"Artoria, have you managed to grasp Haki yet?" Zhang Da Ye's biggest concern was still this question.
Artoria shook her head. "It's not so easy to master a new kind of power. I even doubt whether I possess that kind of force within me at all."
She wasn't forcing herself though. From what she understood so far, anything Haki could do might also be possible with magic. She just hadn't yet encountered a Logia user, so the comparison was unclear.
Zhang Da Ye had the same doubts. As outsiders from another world, maybe they could learn the sword techniques and martial arts here, but this innate "force" might not be something they naturally had.
Jinbe comforted them. "Don't lose heart. Awakening Haki is never something achieved overnight. Sometimes it appears suddenly during battle, or after long enough training it comes naturally."
"Either way, thank you for clearing that up," Zhang Da Ye replied.
Truthfully, none of them were that discouraged. Even without Haki, their group was already strong—more than enough to crush a certain disgraceful Shichibukai without trouble.
Jinbe said humbly, "I should be the one thanking Miss Artoria for her guidance."
Next, Rui Meng Meng and Shark Chili each tried out what it felt like to be flicked on the forehead by Armament Haki. The odds were slim, but they wanted to understand the power firsthand.
Even Tom, after watching everyone else, couldn't resist trying it out.
That nearly gave Jinbe a heart attack. With just a flick of his finger, Tom's black button nose popped clean off and went spinning through the air.
Everyone froze as they watched the little black nose spiral away and smack against the soap bubble membrane above the ship. The bubble stretched out nearly a meter, then snapped back with a springy boing and slapped the nose right back onto Tom's face.
"I'm so sorry! Truly, I meant no harm!" Jinbe panicked. He had carefully controlled his strength—at worst the cat should've been knocked back a little, not had his nose knocked off! And this wasn't just any cat, but Princess Shirahoshi's benefactor. If something happened to him under Jinbe's watch…
"Relax, he's fine." Zhang Da Ye patted Jinbe's belly to reassure him. Since Jinbe was over three meters tall, Zhang had to jump just to reach, and Jinbe's shoulders weren't much of a target anyway.
For the record, Jinbe's belly wasn't that pleasant to pat—too firm, no softness at all. Zhang gave it a mental bad review.
"No harm…?" Jinbe stared as Tom casually pressed his nose back into place, twisted it slightly to adjust the angle, then gave a satisfied nod.
"He's a Devil Fruit user?" Jinbe guessed aloud. Suddenly it made sense why Zhang Da Ye hadn't panicked earlier when hearing the prophecy about Tom being pierced through.
"You could think of it that way," Zhang Da Ye said, too lazy to explain more.
Jinbe still wasn't at ease, so he called Aladdin over to check Tom. Only after Aladdin, both vice-captain and ship's doctor, confirmed Tom was perfectly fine did Jinbe finally relax.
After learning this much about Tom's strange abilities, both Jinbe and Aladdin were full of wonder.
By now, the waters around them grew brighter, the glowing patches above expanding—it meant they were nearing the surface.
Ten kilometers might not be much on land, but from the seafloor to the ocean surface it carried a mysterious weight.
With a splash, the whale shark dragged their ship up through the water, sending waves rolling and mist spraying into the sunlight, briefly forming rainbows.
"No matter how many times I see it, the sky above still feels so much wider," Aladdin murmured, staring at the sun and white clouds as their ship broke the surface. This time, he couldn't bring himself to retreat below deck.
"Isn't that what Queen Otohime worked for all those years?" Jinbe said. "Those of us who cross between the surface and the depths should understand her heart more than anyone."
Aladdin fell silent. Understanding was one thing—letting go of the knot in his heart was another. That would take either the right chance, or time.
"We're back! These past days felt like a dream!" Rui Meng Meng cheered as she spotted the distant Sabaody Archipelago.
"It really was an amazing experience," Shark Chili agreed, though he privately admitted he'd need to reorganize parts of his scientific worldview after all this.
"Ah, feels like I can finally breathe again," Zhang Da Ye said to Jinbe and Aladdin. "Don't take this the wrong way, but on just the second night staying at Fishman Island, I had a nightmare. I dreamt the 'sky' collapsed—the bubble membrane shattered, seawater rushed in. The fishmen were fine of course, but me? I died in the most miserable way possible."
Tom nodded. He remembered clearly: not only did his master die horribly in that dream, but he also kicked violently in his sleep, jolting both himself and Tom awake.
That kick hurt like hell. Tom tilted his head at the memory and stomped once on Zhang Da Ye's foot in retaliation.
"Ahh! Ow ow ow!" Zhang Da Ye hopped on one leg, clutching his foot. "Tom, still holding grudges? Didn't I already apologize? And don't forget—you crushed my waist once, I never even complained!"
Tom whistled, pretending not to hear.
The whole group burst into laughter, and even Artoria's lips curved into a smile.
Life in Ryugu Castle had been luxurious, but it felt like staying as guests. Here, even before stepping back onto land, the easy bickering made it feel like home.
…
The whale shark pulled the ship to shore near Grove 59. Jinbe and Aladdin lowered a small boat and escorted them to land. "This is where we must part ways. Forgive us if we failed to host you properly."
Jinbe's manner of speech always carried a special gravity, especially in more serious moments.
"Jinbe, Aladdin, won't you at least visit our tavern? Let us treat you properly to a drink," Zhang Da Ye offered.
"Thank you, but it would be inconvenient for me to go into town with my identity. And we also need to hurry back to Fishman District matters. Another time, I promise I'll visit."
He knew too well that both his title as a Shichibukai and his race could bring Zhang Da Ye trouble if he entered the town openly.
"Alright then, I won't press the matter," Zhang Da Ye said, understanding. "I wish you both smooth sailing."
They stood on shore, waving, until Jinbe and Aladdin disappeared beneath the waves again.
Just before their figures vanished from sight, Zhang Da Ye suddenly grinned and shouted, "Oh right, Jinbe—here's some advice! Eat fewer pears!"
Jinbe: ?
Was… was that his unique way of showing concern?
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