"Not really a big deal," Jerry shrugged casually. "I just happened to run into him while we were passing through. Nothing worth making a fuss over."
Jerry genuinely felt this wasn't newsworthy—probably just another case of idle reporters with nothing better to do, spinning minor encounters into dramatic headlines for the sake of selling papers.
"You're right that it's just a small corner article," Jinbe agreed, "but it did come with some new bounty updates that might interest you."
Carina suddenly felt an ominous chill run down her spine.
"Yes, unfortunately it concerns both you young ladies," Jinbe continued, producing two crisp wanted posters bearing unmistakable photographs. "The World Government has officially issued bounties for both of you."
The amounts weren't particularly high—Carina's bounty sat at several million berries, while Carrot's was a modest 30 berries, barely 20 higher than Kotatsu's pet-level bounty. Jerry couldn't help but wonder if they'd calculated it by weight or some other equally ridiculous metric.
Upon seeing her wanted poster, Carina looked as though she'd been struck by lightning. She reached out with trembling hands to take the paper, confirming that the photograph was indeed her own, then slowly sank to the deck with a devastated expression.
"Why would they put a bounty on me?" she muttered miserably. "I'm just an innocent person who was forced aboard this ship against my will..."
"I was having such a wonderful day until you showed me this," she continued, wallowing in despair. "Now I feel absolutely miserable..."
In stark contrast, Carrot leaped up with pure joy, apparently having no idea what the implications of a bounty actually meant. She grabbed her wanted poster and cheered enthusiastically.
"This is amazing! I have a bounty too!"
"Brother Jerry, does this mean I'm officially a real pirate now?" she asked with sparkling eyes.
"Ah... well, you're certainly a big-time pirate now," Jerry replied awkwardly, scratching his head. "But that also means you'll need to be much more careful from now on."
Jerry felt genuinely bad about dragging these two into the dangerous world of bounty hunting. Neither had asked for this fate—Carina had done absolutely nothing beyond being in the wrong place at the wrong time when they encountered Admiral Aokiji, while Carrot had already fought alongside them on previous islands without earning Marine attention until now.
The real reason for their sudden bounties was obvious: appearing on a pirate ship during a high-profile confrontation with an Admiral had marked them as accomplices in the eyes of both reporters and Marine intelligence.
Jerry had originally planned to find an opportunity to let Carina disembark safely once they returned to Paradise or one of the calmer seas, but given these new developments, such arrangements would be significantly more complicated.
After her initial excitement faded, Carrot noticed Carina sitting dejectedly on the deck, muttering to herself in distress. The little rabbit's eyes widened with concern, and she quickly flew over to wrap Carina in a comforting hug, nuzzling her cheek affectionately.
As a professional thief, Carina normally wouldn't have been too bothered by having a bounty—occupational hazard and all that. But the idea of being wanted as a pirate rather than simply a criminal felt different somehow, especially since she'd been forced into this life rather than choosing it. The knowledge that Marine forces would now be actively hunting her as part of the Black Star Pirates crew was genuinely terrifying.
However, Carrot's unique brand of innocent comfort worked its magic, and Carina gradually stopped brooding. During their time together aboard the ship, the two had genuinely bonded as close friends.
"What's done is done," she thought to herself, her expression slowly returning to normal. "I'll worry about the future when it comes."
Deuce, Skull, and the others had been standing awkwardly to the side, unsure how to offer comfort in such a situation. After all, official bounties couldn't simply be rescinded, and there was nothing any of them could do about it. They were all grateful that Carrot had been there to help.
Jerry breathed a secret sigh of relief and quickly changed the subject.
"Ahem... well, their reactions are understandable," he said. "Jinbe, should we plan to meet you here tomorrow morning before heading to the palace?"
"Actually, I could arrange for an official escort to collect you," Jinbe offered diplomatically.
"No need for all that ceremony," Jerry replied firmly. "Let's not make a big spectacle. We're still pirates, after all, and this is a World Government affiliated nation. Better to keep a low profile so we don't inadvertently affect Ryugu Kingdom's political standing or policies."
"A wise consideration," Jinbe nodded approvingly. "In that case, I'll return to make the necessary arrangements and discuss the details with King Neptune."
With no one raising objections to Jerry's decision, Jinbe bid them farewell and departed with characteristic efficiency.
"Alright everyone, we're officially dismissed for the evening!" Jerry announced. "Feel free to explore and enjoy yourselves, but remember to gather back here tomorrow morning."
The moment he declared their freedom, Ace shot off the ship like a rocket. When it came to enthusiasm for food, he remained undefeated.
Deuce immediately followed, well aware that Ace had left his wallet behind again. After a brief period of relaxation, it seemed he was back to his old routine of chasing his impulsive friend around to pay his mounting restaurant bills.
After Carina and Carrot finished packing a few essentials, they headed out together, chatting and laughing. Jerry and Skull prepared to leave as well, with Kotatsu padding along beside them.
"Are you two really okay?" Jerry asked the girls with genuine concern.
"Don't worry about me—I'm not that fragile," Carina replied with renewed confidence. "Come on, Carrot, let's go see what this underwater paradise has to offer."
Jerry and Skull exchanged glances before heading ashore themselves, each planning their own exploration of Fishman Island's unique attractions.
Everyone spent the evening wandering the magical underwater city at their leisure, sampling exotic foods and marveling at the coral architecture. As night fell, they gradually returned to the ship one by one, sharing stories of their adventures.
Late that night, after everyone had settled into their cabins, a furtive shadow appeared near the ship's railing. The figure looked around cautiously—though there was actually no one keeping watch—and smiled mischievously.
Carrying a fishing rod across his back and moving with exaggerated stealth through completely imaginary dangers, the shadow quickly disappeared into the underwater city's winding streets.
Jerry was determined to figure out what his broken system was up to with this ridiculous fishing quest. He navigated through side streets and along building walls, heading toward a destination he'd already scouted during their previous visit.
Fishman Island's unique infrastructure included massive transparent tubes filled with seawater crisscrossing through the air above the city. These ingenious constructions, crafted by the island's bubble specialists, allowed both citizens and sea creatures to travel easily between different districts.
Following the direction of these aerial waterways, Jerry soon arrived at Mermaid Bay—a breathtakingly beautiful district where many of the island's mermaid population made their homes. He remembered this area from when Dora had shown him around previously, though they'd spent most of their time in the Coral Apartments located in the deeper waters below.
"But how exactly am I supposed to fish here?" Jerry wondered aloud, considering the considerable depth of the residential areas. He certainly couldn't cast his line into someone's living room.
After pondering the logistics for a moment, and with no additional clues from his unhelpful system, he decided to start in a relatively shallow area and see what happened.
Jerry found a comfortable spot along the bay's edge, settled down cross-legged, and cast out his line. Since this wasn't his usual daily fishing routine, he'd only brought basic supplies—simple bait and his trusty rod.
After letting his line extend as far as possible into the depths below, Jerry began to look around with growing appreciation for his surroundings. Despite being underwater, the area was brilliantly illuminated with what appeared to be natural sunlight, complete with the illusion of blue skies and white clouds during daylight hours.
The atmosphere was incredibly lively, with groups of mermaids swimming and playing together in scenes that seemed straight out of a fairy tale. Their graceful movements through the water, combined with the carefully arranged coral gardens and seamlessly integrated architecture, created an environment where natural beauty and artistic design merged in perfect harmony.
Jerry found himself lost in random thoughts as the hours passed peacefully. The tranquil beauty of this underwater paradise was genuinely mesmerizing, making it easy to forget the passage of time.
Eventually, the darkest hour before dawn arrived.
"It's always darkest before the dawn," Jerry muttered to himself, stretching to ward off sleepiness. "Only a fool would give up now."
He paused, blinking in confusion. "Wait, why did I just say that? That sounded way too philosophical for this early in the morning."
Suddenly, he felt a distinct tug on his fishing line.
"Hmm? Did something actually take the bait?"
Jerry quickly reeled in his catch, and what surfaced was a small locked box with a thin rope attached, somehow tangled around his fishing line.
"How mysterious," he mused, examining the unusual catch. "Is this what the system was after?"
Jerry pulled the box to shore, carefully untangled the fishing line, then simply snapped the small lock with his fingers and opened it to peek inside.
The box was filled entirely with shells—nothing but ordinary seashells of various shapes and sizes. After rummaging through them thoroughly, he confirmed there were no pearls, treasures, or anything else of apparent value.
However, the moment his fingers touched the shells, the familiar system chime rang in his mind, confirming that he'd somehow completed the mysterious quest.
At that exact moment, a small head with flushed cheeks suddenly popped up from the waters of Mermaid Bay. The instant she spotted Jerry sitting there with the box, she pointed an accusatory finger in his direction and shrieked at the top of her lungs:
"There's a pervert stealing underwear!"