Chapter Seventy-Seven: Who Excels at Stirring Up Trouble

Jinbei?

That's right!

When Chu Yi used the "Gravity Domain" to restrain Smoker and saved the octopus Hatchan, who had ties to Rayleigh, it was a burly fishman who suddenly appeared and landed a heavy punch on Smoker—the very same man who, in the original pirate tale, would become one of the former Seven Warlords.

The Knight of the Sea, Jinbei!

Yet at this point in time...

Jinbei did not yet carry the title of "Knight of the Sea." He was still an elite soldier of Neptune’s army on Fishman Island.

So when Chu Yi addressed him as "Knight of the Sea," Jinbei was clearly taken aback. But as Chu Yi transformed into an asura, Jinbei, stunned, watched a harmless, handsome boy suddenly become a terrifying demon radiating murderous intent, and in that instant, completely forgot his original purpose for coming; his pupils contracted, and he instinctively took up the stance of Fishman Karate!

“A man worth paying attention to…”

“There are two of them!”

Retracting his fist from Smoker’s cheek, Jinbei glanced at Mihawk out of the corner of his eye, then fixed his gaze on Chu Yi, muttering to himself, “That one spacing out in the back, I can sense a fierce sword aura within him—he must be a famed swordsman of these seas. As for the one before me, to transform in a flash from a mere child into a fearsome demon, he must have eaten a Devil Fruit, though the power is unknown!”

“How did Fishman Island suddenly end up with such a group?”

“Judging by where they’re hiding, could it be…”

“Did they infiltrate Fishman Island through that route?”

At this thought, Jinbei’s pupils narrowed again, lost in his own considerations.

Meanwhile, Chu Yi and Jinbei faced each other in a tense standoff, the reason for which…

Was almost laughable!

Because of the deep-rooted tensions between fishmen, merfolk, and humans, few humans willingly traveled to Fishman Island, except those pirates who had no choice but to pass through on their way to the New World—most humans did not want to live among the “filthy” fishmen, as they saw them. Yet, some people had to come for their livelihood, including certain merchants.

The humans that Hatchan and his friends had captured were a group of merchants who, due to business disputes with local fishman traders, had come into conflict. The situation was quickly contained by Jinbei and his Neptune soldiers, and upon discovering the merchants were at fault, Jinbei decided to detain them temporarily to prevent the conflict with the fishmen from escalating.

As Jinbei was escorting these human merchants to their holding cells alone—

Suddenly!

Upon learning that his elder brother Tiger had returned and was now at the Ryugu Palace, discussing matters with King Neptune and Queen Otohime, the excited Tiger temporarily handed the merchants over to the conveniently encountered Hatchan and his fellows, instructing them to ensure the humans reached the prison safely and unharmed.

By coincidence, the spot where Chu Yi and his group happened to be was right along the route to the prison. Smoker and Lucci, upon seeing Hatchan and the others, misunderstood the situation, thinking the fishmen were bullying humans—and this was the spark that set everything in motion.

As for Chu Yi and Jinbei’s anger, the reason was equally absurd.

Though Chu Yi was usually easygoing, even toward prisoners like Smoker and Lucci, always wearing a cheerful smile, he was fiercely protective of his own.

No one could easily lay a hand on Tiger, Hancock, or anyone else important to him. Even his captives, Smoker and Lucci—no one else had the right to bully them!

As his prisoners, he, Chu Yi, could do as he pleased with them, but anyone else, especially Jinbei, was not permitted to lay a finger on them!

That was the source of Chu Yi’s anger, and why he wanted to teach Jinbei a lesson: not everyone was his for the bullying.

So, seeing Jinbei take up the stance of Fishman Karate, the asura-like Chu Yi let out a cold laugh.

“What, you think you’re the only one who knows Fishman Karate?”

“Today I’ll teach you a lesson in your own art!”

With that thought, Chu Yi exhaled sharply, withdrew the shadow clone he’d been training with, and returned to his peak state, also assuming the Fishman Karate stance.

Noticing Chu Yi’s starting form was so flawless, Jinbei pondered for a moment and, judging by the route Chu Yi’s group had taken to infiltrate Fishman Island, seemed to realize something.

But before Jinbei could say a word in explanation—

Suddenly!

“Boom!”

Chu Yi launched a straight punch—the Tang Grass Tile Fist!

The air trembled, the force of the punch howling forth!

Chu Yi’s Tang Grass Tile Fist struck straight at Jinbei, the wind from his fist locking onto Jinbei’s direction, enveloping him entirely in its power and intent.

Jinbei, seeing that what seemed an ordinary punch carried at least thirty thousand watts of force, knew it couldn’t be taken lightly.

Though he suspected Chu Yi had some connection to Tiger, Jinbei, not yet known as the “Knight of the Sea,” was a martial fanatic through and through.

Tiger had earned Jinbei’s respect by being stronger, after all.

Now, seeing the might of Chu Yi’s Fishman Karate, Jinbei answered with a cry of his own, mirroring Chu Yi’s attack—he, too, unleashed a Tang Grass Tile Fist!

“Boom!”

The collision of their fists sent dust billowing into the air.

When the haze cleared, Chu Yi and Jinbei gazed at one another from across the distance, but only Chu Yi’s lips curled into a faint smile.

Because after their exchange, Jinbei had been forced to take half a step back.

Undoubtedly, it was Chu Yi’s victory!

And the reason?

First, Jinbei hadn’t used Armament Haki. Second, Chu Yi’s Tang Grass Tile Fist was different from Jinbei’s.

Chu Yi, in training his Tang Grass Tile Fist, focused on concentrated power—his thirty thousand watts of force was delivered entirely onto Jinbei.

Jinbei, by contrast—

His Tang Grass Tile Fist followed the standard Fishman Karate form, meant for area attacks. When concentrated and dispersed forces collided, it was no surprise that Chu Yi’s focused power emerged victorious.

And stepping back even slightly signaled a loss in their exchange—yet Jinbei did not grow angry, but instead broke into a smile.

“How long has it been?”

“Since Brother Tiger left, how long since anyone has been able to overpower me with Fishman Karate?”

“I know you must be close to Brother Tiger—otherwise he wouldn’t have brought you into Fishman Island through this route. But it’s so rare to meet a worthy opponent…”

“Brother Tiger, forgive me!”

A faint smile on his lips, Jinbei took a deep breath, and his stocky form blurred as he darted forward, intent on engaging Chu Yi in Fishman Karate at close range.

But as Jinbei charged, Chu Yi scoffed in disdain.

To ordinary people, Jinbei’s speed might seem astonishing, but to Chu Yi, it was laughable!

Chu Yi had once trained in the Navy’s Six Powers “Shave” precisely because Fishman Karate’s flaw was its lack of acceleration techniques. If he wished, Chu Yi could easily use Shave to evade Jinbei, and though his mastery of Fishman Karate might not match Jinbei’s, his asura form’s monstrous physique would allow him to wear his opponent down with ease.

Just as Jinbei was about to try brute force, and Chu Yi was preparing to counter with “Shave”—

An unexpected event occurred!

Who knows what Mihawk had realized during his reverie.

Just as Jinbei launched his attack and Chu Yi was ready to evade—

“Whoosh!”

Suddenly, Mihawk—gripping the wooden sword between his knees—rose to his feet and slashed upward toward the sky!

For a moment, Chu Yi was stunned, and Jinbei froze in place.

Jinbei had long realized Mihawk was an opponent worthy of great caution, but he never imagined Mihawk would intervene during what was meant to be a fair duel.

As for Chu Yi, his astonishment was even simpler.

Because above Fishman Island was not the open sky, but the immense bubble that allowed the island to exist deep underwater!

Mihawk, having gained new insight into swordsmanship, unleashed a slash brimming with terrifying sword energy. What startled Chu Yi was that Mihawk’s mastery had surged dramatically; with a single stroke, he cleaved a deep gash in the tough, resilient bubble that protected Fishman Island from the crushing depths.

“Damn it, Tiger always says I’m a troublemaker, but when it comes to causing chaos…”

“Mihawk, you’re far better at it than me!”