Chapter 310: Conflict

"Brother Jinbe..."

"I understand."

Hachi picked up his long sword, his gaze firm:

"Among the fish-men who committed sins in Cocoyasi Village, I am the last one, and the only one who survived."

"But debts owed must always be repaid."

"Perhaps what I have been waiting for is now."

Hiss—!

Hachi took a deep breath.

His gaze fell upon the long sword in his hand.

This was the rule Tiger established for his shipmates while he was still alive.

Any crew member who violated the ideal of peaceful coexistence between fish-men and humans had to pay the price for their actions.

And for those like Arlong and his gang who did such things in Cocoyasi Village, there was only one outcome.

Seppuku.

At this moment.

Hachi also harbored such resolve in his heart; he turned the blade around, aimed it at his own heart, and was about to stab himself.

But in the next instant, he was stopped by a powerful large hand.

Jinbe lowered his eyes, looking at the younger brother who had always followed him; his heart finally softened:

"After Brother Tiger died, the Sun Pirates either died or fled, and the ideal of creating a world where humans and fish-men coexist peacefully vanished into smoke."

"That you possess such determination would surely make Brother Tiger very happy if he knew."

"Allowing that scoundrel Arlong to remain in the East Sea is also a responsibility I cannot shirk; if you truly feel guilt in your heart, then come with me..."

Hachi lifted his head, his eyes turning red:

"Brother Jinbe, you..."

"Let's go."

Jinbe withdrew his gaze, his expression gradually turning serious:

"As for Gao Wen and his knightly group, if they wish to Enter the New World, they will inevitably pass through Fish-Man Island; spare your life to be judged by that girl in Cocoyasi Village."

"This is a debt that you owe, and that I owe as well."

As his voice landed.

Hachi knelt on the ground, his body trembling slightly, tears of shame flowing backward.

His nature was not bad, one could even say he was simple, but precisely because he still had a conscience, he suffered even more after realizing what he had actually done.

Low sobs echoed within the room.

Jinbe listened quietly, yet at this moment, he felt a sense of relief.

Tiger's will was not without an heir, even if it arrived somewhat late.

Yet at this very moment.

A hurried sound of footsteps approached.

Clack!

Clack!

Clack!

The newcomer pushed open Jinbe's door in one motion; though panicked, he didn't even have time to catch his breath as he cried out anxiously:

"My lord Jinbe!"

"Something has happened!"

"Near the Ryugu Kingdom, dozens of cases involving missing fish-men and even merfolk have occurred consecutively."

"Among them are even some young fish-men!"

"Lord Neptune has already issued an order to completely seal off all departure points; until the missing persons are found, no departures are permitted!"

"This is bad!"

Jinbe's expression immediately sank.

The Ryugu Kingdom is the only route for pirates to Enter the New World; one could say that unless you can fly your pirate ship, you must pass through Fish-Man Island to Enter the New World.

It is precisely for this reason that countless pirate ships are docked in the ports of the Ryugu Kingdom.

Once voyages are restricted, given the violent nature of pirates, disaster is likely to strike!

Jinbe frowned tightly.

Thoughts churned in his mind, and he faintly smelled a hint of conspiracy.

Logically, after Whitebeard planted his flag on Fish-Man Island and openly claimed sovereignty, incidents of poaching had become rare.

Added to that was the fact that he, as a Warlord of the Sea, was personally stationed here.

Poaching incidents had become rare, at most one or two cases a month, and most of those occurred outside Fish-Man Island.

But now, a large-scale outbreak of missing fish-men has suddenly occurred within Fish-Man Island itself, which is clearly abnormal.

"Someone wants to throw Fish-Man Island into chaos!"

A tall, ferocious image of a divine eagle flashed before Jinbe's eyes, but in the next instant, he shook his head and ruled it out:

"Hody and his gang act radically and brutally, but they hate humans the most and also hate poaching the most; logically, they shouldn't act against their own kind."

Recalling Hachi's words from just now, Jinbe's frown deepened further:

"Gao Wen?!"

"If it is to avenge his companions, he would indeed have such a motive, but..."

"This shouldn't be happening!"

"A man who bears the name of benevolence and righteousness should not be capable of such deeds."

After a moment of deliberation.

Jinbe still had not found the answer he sought, but with every second of delay, the situation grew more urgent; he immediately rose to his feet, preparing to suppress the pirates on the verge of rioting.

Before departing, Jinbe left a specific instruction:

"Hatchan, go to Fish-Man District and keep watch over Hody's crew."

Hatchan was stunned:

"Hody? They shouldn't attack their own comrades."

"Better safe than sorry."

"I understand."

……

At the same time.

Ryugu Kingdom.

Within the harbor.

Countless pirate ships were anchored here, yet the main channel was blocked by a group of Fish-Man soldiers.

"What's happening?! Wasn't Fish-Man Island supposed to let us pass unconditionally according to our agreement?"

A pirate wore a look of confusion, an inexplicable sense of foreboding arising in his heart.

"Perhaps some poacher caused an incident again, yet we all have to take the blame?!"

"Poaching? Leaving aside that Fish-Man Island is already Whitebeard's territory, and Sea Knight Jinbe is a major figure of Warlord caliber, who would dare poach inside Fish-Man Island?!"

"Tsk tsk~ I'd say the likelihood of the Fish-Men stealing from their own watch is even greater than that."

"Who knows?!"

"But if we set sail now, we will inevitably be affected..."

……

Within the crowd.

The murmurs gradually grew louder.

Apart from speculation about the Ryugu Kingdom's sudden change in attitude, most of it was dissatisfaction regarding the impact on their departure.

Among them, many impulsive and violent pirates had already prepared to forcibly break through the defenses.

"I am destined to Enter the New World and seize the One Piece; I have no time to waste!"

"If the Fish-Men want war, then I shall grant them battle!"

"If you want to die, don't drag me down with you! This is ten thousand meters deep in the sea; without the Fish-Men's secondary coating, there is absolutely no possibility of setting sail!"

As soon as the words fell.

That person could only lower his flag and drum, immediately dropping the matter.

Yet at this very moment.

The army led by Shark Star, the First Prince of the Ryugu Kingdom, appeared in the harbor, surrounding the pirates.

Looking at the densely packed pirates in the harbor and thinking of his missing clansmen, nothing but unspeakable rage filled Shark Star's mind:

"Dozens of kidnapping cases have occurred consecutively in the Fish-Man Kingdom; we now suspect pirates are responsible."

"From today onward, all pirate ships setting sail must undergo inspection!"

His peremptory voice landed, and the pirates present instantly fell silent, only to erupt into a deafening roar the next moment.

"Stop joking! You think you can just search us?!"

"Exactly!"

Shark Star said coldly:

"I said I will search you!"

"This is the Ryugu Kingdom, and I am the First Prince of the Ryugu Kingdom!"

"Without my order, no one is permitted to let you pass!"

"Are you kidding me!"

In the harbor.

A pirate wore a ferocious expression, already prepared to make a move.

After all, not every ship could withstand an inspection.

Even if they hadn't poached on Fish-Man Island, certain gray industries remained unseen by the light, especially things that could not be known by the Ryugu Kingdom's royal family!

Yet at this moment.

His movement was restrained by his deputy standing beside him.

"Captain, our ship hasn't completed its coating yet; clashing with them at this time would hardly be wise."

"Moreover, his primary target is the Fish-Man kidnapping cases, which has nothing to do with us; I think..."

Bang!

While the deputy was still speaking, a sound of tearing wind reached his ears; a bullet tore through his ear and flew toward Shark Star in the distance.

It was steadily blocked by the trident in the other's hand, yet what could not be blocked was the extremely gloomy expression on Shark Star's face.

"As expected, it was you who kidnapped my clansmen!"

"Pirates!"

At this moment.

The pirate whose ear was injured could not even feel the pain of losing his ear; he felt only an overwhelming chill.

He turned his head, yet there was nothing behind him, but when his gaze touched the water's surface, his pupils constricted sharply.

It was all because a figure with fish fins growing from its back sank into the water with a vicious grin, even raising a hand to provocatively make a throat-slitting gesture.

"Not good!"

"Someone is inciting conflict; you are being used!"

He let out a roar, yet no one could clearly hear what he was saying anymore.

Continuous gunshots accompanied by tongues of fire shot from the port toward Shark Star and his group; the latter, equally unwilling to show weakness, immediately launched a counterattack!

Artillery fire shrieked!

The two sides, who had previously barely managed to restrain themselves, immediately engaged in fierce crossfire, completely failing to notice the figure weaving through the battlefield, constantly inciting trouble.

No.

Someone did notice, but they had no time to emit even a single sound before being swallowed by a hail of bullets; the enraged two sides cared about nothing else.

A corner of the port.

Mu Xi, a giant squid fish-man covered in pure white fur and possessing eight arms, watched the port gradually being consumed by the flames of war, the corners of his mouth curling into a vicious smile:

"Kill! Kill!"

"Only by experiencing the baptism of blood can you recognize the sins of humanity!"

"There is absolutely no possibility of peace between humans and fish-men!"

"As high-level beings, fish-men are born to dominate humans, who are low-level creatures!"

"Mu hehe!!"

Mu Xi emitted several sharp, bizarre laughs, looking at the crowd fighting in the distance as if he were seeing the future where fish-men ruled over humans.

As a member of the New Fish-Man Pirates and one of Hody's top executives, he was inherently a fanatic believer in Hody's ideology.

Convinced that fish-men were creatures superior to humans!

Very soon.

Several fish-men who had completed their tasks gathered beside Mu Xi.

However.

Recalling their own compatriots whom they had accidentally injured just moments ago, a trace of reluctance appeared in their eyes to varying degrees.

"Lord Mu Xi, attacking our own compatriots, is it really..."

"This is a necessary sacrifice for a lofty ideal!"

"It is a great sacrifice!"

Mu Xi waved the spear in his hand, not a shred of guilt present in his eyes:

"When their descendants grow up under the sun, they will thank us!"

"Oh~"

"He might not have any descendants; then he can only blame his own bad luck!"

"Mu hehe!!"

After laughing bizarrely a few times, Mu Xi turned to prepare to support Hody's operations on that side, yet his footsteps paused slightly at this moment.

It was because within the perception transmitted by Observation Haki, a pirate ship forcibly smashed through the coating surrounding the Ryugu Kingdom's outer perimeter, plummeting down from the sky with a thunderous crash...

Boom—!

Water flowers filled the sky, countless seawaters were pushed aside, and the towering waves stirred up even caused countless pirate ships to sway violently.

At this moment, even both sides engaged in combat stopped their actions one after another, looking at that ship with faces full of shock, and the entire battlefield fell silent at this instant.

A few breaths later.

The Lionheart Knight gradually came to a halt, and Gao Wen and his group slowly walked out from the cabin.

Tap!

Tap!

Tap!

The crisp sound of footsteps, like drumbeats, stepped upon the heartbeats of the crowd.

Very soon.

Gao Wen and his group lined up in a row on the deck, an invisible sense of oppression instantly sweeping across the entire battlefield,

causing some with unsteady wills to be unable to even grip the weapons in their hands firmly.

"Hey, hey, hey... this kind of oppression, don't joke around? Are those guys really humans, and not some kind of fierce beasts?!"

"Even those super-giant Sea Kings in the deep sea have never made me feel this way!"

"It's simply like facing... death!"

"The Four Emperors of Reach the New World?"

"No!"

"It's Gao Wen's crew!"

A pirate wearing a ship's hat let out a startled cry, looking at Gao Wen in the distance, his pupils trembling.

He hailed from the East Blue and was one of the few pirates in recent years to journey from the East Blue to Reach the New World; it could almost be said that he had walked this entire path listening to the legends of Gao Wen.

Whenever he heard others mention Gao Wen's name, he always assumed an attitude of shared glory.

Yet subconsciously, he believed this was merely others' exaggeration; what decent pirates could possibly emerge from a place like the East Blue?!

But at this very moment.

Looking at that figure on the deck, goosebumps had already risen all over his body!

"This kind of oppression... even the Four Emperors fall short; even if everyone present joined forces, they might not be his match!"

Invisible Haki swept across, and the crowd in the battlefield dared not even breathe a sound.

Only the seawater within the harbor continued to slosh.

Gao Wen scanned the surroundings, the corner of his mouth curling into a smile of keen interest:

"Could someone please explain to me exactly what has happened?"

Previously.

Gao Wen and his party had originally intended to enter Fish-Man Island through the port, only to discover it was already sealed off, permitting neither entry nor exit.

With the oxygen remaining aboard the Lionheart Knight running low, they had no choice but to mimic the Straw Hat's earlier maneuver, crashing directly through the two layers of coating surrounding Fish-Man Island.

They had not expected to encounter this scene the moment they arrived, and for a moment, Gao Wen's interest was piqued.

Shark Star swallowed hard.

By rights, at such a time he ought to display the dignity of royalty, yet his fish tail trembled uncontrollably.

Even when previously facing an enraged Jinbe, he had never felt this way.

Facing this man before him made him feel as though he were staring directly at some terror beyond imagination, some monster capable of destroying a battlefield in an instant!

Just like that which he had once inadvertently glimpsed...

Whitebeard!

Hiss—!

Shark Star drew a deep breath and stepped forward:

"A large-scale poaching incident has occurred on Fish-Man Island; we initially suspect nearby pirates are responsible. We are currently investigating the pirates within Fish-Man Island; please do not interfere."

"You only appeared on Fish-Man Island after the incident erupted; this matter should have little to do with you..."

Bang—!

A bullet shot out from among the Fish-Man troops, tearing through the air with a piercing whistle!

Shark Star's pupils constricted, and his heartbeat even skipped a beat at that moment!

Even without having ever crossed blades with Gao Wen, he knew clearly just what kind of immense power this man possessed.

Surpassing Jinbe, fully comparable to the Four Emperors!

If he were to provoke him here, the consequences would be unimaginable!

(End of Chapter)