Chapter 5: The So-Called

Chu Yang, lost in thought about the future, appeared somewhat dazed.

To Tegge, Chu Yang radiated nothing but confusion.

Tegge patted Chu Yang’s shoulder and comforted him: “How about this—Itachi come with me for now, and decide what to do later.”

Chu Yang asked in surprise: “Where? Fish-Man Island?”

“Do Itachi think I can still go back to Fish-Man Island?” Tegge smiled bitterly. “After tonight, I’ll likely be wanted by every navy in the world!”

“Under these circumstances, if I return to Fish-Man Island, I’ll bring unimaginable disaster upon it.”

Chu Yang sighed and said: “True.”

Tegge asked: “Would Itachi be willing to sail with me?”

The Sun Pirates?

A thought struck Chu Yang—he had nowhere better to go—so he accepted Tegge’s invitation.

The two then sneaked toward the harbor, planning to seize a pirate ship and set sail.

Every ship had crew members on watch.

But at this hour, they were all resting in the cabins.

Since there were only two of them, and considering Chu Yang had no sailing experience, Tegge decided to take a small three-masted sailboat—easier to handle.

Robbing a pirate ship carried no moral burden for either Chu Yang or Tegge; they saw it as robbing the rich to help the poor—even if the “poor” were themselves.

After locking onto their target, Tegge and Chu Yang moved. The small three-masted sailboat had few pirates aboard—no match for them.

After dealing with the pirates, Tegge prepared to sail off—when he heard a familiar voice.

“Big Brother Tegge, I’ve been waiting for Itachi. What are Itachi doing?”

Chu Yang and Tegge turned around.

They saw a large group of fish-men standing on the shore, led by a bulky blue fat man.

He looked awfully familiar…

Wasn’t this Shanks—the so-called “Four Emperors”?!

Tegge’s expression turned grim.

To avoid dragging his companions into danger, he had chosen to go alone to Mary Geoise—yet they had followed him anyway.

Watching the towering flames reflected above the Red Line, Shanks guessed Tegge had succeeded, and said: “I can’t stop Itachi from rescuing those slaves—but Itachi can’t stop us either.”

“Shanks!” Tegge was furious.

But he was powerless—he knew Shanks was a man of deep loyalty.

“Big Brother Tegge, though we can’t help Itachi directly, we’ll leave with Itachi!” Shanks’s eyes glowed with deep resolve, like the ocean.

“That’s right, Big Brother Tegge! If the navy wants to chase Itachi, they’ll have to go through us first!”

“I’ve hated humans for ages—I’ll take down one at a time!”

The other fish-men joined in, cheering.

Tegge was moved—and realized he couldn’t resist them. He agreed to let them join him on the voyage.

“Sorry, young brother,” Tegge apologized, knowing the other fish-men would despise this boy. “We’ll have to take more people with us.”

Only then did the fish-men notice Chu Yang—all their expressions darkened.

Shanks was better—he had no fondness for humans, but at least didn’t show outright hostility.

Then a tall fish-man stepped forward from the crowd.

He stared coldly at Chu Yang and asked: “Big Brother Tegge, who is this boy?”

Tegge stepped in front of Chu Yang and said firmly: “A Long , he escaped from Mary Geoise with me—he saved my life once.”

“Saved Big Brother Tegge?”

The young A Long did not soften his hostility; his expression turned hostile. “Big Brother, Itachi’re not seriously thinking of taking this human child with us, are Itachi?”

“Who knows if he’ll betray us later.”

At these words, the other fish-men echoed his sentiment, their words brimming with disdain for Chu Yang’s human identity.

Having faced death once, Chu Yang’s mindset had changed.

Facing this open hostility, he gazed coldly at the group.

He could kill prison guards—he could kill these bastards too.

“Shut up!” Tegge snapped at his companions—rarely losing his temper. “Do Itachi want me to become like those humans—ungrateful and treacherous?”

His roar silenced A Long and the others—but A Long still glared venomously at Chu Yang.

“Itachi think I’m easy to bully because I’m young?” Chu Yang smiled. If he wanted to earn his place in the Sun Pirates, he’d have to give A Long a lesson first.

Seeing the awkward silence, Shanks stepped in to defuse the tension: “Big Brother Tegge, all of them have suffered at human hands—they’re naturally wary. Please understand.”

Tegge sighed. He understood. Even he had lost all fondness for humans—if Chu Yang hadn’t saved him, he’d have done nothing.

Then, amid an eerie atmosphere, Chu Yang boarded the massive pirate ship with the fish-men.

It had been prepared by Shanks before he arrived.

Tegge personally raised the legendary flag of the Sun Pirates.

The pirate flag fluttered in the night wind as the ship slowly left the harbor, sailing toward the endless sea.

Standing on deck, Tegge smiled and asked Chu Yang his name for the first time.

“I’m Chu Yang!”

The boy’s clear, confident voice echoed.

“An unusual name,” Tegge thought, finding it awkward—but he remembered it.

After a while on deck, Chu Yang decided to rest—when A Long suddenly volunteered to show him his cabin.

Tegge assumed A Long ’s attitude had softened, and gladly agreed.

Chu Yang’s lips curled in a cold smile—he didn’t expose A Long ’s scheme. He wanted to “talk” with him too.

A Long led Chu Yang below deck, descending past the living quarters until they reached the storage hold at the bottom.

Standing outside the storage door, A Long suddenly stopped, turned, and stared at Chu Yang with icy contempt. “Human brat, Itachi didn’t really think I was taking Itachi to rest, did Itachi?”

A Long expected fear on Chu Yang’s face—but saw only amusement.

The young A Long was not yet the future boss of Cocos Village—even if he were, he’d be no match for Chu Yang.

Frustrated, A Long ’s face twisted in rage. “Kid, if Itachi want to live, get off this ship while I’m still being nice!”

“Annoying!” Chu Yang raised his right hand. Vines and tree roots erupted from his arm, swelling rapidly, instantly wrapping A Long in a tight, immobile embrace.

The trees squeezed A Long ’s body, crushing him until he gasped for air. He stared in terror at Chu Yang: “Itachi’re a Devil Fruit user?!”

Chu Yang didn’t answer—only increased the pressure until blood began pouring from A Long ’s nose and mouth.

His internal organs were severely damaged!

A Long ’s agonized expression thrilled Chu Yang—he grinned with pure delight.

Witnessing this, A Long was filled with primal dread!

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(End of Chapter)