OPTC Chapter 164 The Point Is, Jinbe's Belly Isn't Fun to Touch
Maybe people had gotten a little too enthusiastic about the shared golden folding stool over the past few days, because now hardly anyone was coming to try it. The extra income dropped sharply.
Most had only sat on it once out of curiosity, then quickly lost interest. In the end, it was just a stool—gold or silver, it wasn't going to grant immortality. Better to save the money for drinks.
As usual, Shark Chili acted as lookout for a while, then went to the courtyard to practice his Fishman Karate. When the tavern was at its busiest, he'd come in and lend a hand.
Camie obediently sat behind the bar with Artoria, Tom, and Papagu, playing cards. Every so often she'd glance up, curious about the various guests that came and went.
"Hey, little boss, what's with the green-haired kid?"
"Her name's Camie. A friend asked me to look after her for a while."
"She's pretty cute. Camie-chan, how about Uncle buys you some juice?"
"Uncle, trying to lure little girls will get you struck by lightning."
"Who's luring? She just looks about the same age as my daughter, so I thought maybe I'd introduce them."
"You, a scruffy uncle like that, have a daughter?"
"Too harsh, don't you think…"
Zhang Da Ye often traded playful jabs with familiar guests like this.
…
"Camie, you said Papagu is your teacher. What did you mean?" Rui Meng Meng asked during a lull.
"Because I want to become a great fashion designer in the future, so I'm learning from Papagu!" Camie lit up as she spoke, the way people often did when talking about their dreams.
"A designer, huh? Sounds impressive." To Rui Meng Meng, the word "fashion designer" carried a sense of elegance. "Then I'll be waiting to wear the clothes you design!"
"Hehe, I'll do my best!" Camie clenched her little fists. Then she asked, "What about you, Sister Meng Meng? What's your dream?"
Rui Meng Meng froze. "Me? I…"
"She wants to be the Super God King," Zhang Da Ye cut in. "Though I'm still not sure what that even is."
"The Super God King is… um… hard to explain." Rui Meng Meng scratched her head in frustration. "Honestly, I just want people to remember me. Even though I'm poor, stupid, dropped out of school, and got bullied working in a restaurant because I was clumsy… Even so, I want to do something everyone will admire."
For someone who looked so soft and fragile, deep down she longed to be a hero.
"That sounds amazing." In truth, Camie was the one who was scatterbrained, though she'd never really been bullied.
"Well, I say that, but I still don't know how to make it happen. For now, I just follow the boss's lead." Rui Meng Meng looked embarrassed. Still, tagging along with Zhang Da Ye to catch criminals and free slaves seemed like a decent start.
Camie turned to Zhang Da Ye. "Then what about you, Brother Da Ye? What's your dream?"
"Now that you mention it, I don't think I really have one."
"How could you not?"
"At first, I just wanted to survive. Later I got stronger… well, my team got stronger. Then I started doing whatever I could to help out and earn some money. Right now, I guess my goal is to save up enough to buy a ship and sail the world."
Zhang Da Ye thought back on how much he'd changed since coming here. Traveling the seas didn't sound like a bad dream. Originally, he only thought about finding All Blue for Tom or helping Artoria taste foods around the world.
As for his private wish—to grow strong enough to knock around Emperors and Admirals alike—that wasn't something he'd say out loud. Like many people, the older he got, the more embarrassed he was about lofty dreams.
"Wouldn't buying a ship be really expensive?" Camie asked, resting her chin in her hands.
"A good one, yeah."
"Like Boss Jinbe's ship?"
"Not that big. And his isn't really suited for us." Zhang Da Ye recalled Jinbe's remodeled warship. Solid build, but far too plain.
"Our ship doesn't need to be huge. Just enough for ten or so people to live comfortably. Besides bedrooms and a dining hall, it should have a gym, a martial arts room, a library, things like that."
"And maybe even a little bar on the upper deck. Every time we dock at an island, we could open shop for a few days to earn pocket money and learn about local customs. Growing trees on board might be difficult, but some flowers and potted plants would be fine…"
"Though the most important thing isn't any of that. The key is a big storage room for ingredients, with proper refrigeration."
The more he spoke, the more Zhang Da Ye felt like sketching out designs, but since he couldn't draw, he just scribbled down some notes.
While the group was chatting, the tavern suddenly fell silent—Jinbe had appeared at the door.
"Isn't that… the newly appointed Warlord of the Sea, the Knight of the Sea, Jinbe!"
"Why is he here!"
Guests whispered nervously. Some even considered bolting. After all, he was rumored to be a dangerous Fishman pirate.
This felt familiar. The last time Mihawk had shown up, the tavern had reacted the same way.
Zhang Da Ye waved cheerfully. "Yo, Jinbe!"
And everyone watched as the supposedly terrifying pirate broke into a warm smile. "Da Ye, my friend, I've come for that drink you promised."
The tavern collectively froze. "Huh???"
"The boss invited him?"
"Why do they act so close?"
"First Mihawk, now Jinbe—what kind of tavern is this!"
Zhang Da Ye listened to the chatter, amused. If he told them he'd also offended Crocodile and swindled Doflamingo, they'd probably faint. At this rate, once he picked fights with the other three, he could summon a dragon with the full set.
"I've been waiting for you." Zhang Da Ye set out bottles of liquor, then turned to the crowd. "Let me introduce him. This is Jinbe, the Warlord of the Sea and a good friend I met on Fishman Island. One thing to note: even though he looks a little chubby, his belly isn't fun to touch at all."
Jinbe froze. That was the takeaway?
The guests roared in disbelief. "That's the point???"
Zhang Da Ye shrugged. "What else? Once you're close with a chubby guy, how can you resist patting his belly?"
Several simple-minded guests actually considered it seriously and nodded. It made sense in a strange way.
One nervous man leaned closer and whispered, "But… he's a Warlord. And also…"
"And also a Fishman?" Zhang Da Ye finished for him. "Fishmen are still people. Warlords are still people. What's the big deal? It's not like you've never met Mihawk."
A few timid guests paid their tabs and slipped out, but most stayed. Whether out of curiosity about Jinbe or trust in Zhang Da Ye, they decided not to leave. All eyes were on the Fishman.
"Sorry for intruding," Jinbe said politely to the room before sitting opposite Zhang Da Ye.
The guests were stunned. A man of his stature being so courteous felt unreal.
Zhang Da Ye smiled, satisfied. He wasn't trying to change everyone's minds overnight. It was enough if a couple dozen people here left knowing a bit more about Fishmen and Fishman Island.
Scatter enough seeds, and some would sprout. That was enough.
Why was he doing this? No need for overthinking—he just wanted to help a friend.
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