Chapter 289: Great Calboard
After informing the other members of the patrol team about the characteristics of the Fish-Man that Burufaruto was looking for and asking them to keep an eye out, the Old Fish-Man stopped rushing to search and took half a day’s leave.
Although they were the lowest-level patrol team and their combat power was completely inferior to the Royalty’s direct Sea God Army…
But when it came to finding people, especially in the nooks and crannies of the Fish-Man District where vagrants gathered, the intelligence network they had built from deep grassroots experience could produce twice the result with half the effort.
Sometimes, the endless manpower and material resources spent by those above couldn’t compare to the half bottle of cheap liquor they casually handed out~
“Alright, the search has been arranged, now we just wait for news.”
Leaving Burufaruto and the others in place, the Old Fish-Man grabbed Jinbe’s arm and wanted him to come to his home first and sit down.
……
“Come on, Jinbe, tell me quickly how you’ve been doing over there these years?”
“And the other children, are they doing well?”
“How’s the food?”
“They haven’t been bullied by those Pirates outside, right?”
On the way, the Old Fish-Man kept chattering nonstop, asking Jinbe all sorts of questions about his years on Fenrir Island.
Jinbe also discovered for the first time that this Elder was so talkative; in comparison, he himself seemed like a gourd.
But soon he realized the other was perhaps a bit too talkative…
“You say the one who taught you Fish-Man Karate is that girl that Burufaruto kid is always talking about?”
“That’s right.”
“How old is that girl?”
“Um… she should be a few years younger than me.”
Jinbe didn’t know Aoxi’s exact age and could only give a vague answer, then quickly added:
“But though Miss Aoxi is young, her strength stands out among the Beasts Pirates. She was also conscientious in teaching me, without any sloppiness.”
This was true; Aoxi had indeed put a lot of effort into training Jinbe.
Things like using a warship instead of a jeep to train Jinbe’s courage and combat ability, getting Obei to create a gravity room for Saiyan-style training… in short, all sorts of fancy training methods were something Jinbe experienced thoroughly in those years.
Even now, recalling those occasional uh… wildly imaginative training methods, Jinbe couldn’t help but show a wry smile.
But the Old Fish-Man’s focus was clearly not on that.
“A few years younger than you… is that girl pretty?”
Seeing the smile at the corner of Jinbe’s mouth, the Old Fish-Man stroked his chin and began steering the topic in a strange direction.
“Pretty?”
“Uh…”
After taking a few seconds to understand the Old Fish-Man’s question, Jinbe recalled the stunning crimson-red figure who had bid him farewell when he left Fenrir Island, and then answered honestly:
“If we’re talking appearance, aside from Miss Aoxi’s two blood relatives, probably only the Mermaid Princess from the legend eight hundred years ago could compare to her~”
Jinbe actually hadn’t seen many humans, but Aoxi’s appearance, which could distort aesthetic standards across different races, made him convinced she could absolutely rival the legendary Mermaid Princess of Fish-Man Island in the future.
“Roar~ Such high praise…”
The Old Fish-Man nodded, wanting to say more, but seeing Jinbe’s clear eyes with a hint of confusion, he shook his head instead.
『What am I worrying about~』
Smiling mockingly to himself in his mind, the Old Fish-Man clasped his hands behind his back and fell silent.
……
“Miss Aoxi?”
“Ah, ah?!”
“Oh… what is it?”
Half a New World away, the Red-haired Girl who was spacing out was suddenly called by name.
She blinked, pulling her consciousness back, and looked somewhat surprised at the Den Den Mushi on the desk beside her.
Lately, Aoxi would often zone out like this out of nowhere, and always felt a bit restless… but theoretically, with her current body, it was impossible for any such abnormal state to occur.
『Could it really be a problem with my body?』
『Or is it my Authority warning me?』
『After this busy period, I’ll go see Sister La…』
Aoxi’s inner thoughts didn’t last long; Taolong, who had just snapped her out of it, asked again:
“Miss Aoxi, what’s going on with Boss Kaido suddenly calling us back to station in Wano Country?”
“Do you have any news on your end?”
“And I heard there’s going to be a reorganization of the Executives, reordering the seats, this…”
Another lower-ranked Island Garrison Executive chimed in worriedly.
Since she had taken over all of Burufaruto’s work, after Boss Kaido ordered the whole crew to prepare to enter Wano Country, the affairs of mobilizing the combat units within the organization were entirely handled by Aoxi.
Right now, she was issuing orders to the Executives she had summoned via the Den Den Mushi.
“I’m not very clear on the Wano Country matter either.”
Aoxi replied:
“Anyway, Boss Kaido’s point is that the place has lots of people, lots of mines, and a good location, and now they’ve come knocking themselves, so there’s no reason not to take it.”
As the saying goes, ‘if heaven offers it and you don’t take it, you’ll suffer the consequences’; since the decision was made, Kaido, as a bona fide hardcore tough guy, immediately put his super strong action power into motion.
“That guy Ember has already taken his people ahead to scout; when he gets back, it’ll probably be our turn to move.”
“As for you all… though not everyone might go, you need to pack up now and be ready to deploy at any time.”
Sitting in the office originally assigned to Burufaruto, Aoxi flipped through a tentatively drafted list in her hand and continued to another matter:
“As for the Executive adjustment you’re concerned about, it’s really nothing… just a reordering based on Boss Kaido’s personal interest.”
“Currently, Boss Kaido seems to intend to establish three Great Calboards in the Pirate Crew.”
“Great Calboards?”*n
“Yeah, positions like the crew’s signboard, initially codenamed King, Queen, and Jack.”
“Guwu~ Then…”
“No chance for you, Taolong.”
Before the other could speak, Aoxi cut him off.
“Boss Kaido has already drawn up the list for the Great Calboards.”
“…”
Everyone quieted down, wanting to know who these three Executives representing the crew’s face would be.
“You all know who King is, so I won’t say.”
“As for the title Queen, you probably don’t know; Boss Kaido promised it to a gold-haired kill-matted guy a few years ago, and these days he’s still muttering about when to drag him over.”
In fact, that guy Sain had already left MADS last year, but he hadn’t come to find Kaido as agreed, and the impatient Kaido had decided to personally discuss his ‘career change intentions.’
“As for the Jack position, it’s reserved for Uncle Burufaruto.”
“…”
“Uh…”
“Hm? What, any questions?”
“Just ask if you have any.”
Seeing the Den Den Mushi’s hesitant, on-the-verge expression, Aoxi waved her hand grandly, telling them not to beat around the bush.
“Well… for signboards, shouldn’t you be more suitable, Miss Aoxi~”
“Why them, Lord Ember and such?”
This was a natural question.
It wasn’t that Ember and the others weren’t qualified, but in terms of outward image or strength, Aoxi and her group should be the more suitable choices.
“Simple: Boss Kaido originally thought so too, but Sister La and Obei completely ignored him.”
Not to mention La; Kaido hadn’t even seen Obei.
After learning he wanted to pull her into some boring Togo, Obei directly classed Kaido with the likes of Aoxi as random riffraff and decisively shut him out.
“And I don’t want such a weird poker card-like title either.”
“Besides, it’s the signboard for the entire Pirate Crew, so of course it has to be fierce and menacing… if it were us three, it wouldn’t be signboards but signboard girls.”
“People who don’t know might think this is some Galgame~”
Though they didn’t know what Galgame meant, everyone could accept Aoxi’s explanation.
The Beasts Pirates, a major overlord in the New World, wouldn’t look right with three little girls as signboards.
“Well~ Taolong, no need to be disappointed.”
“Though the Great Calboard positions don’t have you, the next-level titled Executives do have your name.”
“Oh?! Next-level titled Executives?”
Taolong, who had a special attachment to the word ‘Executive,’ perked up instantly at this.
“That’s right, below the Great Calboards, Boss Kaido set up six more…”
“Small Calboards?”
“Uh… not quite that direct.”
“Those six slots are called the Flying Six.”
