"And why attack everyone on Fish-Man Island?!"
Tiger didn't understand the situation.
He thought Yamato and Monet were just being petty, holding a grudge because Arlong blocked them when they tried to enter Fishman Island.
That they attacked Arlong out of spite.
Fearing he'd provoke Yonko Doflamingo, Tiger swallowed his anger.
"What a righteous-sounding excuse for such reckless behavior!"
Monet's eyes turned ice-cold.
She understood now—these fishmen were all cut from the same cloth.
Too cowardly to confront the ones truly oppressing them, yet they dared to strike at those who came in goodwill.
Exactly like the kind of people the BOSS always described—those who fear strength but not virtue.
"Wait—"
Shyarly rushed out, trying to explain the situation.
But in the next moment, her voice was drowned out by a thunderous roar.
At some point, Jinbe had removed his Ryugu armor.
Seeing Arlong trampled beneath their feet, the former boss of Fishman District erupted in fury.
The surrounding seawater surged to his hands as if alive,
Condensing into a bullet-like torrent and shooting toward Yamato and Monet.
"Hahahaha! That seawater control technique—can I have it?"
Yamato's eyes sparkled, gripping Takeru tightly as she stepped forward.
The monstrous bloodline inherited from Kaido began to show its strength.
Each step she took shattered the wooden floor beneath her feet.
Raising her kanabō, she swung it horizontally at the incoming blast of water.
"Raimei Hakke!"
Boom!
Water splashed everywhere, soaking the parched fishmen collapsed around them, bringing a moment of welcome relief.
They stared in terror at Yamato's small frame.
"Jinbe-sama's technique—wiped out in one hit?!"
"She's not human!!"
Her kanabō clashed against Jinbe's thick palm.
Feeling the force through his arm, even Jinbe's furious eyes flickered with surprise.
He was a whale shark fishman—far stronger than most.
But this girl...?
"Hehehe, let's keep going!"
The first strike passed, and Yamato quickly retreated before charging in again with her weapon.
The battle had entered full intensity from the very start.
Nearby, the other fishmen could only watch the white and blue blurs collide again and again.
Seeing the oni horns on Yamato's head, her weapon, and that earlier technique, a troubling suspicion crept into Tiger's heart.
Suppressing the unease, he charged into the fray.
Whether his suspicion was true or not, this couldn't be allowed to escalate.
Boom—Boom!
A loud roar split the air.
Tiger jerked his head upward.
A giant, who looked like he had some chromosomal disorder, leapt from the sky with a massive blade in hand.
The air itself seemed to split in two beneath his blade.
"I~'m~coming!!"
Tiger's eyes widened.
He focused all his strength, armament Haki darkening his fists.
With a mighty uppercut, he lashed out.
The massive blade slammed down onto Tiger's punch with incredible momentum.
The instant they collided, Tiger's expression changed drastically—he couldn't hold his ground.
His feet punched into the earth like nails driven in.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
The ground itself rippled like waves from the impact.
Pfft!
Tiger spat a mouthful of blood, his heart pounding in alarm.
"This power... it's just like Whitebeard's!"
With his Haki-coated fist, he launched another strike at Weevil's face.
But Weevil spun his massive blade around and swung it downward like a club, slamming the hilt into Tiger's jaw.
Tiger was flung away like a ragdoll, unable to respond.
Even if, in one possible future, he had the strength to climb the Red Line—he was still no match.
Today, he was facing a version of Whitebeard in his prime with dementia.
Even without Haki or combat experience, just Weevil's body alone could overpower 99% of the world.
With Weevil's arrival, the battle was completely one-sided.
As Tiger lost consciousness, one thought flashed through his mind:
"What treasure could Fishman Island possibly be hiding... that would make Doflamingo send the heirs of Kaido and Whitebeard here to find it?"
...
Once all the fishmen had collapsed,
The Ryugu Kingdom forces finally arrived, with Neptune and Otohime now properly dressed and leading the way.
"Why would you do this?!"
Otohime saw Tiger lying battered on the ground, chest sunken in, with her fellow fishmen sprawled around him.
Tears welled in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks.
If Neptune hadn't held her tightly,
She would've already rushed in to check on the injured.
All she could do now was glare at Yamato's group and demand answers.
"Why would you do this?!"
She could feel that these people didn't hold prejudice against fishmen—so why attack the people of Fishman District?
Even the usually gentle Neptune couldn't hold back his fury.
Water swirled in one of his palms, bubbling violently.
"I'm asking you all to leave this country!"
The Ryugu soldiers closed in, surrounding Yamato and the others.
At some point, Senor Pink had arrived.
He looked at Otohime with a tinge of regret.
It seemed BOSS's plan to arrange a meeting with this mermaid princess had failed.
He wondered what BOSS would do to punish these little brats.
Pushing those thoughts aside, Senor Pink turned to Neptune and asked:
"What now? Are you declaring war on the Donquixote Family?"
His stance was confident, not at all like someone being surrounded—instead, it felt like he was the one surrounding them.
...
Just as tensions were about to explode,
Shyarly came running out, drenched in sweat, her fear audible in her trembling voice.
"Wait! That's not what happened!!"
"Shyarly?"
Neptune and Otohime were both stunned.
What did this have to do with her?
Shyarly glanced back at the green-haired woman, then continued:
"It was all my brother, Arlong. He drove away the human guests, and then—after arguing with that woman—he got angry and attacked first..."
The more Neptune heard, the darker his face grew.
Fishman District was a gathering place for orphans. Its current state—
Could be blamed on incompetent leadership. No, on his own incompetence.
This chaos was the result.
The orphans there had grown up surviving only through violence.
Hatred for humans was spreading like wildfire. Clear-headed ones like Tiger were rare.
No... it wasn't just hatred for humans.
It was hatred for Ryugu Palace too.
And as long as humans kept persecuting fishmen, new orphans would continue to appear.
The cycle of hatred in Fishman District would never stop. It was a deadlock.
Neptune's face turned as black as ink.
He lowered his head slightly to Senor Pink and spoke apologetically.
"I deeply regret the unpleasant experience you've had. As king of Fishman Island, I will ensure you receive a proper resolution. I will punish Fishman District accordingly."
"Please rest well tonight. Tomorrow, you are welcome at the palace. We have prepared a banquet."
"Heh... what a useless king."
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Fanfic is finished 527 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg