After traversing through Fish-Man Island, we noticed the unusually high number of pirate ships docked nearby. Despite this, the entire island seemed exceptionally jubilant today. Curious about the festive atmosphere, I stopped a fishman to inquire about the occasion.
Normally, such a question from a human would be met with disdain, given the growing animosity between fishmen and humans due to the influx of pirates. However, today was different.
"You mean you don't know?" The hammerhead shark fishman exclaimed in surprise. "Our crown prince has been born! The entire Fish-Man Island is celebrating!" He then rushed off, eager to join the festivities, leaving us in stunned silence. It dawned on me that this must be the time around which Fukaboshi, the crown prince, was born. It seemed we had arrived at Fish-Man Island at a fortuitous moment.
As we continued through the vibrant streets, Smoker, who had slipped closer to me, couldn't hide his apprehension. His eyes were fixed on Katakuri, who walked beside us with an air of quiet strength.
"Are you sure it's alright to let him roam without being shackled?" Smoker asked, his voice low and filled with concern.
I glanced at Katakuri, who was surveying the surroundings with an impassive expression. "Smoker, I've already told him he's free to go," I replied, keeping my voice equally low. "But he's chosen to stay with us until we reach the New World."
Smoker's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why would he stay with us? He's Big Mom's son, isn't he?. He should be trying to escape or return to his family."
"He's a man of his word, and if he wants to return, then so be it." I explained. "And perhaps, after everything that's happened, he's curious to see what lies ahead. Besides, having him with us could be beneficial. We're heading into dangerous waters."
Smoker sighed, clearly still uneasy but accepting my explanation. "Alright, but I'll be keeping an eye on him."
"Do what you must," I said, patting his shoulder. "Just remember, we're all on the same ship now. Let's try to make it to the New World in one piece."
As we navigated through the celebratory streets, the joy of the fishmen was infectious. Decorations adorned every corner, and music filled the air. Children laughed and played, and vendors handed out free treats to everyone. It was a rare sight of unity and happiness, a stark contrast to the tension that had marked our recent days.
We made our way to the heart of the celebration, where a grand announcement was being made. King Neptune stood tall and proud, holding his newborn son, Fukaboshi, for all to see. The crowd erupted in cheers, their voices echoing through the underwater city.
For a moment, we were caught up in the celebration. It was a reminder of the joy and hope that still existed in the world, even amidst the chaos. I exchanged a glance with Doffy, who had found his way to the venue of the celebration, and saw a rare smile on his face. Even Katakuri seemed to relax, his usual stern expression softening as he watched the festivities.
"Enjoy it while it lasts," I murmured to Smoker. "We'll be back in the thick of things soon enough."
Smoker nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, let's take this moment to breathe."
As the joyous celebration in the plaza reached its peak, a stark contrast of horror unfolded in the Sea Forest, also known as the Ship's Graveyard. Hundreds of fishmen bodies lay scattered across the seabed, their once formidable presences now reduced to lifeless forms. These were not ordinary fishmen; they were ruthless fighters from the slums, notorious for their merciless nature. But now, their blood stained the waters, and their bodies littered the ocean floor.
Standing solemnly amidst the carnage was Elder Topman Warcury. His presence exuded a terrifying aura that even the seasoned CP0 agents, close to a half dozen of whom were present, found unnerving. None dared to move as they observed the elder's ruthless efficiency.
Warcury had personally slaughtered every fishman that dared to obstruct their path to the location where the Red Poneglyph had once stood. His sheer dominance and the palpable intensity of his haki left even the most hardened agents in awe.
In Warcury's iron grip, a fishman dangled helplessly. Despite the size disparity, the fishman was powerless under the Elder's crushing hold. Warcury's voice was a cold whisper, filled with lethal intent. "Where are the Poneglyphs?" he demanded.
When no response came, Warcury noticed that the fishman's throat had already been crushed, his life had been snuffed out. With a dismissive flick, he tossed the corpse aside and turned his steely gaze towards another wounded fishman clinging to the last threads of life. He stepped forward, his boot crushing down on the fishman's limb with a sickening crunch.
"Where are the two poneglyphs that were in the sea forest?" Warcury repeated, his voice a chilling growl. "Who took them? If you don't answer me, I will destroy the entire Fish-Man Island today."
The surviving fishman, gasping and writhing in pain, looked up at the elder with fear-filled eyes. Blood trickled from his mouth as he struggled to speak. "We... we don't know... They vanished... like shadows..."
Warcury's eyes narrowed, his patience wearing thin. "Lies will only bring you more pain. Speak the truth, or face the consequences."
The fishman whimpered, the terror in his voice unmistakable. "It's the truth! One moment they were there, the next, gone! We swear it!"
Warcury tightened his grip on the fishman's limb, the bones creaking under the pressure. "Then tell me who has the capability to make them disappear."
The fishman sobbed, his will to resist completely shattered. "Rumors... there are rumors... of a powerful fishman capable of controlling seakings... but we don't know who..."
Warcury released the fishman's limb, letting him collapse in a heap on the seabed. He turned to the CP0 agents, his eyes blazing with resolve. "We must find these poneglyphs. This island holds many secrets, and we will uncover them all. If necessary, we will bring the full might of the World Government upon Fish-Man Island."
As the agents nodded, Warcury's cold, relentless determination was clear. The celebration in the plaza continued, blissfully unaware of the impending doom that loomed over their paradise. In the shadows of the Sea Forest, a dark chapter was unfolding, one that would send ripples through the entire ocean.
However, the fishman's last words struck a nerve, sending shivers up Warcury's spine. A powerful fishman who could control Sea Kings—wasn't that the ability of Poseidon? Had Poseidon already been reborn? No, even if it was merely a rumor, it couldn't be real. Poseidon could never be allowed to return, never again.
Warcury turned to the CP0 agents and commanded, "Capture the monarchs of Fish-Man Island. That's the quickest way to subdue the island. Our influence and power are restricted amongst the fishmen race, so we need to act swiftly." He intended to use the monarchs' lives as leverage to find the person responsible for moving the poneglyphs.
Warcury was aware he couldn't face the entire Fish-Man Island alone, especially when surrounded by the sea. He didn't bother about the tensions souring between the World Government and Fish-Man Island. But then he thought about it for a minute and devised a better way to handle this discreetly. As long as the involvement of the World Government remains unknown, everything should be fine.
He commanded the CP0 agents again, "Lose all your uniforms, disguise yourselves as human pirates, and capture the royal family of Fish-Man Island." He moved towards the special government vessel anchored near the sea forest. If Fish-Man Island had been on the surface, he could have simply ordered a Buster Call to raze the entire island to cinders, as they had done to countless other islands. But that wasn't a possibility here. Even his own powers were restricted to a vast degree beneath the sea.
Warcury already knew his arrival at Fish-Man Island hadn't gone unnoticed. The ancient sea kings had stirred; they were the true guardians of Fishmen Island, and he needed to tread carefully because, even with his powers in the sea, he would need quite the effort to bring one of them down, and no one truly knows how many of these ancient sea kings still lurked about. These beasts were bound to Fish-Man Island by some sort of oath or calling, as if waiting for the arrival of their true ruler someday. They would surely intervene in any extinction-level crisis.
Back in the square, the celebration had turned into a full-blown banquet. With Queen Otohime's popularity, more and more fishmen started joining in. Even those from the slum areas participated, eager to escape the gloom that had settled over Fish-Man Island since the advent of the Great Pirate Age. This was an occasion to forget their pain.
"Papa, look! Look! Cotton candy!" a little mermaid screamed happily from her father's arms. Nearby, Smoker used his Moku Moku no Mi abilities to entertain the children in the plaza. Clouds of smoke formed whimsical shapes, delighting the young ones.
However, Katakuri stood frozen in shock. "The kid is a Logia fruit user?" he questioned me. He couldn't reconcile the silly-looking brat with such a powerful ability. It seemed like the kid only knew how to use his fruit powers for parlor tricks.
Katakuri entertained the idea of taking the kid back to present him to Big Mom but quickly discarded it. He knew that would be as good as enslaving the boy for a lifetime.
He looked at me, then at Smoker, and finally at Doffy, who was dancing around with other mermaids and fishmen, oblivious to the disdain some fishmen openly showed. Doffy was simply living in the moment.
Katakuri wondered to himself about the small crew that already boasted three Logia ability users within its ranks. What kind of behemoth were these two brothers truly planning to build? A small flicker of curiosity, buried earlier, resurfaced. He thought about how good it would be to join such a powerful yet true family. He realized that this was how a real family should be. Although ruthless to outsiders, they fought tooth and nail to secure their interests and protect each other.
As the night wore on, the atmosphere grew even more jubilant. Fishmen and mermaids danced, sang, and shared stories of hope and dreams for the future. The sense of unity was palpable.
"Ross-kun, I finally found you. I see that you found your way into the celebration yourself. I was personally coming to find you and bring you here," the Fishmen leader who had left earlier bellowed while pushing aside the other fishmen who were celebrating and making their way towards where we were. He was leading an entire group of mermen who seemed like formidable figures behind him. They must be the other family members of the mermaids that we had helped rescue.
The Fishmen leader froze as he saw the tall figure of Katakuri standing next to us without shackles. His jaws clenched, but then he let it slide because I was standing beside him. His respect for his family's savior was greater than the hatred he held for someone who had tormented them.
"Ross-kun, meet my friends," he said, gesturing to the group behind him. "They all wanted to personally thank you and your brother for going out of your way to help us rescue our family." He bowed sincerely, a gesture that was followed by the other fishmen.
For a moment, the celebrations in the plaza came to a halt. The sight of more than a dozen formidable fishmen bowing to a human in public was something no one could have imagined. Murmurs of surprise rippled through the crowd, and eyes widened in astonishment.
I nodded respectfully, acknowledging their gratitude. "We were happy to help," I replied, my voice carrying across the suddenly quiet plaza. "Family is everything, and no one should be torn apart from theirs."
Katakuri, standing beside me, crossed his arms and observed the scene with a thoughtful expression. Despite his intimidating presence, he remained silent, respecting the solemn moment.
The Fishmen leader straightened and smiled. "Ross-kun, your actions have given us hope. You've shown us that not all humans are to be feared or hated."
Doffy, still dancing and reveling in the celebration, caught my eye and gave me a carefree wave. I smiled, feeling a rare sense of peace amid the chaos of our lives. But in the back of my mind, I knew this respite was temporary. We still had a long journey ahead, filled with dangers and challenges. But for now, surrounded by new allies and the warmth of celebration, I allowed myself to enjoy the moment.