"What is that? Such massive Sea Kings!"
"Run! The colossal Sea Kings are here!"
"How terrifying!"
"Wait, what's behind them? That ship is enormous!"
As the colossal Sea Kings slowly appeared outside Fish-Man Island's giant bubble, pulling the Ark Noah behind them, the island's residents looked up in utter shock. From their perspective, it seemed as if eight Sea Kings were surrounding the island from all sides.
"This is bad, run!"
Some had already begun to flee in terror.
Just then, King Neptune flicked his tail and shot through the water like an arrow, appearing in the sky above Fish-Man Island. He pressed his hands down, his voice booming over the ground below. "Everyone, there is no need to panic!"
"It's King Neptune!"
The fish-men collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
"Do not be afraid. These Sea Kings are here to help us move Fish-Man Island," Neptune announced, his deep, resonant voice filled with a power that instantly gave the residents a pillar of strength to rally around.
"Neptune, die!"
At that moment, a figure burst from the shadows of the crowd. A flurry of cold light flashed as a white-haired octopus fish-man wielding the Eight-Sword Style charged forward.
"Thrust: Poison Needle!" Hyouzou roared, lunging at Neptune. He had coated his longswords in a potent green venom, intending to kill the king in a single strike. As he closed the distance, his face twisted into a maniacal grin, the thrill of a successful assassination already coursing through his mind.
Unfortunately for him, he had severely underestimated the situation.
"Chidori Sharp Spear!"
A deep voice echoed from above. In the next instant, a spear of lightning descended. Before Hyouzou could even react, he saw a bolt of purple electricity pierce straight through his chest. Gazing at Neptune, who was now just inches away, Hyouzou's eyes filled with unwilling defeat.
"Hyouzou?!" Neptune looked down at him, his expression a mixture of shock and confusion. He couldn't understand why Fish-Man Island's strongest swordsman would try to assassinate him.
Boom!
Struck by Ryuuto's World-Ending Divine Lightning, Hyouzou's body was instantly charred black. A trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth as he fell limply toward the ground, the eight swords slipping from his grasp.
'Captain Hody, I've failed my mission. The enemy is too strong!' This was the only thought left in Hyouzou's mind.
"King Neptune, it seems Fish-Man Island wasn't so peaceful while we were away," Ryuuto said, slowly descending to Neptune's side. As he spread his Observation Haki, he quickly sensed that something was amiss.
"Jean Bart, World, I'll leave this to you," Ryuuto said, glancing at Neptune before turning to his two companions.
"Fufufufufu, it's been a while since I've stretched my legs!" World exclaimed, rubbing his large, bald head with excitement.
Jean Bart remained silent, simply preparing to use his Devil Fruit ability.
"Understood, Captain!" they both replied.
Pop!
The two men crushed the coating bubbles at their waists and dropped to the ground below. In an instant, they vanished, becoming two blurs of motion heading toward Ryuuguu Palace. Neptune now suspected that a rebellion must have broken out in the palace.
"Father, I'm going to check as well!" Prince Fukaboshi declared, brandishing his trident. With a flick of his tail, he used the buoyancy of his own bubble to shoot toward Ryuuguu Palace.
Neptune watched them go with a worried expression before turning his gaze back to Ryuuto. 'It should be fine,' he thought. 'Those two looked incredibly powerful.'
"I'll leave things here to you! Neptune, mobilize everyone!" Ryuuto said, then led Hancock, Nami, and the others to the ground.
"Everyone, prepare yourselves! We will soon be migrating to the surface..." Neptune's grand voice echoed across the entirety of Fish-Man Island through a Den Den Mushi.
Meanwhile, inside Ryuuguu Palace, Hody Jones sat on the throne, his face flush with excitement. At his side were his officers, Vander Decken IX, Zeo, and Daruma. Below them, countless fish-men cheered and raised their arms in celebration. The second and third princes of the island lay wounded and bloodied at the foot of the steps, struggling to lift their heads to look at Hody.
Suddenly, Neptune's voice drifted in from outside the palace.
"Damn it! Neptune's back! What happened to Hyouzou?" Hearing the king's voice, Hody's eyes turned bloodshot with rage. He clenched his fist, crushing the solid jade armrest of the throne into powder.
Boom!
Before Hody could react, one of his fish-man soldiers was sent flying into the hall like an arrow released from a bow, crashing violently against the steps of the throne.
"Who's there?"
Hody's eyes narrowed as he bellowed toward the entrance. Vander Decken IX and the others also turned with grave expressions.
Tap, tap, tap...
The sound of footsteps approached, and two towering figures slowly walked in. As the light of the hall fell upon them, their forms were fully revealed to be none other than Jean Bart and World.
"Fufufufufufu, what a bunch of weaklings. Your very existence is a crime!" World sneered, his two long whiskers twitching with contempt.
"You're asking for death!"
"Men, get them!" Hody shot to his feet, barking orders at his soldiers.
"Where did these lowly humans come from! Die!"
"Insignificant race! Your life ends today!"
In an instant, countless fish-men swarmed forward, brandishing their weapons. Their faces were contorted with a crazed fanaticism as they charged.
World watched them approach with an air of casual amusement. He then slowly turned his gaze to Jean Bart beside him, a look that clearly said, "They're all yours."
"Blood Prison's Crimson Fury!"
Jean Bart gave a slight nod. He slammed his fists against his chest and let out a great roar. The blood within him began to surge violently, its rapid flow causing steam to rise from his entire body. This heat quickly spread, filling the entire hall.
In that instant, countless fish-men felt a burning heat inside them. Their blood began to flow in reverse, and they lost all control of their bodies. As if a pause button had been pressed, they were frozen in place.
"What's happening? My arm!"
"Me too, I can't move!"
"What is going on?!"
Cries of terror erupted from the frozen fish-men.
"Burst."
Jean Bart uttered a single word. The searing heat that filled the hall seemed to find a release valve and instantly... detonated.
Countless splatters of blood flew through the air! Pulled by some unknown force, it erupted from their very skin. In a moment, the entire hall became a blood-soaked prison. Every single one of the ordinary fish-men collapsed to the ground, their fighting capacity completely gone. Only Hody, his officers, and Vander Decken IX remained standing.
"How is that possible? What... what kind of power is this!" Zeo stammered, swallowing hard as he stared at the carnage in disbelief.
"Boss Hody, I think we've picked a fight with the wrong people," Daruma said, his head turning mechanically toward Hody.
"Damn you! This is impossible! I'll kill you!" Hody, ever the madman, shoved a handful of red Energy Steroids into his mouth. His body instantly swelled in size. With a powerful stomp, he shot toward World and Jean Bart. "Sharkskin Palm Strike!" he roared, energy visibly flowing through his now massive arm.
"Let's go too!"
Zeo, Daruma, and the other officers followed suit, swallowing their own Energy Steroids before charging forward with bloodshot eyes.
"Six-Sword Style Waltz!"
"Thousand-Brick Fist!"
"Shark Brick Smasher!"
Hody and his crew lunged at World and Jean Bart like rabid beasts. The Energy Steroids had dramatically increased their strength and speed, but it all came at a price: their own lifespans.
"They're crazy! They're all crazy!"
Vander Decken IX wanted no part of this. He only wanted Shirahoshi; he wasn't a suicidal fanatic. Seeing his chance, he began to sneak away along the side of the hall. 'Just have to get outside and I'll be safe!' he thought. His subordinate, Wadatsumi, was waiting outside. He was confident he could escape with the giant's protection.
"Fufufufufufu, my turn to have some fun!" Seeing Hody and his men charging with such ferocity, World laughed with delight instead of alarm. He stepped in front of Jean Bart and met their charge head-on.
"Hundredfold Gigantification: Superheavy Fist!"
As World roared, his fist instantly swelled to one hundred times its normal size. A powerful layer of Armament Haki coated it, turning it into a mass of black obsidian. The massive black fist, nearly three meters in diameter, slammed directly into Hody and his officers.
Countless arcs of black lightning crackled around it. The punch carried an overwhelming force that seemed to tear at space itself as it collided with the pirates.
Splat!
The moment of contact, Hody and the others coughed up mouthfuls of blood. They were sent flying backward by the massive obsidian fist, crashing through wall after wall of the palace until they were blasted clean through the outer structure and out of Ryuuguu Palace entirely.
The difference in power was immense.
Hody and his crew stood no chance against World. They were defeated in a single blow.
"Thinking of running?"
Jean Bart's figure flickered, appearing right beside the escaping Vander Decken IX. The stealthy fish-man froze instantly. Before he could react, the towering Jean Bart lifted him into the air by his collar.
"Let me go! Let go of me!" Vander Decken IX screamed, struggling frantically. Jean Bart simply squeezed his neck, knocking him unconscious.
"That was... incredibly fast!" Prince Fukaboshi, who had just arrived, could only offer a heartfelt exclamation as he witnessed the scene. A rebellion that had seemed so momentous was crushed with ease.
It had to be said, Hody and his crew were simply not in the same league. It was a wonder how the canon Luffy, even after two years of training, had such a back-and-forth struggle with them.
Elsewhere, under Neptune's guidance, all the residents of Fish-Man Island were ready. With their hands clasped in a prayer-like gesture, they stared intently at the colossal Sea Kings and the Ark Noah outside the giant bubble.
"Captain, is it time to begin?" Nami and Vivi asked nervously, standing beside Ryuuto.
Ryuuto didn't answer. He gently tapped the unconscious Vander Decken IX on the ground, waking him up. He had initially planned to move Fish-Man Island through more forceful means, but seeing Vander Decken gave him a much better idea.
"You, who are you..." Vander Decken IX mumbled, his eyes fluttering open. Before he could finish, he saw a golden spear of lightning pointed directly at him. The terrifying aura of destruction it emitted shocked him fully awake. He had no doubt that any sudden move would result in that spear running him through.
"Now, I talk, you do," Ryuuto said, looking down on him. His low voice seemed to carry the weight of thunder itself.
Vander Decken IX nodded frantically.
"Now, mark yourself as the target, and touch Fish-Man Island to mark it as the object to be thrown! Don't just stand there, do it!" Ryuuto slowly explained his plan. Seeing Vander Decken IX hesitate, he barked his command.
After his initial shock, Vander Decken IX could only obey.
Perhaps due to the sheer size of Fish-Man Island, Vander Decken IX remained crouched on the ground for a long time without any result. As the minutes ticked by, more and more sweat beaded on his forehead. King Neptune, Nami, and Vivi watched from the side, their own nerves stretched taut.
"It has to work!" Princess Shirahoshi prayed, her hands clasped tightly together.
Hancock, Crocus, World, and the others were aboard Noah, also waiting for news from the island. Perhaps sensing Shirahoshi's emotions, the eight colossal Sea Kings also stared silently at the events unfolding within the giant bubble.
"This has to succeed! I've never done anything this crazy before!" Sebastian muttered to himself.
After another half an hour had passed...
"Hah... It worked!" Vander Decken IX wiped the sweat from his brow, a look of relief on his face as he looked up at Ryuuto.
"Yay!"
Hearing this, Nami and Shirahoshi let out cheers of joy.
"Hahahahahaha, in that case, let's proceed with the plan!" Ryuuto let out a huge laugh. Then, in a single motion, he grabbed Vander Decken IX by the neck.
ZAP!
With a flash of lightning, Ryuuto shot out of the double-layered bubble that enveloped Fish-Man Island, dragging Vander Decken with him. The electricity arced through the seawater as their figures quickly appeared a thousand or two meters away, on top of the giant bubble.
At that moment, Vander Decken IX's Mark-Mark Fruit ability activated. Fish-Man Island, still encased in its bubble, began to slowly move toward Vander Decken IX, its new target.