Chapter 42: Fish-Man Island

"CP-AIGIS 0"—the world's most formidable intelligence agency.

An organization directly under the Celestial Dragons, its missions range from political operations and guarding the World Nobles to brokering deals with underworld intermediaries—tasks that stretch far beyond conventional espionage.

This isn't like the Marines, where simply chasing down criminals suffices. CP0 must think ten steps ahead.

For example? If it benefits the government, they’ll even collaborate with pirates.

Of course, such collusion is pure corruption and should be condemned—if exposed. But if no one finds out, it’s no issue. And even if they do, a cover-up will suffice. The suffering of civilians is irrelevant.

The World Government cares only for its own survival. And CP0, its direct arm, exists solely to further that goal.

Which is why—

Forging ties with pirates could also be part of the mission.

"WORORORO!! Boys!! We’ve got more firepower AND a sweet deal!! Perfect weather to set sail!!"

"We’re taking Stussy to the New World via Fish-Man Island~! —Ah! Hey, fireworks crew! No running!!"

"GYAAAAHHH—!! P-Please, spare—!!"

"Ugh… Nue’s as brutal as ever…"

"…Let me tell ya, that woman’s mild today. Back on her old turf—"

"…Fufu."

The deck of the Beasts Pirates' ship had become an ad-hoc fireworks show to celebrate their imminent departure for the New World.

—Except the "fireworks" were people.

Bound with explosives and launched into the city, their screams and detonations served as twisted entertainment.

Yet none of this fazed the female CP0 agent, Stussy. If anything, she enjoyed it—a testament to her ruthless nature.

"TAMAYAAA!!" (Fireworks cheer)

"MUHAHA!! Hilarious!! They go pop like overripe fruit!! This mechanical kaboom-show’s not bad!!"

"Only problem is how long these ‘bullets’ last… This island’s infested with trash. A good burn’d clean things up—"

"WORORORO!! Knock it off, you lot!! We’ve got guests today!!"

"Ehh~? What’s the harm? Stussy’s having fun too, right?"

"—Fufu. Oh, absolutely. A delightful diversion."

The crew’s most depraved officers reveled in the carnage, while Stussy—seemingly out of place—answered with effortless calm.

No acting required.

To survive in CP0, one needed a psyche that could relish such horrors.

Stussy, a master of infiltration and covert ops, thrived in this role. Her mission? Embed herself in the underworld, become one of them—like now, fostering ties with the Beasts Pirates.

This wasn’t about dismantling them.

Not yet, anyway.

Sure, she might nudge them into clashing with rival crews if convenient. But her primary objective was surveillance—feeding intel to the government while playing ally to the pirates.

A delicate balance.

Betray them outright, and her cover blows. CP0’s strength lies in shadows. Expose that, and future operations crumble.

So for now, Stussy would drink with monsters.

Laugh as they tortured.

Even join their "fireworks" display.

"WORORORO!! Damn, Stussy! You’ve got a sick sense of fun!"

"How cruel. Even if it’s true, one shouldn’t say it~"

"Ah, waste of breath. Kaidou’s got the subtlety of a quake fruit.—Oh, Stussy! Want a turn?"

"—Why thank you. Don’t mind if I do."

Amid lighthearted banter, they fired human projectiles.

Between drinks, they brutalized prisoners—pirates, civilians, Marines—with glee.

"—Kaidou. Nue. We sail soon."

"Ah, right? Toss the leftovers into town, then."

"How anticlimactic for a finale."

"Just an afterthought~. —Welp, bye-bye♪"

"Alright, you bastards!! Set sail!!!"

"WOOO—!! Finally headin’ to the New World!!!"

At the captain’s command, the pirate ship departed for Fish-Man Island. Morale among the crew was sky-high—unsurprising, given their destination. But more than that, their confidence stemmed from the sheer might of the monsters among them.

Even a cursory intelligence briefing would mark this crew as exceptionally dangerous, a fact any government agent knew. Yet CP0 demanded more. Especially on the four top-tier officers—

"Off to Fish-Man Island!! We’re deliverin’ Stussy-chan safe and sound!! Leave the escort to me!! Stussy-chan!!"

"Fufu, thank you, Queen♡. How reliable~."

"Damn right! I’m the dependable man!! FUNK IT UP!!"

First: Queen the Plague, 320,000,000 berries.

A hulking man with an ancient Brachiosaurus Zoan, a flair for song-and-dance atrocities, and a penchant for designer plagues. Though curable with skilled medical intervention, his pathogens buy him time—time he uses to brutalize.

Assessment: Combat-capable. Friendly. Low-maintenance ally.

"…Hmph. Fine. Make yourself useful."

"I’ll certainly try."

"See that you do."

Second: King the Wildfire, 330,000,000 berries.

A towering figure clad in black, likely from a rare Grand Line race. His body emits lethal flames, complemented by an ancient Pteranodon Zoan and masterful swordsmanship. A torturer who reduces battlefields to ash.

Assessment: Hyper-lethal. Paranoid. The hardest to befriend.

These two alone were nightmares. But the real threats stood elsewhere.

"WORORORO… Listen up. She’s a VIP. Don’t piss her off."

"No need for such concern. The underworld’s made me quite accustomed to rough company."

"Heh. Feisty. Well, it’s a long voyage. Entertain me with stories."

"Gladly."

Third: Kaidou of the Beasts, 711,100,000 berries.

A former Rocks Pirate wielding a Mythical Dragon Zoan and Conqueror’s Haki. His indiscriminate violence unsettles even the World Government—yet unlike his old crewmates, he lacks ideological ambition.

Assessment: Unpredictable. Potentially exploitable. One wrong move = instant death.

"Waaah! This is amazing! We’re really diving deep! Hey, Stussy! That fish looks so tasty!"

"Visually, yes. But it’s venomous."

"Ehhh?! No fair! Tummy aches are the worst…"

Tummy aches would be the least of it. But Stussy kept that to herself, studying the girl instead.

Fourth: Nue the Phantom Beast, 580,100,000 berries.

Kaido’s sworn sister. A former Rocks apprentice. Ageless rumors. A Mythical Zoan (unknown). Conqueror’s Haki.

A childlike enigma wrapped in apocalyptic power.

Her combat style? Summoning colored UFOs that rain chaotic barrages while warping reality locally. The Navy’s clueless on countermeasures.

Assessment: Priority intel target. Unreadable. But—

"Oh! Stussy! Wanna bathe? This ship’s got a real bath! I’ll show you how!"

"Oh, how lovely! In that case, why don’t I join you?"

Steussy took Nue’s invitation and followed her into the ship’s interior, heading toward the bath. It was a beautiful bathing area. The entrance was marked "For Nue’s Use Only"—likely reserved solely for her as the vice-captain, forbidden to the otherwise male-dominated Beasts Pirates. Grateful for the privilege, Steussy stepped inside, intending to deepen their camaraderie. Nue’s skin was flawlessly smooth, untouched by scars, her wings now retracted. She looked nothing like a pirate.

—Striking now would be easy… but even if successful, escaping alive would be near impossible. Only a third-rate spy would act here. So instead, Steussy played the part of a casual friend, sharing the bath without pretense.

"Hehe. Impressive, right?"

"Yes, the temperature’s perfect. Do you have a boiler onboard?"

"Mmm~ Well, not a boiler, but we can heat the water! —Oh, right, there’s something I wanted to ask…"

"What is it?"

Steussy smiled as she listened. —This is where it begins. My professional work starts now…

"—The training methods for Rokushiki… tell me, pretty please? ♡"

"…………"

……Huh?

Steussy froze. The question was so unexpected, she almost doubted her ears.

Nue, perched on her lap, grinned with childlike charm—her expression unchanged, still the picture of innocent cheer. Yet the question sent a faint chill down Steussy’s spine.

"...Rokushiki’s training? You mean that combat style used by the government and Marines? Why ask me?"

She commended herself for the flawless delivery. A natural reaction. Though shocked that a figure from the underworld would inquire about it, not knowing of Rokushiki would be stranger. So she played along, masking her suspicion. —Could she have found me out?

"Mmm, ’cause you’ve got connections in the underworld, right? Figured you might know stuff like this."

"—Ah, I see."

She steadied herself—not that she was entirely relieved, but the risk of exposure seemed low. She’d left no cracks in her act. Nue had no way of knowing she was CP0; their paths had never crossed. And now, the girl was pouting playfully, as if making a harmless request.

"C’mon, tell me~! I’ll even pay you! ♡"

"...Well, I could get that info… but why? Looking to get stronger?"

"Nah, I might wanna try it myself, but mostly for my crew. If I knew, I could train them up—total win, right? So spill it~ ♡"

Nue clung to her, pleading with adorable insistence. Steussy observed her coolly. —She’s undeniably cute, the kind you’d naturally dote on. She knows how to weaponize charm… but is it genuine or an act? That ambiguity was unsettling. After a brief pause, Steussy made her decision and smiled.

"How could I refuse such a pretty girl? ♡"

"Eh?! Really?! Yay! ♪ Hehe, cuteness is justice~ ♡"

"—But it’s risky… I’ll need proper payment. Okay?"

"Oh, that’s fine! I’ll talk to Kaido about it. So it’s a deal~ ♪"

With that, Nue turned away, leaning her back against Steussy. …Trusting me? Or not? She might be scheming too. Women were born actresses—Steussy couldn’t rule out deception.

Still, the rapport was progress. The Rokushiki intel wasn’t classified; many Marines and even some pirates knew it. Teaching it to someone who already wielded Haki posed little threat, and the chance to bond outweighed the cost. Plus, she’d be paid.

—The mission’s going perfectly.

And so it seemed, even as they reached the undersea paradise, Fish-Man Island. Nothing unexpected had occurred—until:

"—Hey, heard some kingdom’s royals are here as guests. Wanna kill ’em for fun?"

"—Nah, I already killed ’em. Ran into ’em at the port and couldn’t help myself~."

"Aww~! I wanted to watch! …Wait, so that’s why the town’s getting noisy? Sounds fun~!"

"Tch, damn annoying. Buncha crybabies over some dead royals… You get it, right, Steussy?"

"…Huh? Oh, y-yes, of course."

—This was not part of the plan.

---

Turns out some visiting royalty got murdered—by a drunk Kaido, no less. Eh, they were about to leave anyway, and the witnesses got wiped out too, so who cares?! Not like it matters if word gets out!

So we decided to enjoy our half-day in Fish-Man Island while the logs updated. Steussy froze up for a second earlier—guess even she wasn’t ready for Kaido’s brand of chaos. Props to her for bouncing back, though. She didn’t flinch in the bath, agreed to spill Rokushiki secrets and haggled like a pro. Plus, her skin’s smooth and her figure’s… ugh. Why am I even comparing? My cuteness and silky skin totally win, but that body—!? No fair. That pillow-worthy chest is clearly my defeat—

"—N-Not that I’m not plenty sexy too! From the waist down, at least! …Ugh, fine, it’s frustrating… But cuteness has its own perks, right…?"

"The hell’re you mutterin’ about?"

"Nothing you’d understand, Kaido. …Anyway! No use dwelling—let’s enjoy Fish-Man Island!!"

"ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT SEAFOOD BANQUET, LET’S GOOOO~~♪"

"HYAHHAAAA~~!!"

"WOAHH!! This all looks insane!!"

"…Place is too damn quiet. Wanna torch it… but this’ll do for now."

And so the Beasts Pirates feasted. Location? Fish-Man Island—the undersea paradise, lit by the Sunlight Tree Eve 10,000 meters below! …Though, thanks to us, the fish-men and merfolk were suspiciously absent. Eh, we already caught a few, so whatever!

As I mused, Steussy—seated beside me at the makeshift banquet—leaned in.

"You caught merfolk and fish-men. Planning to sell them?"

"Hmm~ They do fetch a pretty price. But no plans yet—just grabbed ’em on a whim! Might even let ’em go. Om nom… Mmm! So good! ♡ Fish-Man Island delivers!! Gonna eat till I burst~!"

"…I see. If you do sell, let me broker it. There’s no shortage of enthusiasts for merfolk—especially the women."

"I’ll think about it~♪"

I nodded absently, too busy stuffing my face with seafood. Mmm, endless fish varieties—heaven.

"Enthusiasts," huh? Pretty sure that’s just code for Celestial Dragons—pfft. But hey, they do pay well. Maybe I’ll sell if I feel like it. My whims come first, though.

"Mmm~♡ The sweets are amazing too! Gimme more~!"

"Hey!! You’ve got your own plate, Nue!!"

"Finders keepers~♪ I eat what I want. Here—have some sashimi I sliced as a trade!"

"Sashimi… Yo, you. Try this."

"N-No way!! Who knows what fish this even is?!"

Oh, Queen’s trying to force-feed a underling my mystery sashimi. Rude. I waved the fish’s tail at him.

"Ugh, fine. I’ll slice it properly for you. Now will you eat it?"

"Hmph... Yep, definitely fish. Aaaalright then, dig in~~♪"

"H-Hey, not fair, Queen-sama!! The second you confirmed it was fish, you just—!!"

"We’re eatin’ and drinkin’ too!! Follow Queen-sama’s leeeead~~!!"

As I swiftly filleted the fish right before their eyes, Queen and his underlings dove in, devouring the sashimi like starved wolves. Mmm, soy sauce really brings out the flavor! Delicious. But fish is great cooked other ways too, so I called out to King.

"Hey, King~! Is it done yet~?"

"...No. Still needs time... And you—keep squirming, and I’ll turn you into sashimi right now."

From behind the canopy near our seats, King’s voice rumbled alongside the silent panic of the cooks. Eh, he’s handling a rare fish—can’t rush perfection.

"Fiiine, I’ll start with seared slices then! Om... Mmm~♡ So rich and smoky~~♡"

"Worororo!! Damn good!! Pairs perfect with booze!!"

Kaido and I feasted on the ocean’s bounty—seared, simmered, each method a new delight. Some cuts were firmer than usual, but still tasty. King’s grilled fish will be worth the wait. For now, I nibbled on my own creations.

"Yummy-yum~♪ Hand rolls, scattered sushi... Mmph, so good~♡"

"You really do enjoy eating, don’t you?"

"Mhm! This stuff’s rare! Never had it before! C’mon, Steussy, try some!!"

"...I’ll pass."

Oh, boo. Guess Steussy’s skipping my catch. Weird—it’s perfectly edible...

Then I noticed Queen and his crew freezing mid-bite. Ah, caught on, did they? Queen’s face twisted slightly.

"...‘Never had it before’? Nue-san, don’t tell me that’s—"

"Ahaha~♡ I mean, no wonder these sell for so much! The lower half’s totally fish, and since they’re always swimming, the flesh is so firm! Plus, all the vital organs are up top, and there’s just one bone—super easy to prep! Super meaty too~~♪ Honestly, if these were on the market, I’d buy ’em myself. Why don’t regular fish shops stock ’em?"

"...Guh..."

"N-No way..."

As I critiqued the flavor, Queen’s crew turned green, clutching their mouths. What’s their deal? They were loving it earlier. It’s just fish—not like I fed them the top halves. Tehehe. I flashed a grin.

"Oh, and if you’re gonna puke, do it outside~? Do it here, and I’ll make you eat more. —But hey, it was delicious, right?"

"...Y-Yeah..."

"Q-Queen-sama... We, uh... need a minute...!"

"Gotta... step out..."

Queen gave a strained nod, and his men fled the banquet. Sheesh. Overreacting much? I didn’t feed them anything bad.

Just as I popped another slice of sashimi into my mouth—

"—Nue-san. The grilled fish is ready."

"Ah! Been waiting for this, King~♡ Sniff sniff... Ohhh, that smells amazing! Man, it’s so unfair how these get discriminated against just ‘cause they’re weaker! I mean, look how tasty they are! We should totally protect ‘em—way better than those useless weaklings up top, right?"

"Worororo!! Damn straight!! These things are stronger’n humans, swim faster—hell, they’re miles ahead o’ those trash-tier weaklings!! Might as well recruit ‘em!!"

"Mhm-mhm! Even if they’re not useful, they’re way easier to ‘process’ than humans! Om... Mmm! ♡ Even grilled, they’re delish~! Killer job, King~! You get a gold star!"

"Hmph... Not my thing, but glad it’s appreciated. Call me anytime."

"...What a joyful banquet."

"Ehehe, right~? You should relax too, Steussy! I’ll invite you lots more times! ♪"

"...Oh, I’ll bring fresh seafood souvenirs next time. ♡"

Score. An unexpected new hobby! I dug into the massive grilled fish—so huge King had to carve it up first. The crew still looked a bit spooked after my earlier spiel, but honestly, this is way tamer than the usual stuff. It’s just fish-kin, after all! The taste-test against regular fish? Divine. ...Yep, definitely taking extras for the road. ♡

After all, we’re headed for the New World—where hunger’s the real enemy. Gotta stock up on the good stuff! ~But gotta stay subtle~; wouldn’t wanna overfish and piss anyone off. ♪