The moment the news of the Marines' arrival reached Ryugu Palace, the Dawnbringer warship, under the escort of the Fish-Man Island gate guards, officially docked at the island's port.
There are many ways to enter Fish-Man Island, but the most formal is through the official gate. Most pirates, however, come through the sea above, descending directly into the island. The massive bubble that protects Fish-Man Island is made of the same coating used on ships that travel through the deep sea.
When a ship's coating comes into contact with the island's outer membrane, the vessel and everything inside are automatically absorbed into the island. However, this method carries a major risk. There are hundreds of meters between the upper membrane and the island's surface. A ship sucked through like that could crash directly into the seafloor.
That's why most pirates attempting illegal entry carefully pick their descent point to avoid wrecking their ships.
People like Yoriichi Tsugikuni and his crew, entering through the front gate with grandeur, are rare indeed. In recent years, only the Pirate King Gol D. Roger and, more recently, the Whitebeard Pirates had been received with similar formality.
Both of these crews were world-renowned. Even if King Neptune didn't know their intentions, he wouldn't dare provoke them recklessly.
Fortunately, Roger's and Whitebeard's crews had been highly disciplined. After handling their affairs, they left without incident and caused no harm to the locals.
But such pirates were the exception. Most who arrived were not here to "sightsee." The merfolk and fish-men living on the island were considered premium commodities, and piracy and human trafficking had plagued the island for years.
Neptune earned his title as the Great Knight partly due to his constant efforts in leading the royal guards to expel illegal invaders.
At the time of Vice Admiral Yoriichi's arrival, Neptune had only just received the news and hadn't even granted them entry yet. But the gate guards, trusting in Tiger, had made no move to stop them.
"Marines came to Fish-Man Island? Who are they?"
"Do we know what they're here for?"
"Well, since they've arrived, let them in. Even if we don't know their exact reason, we're still a member nation of the World Government. We haven't attended the Reverie in years, but I don't believe the Marines would cause chaos on our soil."
On the throne, Neptune spoke calmly to the seahorse fish-man delivering the report. That fish-man was the Left Minister of the kingdom, who normally helped Neptune govern and advise him in matters of state and defense.
The Left Minister bowed slightly, collected himself, and added:
"We're still unclear on the purpose of the Marines' visit."
"However, guards reported seeing Fisher Tiger among them."
"So... it's likely they're not here to stir up trouble."
The moment Tiger's name was mentioned, a goldfish fish-man standing nearby perked up and asked excitedly, "Tiger? The one from the backstreets?"
"He left Fish-Man Island over a year ago to explore the outside world, didn't he?"
"He's back now? And he joined the Marines?"
The speaker was Queen Otohime, Neptune's wife. Unlike queens of surface nations who typically held no power, Otohime wielded significant influence over Fish-Man Island's politics. Neptune often valued her input when making decisions.
It wasn't just out of love, Otohime was exceptionally intelligent. The internal structure of Fish-Man Island was deeply layered. Though mermaids and fish-men seemed to coexist in harmony, the underlying tensions never truly disappeared.
Tiger, Jinbe, and even Arlong, who would one day bring tragedy to Cocoyashi Village, were all born in the slums of the backstreets.
These backstreets housed the island's poorest fish-men, many of whom had been victimized by pirates. As a result, they harbored a deep hatred toward humans.
Queen Otohime had always promoted peaceful coexistence. She firmly believed that one day, humans and fish-men could live together in harmony, and had long devoted herself to spreading this message.
Tiger, as the boss of the backstreets, had been somewhat inspired by Otohime's ideals. That was why he eventually chose to leave the island and see the world with his own eyes.
Still, until he encountered the Dawnblade Marines, his journey hadn't been easy.
Neptune, for his part, had always stood on the frontlines against invaders. He didn't think highly of humans or pirates. But having met Roger and Whitebeard, men of great character, and being married to someone so passionate about human-fishman relations, he wasn't prejudiced.
In fact, he often leaned toward supporting his queen's views.
This royal disposition had divided the island into two ideological camps. But because of Queen Otohime's kindness and popularity, peace had been maintained.
This fragile peace relied entirely on her. Should anything happen to her, Fish-Man Island would almost certainly become hostile to the human world.
At that point, no matter how things developed, the island would never again appear proudly on the surface seas.
Under escort, Yoriichi and his Marines made their way through the bustling streets of Fish-Man Island toward Ryugu Palace. Along the way, Tiger briefed him on the power dynamics, explaining the positions of King Neptune and Queen Otohime.
He also shared some personal thoughts he had kept hidden for a long time.
Yoriichi had come here to recruit fish-men and mermaids for the Marines. For that to work, royal support was essential.
Tiger hoped this recruitment campaign would succeed. If it did, it could serve as a bridge between the human world and Fish-Man Island.
The first step was always the hardest.
But that bridge would mean everything for Fish-Man Island's future.
"Vice Admiral, if Queen Otohime hears your plan, I believe she'll support it," Tiger said.
"But many fish-men from the backstreets view humans very negatively. It won't be easy convincing them to join the Marines."
"I might have some influence and could force a few to sign up, but... I really don't want to coerce anyone."
All around them, curious citizens had stepped out of their homes. This was their home turf, and they weren't afraid, just intrigued by the unfamiliar sight of Marines.
Tiger stayed close to Yoriichi, voicing his concerns.
"Tiger, don't worry," Yoriichi replied. "I'll never force anyone to join the Marines."
"Whoever does must at least share our ideals and our goals."
"If our teammates don't believe in the same mission, things will become miserable."
"I want my unit to be unified, pure and resolute."
As he reassured Tiger, Yoriichi looked around, taking in the exotic beauty of the island.
The buildings were fashioned from reef stone, coral, and shells. Houses on both sides of the street were vividly colored. Passersby came in all shapes and sizes, depending on their species. Their differences were so vast that it was hard to even find a common trait among them.
To Yoriichi, it felt like he'd entered a fairy tale realm.
As he observed the locals, they watched him in return. Normally, when pirates arrived, everyone scattered. But now, they stared openly at the humans, perhaps for the first time.
To fish-men, someone like Yoriichi, tall, lean, well-proportioned, wasn't considered attractive.
In contrast, the towering and muscular physiques of Tiger and Kyros drew frequent glances from wide-eyed admirers.
"Big Bro Tiger! You're back!"
A group of about forty fish-men soon blocked their path.
The leader was a young fish-man with pale gray skin, a long saw-shaped nose, and reverse jagged fins along the sides of his face.
He wore a checkered shirt, brown shorts, and flip-flops. The way he swaggered up with his crew gave off the air of a street thug, but his face lit up with joy the moment he saw Tiger.
It was Arlong.
The leader of the group was the sawshark fish-man Arlong. After Tiger left the island and Jinbe joined the royal guard under King Neptune and Queen Otohime's orders, Arlong had risen to lead the backstreets.
Where poverty existed, gangs thrived, and the backstreets were no exception. Neptune had once considered reform, but the ideology clash was too great. Reluctant to spark internal conflict, Neptune simply let them be.
A few thousand fish-men living by their own rules, he could tolerate that.
While Tiger was around, the backstreets mainly targeted hostile outsiders and left the rest of the island alone. Neptune saw no need to intervene. After Tiger left, Arlong continued this practice. They were harsh to enemies, but left civilians untouched.
Over time, Arlong gained complete control.
To him, Tiger had always been a hero. Seeing him now, Arlong's first reaction was pure joy.
"Yo! Arlong, huh?"
"It's been over a year and you haven't changed a bit!"
"No, wait, you're bulkier!"
The Marines behind Yoriichi tensed. Unlike the average fish-men, this crew exuded a dark, dangerous aura.
Veteran Marines, used to sensing bloodlust, instinctively grew alert. Their eyes locked onto Yoriichi, ready to attack on his command.
Yoriichi felt it too. People raised in violent environments carried a distinct edge.
He turned to Arlong and his gang, memories surfacing clearly in his mind despite the passage of time.
"Hahaha, Big Bro Tiger, don't tease me like that."
"But you... what are you doing hanging around with humans?"
While Yoriichi examined him, Arlong studied the human standing beside Tiger. Seeing the uniform, recalling the rumors, he understood.
His revered big brother had become a Marine. A dog of the humans.
Arlong's smile remained, but his eyes dimmed with disappointment.
Tiger didn't notice. He stepped aside and said cheerfully, "I'm part of the Marines now."
"A Lieutenant of the Dawnblade Division."
"This is my direct superior, Vice Admiral Yoriichi Tsugikuni."
"We're here on a recruitment mission."
"The Vice Admiral is forming a special operations unit. What do you think, Arlong?"
"Want to join the Marines?"
Hearing the words "our Marines," Arlong's eye twitched.
He gave a strained smile, then shook his head.
"Sorry, Big Bro Tiger. I'm not interested in becoming a Marine."
"And I don't believe humans would accept us that easily."
"You know what humans are like, don't you?"
"Fish-men like us, reeking of the sea, how could they treat us as equals? What if they're just using sweet talk to fool you?"
"What if, once we go ashore, they sell us as slaves to the nobles?"
"Big bro... don't tell me they already sold you out, and you're still helping them count the money?"
Arlong had never been to the surface. But from the mouths of the pirates he'd killed, he had formed a clear picture of the outside world.
He was nothing like Tiger. He would never trust humans.
In fact, Arlong didn't trust any humans. At all.
Seeing the way Tiger was now, Arlong's admiration began to fade, though even he didn't realize it.
He didn't bother hiding his words from the Marines. His insults enraged them. Kyros glared at Arlong, seething.
To be compared to pirates and slave traders, what greater insult could there be?
Realizing things were escalating, Tiger turned quickly to his comrades. Sure enough, he saw the fury on their faces.
They looked ready to tear Arlong apart.
He quickly glanced at Yoriichi, worried Arlong had pushed too far. If a fight broke out here, the recruitment plan would collapse.
But Yoriichi remained calm.
That alone gave Tiger a deep sense of relief.
"You."
"Your name is Arlong, right?"
"I think your concerns are unnecessary. Humans aren't all the same, just like fish-men aren't all the same."
"Wouldn't you agree, Arlong?"
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