One Piece: I Weave the Pirate Codex with My Zanpakuto

Chapter 63 The History of the Road Signs on Fishman Island (Main Text)

That night---

Fishman Island, Sea Forest

The underwater forest at night is even more dreamlike than during the day.

Beautiful corals growing in clusters, schools of pretty fish foraging for food, and a pile of abandoned shipwrecks not far away.

Ross even had a strange feeling that there were ghosts haunting the wrecked ship.

"I didn't expect you guys to be interested in this place."

A slightly tipsy Neptune walked at the front.

"This is the Sea Forest, located northeast of Fishman Street. Due to the currents of the sea, many shipwrecks are pushed here by the waves."

"The people of Fishman Island prefer to call this place the graveyard of ships."

Leading the three adults and one child closer to the central stone monument, Neptune quietly introduced everything here.

"This place is directly below the Sun Tree Eve. Although the scenery is not as beautiful as Mermaid Bay, it is still a rare sight."

"Look, the historical inscription stone you're looking for is right there."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Olvia, her eyes gleaming with golden light, teleported to the front of the red stone tablet.

He kept stroking the grooves on the surface of the stone tablet with both hands, murmuring to himself.

"That's it, that's the most special kind of stone tablet!"

"You like the red one, I thought you preferred the dark blue one next to it."

Neptune crossed his arms.

"The red one looks a bit unlucky, I really like the dark blue one."

As Olvia took out the prepared rubbing tools, she stopped in front of another historical inscription stone while holding the sleeping Bucky.

"Can you read the text?" Neptune asked curiously.

"I can't understand it, but Olvia can translate it, though it will take a long time."

Ross instinctively lowered his voice to avoid waking Bucky, who was already asleep.

"However, I know the contents of the book, as well as the story of the Oath Ship of Fishman Street."

The Ship of Oath?

Neptune laughed heartily: "How could humans possibly know the story of the Ark of Oath, Ross? That's a secret of our Merfolk."

"The ship was built by the Great Hammer Legion, which was active on the seas hundreds of years ago. Its mission was to lead the merfolk out of the darkness and into the sunlight, just like humans."

Upon hearing Ross's words, Neptune's smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression.

"It is related to the promise between the first mermaid queen and Joy Boy, and is the legendary ship of oath."

"But Joy Boy broke his promise. Eight hundred years ago, he lost to the Allied Forces and the Twenty Kings and could not fulfill his promise to the first Mermaid Queen."

"This stone tablet..."

Ross raised his hand and tapped lightly on the surface of the dark blue stone tablet.

"It contains Joy Boy's apology."

How do you know these things?

Neptune stared intently at Ross, who was stroking the grooves of the stone tablet, and asked in a deep voice:

"Does human society still retain history from hundreds of years ago?"

"No, this is just some history that I personally unearthed."

Ross shifted his gaze from the stone tablet to Neptune and smiled, "I can help your merfolk fulfill that dream, Neptune."

"If you are willing to form an alliance, we will be a community of shared interests that advances and retreats together."

"Miracle Island will become the merfolk's most steadfast ally. In that place, merfolk can breathe fresh air and live under the sun together with humans."

Neptune fell into a long silence; he dared not speak.

He feared he wouldn't be able to resist these temptations.

"I am not the king; this is a matter that only the king can decide."

In the end, Neptune could only offer this dry, dismissive answer.

Ross wasn't surprised that Neptune would say that.

After all, they had only known each other for a day. If Neptune were willing to believe him, that would truly be a miracle.

“Don’t rush, Neptune, you have plenty of time to think it over,” Ross stepped forward and gently comforted him.

"After we leave the seabed, I will tell my friend who works at the newspaper to announce that Fishman Island will bear my name, Ross."

"Hopefully this will reduce some of your troubles."

"Please don't refuse. This is just a small token of my sincerity. Regardless of whether the alliance succeeds or fails, at least we can be friends instead of enemies."

"...On behalf of everyone on Fishman Island, I thank you for your help."

Neptune sighed inwardly, thinking how terrifying Ross's methods of controlling people's hearts were.

First, he offered the mermaids an irresistible temptation, and then he revealed his own name.

He had already refused the previous temptation, and unless Fishman Island wanted to break with Ross, he would have to agree to the latter "free offer of sincerity" no matter what.

Neptune's thoughts became increasingly complicated.

Giving away one's name is no small matter; if the merfolk do anything wrong in the future, the name on their backs will also be implicated.

In other words, if they cause trouble in the future, Ross will also be targeted by other forces because of them.

However, given the current situation, naming Fishman Island after "Ross" is the best option.

The other party is famous enough and ruthless enough that those mermaid traffickers might restrain themselves out of respect for the great pirate Ross.

At least they won't plunder openly.

They don't need to worry about the enemy's identity when they fight back.

After all, this is the territory of the great pirate Ross.

Even if the sky falls, there's always someone taller to hold it up.

“I will do my best to persuade the King, Ross.”

Neptune seemed to have made up his mind, his expression shifting several times before settling into a resolute look.

“If the king agrees to the alliance, I will volunteer to be among the first mermaids to go to Miracle Island.”

"I will see for myself whether that island is as you described, and whether the utopia truly exists."

Ross smiled confidently as he thought of Miracle Island, which was still under construction.

"You won't be disappointed, at least not in the future."

"Ross, come help! The monument is too big, I need help!"

"Coming right now, please take care of Bucky."

After leaving the sleeping Bucky in Neptune's care, Ross headed towards Olvia.

"Lay out the wet paper as evenly as possible, then slowly trace the marks with a rubber hammer and rubber pen. When the paper is about 70% dry, then trace it with ink."

"Don't use too much force, or we'll have to start all over again."

"Yes, yes, I understand."

Neptune carefully cradled the human imp, who was barely longer than his forearm, humming a nursery rhyme unique to the merfolk.

“What a strange human being, Roger. He’s even stranger than you.”

"How could they abandon their own son to a foreign race they'd only known for a day...???"

Looking up at the sunbeams cast by Eve, Neptune felt an overwhelming longing.

If an ideal world truly exists...

Once he receives the king's crown, he will surely fulfill the long-cherished wish of the merfolk, a wish that has remained unfulfilled for a thousand years!

Live like humans, breathe like humans!

……

Several days later, Fishman Island's port opened to the public—

"Are we leaving, Ross?"

Upon boarding the pirate ship, Ross, curious about what Hana Hanafuda was drawing on the deck, went closer to take a look.

"Pirate flag?"

"Yes and no."

Hana Hanafuda dropped the brush in her hand, crossed her arms, and admired her masterpiece.

"Whether you want to form a pirate crew or not, you must have your own flag."

"This thing is essential for carrying a man's soul! La~ Da da da!"

The main body of the black flag is still a skull, but the bones crossing on the back have been replaced by two swords.

Upon closer inspection, one can vaguely discern subtle traces of sun-drying and meat-twisting on it.

"Skull~~"

Ross thought for a moment, then crouched down and pointed at the skull.

"How about changing this to the shape of the sun, and then using thirteen swords to represent the sun's rays?"

Thirteen swords?

Hana Hanafuda didn't quite understand the meaning of this number.

"You ask why it's thirteen? Because the Gotei 13 is a team composed of thirteen strong fighters."

Ross patted Hana Hana's shoulder, a smile playing on his lips.

"You are one of the team leaders. I will tell you about the team's composition later. First, modify a flag according to my method."

"Boss, Boss Ross~~!"

Pirates ran out of the ship's cabin.

"I've searched the warehouse. We don't have any sea charts for the Four Seas, and this Lizard isn't really suited for crossing the Calm Belt. It'll definitely be destroyed by the Sea Kings."

Chapter 64 Rumors stop, stop because... they can't be stopped.

Have a safe trip!

At the seaside harbor, Neptune waved goodbye, amidst the wails and pleas for mercy from both human and pirate crews.

The distinctive Rising Sun flag fluttered prominently in the harbor.

The main element is the sun, its face obscured by clouds and mist, with its radiant rays composed of thirteen curved swords.

"Boss Ross, I will never forget my daughter's life-saving grace!!"

"Come back often, Lord Ross!!"

The mermaids, who had been rescued by Hana Hanafuda a few days earlier, jumped into the sea with their families and escorted the Lizard, which had been coated with a protective film, all the way.

"Miss Madeline, I will definitely come back to Fishman Island to spend money again once I have saved enough!"

"And me, I will remember the mermaid's gentleness forever!!!"

Watching the pirates bid farewell with tears in their eyes, Barrett shook his head dismissively and increased the speed of his push-ups.

"Women only affect the speed of your punch."

When will these idiots ever understand this?

"You're too young, kid."