Chapter 65: The Little People

The island in the New World was famous as the "Land of Love, Passion, and Fairies," a place where the scents of flowers and cooking tickled the nostrils—enough to make one’s stomach growl. Though tempted to grab a bite from a street vendor, I resisted for now and strode through the town, leading my crew.

That’s when one of my subordinates, eyeing me cautiously, spoke up.

"Lady Nue… Aren’t we, uh… raiding today?"

"There’s no rule saying we have to attack every town we visit, y’know? Today’s more like an incognito sightseeing trip, so let’s keep it low-key for now."

"Oh… Right, got it."

He nodded, though clearly unconvinced. Was it really so strange for me not to destroy a town? Rude. It’s not like I go around annihilating places every single time. If the locals mind their own business and don’t provoke us, we can just pass through peacefully. Hell, back on Fish-Man Island, all I did was a little fishing—no need to wreck the place.

"That said, if they start causing trouble or picking fights, I might change my mind. But right now, thanks to my powers, they just see us as ordinary folks, so no worries. You can all relax, okay?—Oh, what’s up? Hungry? Too bad, hold it in for now."

"Grrrk…"

"…If we weren’t gonna do anything, why even bring us or the Numbers along?"

"Well, y’know, just in case we run into the Marines—figured we could snag a warship or two. And hey, I said we’re laying low, but that doesn’t mean we won’t cut loose. Depends on my mood."

"—So if we joined the coliseum and painted the place red with blood, that’d be fine?"

One of my more hotheaded crewmates chimed in. True, the island’s famous coliseum was a legal battleground—a perfect place to let loose. And it’d be a good chance to test the skills of our newest executive, Fools Who…

"Hmm… But the fighters here are no joke. Rumor has it the champion’s some freak who’s never lost in a thousand matches. The country itself is all about pacifism—boring folks who swear off war."

"…If you wish, I’ll crush him and drag him before you."

"Thanks, but that’s not the plan today. Just stick with me for now, okay~? ♡"

"…Understood."

Fools Who reluctantly agreed, though clearly itching for a fight. Freshly promoted, no doubt. I’d love to let him loose, but against the coliseum champ? Not a guaranteed win. Better to hold off—and sparing him that truth is my kindness.

That said, throwing my crew into the coliseum would be good training… But once we start, we’ll want more. And right now, we’re here for something else. If this succeeds, we can revisit the idea later. No rush—Dressrosa’s destined for hellfire anyway. No need to play the villain when the place will fall into our hands naturally. Let the future grunts handle the dirty work. Not that I mind being hated—revenge-seekers can be fun—but today, I’m in the mood for generosity. Plus, I wanna try some new dishes.

So we left Dressrosa behind, heading for the smaller island—Green Bit.

A natural, uninhabited isle, easily reached via the northeast iron bridge.

"Whoa—?! The bridge is shaking!"

"The hell?! These giant fish are trying to eat us!"

—Easily reached, sure, but the seas around the bridge teemed with "fighting fish," vicious enough to devour any normal human. Hence why no ships sail to Green Bit.

Still, they’re just fish.

"Oh, perfect. Let’s grab a few for dinner."

"Squeee!!"

"Hmph… Just the right size for rations."

Spotting the school of fish, I figured they’d make a fine offering. As I said this, the Numbers and Fools Who intercepted the fish charging through the broken bridge. Sure, the things were big enough to smash steel, but no big deal.

"Squeeee!!"

"?!?"

"Whoa—he stopped it?!"

"Monsters, through and through…!"

The Numbers, even as flawed Ancient Giants, had the sheer size, strength, speed, and durability to clash head-on with the fish. One of them, ignoring my order to wait, was already gnawing on a live one. Punishment later.

My gaze shifted to the other side.

"You damn fish…! Thought you could take me on?!"

"Whoa!! This guy’s insane too!"

"No surprise—it’s Fools Who!"

Fools Who, using his Ancient Zoan powers, morphed his body to halt a fish before pummeling it. Ancient Zoans were in a league of their own, but this much should be doable in human form. If he couldn’t, it’d just mean he needed more training. Hybrid form? Victory’s a given—no excuses.

But he’s still growing, so I’ll let it slide.

For now, we’d take a few fish—half for dinner.

"Eight should do it. Heave—ho!"

"Wait—huh?! You’re grabbing them barehanded?!"

"Like catching sweetfish!"

"More like a bear’s technique…"

I skimmed the waves, snatching fish by their tails and yanking them out. Even the ones attacking got snatched mid-lunge, then UFO-tossed toward the ship. Killing them could wait—fresher that way. The crew back on the ship would probably freak out, but that’d be fun too.

Four fish went to the ship; the other four, we carried to Green Bit.

"Alright! Let’s take these and move out—to Green Bit!"

"Squeee!!"

"...What’re we gonna do with these fish?"

"Huh? Didn’t I mention it?"

As we climbed back onto the Numbers to cross the bridge toward Green Bit, one of my crew finally asked. Come to think of it, maybe I hadn’t explained yet. So I laid out my plan with a grin:

"While we’re gathering new ingredients—let’s get friendly with the little people too~♪"

---

—The island of Dressrosa in the New World had its fairy tales.

Long ago, under a different royal family than the Riku Dynasty, the tiny Tontatta Tribe were enslaved. The current Riku line apologized, and the humans turned a blind eye to their petty thefts—blaming it on "fairies." Thus, the legend began.

In short, the "fairies" were the Tontatta. And on the uninhabited Green Bit, northeast of Dressrosa, their hidden kingdom thrived.

To win them over, I brought the fighting fish as a gift. With Observation Haki, finding them was easy. And more importantly—they were incredibly gullible.

"You brought us FOUR fighting fish as gifts?! And you’re friends with Norland’s descendant?!"

"Whaaat?! Really?!"

"Really~. As proof, I know all about Norland. He saved you from bad humans long ago and gave you pumpkin seeds, right?"

"You even know that?! Then it’s true—you’re the real deal!!"

"A friend of Norland’s descendant is a friend of ours! How can we ever repay you for these fish?!"

"Ahaha, no need! Oh, and these scary-looking folks are all friends too, so play nice, okay?"

"Yes!! Of course!! You must all join us for a feast!!"

"Uh… sure."

We were promptly invited into the Tontatta village. My crew stared, baffled by the tiny tribe’s sheer naivety. The Tontatta were famously honest to a fault—easy to trick.

But the real key was name-dropping Montblanc Norland, their legendary hero. Even if the details were impossible for me to know normally, they’d believe anything. Their eyes sparkled as they welcomed us—us, who’d make most humans tremble.

"Never seen folks this tiny before…"

"More importantly, Lady Nue, how’d you rattle off all that Norland stuff? Who even is he?"

"Norland’s the hero of a famous picture book in the North Blue. Common knowledge up there."

"The hell it is! And even if he’s real, how’d you know? That ain’t an explanation—"

My crew muttered in confusion, mostly about me. I’d let them wonder. If pressed, I’d just say I like Skypiea.

"Squeee!!"

"What race is this one?! So big and strong!!"

"Ah! One of the fish had what looked like… bite marks?"

"Probably cannibalism. Oh, and—no eating, Numbers."

"! Squee…"

"Huh?! Why not?! They’re for eating!!"

"Of course. That meal is totally fine~."

"Squeee!!"

"??"

The Tontatta blinked, oblivious to their near-death experience. The Numbers had been this close to chomping one. Gotta keep ‘em leashed.

As the tribe showered us with hospitality, I finally cut to the chase—smiling, no ulterior motives visible.

"We’ll drop by sometimes with more gifts, so remember us, okay? The Beast Pirates~♡"

"Of course!! Friends of Norland’s descendant who bring us presents? We’ll never forget!!"

"Take some seeds for fruits and veggies too!!"

"Thanks♪ But…" I leaned in. "Anyone here wanna be a pirate? Or live abroad?"

"Eh?! Pirates?!"

I nodded. No lies here.

"But piracy’s a bit…"

"Norland sailed the seas and saw the world. His descendant’s a pirate too~♡"

"!! Really?!"

"I knew Noland was an explorer, but his descendants were pirates...?!"

"That’s right. Pirates and explorers both sail the seas. And nowadays, anyone who sets sail without the World Government’s permission gets called a pirate. So even if Noland had been one, it wouldn’t be strange, right?"

"Now that you mention it...!!"

"You’ve got a point...!!"

The Tontatta tribespeople gasped in realization. Their single-mindedness is exactly why they’re so easy to fool. Not that I’m fooling them—everything I’ve said is true. Noland’s descendants really are pirates. The only lie is me claiming to be friends with them, but that’s harmless enough. It’s not like I couldn’t just kidnap them outright. The only reason I’m not is because they’re useful.

"Oh, and one more thing... The island we’ve set up on is pretty barren. Having Tontatta who can grow plants would be a huge help~"

"I see... Understood. We’ve never had laws forbidding anyone from leaving, so if any wish to go, you may take them."

"Then I’ll go!!"

"Me too!!"

"Count me in!!"

"I wanna see a foreign land!!"

With one more not-lie from me, King Gancho of the Tontatta Kingdom nodded in approval. Heh, perfect. Got myself some tiny allies~♪ With the chief’s permission, a handful of Tontatta volunteered. Hmm... I expected more. Maybe I should’ve buttered them up further? Oh well. Once they see how things are, more might join later.

"Alright, everyone, follow me! We set sail right away—!!"

"Woohoo!!"

"Take care of our friends, Nue-san! Farewell!!"

"Will do~♡"

And just like that, we led a few dozen Tontatta out from beneath Green Bit to the surface. Almost immediately, my crew started whispering:

"You really tricked these little guys into joining? What’re they even good for?"

"Yeah, what can such tiny weaklings—ah, crap, I caught it... What can they do?"

"Mmm~? For the record, they’re stronger than you."

"Wha—? No way... That’s another lie, right?"

Annoyed by their dismissiveness, I flashed a mischievous grin. As they dismissed that as another fib, I added:

"Well, not as strong as the Numbers or Who’s-Who, obviously. But come on—they hunt fighting fish for food. You do realize that means they’re strong enough to catch them, right?"

"Ah..."

"O-oh... Still, if they’re this gullible, they’ll be easy to boss around!"

I sighed internally. They still didn’t grasp how strong the Tontatta were. Then again, I stepped in before they could attack, so my crew never saw their strength firsthand. If they had been attacked, my men would’ve been stripped bare in seconds.

"Plus, Tontatta can grow any plant. They’ll be a huge help—perfect for farm work♪"

"...Farm work? Shouldn’t we use them for something better—"

"—THE HELL YOU JUST SAY!?"

"Guh—?! W-wha... W-Who’s-Who, sir...?!"

"!?"

Huh? Even I was startled. The moment my crewmate carelessly replied, Who’s-Who’s murderous aura flared. He grabbed the man by the throat and lifted him off the ground. The crew froze. The Tontatta gaped. The Numbers kept chasing butterflies, munching on them absentmindedly (seriously, pay attention). Meanwhile, Who’s-Who leaned in, snarling:

"What do you mean, ‘something better’...?!"

"W-Who’s-Who? What’s wrong?"

"Jukiki?"

Some crewmates flinched at his outburst. The Numbers tilted their heads, still chewing butterflies (were they tasty or gross?—focus, you idiots). Everyone else was stunned. What was he so mad about? Then Who’s-Who growled:

"...You ever held a hoe?"

"A... hoe?"

"I ASKED IF YOU’VE EVER HELD ONE, DAMMIT!!"

"N-no, sir! Never! My apologies!!"

...A hoe? What’s his deal? As I puzzled over it, Who’s-Who roared:

"—DON’T YOU DARE LOOK DOWN ON FARMING IF YOU’VE NEVER EVEN GRIPPED A HOE!!!"
"!!?"
"Wait—oh."

As the crew reeled, it hit me. Right... Most of Who’s-Who’s current subordinates aren’t his original crew but veteran sailors. Back then, after islands got wrecked and food ran low, we’d order them to farm... Come to think of it, he must’ve been influenced by that. Even recently, after Kaido and I flattened an island in a fight, he worked tirelessly to rebuild it... Guess the memories of backbreaking labor and frustration—

"You’ve got no idea how hard it is to boost harvest yields... Wanna find out? I’ll plow you into the damn soil!!"

—What kind of threat is that?! "Plow" me? Wait, no—he’s dead serious. Huh. Kaido and I were off lazing on southern islands, but yeah, the crew struggled with farming and reconstruction back then... Oops. Not that I’ll apologize, but... Wow. Who’s-Who’s gone full farmer, huh? Kinda feel bad for giving him such a random skill.

Honestly, a lot of our crew picked up useless talents—construction, farming, cooking... We were just rebuilding on Dressrosa, and before that, on Kees Island... No wonder guys like him turned out this way. Bet the old-timers drilled it into him.

"I specialize in livestock, not crops, but I know the struggle!! You little shits—you’ve never had to rebuild and replant only for everything to get destroyed again!! You don’t get to mock it!!"

Wait, he’s not even on farming duty?! Another shocker. So there’s another agriculture expert? Now that I think about it, back on Dressrosa, some underling did start a farm without being asked...

"W-Who’s-Who, sir...! You look scary, but hearing you speak so passionately about farming... You’re a good person at heart!!"

"Nah, that’s not it. Who’s-Who isn’t some ‘good guy.’ He’s a dangerous lunatic who loves violence. He’s just exploding over some weird grudge from past hardships… Even the Tontatta are buying into it. Wait, are they? His passion for farming is real, so maybe they’re not fooled? Whatever, doesn’t matter."

"…Anyway, let’s head back. Mission accomplished."

"…Hey. Remember this. Mock farming again, and you’re pullin’ fishing nets alone next time…!!"

"Y-yes, sir! My apologies!!"

What kind of punishment is that? Is it even a punishment? If anything, it’s a fisherman’s penalty. Shouldn’t it be something like forcing them to thresh grain solo? Eh, whatever!!

---

—Wano Country, Onigashima

After returning to Wano, we immediately hauled the Marines’ warships to the weapons factory before heading back to Onigashima.

"Sigh… Never thought Who’s-Who had that side to him. Munch, chew, gulp…"

"O-oh? So, you brought the little guys here to put ’em to work?"

Queen responded with awkward hesitation, clearly unsure how to react. I answered between bites of snacks, surrounded by Kaido, King, and Stussy.

"Maybe some’ll make decent pirates if they’ve got the knack. A few seem like they’d fit right in. The rest can farm or whatever—grow us some food. Tontatta are stronger than humans, eat less, and work harder. Perfect labor."

"No wonder they were enslaved for so long," Stussy mused.

"Cheap labor if they’ll work happily just ’cause we lied… Wano’s stubborn locals could learn a thing or two," King grunted.

"Worororo… Shoulda kidnapped all of ’em," Kaido boomed.

"Then they wouldn’t work willingly. Besides…♪" I grinned. "Being nice might pay off later~"

"The hell’s that mean?"

"Se~cret~♪"

I flashed Kaido a mischievous smile. Heh. Having the Tontatta around could be useful someday. Not immediately, though—crunch.

"Mmm~ Delicious~♡"

"…Nue. Those, uh… ‘karaage’ bits. What are they?"

"…Fufufu, secret~♡ Want one, Queen? Nice and crispy~"

"I already figured it out… Hard pass."

"Today’s cooking was boring. Just deep-frying crap," King muttered.

"—YOU AGAIN?! Do your damn job!!"

Queen’s shout echoed through Onigashima. And so, the Beasts Pirates grew just a little stronger that day.