On an isoted isnd in the Calm Belt, not far from Amazon Lily, a rge crowd of people bustled about on this primitive nd where no one had ever set foot. These were mostly strong men from the Fish-Man Tribe, w hard to develop the isnd.
Fisher Tiger, formerly the leader of Fish-Man Street and a world-css adventurer, who would have been infamous as the arsonist of Mariejois, was now the head of this rge bor force. His chest bore the scar of the Celestial Dragons' brand, but it had since been overid with the emblem of the Donquixote family. This symbolized that Fisher Tiger had now fully joined Cudius's growing ranks, just like Enel, Crocodile, and others. However, he wasn't aiming to be a pirate but rather an "engineer" under Cudius's leadership.
The development of undersea minerals on Fish-Man Isnd had been spearheaded by him, utilizing idle Fish-Men to provide raw materials for both Dofmingo and Crocodile. Ohe mining busihere stabilized, Fisher Tiger led his team into the Calm Belt, ready to embark on the sed spring of his career.
Holding a Calm Belt chart acquired from Amazon Lily, Fisher Tiger studied the map. It marked dozens of isnds around Amazon Lily, highlighting the safer routes for entering aing the Calm Belt. Four isnds were marked with the symbol of crossed harpoons, these were the isnds Fisher Tiger and his team had previously surveyed. They cked signifit resources, no mineral veins, and only rich flora and fauna, making them potential agricultural hubs for food produ. However, for now, the priority was finding isnds that could gee immediate profits. The best resource? Mineral veins. Gold, copper, or iron mines, anything that could be mined and sold would enrich the coffers of the Marines and CP-X. Over time, this development could even bee a major eic pilr.
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Arlong, the younger brother of Shyarly from Fish-Man Isnd's Mermaid Café, had also joihis venture. inally, he was one of the troublemakers of Fish-Man Street. In the inal storyline, he would have bee a petty tyrant i Blue, bullying nearby vilges aablishing the so-called "Arlong Empire." But under Fisher Tiger's influence, Arlong's path had ged. Now, instead of being a vilin, he was w hard as a small foreman, helping to build a better future for his people.
"Big brother, you're here!" Arlong greeted Fisher Tiger enthusiastically as he approached.
Fisher Tiger looked at him and ughed. "A few years ago, you were just a troublemaker on Fish-Man Street. Look at you now, leading your team. Not bad at all."
The previously chaotic Fish-Man Street had undergoransformation. With stable jobs and ines, many of its residents had turned over a new leaf. Gohe days of bullying and infighting among their own kind. Now, everyone worked toward a shared goal.
"I heard you found a valuable isnd here, so I came to take a look. How's it going?" Fisher Tiger asked with a smile.
Arlong's face lit up with excitement. He replied eagerly, "Uhe st few isnds, this one is full of resources! Hachi and the others have already found iron ore in the mountains and forests over there. The quality is good, and the deposits seem plentiful. This isnd is definitely worth developing!"
He paused before adding, "And we haven't even surveyed the whole is. Who knows? We might find a gold mi! Hahaha!"
Fisher Tiger ughed along with him, marking the isnd on his chart. "Iron ore is good enough for now. As fold mine… well, let's not get too greedy just yet. This is already a big win. The Marines have been pressuring us for results, they've poured a lot of resources into the Calm Belt without much to show for it. Finally, we have something to report."
As they spoke, Fisher Tiger pulled out a dot bearing Cudius's signature and the emblem of the Donquixote family. "His Highness has already id out the terms. Two-tenths of the profits from mining and sales will go to our Fish-Man Mining pany to ces and bes for the workers," Fisher Tiger expined with a smile.
"What about gold mines? Same deal?" Arlong asked in surprise.
Fisher Tiger nodded and tossed him the dot. "Yes, same deal. His Highness doesn't restrict the types of minerals. Whether it's irold, the profit-sharing agreement stays the same."
Arlong skimmed the dot, impressed. "That's really generous. His Highness is quite the beor."
Arlong had briefly eaihoughts of pocketing some of the resources for himself and his crew. But after some sideration, he realized it was impossible. Without Cudius's bag and the Donquixote family's sales els, even the most valuable ore would be useless. They could rocks, and they certainly couldn't sell them on their own. Besides, with a fair profit-sharing arra, everyoood to gain. Marine and CP-X each took four-tenths of the profits, leaving two-tenths for the Fish-Man Mining pany. It was a mutually beneficial setup.
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Amazon Lily also stood to be. With all Calm Belt routes passing through their territory, they had transformed a previously uninhabited isnd near Nine Snake Isnd into a bustling port town. This traation had bee a major hub for workers and Marines, who spent their earnings freely there. The influx of spending brought prosperity to Amazon Lily, which was gradually beihier. They used their newfouh to impoods, improve living standards, and fund further development.
The virtuous cycle was clear. The Calm Belt's development beed everyone involved—Fish-Men, Marines, Amazon Lily, and the Donquixote family.
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"Since we've firmed the iron ore veins, let's start building the infrastructure here," Fisher Tiger instructed. "We'll establish a town as our base of operations, ahe workforce, and prepare fe-scale mining. I'll inform the Marines and give them some peaind."
"It's already underway," Arlong replied with a grin. "The guys are cutting dowo build shelters. Ohat's done, we'll struct roads and start mining!"
Fisher Tiger nodded in satisfa. Watg the thousands of Fish-Men w diligently to secure their future, he felt a deep sense of fulfillment.
"That's right… Princess Otohime, perhaps the dream our people have cherished for 800 years, the dream of living freely on the surface finally e true here in the Calm Belt," Fisher Tiger murmured to himself.
