Chapter 53: Jinzaemon
"Do you still want to stop me?"
Charlotte jumped off the bow and walked up to the fishman general, looking up at him.
Even though this fishman was nearly five meters tall, under the pressure of Charlotte's Conqueror's Haki, he was crouched down, his height reduced by almost a meter.
It was clearly Charlotte who was looking up at him, but everyone felt as if Charlotte was towering over the five-meter-tall general.
"No! I will never allow anyone to harm Fishman Island!"
Even though he couldn't stand upright because of Charlotte's domineering aura, the fishman general remained steadfast.
"What's your name, fishman?"
Charlotte's interest was piqued as he observed the towering blue-skinned fishman.
"My name is Jinzaemon, and I am the general of Fishman Island!"
Jinzaemon's voice rang with pride, despite the oppressive weight of Charlotte's Haki.
"Jinzaemon, huh?"
Hearing the name, Charlotte's thoughts wandered to Jinbe, the Fishman who would become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea decades later.
Could this be Jinbe's father?
Charlotte couldn't help but wonder at the coincidence.
Retracting his Conqueror's Haki, he released Jinzaemon from its grip.
Freed from the pressure, Jinzaemon stood upright, regaining his composure.
"Captain Charlotte! Fishman Island does not want to be your enemy. I beg you, please, do not harm our home!"
Jinzaemon dropped to his knees, bowing deeply before Charlotte.
The sight gave Charlotte a moment of déjà vu. The scene was eerily familiar—decades later, someone strikingly similar to Jinzaemon would kneel in the same place.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Charlotte spoke, "Don't worry. I have no interest in harming Fishman Island. I'm only passing through. I'll rest here for a day and leave. You have my word."
Hearing this, Jinzaemon lowered his head further and kowtowed.
"Thank you, Captain Charlotte, for your mercy!"
Jinzaemon's gratitude was genuine; he knew that if Charlotte had wanted to, he could have razed Fishman Island with ease.
"Show me around Fishman Island," Charlotte said, turning toward the gates. "It's my first time here."
Recognizing that he could not resist Charlotte's curiosity, Jinzaemon quickly stood up.
"Captain Charlotte, please allow me to guide you through Fishman Island."
With a gesture of invitation, Jinzaemon led the way.
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As Charlotte walked into Fishman Island, he noticed fishmen and mermaids peeking out from behind corners, watching him and his crew from a distance.
"He's human! Why doesn't he have a tail?"
A curious little mermaid pointed at Charlotte and whispered to her parent.
"Silly girl, humans don't have tails!"
The parent corrected her, gently pulling her away.
Hearing the murmurs, Charlotte felt a bit of discomfort. He had come to Fishman Island hoping to admire the unique underwater world and its people, but instead, he and his crew had become the spectacle.
It was as if they were the ones being watched in an aquarium, not the other way around.
Feeling his interest wane, Charlotte turned to Jinzaemon.
"Is there a tavern nearby?"
Jinzaemon blinked at the question, then quickly nodded.
"You'd like to taste our local drinks, Captain Charlotte?"
"Yes," Charlotte replied simply.
"Then, please follow me," Jinzaemon said, motioning for him to follow.
As they began walking, a voice interrupted them.
"General Jinzaemon! General Jinzaemon!"
A blue-and-white fishman guard ran toward them, spear in hand.
Jinzaemon frowned, worried that the guard's haste might upset Charlotte.
"What's the matter?" Jinzaemon asked.
The guard glanced nervously at Charlotte, hesitating before speaking.
"General, the prince—Prince Neptune—requests to meet Captain Charlotte."
Hearing this, Jinzaemon's expression darkened. Grabbing the guard by the arm, he pulled him aside and whispered fiercely.
"Are you crazy? Tell the prince not to come. Captain Charlotte will only stay for one day. Do not provoke him!"
Realizing the gravity of the situation, the guard nodded hurriedly.
"Yes, General! I'll inform the prince immediately."
The guard dashed off, leaving Jinzaemon to compose himself before returning to Charlotte.
"Hahaha, my apologies, Captain Charlotte," Jinzaemon said, forcing a smile. "Our prince is a bit curious, that's all."
"It's fine," Charlotte waved it off.
Then, as if suddenly curious, he asked, "By the way, who is your prince?"
Jinzaemon hesitated but eventually answered, "Our prince is Neptune, the only son of our king and the future heir to the Dragon Palace."
Hearing this, Charlotte's eyes lit up in recognition.
Neptune? Isn't he the big, burly King Neptune from decades later?
Charlotte couldn't help but smile at the thought of Neptune's daughter, Shirahoshi, one of the three ancient weapons. The ability to control Sea Kings was a terrifying power, and Charlotte briefly considered how that power might be used.
Perhaps one day, when Shirahoshi was born, he could return to Fishman Island and become her godfather.
The thought amused him, though he quickly pushed it aside. There was no rush to think about such things now.
Seeing Charlotte deep in thought, Jinzaemon grew uneasy.
"Captain Charlotte, shall we continue to the tavern?" Jinzaemon asked cautiously, trying to gauge Charlotte's mood.
Snapped out of his thoughts, Charlotte smirked.
"Lead the way," he said, walking forward.
Jinzaemon let out a silent sigh of relief and continued guiding Charlotte through Fishman Island.
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