One Piece Gunslinger

Then Li Ang saw everyone shake their heads. Li Ang was satisfied with this answer; at least they hadn't asked what a navigator was like Ace had.

Leon never expected that Ace, after sailing for so long, wouldn't even have a navigator. It's practically a miracle he made it to the Sabaody Archipelago alive.

That makes sense. When Ace recruited crew members, he only cared about whether they clicked or not. He didn't care what the crew members did. As long as they could get the ship running, that was enough. And there really aren't many people in this world who can't do that.

As for more specialized navigational knowledge, and outstanding personnel capable of guiding everyone to avoid risks and navigate various dangerous places, these are quite rare. Ace might not encounter them unless he deliberately sought them out. And if they were to actually encounter any danger, Ace would probably just shout with delight and then fight alongside his crew to the very end to resolve the situation.

Thinking about this, Li Ang also noticed that Ace didn't have a Log Pose. He had originally thought that Log Pose were worn by navigators, but now that there were no navigators, where was the Log Pose? This was very important to Li Ang.

"Hey, Ace, where's your Log Pose?"

There was no other way; Ace was useless underwater except for his boasting, and this group of clueless crew members had no redeeming qualities other than their compatible personalities with Ace. Therefore, Leon had to step up, take charge, and use the Log Pose to ensure they weren't going the wrong way and successfully reached Fish-Man Island.

However, when something has the potential to go wrong, it will inevitably get worse. This Murphy's Law is a psychological effect, but when it actually happens, Leon wanted nothing more than to throw Ace into the water.

"What is a record pointer?"

As usual, Leon gave a fierce shake of his head, glaring at the other crew members. The crew members quickly understood what Leon meant, and they all said that the so-called Log Pose had been lost by Ace at the very beginning of the Grand Line.

stable.

This incident caught Li Ang off guard again, but it also resolved a question he had previously had: since he had seen Ace in Alabasta, Ace should have chosen the same route as Luffy.

But the truth is clearly not like that. If Luffy had followed the path Ace had taken, then Luffy wouldn't have had a chance. All the obstacles along the way were overcome by Ace, including Enel on Skypiea.

In truth, Ace's path was unique. Without the Log Pose, he simply followed his instincts, going wherever his feet led him on the Grand Line. Presumably, he even strayed into the Calm Belt at one point. No one can replicate this route. Even he himself didn't know what kind of path he was taking.

Sigh, with neither a navigator nor a logbook, this group is the second luckiest group Leon has ever seen. Another group is Bartolomeo's die-hard fan pirate crew; they have absolutely nothing, yet they still manage to reach the New World with just an old woman's guidance.

Li Ang had witnessed Ace's willful, reckless, and fatalistic approach to life. He truly lived up to his reputation as the eldest of the three troublemakers. It was only after becoming Whitebeard's disciple that Ace was changed and gradually matured.

But the problems now are: how do we get to Fishman Island? How do we know if we've gone the wrong way? And how do we control this wrecked ship underwater?

If this problem isn't solved, Li Ang and Ace and his bunch of goofballs will be stuck in the sea and die.

Although Ace successfully reached the New World in the original work, who knows if the addition of Leon this time will cause some strange changes, making it impossible for Ace to reach Fishman Island by luck.

So Li Ang readily admitted defeat; it would be too frustrating to be trapped and die here.

Then he decisively pulled out his "son." His opening line was: "Brother, help!"

Chapter 305 Neptune

Fortunately, Li Ang's "son" was extraordinary. It was far more powerful than a typical Den Den Mushi. It could even communicate in the depths of the ocean, which was unknown, allowing Li Ang to call for help.

Fortunately, Jinbe was on Fishman Island and hadn't run away, so he arrived quickly. Otherwise, if Li Ang had stayed in that oppressive environment for too long, he might have thrown this damn culprit out.

When Jinbe arrived to lead the way based on Li Ang's description, he burst into laughter at Li Ang's embarrassed state.

I never imagined that the revolutionary army's chief of staff, who was portrayed as a godlike figure by the outside world, the chief of staff who seemed to have flawless strategies, would actually make such a basic mistake, and actually cry for help.

However, apart from Leon and the Sun Pirates, no one else knew what Jinbe was laughing about. Leon noticed that the other Sun Pirates crew members were also struggling to hold back their laughter, but they couldn't lash out because of Leon's gaze.

Then the Sun Pirates' ship threw out several ropes to tie up Ace's ship. Like a trailer, it towed the ship forward.

"Oh dear, Brother Li Ang, if you had told me you were coming to Fishman Island, I would have come up to pick you up. Look at the mess you've made. If word gets out, it'll be talked about for years to come."

Li Ang knew this might become a major stain on his life, but he had no choice but to choose shame over death. It might even become a meme, with the phrase "Bro, help!" becoming a timeless classic.

"Yes, Li Ang. You should have told me sooner that I have friends on Fishman Island, we..."

Before Ace could finish speaking, Li Ang retorted, "Shut up, it's all because of you and that idiot."

“But I didn’t want anyone else to know about my relationship with you. If I had asked you to come up and pick me up, it would have been in the newspapers the next day,” Li Ang said helplessly.

"By the way, why don't you introduce me?" Ace continued to ask.

"Oh, this is Jinbe. This is Ace."

……

"End?"

"It's over."

Li Ang's answer was utterly perfunctory. He no longer wanted to get entangled with this unfortunate kid; the experiences along the way had already drained him of all his energy.

However, Li Ang's defeat did not affect the two of them. Even without Li Ang's participation, the two were able to catch each other's eye and soon became familiar with each other, also addressing each other as Brother Ace and Brother Jinbe.

It can only be said that Ace has great personal charisma, no wonder he could gain so many followers despite being so unreliable.

With the Sun Pirates, who were familiar with the area, leading the way, they encountered no dangers along the way. They avoided large sea monsters and turbulent currents.

Before long, everyone saw a light emerging from below. It seemed they were approaching Fishman Island.

Fishman Island is structured like a gourd, completely surrounded by gourd-shaped bubbles. The smaller upper part of the gourd is where the palace is located.

And inside this bubble, there are clouds floating above and blue sky. There is also water below, making the interior feel just like an island.

The giant trees growing around Fishman Island are the "Sun Tree Eve," which transmit sunlight, so there is a day-night cycle inside the gourd.

Even Li Ang couldn't help but marvel at the wonders of nature. Not to mention Ace, whose eyes practically turned into stars and flew away.

"Ah, it's such a pity that it's so difficult to get down here, otherwise this would definitely be a fantastic tourist attraction." Li Ang seemed to be thinking of the Tourism King's dream again.

With Jinbe leading the way, they encountered no difficulties at the security checkpoint and easily became one of the few human tourists on Fish-Man Island.

After seeing Ace and his Spade Pirates off, Jinbe asked, "Brother Leon, what are your plans for Fishman Island, or are you just here for sightseeing?"

After a few seconds of thought, Li Ang replied, "In any case, since I'm already here, I'll go see King Neptune."

Although Li Ang's plan to discuss cooperation with Fishman Island had already been finalized ahead of schedule, and this visit was for other matters, he still felt obligated to pay a visit out of respect.

“Alright, in that case, little brother, grab my hand, and I'll swim you up.” Jinbe nodded, extending his large palm. They could only swim up; to those inside the bubble, the palace seemed to be built in the sky.

Soon, led by Jinbe, Li Ang arrived at the upper palace. Before Li Ang could even stand still, a fat merman approached him: "I am the third prince of the Dragon Palace Kingdom, from the Star of Overturning. My father has been waiting inside for a long time."

Well, it seems that Li Ang was right to come to the palace first, otherwise Neptune would have been waiting for nothing.

However, after arriving here, Jinbe did not continue forward, and instead, Fanchexing led Li Ang inside alone.

Then Li Ang saw a giant mermaid sitting on the throne in the center, with two smaller mermaids standing beside him.

They recognized him at a glance; it was King Neptune and two other princes.

Neptune spoke first, asking, "You must be Leon, the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army."

"Exactly."

Neptune said, "I must express my sincere gratitude. This collaboration has enabled many fish-men or mermaids to set foot on land and coexist peacefully with the land dwellers. It has fulfilled our long-cherished dream."

Although Li Ang didn't know what Neptune's purpose was in waiting for him here, since Neptune had already started praising Li Ang's arrival, Li Ang subconsciously prepared to reciprocate:

"Not at all, we only did a little bit of work. We could only get the fishmen to land on the island of Dressrosa. We should be thanking the rare resources from the seabed on Fishman Island. These things are extremely valuable on land. It was a great help."

Neptune, not to be outdone, immediately retorted, "Heh, you flatter me. The Revolutionary Army is fighting against the evil Celestial Dragons and the World Government; they are fighting for freedom. This has amassed a powerful force, and our help is just a tiny, insignificant part of it. If it can help the Revolutionary Army, that would be even better."

Li Ang also said, "Ah, the mermaids and fish-men under the rule of the Ryugu Kingdom are all the darlings of the sea. But the World Government persecutes and discriminates against them, and our Revolutionary Army's goal is to restore freedom and equality to this world. If we can help these darlings of the sea, it would be an honor."

Then the two of them just stood there flattering each other for several minutes without getting to the point, just staring at each other blankly.

“He must have something important to do that he’s come all this way to Fishman Island. But why doesn’t he say?” That was Neptune’s thought.

"He's been waiting for me here for so long, he must have something to ask me." That was Li Ang's thought.

The two were in complete agreement, but in reality, the other had nothing to say and was waiting for the other to speak.

However, this mutual flattery wasn't entirely without effect. After this test, Li Ang gained a new understanding of King Neptune.

In Li Ang's previous stereotype, King Neptune should have been an incompetent king who had been king for decades and accomplished nothing.

Not only were the internal conflicts unresolved, but Van der Deiken could not be captured. It gave the impression that the entire kingdom was getting worse every day under his rule.

But upon closer reflection, it wouldn't have mattered much if anyone had been in his shoes. The ideological conflicts within the country already existed before he became king, and the deaths of Queen Otohime and Fishertiger only intensified these conflicts in an instant.

Not to mention the World Government above them, meaning they have to face pressure from the World Government every day they wake up on the ship. Under this constant, invisible pressure, these fish-men can only get worse and worse.

Another issue is the Vander Decken Pirates. They've existed for many years, and their current leader should be called Vander Decken IX. Despite all this time, they haven't been captured. From Neptune's and the average fish-man's perspective, it's impossible to know how much they've grown. After all, unlike Leon, they don't know the true strength of this pirate crew. So it's normal that Neptune hasn't been captured; it would be strange if he were.

In conclusion, being the king of Fishman Island is truly difficult; unless one possesses extraordinary strength or a monstrous intellect, it's impossible to do better than Neptune.

Although Neptune had neither of those qualities, he was good at judging people.

Now, upon closer reflection, Li Ang realized that even a king without much real power should have some skill. The stereotype that formed in Li Ang's mind stemmed from the Straw Hat crew's arrival. King Neptune's performance at that time was truly appalling, and it was Luffy and the others who solved the problem.

If he deliberately acted foolishly and cutely, that would make sense. He intentionally feigned weakness to the most threatening crews at the time, the New Fishman Pirates and the Vander Decken Pirates. After successfully luring them out, he then used Luffy to eliminate them.

The most crucial first step was being able to judge people. He saw that Luffy and his crew were strong enough to solve the problem, and he also realized that they weren't real pirates, but just a group of adventurers who posed no threat to the country.

This time, Neptune also saw the Revolutionary Army's potential to rival the World Government, making it a potential investment for him. He also saw that the Revolutionary Army's methods would not pose a threat to Fish-Man Island.

After seeing this, Neptune decisively sent Jinbe to contact the Revolutionary Army. This action was faster than Leon's plan. Neptune not only knew how to judge people, but also knew how to seize opportunities.

Chapter 306 Divination

So Neptune is not only not stupid, but he must be a smart man. And talking to a smart man is exactly Li Ang's forte.

Since that's the case, Li Ang got straight to the point: "Alright, after saying so much, what I really want to ask is when merfolk and fish-men will be able to join the Revolutionary Army?"

Upon hearing this, Neptune's three sons were somewhat puzzled. How did the topic suddenly jump to this? And wasn't it a bit inappropriate to talk about this now?

Yes, the connection between the Revolutionary Army and Fishman Island has only just been established. They're planning to build an embassy and send a resident diplomat to strengthen relations first. Discussing sending people directly to join the army is far too premature.

However, since Li Ang brought it up, it meant it wasn't too early at all. He believed Neptune understood the current situation.

Ever since Neptune chose to join the Revolutionary Army, he couldn't escape involvement. Although the two sides are currently maintaining a secret relationship, the truth will eventually come out. In a place like Dressrosa, everyone knows there are spies everywhere. It's only a matter of time before their relationship is exposed.

What others think then—that the Revolutionary Army accepted Fish-Man Island means they've joined forces—is irrelevant; the truth doesn't matter, as long as the World Government thinks that way. And when the World Government attacks, Fish-Man Island, to prevent the Revolutionary Army from being wiped out, will have to send troops to support them.

Did Neptune foresee this situation? Of course he did. Even with this future in mind, he still resolutely chose to cooperate with the Revolutionary Army, the meaning of which is quite clear. In order to fulfill the long-held dream of the mermaids and fish-men, Neptune didn't mind sending troops to support them.

"Haha, as long as you can persuade them to join the revolutionary army, I absolutely won't stop you. Just don't use them as cannon fodder." Neptune, just as Leon had expected, easily agreed to Leon's request. Moreover, he handed these fishmen over to Leon's control. He was incredibly generous.

Neptune's quick agreement further increased Leon's respect for him. There are many wise kings, but wise kings rarely relinquish power willingly. This was tantamount to handing over Fish-Man Island to the Revolutionary Army. According to Neptune's plan, the Revolutionary Army could effectively sideline the king.

It seems Neptune's enlightenment has transcended the limitations of a king, reaching a higher level. What does this matter compared to Fish-Man Island's long-held dream of standing in the sunlight?

Furthermore, if the Revolutionary Army can intervene in Fish-Man Island, then the two problems that have plagued Fish-Man Island for many years—the ideological conflicts and contradictions among the people, and the Vander Decken Pirates, who have committed atrocities for generations—will be much simpler for the Revolutionary Army. Moreover, under the Revolutionary Army's rule, they will certainly receive strong support, and the entire race will be able to live a better life than they do now.

It's because Neptune knows how to judge people; otherwise, if he had just switched to another organization, it wouldn't have been support, but rather exploitation of Fishman Island.

Neptune simply waved his hand and handed over Fishman Island to the Revolutionary Army. He had worked hard for most of his life, so he could happily be a silly and adorable old man from now on.

It's important to understand that Neptune didn't undergo any formal education; he grasped this concept entirely on his own. That's quite remarkable. Li Ang, on the other hand, merely studied the advanced ideas that had been circulating on Earth for many years, rather than developing them through his own understanding; he wasn't Marx.