One Piece: Honey Badger Speedruns the World

"Um?"

Aladdin was taken aback: "Who is that? That little swordswoman? Or that rabbit-fur tribeswoman?"

"It's that big guy."

Jinbe's mind conjured up the image of Soton's enormous and bizarre body, his brow furrowing slightly, his tone tinged with confusion:

"Something's not right with that guy."

Jinbe put down his teacup, looked at his palm, and seemed to be savoring the feeling of the touch just now:

"I grew up in Fishman Street and have traveled all over the world. I have seen thousands of kinds of fishmen. Sharks, octopuses, eels... I have even seen the 'Half-Fish Giant' who has giant blood."

"But I've never seen a crocodile fish-man."

Jinbe's eyes sharpened:

"Moreover, the aura emanating from him is almost identical to that of that honey badger kid."

"That's the scent of the deep sea."

Upon hearing this, Aladdin's expression changed slightly, as if he had thought of something:

"A special, rare race? Oh no... Boss Jinbe, if that guy really is a new species we've never seen before..."

"Ah, that's what I was worried about too."

Jinbe sighed, gazing towards Rokumitsu Island, his tone becoming somewhat complicated:

"If 'Auntie' sees that guy... with her terrifying collecting obsession, these newcomers probably won't be able to leave even if they want to."

"Hopefully they'll leave as soon as they finish the honey... otherwise, they might be left behind in the Land of Ten Thousand forever."

"Since that's the case..."

After hearing Jinbe's concerns, Aladdin's confusion deepened. He frowned and asked, puzzled:

"Since you're worried that the crocodile will be targeted by Mom, why did you help them just now, even letting the whale shark take them to the island?"

"Since danger was foreseen, wouldn't it be safer to keep them outside or send them somewhere else?"

"Safety? On this vast ocean, where is there any truly safe place for 'outsiders' like us?"

Jinbe sighed deeply, turned around, and looked through the deep sea as if he could see through the murky world.

"Aladdin, have you read the newspaper lately? It's about that Shichibukai—'The Clown' Buggy's auction."

"Oh, I've heard about it."

Aladdin nodded, his expression one of disgust: "It's said that they mainly sell 'Mink' slaves from Zou. That disgusting business is truly repulsive."

"That's right. And according to my intelligence, the one responsible for providing protection for that dirty deal is the Navy's G5 branch, where that Vergo just worked."

Jinbe clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking.

"Several Mink tribesmen and a rare crocodile mutant are being relentlessly pursued by G5's base commander like mad dogs..."

"The reason for this isn't hard to guess, is it?"

Aladdin was startled: "Boss, you mean...they're slaves who escaped from the auction? Or rebels?"

"pretty close."

Jinbe closed his eyes, and the image of Fisher Tiger from back then flashed through his mind, along with the tragic scene of countless fellow fish-men being collared and auctioned off like livestock.

His empathy for the pain made it impossible for him to stand idly by and do nothing about these newcomers.

"If they are captured by the Navy, what awaits those people is the dark and hopeless Impel Down, or they will become playthings of the Celestial Dragons, losing their dignity for the rest of their lives and living a life worse than death."

Jinbe opened his eyes again, looking towards the direction of Whole Cake Island, a place filled with eerie fairytale charm, his voice low and firm:

"In comparison, staying in the Kingdom of Ten Thousand... might be their best fate."

"Although the old woman is capricious, and although there is a tyrant here known as the 'Four Emperors'..."

Jinbe stretched out his hand, looking at his webbed feet that were moving freely in the water:

"But at least here, under the banner of all nations, whether they are fishmen, minks, long-armed people, or rare creatures, they can all sit at the same table and eat as equals as 'humans'."

"No discrimination, no collars, no buying and selling."

Aladdin fell silent. He knew Jinbe was telling the truth.

Although they were forced to join the old lady's ranks, compared to the discriminatory world outside, Tales of Twice was indeed a haven for outcasts.

"But boss, there's a price to pay for living here."

Aladdin whispered a reminder: "Every six months, you must surrender one month's lifespan..."

"Yes, although every six months a month of life is taken away as a 'residence tax'..."

Jinbe's lips curled into a helpless, bitter smile as he uttered the cruelest truth of this vast sea:

"But all the old ladies want is a little more of their 'lifespan'."

"But what the World Government and the Celestial Dragons want... is their 'everything'."

"Dignity, freedom, body, and even soul."

The ocean current swirled, and Jinbe turned and drifted towards his next patrol post, his silhouette appearing somewhat desolate yet exceptionally tall.

"When faced with two evils, choose the lesser one."

"Compared to being slaves for life, even if it shortens their lifespan and they live under the protection of demons... at least they can live like 'human beings'."

"Consider this my humble selfish desire as a merman."

……

On the high seas, far from the international waters, an inconspicuous little wooden boat is bobbing up and down with the waves.

Vergo sat cross-legged in the cramped cabin, the sawdust and bloodstains on his face now wiped clean.

Polulu Polulu...

Vergo pulled out a special encrypted Den Den Mushi (snail phone) from his pocket. It was decorated with pink feathers and wore sunglasses.

Kaka.

The call connected, and a lazy yet wicked voice came from the other end, accompanied by a signature laugh:

"Fufufufu... Vergo, you're calling so soon. Looks like you've already taken care of that brat named Goss?"

"Sorry, Dover."

Vergo's voice remained calm, without any intention of shirking responsibility:

"The mission failed. Jinbe suddenly appeared and interfered. I was unable to intercept them before entering the Whole Cake Island."

"Jinbe?"

The laughter on the other end of the phone paused for a moment, then became somewhat indifferent:

"I see, 'Knight of the Sea' Jinbe... that stubborn fellow who values ​​righteousness. Oh well, now that we've entered that old woman's territory, whether we'll come out alive is another matter entirely. A few little mice are nothing to worry about..."

"No, Dover. This matter must be taken seriously."

Vergo interrupted Doflamingo, his tone unusually serious, even carrying a hint of coldness:

"That man named Goss...he knows who I am."

There was a deathly silence on the other end of the phone. The only sound was the rustling of the sea breeze through the receiver.

Several seconds later, Doflamingo's voice rang out again, but this time, the languid laughter had completely vanished, replaced by a chillingly deep tone:

"...What did you say?"

"He called out that name himself before he took action."

Vergo clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white:

"He called me—the highest-ranking member of the family, the first 'Corazon'."