The battlefield had settled, and silence hung in the air, broken only by the faint sobs of a little girl. Koala was clutching her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks even as a small, silly laugh escaped her lips.
William crouched down on one knee, his warm gaze meeting hers. Gently, he wiped the tears from her face with his thumb. "I heard what you said, little one." He said softly. "And I think you're the bravest little girl I've ever seen."
Koala burst into uncontrollable sobs, this time burying her face into William's chest. He wrapped his arms around her, lifting her small frame effortlessly as she cried.
When her tears began to subside, Koala looked up, noticing the wet patch her tears had left on his shirt. Her face turned pale with panic. "I-I'm… I'm so sorry! I dirtied your clothes!"
William laughed heartily, rubbing her head with a large, comforting hand. "Don't worry about it. It's just clothes," he said with a grin.
He handed Koala over to Robin, who held her gently, whispering soft reassurances. Then William turned to face Fisher Tiger, whose breathing was shallow, blood dripping from his wounds. His voice became serious. "You don't look good, Tiger. Is there a doctor in your crew?"
Before Tiger could answer, two figures hurried over—Jinbe and Aladine. They bowed respectfully to William and his crew. "Thank you for saving our captain and all of us," Jinbe said sincerely.
Aladine crouched by Fisher Tiger, examining his injuries. His face darkened with concern. "This is bad. Captain, you need a blood transfusion immediately, or you won't make it." He paused before hesitatingly adding, "But… none of us share your blood type."
Jinbe, determined, spoke up. "There are humans on this island. Maybe we can find someone—"
"No!" Fisher Tiger roared, his voice filled with fury and pain. "I will not survive on blood tainted with humanity's hatred for Fish-Men!"
William stepped closer, his tone calm. "Your name is Aladine, right? See if my blood is compatible. If it is, use it."
Before Aladine could respond, Hancock stepped forward. "You can use mine as well."
Marigold, Sandersonia, Robin, and even Koala chimed in, each offering their blood without hesitation.
Jinbe and Aladine were stunned, their eyes wide in disbelief. "Thank you… thank you, benefactors!" Aladine stammered, bowing deeply.
Fisher Tiger, however, gritted his teeth, trying to push himself up despite his wounds. "I can't accept this. I won't—"
William snorted, cutting him off. "Spare me your nonsense pride, Tiger. Believe it or not, I'll knock you out cold and do the transfusion myself if I have to." His eyes locked onto Tiger's, unwavering. "Stop being stubborn and let us save you."
Aladine quickly examined William's blood, nodding in relief. "It's a match!"
William stripped off his shirt and lay down beside Tiger, flashing a grin. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and start."
Aladine scrambled to retrieve medical equipment from the sole intact Marine warship Marigold had spared. Within moments, the transfusion began.
Nearby, Arlong's fists clenched, his sharp teeth bared in anger. His hatred for humans burned fiercely, and he muttered under his breath. "We can't trust them. Humans are all the same—"
"Enough," Jinbe interrupted, grabbing Arlong's shoulder firmly. His voice was low but commanding. "Don't say something stupid. Do you realize who these people are? Each one of them could destroy us all with ease. I can tell that they don't hate Fish-Men, and they respect the captain. But mark my words, they won't hesitate to kill you if you anger them."
Arlong bit his tongue, his rage simmering but silenced.
As the transfusion continued, William turned his head to look at Fisher Tiger beside him. "Hey, Tiger, you might not know this, but three years ago, when you raided Mariejois, I was a slave there. You gave me the chance to escape. And I'm not saying I owe you or anything like that. What I am saying is that you're one of the few people I respect. And trust me, that list is very short."
Fisher Tiger hesitated, his pride clashing with the gratitude swelling in his chest. After a moment, he asked, "Why did you tell the whole world that you were a slave? Aren't you ashamed? Afraid they'll look down on you?"
William's laugh echoed through the battlefield, bold and unrestrained. "Ashamed? Believe me, Tiger, I have no shame in that. But what I do have is anger, rage, and hatred."
As he spoke, a wave of Conqueror's Haki radiated from him, the sheer force of his will pressing down on everyone present. Fisher Tiger and his crew felt their hearts pound in fear, their breaths quickening under the oppressive aura.
"One day, I'll drag those pigs off their thrones," William said, his voice low and dangerous. "And I'll tear down their rotten World Government piece by pie..."
"Ouch! Robin, what are you doing?" William yelped as Robin smacked the back of his head.
Robin rolled her eyes, unbothered by the Conqueror's Haki. "You're scaring little Koala and your new Fish-Man friends."
William rubbed his head sheepishly, the Haki dissipating instantly. "Oh… uh, sorry about that. Got carried away."
He turned back to Tiger. "Tiger, come with me. Let's change this world together. Let's build a world where everyone is equal. A world with no slaves, no injustice. A world where Fish-Men can live on the surface without fear, where humans, giants, Fish-Men, Long-Legs... all races, can live together in peace."
He extended his hand toward Tiger. "So instead of dying here because of your pride, fight by my side. What do you say, Tiger?"
Fisher Tiger looked at William's outstretched hand, then at his crew. His lips quivered, and tears welled up in his eyes. Slowly, he bowed his head, his voice trembling as he spoke.
"You know," Tiger began, his tears now streaming freely, "I was once a slave." His crew gasped, but he continued, his voice heavy with emotion. "I told you all that I was on an adventure, but the truth is, I was so ashamed. I was scared that you'd all look down on me until…"
Tiger looked up, his tear-filled eyes meeting William's. "Until I saw you—standing tall, telling the whole world that you and the Boa sisters were slaves. I could see it in your eyes, all four of you on that screen… you didn't care if anyone looked down on you. You weren't ashamed or hiding away, like I did. You stood up to the World Government and fought back." His voice cracked, his pride breaking. "I was so proud of you. At that moment, all I wished was to stand next to you and fight by your side. But I was afraid. Afraid the World Government would retaliate, kill my crew, and destroy Fishman Island."
William placed a hand on Tiger's shoulder. "It's not too late, Tiger. Join us and fight by our side. If you're worried about Fishman Island, give me a year or two. I promise you, your home will be safe."
Tiger turned to his crew, his voice shaking. "Do you… do you all look down on me now that you know I was a slave?"
Aladine stepped forward. "No, Captain! We will never look down on you. You're a hero to us and to all of Fishman Island."
Jinbe nodded firmly. "Yes, Brother Tiger, you are our hero. We'll never see you any differently."
The rest of the crew erupted in agreement, their voices loud with praise and admiration.
But Arlong stood apart, his face twisted in anger. "I won't look down on you, Captain, for being a slave. But…" He spat, his hatred palpable. "How could you take the disgusting blood of a human to survive?"
Tiger's expression hardened. "Arlong, you—"
Arlong interrupted, his voice venomous. "We are proud Fishmen! A noble race! We should rule the world and take humans as our slaves!"
Before anyone could react, Hancock's Conqueror's Haki burst forth. The air grew heavy, and Arlong was forced to his knees, trembling under her power. Her cold, disdainful gaze pierced through him as she spoke.
"I don't hate Fish-men," she began, her voice sharp as a blade. "But I do hate people like you. Do you know what you sound like? You sound exactly like those Celestial pigs. For Tiger's sake, I'll spare your life this time. But if I ever hear you talking about enslaving people again, believe me, not even Tiger can save your sorry ass." Her Haki flared again, stronger this time, and Arlong collapsed unconscious.
The crew stared in stunned silence as Hancock turned away, her composure calm once more.
Tiger sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. "I'm sorry about that. Arlong… he's extreme. And I hate to admit it, but there are many like him on Fishman Island."
William shrugged, his tone light. "Don't worry about it. There are plenty of humans like that, too. Like the people of this island—they betrayed you after you brought Koala here. But there are also people like Koala, who was willing to return to that hell to save you. Never forget that, Tiger. People fear what they don't understand. Once we take down the World Government, we'll make laws against racism and punish anyone who discriminates against others."
Tiger smiled, a flicker of hope lighting his face. "That's a world I want to see one day."
Aladine approached, nodding. "The transfusion is done." He began bandaging Tiger's wounds with care.
Tiger looked at his crew, his expression resolute. "I've made my decision. I'm going with Sir William to fight for a better future. I'm sorry I can't continue to sail with you."
The crew's faces fell, sadness evident in their eyes. Before the weight of the moment could sink too deeply, William grinned and stepped in. "How about this? In two years, anyone who wants to join us will be welcome. By then, I can guarantee Fishman Island will be safe. For now, your mission is to protect your home. And here—" He pulled out a Den Den Mushi. "If you're ever in trouble, call me. Tiger and I will come running."
The crew's spirits lifted, their sadness replaced by cheers and determination. "Brother Tiger, go follow your dream! In two years, we'll fight by your side again!"
Jinbe stepped forward, his voice steady. "Sir William, can I come with you?"
William raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Sure, Jinbe. By the way, where's a certain silly octopus named Hatchan?"
Hatchan scratched the back of his head, stepping forward nervously. "Uh… why are you looking for me?"
William's grin widened. "An old man back home asked me to bring you to him if you want. He said he misses you and wants to see you."
Hatchan tilted his head, confused. "An old man? Who?"
"His name is Rayleigh," William said simply.
Hatchan's eyes widened. "Oh! Rayleigh-san… I… can I go with you?"
William laughed. "Of course."
Tiger looked at Aladine, his expression serious. "Aladine, you'll take over as captain of the Sun Pirates. Take care of them and keep an eye on Arlong."
Aladine saluted. "Don't worry, Brother Tiger. I'll take care of the crew and protect our home."
William pointed at the Navy ship. "Take that warship and leave this place quickly. You don't want to stick around here for long."
Tiger nodded, his gaze lingering on his crew one last time before turning to William.
Just as they were about to leave, Koala broke free from Robin's arms and ran to William, clutching his coat. "Sir, can I come with you? I can clean, I can do anything—please take me with you!"
William knelt down, lifting her into his arms. "What about your family, Koala?"
Her face scrunched in anger. "I don't want to stay with them. They betrayed Uncle Tiger. I don't like them!"
William chuckled and nodded. "Alright, you can come with us. But no cleaning or chores. You'll go to school, like other kids."
Koala's eyes widened with joy. "Really? But… I want to be strong! I want to fight beside you and Uncle Tiger!"
William grinned. "You can train if you want, but school comes first. And you can call me brother."
Koala hugged him tightly. "Okay, Brother William!"
Hancock, standing nearby, smiled softly. "Husband, you're so good with kids. How about we have one of our own?"
William laughed. "Let's build Volaris first. Then we'll talk about it."
Hancock smiled. "Fine, then let's go back and urge those lazy idiots to hurry up."
With that, William opened a swirling space portal. Together with Hancock, Robin, Sandersonia, Marigold, Koala, Tiger, Jinbe, and Hatchan, he stepped through.