For Antonio and the staff of the Flash Gold Bank, this wasn't the first time they had encountered pirates with nefarious intentions. In fact, a significant portion of their current clients had been drawn in under the banner of the Morgan Pirates, with their reputation and force serving as a guarantee. Naturally, this "guarantee" often involved a demonstration of strength, whether through reputation or direct displays of power.
The bank staff aboard the ship were seasoned enough to remain calm. Once the Fish-Man officers of the Arlong Pirates—the stingray Fish-Man and Fish-Man Karate expert Kuroobi, the six-sword style swordsman and octopus Fish-Man Hatchan, and the kissing gourami Fish-Man Chew, who could attack by shooting water—boarded the ship, it immediately set sail. Antonio and the human crew acted as if they had no concerns at all, treating the Fish-Men with warmth and hospitality.
Unbeknownst to anyone on the surface, a group of Fish-Men followed the ship underwater. Able to breathe underwater and significantly stronger than ordinary humans, they occasionally clung to the ship's underside to rest. With the ship moving at a moderate pace and the destination not far, it was an easy task for them to keep up.
In just one day, Antonio and the Fish-Men arrived at White Pine Town. Over the past year, the town had undergone a remarkable transformation. The docks were crowded with various ships, many of which bore scars from battle and were bristling with cannons. Though they didn't fly pirate flags, the sight of armed and rugged individuals on the decks made it clear to Kuroobi that most of these were pirate ships.
Noticing Kuroobi scanning the pirate ships at the docks, Antonio smiled and explained, "This is a Free Trade Zone. Anyone can conduct business here. Aside from a few taxes, such as stamp duty, business registration tax, and tonnage tax, there are no other taxes. Commerce here is thriving."
While Kuroobi could talk endlessly about Fish-Man Karate, Antonio's explanation went right over his head. Still, he made his own simple judgment. Observing the heavily armed individuals moving about the docks and ships, he sneered, "Free Trade Zone? More like a Pirate Trade Zone!"
Hearing this, Chew looked at Kuroobi with some confusion and asked, "Mock Town?"
Kuroobi nodded.
In truth, trade zones catering to pirates and relying on them as primary customers were not William's original idea. Similar places existed elsewhere in the world. In the Grand Line, there was a notorious town called Mock Town, which specialized in serving the extravagant needs of pirates.
However, comparing their memories of Mock Town to this place, the two Fish-Men noticed that the security here was significantly better. While the pirates walking the streets of White Pine Town mostly had fierce and menacing appearances, there were no brawls or shootouts breaking out in the crowded docks, unlike the chaotic atmosphere of Mock Town.
Dragging along the curious and wide-eyed Hatchan, who seemed fascinated by everything he saw, the two Fish-Man officers followed Antonio and his crew toward the Flash Gold Bank.
In the East Blue, the appearance of Fish-Men was far rarer than in the Grand Line. Many people in this region had never seen a Fish-Man or any other humanoid species in their entire lives. As a result, the group drew a lot of attention as they walked through the town, with onlookers frequently stealing glances at the Fish-Men.
The members of the Arlong Pirates, being staunch racial supremacists who considered Fish-Men a superior and more advanced species compared to humans, found these gawking stares deeply offensive. They responded with fierce glares, intimidating the pirates who dared to stare too long.
At one point, a pirate with a large red nose stared at them for too long, prompting Chew to react. His throat twitched, and suddenly, he spat out a high-pressure water bullet. Ordinary water, propelled by Chew's unique physiology, had the destructive force of a handgun. The red-nosed pirate quickly dodged, but the water bullet struck a bottle on the table behind him, shattering it into pieces.
The red-nosed pirate was furious. Drawing several knives from his coat, he seemed ready to fight Chew, but his companions quickly restrained him.
Antonio, who had turned back to see the commotion, frowned. Having learned the names of the three Arlong Pirates officers during the voyage, he addressed Chew directly. "Mr. Chew, fighting is strictly prohibited in White Pine Town. Anyone with grievances can settle them outside the town or in the arena. The arena even shares a portion of ticket sales with both parties involved. But fighting elsewhere in the town is not allowed."
"So what? I've already done it. What are you going to do about it?" Chew said nonchalantly, hands in his pockets.
Antonio gave him a long, hard look before regaining his smile. "You're esteemed guests visiting White Pine Town for the first time, and I admit it's my fault for not explaining the rules clearly at the docks. I'll handle this matter for you this time, but I hope you won't repeat this in the future."
Chew was about to retort when Kuroobi pulled him back. Remembering Arlong's plan and realizing they hadn't yet located the bank or its vault, he decided to let it go. He nodded, signaling his agreement with Antonio's words.
Seeing this, Antonio sent one of his staff to apologize to the red-nosed pirate. From a distance, he observed the pirate being appeased before bowing slightly and continuing to lead the Fish-Men officers toward the bank.
Meanwhile, the red-nosed pirate, though no longer intent on pursuing the matter, still looked visibly upset.
One of his companions tried to calm him down. "Captain Buggy, we have bigger things to focus on!"
The man addressed as Captain Buggy wore a captain's hat and a fur-lined cloak. His face was painted with heavy makeup, and his large, round, bright red nose gave him the appearance of a clown—though he was no clown, he certainly looked the part.
"Those damned Fish-Men!" "Clown" Buggy growled, slamming his fist on the table. "One day, I'll make them pay!"
His crew chimed in with agreement, but after venting his anger, Buggy muttered curiously to himself, "Why are Fish-Men appearing in the East Blue?"
Buggy had been staring at Chew and the others out of sheer curiosity. Fish-Men weren't as numerous as humans and were primarily active in the Grand Line. For three Fish-Men to show up in the East Blue, especially in a pirate-infested town, was indeed unusual, and it had piqued Buggy's interest.
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