One Piece: Ulquiorra Template

Chapter 35: The Hyena Bellamy

"Fishmen?" The two ape brothers looked at Tashigi with puzzled expressions.

"Yes, Fishmen are humans with fish-like features, while mermaids are beautiful creatures with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a fish," Tashigi explained, a hint of longing in her voice.

She had always wanted to see them. Fishman Island was located beneath Sabaody Archipelago, not far from Marine Headquarters. She had also heard that the people of Skypiea possessed white wings and ethereal beauty, resembling the angels of legend.

Her fantasies were abruptly shattered as the two apes presented her with crude drawings: a grotesque figure with a fish head, a fish tail, and mismatched limbs. Tashigi scowled. "That's not what they look like at all!"

"Mermaids aren't that ugly! Fishmen are closer... And angels aren't bird-brained creatures like that!"

Her face flushed red as the apes presented more drawings, depicting bizarre hybrids with animal wings and claws. They had only witnessed Ian's black-winged Devil form and attempted to combine it with their own unique features, resulting in a nightmarish amalgamation of mismatched body parts. Their understanding of evolution seemed to have taken a rather misguided turn.

Cricket, however, was more intrigued by Ian's tales of the New World. If those stories were true, then the City of Gold paled in comparison to the wonders and challenges that awaited them there. Perhaps they should consider venturing beyond the skies...

"Haha..." Ian burst into laughter. The two apes truly were kindred spirits with Luffy, capable of producing such absurd masterpieces. Tashigi glared at him, her cheeks puffed out in indignation.

"Do you need our help reinforcing your ship?" Cricket and the ape brothers refrained from questioning how they intended to reach Skypiea without a South Bird to guide them. They had witnessed Ian soaring through the sky. That ability alone would solve many problems.

Indeed, with his memories from his past life, Ian had a clear picture of Skypiea's general layout. He could easily acquire a detailed map upon arrival. Moreover, Enel could utilize his Observation Haki in conjunction with his lightning powers to create a network that spanned the entire island, a "Mantra."

While this technique relied on the unique properties of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Ian could achieve a similar effect with the Shadow-Shadow Fruit. After all, wherever there was light, there were shadows. And in the absence of light, there were only shadows. It was a fundamental principle of the world.

This was shaping up to be a clash between lightning and shadow, a battle between a devil and a god.

"Don't worry. If time permits, I'll try to locate the Golden Belfry and ring it for you." Ian declared, taking another swig of his drink. Cricket and the ape brothers were overjoyed.

"Thank you so much!" The three of them bowed deeply.

"It's nothing. Besides, once you know the way to Skypiea, you can go there yourselves."

Ian waved his hand dismissively. His nonchalant attitude only deepened their respect. It was a simple act of kindness for him, an effortless gesture that held immense value to those who received it.

For some, such a request would be met with indifference, or even outright rejection.

"Well, I didn't expect them to find us so quickly. Impressive. There are three Devil Fruit users among them. It seems my fusion rate is about to increase."

Ian turned towards the distant coastline, his Observation Haki detecting the approach of several large ships.

"Ah, Crocodile and Doflamingo. Their relationship is quite... complicated." He muttered, observing the flags emblazoned on the two leading ships.