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It took two full days, but Arthur finally dragged Fish-Man Island from the ten-thousand-meter abyss to the surface of the sea.
Bathed in the sunlight they had only ever dreamed of, every Fish-man and Merfolk was ecstatic, many weeping tears of pure joy. To be warmed by the sun every day and to live without the fear of passing slave traders—this was the dream they had carried for centuries.
Since it was no longer needed for light, the Sunlight Tree Eve—which now served a primarily symbolic purpose on the island—was claimed by Arthur and stowed away inside his Mirror World.
This tree had been the island's lifeline, the sole source of light for hundreds of years. Its roots possessed the unique property of transmitting sunlight from the surface to the deep; it absorbed light by day and went dark by night, providing the abyss with a natural cycle of time. To the Fish-men, it was the sea's greatest mercy and gift.
Mythology states that Eve was created from Adam's rib, suggesting a profound connection. On this sea, a similar mysterious link exists between the world's strongest wood, the Treasure Tree Adam, and the Sunlight Tree Eve.
Though many puzzles regarding the tree remained, Eve was undoubtedly one of the most important entities in existence—a symbol of the world's light. Arthur took it as a core treasure for his future "Divine Kingdom." Regardless of its secrets, he intended to eventually pair it with the Treasure Tree Adam, using both as the World Trees to support his sovereign realm.
..............
The disappearance of Fish-Man Island from the abyss and its miraculous appearance in the Thunder God Territory immediately drew the attention of the world's most powerful factions.
The Whitebeard Pirates, the Revolutionary Army, and the World Government all scrambled for information. They needed to know why Arthur had suddenly moved an entire civilization.
Two days later, the island was successfully settled into the Second Ring of the Thunder God Sea, positioned close to the central hub. Due to its proximity to Raijin Island, the security was absolute. The Fish-men were more than satisfied.
At the Grand Hall of the Thunder God Temple:
The Thunder Emperor officially announced the inclusion of Fish-Man Island into his Grand Fleet. Simultaneously, Vander Decken IX and his Flying Pirates were formally inducted as the 10th Division.
Wadatsumi was assigned to the Giant Warrior Pirates to accompany Sanjuan Wolf. Because of their similar, gargantuan scale, Sanjuan Wolf was overjoyed. The two "monsters"—both possessing child-like intellects—quickly hit it off, playing together with exuberant glee.
Once the meeting concluded, Arthur summoned a trembling Morgans and commanded him to broadcast the news of Poseidon's discovery to every corner of the globe!
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Aboard the Moby Dick.
"Pops, look at the paper!!" Marco shouted, flying onto the deck in a panic. "Fish-Man Island, Jinbe's home... Arthur stole it! That was our territory!!"
"Pops!" Namur, the shark Fish-man, looked on with desperate urgency. As a Fish-man himself, he was reeling from the news and turned to Whitebeard for guidance.
"Gurararararara!" Whitebeard didn't seem to mind at all. He narrowed his eyes at the horizon. "Neptune is my old friend. Since he has made this choice, I won't stand in his way. However... Arthur actually dared to publicly announce he has Poseidon? His balls are as big as ever!!"
"The World Government will definitely move now."
"A golden fortress that's likely Pluton, and now a Mermaid Princess who is Poseidon... Arthur's power is growing too fast, Pops," Teach remarked, a flash of disappointment in his eyes. He had hoped for a true death-match between Whitebeard and Arthur, but it hadn't happened.
The constant chaos Arthur sowed was beginning to wear on Teach's legendary patience. The Yami Yami no Mi was still nowhere to be found, and in his heart, he began to suspect that Arthur's crew was now the place most likely to encounter it.
"I will continue to wait," Teach gritted his teeth, making his choice once more. "If I cannot find it... it simply means I was born in the wrong era!"
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The old Revolutionary headquarters had been discovered by Arthur, forcing them to move to the Calm Belt. Two years ago, they moved again, settling in the Kamabakka Kingdom on Momoiro Island, ruled by the Okama King, Emporio Ivankov.
The core members of the Revolutionary Army were now gathered around a table, staring at the shocking headline regarding Poseidon.
"Another Ancient Weapon has fallen into the hands of the Thunder God Pirates!"
"If only it were in our hands... our deterrent power would skyrocket, allowing us to truly stand as equals against the Government!"
"Our scientists analyzed the data and combined it with news from Water 7," one member added. "That golden fortress is almost certainly a hybrid of Pluton and other technologies... Curse that Vegapunk!"
"Dragon, say something!" Ivankov cried out, pacing nervously. "The Thunder Emperor's influence is exploding... he is our enemy!!"
Monkey D. Dragon remained silent, his face grim. The tattoos on his skin made him look even more ferocious in the dim light.
"The Thunder Emperor is too strong. He has reached a level of despair-inducing power," Dragon finally spoke. "He stands above everyone like an insurmountable peak. When people realize they cannot cross it alone, they will try to climb it together. And if a group still can't cross... he will become the target of everyone on the sea."
Dragon's foresight allowed him to see the inevitable future of the Thunder God Pirates.
If there are only two sides fighting for the world, a powerful third party that remains unaligned is merely a nuisance. But when that third party suddenly grows to surpass both original sides, the original enemies will grow restless. Eventually, they might even join forces to eradicate the third party before resuming their own war.
"You mean... we should contact the World Government and attack him together?" the high-ranking members asked, frowning.
"No... the World Government is the one losing sleep right now," Dragon said, looking around the room. "With two Ancient Weapons and an ever-expanding crew, Arthur has become their greatest nightmare. They have to deal with us, but they must also find a way to stop him."
"We will continue to spread our ideology. We will bring more nations to our side. As for military action, we do not move first... we let them fight each other!"
Arthur's strength was a provocation to the entire world, and the World Government—as the world's representative—could not allow one faction to grow indefinitely.
"Everyone, dismiss and prepare your respective sectors!"
As the core members filtered out of the hall, a young boy stood in the corner. He had short, wavy blond hair, a top hat, and a burn scar over his left eye. He looked curiously at Koala, who was a year older and already a seasoned member of the army.
"Thunder Emperor Arthur... is he really that strong?" the boy asked.
"He's one of the Emperors of the New World, a genuine monster, you dummy Sabo!"
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