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The sequence of events—human pirates shooting, Queen Otohime on the brink of death, the blue-haired girl stepping in, and Queen Otohime being saved—shook the nerves of the residents of Fish-Man Island.
As they calmed down, they began seriously considering the possibility of peaceful coexistence with humans.
Some, like Hody Jones, had originally harbored a deep hatred for humans but had chosen to trust Queen Otohime's efforts.
Others had always harbored a hopeful dream of the world above the sea.
After this incident, those who had never seen the outside world decided to reconsider things more carefully.
As everyone hesitated, unsure whether to ask Queen Otohime for their signed petitions back, a massive shadow began to loom over Fish-Man Island.
Several gigantic Sea Kings, each as large as the entire island, suddenly appeared!
Their enormous eyes moved slowly as they hovered just outside the island, staring intently at the plaza.
"Has the power hidden within Shirahoshi summoned these terrifying creatures again?"
Queen Otohime, sitting on the ground, stared in amazement at the massive Sea Kings crowding outside the island, her clear eyes filled with surprise.
Although she had received timely treatment from Aqua, her body was still very weak—a hidden consequence of years of exhausting work.
"No... that's not it..."
As her gaze fell on the now calm and obedient Shirahoshi, Queen Otohime's expression grew more serious.
Could they have been drawn here by this savior standing beside her?
With her exceptional Observation Haki, Queen Otohime quickly realized the truth, and her face turned pale with shock.
The appearance of the gigantic Sea Kings threw the entire plaza into chaos and fear once again.
The oppressive presence of creatures over 5,000 meters long was enough to make even the fish-men and mermaids, who lived in the deep sea, tremble instinctively!
High above Fish-Man Island, the giant Sea Kings began a conversation in a language that others couldn't hear.
"What a strange feeling. Why do I sense such an unusual aura from that little human girl?"
"Indeed, it's quite extraordinary. It's been hundreds of years, and aside from the mermaid princess, this is the first time something like this has happened."
"What should we do next? The mermaid princess doesn't seem to be in any danger."
"Let's observe a little longer. The fact that a mere human can provoke such a response from us means this is no trivial matter..."
The massive creatures openly discussed the situation in front of the entire island without any regard for privacy.
Their language was peculiar, understood only by Poseidon, the Sea King, and a select few humans with the ability to hear the Voice of All Things.
However, it seemed that one more being, or rather, one more goddess, should be added to that list.
"Hey! What the hell are you big stupid fish talking about, mumbling to yourselves?!"
Having heard every word clearly, Aqua's temper flared up, and she angrily pointed at the gigantic Sea Kings and shouted, "Listen up! This goddess is not a frail human but the Goddess of Water!"
The gigantic Sea Kings: "???"
"Human, you can understand our language?" one of the Sea Kings asked.
"Understand, my foot! I told you, I'm the Goddess of Water, the incredibly noble Goddess of Water!!!" Aqua corrected sharply.
Hearing this, the Sea Kings exchanged puzzled glances.
This time, they were genuinely convinced that the person before them could indeed communicate with them.
For creatures that had spent countless years lurking in the deep sea, waiting for their destined encounter, this revelation was incredibly shocking.
"The Goddess of Water, a deity who governs the sea... Although it's hard to believe, she does seem to have that potential," the giant Sea Kings communicated with each other through their gazes and quickly reached a unanimous decision:
Better safe than sorry—time to retreat!
Rumble, rumble.
The entire Fish-Man Island shook violently as powerful sea currents were stirred up, and under the shocked gazes of the island's residents, the colossal sea monsters turned and left.
In the blink of an eye, they disappeared into the deep, dark distance.
Everyone stood frozen in place, struggling to process what they had just witnessed.
"Wait, this has to be a joke, right? That blue-haired human just scared off the gigantic Sea Kings?"
"She just said she's the Goddess of Water?"
"That's it! That explains it! I knew it couldn't be an ordinary human with that kind of affinity; she's not human at all!"
"Now it makes sense—the Goddess of Water saved our Queen Otohime!"
As they came to their senses, the residents of Fish-Man Island knelt down in reverence, their gazes toward Aqua filled with devout admiration.
Faced with something beyond their comprehension, they could only conclude that Aqua was indeed a divine being.
"Just like Poseidon, someone who has a connection with the gigantic Sea Kings..."
Jinbei, standing on the hillside, muttered to himself, "I originally thought the title 'Goddess of Water' was just that—a title. I never imagined she could do something like this..."
He wanted to voice his concerns about the residents' blind faith in a human, but the words wouldn't come out.
After all, as a fish-man himself, he felt the same impulse at this moment!
As he stood there in shock, electric arcs crackled beside him, gradually forming the image of Zyhark.
"Sorry, Jinbei. I took some actions on my own just now," Zyhark apologized.
After all, this was Fish-Man Island, and he needed to show some respect for Jinbei.
Jinbei was known for his impeccable character and righteousness—traits that, at times, made him overly just.
Even though he knew that Hody Jones was the mastermind behind the assassination attempt on Queen Otohime, he chose not to act, leaving it to the Straw Hat Pirates two years later, which nearly resulted in the destruction of Fish-Man Island by the Noah's Ark!
This was one of the reasons why Zyhark decided to eliminate Hody Jones with such swift, thunderous force.
Jinbei turned his head to stare intently at Zyhark for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. "It's alright. That guy got what he deserved."
It was clear that, knowing Hody Jones' personality, Jinbei had already figured out the truth behind today's assassination attempt.
"Since we're on the subject, let's talk about the Arlong Pirates as well."
Hearing the name Arlong, Jinbei sighed again. "Choosing to appear in the human world as pirates was a decision they had to be prepared for."
Jinbei had tried to persuade them when the Arlong Pirates sought independence, but they wouldn't listen.
If Zyhark's crew were ruthless criminals, it would be one thing. But on the contrary, they had not only dared to attack the Celestial Dragons, but they had also just saved Queen Otohime's life, making them heroes in the eyes of Fish-Man Island!
He had no reason to intervene on behalf of his former subordinates.
"That's good. It seems you're not planning to seek revenge."
Zyhark grinned widely, showing a bright smile. "In that case, can we be friends?"
Hearing this, Jinbei furrowed his brows slightly, puzzled by Zyhark's sudden suggestion.
The rumors painted Zyhark the Thunder as arrogant and domineering, yet here he was, actively extending a hand of friendship to a fellow Shichibukai.
Recalling the scene of Aqua scaring off the gigantic Sea Kings and remembering Shyarly's prophetic vision, Jinbei nodded. "It would be an honor."
"Hehe, no need for honor," Zyhark's smile grew even brighter, though there was an unmistakable hint of cunning beneath it.
Before Jinbei could think too deeply about it, Zyhark revealed his true intentions: "As friends, we should be able to talk about anything, right? So, could you tell me the exact location of Buggy's pirate crew?"
The New World might not be that big, but it certainly wasn't small either. By the time he tracked down Buggy's crew, the red Poneglyph might already be in Whitebeard's hands!
"What are you planning to do?!" Jinbei's alertness shot up instantly.
Just as he had fought Ace for three days and nights, Jinbei would never allow someone as dangerous as Zyhark to approach Whitebeard!
"Relax, I have no interest in Whitebeard; I'm just curious about the Poneglyph," Zyhark admitted.
This was the honest truth, as he had no desire to clash with a Yonko like Whitebeard at this stage.
"Studying those things is an unforgivable crime in the eyes of the World Government," Jinbei observed Zyhark's obsession with the Poneglyph.
"Isn't attacking the Celestial Dragons the same? Yet, here we are, still alive and well," Zyhark countered with a smile.
Hearing this, Jinbei lowered his head, deep in thought.
"Centuries ago, the warrior of liberation, Joy Boy, made a certain promise with the mermaid princess of that era."
Jinbei looked up, his gaze meeting Zyhark's deep eyes. "Zyhark, are you the one from that promise?"
"Sorry, but I'm just me, not Joy Boy."
Zyhark didn't hesitate to respond. "The only thing I can promise is that if you choose to migrate the entire population to the surface, I can guarantee the safety of Fish-Man Island."
He never believed in destiny or fate; he just wanted to be his most authentic self.
Even if playing along with Jinbei's assumption might make it easier to gain his trust.
To be honest, if he had to believe in something, he'd rather put his faith in that foolish goddess!
"I see..." Jinbei sighed heavily.
After a long moment of contemplation, watching Aqua being adored by the residents of Fish-Man Island, he finally decided to trust Zyhark.
With that, Zyhark successfully obtained the precise location of Buggy's pirate crew—on a deserted island in the central waters of the New World.
Given the urgency of the situation, they didn't stay on Fish-Man Island for long.
After quickly replenishing some necessary supplies and bidding farewell to King Neptune, Queen Otohime, the three royal siblings, and the residents of Fish-Man Island, the Endless Dream set sail at full speed, heading straight for the latter half of the Grand Line—the New World!
Meanwhile, in the New World, on an uninhabited island.
Within a hastily constructed circus tent, Buggy and his officers, including Galdino, were leisurely enjoying afternoon tea.
Thanks to Buggy's reputation and a series of inexplicable lucky breaks, not only had they survived their entry into the New World, but they had also thrived, attracting many powerful pirates to their crew.
The main reason for this surprising turn of events was the immense wealth brought about by Shanks becoming a new Yonko.
When the pirates of the New World learned that Buggy had once served under the Pirate King Roger alongside Shanks and that they were close friends, Buggy's prestige naturally soared!
"Captain Buggy! Captain Buggy! Something terrible has happened!!"
A scar-faced crew member burst in, stumbling over himself, drenched in cold sweat and looking terrified.
"Calm down! We're big-time pirates now!"
Buggy calmly sipped his tea, casting a glance at the crew member. "Speak up, which pirate crew is it this time causing trouble?"
With fame comes trouble. Just as many pirates flocked to join the Buggy Pirates, others sought to kill them for glory.
Several pirate crews from the New World had already challenged them, claiming they would take Buggy's head.
At first, Buggy and his officers had panicked, but after seeing their crew decimate the challengers every time, they had grown accustomed to it.
"It's... It's the Whitebeard Pirates! The ship of the Whitebeard Pirates!" the crew member stammered, trembling.
In the New World, just hearing that name was enough to scare people to death.
"Oh, I thought you were talking about someone important. So it's just the Whitebeard Pirates..."
As Buggy spoke, his calm expression suddenly froze, and he spat the tea he was drinking all over Galdino, who was sitting beside him.
Almost simultaneously, Galdino and the other officers also sprayed their drinks all over Buggy's face.
"Y-y-y-y-you said what? The Whitebeard Pirates? The strongest man in the world, Whitebeard?!"
"That's right, Captain. They've already landed. Although our men are fighting them, I think you'll need to handle this one personally!"
The crew member was frantic.
"I see, I see... So even Whitebeard can't resist my growing fame..."
Buggy's eyeballs and jaw hit the ground in shock, but he quickly pulled them back in and forced himself to stand up with a façade of calm.
"Got it. You go help the others. I'll get ready and then go chop off Whitebeard's head!"
He raised his hand, brandishing four small knives, and the painted side of his face exuded a battle-hungry aura.
"I-I understand!"
The crew member was instantly reassured.
Finally, they would get to see Captain Buggy in action! He was determined to show his courage to Captain Buggy! Filled with this fervent resolve, the crew member grabbed his weapon and dashed out of the camp, charging toward the Whitebeard Pirates.
As soon as the tent flap closed behind him, Buggy, Galdino, and the other officers all simultaneously leaped into action, packing up their money and personal belongings at lightning speed.
Taking advantage of the precious time their crew was buying them, they unanimously decided to...
Run away!
"Hurry up, hurry up, Richie! Stop worrying about women's panties and let's sneak out the back!"
Buggy, using his Devil Fruit powers to carry a load of treasure, shouted at Richie, who was in the corner.
Hearing this, Richie the lion, with his human-like face, showed a complex expression. After a moment of inner conflict, he decisively rushed upstairs to the room and grabbed the women's panties in his mouth.
A committed pervert has something worth risking his life for, after all.
Unfortunately, that little delay meant that the Whitebeard Pirates, breaking through the layers of defenses, had already reached the main camp!
Boom! The crew member who had just rushed out was thrown back inside—this time in the form of a flying projectile landing at Buggy's feet.
The seismic shockwave that followed tore through the hastily erected circus tent, reducing it to rubble!
In the midst of the ruins, Buggy and his officers stared wide-eyed in terror, their hearts nearly stopping.
Standing before them, towering over the scattered pirates, was a tall figure wielding a guan dao, exuding an indescribable aura of terror with just a glance.
"Gurararara! Long time no see, the little red-nosed brat from Roger's ship!"
(End of Chapter)