaody Archipelago auction!"

"Who do you think Captain Paris is?! He's the captain of our Bullhead Pirates! A brutal pirate with a bounty of over 200 million Beli!"

"Who do you think Captain Paris is!? He's our Bullhead Pirates' captain! A fearsome pirate with a bounty surpassing 200 million Beli!"

"These fish-men are barely worth a million Beli each. If only we could find more female mermaids!"

"And the Fish-Man Island guards? Pathetically weak! They can't even put up a fight against us."

The pirates' boastful words and flattery continually provoked the emotions of the nearby fish-men.

Yet, as this band of pirates prepared to march down the street, not a single fish-man dared to confront them.

Before the Whitebeard Pirates planted their flag on Fishman Island, this beautiful and dreamy island was constantly suffering from large-scale pirate invasions.

Recently, numerous mermaid ladies have been abducted and taken to the Sabaody Archipelago, sold into slavery to nobles and merchants.

This explains the current scarcity of mermaids on the streets.

Resist? The pirates bold enough to kidnap mermaids from Fishman Island and confident enough to auction them off at the Sabaody Archipelago all carry bounties exceeding 50 million Berries. Ordinary fish-men stand no chance against such formidable pirate crews!

Even though Ryugu Palace has dispatched guards to protect the mermaids, their numbers and strength are insufficient against the overwhelming pirate forces, rendering them ineffective in improving the situation.

Fish-Man Island is in dire need of a powerful leader to take control!

Unfortunately, at present, Fish-Man Island lacks such a figure.