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The readers had believed that the flashback of Tiger and Otohime had concluded with the queen's tragic death. Yet the very next chapter continued to follow the aftermath of her passing, reopening the wound in their hearts and leaving them unable to heal.
Jimbei clenched his fists tightly as he witnessed his counterpart ordering his fellow fishmen to conceal the human's body, said to be the culprit.
But Hody Jones defied those orders, dragging the man into the open, declaring loudly that this was the assassin of Queen Otohime.
Seeing this display, Jimbei's sharp gaze bore down upon Hody Jones, who deliberately avoided meeting his eyes.
Tiger placed a heavy hand on Jimbei's shoulder, stopping him from acting rashly. "If this human truly is the queen's murderer, then the people deserve to know who he is."
"If…? What do you mean, elder brother Ti?" Arlong asked in confusion. "Isn't it obvious?"
"I smell the stench of conspiracy here," Tiger replied, his eyes fixed on nothing in particular. "The true killer has not yet been revealed."
He didn't want his doubts to overwhelm his reason, but he could not shake the suspicion gnawing at his chest. In his heart, he wished the truth were simpler—that the scenario presented before them was all there was.
...
Meanwhile, on Ohara.
Tears streamed down Otohime's face as she witnessed the majestic funeral of her counterpart, Queen Otohime of Fishman Island.
In that solemn ceremony, the eldest son Fukaboshi addressed the entire kingdom and beyond, speaking through the vision of a Den Den Mushi that projected his words to the gathered millions across the Ocean Forest.
— — — — — — — — — — — —
Chapter's Events:
— — — — — — — — — — — —
"Prince Fukaboshi!!" the audience gasped as the prince's image filled the screen.
"Fukaboshi…" sobbed King Neptune, unable to hold back his grief at seeing his son speak.
{"My mother told me…"} the prince began, his voice echoing across the silence of the mourners.
{"…that she believed we could still reach…the light of the sun."}
{"Our scars may run too deep…"}
{"…to heal in time for the next Reverie, which is only two years away. But there will be another in six years, and another still in ten."}
The Fishmen in attendance wept quietly, fighting to contain themselves.
{"We will fulfill our mother's final wish…"}
{"…even if it takes us our entire lives."}
Fukaboshi declared, and his brothers and Shirahoshi stood behind him, nodding in solemn unity.
"…Your Highnesses…!!" cried the Minister of the Left, moved beyond words.
{"I do not doubt that this tragedy will sway many hearts. For that reason, I will discard those signatures that survived the fire. We will start anew from the very beginning."}
He had resolved to let time heal the wounds before continuing his mother's dream.
{"So I ask only this… that one day, when the scars upon your hearts have healed…"}
{"…you will join us once more, in our dream of the sun!!!"}
The prince broke into tears, and countless others wept alongside him.
— — — — — — — — — — — —
Even Otohime, the reader, cried in that moment, overwhelmed as the sorrowful flashback—centered solely on Fisher Tiger and Queen Otohime—finally came to a close.
She wiped her tears. "I almost forgot… Jimbei was telling this story to Nami and the others. That's why the flashback was shown in the first place."
"That's right. It looks like Nami now understands the full truth," Bell-mère added, brushing away her own tears but smiling afterward. She was glad for Nami's sake.
"This flashback was powerful. I've understood so much more now," Toki admitted, her voice trembling. "But still, the queen's death feels suspicious. I can't shake the bitterness."
"Nothing will remain hidden as long as the One Piece manga continues," Rob reassured her with a faint smile.
"That's true… I have my own theories, but I don't want to rush to judgment."
"I feel the same," Sora said. "It doesn't feel complete. The story of this flashback… still seems unfinished."
...
Elsewhere, in the East Blue—Oykot Kingdom.
Three years had passed since the Golden Lion Shiki was captured and imprisoned in Central Prison. Here in the small kingdom, many citizens had gathered inside the Art Store to read the latest volume.
Some, however, chose simply to buy the volume and return home or go about their work. Among them was the biological family of Nami—her father, Jack, and mother, Lilia.
Smiles spread across the small family's faces as they read the manga together. Nami had declared that thanks to her tragic past under Arlong's tyranny, she was able to meet the precious friends she now had. That cruel history had shaped her into who she was, something inseparable from her identity.
"I'm glad Nami has grown so much more mature," Jack said, stroking the hair of the little baby girl resting in his arms—Nami, only a few months old.
"And happier too," Lilia added with a gentle smile. "When she grows older, she will surely long to sail the seas in search of adventure. Perhaps she'll even share her counterpart's dream of mapping the entire world."
"But by then, won't her other self already have fulfilled that dream? Wouldn't that make it meaningless?" Jack asked, scratching his head awkwardly.
"You may be right… But perhaps it will inspire her to chase a dream of her own, something different."
"And what might that be?"
"How should I know?" Lilia chuckled. "She's still just a baby. The same could be said for most of the future Straw Hats."
The couple continued reading. Soon, the manga showed the end of the exchange between Nami and Jimbei, where Jimbei bowed deeply in tears, moved by Nami's sincerity—her lack of hatred toward Fishmen despite what Arlong had done.
...
In the Sorbet Kingdom.
"Buwahahaha! Don't tell me Luffy slept through the whole story Jimbei was telling?!"
Garp roared with laughter when he saw Luffy casually asking Jimbei about the thief Queen Otohime had once captured—an event Sanji angrily pointed out had happened at the beginning of the tale.
"That's Luffy for you! Shahahaha! He'd never sit still for such a long story," Crocodile laughed as well.
"Hm? Strange…" Dragon murmured, frowning as he overheard Shirahoshi's words to Nami. The young princess had said she already felt that Nami was her friend, even though this was their very first meeting.
"It looks like the story is finally returning to the present," Inazuma remarked. "Since Hody Jones is the main villain of this arc, it's obvious his downfall is near at Luffy's hands."
"Hee-Haw! I doubt Luffy-boy will even break a sweat against that guy," Ivankov scoffed. "Didn't he already defeat Brynndi World not long ago? Compared to him, who is this Hody Jones?!"
"Why can't we ever get a peaceful arc?" sighed someone nearby. "Every arc must have villains that need to be toppled—it's exhausting."
"As long as those villains sit at the top of the world, there will always be more. But one day, when they are torn from their thrones… the world will change," Dragon declared firmly.
Everyone turned to look at him, realizing exactly whom he meant.
The Celestial Dragons.
Indeed, in a world where such creatures existed, even the evils like Arlong or the extremists like Hody Jones seemed like declawed kittens in comparison. This sentiment was shared not only by the Revolutionary Army but by countless ordinary people across the seas.
Those who once knew nothing of the so-called "Celestial Dragons" beyond their title now understood far too well what their existence truly meant.
"Well then," smiled Dragon, "it seems Jimbei's words have had a deep impact. I never realized just how great two figures of the Fishman race were. Neptune may be a proud warrior-king…"
"But compared to Fisher Tiger and Otohime, he still falls far short."
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 951: Hody Jones Attempts to Seize the Throne.
Chapter 952: Joy Boy!
Chapter 953: Jimbei's Opposing Stance.
Chapter 954: The Real Challenge in the New World.
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