If he weren't certain that no one would do something like that, Nereus would have suspected that the pirate had been deliberately arranged by someone.
With the new king ascending the throne, the impact on Fishman Island's overall situation was not particularly big. Much of daily life continued as usual.
Although Nereus believed that the former royal family's response to external threats had been utterly inept, their governance of internal affairs was passable, so he did not immediately launch sweeping reforms.
Compared to those barely acceptable issues, Nereus was more concerned with military matters.
"The Neptune Army needs to be reorganized. Its current numbers are insufficient, and its quality is lacking. Fishman Island needs a force capable of defending the island in the deep sea.
You'll have to work a bit harder during this period. The checkpoints of Fishman Island will be entrusted to you."
Fishman Island's situation was actually quite special. It was not only difficult to enter, but also difficult to leave.
The moment a ship entered Fishman Island, the coating on the outside would be absorbed by the gigantic bubble surrounding the island. To leave, the ship would need to be recoated, and the craftsmen capable of coating ships on Fishman Island were only Fish-Men and Mermaids.
In other words, even if someone secretly abducted a citizen, they would have no way to secretly leave Fishman Island.
As long as the checkpoints could be firmly controlled, this problem alone would solve most issues.
After a simple inspection, one could naturally set sail. If you had nothing to hide, why resist an inspection?
"Don't worry, Boss. We might be a bit weaker on land, but down here, ten thousand meters under the sea, we fear no one."
"Sunbell, prepare a population census. Get a clear picture of every citizen's Fish-Type abilities. It's fine if they can't name the Fish-Type precisely, as long as they can clearly describe the ability. This is especially important for flying-fish Fish-Men and Merfolk."
Ordinary flying fish can only leave the sea surface and glide for a short distance, but the flying fish of these seas were no such small fry.
They were enormous in size, capable of being ridden like mounts, carrying one or two people as they flew through the sky for quite some time.
Duval had thus formed the Flying Fish Riders. Relying on these innate abilities, it was always possible to create an elite special unit. The ability to fly itself already conferred an overwhelming advantage.
Such changes could not happen overnight; they unfolded gradually, step by step. Two or three days were far from enough to bring about any earth-shaking transformation on Fishman Island.
But that time was enough for the news to spread across the seas.
There was more than one newspaper on the sea, and they competed fiercely with one another. If they could secure some special front-page headlines, it would be a good thing for them.
The upheaval on Fishman Island was, to them, a story worth reporting.
However, most people who saw the newspapers did not really care. Interaction between islands along the Grand Line was sparse to begin with.
Some isolated islands lived completely self-sufficient lives, paying no attention to what happened in the outside world, let alone Fishman Island, so far beneath the sea.
"Fishman Island? That place from the legends with lots of Merfolks?"
"Letting a pirate become king? How pitiful…"
These were the most common reactions. To be precise, simply knowing where Fishman Island was located was already quite remarkable.
Across the vast Four Seas, many people had always regarded that island as a legend—like Sky Island—believing it didn't exist at all, and even thinking the newspapers were making things up.
Only those who understood Nereus's situation more deeply knew what this truly meant.
"Worororo, taking over a country to raise what you need, huh? Sounds like a decent choice, but as for the Vodka Kingdom… too boring…"
Somewhere in the New World, on a Sky Island, Kaido sat alone atop the clouds, reading the newspaper in his hands, which looked almost like a picture book for children.
Vodka Kingdom, also known as Vodka Kingdom*, was famous for producing a kind of strong liquor, and it was also Kaido's homeland; though he himself had little interest in that country. [TN: Author uses two different words here for vodka kingdom, one of which means Vodka.]
Elsewhere in the New World, at a shipyard, a ship shaped like a giant whale was undergoing its launching ceremony. Whitebeard, reading the newspaper, wore a deeply troubled expression.
"Neptune, my old friend… how are you doing now?"
On Fullalead Island, Wang Zhi was sweating profusely. His mood has been poor lately. Ever since he saw the news a few days ago about Rocks' revival, he had been suffering from sleepless nights.
If Rocks were truly alive and discovered that, after the other monsters chose to leave, Wang Zhi had taken over Fullalead Island, would he treat him as a target for revenge?
Even though the newspaper claimed it was only a rumor, Wang Zhi was still so frightened that he had nightmares for several days. And now he had seen the news of Nereus taking control of Fishman Island.
"No… I have to dispose of all those guys… can't let anything be exposed…"
Known as the "Pirate Guru," Wang Zhi has had many pirates come to pay their respects to him. He also maintains deep connections with a wide range of people, even engaging in some secret dealings, such as with the World Government and certain human trafficking organizations.
If one day Nereus were to investigate him for some bizarre reason…
Shaking the sweat from his forehead, Wang Zhi began planning his next moves. The other former members of the Rocks Pirates had also, to varying degrees, taken notice of this development.
Some were completely indifferent, like Golden Lion.
"I'm the admiral of the Flying Pirates now! I don't even need to pass through Fishman Island. What's it got to do with me?"
Some felt envy—that was Buckin's reaction.
"The wealth of an entire country… if only it were mine…"
And the spread of the news was not limited to the New World.
In the first half of the Grand Line, Water 7.
Although Water 7's shipbuilding industry was well developed, its current situation was actually not good. The Sea Train had yet to be invented, and due to threats from pirates and difficulties in transporting materials, Water 7 was facing many complicated problems.
Living there was also a Fish-Man named Tom.
"Mr. Tom! Something big has happened on Fishman Island! Mr. Nereus has become the new king!"
Holding today's newspaper, Kokoro found Tom in his workshop, studying blueprints.
"I know."
Smoke rings drifted from Tom's pipe. He appeared unconcerned, but the ash scattered on the floor and another newspaper set aside were enough to show that Tom was not as indifferent as he sounded.
"Mr. Tom, is something bothering you?"
"Yes… something I don't know how to choose…"
Tom was aware of what had been happening on Fishman Island in recent years. His younger brother Den would occasionally pass information to him, and he was no stranger to what Nereus had done.
No matter how one looked at it, Nereus's actions had, in practical terms, helped Fishman Island.
Now that he had proclaimed himself king, there would surely be even greater moves ahead, ones that might concern the entirety of Fishman Island.
"This power… should I reveal it or not… If I do… will it bring revival and hope… or drag the world into the abyss…"
In Tom's mind, the data of a set of blueprints flashed repeatedly, and on the cover, the word "Pluton" stood out unmistakably.
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