One piece: Black Cat

Start of the 2nd Arc: Flight

———

The story goes back a little over a week ago.

The first thing they discovered was a battered fishman inside a cave that was being rapidly expanded to serve as a hiding place for their new ships.

"I'm so grateful... I'm so grateful!" The fishman's voice trembled with emotion. "I never expected that you would not only treat my wounds and give me clothes, but even share a meal like this with me."

"There's no need to be shy about it." I watched him carefully, noting how his initial wariness had begun to fade. "To be honest, I don't understand much about fishmen, but I do understand the fear of being alone in the ocean and the terror of starvation."

The fishman, who called himself Hack, had bowed politely when we first met. At first, he'd eaten the food we prepared with obvious caution, testing each bite. But now he was devouring it with genuine appetite, his earlier suspicion melting away with each mouthful.

My knowledge of the original One Piece story was frustratingly vague, so I'd been uncertain about what to serve him. Learning that he could eat fish came as a relief, for us who lived in hiding, fish caught from the sea formed our main staple.

When Daz and Toya, who had been working on expanding the cave system, told me that a fishman had washed up on the shore, I'd been immediately wary. But I was glad to discover he was one of the good ones.

At first, I'd feared he might be like Arlong, another fishman launching an attack on humans. But this one was clearly injured, and despite being conscious, he showed no signs of hostility. Even when Daz, who looked like a child, came near him, there was no attempt to take a hostage. So our medical team and our newly organized tailoring department, both staffed by non-combatants—had treated his wounds and mended his torn clothes. Meanwhile, Robin and I had attempted to communicate with him, reasoning that as a fishman, he probably wasn't connected to the World Government.

"Just today, the townspeople we freed from the mafia base we attacked gave us many supplies," I explained, gesturing to the spread of food before us. "However, a lot of these things don't keep well, so please eat and drink to your heart's content."

"Are you really pirates?" Hack asked, his voice carrying a note of genuine confusion.

"I get asked that question a lot, but yes..." I pulled out my wanted poster with a rueful smile. "I am technically a wanted man, as you can see."

The physical abilities of the fishman species truly did far exceed those of humans. Although Hack had looked severely beaten when we found him, he'd made a complete recovery within just two days.

During those two days, we'd continued our nighttime navigation training, repeatedly checking our forest hideout to ensure no lights from campfires or other sources were visible from the sea. Now that Hack was mobile again, we'd invited him to join us for this simple feast around our carefully concealed fire.

"A wanted poster... over a billion berries across the four seas." Hack's eyes widened as he studied the bounty. "Excuse me, but what exactly did you do to earn such a price?"

"...I was told to become a slave, so I kept running away. This is what happened as a result."

"Oh my..." Hack's expression shifted to one of deep sympathy. "Humans treat even people of their own species this way?"

"There are people like that, unfortunately. But in my case, it's because I'm a former Celestial Dragon." The words tasted bitter in my mouth. "To them, all those who don't live in the Holy Land are considered inferior beings."

"The Celestial Dragons..." Hack's voice dropped to a whisper, understanding dawning in his eyes. "I see. That explains everything. I'm sorry for making you speak of such unpleasant things."

Of course he would know about them. After all, just above Fish-Man Island lay the holy land of Mariejois, and nearby was the infamous Sabaody Archipelago with its shadowy establishments like the Human Auction House.

"There's no need to worry about it," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "From my perspective, the Celestial Dragons are also victims of this world, in their own way."

Though they're the kind of people no one would mourn if they were killed, I thought privately. Still, when I considered the story of Saint Donquixote Homing and his family, there did seem to be a tragic element to their existence.

"By the way, what brings you to West Blue?" I asked, genuinely curious. "I've heard that fishmen generally live on Fish-Man Island in the Grand Line..."

"Oh, that's because I'm part of a pioneer group."

"Pioneer group?"

"...To be more precise, you might call me an explorer..." Hack, who I'd learned was a Ebisudai fishman, began to speak slowly, his words carrying the weight of difficult memories.

"Ever since the legend began with Gol D. Roger, the number of pirates has increased enormously. They've begun coming to Fish-Man Island in massive numbers."

"You mean... to capture and sell your people?" Amis asked from beside me, pausing in his meal of grilled fish and vegetables.

"That's certainly part of it, but Fish-Man Island is the only route to the second half of the Grand Line, aside from the Red Port used by the World Government."

"That's right." I nodded grimly. "Most pirates get caught in the complex ocean currents before they can reach Fish-Man Island, or their entire ship gets devoured by Sea Kings. But as their numbers increase, some inevitably make it through."

Amis, being a new recruit from West Blue, probably had little knowledge of the Grand Line's dangers. He nodded repeatedly, absorbing this information.

"Fish-Man Island is the only underwater island where sunlight from above can reach," Hack continued, his voice growing heavy with emotion. "For us fishmen and mermaids, there's no island more comfortable to live on. But conversely, it's also the only place where we can live safely. And that safety..."

In the original story, the number of mermaids and fishmen being kidnapped by pirates had indeed been exploding, leaving them with nowhere to turn. It must have been devastating to realize they could no longer feel secure on the very island they called home.

"So what exactly is this pioneer group?" I pressed gently.

"I'm searching for an island other than Fish-Man Island, one that no one knows about, that might be closer to our ideal home."

"So that's why you called yourself an explorer..." I recalled something I'd read recently. "I remember seeing in the newspaper that Whitebeard had declared Fish-Man Island his territory. Isn't that providing stability?"

"Well, it's common knowledge that the pirate Whitebeard and King Neptune are on good terms," Hack admitted. "But I can't bring myself to trust pirates I've never spoken to directly. A pirate is still a pirate, after all."

I could certainly understand that perspective. I doubted Whitebeard would go out of his way to earn the trust of individual fishmen, and even if he did meet and speak with many of them, there would always be radicals like Hody Jones who would emerge to cause trouble.

Even if Whitebeard's territorial declaration brought some measure of stability, it was only natural that the fishmen would want to find alternative places to live.

I'd completely forgotten that Fisher Tiger had actually been an adventurer, not a pirate, when he first started his journey. Perhaps others were adventuring for similar reasons now.

Come to think of it... what was Fisher Tiger doing at this point in time?

"Lord Kuro."

"Yes?"

"To be honest, you've saved not only my body but my spirit as well." Hack's voice carried genuine warmth. "The hatred and suspicion toward humans that had been quietly festering inside me until I arrived here... it seems to have been somewhat cleared away."

I supposed he'd had good reason to be cautious. It might have seemed rude, but I was glad Perona and I had started eating first, demonstrating that the food was safe. Only after seeing us eat had Hack finally begun to partake of the meal, little by little.

In the fishman's world, there was always the possibility of being drugged and waking up with a slave collar around your neck.

Was the One Piece world actually a post-apocalyptic setting? When you thought about it, it was like a world where the enemy forces had been victorious for hundreds of years.

"You've treated my wounds, mended my clothes, and shared your food with me. On top of all that, I know it's presumptuous of me to ask, but—"

"You have companions who were captured?"

Some of the damage to his tattered clothing had probably been caused by scraping against rocks or coral while being swept along by ocean currents. But other tears looked like they'd been made in combat.

According to the person who'd repaired his clothes, there had also been stains that appeared to be from some kind of chemical, perhaps someone had used tranquilizer darts in an attempt to capture him for the slave trade.

Hack nodded with a pained expression confirming my suspicions.

"She's probably been taken somewhere by now. We've only just arrived in the West Blue, so it might already be too late to search for her."

"You don't know this area well, do you? Toya!"

"Yes! Right away!"

When I called to my friend, who currently served as both helmsman and navigator, he immediately understood and brought over a map of the West Blue.

"I apologize for bringing up painful memories," I said gently, "but I'd like to know the location and circumstances of the attack."

"Lord Kuro..."

"We've shared a meal around the same fire. That makes us friends now. Let me help you."

"...If you truly mean that literally, then I accept."

***

Cat's Paw

Well, I thought it would be sufficient if we could just outmaneuver the thugs on land, but our cannons are hitting their targets far more accurately than I expected.

Once we entered the Grand Line, battles would surely become superhuman contests between powerful Devil Fruit users. But if we could gather enough military strength to fight on equal terms, or even gain the slightest advantage, then the difference would come down to leadership skills and, since we were pirates, our naval combat abilities.

With that in mind, in addition to our usual tactical training, I'd been experimenting with various night battle techniques. They seemed quite effective against mafia members who didn't primarily use the sea as their battlefield.

We couldn't afford to let our guard down, though. If others developed countermeasures, we'd need to evolve our tactics further.

"Water Shot!"

At the edge of my vision, I saw Hack blast away a thug who had been aiming a gun at Amis, who was sticking out from cover a bit too much. The attacker was sent flying by a powerful jet of water.

"Sorry about that, Hack! Thanks for the save!"

"Amis, you're putting too much strain on both your body and mind," Hack called out, his voice carrying the authority of experience. "In battle, remember that the most important thing is to stay relaxed and release unnecessary tension."

"Yes, sir!"

"On the other hand, the rest of you are being too cautious. I understand wanting to maintain distance to preserve formation, but the more you retreat, the more your opponents will press their advantage. There are many situations where moving forward is safer than retreating. You need to learn to recognize the difference."

"Understood!"

"Got it!"

The scene looked like that of a master instructing his disciples. Perhaps it was thanks to the combat training Hack had joined us for in the few days since we'd located this place, but his hand-to-hand combat skills were clearly improving.

Toya, who's now responsible for ship command, and the steering team have begun seriously studying Fishman Karate. We're really starting to build up our fighting strength.

"You! Aren't you that brat playing at being a pirate?!"

"Hand over that billion berry head—"

"Soru!"

"Rankyaku!"

"Seis Fleur: Clutch!"

This time, the terrain meant the enemy had no escape route, so this battle also served as close-quarters combat training. I positioned myself in the center as a decoy. One of the thugs who came for my head was sliced to pieces by my air blade, while the other had all his joints twisted by Robin's sprouted hands, leaving him writhing in agony.

Robin was back on the ship, but her ability to execute these techniques from such a distance had become truly impressive.

Maybe because she's a scholar, she's naturally good at applying what she learns. Just by having Hack explain the vital points of human anatomy, she was able to reproduce the techniques perfectly.

Robin might have been the crew member who'd grown the most. She'd been learning Fishman Karate alongside Toya and the others, but had she always been this motivated when it came to combat?

She'd even asked me to teach her footwork techniques, so I sometimes joined her for training drills now.

"...There's no way these weaklings could take the captain's head."

"Thanks, Daz. Thanks, Robin."

"Don't mention it. I was getting bored this time anyway."

This battle had Amis and the others fighting under Hack's command, or rather, under his guidance, so the more experienced fighters probably hadn't had much to do.

Hack remained very observant, and perhaps because of the battles he'd fought so far, he'd developed a commanding presence. He was constantly watching Amis and the others' movements, offering advice and corrections.

Robin, perhaps to demonstrate that everything was under control, lightly tapped Hack on the shoulder with fingers she'd sprouted using her Devil Fruit power, then made them disappear.

"I was surprised when Robin said she wanted to join the battle," Daz commented.

From the ship, she must have been moving her sprouted eyes from place to place, monitoring the situation. One by one, enemies hiding at a distance, snipers and the like, were being taken down by arms that grew from their bodies, their joints twisted until they collapsed. It was brutally efficient.

"I heard you discussing it with Perona after the battle at the regional headquarters," I replied. "She said she wanted to be more helpful to the crew."

Daz, I've got Robin's ears growing around my neck right now, and some kind of arm has sprouted that's currently slapping you... but oh well.

"...Just organizing and sharing information is more than enough help."

Robin and Perona were essential for gathering intelligence, scouting, and communications. Perona was also our strongest wide-area suppression weapon and our bomber. Had Robin been worried that she wasn't contributing enough in direct combat?

"Captain, looks like we're almost done clearing the perimeter."

"Understood. Robin, please relay this message: The main ship and third ship are ready to receive the liberated captives. The medical team should be on standby with their equipment. It's a cold night, so prepare plenty of blankets as well. The second ship should remain on alert for reinforcements."

We'd managed to destroy quite a few of their bases by now.

"It's about time we did something about our situation."

"A hidden trump card?"

"Or perhaps... I could ask for help somewhere."

"...Is that why you left the command to Hack this time and kept me free?"

"Hack, if you start categorizing people by race, you'll find yourself trapped in a swamp of prejudice. But more importantly..."

"Don't let your guard down. If an emergency occurs, accomplish only the bare minimum of your objectives and then retreat."

***

"Damn it! I had two major deals prepared, and of all the people who had to show up, it was them!"

Among the five great families, the Black Cat Pirates had become a recurring nightmare for this particular family, which specialized in human trafficking.

After all, the very people who were supposed to be paying customers were now attacking them instead.

Not only did each raid cost them significant money, but if the pirates discovered there were multiple children with valuable abilities worth capturing, they would inevitably be defeated. Worse yet, the pirates would destroy their bases and inventory before taking everything of value.

Thinking that enemies with supernatural powers wouldn't be able to demonstrate their full strength in naval combat, the family had mobilized all their ships for an all-out attack. But they were defeated by the tactical prowess of a fleet that had grown in size without anyone noticing, overwhelmed by powerful supernatural abilities that could control ghosts. Their fighting force of nearly twenty ships was completely annihilated.

Under pressure from the other families, their position as one of the five major powers was now on the brink of collapse.

This disaster struck just as they were trying to use a large sum of money they'd acquired by chance to somehow escape their predicament.

"Hey, you! What are you doing just sitting there reading a book?"

The family executive called out to a man lounging in a chair.

"The enemy has stopped their bombardment and landed! At least work enough to earn your keep!"

The man closed his book with a sharp snap, grabbed his weapon, and stood up.

"I paid good money for someone who could fool even the Navy during times like this!"

"Hawk Eyes!"

———

Author's Note:

My stomach was bothering me, so I stepped out for a bit.

Of course, Hack's backstory is original. I imagined the movements of fishmen during the early days of the Great Pirate Era, before he joined the Revolutionary Army, and wrote it this way.

***

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