Guarding an agreement for more than 800 years sounded awe-inspiring. However, Neptune could not explain the exact details of that agreement. Their royal family was simply tasked with guarding the secret and waiting, not even knowing who they were waiting for. This kind of waiting might seem ridiculous to some, but to many others, it represented a profound, long-held commitment.
Robin spoke up. "I also saw a Poneglyph on Sky Island , which recorded information about the Ancient Weapon Poseidon, stating that Poseidon was located in Fish-Man Island..."
Ancient Weapon?! Both Nami and Jinbe were taken aback. Nami had heard of the Ancient Weapons many times, and Jinbe knew much about them as well. Neither of them had expected that an Ancient Weapon was hidden on Fish-Man Island. This explained why Neptune had tried so hard to keep the secret just moments ago. Such a thing was extremely dangerous for Fish-Man Island.
"Could Poseidon be Noah?" Nami guessed.
"If only it were Noah, then I wouldn't be so troubled!" Neptune gave a wry smile. "As young Carl said, Shirahoshi cried bitterly after Otohime's death when she was a child, and her cries summoned the Sea Kings. At that time, I knew Shirahoshi had begun to show signs of awakening, but I didn't expect Vander Decken IX also discovered this."
"No way..." Nami and Jinbe's expressions changed drastically.
"That's right! Shirahoshi is the Ancient Weapon, Poseidon!" Neptune said painfully.
No one had imagined that the supposed Ancient Weapon was not a massive weapon, but a mermaid princess. This was completely beyond their understanding and seemed highly illogical. A little mermaid girl being an Ancient Weapon—it sounded like a joke!
"So, the agreement must involve Noah and the mermaid princess, and the mermaid princess is an Ancient Weapon," Nami realized. "Why do I feel like the secrets are getting bigger and more terrifying?" Nami felt a headache coming on and couldn't help but pity Shirahoshi. When the news of Poseidon was fully exposed, Princess Shirahoshi would undoubtedly suffer greatly. Being used as a weapon was uncomfortable enough, and countless people would want to exploit her power. What a tragic fate!
Jinbe immediately knelt on one knee before Neptune. "Your Majesty, Jinbe will use his life to protect the Princess and Fish-Man Island!".
Neptune waved his hand, his face etched with sorrow. "Jinbe, our Fish-Man Island is still too weak. The only way is to keep the secret, but I fear it won't remain a secret for long. I feel like I'm seeing the horrors that await Fish-Man Island."
It was an undeniable truth: if Shirahoshi's true identity was revealed, various powerful factions would immediately come to seize her. The World Government, the Marines, the Yonko, the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and countless other conspirators and opportunists would descend upon the island, turning Fish-Man Island into a living hell.
"When that time comes, remember to seek out the Straw Hat Pirates!" Carl suddenly said loudly. "King Neptune, you heard what our Captain said just now. Fish-Man Island and the Straw Hats are already friends. Friends should help each other when they are in trouble. Do you understand what Luffy means by that?".
Neptune was deeply moved and struggled to hold back his tears. He truly hadn't expected the Straw Hats to offer such strong support; it felt like a vital injection of hope. "Thank you! Thank you, Straw Hats!" Neptune wept softly.
"I am also grateful for the Straw Hats' help," Jinbe said, offering his solemn promise. "If there is ever a time in the future when I can be of use, just tell me. I will not hesitate to help you!".
Carl simply shrugged. The Straw Hats didn't need much help right now. Also, since they hadn't actually helped Fish-Man Island yet, he felt it was premature to ask for anything in return, so the matter could wait. Nevertheless, the promise had been made, and the Straw Hats were now on the same side as the Mermaid Princess. If they ever went to war against the World Government, the Mermaid Princess—Poseidon—would be a powerful ally.
"However, I think Fish-Man Island should not only rely on others for shelter but should also find a way to become stronger," Carl continued. "After all, we and the Whitebeard Pirates won't always be able to arrive in time to save you. Therefore, Fish-Man Island must strengthen itself. Your late Queen Otohime advocated for peaceful coexistence with humans, but she failed to achieve it. Do you know why? Because your Fish-Man Island is weak, and being weak is the original sin!".
Neptune and Jinbe wanted to argue against Carl's harsh assessment, but in the end, they could not refute it. Deep down, they both felt that Carl was right.
"Humans discriminate against fish-men not only because of differences in race but also because of the weakness of the fish-men," Carl stated. "Think about the Giants, the Long-Armed Tribe, and the Long-Legged Tribe. They are also quite different from ordinary humans, especially the Giants whose size difference is immense. There are even races like the Mink Tribe who are not human at all, yet humans rarely discriminate against them. Why? Because they are strong! They are so powerful that people dare not discriminate against them. Weak countries have no diplomacy. When you are weak and seek equality, you are merely beggars asking for mercy and charity. So, during this time of shelter, find a way to become stronger. Only strength can truly bring equality and respect!".
Carl's words echoed in the minds of Neptune and Jinbe, leaving them stunned for a long time. What Carl said was a truth everyone understood, and they understood it too. But for many years, they had firmly believed in Queen Otohime's ideal and wanted to achieve her wish. However, in Carl's eyes, they were just weak people begging for mercy and handouts. Though the statement was brutally honest, the reality was even crueler because it was true. Queen Otohime's efforts seemed to have been in vain.
Neptune and Jinbe finally gained clarity. Queen Otohime's vision of coexisting with humans was noble, but her method of implementation was flawed. As Carl had pointed out, a weak country has no voice in diplomacy. Their pleas for so many years were merely the voices of the weak, and it was only natural that they hadn't received a meaningful response. Therefore, Fish-Man Island had to become truly powerful to gain genuine equality and respect! However, becoming stronger would not be an easy task; it would be the ultimate test for Fish-Man Island.
After saying his piece, Carl added one last piece of information. "By the way, Queen Otohime seems to have been assassinated by a man named Hody Jones. Princess Shirahoshi should know about it. Also, that same guy likely stole the forbidden stimulant drugs from your Ryugu Palace. That man has organized a new force in the Fish-Man District, and he may pose a threat to Fish-Man Island. Jinbe, you should pay close attention."
After warning Jinbe, Carl calmly returned to eating and drinking. The rest of the group didn't seem too concerned. Seeing this, Law and Robin silently poured wine for Carl. Robin had learned what she needed to know and did not want to interfere with other matters. As for Law, he was still being lazy. Nami was still reeling from shock, having received too much critical information in such a short amount of time.
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