Hancock thought for a moment, searching through her memories, before quietly answering, "I think I ate a strange fruit before, a fruit covered in mysterious patterns."
"Could that be the reason?"
"A Devil Fruit!"
Saint Roselith Seraphina immediately understood what Hancock was describing, because the appearance of the fruit matched the illustrations she had studied in the Devil Fruit encyclopedia.
"Devil Fruits are mysterious fruits that grant their users extraordinary abilities."
"According to the records, the sea rejects those who eat them, leaving them unable to swim."
Seraphina had read about Devil Fruits countless times, especially because she had once hoped to discover one whose power might somehow restore her sight.
Unfortunately, the World Government's records contained only a fraction of the Devil Fruits known to exist, and even those records were often incomplete.
The whereabouts of many Devil Fruits were completely unknown.
After Hancock finished bathing, Seraphina did not even bother drying her hair properly before hurrying toward the small bookshelf in her room.
She reached out and carefully searched along the shelves before pulling out the large Devil Fruit encyclopedia she had consulted countless times.
"Hancock, come here."
"Tell me which one you ate."
Seraphina placed the enormous illustrated encyclopedia in front of Hancock and opened it carefully.
Hancock, wearing loose sleeping clothes, began turning through the pages.
One illustration after another passed beneath her fingers.
Then, near the back of the encyclopedia, Hancock suddenly stopped.
Her eyes widened.
She had finally found it.
"This one."
"I remember it looking like this."
Hancock would never forget the fruit she had been forced to eat.
It had been strange, covered in intricate spiral patterns, and had possessed an appearance that she could never have mistaken for an ordinary fruit.
Seraphina carefully examined the page.
"The Mero Mero no Mi?"
"According to this record, it grants the ability to petrify those affected by its power."
"There isn't much information about it."
Seraphina frowned slightly.
The information recorded in the encyclopedia was clearly incomplete.
Even so, the basic description was enough to identify the Devil Fruit Hancock had consumed.
"So it isn't turning Hancock into some kind of sweet candy person?"
Seraphina tilted her head innocently.
Hancock stared at her for several seconds.
"Why would it turn me into candy?"
"I don't know."
"I just thought the name sounded sweet."
Hancock couldn't help but sigh.
This girl was truly strange.
"Still, Hancock…"
Seraphina gently tapped the page with one finger.
"The book says that Devil Fruit abilities can be developed through practice."
"Maybe you haven't discovered everything your Devil Fruit can do yet."
Hancock looked at the illustration again.
She had never even known what a Devil Fruit was before that terrible night.
How could she possibly know how to develop its power?
"I don't know how to use it."
"Then we'll figure it out together."
Seraphina's expression immediately brightened.
"Starting tomorrow, we'll begin experimenting with your Devil Fruit abilities."
Hancock stared at her.
"Experimenting?"
"Not dangerous experiments!"
Seraphina quickly added.
"We'll start with simple things."
"We can find out what causes your power to activate and what kind of emotions are involved."
Hancock remained silent for a moment.
She remembered the terrible night when she had been forced to eat the Devil Fruit.
The humiliation.
The pain.
The helplessness.
She had no desire to remember any of it.
But when she looked at Seraphina's gentle expression, those memories somehow felt a little less frightening.
"Okay."
Seraphina smiled.
"Then it's decided!"
"Tomorrow, we'll begin developing the Mero Mero no Mi!"
"Developing a Devil Fruit…"
"Hehe…"
Seraphina's excitement gradually faded as exhaustion overtook her.
She had spent the entire day with Hancock, and her body was already tired.
Before long, the white-haired girl fell asleep.
Hancock, however, couldn't fall asleep so easily.
She lay quietly beside Seraphina, staring at the delicate profile of the sleeping girl.
Seraphina's breathing was calm and steady.
Her posture was surprisingly neat.
She didn't toss and turn.
She didn't make strange noises.
She simply slept peacefully.
Hancock watched her for a long time.
"I feel like it's becoming harder and harder for me to leave you."
"What am I supposed to do?"
Hancock quietly extended one finger.
She gently poked Seraphina's cheek.
The skin was soft and warm, with a slight trace of youthful roundness.
Seraphina didn't wake.
"Hmph."
Hancock withdrew her hand.
"Saint Roselith Seraphina…"
She whispered the name softly.
For the first time since becoming a slave, Hancock had encountered someone who made her feel that perhaps the entire world wasn't completely cruel.
She didn't know whether she could trust that feeling.
But she couldn't deny it anymore.
One year later.
Fish-Man Island.
The familiar waters surrounding the island were unusually quiet.
Inside the Ryugu Kingdom, a tall fish-man stood beside a pile of belongings.
He was a powerful-looking man with red skin, thick curly hair, and a broad mouth.
His name was Fisher Tiger.
He was a former slave of the World Nobles.
He had escaped from Mary Geoise years earlier.
But the scars left by his time as a slave had never truly disappeared.
"Brother Tiger!"
Jinbe stood nearby, staring at him with a solemn expression.
"Are you really leaving?"
"If you're going, then please take us with you!"
Tiger slowly turned toward Jinbe.
"Jinbe."
"You can't come with me."
"This has nothing to do with Fish-Man Island."
Jinbe clenched his fists.
"But Brother Tiger…"
"Fish-Man Island still needs someone to protect it."
Tiger's expression softened.
He knew Jinbe was speaking from the heart.
He also knew that Jinbe was one of the strongest warriors Fish-Man Island had.
But Tiger had already made his decision.
He had spent years wandering across the seas.
During those journeys, he had seen countless forms of cruelty.
He had witnessed discrimination against fish-men and merfolk.
He had seen humans treated as commodities.
And above all, he had seen the monstrous influence of the World Nobles.
The memories of Mary Geoise remained buried deep within him.
He could never forget the chains.
He could never forget the cages.
He could never forget the people who had treated living beings as possessions.
This time, Tiger refused to remain silent.
"Jinbe."
"Fish-Man Island needs you."
"You must protect it."
Jinbe lowered his head.
He understood.
But understanding did not make it easier.
"Brother Tiger…"
Nearby, Queen Otohime watched silently.
Her expression carried a sadness deeper than words could describe.
She had always believed that humans and fish-men could eventually understand one another.
She believed hatred did not have to continue forever.
But she also understood the pain that had driven Fisher Tiger to this point.
"Tiger…"
Otohime quietly called his name.
Tiger turned toward her.
"Queen Otohime."
"Please protect Fish-Man Island."
"I will."
Otohime nodded.
"I promise."
Jinbe stepped forward.
"Brother Tiger!"
Tiger stopped.
Jinbe's eyes were filled with determination.
"I don't agree with you leaving alone."
"But I understand why you're doing this."
"One day, I want to become strong enough to protect everyone here."
Tiger smiled.
"That day will come."
Then he turned around.
His large figure slowly disappeared into the distance.
Jinbe remained standing there.
His hands were tightly clenched.
Deep down, a part of him wanted to follow Tiger.
But he knew Tiger was right.
Fish-Man Island needed someone willing to stand between its people and the dangers of the surface world.
And so, Fisher Tiger left.
He was about to challenge the World Government's greatest symbol of oppression.
Mary Geoise.
The Holy Land stood atop the Red Line, its magnificent architecture contrasting sharply with the suffering hidden behind its walls.
Few ordinary people could even imagine reaching the summit.
The Red Line was an enormous natural barrier.
Its steep cliffs and seemingly impossible terrain made direct ascent extremely dangerous.
But Fisher Tiger had already made his decision.
He climbed.
His hands were torn by the rough stone.
Blood flowed from his palms.
His breathing grew heavier.
Yet he continued upward.
He did not stop.
He did not turn back.
Every wound reminded him of the reason he was climbing.
Every drop of blood reminded him of the people still trapped above.
Eventually, Fisher Tiger reached Mary Geoise.
The moment his feet touched the Holy Land, his eyes became cold.
He remembered everything.
The chains.
The collars.
The cages.
The screams.
The faces of those who had been robbed of their freedom.
Tiger's fury erupted.
He began tearing through the slave quarters.
He smashed open cages.
He broke chains.
He dragged prisoners out of their cells.
Wherever he went, panic spread throughout Mary Geoise.
"I'm Fisher Tiger!"
"I've come to free you!"
"Take the keys!"
"Those who want to leave, follow me!"
The slaves stared at him in disbelief.
Some were too frightened to move.
Others couldn't believe that someone had actually come to rescue them.
Tiger thrust a key toward them.
"Open the cages!"
"Free yourselves!"
One cage opened.
Then another.
Then another.
The sound of iron doors crashing open echoed through the corridors.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Soon, the noise spread throughout the slave quarters.
Hundreds of desperate voices joined together.
People began breaking their own chains.
People who had been robbed of hope for years suddenly saw a path toward freedom.
"Tiger!"
"Tiger!"
"Who is that man?"
"He's freeing us!"
"He's giving us our freedom!"
Tiger's expression hardened.
He had originally intended to rescue the fish-men and merfolk.
But as he moved through the slave quarters, he saw humans among the prisoners as well.
He saw dwarves.
He saw minks.
He saw people from countless different races.
All of them had the same look in their eyes.
Fear.
Desperation.
And the desire to be free.
Tiger suddenly understood something.
The suffering of the slaves was not limited to his own people.
The World Nobles had created a system that treated countless lives as possessions.
If he freed only the fish-men, he would leave countless others behind.
Tiger clenched his fists.
"No."
"I can't leave them here."
"I'll free everyone I can."
He turned toward the countless cages.
"I am Fisher Tiger!"
"Those who want freedom, come with me!"
For a moment, there was silence.
Then one iron cage shook.
Clang!
Another followed.
Clang!
Then another.
Clang!
Soon, the entire corridor erupted with noise.
The slaves began breaking their own cages.
People who had been afraid to speak began shouting.
"Tiger!"
"Tiger!"
"Long live Fisher Tiger!"
"Let's get out of here!"
Tiger watched them with a complicated expression.
He wasn't looking for praise.
He wasn't looking for worship.
He simply wanted them to be free.
"Don't stop!"
"There are still people trapped in this place!"
"Let's keep moving!"
A fish-man beside him nodded fiercely.
"Boss Tiger!"
"There are still countless slaves waiting for us!"
"Many hands make light work!"
Tiger looked toward the endless corridors of Mary Geoise.
His eyes burned with determination.
"Then let's save them."
"Everyone who wants freedom deserves the chance to fight for it."
The liberated slaves followed behind him.
For the first time in years, their footsteps were not the footsteps of prisoners being dragged toward another cage.
They were the footsteps of people running toward freedom.
And on that day, the name Fisher Tiger began to spread throughout Mary Geoise.
The World Government would soon learn that one man's hatred had become a rebellion.
The Holy Land had always believed itself untouchable.
But that day, its walls trembled.
And somewhere within that same world, far from the chaos unfolding in Mary Geoise, a young Celestial Dragon named Saint Roselith Seraphina remained unaware that the actions of Fisher Tiger would eventually reshape the lives of countless people.
The currents of fate had begun to move.
And once they started moving, even the most powerful people in the world would not be able to stop them forever.
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