Hody's eyes were crimson, his mental state clearly unstable.
Drool dripped from his mouth, his muscles twitched uncontrollably, and he gasped heavily for breath as red pills spilled from his pockets.
Jinbe's expression twisted in shock at the sight of them:
"That's Energy Steroid! Hody! Where the hell did you get those?!"
"Hahaha! Jinbe, some things you don't need to know! You're no longer our leader—you're just a traitor who betrayed Fishman Island and Fisher Tiger!
Now, tell that damn Marine to back off and kill yourself, or else… Queen Otohime dies here today! And so will I! But trust me, if she dies, the spirit of rebellion in Fishman Island will never fade! Right, Queen Otohime?!"
Hody laughed maniacally, his voice hoarse as he glared at the crowd before him.
The effects of the steroid had reduced his sanity to ruins.
Thick blood trickled from his lips as he sneered.
Jake, meanwhile, regarded Jinbe with calm detachment before speaking slowly.
"Seems the promise you just made me is impossible to keep. Clearly, the extremists in Fishman Island have spiraled beyond your control. And now, you need my help—should I kill him for you?"
Listening to Jake's words, Jinbe felt a pang of conflict in his heart.
Hody Jones was practically someone he had watched grow up since childhood. H
e hadn't been like this before—back then, Hody Jones had aspired to become an outstanding royal guard...
But no matter how beautiful the memories were, as Jinbe looked at Hody Jones before him now, he knew that this was no longer the same Hody Jones from before.
He glanced at Jake, hoping to persuade Hody Jones one last time, but Jake gave him no opportunity. Instead, he simply raised his hand.
The moment Jake lifted his arm, Hody Jones roared:
"Put your hand down, human! Or I'll twist Queen Otohime's head right—"
Before Hody Jones could finish his sentence, he was silenced.
The reason was simple—his limbs and head had already been obliterated into dust by the terrifying lightning strike unleashed from Jake's hand.
Gazing at the bloated torso that had collapsed to the ground, still spurting blood, Jake turned to Jinbe and said softly.
"Queen Otohime's life is tied to too many things. This is no longer a matter for you or me to decide. You saw his mental state—it's dangerously unstable. If we let him continue, he might do something unpredictable. So he had to die."
Listening to Jake's words, Jinbe let out a long sigh and replied.
"I understand, Jake-sama. So what do you intend to do now? Continue to completely destroy Fishman District?"
"No. I've already eliminated most of the extremists in Fishman District. What remains are just civilians. I won't harm them. The most important thing now is for me to meet King Neptune and oversee a slight transition and transfer of authority in Fishman Island."
"Transfer?! You mean you want our royal family to relinquish some of their power? That's simply too—"
Before Jinbe could finish, Jake cut him off, his tone firm and unyielding.
"The fishmen have no other choice. This is a concession you must make. Believe me, Jinbe—sometimes letting go of power that was never truly yours can be beneficial in the long run."
Jinbe wanted to say more, but Queen Otohime interrupted.
Looking at him, her voice carried a note of reassurance.
"Jinbe, these matters are of no consequence. Please don't feel oppressed by them. Deep down, we've always known that Fishman Island would be better off if this authority were entrusted to someone else, haven't we?"
Hearing Queen Otohime's words, Jinbe sighed and shook his head.
"Perhaps so. Then allow me to escort you both to meet His Majesty the King."
Jinbe bowed slightly toward Jake, who nodded with a smile.
Then, under the guidance of Queen Otohime and Jinbe, Jake proceeded toward the royal palace of Fishman Island.
At the same time, his Observation Haki, which nearly enveloped the entire island, detected another furtive figure—Vander Decken IX, a man with a deranged obsession for the mermaid princess Shirahoshi.
But in truth, he had no real affection for her.
What he sought had always been the legendary Ancient Weapon—Poseidon!
Amidst the chaos just moments ago, he had managed to brush against Princess Shirahoshi's arm.
As a user of the Mark-Mark Fruit, even a single touch meant that anything he threw afterward would strike the little princess with unerring accuracy.
He had already begun fantasizing about her succumbing to the pressure and eventually marrying him—a blissful future indeed!
But just as he tried to slip away during Jake's absence, a bolt of lightning suddenly descended from the sky, striking him squarely.
The terrifying surge of electricity left Vander Decken IX momentarily paralyzed.
Without even a chance to resist, he collapsed unconscious onto the ground.
Jinbe watched the scene unfold with a mix of shock and suspicion, his gaze fixed on Jake with unmistakable gravity.
"Jake-sama, what is the meaning of this?"
Queen Otohime, her face contorted with anger, also turned to Jake, her voice laced with undisguised fury.
"Jake-sama, we were already preparing to transfer authority to you. But what is the purpose of this? To intimidate us? If that's your goal, then direct your wrath at me—not at innocent civilians!"
Seeing their reactions, Jake sighed and pointed at Vander Decken IX lying on the ground.
"That guy is clearly no innocent. He just secretly touched Princess Shirahoshi's arm, and the malice radiating from him was intense. Take a closer look—who exactly is he?"
As Jinbe and Queen Otohime approached, a guard suddenly gasped in recognition.
"It's Vander Decken IX! The user of the Mark-Mark Fruit!"