One Piece: Starting by Refusing Shanks

Fish-Man Bay was home to a large community of mermaids.

The area was filled with variously shaped and colored corals and rocks, creating a beautiful underwater landscape.

Beneath the sea in the center of this area lay the Coral Apartments, a series of deep, interconnected residences where most of the mermaids of Fish-Man Bay lived.

The most noteworthy thing about this place was that it was predominantly inhabited by single female mermaids.

Cathy and Camie led Takumi, Enel, and Kaku to the area full of vibrant coral reefs.

Beside this spot was a small pond where the mermaids played. At this moment, many beautiful mermaid girls were frolicking and having fun in the pond.

One of them, a mermaid with long light blue hair adorned with a flower hair clip on the left side of her head, smiled as she saw Cathy and Camie approach with three humans. "How rare! It's the first time I've seen you bring humans back here. Are they your friends?"

"They're Cathy's benefactors," Camie replied with a big smile.

"Oh?" A mermaid with short pink, wavy hair resting on her shoulders cupped her cheek with one hand and smiled. "So they really came to Fish-Man Island. Since they're here, why not introduce them to us?"

"Yeah, introduce us!"

"They look so cute!"

"Since they're here, let's play together!"

The other mermaids chimed in, coaxing eagerly.

Cathy was just about to introduce Takumi and his companions when Takumi walked past her without sparing the mermaid girls a glance.

Cathy hesitated, not knowing what to say, feeling a bit awkward.

"There's something I've been curious about..." Enel spoke up as he watched Takumi's retreating back. "Ever since I've known him, I've never seen him get close to any girl. Long-nose, do you think Takumi might be..."

"You better watch what you say," Kaku interrupted, cutting off Enel. "You know how our captain is. Besides, he's only sixteen. Even if he wants to date, it should be a few more years. Meanwhile, you—you're already in your thirties. Have you ever thought about finding a girlfriend?"

"Hmph!" Enel scoffed. "Women will only hinder my strength as Thunder God."

"See?" Kaku gestured. "If you don't want to do something, don't expect others to. I've told you countless times to be mindful of your words. With that personality of yours, always saying whatever comes to mind, it's no wonder you keep getting beaten up."

Enel: "..."

"Fine." Enel sighed. "I'll try to watch my mouth from now on, okay?"

Kaku scoffed. "I'd believe anyone but you."

Enel's face flushed with annoyance. "Do you find pleasure in irritating me every day, long-nose?!"

"Hey, don't fight, you two," Cathy intervened as she saw the tension escalate. Worried they might start throwing punches, she placed herself between Enel and Kaku, hoping to break things up.

Camie pulled Cathy back, smiling mischievously. "It's fun watching them argue, Cathy. Don't get in the way. I actually hope they do start fighting."

"Camie!" Cathy scolded, her expression stern. "They're important guests. You can't say things like that."

Camie stuck out her tongue playfully. "Alright, alright, I was just joking. Even though I've seen humans before, I've never met ones as interesting as them, hehe."

The other mermaids in the pond were also watching with curiosity, like spectators at a show.

"Hey," Takumi called out from a distance. "Are you two planning on staying here forever?"

The moment Takumi's voice echoed, Enel and Kaku immediately abandoned their quarrel and hurried after him.

Cathy watched them switch from arguing to following Takumi without missing a beat. She couldn't help but feel amused as she bid farewell to the other mermaids in the pond and pulled Camie along to catch up.

"Well, Camie and I live on the first floor of the Coral Apartments. It's affordable, so don't mind it being a bit simple." Cathy led Takumi and his crew to the edge of a large pond at the center of Fish-Man Bay.

A turtle surfaced, carrying a large bubble on its back.

"This is the turtle elevator. Camie and I usually swim down ourselves, but for you, it's better to use the elevator."

"You live underwater?" Enel eyed the calm water surface, visibly skeptical.

Kaku chuckled, "They're mermaids, Enel. Of course they live underwater. What's the problem with that?"

"Alright, let's go," Takumi said, stepping first into the bubble on the turtle's back.

"Uh, they're mermaids, so it's fine for them. But will we be alright? Isn't this seawater?" Enel asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Cathy nodded. "Yep, it's seawater. But don't worry. Camie and I live on the first floor, so there's only a shallow layer of water that barely covers your ankles. Trust me, I won't let anything bad happen to you," Cathy reassured with a gentle smile.

Kaku patted Enel on the back, laughing. "The captain didn't say anything, so why are you so worried? If you don't trust them, at least trust the captain."

With that, Kaku stepped into the bubble as well.

After a brief pause, Enel followed. As soon as he entered, the turtle began descending slowly into the water, carrying the bubble with it.

Cathy and Camie leaped gracefully into the water, swimming alongside the turtle elevator.

Underwater, the walls were covered with large coral apartments, vibrant and colorful. Schools of small fish swam by, adding to the underwater spectacle.

"How do you like it? It's beautiful, right?" Camie swam beside the bubble, still able to speak clearly despite being underwater.

"Mermaids are truly a fascinating species," Kaku mused.

Enel snorted. "They're just half-human, half-fish. Don't act like you've never seen anything impressive before—you're embarrassing."

"Do you really think you're in a position to look down on me?" Kaku shot back, equally dismissive. "Compared to someone as clueless as you, I'm practically an encyclopedia."

"Hmph," Enel grumbled. "Encyclopedia, huh? You think too highly of yourself. Have you ever been to Sky Island? Do you even know what it's like, or what the people there are like?"

Kaku sneered. "I may not have been there, but so what? Just because you're from Sky Island doesn't mean anything. Can you guarantee we won't go there during our travels?"

"Heh." Enel smirked. "How long have you been with Takumi? We've never revisited a place, not even once. I doubt you'll ever get the chance to see Sky Island in your lifetime."

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