OPTC Chapter 162 Excellent Quality, Exactly as Described
In the end, the tavern was still standing—though the floor now bore a few sword marks. It seemed Vice Admiral Gion hadn't been bluffing when she said she would hold back.
Because both restrained their strength, there was no clear victor. Gion, known for her swordsmanship, was one of the Navy's most outstanding vice admirals. But if things got serious, Artoria still held the advantage. While Gion's mastery of Observation Haki was impressive, it couldn't match Artoria's near future-sight instincts.
In a duel based purely on exchanging moves, that kind of ability was almost cheating.
Perhaps given more time, once Gion advanced her Haki to the level of glimpsing the future, she wouldn't fall behind. Or if she developed a technique impossible to evade—something like a swallow's return—she could tip the scales.
Not long after Gion left, two ordinary marines arrived with a pair of handcuffs and matching keys. Their overly stern faces made it look as if Zhang Da Ye and his companions had committed some crime.
The two handcuffs were heavy, pitch black, and hard enough that ordinary weapons couldn't even scratch them. Each one was engraved with a serial number, clearly genuine military-grade equipment.
Zhang Da Ye turned the cuffs over in his hands and muttered, "Overall, the quality is excellent, exactly as described by the seller. Very satisfied, really like it, completely exceeded expectations. Delivery speed was fast, shipping was quick too. If I had to nitpick, the packaging was lacking—actually, there was no packaging at all. The delivery guy's attitude was so-so. But overall, a very satisfying shopping experience."
Rui Meng Meng deadpanned, "Boss, are you writing a Taobao review?"
"Shame they don't give cashback," Zhang Da Ye sighed, putting the cuffs away.
The next morning, Zhang Da Ye received a call from Camie. It had been a while.
The Den Den Mushi chirped happily. "Big Brother Da Ye, I've come to see you!"
"You ran off again?" Zhang Da Ye asked, worried.
"Not this time!" Camie explained. "I came with Boss Jinbe. I also brought a new friend!"
With Jinbe around, there was no need to worry about her being eaten by sea beasts. But the new friend part… "You didn't kidnap Shirahoshi, did you?"
"How could I!" Camie protested. "You'll meet them soon enough."
"Alright, where should I pick you up?"
"The same place I dropped you off last time!" Camie suddenly spoke in a gruff, manly tone, then quickly returned to her usual voice. "That's what Boss Jinbe said."
Zhang Da Ye hung up. "Who wants to come with me to pick up Camie?"
"I do," Rui Meng Meng raised her hand. She was pretty close to Camie.
"If Jinbe is here, I should greet him as well," Shark Chili added.
Tom shook his head. He had already gone on a morning run with them, most of which he had spent as Zhang Da Ye's weight pack. He wasn't about to move again.
"I'll stay and watch the tavern," Artoria said.
Zhang Da Ye mounted the bubble car, planning to buy some extra ingredients on the way back.
When they arrived at the shore, they saw the familiar Sun Pirates' ship and several familiar figures: a large blue man, a tiny mermaid, and… a starfish?
It was about half Tom's height, wearing a hat striped in red, green, and spotted black. Calling it a starfish was generous—it looked more like a stuffed doll.
Camie introduced happily, "Big Brother Da Ye, Sister Meng Meng, Mr. Shark Chili—this is my newly found master and pet, Papas Star!"
"…There's too much to unpack there," Zhang Da Ye muttered.
The little starfish jumped up and smacked Camie on the head. "It's Papagu!"
Rui Meng Meng crouched down. "A talking starfish? Is it a Fishman?"
Papagu cleared his throat. "Greetings, everyone. I'm Papagu. Actually, I grew up thinking I was human. By the time I realized I was a starfish, I had already learned to speak human language. The truth is—"
"Papagu is a fashion designer!" Camie cut him off. "His clothes are super popular on Fishman Island. He's amazing!"
"Hey, it's nice you praised me, but at least let me finish my sentence!" Papagu flailed his stubby arms against her back, but it wasn't very forceful.
Somehow, Papagu's presence seemed fragile. He would start talking, but halfway through, Camie would interrupt, and everyone else would just forget about him.
Meanwhile, Shark Chili was already chatting with Jinbe. "Mr. Jinbe, did you come just to escort Camie?"
"No," Jinbe shook his head. "I have matters of my own to attend to. Escorting Camie was simply on the way."
"Is Fishman Island in trouble?" Zhang Da Ye asked.
"Not trouble exactly," Jinbe explained. "Things are going smoothly. But during the cleanup of Fishman Street, many human pirates were captured. If Fishman Island dealt with them on its own, it could cause problems, so it was decided I should deliver them to a Navy base."
"What kind of problem could it cause? They're just a bunch of sea trash—uh, not you," Zhang Da Ye quickly corrected himself. He had almost insulted Jinbe as well.
Jinbe didn't take offense. He knew well that many pirates truly were trash. "In matters like this, being cautious is never wrong."
"So, are you heading to Navy HQ or the local base? Just a reminder—the base commander here holds a grudge against the Sun Pirates."
"A grudge?" Jinbe frowned. He only remembered one—Strawberry, the long-headed marine who had ambushed them years ago. That man should be a vice admiral by now.
Strawberry had led the attack on Fisher Tiger, gravely injuring him. But before Tiger died, he had urged everyone not to let hatred carry on. So even if they met, Jinbe wouldn't draw his blade.
"This one's Vice Admiral Kadaru," Zhang Da Ye explained. "He once pursued your crew to recapture slaves. His fleet was sunk, and only he survived. He still resents you for his men's deaths."
Jinbe tried to recall. After Zhang Da Ye described Kadaru's appearance, he finally remembered—barely. "Ah… two, maybe three years ago. No wonder I forgot. He was weak."
That battle had been the Sun Pirates' first major clash. The marines had come for their lives, and the Fishmen had shown no mercy. Arlong was consumed with hatred for humans, Jinbe fought with honor, and Tiger hadn't restrained them in time. The marines had been utterly crushed.
"It was my recklessness back then," Jinbe admitted. "I only hope this won't trouble Queen Otohime."
The truth was, both sides had their reasons. But ultimately, it was the Celestial Dragons who had created the problem. Zhang Da Ye advised, "Better to send them straight to Navy HQ, save yourself the hassle."
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