Fishman in One Piece

Chapter 21 Physical Persuasion

Brett awoke in the bright daylight.

Sunlight streamed into the room through the window, and he lay on his back staring at the ceiling for a while. He remained slumped on the bed like a lifeless body before he finally sat up languidly and stretched.

"I have not experienced such a comfortable sleep in ages," he muttered.

Each day at the Punk Hazard base was fraught with anxiety, leaving him unable to relax even during slumber.

Get out of bed, get dressed, make the bed.

Next, it is time to locate Arlong.

Brett opened the door.

He then noticed a basket placed outside the door, containing neatly arranged clothing.

"How considerate," Brett remarked with a slight sigh.

It is advantageous to have a childhood sweetheart.

After returning to his room and changing out of his prison attire, Brett donned the garments Shyarly had prepared for him.

It was a standard outfit of a T-shirt and trousers, yet the fit was impeccable, complementing Brett's tall and muscular frame. The back had been specially tailored to accommodate his dorsal fin.

Once dressed in new attire, Brett crumpled his prison uniform into a ball and proceeded downstairs.

The café was already lively and filled with patrons.

The previously vacant seats from last night were now occupied, with mermaids and fish people mingling together.

Several mermaid waitresses dressed in maid costumes navigated the hall, responding to guests with cheerful expressions.

Brett observed the mermaid waitresses; each possessed a striking appearance, which explained the thriving business.

Shyarly was stationed behind the counter, focused on her calculations.

As Brett descended the stairs and approached her, he asked, "Where is the trash can? "

Shyarly looked up briefly, glanced at Brett, and nodded slightly, saying, "The fit looks great. "

"That is due to your excellent taste," Brett replied with a smile.

"Certainly," she responded.

Shyarly returned to her calculations, saying, "Please dispose of the trash in the kitchen. Also, I've saved some food for you. Eat it before you go look for Arlong. "

"Okay. "

Brett turned around and entered the kitchen, encountering a merman lady. She appeared to be in her thirties, with a warm and friendly smile.

Clad in a white chef's uniform, complete with an apron and chef's hat, she was humming while cooking.

She seemed to be the chef of the café.

"Oh! You are Brett that Shyarly mentioned, correct? "

The chef lady turned to Brett with a smile, introducing herself, "I am Miriam, the chef of this café. "

She took a moment to pick up a dinner plate from the side and handed it to Brett, saying, "Shyarly asked me to prepare breakfast for you."

The dish presented was abundant, featuring a delightful combination of meats and vegetables.

Brett accepted it, expressing his gratitude by saying, "Thank you, Miss Miriam. "

He did not take a seat right away; instead, he discarded the prison uniform he had changed into in the trash can and then located an unoccupied chair to begin his breakfast.

"It is incredibly delicious! "

He remarked with appreciation.

At the very least, it is tastier than the favorite dish of the fishman street boss.

"Thank you for the kind words,"

Miriam replied, wiping her hands on her apron and smiling, "This is the first occurrence, Brett, where Shyarly permits a man to stay overnight here. She typically disregards everyone. "

Brett smiled and stated, "Shyarly's demeanor is somewhat aloof; however, once you become acquainted with her, you will realize that she possesses a very gentle nature. "

"Eh~ Very gentle? " the cook responded in a drawn-out tone, "But I seldom see Shyarly being gentle towards anyone. "

Brett felt slightly embarrassed and chose to focus on his food.

Miriam said little else, maintaining her smile as she continued to cook.

After quickly finishing breakfast within a few bites, Brett cleaned the dishes and turned to exit the kitchen.

Approaching the counter, he remarked, "I'm going now."

"Wait a moment,"

Shyarly interjected, raising her hand to retrieve a key, "This must be your key, which has been missing for quite some time. "

Brett scratched his head and replied, "I don't need it, I kinda broke my door when I entered, since I didn't have a key."

Shyarly was slightly taken aback, then rolled her eyes and retracted the key, "Someone has already taken care of washing the dishes, but there are always people causing disturbances in the shop. If you are willing, I can assign the security tasks to you."

"Sure, Boss Shyarly."

Brett agreed with a grin.

From this point, he would devote more energy towards learning Haki with Jinbei, while also needing to earn some living expenses; otherwise, he would be unable to repay the 100,000 beli he borrowed from Jinbei.

Security work is still work. It is preferable to sitting idly on the sidelines.

"Boss? I like the sound of that."

Shyarly nodded slightly, "Ensure you uphold it in the future, or I will reduce your salary. "

"That sounds rather intimidating,"

Brett laughed, "In any case, I will see you later. "

"Safe travel. "

Upon departing from the Mermaid Cafe, Brett made his way directly to Mermaid Street, as it was time to have a conversation with Arlong.

Fishman Island is not particularly large, but it does take some time to traverse from Coral Hill to Fishman Street.

When Brett arrived at Fishman Street, it was already noon, leading him to head straight towards Arlong's residence without delay.

The door of the small building was shut, and Brett sensed that a significant number of people had gathered inside.

Although Brett's abilities did not enable him to discern the differences between various creatures in precise detail, he surmised that Arlong was likely still inside.

He stepped forward and pushed the door open.

Although the entrance was secured from within, Brett possessed enough strength to force both doors open.

The audible sound of the door lock snapping startled many Fishman in the dwelling who had been resting on the floor after an evening of revelry the previous night.

They rubbed their tired eyes, sat upright, and then noticed Brett entering with a light illuminating from behind.

". . . "

As they faced the brightness, the fishmen narrowed their eyes and eventually recognized Brett's figure clearly.

"Brett? What are you doing here? "

One fishman rose unsteadily, delivering a stern remark, "Brother Arlong expressed that he does not wish to see you! "

"That's correct," another fishman said derisively, "Just go and curry favor with humans alongside Jinbei. After all, you too are a creature of mixed blood—"

He found himself unable to continue speaking. Brett swiftly appeared before him like a ghost, his large hand firmly covering the fishman's mouth.

"One lesson I learned since childhood is that people who show me disrespect do not deserve my respect, even if they belong to the same race. "

With a casual motion, the fishman was propelled through the wall of the house as if struck by a cannonball and was sent flying outside.

The rest, still suffering from the effects of their hangover, immediately awakened.

Brett's right foot impacted the ground, creating an indentation. The entire structure trembled momentarily. He addressed them calmly, "I hold deep respect for Brother Arlong, but that does not give you the right to be disrespectful toward me."

It was then that the fishman recalled their past.

Years ago, Brett had already achieved notoriety as a violent individual prior to his departure from Fishman Street. Anyone who dared to insult him would endure brutal beating from him.

Moreover, the fishman who had formerly belonged to the Sun Pirates would never forget that even during their time in that crew, Brett was their fiercest combatant. They simply cursed him silently and derided his position. To actually insult Brett was tantamount to inviting a beating of a lifetime.

For a brief moment, they fell into silence.

"Now, where is Brother Arlong " Brett iasked calmy.

"I am here! "

Arlong's voice resonated as he descended the staircase from the second floor, accompanied by several fishmen including Kuroobi, Hachi, and Chew, all chosen officials by him.

A smile graced Arlong's face, yet his pupils had contracted into slits. Those familiar with him recognized that he was exceedingly furious at this moment.

"So, my dear brother, what brings you here to harm my associates? "

Brett exhaled slowly and replied calmly, "I am here to prevent you from setting sail, Brother Arlong. "

Arlong paused for a moment and then burst into loud laughter, "hahaha! Hey, Kuroobi! Did you catch that? This fellow claims he wishes to stop me from leaving! "

"Brett, have you been influenced by Jinbei? "

Kuroobi stated solemnly, "Or do you genuinely prefer to align with humans? "

Brett asserted with seriousness, "I simply do not wish for Brother Tiger's final wish to be fulfilled. "

The expressions of numerous senior members of the Sun Pirates altered slightly.

"Be quiet! ! Brett! ! "

Arlong's fury immediately surged as he advanced toward Brett, declaring, "Brother Tiger died due to humans! ! That is precisely why we seek revenge! ! "

Like a swift arrow, Arlong's body tensed as he struck at Brett.

Brett casually raised his hand and effortlessly caught Arlong's fist.

Arlong's eyes abruptly changed.

"The second reason is," Brett stated, "I do not wish for you, Brother Arlong, to meet your end at sea."

"Are you belittling me? You brat! ! "

Arlong's anger intensified. He felt immense humiliation to be scorned by someone he viewed as a younger brother, he resisted fiercely.

However, Brett's grip felt unyielding, like steel, rendering him incapable of escaping.

'Has this kid grown so powerful now?'

Aaron found it hard to understand.

"Brother Arlongn, with your approach, I believe you will inevitably face Navy punishment, therefore, I believe it is in your best interest to remain on Fish-Man Island rather than risk dying outside. "

Brett applied a modest force and lifted him effortlessly, as he was taller.

Arlong wished to continue resisting, yet Brett simply shook his hand vigorously, causing Arlong's body to tremble like a reed in a storm.

"Ahh! "

He exclaimed, feeling as if his entire body were disintegrating. How could he muster any strength to resist?

Brett carried Arlong upstairs, stating, "In any case, let us converse. "

"Hey! Brett! What do you intend to do with Arlong! "

Kuroobi and Chew positioned themselves in front of Brett but were easily pushed aside by him.

Their faces were filled with dread. What was happening with this display of strength? They were utterly powerless.

"Do not interfere, or you will regret it," Brett warned as he took Arlonh up to the second floor.

They exchanged glances.

After a considerable pause, one finally spoke.

"Brett has become really powerful! ! "

Brother Arlong now seemed as defenseless as a child in front of him.