**Chapter 1: The Beehive on Monster Island**
New World, Hachinosu—Pirate Island.
Ever since the Rocks Pirates were established and made this their base of operations, Hachinosu had become an island of pirates.
In a tavern located in the southeast of the island, a tall man with two horns on his head sat before the bar counter.
He held a massive liquor barrel in one hand and a kanabō (iron club) in the other. Lying around him were numerous people; judging by their wounds and the bloodstains on the club, this man was the culprit.
Aside from the fallen, a dozen others surrounded him holding various weapons, indicating the battle was far from over.
Such incidents were common on Hachinosu. Because a massive number of pirates used this place as a base, there was a certain order, but pirates attacking and killing each other remained a daily occurrence.
Fights breaking out over a single disagreement happened everywhere.
The little girl tending the bar seemed accustomed to this sight, silently wiping the glass in her hand.
Her skin was smooth, and she wore a one-piece swimsuit, but her skin tone was unique—a light green distinct from ordinary humans.
Her eyes were red, her ears resembled fish fins, there were fin-like structures on her elbows, and her aqua-blue hair was tied in a ponytail behind her back.
At this moment, she was holding a small notebook, recording the damaged items.
"Kaido, you're paying for the broken stuff."
The horned man was none other than the future Emperor of the Sea, known as the Strongest Creature on Land, Sea, and Air—Kaido of the Beasts.
Currently, he seemed completely drunk. Hearing the word "compensation," his voice carried a touch of sorrow.
"Why... they were the ones who started trouble first. Why do I have to pay in the end..."
Kaido looked quite aggrieved, as if tears might fall at any moment. Anyone familiar with him would understand that Kaido was drunk.
Drunken Kaido and sober Kaido were two completely different people. When drunk, his emotions became abnormally rich—sorrowful, coquettish, capable of doing anything, making him unpredictable.
"Hmph, if you kill all of them, who else is left to pay but you!"
"Worororo!! That makes sense! Looking at it that way, I really do have to pay..."
The sorrow in Kaido's laughter vanished, replaced by joy, as if he found the other party's words very reasonable.
After tilting his head back to drain the liquor barrel, Kaido casually threw it aside, smashing it into pieces. The girl immediately added a new entry to the bill.
As Kaido stood up again gripping his iron club, the surrounding pirates tightened their grip on their weapons.
However, neither Kaido, who was asked to pay, nor the pirates, whom the girl judged would definitely lose to Kaido, showed any hostility toward the girl.
"Kaido, you bastard! If you have the guts, step away from the bar!"
The surrounding pirates seemed to fear something, hesitating to attack Kaido in his current position. Kaido said nothing, simply standing up silently and assuming a combat stance.
As the melee began, the tavern erupted in chaotic noise.
"Thunder... Bagua!"
Kaido swung the club in his hand forward. The pirate closest to him flew backward like a tattered rag, smashing into another table nearby.
"You bastard, where are you aiming!"
"Get him! Kill that guy!"
"Don't lose, Kaido! I bet all my money on you!"
The sounds of combat collisions, breaking objects, and the cheering of spectators who didn't mind the chaos mixed together, creating a deafening racket.
Meanwhile, the little girl sat calmly behind the bar, recording her accounts.
"Hey, hey, hey! That table had sentimental value! Extra charge! Seven chairs, twenty-eight glasses, the floor..."
Just then, the tavern doors suddenly opened, and a man over three meters tall walked in.
He had long black hair and wore a blood-red robe, looking entirely human in appearance.
His pupils were also red, containing a hint of indifference, though a trace of gentleness appeared when he looked at certain individuals.
With his arrival, the tavern fell into instant silence; only Kaido's battle continued.
"Gulp..."
The pirates who were watching the show stopped cheering, swallowing nervously and patting their companions to stop them from drawing attention.
"What's wrong?"
"What are your eyes for? Didn't you see Nereus arrive?"
The look in his eyes as he glanced at the door clearly held a trace of fear. He seemed to know how terrifying this newcomer was, while the person beside him seemed like a rookie who didn't understand this place yet.
"Last time, he fought Rocks for seven days and seven nights without a clear winner. If they hadn't just been sparring, they might have sunk the entire Hachinosu Island. He is an absolute... monster..."
This statement made the rookie pirate fully understand the strength of the person before him. He immediately retreated obediently, not wanting to get burned.
"Big Brother Nereus, good afternoon."
"Daddy, you're here~"
A goofy-looking big guy at the tavern door greeted Nereus, and the little girl behind the bar waved her hand toward him.
This man named Nereus was the reason these pirates dared not show hostility toward the girl.
Nereus, a transmigrator, looked like an ordinary human; after all, a height of over three meters wasn't considered unusual on these seas.
However, he was a Fish-Man. Looking human was one of the characteristics of the Fish-Man race.
Their appearances varied greatly. Some had obvious fish-like features, such as Arlong.
But ultimately, they were a demi-human species. Another portion of them showed almost no such traits.
In the original timeline, Jack and Sasaki of the Beasts Pirates were examples; both were Fish-Men yet had almost no Fish-Man characteristics. Nereus belonged to the latter category.
"Nanamo, recording the value of broken items is correct, but why didn't you let them fight outside?"
Nanamo was the girl behind the bar. Hearing Nereus's question, she hid the small notebook behind her back, seemingly unsure how to explain.
Nereus didn't dwell on this point, shifting his gaze to Kaido, who was still fighting nearby.
Hachinosu was a mixed bag of dragons and snakes. Although Kaido hadn't fully matured yet, dealing with these guys wasn't difficult. By the time Nereus arrived, not many people were left standing.
During the fight, Kaido seemed to get even more excited, grabbing a liquor pot from the shelf and drinking, the drunkenness on his face deepening.
"Hic~ Nereus... you're here? Wanna drink together?"
While saying he wanted to drink, Kaido smashed the pot in his hand onto the last standing pirate. Blood mixed with liquor flowed onto the ground, adding more filth to the tavern floor.
"Tsk, did you forget what I told you... don't cause trouble on my turf!"
No one saw Nereus move clearly. In an instant, Nereus appeared beside Kaido, placing a hand lightly on him.
Kaido, who had been slaughtering everyone just moments ago, suddenly broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead, his drunkenness seeming to dissipate significantly.
"Nereus..."
*Boom!*
Nereus didn't wait for Kaido to finish speaking. Instead, he used his own method to give the other party a physical sobriety test.
Kaido's massive body was slammed into the ground, his head almost embedded in the floorboards.
Nereus then walked over to Nanamo, reaching out to signal her to hand over the notebook.
"Nereus... it was those guys... who started it..."
Not long after, Kaido sat up rubbing his head, explaining the origin of the incident to Nereus.
"Otherwise, did you think I would only help you 'sober up'? Restore the tavern to its original state for me, or else..."
"Daddy, he's clumsy and won't do a good job. Just make him pay money..."
Nereus took the notebook and tapped it lightly twice on Nanamo's head. Looking at Nanamo, who was squatting with her head in her hands pretending it hurt, he spoke sternly:
"Do you think I don't know how much these things cost? You're asking for extra; where were you planning to stash that money?"
The prices on Nanamo's notebook were clearly higher than the items' value. If Kaido really paid as Nanamo said, there would obviously be a sum of money left over.
Well, if things aren't repaired, where does the money come from? If the road is repaired twice, the money naturally appears.
"It's just that my allowance isn't enough..."
"If it's not enough, tell me. Don't play these little tricks."
Nereus put away the notebook and tossed a wallet to Nanamo.
"I remember you agreed to meet Katakuri and the others this afternoon. It's almost time; go play."
Nanamo counted the bills in the wallet, made a heart shape with her hands, hopped over the bar, and left the tavern. The big guy beside Nereus silently followed her.
This was, after all, the Island of Pirates. Although certain rules existed due to various reasons, letting a child run around outside alone was still worrisome.
It was fine on his own turf, but if she went out, it was best to have someone with her.