Talk-No-Jutsu? #112

The fishmen gasped as they watched the transformed figure of Cedric as he turned into his heavenly ape form, his reddish-golden radiating a fiery aura of might.

Zeo, the Japanese wobbegong fish-man, stepped forward, his eyes locked on Cedric's towering form. "And what have you done with Dosun, human?" Zeo demanded, his voice filled with concern and a hint of anger.

Cedric's grin widened, his sharp canine teeth gleaming in the dim light. "Dosun? The hammerhead shark guy, right?" he chuckled, his voice laced with mockery. "I left him lying in a ditch before coming here."

The fishmen's anger intensified at Cedric's callous response, and a collective growl reverberated through their ranks. The eyes of Ikaros Much blazed with fury as he glared at the intruder, his voice seething with venom.

"Detestable human," Ikaros snarled, his voice echoing with rage as he walked up to Cedirc, looking up at the latter despite his towering height. "You will pay for your laying your filthy hands on one of our own!"

"Pay? You? Make me pay?" Cedric retorted, his voice dripping with disdain. "Go ahead and try it if you think you have what it takes..."

Ikaros' anger flared, his tentacles writhing with fury. "You will regret underestimating us, human," he hissed, his voice filled with rage. "I will crush you to paste!"

Before their confrontation could escalate further, Hody's booming voice cut through the tension. "Enough!" he bellowed, his authority silencing the dissenting words. "Ikaros, stand down."

Ikaros reluctantly stepped back, his eyes locked on Cedric, a mix of frustration and resentment evident in his gaze. Hody approached Cedric, his posture radiating confidence.

"You claim to have defeated Dosun, but if he was the kind of Fishman to lose to a human, then we don't need him," Hody declared, his voice firm and commanding. "But you, a mere human, have dared to intrude on our turf and challenge us in our home. For that, you will die."

Hody's words hung in the air, fueling the determination of the fishmen recruits gathered behind him. Their eyes glinted with blind hatred and eagerness to prove themselves.

Hody's gaze remained fixed on Cedric, unwavering in the face of the transformed beast. "Now is your chance to prove yourselves and avenge your ancestors! Fishmen recruits, attack!" he commanded, his voice booming with authority.

The fishmen recruits, though filled with trepidation, followed their leader's orders. They rushed forward, their various Fishman abilities and combat techniques on full display. Some unleashed powerful Fishman Karate shockwaves, while others used their physical strength to launch their weapons at Cedric.

Cedric stood tall as the fishmen recruits closed in, their attacks coming from the front. He merely grinned as he launched himself into the air, dodging everything.

With a sudden burst of power, Cedric unleashed a devastating punch with his fist engulfed in flames as he floated in the air. Cedric's fiery fist cut through the air, creating a clean line in the ranks of the fishmen recruits. The force of the blow sent them flying, bodies singed by the scorching heat.

The still-conscious fishmen gasped in disbelief, their expressions a mix of fear and awe as they watched Cedric land before them, transforming into his hybrid state.

Cedric's voice echoed through the air, infused with an air of calm. "I have no time for small fries like you," he declared, his tone dripping with arrogance. "I only need to cut the head off the snake."

Cedric's eyes narrowed as he locked his gaze on Hody, the leader of the fishmen pirates. He could sense the fear radiating from the fishmen recruits as he raised his hand, pointing it at Hody Jones.

Hody sensed Cedric's intentions but remained surprisingly calm amidst the chaos. And as Cedric unleashed his attack, the Fishman captain quickly reacted. Spotting a nearby fisherman recruit, he swiftly grabbed the unfortunate individual, using him as a shield to protect himself from the impending attack.

As Cedric's concentrated beam of scorching flames shot forth from his outstretched palm, Hody held his shielded position, the fires engulfing the unfortunate fishman recruit. The recruit cried a painful scream as he took the brunt of the attack, dying to protect Hody.

The other fishmen recruits watched in horror as their comrade's life faded instantly. Unaffected by the attack, Hody maintained his calm as he threw away the unfortunate Fishman recruit to the side like a broken doll.

Cedric halted his attack as he witnessed Hody's actions. "Using your own kind as a shield...? Who needs bigoted humans when they have a Fishman like you as a leader?" He remarked, raising an eyebrow.

Hody's lips curled into a smug grin as he crossed his arms. "In this world, it's either kill or be killed," he retorted, his voice laced with unsettling confidence. "You should learn that lesson, human."

"Kill or be killed, huh...? I can't disagree, but let me ask you this..." Cedric said, pausing despite the situation. "Why do you call yourselves the new fishman pirates?" He asked, staring straight into Hody's eyes.

"My crew and I have inherited Fisher Tiger and Arlong's hate..." Hody calmly replied. "We, the new generation of fishmen, will tip the scales and bring humans to their knees..." He added with a snarl.

"You sure have it all figured out, don't you? But even Arlong, the so called embodiment of Fishman hatred towards humans, would never stoop so low as to use his own kind as shields," Cedric retorted, his voice dripping with contempt. "He and Fisher Tiger hated humans, but they also believed in acting better than them. You've lost sight of their ideals. You're a disgrace to their legacy."

Hody's expression twisted with rage at Cedric's words, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. "You dare speak of their legacy? You, a human, who knows nothing of the struggles we face?" he spat, his voice filled with venom.

"Fisher Tiger freed all slaves, including humans, when he scaled the Red Line. He saw slavery as a human concept and despised it with every fiber of his being, and yet here you are, acting as the human's Fisher tiger hated..." Cedric replied, his tone dripping with mockery.

"Arlong and Fisher Tiger may have had their ideals. However, they were weak. They underestimated the humans, and now one is dead while the other is wasting away on the weakest sea!" Hody bellowed, a vein bulging on his forehead. "I am different! I will do everything and anything to destroy the despicable humans!"

Cedric's laughter echoed through the air, his voice full of amusement. "Different, you say? You're nothing more than a pathetici imitation, a sad joke," he taunted, his eyes narrowing with disdain. "Your hatred for humans has consumed you to the point where you've lost sight of what really matters."

Hody clenched his fists, his anger boiling over. "You think you can lecture me, human? You know nothing about the suffering we've endured, about our hate!?" he growled, his voice shaking with fury.

Cedric's expression turned serious as he stared directly into Hody's eyes. "I may not know every detail of your struggles, but I know this much: true strength is not measured by the depth of one's hatred but by the actions they take and the choices they make," he said firmly.

Hody's eyes widened in disbelief, his rage momentarily giving way to confusion. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, his voice laced with uncertainty.

"Fisher Tiger fought to free his people while Arlong fought to prove the superiority of his people over humans..." Cedric explained, his voice filled with conviction. "They hated humans but always prioritized protecting their people over everything else. They didn't seek to become what they despised."

"You, on the other hand... you only fight to destroy humans because of your blind hate, going as far as sacrificing your own kind..." Cedric added as he turned to the discarded, charred corpse of the unfortunate fishman recruit. "They were a blessing to their people, but you... you're a blight..."

Cedric's words resonated with some of the fishmen recruits who doubted Hody's path. They glanced at each other, their resolve waning as they questioned their leader's methods.

Hody's face twisted with anger again, refusing to accept Cedric's words. "You don't understand. Humans will never change. They will always oppress us!" he shouted, his voice filled with frustration, hate, and desperation.

Cedric shook his head, his gaze unwavering. "Perhaps not all humans will change, but progress is made by those who strive to be better, not by blind fools like you," he said calmly.

Hody gritted his teeth, his body trembling with anger and defiance. "I will prove you wrong, human. I will show you the true power of the fishmen!" he declared, raising his arm as he prepared to attack Cedric.