As time passed, all those poisoned on Fishman Island had been gathered at Ryugu Palace. Fortunately, the palace was vast enough to accommodate so many people.
At the same time, the residents who had fled Fishman Island gradually returned. Moreover, a new phenomenon now manifested across Fishman Island: quite a few people voluntarily planted the flag of the Dawn Pirates at their doorsteps.
When disaster struck, Hathaway and the others, under Rosen's orders, had annihilated numerous looters exploiting the crisis, driven away many more pirates, deterred lawless elements, and simultaneously rescued many fishmen.
The strength and conduct of the Dawn Pirates filled many of the rescued fishmen with profound gratitude and admiration.
Although they held little hope for peaceful coexistence with humans, it could not be denied that the emotions of most fishmen did not differ greatly from those of humans.
They understood hatred, and they also understood gratitude.
This phenomenon left Baron Tamago feeling somewhat awkward. However, the royal side had not yet made their stance clear on this point. Both parties tacitly avoided mentioning this awkward issue.
To Rosen, it meant little. Perhaps the people of Fishman Island merely wished for protection, or perhaps they hoped to remember this kindness.
Under Law's full efforts, the toxins in Shirahoshi's body had been completely cleansed. Furthermore, Law discovered that Shirahoshi's body harbored a strange and immense power, though he was unable to guide it.
Tracing this power, Law found it ultimately dormant within Shirahoshi's cranial domain. Law could excise the head for study, even bisect it, but the internal structures were exceedingly complex. Some ailments related to the brain were still beyond Law's current capabilities to address. Of course, what Shirahoshi possessed was not an ailment.
After her treatment was largely complete, Shirahoshi had yet to recover due to excessive exhaustion. The king had Jinbe escort her back to the Hard-Shell Tower to rest.
Law reported this discovery to Rosen, who merely nodded without any significant reaction. After all, he was already aware.
Neptune looked toward Rosen with a hint of concern. He had noticed that when the giant Sea Kings arrived, Rosen had exhibited the same premonitory perception as he had.
Had Nico Robin told him? Indeed, a most exceptional woman.
A day passed. Rosen remained almost motionless, his body emanating active light particles that sustained a wide-range dispersion. During this time, the king visited several times, suggesting Rosen could move inside the residence.
Rosen, however, did not mind. The view outside was better, and walls would impede the permeation strength of the light particles. If a task was to be done, it should be done properly.
After Hathaway and the others returned, Fishman Island gradually began to recover. Though much flora had withered, the impact was minimal; given time, it would all grow back.
After two successive upheavals, the pirates on Fishman Island had virtually all fled. The Dawn Pirates had, after all, been clearing the area earlier.
Fishman Island was now experiencing an unprecedented calm, though no one knew how long this tranquility would last. For the short term, however, there would be no further chaos.
"Uncle, the food in this palace is really delicious." The next day, Natalie brought her bowl over to Rosen, tempting him as she observed him overly relaxed and on the verge of dozing off.
Law was in the midst of developing an antidote. While the serpentine Sea King had been able to absorb the toxins from the air, it could not extract the poison already infecting the fishmen's bodies.
However, Law had now made significant breakthroughs. Results might be achieved by evening.
In that case, they would not even need to wait until the third day. Thus, everyone was less tense. Still, the condition of the poisoned fishmen remained dire. The plaza of Ryugu Palace was filled with fishmen lying prone everywhere.
"The antidote is ready. Prepare the materials. I will immediately produce the antitoxin." Law's voice suddenly rang out from his room. Neptune, Jinbe, Baron Tamago, and the others all breathed sighs of relief.
Rosen did as well. This meant that so many lives could now be saved.
By the third day, the treatment of patients commenced, and Rosen kept a close watch on any news from the sea.
There seemed to be some movement from the Beasts Pirates, but specifics were impossible to ascertain. Even though the Den Den Mushi could connect to the outside world, the underworld's intelligence network was not omniscient. Sometimes, concealing one's movements was not difficult.
But treatment required time, so Rosen remained there for the moment. He had, however, instructed Robin to prepare for departure, for time was running short.
If the Beasts Pirates truly acted, the assault on Doflamingo would need to be accelerated. Rosen was determined to obtain the complete setup for manufacturing artificial Devil Fruits.
Everyone began to busy themselves.
Rosen felt some pressure. His original plan had been to further elevate his strength before possibly entering direct conflict with the Beasts Pirates. After all, once he reached the level of Akainu, even if Kaido remained slightly superior, Rosen felt confident in his ability to at least protect himself.
But now, with only two Admiral-level attributes, Rosen felt it was not secure enough. Yet since events had already unfolded, he could only face them head-on.
Unbeknownst to Rosen, behind a certain residence, a gigantic figure timidly hid, poking her head out and silently watching him. She murmured to herself, "Is that the pirate captain who saved Fishman Island? Did they also cure my poison? But how strange... why does his body glow?"
After recovering physically, Shirahoshi had learned of the general situation on Fishman Island under her brothers' care. She had heard of Rosen and his crew.
She had even risked venturing out from the Hard-Shell Tower, primarily due to her naive belief that amidst such a major crisis on Fishman Island, no one would notice her.
And on the plaza, countless gazes were already fixed upon Rosen. Generally, as long as there was no intense killing intent, Rosen could not be bothered to pay them any mind.
"Could I... talk to him?" Shirahoshi hesitated, filled with a mix of anticipation and, more overwhelmingly, fear. She was not skilled at conversing with others. And what if he turned out to be very fierce? No, no, just the thought was terrifying.
"Boss, King Neptune may wish to speak with you."
"Tell him we will not disclose it."
"And does the Boss harbor no thoughts on the matter?" Robin asked with a smile.
"We already have Pluton. Poseidon is indeed powerful, but it cannot be forced. Should she become an enemy, it would be highly troublesome." Although Rosen did wish to acquire Shirahoshi, or rather, "win her over," now was not the time.
First, they had to overcome the immediate hurdle of the Beasts Pirates. Besides, Shirahoshi was still young, only fourteen. Even in two years, she would be just sixteen.
While the world of pirates saw widespread precociousness, if Shirahoshi proved unable to control this power, the consequences would be catastrophic. Waiting a while longer would not hurt.
"Finally, an opportunity has arisen." Behind Shirahoshi, inside a window of a building behind her, Decken fixated on her back. He had infiltrated days ago and had been staking out the Hard-Shell Tower from the start. However, Jinbe had always escorted her during transit, leaving Decken no chance to strike.
And a direct assault on the Hard-Shell Tower would quickly draw attention, making it impossible to abduct Shirahoshi afterward. But now, Shirahoshi had secretly evaded the few remaining guards and slipped out on her own. It was truly a stroke of fortune. Decken himself had not anticipated such a perfect opportunity.
Be my bride, just as you were meant to be.
Decken crept forward, step by stealthy step, approaching Shirahoshi from behind. He clutched a large mallet, intending to knock her unconscious with a blow to the back of the head and then carry her off.
(End of Chapter)