บท 10: Chapter 10 - The Fishman

"A fishman?" Raiden said in astonishment.

Raiden stared at the small creature with wide eyes. "What is a fishman doing in East Blue?" Raiden muttered in confusion.

The young fishman lay unconscious on the sandy shore. Despite his smaller size and emaciated condition, Raiden could sense the inherent strength that those of his species had.

He appeared to be around ten years old, in terms of human age, nearly four and a half feet tall. His frame was gaunt, and his scales clung tightly to his thin limbs, revealing the contours of his ribs and the sharpness of his bones. He had a pair of robust fins, emerging from both his forearms and legs.

He had overlapping dull scales, that looked like a natural armor that was currently compromised by numerous bruises and cuts. These scales, in shades of deep blue and silver, were marred with dirt and dried blood.

"Observe." Raiden silently activated the skill, trying to assess his condition.

[Ding!]

[Status - Ronan (Fishman)

Strength - D

Constitution - C

Agility - E

Will - D

Charisma - F]

[Warning! Extreme levels of internal bleeding detected. Severe concussion detected. Multiple broken bones detected. Needs urgent medical attention.]

"Damn, he's not in a good condition. What in the world happened to him..." Raiden muttered with a concerned tone.

His body trembled slightly with each labored breath, and Raiden could see the effort it took for his small chest to rise and fall.

Raiden crouched down beside him, taking in the details. The fishman's face, though youthful, bore the marks of suffering. His cheeks were sunken, and his lips were cracked and dry.

Raiden reached out, gently shaking his shoulder. There was no response, but Raiden could feel the steady, albeit strained, rise and fall of the fishman's chest, a sign that he was still alive but in dire need of help.

"Damnit! What should I do? I can't just take him to the village. They would freak out." Raiden said to himself, frustration and concern mingling in his voice.

Just then, a sudden system notification popped up in front of his eyes, startling him.

[The system can utilize the remaining Achievement Points (AP) to heal the fishman named Ronan. Do you wish to proceed?]

Raiden blinked in surprise, reading the notification twice to make sure he understood it correctly. "Use my AP to heal him? You can do that too?" he muttered, glancing down at the unconscious fishman. The boy looked so fragile, so vulnerable

"Yes," Raiden said with determination. "Do it."

[Confirming the use of 35 AP to heal the fishman.]

Ronan's body began to glow faintly, a soft light emanating from his bruised and battered form. Raiden watched in awe as the cuts and bruises started to fade, the fishman's breathing becoming steadier and less labored.

The dullness of the fishman's scales began to recede, replaced by a healthier sheen. His gaunt frame filled out slightly, and the deep lines of exhaustion on his face softened. Raiden could see the strength returning to his body, the natural armor of his scales regaining its resilience.

After a few moments, the glow subsided, and the fishman lay still, his breathing now steady and calm. He wasn't completely healed, and Raiden could still see the numerous scars on his boys. He let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding, relief washing over him.

"I hope that helps," Raiden whispered softly, his voice barely audible over the sound of the waves. He sat back on his haunches, contemplating his next move. The village was out of the question for now; they wouldn't understand or accept a fishman among them.

Glancing around, Raiden noticed a secluded alcove nearby, partially hidden by rocks and foliage. It seemed like a safe enough place for Ronan to rest until he regained consciousness fully. Carefully lifting the fishman in his arms, Raiden carried him to the alcove and settled him down.

Ronan, now resting more peacefully, began to stir slightly. Raiden noticed this and decided to check if there were any more serious injuries that needed attention. As he gently turned the fishman onto his side to inspect his back, his eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"N..no way..." Raiden stuttered in indignation.

There, etched into the fishman's back, was a mark. A mark any one piece fan knew. The branding was unmistakable, a cruel symbol of ownership and suffering.

"Damnit! He's a slave!" Raiden knew how dangerous saving a slave was. The marines would be here if they knew he had given shelter to a slave.

'I can't believe it. Things have become so much more complicated...' Raiden thought with a sigh.

"Hey, system. Can you remove this thing?"

[Searching for answers...]

[Ding!]

[Use 1000 AP to remove the slave mark?]

[Host does not have enough AP.]

"So you can remove the mark. That's good." Raiden said with a satisfied nod.

Ronan stirred more noticeably, his eyes fluttering open. The fishmen body structure was amazing, and they healed much faster than normal humans too.

The moment he became aware of his surroundings, panic set in. His eyes, wide with fear, darted around before landing on Raiden. He immediately scrambled away, pressing himself against the rocky wall of the alcove, breathing heavily.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Raiden said quickly, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. "I'm not going to hurt you. I found you unconscious on the shore and... I healed your injuries."

Ronan's eyes remained wide with fear and mistrust. He was visibly trembling, and Raiden could see the deep-seated terror in his expression.

"My name is Raiden," he continued softly, trying to soothe the frightened fishman. "I don't mean you any harm. I just want to help."

Ronan's eyes flicked between Raiden and the entrance to the alcove, as if considering escape. But he was still too weak, and his body betrayed his attempt to move, sagging back against the rocks.

"You... you healed me?" the fishman finally spoke, in a squeaky tone. His voice was shaky and weak.

Raiden nodded. "Yes, I did. I used a special ability to heal your wounds. You're safe now, I promise."

The fishman stared at Raiden, still wary but slightly more at ease. "Why? Why would you help me?"

"Because no one deserves to be left to suffer like that," Raiden replied earnestly. "And... I saw the mark on your back. I know what it means. No one should have to live as a slave."

Ronan's eyes widened in terror as he instinctively reached behind him, feeling the smooth spot on his back where the slave mark had been. The reality of his situation seemed to crash down on him all at once, and he began to hyperventilate.

"No, no, no... if they find out... the marines... they'll come for me," Ronan stammered, his voice rising in panic. He clutched his head in his hands, his whole body trembling. "I can't go back... I can't..."

Raiden moved closer, his hands still raised in a calming gesture. "Ronan, listen to me. No one's going to find out. You're safe here. We'll keep you hidden."

Ronan's breathing was erratic, his eyes wild with fear. "You don't understand! If they find me, they'll take me back. They'll hurt me again... or worse!"

Raiden's heart ached at the desperation in Ronan's voice. He understood the severity of the situation, but he knew he had to calm the fishman down. "Ronan, I promise you, I won't let that happen. You're free now. I have a way to help you."

Ronan looked up at Raiden, a flicker of hope in his eyes mixed with lingering fear. "How? How can you help me? The mark... everyone knows what it means."

Raiden took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "I can remove the slave mark. Permanently. No one will be able to tell you were ever a slave. The marines won't have any reason to come after you."

Ronan's eyes widened in disbelief. "You can do that? Really?"

Raiden nodded firmly. "Yes, I can. And I will. You're not alone in this, Ronan. I want to help you, and I have the means to do it."

The fishman stared at Raiden for a long moment, the conflicting emotions playing across his face. Finally, he nodded, a tentative but hopeful expression in his eyes. "Okay... okay. Please, help me. I don't want to be scared anymore."

Raiden took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "I have a special ability that can remove the slave mark. But it requires a lot of... energy—1,000 units to be exact. I don't have that right now, but I'm working on it."

Ronan's eyes widened in disbelief, then narrowed in skepticism. "You can really do that? Remove the mark? But what if you can't get this...energy? What if I'm found before then?"

Raiden nodded firmly, trying to project as much confidence as possible. "Yes, I can do it. And I will get that energy. It might take some time, but I promise, I won't stop until you're truly free. Until then, I'll protect you. We'll stay hidden and make sure no one finds you."

"D..did you use this energy to heal me too?" Ronan asked carefully. Raiden just nodded in response.

Ronan stared at Raiden for a long moment, the conflicting emotions playing across his face. Finally, he nodded, a tentative but hopeful expression in his eyes. "Okay... okay. I don't have much choice, do I? But... I want to believe you. I want to trust you."

Raiden grinned. "Thank you for trusting me. We'll get through this together. For now, let's focus on keeping you safe and getting you back to full strength."

Ronan nodded, still teary-eyed but filled with a newfound sense of hope. "I..I'll stay with you. I want to help you too, in any way I can. You've saved my life, after all."

Raiden got up and patted the boy on his shoulders. "Looks like you're in better shape. Let's get you something to eat." Raiden said, as he motioned for the fishman to follow him.

They walked along the shoreline, finding a spot where they could rest under the shade of a large palm tree. Raiden pulled out the massive boar he had killed before, much to Ronan's shock. He was starting to believe that Raiden wasn't lying about this energy. Raiden lit a fire and began clumsily butchering the massive animal.

"Uh, R..Raiden, l..let me butcher that thing." Ronan said with a red face.

*Ahem!*

Raiden coughed in embarrassment and let the young fishman handle things.

"Here, this should help you regain your strength," Raiden said, handing some food to Ronan. The fishman took it hesitantly at first, his hands trembling slightly, but soon began to eat with a ravenous hunger that spoke of days without proper food.

As Ronan ate, Raiden sat nearby, watching him closely. When the fishman finished his meal and looked up with gratitude in his eyes, Raiden gently began, "Ronan, can you tell me what happened to you? How did you get caught? And how did you manage to escape to East Blue?"

Ronan sighed heavily, his gaze drifting out to the sea before he began to recount his harrowing ordeal. "It was about five months ago. I was living in the Holy Land. Life there... it's nothing like anywhere else. The nobles treated us like... less than animals," he said bitterly, his voice filled with pain and anger.

"I was captured when I was young, forced into slavery. The mark on my back... it's a reminder of that life," Ronan continued, his hand unconsciously touching the branded spot. "T..they were, really bad people. They forced me into labor, and they beat me up all the time. But then, Uncle Tiger freed us all."

'Uncle Tiger? Does he mean Fisher Tiger? That means he had already raided Mary Geoise?' Raiden thought with wide eyes.

"I barely managed to escape. I can talk with seakings. They helped me get here. Uncle Tiger said East Blue is safe, so I came here." He said in a low voice.

Raiden listened intently. He couldn't imagine the horrors the young fishman had endured.

Raiden smiled gently, placing a reassuring hand on Ronan's shoulder. "Well, you're safe now, Ronan. Marine presence is a lot less here. So the chances of getting caught are much less."

Ronan nodded in understanding. He knew about this, that is why we chose East Blue.

Raiden and Ronan sat in silence, the crackling of the fire and the distant murmur of the waves the only sounds around them. Ronan looked lost in thought, his past clearly haunting him.

Raiden, too, was deep in his own thoughts, worrying about how to keep Ronan safe, while trying to save his own ass in case the marines found out. This was an excellent opportunity for him too. Given how uncertain things are in this world, if he gets this fishman indebted to him, he'd become an to be an amazing ally.

While he was going through his 'evil' plan, a dark shape caught Raiden's eye. He looked up curiously and saw a ship coming toward the village.

Ronan noticed Raiden's change in mood and looked up. "Raiden? What's wrong?" he asked, fear in his eyes. 'Are the marines already here?' he thought with a fearful expression.

"Damnit! Why are they here?" Raiden whispered through gritted teeth.

"W..who? Who is it?" Ronan said, fear evident in his voice.

"Blood Fang Pirates..."

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