Bab 137: "Halfway There: Meeting a Mermaid and Facing the Past"
The seas were calm as the Straw Hats sailed onward, recovering from the intense battle at Thriller Bark. But in Mary Geoise, things were far from calm. Fleet Admiral Sengoku's face was a mask of irritation as he scolded Bartholomew Kuma for failing to capture the Straw Hats. Kuma, stoic as always, simply replied, "I lost a bet with the Vice-Captain of the Straw Hats." His words echoed across the room, leaving Sengoku and even Garp stunned.
"A bet?" Sengoku's brows knit together, demanding an explanation.
Garp, ever the proud grandfather, chuckled. "Seems like Luffy's got a crew member who's quite the strategist," he mused. "They say this Raja kid took down the Buster Call at Enies Lobby." Garp leaned back, recounting stories he'd heard from Koby about Raja's powers, speculating that he possessed some new Paramecia-type Devil Fruit. Sengoku nodded thoughtfully, glancing at Raja's bounty poster, his frown deepening.
Meanwhile, on the Mighty Merry, the Straw Hats were finally halfway through their Grand Line journey, but not without obstacles. Their Log Pose pointed downward—indicating Fish-Man Island was somewhere below them, beneath the massive Red Line continent. However, as they approached, it became clear the Red Line was a barrier like no other, towering around them as if mocking their attempts to reach the New World.
"It's the halfway point," Robin explained, studying the wall. "The Red Line wraps around the world, separating it into two halves. And on top of this line are some of the most important government landmarks."
Luffy's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Alright! Let's get moving!"
With Luffy's eagerness to explore, he, Robin, and Brook took the Shark Submerge ship to dive deep below, hoping for a glimpse of Fish-Man Island. However, five thousand meters down, the group encountered a fearsome creature—a rabbit Sea King, furious at their presence. Without a second thought, Luffy unleashed a powerful Gomu Gomu no Rifle, knocking the creature away.
In an unexpected turn, the Sea King spat out a small mermaid and a talking starfish, both of whom landed on the Shark Submerge. The mermaid looked around with wide, startled eyes before clapping her hands together in relief. "Thank you for saving me!" she said.
Sanji, who had been looking over the edge of the Mighty Merry, caught a glimpse of her. His eyes sparkled, and he fell overboard, overcome with excitement. "A mermaid!" he cried, before splashing into the water. Luffy and the others hauled him back aboard.
The mermaid introduced herself as Camie, with her starfish companion, Pappag. After brief introductions, Camie revealed that her friend Hatchan had been captured by the Macro Pirates, and he was in immediate danger. "They're planning to sell him as a slave," she said, her voice tinged with fear.
Hatchan? Nami stiffened at the mention of the name, memories of the Arlong Pirates flooding back to her. But when Camie pleaded for their help, Luffy agreed without hesitation, even consulting with Nami, who grudgingly gave her approval.
Following Camie's instructions, the crew steered the Merry toward the Sabaody Archipelago, where Hatchan was supposedly held captive. Along the way, the Flying Fish Riders attacked, leading to a brief skirmish before the riders retreated back to their base to report to their mysterious leader.
As they continued their journey, Camie grew anxious. "I'm worried about Hatchan," she murmured.
Her words seemed to foreshadow what lay ahead. Soon, the Straw Hats came face-to-face with a massive man in an iron mask, the leader of the Flying Fish Riders. This man, Duval, declared with a vengeful tone that he had waited for this moment, swearing to kill "the man who ruined my life."
"Who does he mean?" Usopp whispered, nervously.
The crew approached Duval's base cautiously, observing the setup. Hatchan was locked in a cage, desperately trying to bribe his captors with promises of takoyaki. When the Straw Hats spotted him, they exchanged uncertain glances. It was clear now: Hatchan was indeed the same Hatchan who had once been part of the Arlong Pirates, the crew that terrorized Nami's home.
Sanji couldn't help himself. "Well, well, Hatchan! Are we friends now or what?"
Hatchan's nervous laughter was cut short when the Macro Pirates captured Camie and Pappag. Instinctively, Luffy sprang into action, using his Devil Fruit powers to rescue them while Zoro freed Hatchan. Just as the crew regrouped, they found themselves surrounded by Duval's Flying Fish Riders, who began bombing the Mighty Merry.
"Luffy! I'm gonna ride one of those flying fish!" Luffy said, completely ignoring the attack.
"Can you focus for once?" Nami yelled as bombs exploded around them.
The Straw Hats fought back, and when Luffy was thrown overboard, Raja used his Psychokinesis to lift him out of the sea. Zoro and Brook made quick work of Hatchan's captors, while Franky, Usopp, and the others unleashed a barrage of attacks, slowly turning the tide in their favor.
As the Flying Fish Riders began to retreat, Sanji found himself face-to-face with Duval. With his mask removed, Duval revealed a face disturbingly similar to the one on Sanji's wanted poster. The resemblance had caused him to be hunted by bounty hunters and Marines alike, and he blamed Sanji for all his woes.
Sanji couldn't believe it. "So, you've been attacking us... because you look like my wanted poster?"
"Exactly!" Duval shouted, clenching his fists.
Sanji sighed, "Unbelievable." Then, with a fierce kick, he slammed Duval into the ground.
But Duval wasn't done yet. Enraged, he ordered his Flying Fish Riders to trap Sanji in a steel net and drag him underwater. Just as Luffy was about to jump in to help, Camie dove into the sea, her mermaid speed unmatched by anyone. Within moments, she had freed Sanji, who emerged from the water, his face bruised yet grinning.
Seeing this, Duval ordered his Flying Fish Riders to launch one final attack. They planned to drop a massive anchor on the Mighty Merry, hoping to crush the ship and its crew.
"Franky!" Usopp yelled, pointing at the incoming anchor.
Without missing a beat, Franky activated a new feature on the ship—the Chicken Voyage, allowing the Merry to dodge backward just in time. With the Straw Hats now on the offensive, Franky activated the Gaon Cannon, a powerful weapon built into the Mighty Merry. With a roar, the cannon fired, devastating the Flying Fish Riders.
In the chaos, Camie rescued Sanji, pulling him away from the fray. Meanwhile, Luffy's skillful attacks incapacitated Duval's bison, Motobaro, causing the massive beast to faint.
Seeing the mess he'd made of Duval's life, Sanji finally agreed to "help" him, much to Duval's terror. With a series of precise kicks, Sanji rearranged Duval's face. When he looked in the mirror, Duval was stunned to see a handsome visage staring back at him. His crew cheered, and Duval's anger faded, replaced with gratitude.
The battle now over, Hatchan whipped up a feast of takoyaki for everyone. The Straw Hats relaxed, laughing and enjoying their meal. Nami, though still wary of Hatchan, reluctantly accepted his offer of food, her guard just slightly lowered.
As the crew prepared to leave, Duval handed Luffy a Den Den Mushi, promising to come to their aid if ever they needed him. With a final salute, Duval and his Flying Fish Riders, now renamed the Rosy Life Riders, bid the Straw Hats farewell.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
DarkGoldMonarch
DarkGoldMonarch Creation is hard, cheer me up!
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone