"Our Legacy?"
Dragon shook his head, interrupting Robin's words, "No, perhaps it is indeed as he said, thought is also something that moves forward through constant exploration and refinement!"
After a moment of silence, Robin spoke again: "According to him, that great man from 800 years ago seemed to be of the Giant Race, but his name is unknown."
"Oh?" Dragon's brow twitched, "Is that so..."
After a long silence, he finally voiced a possibility, "Perhaps that great man's name is recorded on some poneglyph. Taro knows that you'll find it sooner or later!"
...Inside the dining room, Taro was eating, completely unaware of the mysterious conversation happening in the meeting room.
The Revolutionary Army's food supplies seemed somewhat insufficient; there wasn't much staple food, and the ingredients were mainly seafood, fish products, and potatoes.
Taro wasn't a picky eater, and having rushed all the way here without a proper meal, his table manners were a bit unsightly, but he ate with great relish.
Koala, who had been arranged by Dragon to accompany him, was somewhat surprised. Although the Revolutionary Army's food quality had improved a lot over the years, it still couldn't be called good.
This "key of revolution" gentleman didn't seem to have any complaints or discomfort, simply keeping his head down and feasting heartily.
Taro noticed his Second Sister-in-law's gaze and felt a bit embarrassed. "Uh, you should eat too. Did my eating habits scare you?"
Koala quickly waved her hands and said softly, "No, I'm already full. Please enjoy your meal and don't mind me. If it's not enough, I'll bring some more."
With a pretty girl staring at him nearby, Taro felt a bit strange. He quickly finished the remaining food and then put on a smile,
"No need, I'm full too. Thanks for the hospitality!"
Taro didn't put on any airs at all, which made Koala relax a lot. She tilted her head and asked with a frown:
"Mr. Taro, I'd like to ask, what is your understanding of freedom?"
"Do all of you in the Revolutionary Army love asking this question?"
Taro's mouth twitched, but since it was his Second Sister-in-law asking, he naturally had to answer properly.
"Freedom... freedom is not about being unrestrained..."
"..."
"So you see, freedom has a framework, within the bounds of the law..."
"People-oriented, rule of law!"
Taro rambled on with bits and pieces, but saw Koala gradually fall into deep thought.
With the two previous experiences with Betty and Robin, Taro didn't dare continue. He stopped at the right time and waved his hand in front of Koala,
"Are you okay?"
Koala's body jolted as she snapped out of it, then she stood up and bowed respectfully to Taro,
"Mr. Taro, you truly are a great thinker! I have benefited greatly!"
Taro's cheek twitched. Don't just go giving people titles randomly!
...Fish-Man Island, Royal Palace.
"Jinbe, is everyone from the Sun Pirates doing well?" Neptune's bulbous nose twitched slightly.
Jinbe's eyes widened. "They are all very well and full of spirit, you don't need to worry!"
Then, his voice sank, "King Neptune, I didn't come to see you to hear about this..."
Neptune folded his arms, "Ho ho ho ho, that really is good news, Neptune!"
The King was cheerful, but Jinbe looked disgruntled. "Stop changing the subject, you know why I'm here."
Neptune's expression momentarily turned awkward as he swam down from his throne and sighed,
"Jinbe, you're still the same as before, wanting to take everything upon yourself!"
Jinbe frowned, "The First Prince has been in Sabaody Archipelago negotiating with the Marines for several days now, and things haven't been settled yet. How can I leave in peace?"
He stared at Neptune, "Has there been a complication? As I thought, it would be better to go and talk with Big Mom!"
Neptune swam in front of Jinbe, tucked his massive tail, and sat down,
"The protection Fish-Man Island seeks isn't as simple as just planting a flag. Whether it's Taro or Big Mom, a contract isn't something that can be achieved with empty words, Jinbe!"
Neptune's voice was calm, without a trace of urgency,
This made Jinbe even more puzzled; it didn't make sense. "Did the First Prince send back news?"
"Ho ho ho ho, you figured it out?" Neptune laughed heartily, fumbled around in his thick orange beard for a while, and pulled out a few sheets of paper,
"Taro hasn't been in Sabaody recently, but he left this before he went!"
Saying this, he handed the papers to Jinbe.
Jinbe took them suspiciously, and then saw a line of text written on the first sheet,
[the human princess and the seven little fishmen]
"What is this?" Jinbe was stunned for a moment.
Neptune seemed a bit excited, his tail flapping unconsciously a few times,
"It's a story that Taro calls a 'fairy tale.' Read it first; it's very interesting! Ho ho ho ho, Neptune!"
Neptune's reaction affected Jinbe. The Blue Fatty began to flip through the "fairy tale" script in his hand with a solemn expression!
This story, written by Mike and "artistically processed" by Taro, had become the unrecognizable "Mermaid Princess and the Seven Little Fishmen" story,
And then, it was polished once more by Mike.
Finally, it became the current final version—"the human princess and the seven little fishmen"!
"This... this story..."
A long time later, Jinbe murmured, his eyes full of shock.
"Right? Did you notice it too?" Neptune felt a shared sentiment. When he received this fairy tale yesterday, his reaction after reading it was much bigger than Jinbe's!
"Discrimination between humans and the Fish-Man Race stems from a mutual lack of understanding!"
Neptune leaned his massive body down, bringing himself closer to Jinbe, before continuing:
"Taro is finding a way to eliminate this barrier!"
He pointed at the papers in Jinbe's hand. "This is a path that no one has imagined for over a thousand years!"
"Now, do you understand why I am so determined to make a pact with Taro, Jinbe?"
Jinbe's round eyes almost popped out. He thought back to ten years ago.
The little human girl that Big Brother Fisher Tiger saved, the girl who used to be a slave, had said a sentence to the fishmen of the Sun Pirates,
"After all... we don't understand you at all!"
Those words had touched Jinbe deeply, yet ten years had passed, and although he knew the root of the problem, he had no way to provide the answer.
Now, this answer might just be in his hands.
"I have to admit, King Neptune, as the Great Knight of the kingdom, your vision is indeed much more brilliant than mine. Perhaps I have been a pirate for too long!"
After a long while, Jinbe sighed.
Neptune looked at the seemingly deflated Jinbe and said with great emotion, "Jinbe, for many years, you have carried too much for Fish-Man Island."
"Now, I want to lead our race down a path never walked before!"
The path pointed out by this generation's Joy Boy, 800 years later!
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