"You actually care about a human, Ah Long, it seems you're not beyond saving."
"Stop talking nonsense, I will never trust humans, but if that guy really covered the retreat for Big Brother... maybe there are a few different ones among humans."
Leaning against the ship's cabin sitting on the deck, Ah Long said nothing, and Jinbe did not know what he was thinking.
"Hey, big guy, didn't Mandfeish say before that our whereabouts were leaked by a merchant?"
Glancing down at Ah Long, Jack casually responded to him.
"Mandfeish said perhaps, no one else should have known your destination.
Didn't you only notify them just before arrival? Even if a resident of Fuerxhe Island reported early, the Navy couldn't have ambushed nearby this quickly; the G-2 Branch is several days' travel from here."
"That bastard...."
Ah Long was very annoyed now, knowing that Tiger had fallen into an ambush by the Navy, and here came a person like Mandfeish, breaking his understanding of humans. He wanted a place to vent, and those who betrayed them were undoubtedly the best targets.
Because Tiger wouldn't allow him to kill randomly, doing whatever he pleased wouldn't be allowed even by Tiger. He needed an opportunity sought in reason, like justified revenge.
"Brother Jinbe, come with me. You hate those who betrayed us, right?"
But as he said that, there was noise from the sea; Mandfeish had returned here.
"Don't be foolish, Ah Long. Do you think the Navy is stupid? After this operation, they will certainly station troops in those places. You're looking for death if you go, who's got time for that! Find me a set of dry clothes!"
After taking a long swim through the underground river, Mandfeish returned here, unexpectedly hearing Ah Long speak recklessly before even boarding the ship.
But this time, Ah Long's reaction was very different; he said nothing and just turned away and left.
"Is this guy stupid from taking a hit to the head?"
"Maybe he suddenly figured something out. Lord Mandfeish, thank you for helping us save Brother Tiger; we're very grateful. Please give orders if you need anything in the future."
Though Ah Long left "rudely," Jinbe did not and still expressed gratitude for Mandfeish's aid.
"No need for that much courtesy; we have our own goals. If he died, Fishman Street would fall into complete chaos, wouldn't it? Let's head back to Fishman Island. You need to lay low for a while; there are things I need to personally discuss with your Big Brother Tai."
Receiving a towel and clothes handed over by his subordinates, Mandfeish restored his human appearance and began wiping his hair. At this moment, Ah Long suddenly came back.
"Mandfeish, if it's you, I don't have much of an opinion on Sharley's matters."
"Huh? What stupid thing are you talking about?"
"As long as you know yourself, I know a bit about what's happening on Fishman Island."
"Find your ship's doctor to check his brain; he hasn't seemed quite right lately."
Looking at the blue fatty beside him, Mandfeish felt obliged to remind the other.
However, this was indeed a misunderstanding. After Ah Long left, Mandfeish helped take care of the underage Sharley. She got along well with Rushaka, and sometimes they left together.
But to Ah Long, it didn't mean the same. Although he only looked after Sharley for a short time and didn't care much about this sister, he definitely wouldn't agree if she were truly to choose a human as a partner.
In his view, Mandfeish, who constantly took care of his sister, wasn't so innocent; but after this time, his thoughts began to waver.
Since the biggest rebel Ah Long temporarily compromised, with Hatchan and Jinbe among the fishmen instigating, the two pirate crews got along rather amicably, even holding a small banquet; Mandfeish, however, did not participate. He went to the medical room to visit Tiger.
"Stop pretending; you've been awake for a while, haven't you?"
"How did you know?"
"Don't you know what medicine you used? It was a special supply from Lord Arceus for the cadres; since you didn't die, you couldn't possibly be in a coma for this long. Why? Do you have a big complaint against being alive?"
"..."
Listening to Mandfeish's inquiry, Tiger was silent for a long time. Through the window, he could see the fishfolk comrades laughing and talking on the deck, and even the rarely-seen Ah Long was out there.
Although not participating, at least he was not avoiding everyone; this was already a significant improvement.
"Even that bastard Ah Long can change, what are you hesitating for?"
Seeing where Tiger was looking, Mandfeish also saw the scene there, so he continued to ask him.
Arceus's order was to have a living Tiger. Now that they rescued the person back, if this guy decided to commit suicide, wouldn't that rescue have been wasted? To ensure the mission was completed smoothly, Mandfeish took up the role of a psychologist.
"You... should know about the slave incident from back then, right? And a few years ago when you inexplicably got targeted on Fishman Island..."
After a long time, Tiger followed Mandfeish's storytelling of the past events.
"I find I can't do it; I want to forget those things, I want the Fishman Race to have another way of life... but...."
Mentioning those things, Tiger couldn't help clenching his fists, his eyes filled with bloodshot streaks.
"Idiot."
"Hmm?"
"I said you're an idiot; you no longer even fear death because of those past events, then what exactly are you afraid of? Even if you have to die, at least take your enemies with you to Hell."
His words awakened the confused person in the dream; hatred is always the most effective motivation. Mandfeish's words seemed to have made Tiger understand something.
"No, no, the Heavenly Celestial Dragon has strong guards, and even if I could kill him, a fishman killing a Heavenly Celestial Dragon... that would really destroy racial relations..."
"So why don't you think a bit further? Killing one Heavenly Celestial Dragon is a major crime; making the entire group disappear isn't."
Later, while the others outside engaged in festivity, Mandfeish spent the night telling Tiger about Kaidou's "overthrowing ideology" and the teachings of the Arceus Sect. From Tiger's feedback, he seemed successfully "baptized."
At least he had already seen a spark of life in Tiger.
"You're right. Dying like this would indeed be too wasteful; I also want to see what it's like for the children to live under a true sunlight..."
With a new goal, Tiger came out from within, pushing the door to join the banquet outside. Listening to the revelry of the fishmen outside, Mandfeish couldn't help but take out a small notebook, the exquisite Thousand Cosmos Bracelet emblem engraved on its cover.
"The compilation by Sister Misu... quite useful indeed."