The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

“Think what you want,” Kuzan shrugged casually. “But I’m more curious about something else.”

"what's up?"

"I heard you're preparing to set sail? And you even applied to Marshal Kong for permission to go to Fishman Island?"

"Is it not allowed?" Gern tilted his head slightly and blinked.

"I remember Fishman Island was also a member state of the World Government!"

"I'm in the Navy, I can go anywhere without any problem, right?"

Kuzan: “…”

"So you're a Marine, huh?" Kuzan chuckled lightly, taking a deep breath. "But Fishman Island doesn't welcome Marines."

"That's why we need the banner of justice!"

"Strange, why would you suddenly become interested in Fishman Island?" Kuzan's gaze sharpened.

Although his posture remained languid, his eyes seemed to be trying to see through Gern's true thoughts.

Seeing Kuzan's gaze, Gern blinked and feigned surprise: "Wow, Kuzan, when did you become so concerned about my schedule? You wouldn't be secretly keeping an eye on me, would you?"

"Don't give me that." Kuzan's lips twitched. "You suddenly applied for the mission to Fishman Island..."

They even deliberately bypassed the regular approval process and went directly to Marshal Kong for approval.

Especially that phrase about "the banner of justice"—that's not like you at all.

"My style?" Gern chuckled. "Then what do you think my style is?"

"No one gets up early without a profit, a professional troublemaker, audacious and reckless..." Kuzan counted on his fingers.

Gern laughed heartily, raising his glass: "Well said! You truly understand me, worthy of being my fellow disciple!"

Kuzan didn't reply, he just stared at him, waiting for a real answer.

After laughing his fill, Gern put down his glass and said in a relaxed tone, "Alright, since you're so eager to know..."

Fishman Island boasts beautiful coral forests, a fantastic bubble culture, and more...

Kuzan interrupted Gern expressionlessly, uttering, "Do you think I'd believe that?"

"Why don't you believe me?" Gern spread his hands. "What? Can't I have some refined pursuits?"

"Heh." Kuzan sneered.

"Then... what if I said it was for the mermaid lady?"

Before he finished speaking, Kuzan's expression suddenly changed.

The previous indifference and disdain melted away like spring snow, replaced by an inquisitive gaze sparkling with gossip, even carrying a hint of knowing "I knew it."

"Hey, hey, hey! Kuzan, that's going a bit too far!" Gern almost knocked over his wine glass. "What's with that look in your eyes that shows no doubt and understands instantly?"

At least pretend to be suspicious, you bastard!

"Hard to say!" Kuzan shrugged. "After all, someone once said they wanted a hairy lieutenant, and ended up bringing one back."

"I have every reason to doubt you because of what you've done..."

"What are you doubting? Mermaids are oviparous (although there's no reproductive isolation in the One Piece world)."

I was just curious because I'd heard there was a merman over there who could perform prophecies.

"I see!" Kuzan sighed, half-believing, and rubbed his temples.

"Fine, if you don't want to talk about it, then don't."

However, Fishman Island is not a safe place.

That's the only way for pirates to enter the New World, it must be..."

"Oh? You're worried about me?" Gern raised an eyebrow. "Or perhaps, Kuzan, you're also interested in the mermaid?"

"No." Kuzan took a sip of his drink and said calmly, "I just don't want to have to go back to you for help in the future."

"Wow, that's really touching." Gern exaggeratedly clutched his chest. "But don't worry, I value my life a lot."

"Do you have some kind of misunderstanding about the word 'cherishing one's life'?"

"Haha!" Gern laughed, raising his glass. "Anyway, thanks for your concern."

The two clinked glasses, the liquor shimmering with an amber luster under the light.

“So…” Kuzan put down his glass and suddenly asked, “You really just went to see the mermaids? Not that you wanted to bring one back?”

“Do you think I’m Charlotte Linlin?” Gern rolled his eyes.

You should know that at this very moment, our aunties have already begun to create a nation on their own, giving birth almost every year, accepting all kinds of races!

"Speaking of Charlotte Linlin, I heard from Borsalino that Dr. Vegapunk from Egghead Island was also..."

"really?"

“Really, really, Borsalino also said that Vegapunk really likes that bellyband vest.”

.......

As night deepened, the noise of the tavern gradually subsided.

After saying goodbye to Kuzan, Gern walked alone back to his residence. The sea breeze ruffled his hair, bringing a touch of coolness.

“Fishman Island, Neptune just became king this year, right…” Gern’s lips curled up slightly.

He pushed open the door to the apartment, where Libo was curled up on the sofa, dozing off, her rabbit ears trembling slightly with her breathing.

Hearing the noise, she groggily opened her eyes: "Gern? You're back..."

"Hmm." Gern rubbed her head and casually stuffed the envelope into the drawer.

"We're setting sail tomorrow. Remember to contact Tesoro. He and Stella are practically addicted to the talent shows at headquarters lately."

"Really?!" Libo instantly snapped out of her daze, jumping up angrily. "Where are we going this time?!"

“Fishman Island.” Gern didn’t hide anything, but his tone left no room for doubt. “It’s an absolutely beautiful place!”

Libo wanted to ask more, but was interrupted by Gern: "We have to get up early tomorrow, ask again tomorrow..."

At this point, Guern suddenly noticed the cake remnants at the corner of Libo's mouth.

"Wait, Lippo, you didn't steal my carrot cake again, did you?!"

Libo's ears perked up instantly, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "N-no, I didn't steal it! The cake just jumped into my mouth by itself!"

"Libor, that one is mine."

"Hmph! What do you mean 'your'? That's a special edition Sabaody Archipelago that Teacher Zephyr bought especially for me!" Libo turned her face away, but her ears twitched honestly.

Chapter 141 Coating and Escape

The next morning, just as the first rays of sunlight climbed over the white walls of Marineford, there was a rapid knocking on the door of Gern's room.

"Gern! Open the door! I know you're in the room!?"

Lippo's voice came through the door, accompanied by a "knock knock".

"If you don't open the door, I'm just going to walk right in! Even though Gion-neechan said I can't just go into your room..."

Before Libo could finish speaking, a heavy thud came from inside the room, followed by Gern's sleepy mumbling.

"Ripo...it's not dawn yet..."

"Liar! The sun's already up!" Lipo burst through the door, her face almost touching Gern's.

The white rabbit ears stood up excitedly, "You promised yesterday that we'd leave for Fishman Island today!"

Looking at Lipo's little face, the sleepy-eyed Gern instinctively raised his hand and started to rub it.

Then, with difficulty, he got out of bed, rubbed his eyes, and glanced at the clock on the bedside table: 07:30.

"Libor." Seeing the time, Gern opened his eyes, which had been narrowed to slits.

He has now gotten used to the comfort of administrative leave.

"The cafeteria isn't even open yet, let's take a nap..."

Before she could finish speaking, Libo was pulled into a tight embrace by Gern, who shook her head from side to side and mumbled, "It's open, it's open..."

She broke free from Gern's embrace, straightened up, and straddled him, her little mouth twitching slightly.

She was wearing a brand new navy uniform today, with a shiny fish-shaped badge pinned to her chest and a small backpack covered in carrot patterns on her back.

"Gern, get up!"

"Look!" She proudly spun around slightly, "The Fishman Island carrot commemorative badge I specially prepared for today (a handmade craft item from the Naval Headquarters Commercial Street)."

Tezzolo also told me about the glowing corals and singing seashells there! She then pulled a crumpled travel guide from her backpack. "I even did some research!"

Gern looked at the guide, which had clearly been read countless times and was covered in red circles and stars, and sighed.

"At least let me wash my face, and my little Lipo too!"

The people in the Marine Headquarters shopping district have never been to Fish-Man Island; your things are all…”

"I don't care, hurry up!" Lipo had already started pacing around the room.

Just as Gurn was about to say something more, Lippo had already dashed out of the room like a whirlwind.

"See you at the port! Anyone who's late has to treat everyone to carrot cake for a month!"

......

When Gern, still somewhat tired, arrived at the port after changing his clothes, the sight before him instantly sobered him up.

A small supply ship was moored next to his warship, its deck piled high with all sorts of strange equipment.

Diving equipment, underwater cameras, and even several huge fish tanks.

"This is?"

"Surprise!" Libo jumped out from behind a pile of equipment, her face covered in machine oil.

"Tezzolo helped with this! Now we can film an underwater documentary!"

Tesoro stood to the side, his golden gloves gleaming in the sunlight: "Just some minor modifications."

Stella said the mermaids' songs travel particularly well underwater, so we prepared underwater recording equipment.

Looking at these two confident guys, Gern opened his mouth, then suddenly realized something:

"You're not just going to send a submarine down to Mermaid Island, are you?"

"Isn't that right? That's what the strategy guide says!" Tesoro frowned, then took out the strategy guide from Ripo's bag.

"You two fools!" Gern sighed deeply.

"The things in the Naval Headquarters shopping district are completely unreliable!"

Besides, practically no one in the navy has ever been to Fishman Island, so if you want to buy this kind of thing, you have to go to the Sabaody Archipelago!

“Then… Ripo’s Fishman Island carrot commemorative badge.” Ripo’s expression fell.

"The sea cucumbers on Fishman Island don't look like this."

“It doesn’t look like this.” Libo’s expression instantly turned aggrieved, and her eyes welled up with tears.

Seeing Libo's expression, Gern smiled helplessly, stepped forward and patted her head, "It's okay, it's not like you're not going. I'll buy you the real thing then."

"Yeah, yeah."

"But before that, if I remember correctly, our ship... needs to be coated before we can go to Fishman Island, right?"

The scene suddenly became quiet.

Libo's ears slowly drooped, and Tesoro's expression froze.

"Coating?" Lipo repeated softly, "You mean... that bubble-like thing?"

Gern rubbed his forehead: "I completely forgot about that..." He turned to the sergeant beside him, "Does our headquarters have any craftsmen who can do coating?"

The sergeant, who usually oversaw Rear Admiral Gern's personal warship, looked bewildered: "Reporting to Rear Admiral Gern, naval warships generally don't require coating, so..."

"Damn it." Gern rubbed his temples. "Looks like I'll have to go see Professor Zephyr."

......