"And besides, once they realize I can change their fate, they'll naturally place even greater importance on Shirahoshi as a bargaining chip. That way, the instability in the Sea King's early stage won't be my problem to worry about."
Shirahoshi was, after all, a princess of an entire nation—raised delicately and sheltered since birth.
With Queen Otohime, her own mother, accompanying her, her emotions could be soothed to the greatest extent possible, saving Tenma endless trouble.
What Tenma sought was long-term, stable rule—not crude, short-sighted plunder.
...
At this moment, Fish-Man Island's central plaza was already packed with people.
Leveraging the authority of the royal family, a major event concerning the nation's destiny was being enacted.
The announcement was simple and blunt: Flying General Tenma would place Fish-Man Island under his protection, while selecting a group of outstanding residents to relocate to Wano.
The news hit like a deep-sea bomb, instantly detonating across the entire country.
Although Tiger's death had left many Fish-Men deeply hostile toward humans—so much so that there had even been incidents of people forcibly snatching Queen Otohime's petition signatures—
Even so, in such a turbulent era, there were still plenty willing to gamble on a future.
Sign-ups surpassed one million in the blink of an eye. Tenma only wanted a few tens of thousands—selection among the elite of the elite.
His criteria were refreshingly practical:
Fish-Men had to be strong and sturdy, capable of heavy labor.
As for mermaids—looks were justice. The more pleasing to the eye, the better.
He intended to build a dreamlike "Mermaid Bay" in Wano, recreating a paradise for men akin to Amazon Lily.
This was desire he did not bother to hide—and the privilege of the strong.
After a full day and night of strict selection, thirty thousand elites emerged victorious.
Twenty thousand beautiful mermaids, ten thousand powerful Fish-Men—carrying both trepidation and anticipation—boarded Tenma's gigantic airship, which had been enlarged a hundredfold by the powers of the Moa Moa no Mi.
As the Float-Float Fruit's ability activated, the colossal vessel—wrapped in massive waterproof coating—slowly rose into the air and headed toward the sea's surface.
On the deck, Queen Otohime watched Neptune and their three sons growing smaller and smaller below. At last, she could no longer hold back her tears.
Only when her family's figures completely vanished from sight did she wipe her face and force herself to be strong.
"Mom… are we really leaving Father and my brothers, going somewhere so far away?"
Four-year-old Shirahoshi cried pitifully, clutching her mother's clothes with trembling hands.
"This is for Fish-Man Island's future, Shirahoshi. Didn't you promise Mommy yesterday to be a good girl?"
Queen Otohime's eyes were red as she gently stroked her daughter's pink hair.
"Mmm… Shirahoshi will behave."
The little girl sniffled and nodded, her pure, crystal-clear eyes turning toward the towering figure on the lookout deck.
Her mother had told her last night—it was that great lord who saved Fish-Man Island.
As long as she behaved well and made him happy, maybe everyone could reunite beneath real sunlight one day.
Hearing her daughter's innocent thoughts, Otohime's heart twisted like a knife.
This might be the biggest lie she had ever told in her life.
Yet the feelings of those thirty thousand carefully selected residents were entirely different.
When the ship burst out of the sea and long-lost sunlight poured down on them, with sea breeze brushing their faces, their eyes shone with boundless hope for the future.
At the same time—
The drastic changes on Fish-Man Island were swiftly delivered to the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, through intelligence channels.
When the Five Elders learned that Tenma had descended upon Fish-Man Island, their hearts skipped a beat.
Only after confirming that he had taken merely several tens of thousands of people—and left behind his flag—did they finally breathe a sigh of relief.
After weighing the pros and cons, the Five Elders decided to "show leniency" toward Fish-Man Island.
If they pushed too hard and drove Fish-Man Island completely into Tenma's arms, the losses would outweigh the gains.
To appease the Celestial Dragons' anger, they even promoted a recently high-performing female Celestial Dragon—Lorlabe Palace.
This former spoiled noblewoman had seemingly awakened after her husband's death, becoming increasingly shrewd and ruthless.
As a result, the direction of the World Conference shifted overnight.
Seven days later, the World Government announced with great fanfare: Fish-Man Island remained a loyal allied nation.
All prior unpleasantness had merely been misunderstandings—case closed.
The kings of the allied nations weren't fools. Reading the wind, they all voiced unanimous agreement.
Meanwhile, during the conference itself, Tenma's fleet was already returning in full force to Wano's waters.
Deafening cheers surged skyward, startling the mermaids aboard.
They instinctively shrank closer to Queen Otohime, like frightened deer.
Below, the towns were already overflowing with Wano's citizens, who had long received notice and poured into the streets.
"Look! Are those the legendary mermaids? They're so beautiful!"
"I heard those Fish-Men are all monstrously strong—our country's gaining more fierce warriors!"
"I wonder if we can talk to them? Please don't be like Amazon Lily, where no one's allowed near…"
Standing on the deck, Queen Otohime bit her lip. Her Observation Haki spread instantly, covering the entire town.
Countless voices flooded into her mind.
Curiosity. Amazement. Welcome.
And yes—very faint traces of rejection born from differences in appearance.
But the overwhelming majority were kind.
There was none of the extreme discrimination or hatred she had feared.
"Maybe… it really can work!"
Tears blurred Otohime's vision once more.
This time, they were tears of joy.
Dreams were finally stepping into reality.
She looked at her still-innocent daughter beside her, her faith burning brighter than ever.
Shirahoshi—favored by Tenma—would surely become the key bridge connecting the two races.
The integration of the Fish-Men went far more smoothly than expected.
Under Tenma's absolute authority, Wano's order was impeccable—far more harmonious than Big Mom's forcibly stitched-together Totto Land.
The already scenic Colorful Coast rapidly transformed with the influx of mermaids.
Mermaid cafés, deep-sea–style clothing boutiques, specialty seafood stalls…
A Mermaid Bay filled with exotic charm rose from the ground, gradually becoming Wano's brightest jewel.
In no time, the Colorful Coast's popularity exploded. Noise and bustle filled the air.
It replaced the Flower Capital outright, becoming Wano's most prosperous—and most lucrative—pleasure district.
Though she no longer held the title of queen, Tenma still entrusted full control of this golden coastline to Otohime.
This was clearly meant to help the newly integrated deep-sea race adapt seamlessly to Wano's system of rule.
Internally, it was a smooth political transition.
Externally, a brand-new Fish-Man Island flag fluttered proudly, sending a silent yet thunderous warning to the world.
Faced with Tenma's island-destroying power and his bone-chilling pursuit tactics, the sea's desperadoes finally learned restraint.
Fish-Man Island—long plagued by pirates—miraculously curbed its ever-worsening security crisis.
Naturally, this stirred resentment within the Whitebeard Pirates, who had once protected the island. Friction with Tenma's forces steadily escalated.
For now, the conflicts were limited to probing skirmishes, not yet full-scale war.
But this undercurrent of tension was exactly the kind of dog-eat-dog spectacle the World Government and Marine Headquarters loved to see.
Tenma, however, couldn't care less. He casually tossed the matter to his subordinates to handle.
The once-dominant Whitebeard was now a sick, aging lion, his strength long fallen from its peak—hardly worth Tenma's concern.
The Fish-Man Island operation left Tenma overflowing with gains.
Not only had he secured the Ancient Weapon Poseidon—Shirahoshi, but his Shadow Guards embedded in Mary Geoise had also seen their influence soar.
With Caterina disguised as Lorlabe Palace, she had successfully opened a political VIP channel into the Chamber of Authority, touching secrets never meant to be known.
More than that, the Shadow Guards leveraged their positions to mobilize the World Government's intelligence network, funneling high-value benefits and information to Tenma nonstop.
Once an organization of this scale began operating across the seas, its efficiency was downright terrifying.
Sure enough, before other powers could even react, the Shadow Guards had already pinpointed Baccarat, the woman who had eaten the Luck-Luck Fruit.
Time flowed like a galloping horse.
A shocking piece of news erupted, instantly propelling the still-roaming Red-Haired Pirates to global infamy.
The musical holy land Elegia, a nation steeped in art, had been turned into hell on earth during what should have been a joyous birthday banquet.
The perpetrator was none other than a former crewmate of Pirate King Roger—Red-Haired Shanks.
The entire country was massacred.
Overnight, Shanks' bounty skyrocketed to 1.04 billion Beli, and he was recognized as the most vicious rising pirate of the era.
Fingers brushing over the still-ink-scented newspaper, Tenma curled his lips into an amused smile.
He knew exactly what this meant.
Another top-tier Devil Fruit now lay quietly in the ruins of Elegia, waiting to be harvested.
With the Red-Haired Pirates already gone and their protection gone with them, there was no need to dispatch Wano's elite forces.
The Shadow Guards alone were more than enough to forcibly bring back Uta, the world-destroying songstress, from the hands of that piano-playing king, Gordon.
At the same time, having secured the top-tier buff "Luck," Tenma set sail with Baccarat to test whether this mysterious fortune could truly deliver miracles.
The sea was calm, the breeze gentle against the face.
Yet somewhere along the Grand Line, a small nation called Techtbor was suffering the worst luck imaginable.
Citizens fell into relentless misfortune—drinking water clogged their teeth, disasters struck nonstop. Within days, the entire national system collapsed.
After the bad luck finally receded, the country—desperate to avoid disaster—implemented a bizarre "Calamity Day," enforcing nationwide lockdowns, terrified that stepping outside would invite more catastrophe.
And the culprit behind this nation-level disaster was now gazing at Tenma with starry-eyed admiration, her eyes practically melting.
On the seas where the strong devoured the weak, worship of strength was carved into one's bones—especially for women in vulnerable positions.
The moment Baccarat learned she had been taken by Tenma, the uncrowned king of the New World, she fell completely.
She even convinced herself that this experience itself was the greatest blessing Luck had bestowed upon her.
"That feeling is getting stronger and stronger, Lord Tenma!"
Standing beside the helm, Baccarat cried out excitedly, her voice trembling.
"I can feel it—a massive fortune is calling to me from straight ahead!"
Tenma had merely granted the ship flight. As for where to fly—that depended entirely on Baccarat, who had drained the luck from several cities and was now blindly pointing the way.
The moment her words fell, Tenma—his Observation Haki spread wide—felt his heart jolt violently.
He shot to his feet, eyes like lightning, locking onto the direction she indicated.
Crash—!
The once-calm sea ahead suddenly boiled.
Gigantic waves erupted from nowhere, towering white walls of water dozens of meters high surging skyward.
The terrifying disturbance heralded the rapid ascent of a colossal being from the abyss below.
Looking down from above, Tenma's gaze was icy.
The Float-Float Fruit's power erupted instantly. Its assimilative force spread like a plague, locking onto every drop of seawater in the target zone.
BOOM—!!
The sea exploded.
Billions of tons of water were violently torn apart by an invisible godly hand.
Gravity ceased to matter as seawater was forcibly dragged skyward to a dizzying height, revealing what lay beneath.
"Good heavens—my lord, you're practically a god!!"
Witnessing this world-altering scene, Baccarat screamed like a fanatical idol worshipper.
Then, deep within the fractured sea, she saw a blinding white radiance.
Though dusk had already fallen, this massive orb of light illuminated the entire sea as if it were midday.
Once her eyes adjusted, Baccarat saw the truth—and screamed in terror.
It was a giant anglerfish, so enormous it defied all reason.
Its bloated body stretched for thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—of meters. Compared to it, the flying battleship was no more than a speck of dust facing an island.
Paired with its ferocious fangs and grotesque appearance, a chill shot from Baccarat's feet straight to her scalp.
Tenma, on the other hand, stared at the beast as if gazing upon peerless treasure, laughing with exhilaration.
In high spirits, he leaned down and gently kissed Baccarat's smooth forehead as a reward.
"Well done, Baccarat. You truly are a goddess of fortune who makes wishes come true."
Baccarat blushed, smiling sweetly. Though she didn't fully understand, if this was Luck's guidance, then this giant fish was undoubtedly priceless.
Tenma's eyes burned with fervor as he stared at the anglerfish.
He was absolutely certain—the "luck" Baccarat had brought this time was none other than the legendary Pure Gold Anglerfish, harboring within its body an invaluable treasure capable of extending lifespan.
To someone who knew the plot's future, the words "Pure Gold" spoke volumes.
This was a miraculous substance created by scientists—an ultimate cheat capable of nearly halting the passage of life itself.
Aside from the legendary Eternal Youth Surgery, this was the only treasure in the world that could grant lifespans surpassing even the Giants.
With it, not only could one's body remain forever at its peak, but Tenma and his retainers would also gain a foothold toward immortality.
"ROAR—!!!"
Enraged by the disturbance above, the giant anglerfish unleashed a piercing howl.
Currents surged violently. The sea screamed.
When its power reached a breaking point, the massive beast launched itself from the ocean like a fired cannon.
The resulting wave soared over a hundred meters high. The sky-darkening shadow opened its abyssal maw, swallowing Tenma's flying battleship whole.
By scale alone, Tenma and Baccarat weren't even enough to fill its teeth.
Seawater poured backward into its gaping mouth like a roaring waterfall.
Buzz—!
The black blade Shidarezura trembled in Tenma's hand, instantly engulfed by terrifying sword intent.
Whoosh—!
One slash.
The flying blade wave expanded dozens of times mid-flight, forming a radiant crescent moon.
There was no flourish—just a clean cut, severing the anglerfish's brilliant, lantern-like organ atop its head.
Conqueror's Haki entwined with the blade wave, shattering the lantern's shell and exposing the blazing core within.
The brilliance was unbearable. Tens of kilometers of sea were dyed gold.
"So bright… is that… gold?!!"
Baccarat squinted instinctively. When she saw the true form of the glow, she screamed in shock.
"Vulgar. That's worth billions of times more than gold. That's Pure Gold—said to be valuable enough to buy the entire world."
Using the Float-Float Fruit, Tenma steadied the massive golden sphere in midair, eyes ablaze.
"Its light slows cellular aging—some say it can even grant immortality!"
Hearing this, Baccarat's eyes instantly turned into shining coins, filled with longing for eternal youth.
Some might resist wealth—but no woman could refuse immortality and everlasting beauty.
"GRAAAH—!!!"
The agonizing pain from its severed lantern made the giant anglerfish howl in misery.
Sensing that overwhelming Conqueror's Haki, the beast instantly lost all will to fight. Twisting midair, it abandoned its attack and desperately tried to crash back into the sea to escape.
But escape?
Too late.
Tenma had already manipulated the seawater into massive chains, forcibly binding it in midair.
Though Pure Gold was secured, there was still a laboratory hidden in the creature's belly—waste not.
With the anglerfish immobilized, Tenma swung his blade once more from afar.
The precise, surgical slash cleanly split the island-sized monster straight down the middle.
Its vast, intricate internal structure was laid bare.
The creature had three stomachs, each large enough to hold an island. The lowest, Third Stomach: Alchemy Island, was the site of the Pure Gold research lab.
Tenma had no interest in spelunking through gastric acid.
Dissection was far more efficient.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Several devastatingly precise flying slashes fell in succession.
Like peeling an onion, Tenma swiftly "extracted" the Pure Gold laboratory from within the anglerfish's belly, exactly as remembered.
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