On Feraligatr's back, Tiger sealed that withered flower into a photo frame. The gesture, however, left the other Fish-Men puzzled.
"Boss Tiger, it's just a flower. Does this really mean anything?"
"Life is short. Rather than drowning in meaningless indulgence, you've got to do something worthwhile. Consider this… a decent keepsake."
He placed it into his backpack. Tiger and the others prepared to head for their next target, but before that, Aladine pulled out a flag.
"Boss Tiger, since you've resumed action, we need a proper name to rally under, right? Boss Jinbe has taken over the Neptune Army, so this position is yours again."
The flag of the Sun Pirates once more appeared in Tiger's hands. After many years, the Fish-Man who had founded the Sun Pirates had once again become their captain.
"President! President, hang in there!"
"Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation! Someone give the president mouth-to-mouth!"
After a frantic round of emergency treatment, Morgans regained consciousness, now with a small portable oxygen device in hand. Even though Tiger had given him a heads-up in advance, what had just happened still overstimulated his heart.
Aside from Tiger, he had also received a handwritten letter from Neptune.
[Ryugu Kingdom officially withdraws from the World Government.]
[The Kingdom on the Bridge attacked, Culprit: Fisher Tiger!]
"Isn' t President Morgans' heart a little too weak?"
Looking at Morgans, who had just been resuscitated, Vivi, who had only recently joined, was quite bewildered.
"It wasn't like this before. But there's been too much excitement lately, and this is what it's come to.
Don't worry. The president will pull himself together soon."
No sooner had the words fallen that Morgans was already back at his desk, directing the news agency staff to become even busier.
"Withdrawing from the World Government… Neptune has that kind of courage? He's staking everything he has."
After his initial surge of excitement, Morgans entered a peculiar kind of calm. Unusually composed, he was thinking about how to write the article.
He had no intention of taking sides; he only wanted to attract the greatest possible attention. Yet after thinking it over, he realized this news didn't need any embellishment at all.
Whether it was the decision of the Ryugu Kingdom or Tiger's "resurrection," both were explosive enough.
Especially the Ryugu Kingdom. Since the founding of the World Government, Morgans had only ever heard of nations scrambling desperately to join it, never of one voluntarily withdrawing.
"Though, when you think about it, it makes sense. After all, Fish-Man Island never really enjoyed the treatment of an affiliated nation."
Even if an empty title could bring considerable convenience, for the Ryugu Kingdom, the current World Government brought more harm than benefit.
"They've gone mad, mad! Voluntarily leaving the World Government, what on earth are they thinking…?"
Wapol couldn't understand Neptune's choice. He had spent an enormous amount of money to regain recognition from the World Nobles and rejoin the World Government, yet the Ryugu Kingdom had cast it all aside.
"Just a bunch of stupid fish from the seabed…"
Bang!
A pen holder smashed into Wapol's head. Offended by his crude words, Vivi had casually thrown whatever was at hand at him, but the one who truly reprimanded him was Morgans.
"King Wapol, this is a bold gamble. Clearly, Fish-Man Island has placed its future on someone else.
Perhaps the Revolutionary Army. Perhaps the Beasts Pirates. If they win the bet, they can change their situation. And if they lose…heh heh heh, judging by their current circumstances, it's hard to imagine things getting any worse.
Neptune has far more courage than you."
Compared to Wapol, who became scared and didn't even dare speak openly about what had happened, Morgans actually admired Neptune more. Seeing Morgans' attitude, Wapol didn't say anything; he was still relying on Morgans to ensure his safety.
Morgans worked through the night, arranging the newspaper layouts. Once the interview with Tiger concluded, a special edition was published.
And that news added yet another eye to the storm in an already turbulent world.
"Supreme Commander! Supreme Commander! Big news, the Ryugu Kingdom has withdrawn from the ranks of affiliated nations!"
The ones who reacted most strongly were none other than the Revolutionary Army. For them, already at war with the World Government, this was unquestionably tremendous news.
"Not just that, Fisher Tiger! He's actually still alive! He's the hero who liberated the slaves from Mariejois. If people learn he's alive, won't there be even more who dare to rebel?"
At the Revolutionary Army's headquarters, the faces of those who had been anxious due to the recent unfavorable battle situation now showed signs of joy. Yet Dragon himself showed little emotional change.
Even before the newspaper was released, he had already received intelligence from the Revolutionary Army stationed at the Kingdom on the Bridge.
"Everyone, this is good news, but it's not a time to relax. Whatever their intentions may be, the revolution has gained a new spark.
Koala, Hack, you two head to Fish-Man Island. Take this opportunity to establish solid contact with the Ryugu Kingdom."
The Revolutionary Army's composition had grown increasingly complex. The high-ranking officers all shared the conviction of overthrowing the Celestial Dragons' rule, but the lower ranks were far more mixed.
Aside from the troops directly under the army commanders, some members of the Revolutionary Army were less an organized force and more opportunistic mobs taking advantage of chaos. Their quality varied wildly.
Dragon was aware of this, yet he had little choice. The World Government's centuries of accumulation were simply too vast. At the very least, these people were forces he could use. Right now, he needed all of it.
The Ryugu Kingdom's actions were undoubtedly a great boost to the Revolutionary Army, so Dragon naturally intended to send those with closer ties to make contact.
Those who had long sought to join the World Government but failed thought the Ryugu Kingdom's decision was foolish. Among affiliated nations, the prevailing opinion was much the same.
The countries that had attended the Levely, however, held slightly different views. They knew what had truly happened there and could guess why Neptune had made such a choice, though most kings still felt he had acted too impulsively.
"These stinking fish really do carry some infectious disease. Otherwise, how could they make such a stupid decision?"
Sterry of the Goa Kingdom voiced his opinion publicly without the slightest restraint, and many shared his view.
Pirates were indeed vicious, but in their eyes, the World Government, which had stood firm for 800 years, was far more powerful.
Roger, Whitebeard, the Golden Lion—these were pirates who once dominated the seas.
Now they had all left the stage, yet the World Government still sat steady and unmoved.
In the New World, however, the news caused little stir. Whether the Ryugu Kingdom was affiliated or not had little to do with them. The banner of the Beasts Pirates still flew over Fishman Island, and no pirate in the New World wanted to offend them over something like this.
Even within the Beasts Pirates, few paid much attention.
Kuzan sighed at the sky. Doflamingo went to the hospital to get himself a bottle of eye drops, then casually began mocking the other Celestial Dragons.
Instead, it was some pirates in the first half of the Grand Line who grew excited.
"Captain! Those idiots on Fish-Man Island have withdrawn from the World Government! That means we can plunder the place however we want now, right?"
"Yeah! Merfolk fetch a high price! Lead us to make a fortune, Captain!"
The excited pirates, having just finished coating their ships, charged toward Fish-Man Island. Having not yet been battered by the harsh lessons of the New World, they had no understanding of the terror of the Emperors of the Sea.
And they would never get the chance to learn.
These pirates ignored the instructions of the Fish-Man Island and attempted to force their way in. They didn't even touch the island's protective bubble membrane before being shattered to pieces under the attacks of the Neptune Army.
As a result of this report, the amount of ship wreckage around the Sabaody Archipelago multiplied countless times over.
When this news reached the Five Elders, it plunged them into silence.
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