"Brother Atlas... Is this Fish-Man Island?"
On the White Tiger, Smoker's eyes were wide as he stared unblinkingly at the Fish-Man Island before him.
A massive double-layered semi-circular bubble enveloped the entire island. Despite being 10,000 meters deep under the sea, there was still a sky, sunlight, and even white clouds.
Due to Smoker being a Devil Fruit user, and never having taken the route through Fish-Man Island to reach the New World, this was the first time he had seen such a scene.
"Are we going straight in?"
Grus looked up at Atlas, who was standing at the beast head figurehead, and asked.
Although he hadn't been to Fish-Man Island either, he had seen information about it in Marine intelligence.
Given the White Tiger's massive size, squeezing into Fish-Man Island would be effortless. Although the bubble coating wasn't as fragile as it looked, it definitely wasn't as sturdy as imagined.
"We are Marines; normal entry is fine. The ship's communications officer has already informed Jinbe of our arrival," Cyrus hurriedly interjected.
As the former captain of the Dressrosa Royal Army, he knew very well that forcibly barging in would be tantamount to illegal entry and a serious provocation to a kingdom.
They had traveled thousands of miles and taken a detour to Fish-Man Island, not to cause trouble.
"Cyrus is right. Let's wait a bit longer; Jinbe will be here soon."
Atlas shook his head, rejecting Grus's suggestion.
Are you kidding? Charging straight in with the White Tiger's massive size would have immeasurable consequences for Fish-Man Island.
Although he had other motives, he certainly hadn't come to cause trouble for the Fish-Man race.
He wasn't interested in doing thankless tasks.
...
Fish-Man Island, inside Ryugu Palace.
Jinbe sat upright, looking solemnly at Neptune and Queen Otohime in front of him.
"[White Tiger] is here. He's about to arrive at Fish-Man Island. I've already received the message from the Marines."
Neptune nodded in satisfaction, stroking his curly orange beard. "It seems your plan is about to be realized. I just wonder how long this peace can be maintained."
He knew very well how much malice humans on the surface held toward the Fish-Man race, the worst among them being the World Nobles, the Celestial Dragons.
They treated the Fish-Man race as trading goods, and consequently, countless nobles followed suit.
Although the World Government had issued laws prohibiting slave trading, with even the Celestial Dragons leading the violation, such unenforceable laws were virtually non-existent.
So, even though Fish-Man Island had long been a member nation of the World Government, they had never participated in the quadrennial Levely.
Because, deep down, he didn't trust the World Government.
So he preferred to rely on his acquaintance with Whitebeard from his youth to seek protection for Fish-Man Island.
But he hadn't expected Whitebeard to die so suddenly, leaving him no choice but to seek cooperation with the Marines.
Moreover, the impact of Whitebeard's last words was already beginning to show.
He could clearly feel that more and more pirates had been pouring into Fish-Man Island recently, but their quality varied greatly.
"What... plan are you talking about?!"
While the two were speaking in riddles, Otohime beside them looked confused.
These two guys... seemed to be hiding something from her?!
...
Deep sea, outside Fish-Man Island.
The White Tiger hovered quietly outside the bubble coating, its massive shadow looming over Fish-Man Island.
Such a significant disturbance naturally attracted the attention of the Fish-Man Island residents.
After all, they weren't blind.
"Does a ship of this size really exist?!!"
"Even the legendary Noah's Ark is probably not much more than this!!"
"Did you see? That figure standing at the bow looks a bit familiar?"
"Idiot!! That's a Marine flag. That guy must be some officer in the Marines, right?"
Sharp-eyed Fish-Men clearly saw Atlas standing at the bow, and one by one, they unconsciously began comparing his face with the impressions in their minds.
"This guy... this guy is..."
Suddenly, a cry of alarm came from the crowd. A Grass Carp Fish-Man trembled all over, pointing a shaking webbed hand incredulously at the warship outside the bubble.
"It's Marine Admiral [White Tiger]!!!"
Buzz—!!!
The Grass Carp Fish-Man's words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake. The originally noisy crowd instantly fell silent, staring eerily at the massive White Tiger.
For a moment, they stammered, afraid to say more.
Marine Admiral [White Tiger]. Previously, his reputation on Fish-Man Island was no less terrifying than after his duel with Whitebeard.
This was entirely due to the passing pirates deliberately demonizing him.
Killing without blinking, chopping off limbs for fun...
All sorts of perverted hobbies were embellished by pirates and instilled in the residents of Fish-Man Island.
It could be said that Atlas's name on Fish-Man Island was now enough to stop a child from crying.
"Eh?! Is that Admiral White Tiger? I haven't thanked him properly since he saved me."
Suddenly, a crisp female voice like an oriole broke the eerie silence.
But the person involved seemed unaware, still hugging the shop owner Shyarly next to her excitedly. Her two ample bosoms pressed against Shyarly's arm as she jumped up and down shouting, not noticing Shyarly's shocked gaze at all:
"Manager, he's the Marine I told you about who saved me!!"
Her name was Trica, a Striped Beakfish Mermaid.
A few years ago, she was saved by Atlas on Sabaody Archipelago and, under his specific orders, was escorted back to Fish-Man Island by a small warship.
But because she was too scared at the time, she hadn't had the chance to thank him in person.
"You mean, he is the Marine Admiral who defeated Whitebeard—White Tiger?!"
Shyarly's voice was a bit strained, hoping to hear a negative answer from Trica.
"Yes! If it weren't for Mr. White Tiger, I would probably have been bought by some Celestial Dragon by now, living a life worse than death. He is a true Marine!!"
As soon as the words fell, Shyarly felt her mind spinning.
For the first time, she began to hope her prediction was wrong again. If Fish-Man Island provoked such an enemy, there would be absolutely no possibility of dealing with it!!
Thud thud thud—!!!
Strong tremors suddenly came from the ground, awakening the dazed Fish-Men. The sound of armor clashing rang out with a unique rhythm.
"Make way, King Neptune and Queen Otohime are here."
Fish-Man Island, Ryugu Palace.
Inside the magnificent palace was a rectangular dining table, surrounded by fully armed Fish-Man guards standing with swords. Mermaid girls came and went, carrying sumptuous dishes, constantly moving between the dining table and the kitchen.
At the head of the table sat the master of Ryugu Palace—Neptune.
On his left and right were Jinbe and Atlas, while Queen Otohime sat next to Atlas at her strong request.
"Thank you very much, Lord White Tiger, for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit our Fish-Man Island."
Neptune raised his glass to invite the young but resolute Atlas.
He couldn't help but feel emotional, but at the same time, he took this young Marine more seriously.
At this age...
Even Roger and Newgate in their youth were probably far behind.
"Hehe~ No need to be so polite. It should be said that I am disturbing Fish-Man Island too much."
Atlas also raised his glass to clink, responding politely.
Seeing this young Marine so humble and polite, not at all like the cruel and bloodthirsty rumors, Neptune and Otohime let out a long sigh of relief, finally letting the stone in their hearts drop.
Especially Queen Otohime, her eyes lit up, and she couldn't wait to speak:
"So, may I ask what your view is on the current relationship between the Fish-Man race and humans?"
"..."
Neptune and Jinbe looked at each other, stifling the question that was on the tip of their tongues, and also focused their gaze on Atlas's young face.
"First of all, the conflict between Fish-Man Island and humans is not irreconcilable."
Atlas pondered for a moment, set the tone, and continued:
"Although on the surface it seems that the lack of understanding between Fish-Men and humans leads to human prejudice against you."
"But the root cause is that the Fish-Man race is not strong enough. Even though your natural wrist strength is ten times that of ordinary humans."
"Without the protection of top-tier powerhouses, you can ultimately only drift with the tide."
Hearing this, Otohime's expression froze. Although she was unwilling to admit it.
She knew very well that this man was not wrong.
"Then... can't all races understand each other and live in peace?"
"...Are you joking?"
Atlas looked at the woman in front of him strangely. For a moment, he didn't know if she was really naive or just pretending.
"..."
Otohime stood stiffly on the spot, stammering and unable to say a word, her heart filled with worry for the future of Fish-Man Island.
"However, force is not the only thing. There are many reasons for the oppression of Fish-Man Island. finding the root cause is key."
"It's like when a person is sick. What you need to do is find the root of the illness and remove the lesion..."
Atlas spoke with fervor, stopping just short of explicitly pointing out—
As long as the Celestial Dragons are alive, you think Fish-Man Island can rise?
During the silence, Neptune didn't forget to signal the thoughtful Jinbe with his eyes. Jinbe immediately understood:
"Lord White Tiger, since you made a special detour to Fish-Man Island this time, presumably the matter we discussed last time has been settled?"
"Almost forgot. Yes, the Marines have approved the document, but you must raise the funds yourselves, and every Fish-Man officer must pass Headquarters' assessment before taking office."
Atlas slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing.
Although this method couldn't solve Fish-Man Island's dilemma from the root, for the current Fish-Man Island, it was like drinking poison to quench thirst.
Even if there would be growing pains, it could definitely provide temporary relief.
"Regarding military funds, Fish-Man Island has absolutely no problem."
Neptune nodded slightly.
They just wanted to borrow the Marines' name to deter pirates coming to Fish-Man Island, as well as the Big Mom Pirates who were about to threaten Fish-Man Island.
After all, the momentum of the Marines, who had just wiped out the Whitebeard Pirates, was at its peak. Even the Emperors dominating the New World wouldn't dare to face their edge.
"What... are you talking about?"
Otohime looked blank, looking left and right, having no idea what riddles they were playing.
"Fish-Man Island Marine Branch."
As soon as these words came out, in a corner unnoticed by anyone, a fully armed soldier, barely recognizable as a Great White Shark Fish-Man, revealed a ferocious look in his eyes.
...
Fish-Man Island, Fish-Man District.
Originally a large facility for housing orphans of Fish-Man Island in the early years, due to mismanagement, plus the capture of Tiger who originally restrained the punks of Fish-Man District, and Jinbe being busy with the safety of Fish-Man Island all day, he had no time to attend to this place.
This led to the current Fish-Man District becoming a gathering place for lawless groups, with a large number of criminal gangs congregating here.
At this moment, in a corner of the dark Fish-Man District.
Dozens of Fish-Men were huddled together with arrogant smiles on their faces. Standing in the middle was a Great White Shark Fish-Man, his posture flamboyant, clearly the leader of this group.
He was tall, with curly hair, wearing a flat cap with a trident pattern, a wolf-skin scarf around his neck, a large tattoo on his left arm, and the Arlong Pirates' symbol tattooed on his lower right abdomen.
"Jahahaha!! Presumably, you should know why I called you here, right?"
The Great White Shark Fish-Man grinned, revealing serrated fangs.
"Boss Hody? Are you sure that bastard Neptune is colluding with the Marines?"
A Squid Fish-Man with eight arms, wearing a racing helmet, waved the red-tasseled spear in his hand and screeched.
"Nonsense, Ikaros. You actually doubt Boss Hody? He's on duty in the Royal Army now, so naturally, he's very clear about the news in the palace, Gaga~~"
"Yeah, Ikaros, don't you know Boss Hody's character? How could he deceive us!!"
"I believe in Boss Hody!!"
Hearing the Squid Fish-Man Ikaros's doubt, the surrounding Fish-Men criticized him one after another, all furious.
Since Tiger was arrested, Boss Arlong died at the hands of the Marines, and Jinbe became a running dog of the World Government.
Hody Jones stepped up and became their new spiritual pillar!!!
This was the Fish-Man race's last anger!!
"Quiet."
Hody Jones raised his hand slightly, instantly silencing the noise of all the Fish-Men present, showing his prestige among the criminals of Fish-Man District.
"Ikaros, you don't need to doubt me. At the exit of Fish-Man Island, countless citizens saw Neptune and that bitch Otohime fawning over that human Marine like dogs."
"And, I heard with my own ears that bastard Marine say he wants to establish a Marine Branch on Fish-Man Island!!"
Recalling that scene, Hody Jones couldn't help but grit his teeth.
Those three traitors to Fish-Man Island, does being stepped on by humans make them that happy?!!
He, Hody Jones, would definitely make those three pay, especially that bitch Otohime!!