The Fishman leading the charge arrived panting at the Noah's Ark, a gigantic ship anchored in the Fishman District.
This giant ark, once considered a symbol of hope for Fishman Island, had now become the main base of the new Fishman Pirate group.
Half an hour later…
A subordinate burst into the great "audience hall" with obvious agitation.
"Captain, it's a disaster!" he shouted, bowing anxiously. "There's a very arrogant human causing trouble in our Fishman District. He even dared to say that all of us are trash!"
Behind him, two other Fishmen nodded, backing up his words.
"And that's not all!" another continued. "The lunatic says he can take on ten of us! No… all of us!"
"Yes," added the third, eyes still wide, "He swore he'd reduce us to rubble… with just his fists!"
If Tiberion had been there to hear such a report, he wouldn't have been able to stop himself from ranting.
Damn it, you bunch of shellfish! Who told you to exaggerate and throw more fuel on the fire?
"Grrr…"
A growl of disdain echoed through the walls.
Hody Jones, reclined on his throne of obsidian-like coral, clenched the muscles of his jaw.
"A human… you say?" he spat, every word sharp as a blade. "Arrogant…"
A cruel smile split his face. "I want him alive… so he can understand the mistake of threatening our pirate group. Everyone, move out!"
Hody hated humans with a burning passion, and this message seemed to fan a fire he'd been feeding for a long time. However, before he could fully rise from the throne, a peculiar voice spoke up from the side.
"Captain… don't be hasty-dosu."
The one who spoke was Dosun, a hammerhead shark Fishman.
He had long pink hair, and at his side a massive hammer. He stood from the coral chair where he'd been watching.
His presence commanded respect—not only because of his burly build, but also because he was known as one of the strongest officers in the group.
"You are our captain, the pillar of this new Fishman Pirate group… We still have to carry out the plan to overthrow Ryugu Palace and make it the throne of a new king of Fishman Island-dosu. It's not worth risking your life for a mere human who doesn't know his place in this world."
Another Fishman sitting nearby nodded with a huge grin.
It was Daruma, a shark Fishman, but with terrifying jaws that could bite through walls. He wore a helmet similar to ancient Roman ones and, like Dosun, bore the tattoo of the new Fishman Pirate group on his left arm.
"Leave it to us, captain," Daruma said, straightening up. "These 'small matters' don't require your presence. I'll take care of him myself… and I might even treat myself to a bite of his flesh if I get the chance."
Hody, about to respond, seemed to consider Daruma's words. Slowly, he leaned back into the throne, closing his eyes for a moment as he reflected.
Despite his hatred for humans, he knew he had a greater mission—to overthrow Ryugu Palace and proclaim himself king. That was his absolute top priority.
"Hmph…" he snorted after a few seconds. "You make a point. Even so, we can't underestimate a human who dares challenge us so arrogantly."
Opening his eyes sharply, a murderous gleam flashed in his gaze.
"Daruma, you'll go along with Dosun. Take as many subordinates as you need. Let's show that despicable, disgusting human the power of the new Fishman Pirate group."
"As you command, captain-dosu."
Dosun nodded, bowing his head respectfully.
Daruma, for his part, licked his large teeth, almost savoring the flesh that awaited him.
"Don't worry, captain. Before nightfall, that human will regret ever provoking us."
With the decision made, the two set out. Around five hundred Fishmen, all members of the new pirate group, gathered to depart.
Fishmen and mermen, armed with spears, machetes, and hammers, formed ranks, whispering among themselves about the arrogance of a human who dared to call them "trash."
…
In less than half an hour, the area around Marsha's barbershop exploded into a hive of activity. The Fishmen who had once been full of doubt and uncertainty now looked in awe at those arriving with firm steps.
"Damn, the boss is a monster!!"
"Are you seeing this? We underestimated him like idiots! I thought he had abandoned us to our fate, but… he brought out the big guns!"
The anxiety they had felt earlier completely vanished.
They were proud to see that the high-ranking officers had answered the call. They felt their position in the Fishman District becoming solid.
A Fishman with a curved scar on his cheek stepped forward respectfully and spoke, bowing his head to Dosun and Daruma.
"Sir Dosun, Sir Daruma. That human is still inside Marsha's barbershop, getting his hair done."
"WHAT?!" roared Dosun, irritated. "That worm dares to… get his hair done while we…? IT'S AN INSULT-DOSU!"
His explosive temper flared instantly, raising his voice so everyone could hear his orders:
"SOMEBODY GO DESTROY THAT DAMN BARBERSHOP! BRING ME HIS HEAD ON A PLATTER-DOSU!"
Those present exchanged nervous glances. It was clear more than one was willing to obey, but a skinny Fishman raised his voice with fear:
"Ex… excuse me, Sir Dosun, but… are we really going to destroy Marsha's barbershop? She's been doing business in our Fishman District for a while and pays her protection fee on time every month."
"The captain made it clear that as long as they pay, we must protect those who operate in our zone," added another, recalling the rules imposed to maintain order (and their profits).
The crunch of Dosun's teeth echoed like crushed bones, but he couldn't ignore the words of his own men. It was true—if they destroyed the barbershop without a just reason, they might scare off other merchants and lose important income. Everyone was watching. Everyone was taking note.
"Hmph," he grunted, trying to contain his rage. "Fine… the barbershop survives. For now. But the moment that pig steps outside… we skin him alive-dosu."
At his side, Daruma, the smallest of the officers, stared at the barbershop door with cold, hungry eyes.
"I bet he has no idea what's coming…" he murmured, licking his lips. "I'm going to bite his flesh and eat every last piece…"
His words, spoken with that grim calm, sent a chill through several of the Fishmen present.
…
Inside the barbershop, it felt like a different dimension compared to the commotion outside.
The dim lights and ocean-themed décor gave the place a calm atmosphere. Marsha, the beautiful sea-haired mermaid who owned the establishment, remained focused on her work, carefully styling Tiberion's hair.
The reddish color she had applied was already setting, and with each stroke of the comb, it became increasingly clear she was a true professional.
However, she didn't show the slightest concern about the shouting or noise coming from the street. She was used to the situation: as long as she paid her protection fee on time, she didn't get involved in the affairs of those who clashed outside.
As for Tiberion, he appeared relaxed, eyes closed, but in reality, his mind was boiling with thought after thought.
It was hard to ignore the voices on the other side of the door, clearly from a large group of angry fish. Even so, he couldn't afford to show concern.
He had started embodying Yujiro Hanma, and every gesture and word coming out of his mouth had to match the powerful, testosterone-fueled figure of Yujiro.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his consciousness:
[Ding! Hair changed to red, interpretation level increased by 5%.]
[Strength, endurance, speed, constitution, and talent of the host have been improved.]
[For more details, please check your personal attributes.]
'Status.'
Without changing the slightest bit of his serene expression, he focused on the mental screen that appeared before him:
[Name: Tiberion Hanma
Age: 18 years
Height: 2.1 m
Weight: 100 kg
Base Talent: 100 + 50
Base Strength: 100 + 1000
Base Endurance: 100 + 1000
Base Speed: 100 + 1000
Base Density: 100 + 1000
Mastery of all Yujiro Hanma's combat abilities: +5%]
As he looked at these stats, happiness was leaking through his closed eyelashes.
'Damn… Just by imitating the Ogre at 5%, I've already achieved this monstrosity.'
He knew very well that the real Yujiro Hanma was capable of feats impossible for most living beings.
Throwing punches faster than light.
Blows capable of silencing earthquakes with tectonic violence.
Arms that unleashed the crushing weight of a hundred thousand tons with every strike.
Killing, without weapons, a colossal mutant elephant twenty-four meters tall and sixteen hundred tons in weight, which required over twenty-one tons of food per day.
In his spare time, Tiberion had dedicated himself to analyzing and calculating Yujiro's feats as described in the manga.
Every number seemed absurd compared to the reality of any normal human being. Precisely because of that, he experienced a mixture of fascination and respect as he felt that incredible potential in his own body, even if it was just a small reflection of what he could achieve with the Ogre.
'This is just a whisper compared to the true roar of the Ogre… Not even a drop in the ocean,' he thought, aware that this was only the beginning.
As he recalled the colossal silhouette of Yujiro facing Baki, his blood began to boil.
Yujiro Hanma: a being who exceeded the limits of humanity, a true king among men, a creature that inspired awe and terror in equal measure. A man-eating ogre, a demon of overwhelming strength...
As that image grew more vivid in his mind, the familiar chime interrupted his ecstasy.
[Congratulations to the host, hairstyle successfully completed, synchronization increased +5% - Total interpretation level: 10%]
Marsha gave the final touches to his hairstyle without asking questions or passing judgment. Once done, she offered him a small mirror so he could admire the result.
Tiberion opened his now red eyes with restrained excitement.
"YES!" he murmured to himself, "Just by fixing my hair I already reached 10%! This is like cheating in the tutorial of life!"
Curious and proud, he studied himself in the mirror. The new reddish tone of his hair shone under the light, but there was something… something that didn't quite convince him.
'In the manga, Yujiro's hairstyle looks dominant, rough, and wild…' he thought, tilting his head a little.
'Why do I look like I left home without washing my hair?'
The contrast made him form an ironic smile.
'Of course… this is just 10%. Not even a shadow of the real Ogre.'
With that thought, he didn't worry too much: he knew that every percentage gained would be an earthquake in his essence.
Yujiro's essence and appearance would gradually fuse with his own presence—a gradual transformation that promised to break the laws of physics and biology.
He then decided to mentally go over his attributes again, taking advantage of the new increase:
[Base Talent: 150 + 50
Base Strength: 1100 + 1000
Base Endurance: 1100 + 1000
Base Speed: 1100 + 1000
Base Density: 1100 + 1000
Combat Skill Mastery: increased to 10%.]
"What an incredible feeling…" he murmured, slowly rising from the chair.
But that simple action was like a glacier awakening from the ocean floor.
He felt an electric tingle running through his arms and an unusual vigor in every joint.
With every inch he straightened, the invisible pressure radiating from his body increased, making the nail polish bottles on the shelves tremble.
Anyone who had seen him enter the barbershop would've noticed a dramatic change. In that moment, his muscles looked more massive and defined, as if they had gained clean volume in just seconds.
"!"
Marsha was left speechless at the sight.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and even her legs trembled slightly, overwhelmed by the surge of masculinity and strength emanating from Tiberion.
It was as if she were suddenly standing before a dominant predator, capable of inspiring both terror and admiration.
"A-Are you… alright?" she managed to ask, a faint blush on her cheeks.
Tiberion turned toward her.
Marsha felt her body dampen with sweat, her instinct warning her of danger… yet despite that, the feeling of being devoured by his gaze fascinated her irrationally.
Tiberion said nothing, but he was fully aware of the impression he had just made on her.
'So this is Yujiro's unique and dominant allure…'
He recalled the scenes in the manga where women fell at the Ogre's feet after experiencing his "domination."
Until then, he hadn't fully understood why—but now, with that 10% manifesting in his own body, he was starting to glimpse it.
'It's not brute strength… it's the pure radiation of biological superiority.'
"Thank you for your excellent work, Miss Marsha," he said in a tone that mixed courtesy with dominance. "You've done a magnificent job."
The mermaid nodded shyly, unable to take her eyes off him. Meanwhile, Tiberion, inwardly, smiled with curiosity and a hint of satisfaction:
'Tsk, tsk… I think I'm about to understand something important. A true… revelation.'