The persuasion process went surprisingly smoothly. As Jinbe regained his composure, a horrifying aura of bloodlust emanated from his eyes.
"Who did this?!"
The weight of that question was far beyond trivial matters; it felt like witnessing a withered, lifeless tree, dry and brittle for days, yet inexplicably bleeding through its bark.
Decay, filth, deathly silence— overflowing with hatred!
"Come with me. This isn't the place for a conversation."
With a flick of his hand, Rowen cut through the cell door. Moments later, Magellan approached with a set of keys, unlocking Jinbe's shackles.
Throughout this process, Jinbe remained motionless, almost like a puppet, allowing Magellan to act. Yet, even in stillness, his terrifying killing intent was palpable.
The bond between Fish-Man Island and Jinbe wasn't something that could be explained in a few words. It was a story that began during Fisher Tiger's lifetime.
But one thing was certain:
For Fish-Man Island and its people, the man before them was willing to sacrifice everything!
Even his surrender and subsequent imprisonment in Impel Down, willingly captured by Smoker, had been a selfless act to prevent the government from taking out its anger on Fish-Man Island.
Now, with his cherished homeland destroyed and his people nearly exterminated, the impact on Jinbe was unimaginable.
For vengeance, there was nothing he wouldn't do.
"That's all. The chronic poison in your system can be dealt with later."
Magellan dissolved the keys into sludge with his venom, frowning slightly.
Something about Jinbe's demeanor wasn't right. Even while inhaling the poisonous fumes Magellan emitted without a gas mask, he remained stoic, showing no signs of avoidance.
"Thanks for your effort!"
Expressionless, Jinbe nodded and stepped out of the cell. Turning to Rowen, he said:
"I want to go back and see it for myself…"
"Fine."
Stopping Dante, who frowned and seemed ready to object, Rowen replied casually.
"That works. I'll fill you in on what's happened since you've been locked up… But let me make one thing clear. If you so much as try to escape, I'll hunt down your remaining people and publicly execute them in front of the whole world."
For the Marines, capturing the remaining named Fish-Man Pirates was not a difficult task— it was just a matter of time and priority.
Rowen knew Jinbe would believe him capable of such an act.
"That won't be necessary!"
Suddenly, Jinbe shook his head.
"I'll do everything I can to help you. This time, not for protection— but for revenge!"
So, your true name is…
"Vengeance Sea Spirit" Jinbe?!
Rowen raised an eyebrow, smiling.
"Fair enough."
Then, as if recalling something important, he turned back and said: "Oh, let me start with a bit of news about myself."
"What?"
"I'm no longer a Vice Admiral. You'll need to address me as Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon)."
With that, Rowen turned and walked off, leaving behind a stunned Jinbe.
The seabed was eerily calm, devoid of wind or waves.
Even the usually restless undercurrents were still, as if mourning the tragic fate of Fish-Man Island.
Standing on a platform that was both familiar and foreign, Jinbe knelt, gently brushing his hand over the blood-stained earth.
Despite days of cleaning efforts, large fragments of debris still awaited removal across the island. Tidying up the area had understandably been a lower priority.
"Orrick!!!"
With a ruthless pull, Jinbe grasped a handful of earth in his palm. Carefully, he cradled it, retrieving a bottle and meticulously storing the soil bit by bit.
"Let's go to Ryugu Palace. I've already informed the garrison force," Rowen said as he put down the Den Den Mushi and walked over.
Jinbe nodded silently.
As he followed Rowen, Dante cautiously leaned closer and asked, "Admiral, if Orrick learns that Jinbe is out, who knows what could happen. Is this really a safe move?"
Previously, Jinbe had been confined in Impel Down, where the great whirlpool triangle made escape impossible. With the "Poison Human" Magellan guarding the prison, even someone as daring as Orrick wouldn't act rashly.
Now, bringing Jinbe out in the open like this seemed risky. If the enemy discovered this, the consequences were unpredictable.
Rowen shook his head.
"Don't worry. Orrick won't show up."
"Why not?" Dante looked puzzled at Rowen's unwavering confidence.
"Because I'm here!"
"He's not the type to risk everything over a single witness and face me head-on right now."
"Even if he left some contingency plans, he wouldn't activate them with me present."
This was the unspoken understanding between ambitious men. Even without communication, a strange mutual awareness always existed.
Dante scratched his head, half-understanding but impressed. "I see!"
…
Inside Ryugu Palace, within the royal hall.
"King Neptune…"
Jinbe stood before the golden trident, the royal symbol, which was still embedded in a bloodstained wall. He remained eerily calm.
On the way here, he had seen enough of such devastation to mentally prepare himself for the worst.
But…
"Why?!!!"
"We bore no grudge against him. Why would he do this?!"
Jinbe could tell that the reason the trident remained while the bodies were gone was because Neptune's corpse had been split in two— a gruesome sight.
Scattered in the blood pools were the bodies of Shark Star, King Star, Ryuugu Star, the left minister, the right minister, and countless others he knew well. Some were so mutilated they couldn't be identified and were incinerated on-site to prevent disease outbreaks.
"That's what we want to know, Jinbe!"
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows of the palace. Akainu, with a cigar in his mouth, tugged on the brim of his cap.
"If you know anything— anything that could have drawn Orrick's attention— tell me immediately!"
At some point, the soldiers who had accompanied them withdrew silently, leaving only Rowen, Dante, Smoker, and Akainu in the grand hall.
"So, Orrick didn't leave behind any traps for an ambush?"
Seeing Akainu emerge unscathed, Rowen seemed to understand something.
'Dante stared at him in shock. You said you weren't prepared?! He thought. You even got Fleet Admiral Akainu involved! You're an old fox— nothing you say can be trusted!'
"That's right. Quite disappointing, isn't it?"
Akainu nodded quietly, then turned his stern gaze to Jinbe. "Now answer my question, Jinbe!!"
"There are two possibilities!"
Startled, Jinbe wiped the blood from his bitten lip as he stood and answered.
"What are they?!"
Akainu narrowed his eyes, his focus intensifying.
"The Tamatebako… and the Ancient Weapon!"
"Nani?! The Ancient Weapon?!!"
Akainu's eyes widened in disbelief.
Seeing this, a sly smile crept onto Rowen's face.
Here it is!
Among everyone, only Shirahoshi's whereabouts were unknown. There was no doubt now that the secret of Poseidon, the "Sea King," had been exposed.
If Orrick controlled Shirahoshi— the Ancient Weapon capable of commanding all Sea Kings— it was unacceptable to Rowen.
Mending the fence after the sheep are lost isn't too late.
Because of his position, Rowen couldn't storm Fish-Man Island like Orrick had to seize Shirahoshi. This unexpected situation gave Orrick the upper hand.
But Rowen could turn the tables by exposing Orrick's control of the Ancient Weapon to the government, killing with a borrowed blade!
At the same time, Rowen had dispatched Law and Fujitora to retrieve Franky's Pluton blueprints from Water 7 as soon as the incident at Fish-Man Island was discovered. Given the time that had passed, results were likely imminent.
(End Of Chapter)
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