Fish-Man Island, Gyoncorde Plaza.
The arrival of Sephiroth and the Marines attracted the attention of many Fish-Men and mermaids.
"Go! Just tell them," Sephiroth said, patting Vergo's back. Vergo stepped forward, the spoon still on his face, and began to preach in a fiery voice.
"Honorable residents of Fish-Man Island! Three days ago in the Holy Land, Marijoa, a vicious arson attack was committed by a man named Fisher Tiger!"
More and more people gathered, forming a dense crowd. Sephiroth felt sharp hostility from them through his Observation Haki. That old coot Sengoku, does he want me to die here? With this situation, whether we can even get back to sea safely is questionable! he thought, full of rage.
"Anyone who provides a clue to the whereabouts of Fisher Tiger, after verification, will be given a reward ranging from 100,000 to 1,000,000 Belly!"
After the speech, Sephiroth and his soldiers immediately left the plaza. He didn't truly want to capture Fisher Tiger. A hero of Fish-Man Island captured? That would be a huge war! He just needed to submit a report to Sengoku, not actually hand over Fisher Tiger. Sephiroth had never intended to become Sengoku's confidant.
In the dispersing crowd, a sawshark Fish-Man with a black round hat, Arlong, stood with a white-haired octopus Fish-Man, Hatchan. They looked at the backs of the Marines with disgust.
"Brother Arlong, these Marines are absolutely disgusting!" Hatchan said. "What if Brother Tiger is found?"
"Hah! Just a bunch of nonsense!" Arlong sneered. "Hachi, let's go."
Arlong turned, heading to the beach, then jumped into the water. The two swam under Fish-Man Island, to the lawless area, at the edge of Fishman Street. There, a giant ship was enveloped in a bubble coating, its size like a mountain, thousands of meters long and a thousand meters high. The ship, named "Noah," was built 108 years ago.
Long ago, a man named Joy Boy once promised a mermaid princess that he would help the Fish-Man race move to the surface. However, 800 years ago, he failed to keep his promise. He carved an apology inside the Sea Forest, on a Poneglyph.
Now, ancient legends say, one day a chosen hero will appear, leading the residents of Fish-Man Island to sail on the "Noah" and live under the sun. The ship silently awaited that day.
Arlong and Hatchan climbed onto the deck of the "Noah." They saw a magnificent sight like a palace, with giant wooden beams carved with ancient patterns, full of both ruin and simplicity. The ship was made of wood, yet it hadn't rotted at all despite being eight hundred years old.
In front of the cabin entrance, a cartilaginous Fish-Man in a blue karate uniform, Kuroobi, came out. "Brother Arlong, Hachi, what's the situation?"
"Don't worry, Kuroobi!" Arlong sneered. "Those Marines are just a bunch of chickens and dogs!"
"But... the Marines have started searching for Brother Tiger on the island," Hachi said anxiously.
Inside the ship's hall, Fisher Tiger, Jinbe, and more than a hundred Fish-Men rescued from Marijoa were gathered. Arlong entered, his hands in his pockets, and said arrogantly, "Brother Tiger, the Marines only have one small warship, no more than sixty people! If you allow it, I'll wipe them all out today!"
Fisher Tiger shook his head. "Arlong, don't be impulsive! They are just the vanguard. If you kill them, the Marine will send more warships. Although we are protected by the deep sea, if we anger the World Government, the entire island could be wiped off the map."
"But... Brother Tiger, they've already started hunting you on the island! They're using dirty tricks, offering rewards to the residents to betray you..." Hachi said worriedly.
Fisher Tiger sighed. Money and wealth could move anyone's heart. He knew that sooner or later, someone would betray him for money. "Ah... it seems I can't stay on Fish-Man Island anymore... It's better for me to set sail immediately!"
Jinbe, who had been silent all this time, stepped forward. "Wait! Brother Tiger, let me come with you!" his voice was firm. "I can't bear to leave Fish-Man Island alone! From now on, wherever you go, I will follow you!"
"Yes! Brother Tiger, you're our idol! We'll all come too!" the other Fish-Men shouted.
Fisher Tiger looked at them one by one, his eyes watering. "If you come with me, you'll be hunted by the Marine and the World Government... the enemy of the entire world!"
"Brother Tiger, you don't need to say anything more! We've made up our minds! We were all Tenryuubito slaves. If our identities are discovered, we'll be captured anyway!"
"That's right!"
Seeing their determination, Fisher Tiger had no choice but to agree. After some deliberation, they decided to form a pirate crew.
"Brother Tiger, what should we call our pirate crew?" Jinbe asked.
"The Sun Pirates!" Fisher Tiger replied, looking up at the sky beyond the water layer, towards the unreachable sun. "We will chase freedom on the seas... and return freedom to the oppressed slaves!"