The Navy ships were hidden near the island and only arrived here after receiving a report from Koala's fellow townspeople.
Mandfeish swam too fast and didn't notice those Navy ships, or else he would not have wasted words with Ah Long.
Jack and his crew were a step slower, and just happened to see the encircling Navy ships.
The gunfire on the island explained everything; Mandfeish immediately rushed towards the direction from which the gunshots were coming, while Ah Long could only see the shadow of his figure.
"Big Brother Jack."
In a world where strength reigns supreme, one doesn't need to be older to be called Big Brother; being strong is enough. These underlings following Mandfeish were no match for Jack.
"Stay here and be careful."
Then he charged in that direction using brute force, unlike Mandfeish, who utilized the ability to fly. Jack relied purely on brute strength, leaving two huge holes on the deck.
"That guy... is really here to rescue Big Brother..."
The surrounding Navy ships had already approached, and Mandfeish's true intent needed no questioning. Tiger held a high place in Ah Long's heart, causing a slight wavering in his previously defiant attitude towards Mandfeish.
"Humans are not all the same."
This statement had a certain impact on him at this moment, but now was not the time to ponder this issue, as the Navy's cannonballs were already incoming.
"Ah Long! You go handle those Navy ships; I'll lead the others to rescue Brother Tai!"
Jinbe, along with his people, also charged towards Fuerxhe Island; they couldn't stand idly by given what had happened, while Ah Long led his men to counter the Navy's assault.
Their boat was rapidly destroyed under the Navy's bombardment, but being Fishmen, they didn't rely on vessels. Wielding his sawtooth blade, Ah Long intended to seize a Navy ship.
...
Not long ago, inside Fuerxhe Island, a group of the Navy had already surrounded Tiger.
"Navy... why are you here?"
"We have our own methods, and your whereabouts were never a secret. Moreover, the people on this island have already betrayed your location. It's a deal, trading your life for the freedom of the Heavenly Celestial Dragon's possession.
Fisher Tiger, Captain of the Sun Pirates, you are charged with two crimes: assault and escape. In the name of Navy Headquarters' Junior Admiral Strawberry, I hereby sentence you to death."
Tiger's eyes changed; the mention of escape by Strawberry pricked his heart, a secret known only to him, a slave life he was unwilling to recount to others.
"Fire."
But Tiger's gaze held no significance for Strawberry. In his eyes, Tiger was merely a criminal, and he directly issued the order to attack.
On land, the Fishmen's strength couldn't match that in the sea. The dense barrage left him with no room to dodge, many bullets piercing his body. Yet, these bullets couldn't kill him, and he soon launched his counterattack.
Under the Navy's siege, Tiger had sustained numerous wounds. When Mandfeish appeared, Tiger's body was already covered in injuries.
"A wanted criminal with a bounty of 230 million Belly... doesn't even know Haki?"
In terms of bounties, Tiger's bounty was largely inflated due to his status as an escaped slave and as the main culprit in the Mary Geoise raid, earning him a bounty far exceeding his actual strength.
Although they had sailed the sea for three years, they hadn't entered the New World. The Fishmen's combat style mainly relied on underwater surprise attacks, with few opportunities for frontal battles. Lacking a suitable mentor, Tiger never grasped the essence of Haki.
Otherwise, these bullets wouldn't have been a threat. Though his strong muscles trapped the bullets within his body, preventing them from hurting vital points, they still inflicted real damage.
"Get out of my way! Water Heart Scatter Shot!"
A mass of water appeared in Mandfeish's hand, which then transformed into lethal shrapnel, directly knocking down several Navy personnel near Tiger.
Possessing Pokemon Abilities, he could convert stamina into water, allowing him to perform all Fishman Karate skills even in a waterless environment.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"You're... Mandfeish?"
Tiger was not someone who didn't read the newspaper, especially with vivid memories of Mandfeish, who once took the blame for him. Moreover, Mandfeish had a significant reputation on Fishman Island, being a human who openly married a Mermaid, something unprecedented.
To Tiger and Otohime, Mandfeish's existence symbolized progress in relations between the two races.
"It's me, glad you're okay."
Tasks, performance, reputation, bonuses, retirement — a stream of words flashed through Mandfeish's mind, meaning there were no issues now that Tiger was alive.
"Kaidou II...."
Seeing Mandfeish suddenly appear here, Strawberry's expression finally changed. The Navy had initially sent only him, a Junior Admiral, to blockade Tiger on land, believing his strength enough for the task.
The true leader of this mission was still idling aboard a nearby Navy ship. He didn't speak up immediately but pressed the button on the Radio Snail he carried.
As a High-Level Official of the Hundred Beasts Pirates, he was also a key focus for the Navy. As a Headquarters Junior Admiral, there was no reason he wouldn't recognize the opponent.
His 200 million Belly bounty was genuine, earned from his own exploits. Such an enemy, coupled with a still combative Tiger, was beyond his capabilities to handle.
Moreover, Mandfeish wasn't alone; there were other Sun Pirates among them.
Mandfeish had no desire for prolonged battle; rescuing the person was already accomplishing their goal.
"Leave! Return to the sea! Get your leader, Tiger, out of here! He needs treatment!"
He wasn't sure if he could control these Fishmen, so he used Tiger's safety to remind them, but wanting to leave didn't mean the Navy would simply allow it.
"Hold them off! Vice Admiral Borsalino's support is arriving soon!"
The number of reinforcements didn't matter; as long as Borsalino arrived, it would be enough. Ever since joining the Navy Training Camp, he earned the title of monster, and his arrival alone would suffice.
This sentence also bolstered the courage of the surrounding Navy, who mingled with the other Fishmen of the Sun Pirates. At that moment, Mandfeish even saw the distant shimmering lights, indicating the opponent's fast approach.
"Borsalino...."
After a brief hesitation, Mandfeish's form began to expand, muscles growing more muscular, a larger pair of fins extending behind him, and the crown-shaped object on his head turning black and elongating, forming a single horn.
Gyarados in Mega Form, in this state, his strength will surpass former limits, allowing him to exert combat power at the Disaster Level, against the famous monster Vice Admiral in the Navy. He wasn't sure if he could be the opponent.
Due to excessive carelessness depleting his stamina, even entering the Mega State might not ensure victory. Rather than that, it seemed more effective to unleash full power, taking no more than 20 minutes to reach the beach. As long as they successfully returned to the sea, the mission would be complete.
"Jack, don't get bogged down, make haste returning to the sea. I'll handle that troublesome guy; it's all up to you here now."
Saying that, powerful jets of water erupted from the seams between Mandfeish's scales, propelling him into the air at speeds far beyond before.
At the same time, Jack also entered his transformation state; with an expanded physique, a towering ten-meter Copperajah emerged before Strawberry…