New World, Kingdom of Clifford.
Royal Capital - Nakor, Palace Entertainment City, Central Tower.
"Captain, it's been a month since we last had word from Fish-Man Island. Not a single one of our merchant ships heading there has returned, and no messages have been sent back."
Millie, dressed in a sharp black office lady suit, held a file and looked at Aeridar, who was sitting on the sofa, with a faint frown. "The Silver Hand Merchant Guild, the 3J Guild, and the Red Clover Merchant Guild have already reached out to us for help. They hope we can investigate the cause."
Hearing this, Aeridar's brow furrowed. "Could they... all have met with shipwrecks?"
"Even with shipwrecks, it's impossible for them all to perish together," Millie explained, shaking her head. "Every month, the major guilds send more than ten merchant ships to Fish-Man Island in sequence. The furthest departure was 32 days ago, and the most recent was six days ago. Yet, not a single ship has returned, and there hasn't even been a call from a Den Den Mushi."
Because Fish-Man Island lies 10,000 meters under the sea, normal Den Den Mushi cannot connect to the outside world. Only specially bred Den Den Mushi can emit signal waves capable of penetrating the deep sea. The major guilds certainly don't lack the funds to equip their ships with such specialized tools.
Furthermore, from the Clifford Kingdom to Fish-Man Island, it only takes five or six days with a tailwind. A month is enough time for several round trips. To have no ships and no news meant something must have happened.
Or rather, something had happened to Fish-Man Island itself.
Aeridar sat in silence for a moment, then looked up. "Fish-Man Island must be in trouble. Have you contacted Jinbe?"
"I tried, but I couldn't reach him," Millie answered, nodding then shaking her head.
"What about Neptune? Did you contact him?" Aeridar asked again.
"Also unreachable," Millie sighed.
"That truly is a headache." Aeridar rubbed his temples.
Jinbe's personal Den Den Mushi wouldn't pick up, and the dedicated Alliance Den Den Mushi had been confiscated by Aeridar after Jinbe's "betrayal." Now that even Neptune was unreachable, it was certain that Fish-Man Island was in crisis.
Millie clearly had the same thought. She asked tentatively, "Should we... send someone to check it out?"
"The seabed is different from land, and it's Big Mom's territory on top of that. Prepare a coated ship; I'll go personally!" Aeridar stroked his chin and stood up, grabbing his black coat with the white wave pattern from the sofa.
"Great! Master, we get to go outside again!"
A ball of flame flew over. It was Zhurong, flying up and down in high spirits.
"Quiet down, Zhurong!" Aeridar snapped irritably.
"You're going personally?" Millie was surprised, but she didn't pry. "Very well. I'll go make the preparations immediately."
As Millie turned to leave, she stopped at the door as if remembering something. "Oh, right, Captain. We just received news from the Sabaody Archipelago. The Straw Hat Pirates have resurfaced!"
"The Straw Hat Pirates!"
Aeridar's eyes flickered. He realized it had already been two years since the Paramount War at Marineford. Now was the time for the Straw Hats to reunite.
"The Navy has dispatched troops and Pacifistas to capture them, led by Sentomaru of the Navy's Science Unit," Millie continued.
"I see. You may go now." Aeridar nodded thoughtfully and waved her off.
Millie nodded and left the room.
"The Straw Hat Pirates... which means the Fish-Man Island Arc has begun," Aeridar muttered to himself. "Then the culprit must be... Hody Jones."
Aeridar had been in this world for so many years that if he didn't think back carefully, he almost forgot that "the plot" was even a thing.
"Master, who is Hody Jones?" Zhurong flew closer, curious.
"A pathologically stupid Fish-Man," Aeridar said, a cold, predatory grin spreading across his face.
…
Fish-Man Island, Fish-Man District.
"Jahahaha! How pathetic! A mere human thinks he can defeat me? Ridiculous! Jahahaha!"
A massive Fish-Man with black curly hair and a flat cap adorned with a trident stood in the street. He wore a wolf-skin scarf, had extensive tattoos on his left arm, and the mark of the New Fish-Man Pirates on his lower right abdomen. A scar ran across his upper left torso.
The Fish-Man gripped a human pirate's head with crushing force, laughing arrogantly while dozens of groaning human pirates lay defeated around him.
Hody Jones. Great White Shark Fish-Man. Captain of the New Fish-Man Pirates.
"Kaka! Can I crunch their meat and eat them? Captain Hody!" A Cookie-Cutter Shark Fish-Man wearing an ancient warrior helmet hopped around, baring a mouthful of needle-sharp teeth.
Daruma. Cookie-Cutter Shark Fish-Man. Officer of the New Fish-Man Pirates.
"Don't be impulsive. Take them as slaves; let them taste the misery of being property," said a tall Fish-Man with black and white stripes, crossing his arms with an air of superiority.
Zeo. Japanese Wobbegong Fish-Man. Officer of the New Fish-Man Pirates.
Bam!
Hody Jones slammed the human pirate into the ground and growled, "Lock up all the humans. Let them know that Fish-Men are the supreme race!"
"Kyakya! Captain Hody, we've already destroyed or captured eleven merchant ships flying the flag of the Chris Pirates. Do we lock those guys up as slaves too?" Daruma asked, hopping.
"Those ones... lock them up as well. Once the plan succeeds, we'll contact the Chris Pirates and tell them to bring their SS Serum if they want to ransom their people!" Hody's eyes bulged with a ferocious light.
"Exactly. A thing like SS Serum is only fit for us Fish-Men. Inferior humans don't deserve it!" Zeo agreed with a nod.
…
Somewhere in the New World.
"I am a ship I am a ship"
A massive, cake-shaped pirate ship sailed across the sea. The sails bore the name "BIG MOM," and the jolly roger featured a skull with a top hat and a ruffled collar, wearing lipstick and waving.
This was the Queen Mama Chanter, the singing ship of the Big Mom Pirates.
"Gao! Delicious Fish-Man Island snacks, Mama's favorite! Here I come!" Pekoms stood at the bow, looking out at the horizon.
"It seems something has happened at Fish-Man Island lately, but no matter. As long as Mama's flag flies there, no one would dare trespass, bon!" Baron Tamago lifted the pink teacup from the top of his head and took a graceful sip.
"True, we haven't heard from Jinbe in a while. It's strange! Gao!" Pekoms shouted.
"We'll go see for ourselves. As long as Fish-Man Island isn't destroyed and the sweets are provided on schedule, internal strife is none of our business, bon!" Baron Tamago placed the teacup back onto his hat.
"Gao! Then we better hurry!" Pekoms grinned.