# Chapter 397: Consensus
After pressing the explosion switch, Ignis transformed into a Phasing State and sank directly into the Seabed.
At this moment, he felt as if he was traversing another World.
Unable to come into contact with the Seawater, Ignis was completely unaffected, neither by the Seawater's Suppression of Ability Users nor the terrifying water pressure of the Deep Sea.
If Ignis were to release his Phasing State, his Body would touch the Seawater, and his Ability would become unusable.
By the same logic, Ignis in his Phasing form was invincible.
As long as he wished, no one could harm him.
As long as he wished, no one could see him.
As long as he wished, by Phasing beforehand, even Seastone was useless.
If it couldn't touch his Body, how could it Suppress his Devil Fruit Ability?
Just like that, he passed through the Seawater, reaching Fish-Man Island ten thousand meters below purely by his own Ability.
Fish-Man Island was the Territory of the Pluto Pirates, guarded by two High-Ranking Cadres and two thousand Pirate Elite stationed here.
According to the Pluto Pirates' Rotation Mechanism, the Cadres currently stationed at Fish-Man Island were "Silverback Gorilla" Laibeike and "Sacred Shield" Rogers.
One guarded the gateway to Fish-Man Island.
All passing Merchant Ships and Pirate Ships were required to pay a Toll Fee.
This was essentially Customs Duty.
The other was stationed in the large Area within Ryugu Palace that had also been allocated to the Pluto Pirates.
This was the Pluto Pirates' Base on Fish-Man Island, surrounded by Deep Sea Amusement Parks, Food Streets, Casinos, and other underwater-themed facilities.
These were all Industries belonging to the Pluto Pirates, employing the Residents of Fish-Man Island as Service Staff.
Fish-Man Island was not large to begin with, and the Pluto Pirates' Territory on the Island greatly encroached upon the Living Space of Fish-Man Island's Residents.
However, Fish-Man Island felt no resentment whatsoever, because the things brought by Peace were far greater.
The constant migration of Fish-Man Island Residents to the Kronos Kingdom significantly reduced Population Stress.
The presence of the Pluto Pirates, conversely, provided many job positions for the Residents of Fish-Man Island.
The long-awaited Peace also allowed life to gradually improve.
It was just that because Slave Ships often disguised themselves as ordinary Merchant Ships to sneak into Fish-Man Island, Fish-Men were still frequently captured.
The reason it was Fish-Men was that female Mermaids were a key protection target for the Pluto Pirates.
Their numbers on Fish-Man Island were already relatively scarce now, as a large number had been sent to the Kronos Kingdom.
The Pluto Pirates' first choice for providing job positions was beautiful female Mermaids, and they would also provide them with living quarters, so they didn't have to live in the Underground Coral Cluster without sunlight.
Maintaining a certain sense of crisis was necessary; this way, they could realize the importance of the Pluto Pirates.
Many of those who slipped through the net and snuck into Fish-Man Island were deliberately let in by the Pluto Pirates.
Ignis was very clear about this point.
Especially his somewhat absurd Father, Hades, who had even specially built a Mermaid Park, where a large number of beautiful female Mermaids resided, including both pure and sensual ones.
Ignis didn't care about Mermaids.
They were essentially just trophies and playthings.
From childhood, they received little education and only needed to live happily each day.
Even if treated as humans, they still ultimately had a tail.
Silently, Ignis arrived at the mysterious Sea Forest.
There were originally two Poneglyphs here: one red Road Poneglyph and one "Joy Boy's Apology".
Hades had been here before, but only took away "Joy Boy's Apology".
As for the Road Poneglyph.
Ignis had heard his Father say that the time was not yet right.
What time?
Ignis didn't understand.
He knew that under the Golden Bell inside the Royal Palace, there was another Poneglyph.
This didn't prevent him from coming to take a look first.
If possible, when the time was right, he could take this Road Poneglyph away.
The Sound Nest established by Ignis would also Grow into a Great Power in the Future, with sufficient capability to guard the Poneglyph.
Especially the red Road Poneglyph; other Poneglyphs didn't matter, but the Road Poneglyph absolutely could not remain in the hands of the Kronos Kingdom.
However, Hades didn't want others to obtain it, so it could only be held in his own hands through this method.
Sound Nest was a very good choice.
The Material of the Poneglyph was special, incredibly hard, and even mixed with Seastone, which made it immune to Devil Fruit Ability effects.
Otherwise, Hades could have directly banished the Road Poneglyph to Jörmungandr's Mirror World.
Sinking it directly into the Seabed was also a good option.
However, before that, the Pirate King was bound to appear.
Or rather, Hades needed the existence of the Pirate King.
The Great Pirate Era would be a fatal blow to the World Government.
For the current Kronos Kingdom, no matter how chaotic the Great Sea became, it wouldn't affect them.
Their powerful Strength was enough to eliminate any Pirate who dared to trespass.
At most, there would be some economic Losses; Commercial Trade might be affected.
But what did that matter to the Kronos Kingdom, which controlled the Sky Arena?
In the chaotic Great Sea, for the Kronos Kingdom, which controlled the Island Turtle, some severely affected Factions would instead become more dependent on the Kronos Kingdom.
Hades needed to ensure that the World Government was constantly weakening.
As Superpowers, or rather, among the various Superpowers, a certain consensus had long been reached: to weaken the World Government as much as possible.
They wanted to overthrow the World Government to become the masters themselves.
Without the World Government, the Strength that could restrict the Superpowers would practically cease to exist.
The surrounding Sea Areas could all become occupied Territory, allowing them to obtain more Resources and Wealth.
Furthermore, they could grasp the authority of the World and form a new organization to take over the World.
Before this, various troubles needed to be resolved: the Heavenly King, the Marines, weakening the World Government's Strength, and causing internal division within the Government.
Cultivate the Government's Enemies.
In short, if the ultimate goal was achieved, the fewer Losses, the better.
Hades didn't want to intervene too much.
The more chaotic this World was, the better.
If the old Order wasn't broken, how could a new Order be established?
The reason for hiding the Poneglyph was that he didn't want Roger to know too much, especially about the Ancient Weapons.
The Sea King (Weapon) should remain in his hands.
As for Pluto, it was somewhat irrelevant.
Becoming the Pirate King and initiating the Great Pirate Era, Roger's Mission would be complete.
As for the Future, it never belonged to Joy Boy!
Ignis looked at the Road Poneglyph but didn't see anything special.
Turning around, he left, preparing to return to the Kronos Kingdom to properly count his Gain.
Before that, Ignis conveniently visited the Treasury of Ryugu Palace.
The Treasure piled up like mountains, the Wealth of Fish-Man Island, was completely comparable to some powerful Kingdoms on the surface.
Currently, Fish-Man Island had to hand over Treasure worth eight billion Beli annually to the Pluto Pirates.
Six billion Beli of this was Protection Fee for receiving the Pluto Pirates' Protection, and the other two billion was for the living expenses, or Military Budget, of the people the Pluto Pirates sent to guard Fish-Man Island.
This didn't put much Stress on Fish-Man Island.
In a generally peaceful environment, Fish-Man Island could obtain considerable Treasure annually from passing Pirates and Merchants.
Adding to this the Specialty Products native to Fish-Man Island and the Treasure collected from deliberately searched areas in the Deep Sea.
Ignis didn't make a move.
His current Funds were sufficient.
He would come back to take some when he was short on money.
Ignis clearly saw Hades' attitude towards Fish-Man Island, so he naturally had no mental burden.
He merely took away Fish-Man Island's Treasure, the legendary Tamatebako.
This was also his main purpose for coming by on his way.
(end of chapter)