Fish-Man District, central plaza.
Around the massive shell-shaped building at its center, countless fishmen had gathered. They looked fierce, their clothes rough and worn.
Standing in the middle of the crowd were Yemu, Tiger, Jinbe, Aladdin, and Arlong.
"Is this everyone?"
Yemu glanced around. There were not many. Fewer than a few hundred, and that was without excluding the children and mermaids present.
Ever since Yemu had raised those questions, Tiger had been lost in deep thought. Yemu had not disturbed him, so it was Jinbe who answered.
"Yes, big brother. The rest aren't suited to become warriors, so I didn't call them over."
Compared to when Yemu and his crew had first arrived, things were different now.
Whether it was Jinbe, Aladdin, or even Arlong, the hostility they once held toward humans had gradually turned into genuine respect when they looked at Yemu.
Over the past ten days, they had seen the changes on Fish-Man Island with their own eyes.
Things were slowly improving.
There had not been a single disappearance of merfolk. The pirates entering Fish-Man Island had also become unusually restrained and quiet.
All of it stemmed from the help of the Sky Pirates and from Yemu lending their name to the people of the island.
What moved them even more was that Yemu did not only care about the island's present. He was seriously considering its future.
That was why they were here today.
The fishmen gathered in the plaza, however, did not know any of this. Their expressions were far from friendly.
Even with Tiger and Jinbe standing beside him, they made no effort to hide their hatred for humans.
Yemu did not seem bothered. Instead, he turned to Tiger with a faint smile.
"Not bad eyes. They don't look like saints, but with some proper training, they can be shaped into something decent. Tiger, you don't mind if I give them a little demonstration, do you?"
Tiger snapped out of his thoughts and glanced at the crowd. He gave a bitter smile.
"Captain… please go easy on them."
"Relax. I won't scare them too much."
Before the surrounding fishmen, still whispering among themselves, could figure out what was happening, a terrifying pressure descended, crashing down on every single one of them.
For a split second, it felt like a hallucination.
The human who had seemed so small now appeared like a towering demon in their eyes.
An instinctive fear surged from the depths of their hearts, flooding their minds. Their strength drained away, their bodies trembling uncontrollably as cold sweat poured down their foreheads.
Thankfully, it did not last long.
"Well then. I assume everyone can properly listen to this human speak now."
Yemu's voice pulled them back from the edge.
From that moment on, the human before them became a presence they would never forget.
Not a single fishman dared whisper again. Not a single one dared glare at Yemu with hatred.
They stood there panting, faces pale, eyes filled with fear.
"I have to praise you. Under my Haki, not a single one of you has fallen. Looks like Tiger was right. The people of Fish-Man District really are born to be strong warriors."
Fear and praise hit them at the same time. Before anyone could even process it, the human in front of them clapped his hands.
"Jinbe, have them bring it up."
"Got it, big brother!"
Jinbe, still recovering from the impact of that Conqueror's Haki, wiped at the cold sweat on his forehead and waved to his men.
Under the watchful eyes of the fishmen in Fish-Man District, two catfish fishmen carried in a huge crate.
It was obviously heavy. Even the catfish fishmen, famous for their strength, were panting by the time they set it down.
Thud.
The crate hit the ground hard. The surrounding fishmen stared, curious and confused about what it was for.
Yemu did not keep them waiting. He grabbed the lock, twisted it open, and lifted the lid.
In an instant, a blaze of golden light flooded every pair of eyes. Faces froze in disbelief.
"G-Gold… so much gold…"
"How much is this worth?!"
"And those gems…"
Then an even more unbelievable line cut through the murmurs.
"Do you want this gold?"
"What?!"
The shocked cry echoed through the street. Every fishman stared at the human as if they could not believe what they had just heard.
"Th-This… this gold and these gems… they're for us?"
Their voices were full of doubt.
If not for the terrifying pressure Yemu had released earlier, and the dangerous glint in his eyes now, they might have already swarmed forward to snatch it all.
"Yes."
Yemu's answer was firm. Before they could even start celebrating, he continued.
"But it won't be that easy to get your hands on it."
"W-What do you mean?"
"Nothing complicated. Most of you probably heard what I said on Fish-Man Island over ten days ago, right?"
Many fishmen nodded.
"To be honest, I was disappointed in the fishmen elsewhere on Fish-Man Island. They're not suited to be warriors, and they're not suited to protect this place. But you are different."
As he spoke, his gaze sharpened, and the fishmen could feel that oppressive aura rolling off him again.
"I see an outstanding quality in you. Defiance. The kind that refuses to bow to fate."
"I'm guessing you're not happy with the lives you're living now."
That hit straight into the hearts of everyone present.
If it were not for their low status and their circumstances, who would want to stay stuck in the poverty of Fish-Man District? Who would not want comfort and wealth?
"Good. That look in your eyes, I like it."
"So here's your chance."
"Tiger is my navigator, and he's also the hero of Fish-Man District. To help Tiger, and to protect Fish-Man Island, I'm going to establish a guard force."
"As for the name, we'll call it the Sun Army. It means that one day you'll all be able to live under the sunlight, without having to hide yourselves down here."
"And once you join the Sun Army, you won't have to worry about making ends meet ever again. Whatever you want, you'll have it."
"I only ask one thing. Forget the past. Starting today, train hard and turn yourselves into powerful warriors."
"If you satisfy me, I won't be stingy. Consider this gold your military funds."
"And to put your minds at ease, Tiger will serve as this force's general and command you."
"But Tiger is my navigator, and he may not stay here for long. So I'm appointing Jinbe as deputy general. When Tiger isn't here, Jinbe will lead you."
"Then Aladdin, Arlong, and…"
Yemu's eyes swept across the crowd and stopped on one figure who stood out.
"Fishman Hachi. The three of you will serve as the three major officers and assist Jinbe."
"So, what do you all say?"