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One Piece: The Dragon All-Star - 118
🕑 Added 2025-09-26 07:33:25 +0000 UTCChapter 118: Princess Shirahoshi
"Your Majesty Neptune."
A seahorse mermaid dressed in official attire led a team of soldiers, hurriedly approaching.
"This is the Right Minister responsible for guarding my daughter, and also my right-hand man in governing the country."
Neptune briefly introduced him to Kai and others, then glanced heavily at the neatly cut giant axe fragments on the ground, releasing a long sigh.
"As for this—sigh, it's a long story."
He explained while leading Kai's group into the Hard-Shell Tower.
"That's the situation. To pursue Shirahoshi, Vander Decken IX has been throwing weapons here daily to threaten us."
Neptune's voice was full of helplessness and anger.
Hearing this, Violet seemed to think of something, glancing at Kai sideways: "So that Princess Shirahoshi must be very beautiful? And she's a princess too~"
Kai looked at her helplessly: "Shirahoshi is only nine years old this year."
He wasn't like that perverted criminal Vander Decken IX.
"What?!"
Yamato, Kozuki Hiyori, and others were immediately shocked.
"Actually targeting a 9-year-old girl!"
"So disgusting!"
"What a pervert!"
Everyone showed expressions of disdain and anger, unable to help expressing their disgust.
Yamato even rolled up her sleeves on the spot, volunteering to eliminate Vander Decken IX.
Though Kozuki Hiyori and others didn't speak, their eyes showed agreement.
Neptune's eyes lit up, but then he said disappointedly: "After hearing about Shirahoshi's situation, Newgate-san also wanted to eliminate Vander Decken IX, but he's too cunning, always hiding in the deep sea, impossible to track down."
Jinbe nodded in agreement.
Not just the Whitebeard Pirates—even he had searched for Vander Decken IX. But the deep sea was too vast, and Vander Decken IX didn't need fixed locations to throw weapons, making his whereabouts impossible to trace.
In the end, they could only issue wanted posters.
Kai shrugged, suggesting a possibility: "Perhaps we could ask Hody Jones—both are villains; they might have contact methods."
But he knew this hope was slim. If someone really wanted to hide, who could find a group of fishmen in the deep sea?
During their conversation, Kai's group formally entered the Hard-Shell Tower's interior.
Before them was an extremely spacious room decorated like a fairy tale world—luxurious yet warm.
In the room's center sat an extraordinarily large soft bed where a young mermaid with an already impressive size, pink fish tail and long pink hair was lying.
A shark wearing clothes marked "Prisoner" was clumsily swimming around, trying its best to cheer her up.
Worth noting: children born from fishmen and mermaid unions didn't necessarily inherit their parents' species. Their species was randomly drawn from countless fish genes in their bloodline.
It was somewhat like drawing talents at the start of an online game. If they drew powerful ancient species fish genes, it was no less valuable than eating an ordinary Zoan Devil Fruit.
Hearing sounds at the door, the cute mermaid princess turned around, her pink eyes immediately brightening as she joyfully called: "Father, brothers, you came!"
But seeing Kai's group, she obviously paused, panic flashing across her small face as she unconsciously gripped the blanket, shrinking back.
If not for her father and brothers being present, she would probably have hidden under the blanket in fear.
Neptune quickly approached, gently comforting his daughter with his massive palm.
Then he turned to the pet shark Megalo beside the bed, seriously commanding: "Megalo, I command you in the name of Fish-Man Island's king—you must answer my questions truthfully without any concealment!"
Megalo's forehead instantly broke out in large drops of cold sweat. It nervously nodded repeatedly, indicating absolute obedience.
Neptune took a deep breath before slowly speaking: "On the day Princess Otohime died, were you at the scene? Did you personally witness the real culprit?"
Megalo's body obviously stiffened as it unconsciously looked at its little master Shirahoshi, eyes full of struggle.
But ultimately, under Neptune's gaze, it repeated the facts it had witnessed.
"Hody Jones!"
Neptune's face first paled, then reddened as he gripped his trident and struck the ground hard.
The other princes and mermaid officials who could understand fish language also instantly looked extremely grim, their chests heaving violently.
Princess Otohime died three years ago—many of them were witnesses to that day. Recalling Hody Jones's righteous performance that day now made them feel nauseated.
Seeing this, Jinbe knew the truth was exactly as Kai had said.
"Damn it, how did I not see Hody Jones's wolfish ambitions back then!"
Jinbe clenched his teeth in frustrated anger.
Princess Otohime was such a pure, kind person—how could that beast bring himself to harm her?
"Kai-san, please rest at Dragon Palace tonight."
Neptune suppressed his rage to immediately eliminate the enemy, saying gravely: "I must immediately gather troops to capture that murderer Hody Jones!"
"As for the cooperation you proposed—as long as it doesn't harm Fish-Man Island's residents, I promise in the king's name to seriously consider it."
"No rush."
Kai smiled slightly, his tone composed: "Why not first hear the specific details of my proposed cooperation before deciding?"
Neptune frowned but still held his patience: "Please speak."
"Very simple. Beast Pirates hopes to recruit some mermaids and fishmen to come to Wano. They work for us, and we provide them protection and compensation."
Kai was concise and to the point.
"What?"
Jinbe frowned deeply.
Kai's words sounded nice, but he couldn't trust the notoriously brutal Beast Pirates.
He stepped forward, speaking directly: "Are you recruiting slaves?"
"Of course not."
Faced with the questioning, Kai answered remarkably frankly: "If I only needed slaves, there would be no need to formally visit and propose cooperation so elaborately. Acting in secret, kidnapping and plundering would be more in line with pirate style and more simple and direct, wouldn't it?"
He spread his hands, continuing: "I need the fishmen's power, and I can provide the protection you most need. This is mutually beneficial, each taking what they need."
Forcibly enslaving fishmen was the most foolish approach. Extremely low cost-effectiveness.
High governance costs combined with benefits definitely inferior to their willing work.
In a sense, capitalist employment relationships, however primitive, were far more advanced than backward slavery.
Jinbe pressed: "What specifically do you need fishmen and mermaids to do?"
"Two aspects." Kai spoke frankly: "First, Beast Pirates needs to form a special combat unit composed of elite fishman warriors for underwater combat and special missions. Second, we need a professional deep-sea mining team, utilizing your natural talents to extract rare minerals sleeping in extremely deep waters that ordinary humans cannot reach."
Hearing such specific and not unacceptable demands, Jinbe's brow relaxed.
Kai's honest attitude made him feel more at ease. If it was really like this, it wasn't impossible to discuss.
The only key issue was how to confirm whether Kai's words were true or false.
"That brother is telling the truth."
Just then, a soft voice sounded nearby. Everyone looked over to see Shirahoshi timidly, her pink cheeks flushed, as if she had mustered all her body's courage to say those words.
"Princess Shirahoshi?" Jinbe was somewhat puzzled.
Kai understood.
He smiled: "Did you inherit your mother's ability? That's remarkable."
Jinbe suddenly understood.
Princess Otohime possessed a special natural Observation Haki that could not only keenly sense others' emotions and good or evil, but could even use her own strong emotions to influence and assimilate others, indirectly changing their thoughts.
The effect was like brainwashing.
If Princess Shirahoshi also inherited this power, then it wasn't strange.
"Agree with me, Neptune."
Kai spread his arms, his voice loud: "Think of Princess Otohime's lifelong dream! She hoped Fish-Man Island's children could truly bask in sunlight, breathe fresh sea breezes, run freely on vast lands, rather than being forever trapped under this oppressive, dark deep sea, merely surviving on Sunlight Tree Eve's grace!"
Neptune fell into silence.
Honestly, he didn't completely agree with his wife's naive romantic dream.
Because he understood better than his wife how dangerous the outside world truly was.
Fishmen naturally possessed ten times ordinary humans' physical strength—high minimum capability, but the monsters among humans had upper limits that could crush any fishman powerhouse.
Rashly surfacing carried enormous risks.
But what if they had safety guarantees from an Emperor-level force like Kai?
The situation would be completely different.
Neptune clearly understood what massive deterrent power they wielded on these seas.
Years ago, the Whitebeard Pirates announcement of protection for Fish-Man Island alone caused slave traders rampantly capturing mermaids and fishmen to decrease by more than half.
Thinking this, Neptune hesitated no more.
His gaze firm: "I agree, but you must guarantee that all recruited fishmen and mermaids must completely voluntarily leave with you! Absolutely no coercion!"
"Otherwise, even risking my life and using Fish-Man Island's entire power, I will never allow you to take any of my people!"
"You can rest assured about this."
Kai answered without hesitation, full of confidence: "Moreover, you needn't worry about their treatment. In Beast Pirates, strength is everything. Whatever strength they possess, they'll receive corresponding status and respect."
Speaking, he turned to look at two officers behind him.
"Jack, Kawamatsu."
The two exchanged glances, immediately understanding Kai's intent.
They simultaneously stepped forward, showing Neptune their fishman characteristics.
Kai introduced: "They're both Beast Pirates officers and my companions. This is Beast Pirates attitude toward the strong."
"I understand."
Neptune took a deep breath: "I'll cooperate with your open, voluntary recruitment on Fish-Man Island in the king's name."
This might truly be a rare opportunity for Fish-Man Island to move toward sunlight.
He clearly knew that despite Fish-Man Island residents' fear of the outside world, their longing for true sunlight, fresh breezes and vast lands was deeply imprinted in their bloodline genes.
Precisely because of this, Fish-Man Island's people supported Otohime's seemingly unreachable dream.
"Since we've reached agreement, let's go to Fish-Man Street together now."
Kai's lips curved upward.
"Fish-Man Street?"
Neptune paused, showing some difficulty as he honestly said: "That was originally our district for housing orphans, but due to lack of effective management and education, it's become a thug paradise. Recruiting them might be difficult for you to manage."
"Hahahaha, I want them precisely because they're fierce enough."
Kai showed no worry, instead laughing heartily.
Regardless, Beast Pirates remained a pirate organization—people who weren't ruthless enough couldn't survive there.
Neptune seemed to understand.
Thus, after leaving Shirahoshi in the Hard-Shell Tower, everyone departed again, riding royal vessels pulled by giant sea beasts toward Fish-Man Street at Fish-Man Island's edge.
During the voyage, Neptune still felt it necessary to give Kai another warning.
"Due to humans' long-term persecution and enslavement of fishmen and mermaids, Fish-Man Island's residents mostly harbor deep disgust, even bone-deep hatred, toward humans, especially in Fish-Man Street."
"Particularly in recent years, under the influence of Hody Jones's extreme theories, most there are fishman supremacists."
Then Jinbe slowly spoke: "I still have some face in Fish-Man Street—I can help."
"Much appreciated."
Kai nodded gratefully: "Actually, I don't care about the numbers in this first recruitment batch. What matters is establishing an example."
He didn't believe that Fish-Man Island, with five million residents, couldn't find a few willing to go to sea.
Half an hour later, the vessels reached their destination.
The so-called Fish-Man Street, after years of disorderly expansion, was no longer a simple street but had become a fairly extensive fishman settlement with chaotically arranged buildings.
Compared to Dragon Palace's surrounding fantasy beauty, this place appeared dilapidated and dangerous.
"Fellow Fish-Man Street residents! Please listen! Beside me is Beast Pirates' Kai-san, he—"
Neptune stood on the whale's back, loudly proclaiming.
Simultaneously, his voice spread throughout Fish-Man Street via broadcast Den Den Mushi.
"What?! I wasn't looking for trouble with them, and they're delivering themselves to my door?"
Receiving the news, Hody Jones was furious.
Meanwhile, fishmen hearing Neptune's speech gathered in small groups, looking at Kai's group with various expressions.
