Years of effort and planning by Hody Jones were reduced to nothing in an instant by Kaito's will. The devastation in his heart far surpassed even the searing pain from the wound that had pierced through his abdomen.
His face was ashen. Under the strain of his emotions, he began to age rapidly. The once firm and elastic skin shriveled in an instant, now covered in deep wrinkles.
Combined with his severe abdominal injury, Hody looked as if he already had one foot in the grave.
And even in this state, Kaito showed him not an ounce of mercy.
This guy had always been nothing but a societal menace. Compared to him, Arlong was at least slightly better—Arlong still genuinely cared about his fellow fishmen.
But Hody? He kept blabbering about doing everything "for Fish-Man Island," yet he never actually cared about the island's wellbeing.
In the anime, he even wanted to ram the "Ship of Oaths," Noah, straight into Fish-Man Island—he clearly had no regard for the lives of his so-called comrades.
Kaito had already decided the moment he laid eyes on this man that he wouldn't live to see another day.
The only reason he left him breathing was because Kaito still needed him to reveal a few things.
...
...
Now, the time had come. Kaito bent down, grabbed Hody's now wrinkled, bald head, and asked quietly:
"Any last words?"
Hody Jones trembled as he slowly raised his head. Staring at Kaito's face, his eyes were filled with nothing but fear and hatred.
He had lost. Everything he had done was meaningless before this man—his every action now seemed like a clown's performance, good for nothing except briefly amusing Kaito.
Even after consuming the Energy Steroids and gaining unimaginable power, it had all been a joke.
Kaito's face remained calm and expressionless, but to Hody, that very calmness was pure mockery.
A brutal taunt, aimed at his feeble strength and ridiculous ideals!
Tears burst from Hody's aged eyes, streaming down his wrinkled face in a way that was frankly disgusting.
This man, who had descended into madness, actually broke down and cried in front of Kaito.
Kaito frowned in disgust. He'd thought Hody might at least have some backbone left—but no, the guy collapsed mentally with barely a push.
Shaking his head, Kaito concluded that this guy was finished. There was no way he'd say anything useful in this state.
But that didn't mean Kaito planned to let him off easy.
Still gripping Hody's head, he forced those lifeless, fish-like eyes to meet his own—and then cast a Genjutsu on him.
With his mental defenses already shattered, even the most basic Genjutsu was enough to ensnare Hody completely.
Under the illusion, Hody let go of the wound he'd been clutching, letting blood gush freely. Slowly, he rose to his feet, turning to face the crowd gathered in the square.
Down below, King Neptune and Jinbe both frowned when they saw Hody's movements. They had no idea what this guy—already in such a state—was planning next.
Princess Shirahoshi looked at the pitiful sight Hody had become, and her large eyes filled with sympathy. That was just her nature—far too kind for her own good.
...
Whether she'd still feel that way after hearing what Hody was about to say... was another matter entirely.
From the high platform, Kaito used the power of the More-More Fruit to amplify both his and Hody's voices, ensuring that everyone in the square could hear their exchange—especially Shirahoshi.
He glanced at the illusion-entranced Hody and asked,
"Hody Jones, do you still remember Queen Otohime?"
Hody tilted his head slightly at the name, as if trying to recall something. Then, he nodded and replied,
"I remember. She tried to promote peaceful coexistence between the people of Fish-Man Island and the humans on the surface."
"And what did you think of her ideals?"
"Hmph... Absolutely ridiculous. Queen Otohime was a complete fool! A traitor to Fish-Man Island—I hated her!"
At those words, the remaining civilians in the plaza erupted in rage.
No matter their personal views of Queen Otohime's ideals, they all knew one thing—she had sincerely wanted the best for Fish-Man Island.
And she hadn't just spoken lofty words; she'd taken real action, working tirelessly for her dream. In the end, she even gave her life for it.
Because of this, the people of Fish-Man Island held deep respect for her—not just for her title, but for her sacrifice.
If even the ordinary citizens felt this strongly, then what about her daughter, Princess Shirahoshi?
She had lost her mother when she was just six years old. Her memories of Queen Otohime were filled with that gentle, always-smiling face.
And Shirahoshi knew that the one who killed her mother... was Hody Jones. She had learned the truth from Megalo, her shark companion.
But because Queen Otohime had begged, with her dying breath,
"Don't hate the one who killed me," Shirahoshi had buried that hatred deep inside her.
Still, to say she felt nothing toward Hody would be a lie.
Even after all that, Hody remained aggressive and unrepentant—and now, he was going so far as to slander Queen Otohime after her death.
Shirahoshi hadn't yet reached the emotional maturity she had in the anime. Her control over her feelings was even weaker than the future version of herself.
Her sorrow and rage had reached a boiling point—just one look into her reddened eyes told the whole story.
Kaito cast a subtle glance at her. The timing was just about right—all he needed was one last spark.
Yes—Kaito's true goal was to use Hody Jones to trigger Shirahoshi's awakening, to call forth the giant Sea Kings.
It was cruel, yes. But sometimes it's better to feel the pain all at once than to suffer slowly.
He remembered how, in the anime, Shirahoshi had stood before everyone and declared she had forgiven her mother's killer.
Kaito had always thought that was the cruelest thing of all. To forgive the man who murdered your mother—right in front of your eyes?
No. Today, he would show Shirahoshi what it really felt like to see justice done with her own eyes.
He continued his questioning:
"If you hated her so much, then were you involved in Queen Otohime's death?"
...
"Of course!"
At that, a sickeningly twisted smile crept across Hody's face. His voice trembled with a grotesque sort of delight.
"I assassinated her while she was gathering those damned signatures! That traitor died by my hand! Sure, the method was a bit simple, but it was enough—I'm the hero of Fish-Man Island!!!"
The past was buried—now fully revealed.
Terror incarnate—on full display!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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