Arlong stared at Ethan with bloodshot eyes.
For the first time in years— he felt genuine fear.
He wanted to speak.
To threaten him.
To beg.
Anything.
But terror strangled the words in his throat.
His body trembled uncontrollably beneath the crushing pressure of the wooden restraints.
Ethan watched the blood slowly drip from the corner of Arlong’s mouth.
And suddenly— he remembered the branding iron.
The agony of burning flesh.
The helplessness of being chained down while someone stronger decided his fate.
The humiliation.
The rage of being too weak to resist.
Something inside him had changed that night in Mary Geoise.
He would never become prey again.
Never.
“You…” Arlong forced the word out through gritted teeth.
“What the hell are you trying to do?!” The killing intent radiating from Ethan jolted his fading mind fully awake.
“If you kill me—” Arlong shouted desperately, “—you won’t be allowed to stay on this ship!
Big Brother Tiger would never let someone who murders his own crewmates remain aboard!” He was trying to appeal to reason.
Trying to calm Ethan down.
Ethan’s gaze remained glacial.
“Answer me something.” His voice was frighteningly calm.
“If I’d agreed to leave quietly earlier…” The vines tightened slightly.
“Would you actually have let me go?” Silence.
Arlong couldn’t answer.
Because both of them already knew the truth.
No.
He absolutely would not have spared Ethan.
At best, he would’ve thrown him into the sea and let the ocean finish the job.
Afterward, all Arlong had to say was that the human left voluntarily.
Maybe Tiger wouldn’t fully believe it.
But Arlong had been certain of one thing— Tiger would never tear apart his own people over a human outsider.
“You’re exactly like the humans you hate,” Ethan said coldly.
“There’s no difference.” Then, unexpectedly— the restraints loosened.
Ethan had decided not to kill him.
Not because of mercy.
But because killing Arlong here would truly make remaining aboard impossible.
And more importantly— someone else had already arrived.
Heavy hands settled onto Ethan’s shoulders from behind.
Coated in Armament Haki.
Ready to stop him at any moment.
Ethan dismissed the Wood Release before calmly turning around.
Jinbe stood there quietly.
“When did you get here?” Ethan asked.
Jinbe glanced toward the half-conscious Arlong collapsed against the wall.
Even he looked unsettled by the severity of the injuries.
“When Arlong offered to show you your room,” Jinbe admitted carefully, “I already knew something was wrong.” “That’s not really his style.” He sighed.
“So I followed behind just in case.” Then Jinbe looked directly into Ethan’s eyes.
“I just didn’t expect…” Ethan exhaled slowly.
“…that I’d almost kill him instead?” Jinbe nodded honestly.
“No wonder Big Brother Tiger said you saved him.” Realization flickered across his face.
“So you really are a Devil Fruit user.” Ethan didn’t bother correcting him.
After repeated use of Wood Release, his Chakra reserves were nearly exhausted.
His body felt heavy.
Drained.
The exhaustion in his eyes wasn’t fake.
“If you’re not planning to throw me off the ship,” Ethan muttered tiredly, “then take me somewhere I can sleep.” “Right now, I just want a bed.” Before leaving the cargo hold, Jinbe glanced one last time at the unconscious Arlong and let out another sigh.
Arlong’s hatred toward humans ran deeper than most Fish-Men aboard the ship.
If he didn’t change eventually… he was going to provoke Ethan again.
And next time— he might not survive.
Out of consideration, Jinbe arranged a private room for Ethan before quietly leaving.
Afterward, he immediately summoned the ship doctor to treat Arlong.
News spread through the ship almost instantly.
Arlong— one of the strongest younger fighters among the Fish-Men— had been completely crushed by the human boy they brought aboard.
At first, Jinbe considered suppressing the story.
Then he changed his mind.
Too many crew members shared Arlong’s hostility toward humans.
If they weren’t properly intimidated now, someone else would eventually make the same mistake.
So Jinbe allowed the rumors to spread naturally.
By the next morning, Arlong had already become the unofficial joke of the crew.
Ethan slept until noon.
When he finally stepped onto the deck beneath the blazing sunlight, he immediately noticed the atmosphere had changed.
The Fish-Men still kept their distance— but the open hostility was mostly gone.
Now their eyes held caution.
Shock.
Even fear.
Ethan smiled faintly.
Good.
Things would be much quieter from now on.
Truthfully, he had no interest in becoming close friends with the Sun Pirates.
This ship was temporary.
Nothing more.
Not long afterward, Fisher Tiger approached from the bow of the ship, looking visibly exhausted.
“What happened yesterday was my responsibility,” he said apologetically.
Ethan shrugged.
“I’m not the one who got injured.” Then he added casually: “Though Arlong probably won’t walk properly for a few weeks.” Tiger rubbed his forehead helplessly.
“…Maybe that’s for the best.” He genuinely disliked Arlong’s increasingly extreme worldview.
After a brief silence, Tiger spoke again.
“If there’s anything you need, just ask.” Despite founding the Sun Pirates, Tiger clearly didn’t view Ethan as a permanent crewmate.
More like a traveler whose path temporarily crossed theirs.
And honestly— Ethan felt the same way.
After thinking for a moment, he finally said: “I want Jinbe to teach me combat techniques.” Tiger blinked.
“Jinbe?” Then he laughed.
“That’s a good choice.” “That kid’s talent is exceptional.” Tiger crossed his arms proudly.
“Give him a few more years, and he’ll become one of the strongest Fish-Men alive.” Ethan almost laughed.
No kidding.
This was future Warlord Jinbe.
One of the true monsters of the sea.
And Ethan wasn’t only interested in Fish-Man Karate.
What he truly wanted— was Haki.
He had already sensed Jinbe using Armament Haki during the confrontation in the cargo hold.
Not long afterward, Tiger brought Jinbe over and explained Ethan’s request.
Jinbe still carried deep distrust toward humans.
But because Ethan had helped save Tiger, he reluctantly agreed.
Then the training began immediately.
And from the very first day— it was hell.
Whether Jinbe was subconsciously taking revenge for Arlong or simply believed harsh training was most effective, his methods were brutal.
Every session pushed Ethan to complete exhaustion.
Most days, he had to be physically carried back to his room afterward.
But despite the suffering— the results were monstrous.
Ethan mastered the foundational principles of Fish-Man Karate in only three days.
His improvement bordered on absurd.
Even Jinbe began looking disturbed.
From his perspective, Ethan learned faster than most actual Fish-Men.
Which made absolutely no sense.
Because Ethan was completely human.
At one point, Jinbe genuinely considered cutting him open just to check whether he secretly had Fish-Man organs hidden inside somewhere.
“What the hell…” The whale shark Fish-Man only intensified the training after that.
But Ethan had become like a bottomless sponge.
Anything useful— he absorbed without hesitation.