Chapter 116: 116. Aggrieved The Fish Men Island, The Gap Between The New World And Paradise

Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari ---------- If other pirates circling The Fish-Men Island were mere sharks drawn by the scent of blood, intent on scavenging scraps, then the arrival of the Big Mom Pirates was akin to a terrifying leviathan, capable of swallowing the entire island in a single bite. The news sent shockwaves through the palace. Ministers' faces turned pale, their expressions tense with dread. Neptune's reaction was no different. Veins bulged on his forehead as he slammed his fist onto the armrest of his throne. "Hateful...!" he growled, his teeth clenched. "Do they all think that The Fish-Men Island is so easy to bully?! First the World Government, and now pirates!" While Neptune seethed, overwhelmed by a mix of shock and frustration, Queen Otohime remained composed. Her voice rang out clearly amidst the tension: "Quickly, prepare to entertain them! Hold a banquet immediately in Dragon Palace City!" Her command left many in the room confused. "Entertain them?!" one minister asked, incredulous. "Your Highness, they clearly come with ill intent. Why would we welcome them so openly?" Otohime, sensing the doubt in the room, elaborated. "The Big Mom Pirates are unlike the those normal pirates who want to raid us. They reside in the New World, under Whitebeard's shadow, and they rarely act without reason. If they've come, it must be with a specific purpose." Her logic was sound. Despite The Fish-Men Island being nominally under the protection of Whitebeard, the Yonko couldn't stop every pirate from attempting to exploit the island's unique position as the gateway to the New World. Most raiders left after enriching themselves, avoiding Whitebeard's territory altogether. But the Big Mom Pirates were different. Their presence demanded immediate attention and respect. Neptune, snapping out of his frustration, quickly issued an order. "Prepare at once! We must greet them personally." Meanwhile, in Mermaid Cove... Pirates had already begun to carve out territories within The Fish-Men Island. "Wuhaha! I told you this trip would be worth it! Look at this haul—we've got over a dozen mermaids!" a rowdy pirate cackled. "If you want quality goods like these, you have to come to The Fish-Men Island yourself." The market value of mermaids was astronomical, with some fetching tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of berries. For pirates like these, such a haul could secure a lifetime of comfort in the Grand Line. "Count them up and let's move," said another pirate, his tone sharp. "The palace guards might show up soon." The speaker was a towering man with long, messy crimson hair. He wore a tattered captain's hat and carried an enormous guillotine strapped to his back. This was Silgen, captain of the Furious Pirates, with a bounty of 215 million berries. Pence, the one celebrating, is the captain of another crew, having a bounty of 170 million berries. Together, their alliance with other pirate crews had breached the island's outer defenses, allowing them to reach Mermaid Cove unchallenged. Hearing Silgen words, Pence sneered. "Word from Sabaody Archipelago is that the World Government's attitude toward The Fish-Men Island has soured. Some say they're planning to kick them out of the allied nations entirely." He laughed, licking his lips as his greedy gaze fell upon the closed gates of Mermaid Cove. "If that's the case, we should gather as many mermaids as possible. Nobles will pay any price for these prizes—and we'll live like kings." Silgen's expression hardened, his voice cutting through Pence's excitement. "That's reckless thinking. We don't know for sure what the World Government plans. If we're wrong and they hold The Fish-Men Island as a member nation, the Celestial Dragons could still come after us—even if they buy the mermaids." The other pirate captains quickly acknowledged the logic in Silgen's suggestion. Taking their spoils and leaving seemed far more reasonable than risking a confrontation with The Fish-Men Island's guards. None wanted to remain long enough to attract unwanted attention. Pence, unable to convince them otherwise, reluctantly waved his hands in resignation. As the most powerful figure in the alliance, Silgen held sway, and Pence could only curse him under his breath. Just as the pirates began to prepare for their departure, the sound of surging water echoed from the gates. It was the unmistakable noise of a ship entering the island. "Hey, hey, hey... don't tell me someone's here to steal our haul," Pencejoked, but his words died in his throat as he turned to see the approaching ships. Silgen froze as well, sweat forming on his brow. The flag unfurling high above the vessel was unmistakable—it belonged to the Big Mom Pirates, one of the Four Emperors. The pirates could only watch in stunned silence as the waterproof coating on the ship peeled away, revealing the figures aboard. Standing at the bow was a tall man with a scarf covering his mouth—the most fearsome of the Charlotte siblings and the head of the Sweet Commanders: Charlotte Katakuri. Beside him stood a tall girl with silver hair: Charlotte Smoothie, a fellow Sweet Commander and one of the Big Mom Pirates' top fighters. The sight of the two towering figures, both among the New World's most elite combatants, sent waves of panic through the gathered pirates. Many fled on the spot, while others collapsed to the ground, paralyzed with fear. "Hmm? How unfortunate for them," Smoothie remarked, her tone casual as her sharp eyes swept over the trembling pirates. She turned to her brother. "Big Brother Katakuri, should we just kill them all?" Katakuri's expression remained composed, his piercing gaze fixed on Dragon Palace City in the distance. "No. Let's wait and see how the palace reacts. If they don't send anyone to greet us, we can use these pirates to put pressure on them. But for now..." He trailed off, glancing over his shoulder at Baron Tamago. Without needing further instruction, Tamago stepped forward and leapt from the ship, landing smoothly on the dock. The pirate captains, already on edge, turned their attention to Tamago as he approached. Baron Tamago said in a deep voice, "Those who submit to the Big Mom Pirates shall live!" The captains exchanged uneasy glances, weighing their options. Finally, Silgen stepped forward, his tone cautious. "We... we can leave this place and turn over our spoils to you." Tamago's expression hardened. "Ah, what's this? Should I interpret that as a rejection of Mama's invitation?" Before Silgen could reply, Tamago's demeanor shifted. His presence grew oppressive, and without hesitation, he launched himself at the pirate captain with incredible speed. Silgen gritted his teeth, his body transforming as he activated his Devil Fruit powers. His muscles swelled grotesquely, glowing a fiery red as heat radiated from his form. He now looked more monster than man, his raw strength capable of smashing through boulders with ease. "Ha!" Silgen roared as he charged, his massive fist aimed directly at Tamago. Tamago, unimpressed, sidestepped the attack with ease, his movements guided by Observation Haki. His own fist, coated in Armament Haki, slammed into Silgen's unprotected head with devastating force. The blow was enough to drop the alliance's strongest captain instantly. "Captain Silgen!" Katakuri, who had been observing silently, moved swiftly. He tossed several small balls of mochi into the air, flicking them with precision. Each transformed mid-flight into massive globs of sticky mochi, pinning the remaining pirates in place. Completely immobilized and overwhelmed, the other pirates surrendered, their earlier bravado extinguished. Katakuri and his crew made a show of symbolically releasing the captured mermaids, though their real intentions remained hidden. Not long after, King Neptune arrived at the gates of Mermaid Cove, riding his whale mount and accompanied by a contingent of palace guards. As soon as he saw the Big Mom Pirates, Neptune dismounted, his demeanor humble and respectful. "Welcome to The Fish-Men Island, honored members of the Big Mom Pirates. We've prepared a grand banquet for you in Dragon Palace City." Though he was a king, Neptune spoke cautiously, his tone measured to avoid giving any offense. The power and influence of the Big Mom Pirates demanded nothing less. Katakuri observed Neptune for a moment before giving a small nod of approval. Just as he prepared to step off the ship and follow, his expression abruptly changed. His sharp eyes darted toward the gate passage, narrowing as if he had seen something alarming. A sudden, intense focus came over him as he stared into the waters beyond the gates.