Fish-Man Street.
A few Fish-Man children gathered around a table, devouring deep green seaweed and peculiar, unfamiliar plants that had sprung to life under the warmth of the great fireball in the sky.
"Hey! Hey! Did you hear?"
A young eel Fish-Man, his slender body wriggling like a snake, tore at the seaweed with sharp teeth, waving his arms excitedly. "The man King Neptune respectfully called the God King is the strongest warrior alive today! Omnipotent God King Shirogai! They say the World Government has set a bounty of ten billion Berries on him!"
"Ten billion Berries…"
The other children gawked, mouths agape. So much money… far beyond their comprehension. Even if human slave traders had caught them, they'd be worth only a few million Berries each.
A frog-like angler Fish-Man puffed his cheeks as he chewed. "The strongest warrior? No way! Clearly, Sea Knight Jinbe is the strongest warrior alive!"
A child who idolized the New Fish-Man Pirates piped up, "Hody Jones is strong too! Maybe he's the strongest!"
Another, sharp-tongued, interjected, "I heard the Marine Admirals among humans are the strongest; they could destroy the world with a single move!"
"Idiots! Don't you know the Four Emperors? The Whitebeard Pirates have always protected us. Whitebeard himself is called 'the Strongest Man in the World'!"
Arguments flew back and forth until the children, exasperated, turned to a small green-shelled turtle Fish-Man they all considered the smartest.
"Speak! Who is the strongest warrior in the world?"
Hands on hips, they glared down at him.
Slurp, slurp… the turtle sniffed, blinking with faux wisdom. "I once met the strongest person. He told me that true strength comes with dignity, and even the freedom to throw tantrums without losing it. If we Fish-Men want to be the strongest, we must learn from him. We are not the strongest ourselves; we are admirers…"
The children groaned, dizzy from his rambling. "Stop stalling! Green Shell Turtle! Tell us! Who is the strongest warrior in the world?"
Slurp… the turtle exhaled and said, solemnly, "I think the strongest person in the world is Old Man Hakke."
"Huh? Old Man Hakke?"
The children exchanged bewildered looks. "Who's that? Never heard of him!"
"My dad!" the turtle said proudly. "He can slap three of me away with one hand. He's incredibly strong!"
Pfft! The other children erupted into laughter.
"Your dad? The strongest warrior in the world?"
"Hahaha! It really is your dad! Hahaha!"
The green-shelled turtle's claim became a joke. Everyone laughed until tears came, leaving him to mutter indignantly about his father's feats: defeating attacking squids alone, slapping foes several meters, and his unbreakable shell.
No one listened. Once he declared his dad the strongest, he had unintentionally made himself ridiculous.
Fish-Man Island, Ryugu Palace
A grand banquet was underway. What had been prepared for Admiral Silver Serpent now served to honor Omnipotent God King Shirogai, Straw Hat Luffy, and their companions.
"Wow! Such beautiful mermaid maidens!"
Sanji, encased in an air bubble, spun in delight as mermaids brought delicacies. Red and pink hearts floated around him, his excitement uncontainable.
The mermaids, aware this was a royal guest and not a human slaver, returned sweet, charming smiles. Sanji, recently escaped from Okama Island, felt genuine joy.
Pfft! His nose bled, flooding the bubble.
"Ah! Ah! Ah!"
Pudding, beside Nami, pointed in horror. "Big Brother Shirogai! Brother Luffy! Brother Sanji is drowning in his own blood!"
Luffy, oblivious, continued gulping food.
"Hmph! Let him drown," Nami muttered, rolling her eyes. "He turns into this just by seeing mermaids; he's hopelessly perverted."
Shirogai, urged by King Neptune to take the main seat, smiled. A simple flick of his fingers and:
"Healing ROOM · IV Drip!"
The blood in Sanji's bubble was purified and returned to his body. He floated motionless.
"No breathing!" Pudding panicked.
Shirogai's fingers sparked. "Emergency ROOM · Defibrillator · Electric Shock!"
Zzz! Zzz! Zzz!
Lightning surged through Sanji's body. Suddenly, he jerked upright, white smoke escaping his mouth, eyes wide, dazed.
"Wow!"
His blackened form shook as he stared at the mermaids. "Is this Heaven? If I could stay here forever…"
"God King, can Fish-Man Island truly become a tourist sanctuary humans will visit, as you said?"
King Neptune, seated beside Shirogai, asked cautiously about the future of his country.