LUFFY [PIC]
USSOP [PIC]
FRANKY [PIC]
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Ryugu Palace - The Throne Room
The grand, coral-carved halls of Ryugu Palace were usually a place of serene, aquatic tranquility. But today, panic had infected the royal guards. The heavy, golden doors of the throne room slammed open, and a breathless messenger swam frantically toward the dais.
King Neptune sat upon his massive throne, stroking his thick orange beard. He had just finished dispatching the final orders to prepare the grand banquet for the Straw Hat Pirates. Beside him stood his two most trusted advisors, the Minister of the Right and the Minister of the Left.
"Your Majesty! Emergency report from Coral Hill!" the messenger gasped, dropping to one knee.
"Calm yourself, soldier," Neptune rumbled gently. "What is the matter? Has there been an incident in the lower districts?"
"It is Madam Shyarly, Sire!" the guard panted. "She is in a state of terror! She looked into her crystal ball and saw a vision of the future. She is warning everyone in the city!"
The Minister of the Left, a catfish merman with a perpetually worried expression, stepped forward. "Madam Shyarly? Her predictions have an one hundred percent accuracy rate. Did she foresee a seaquake? A pirate invasion?"
"She foresaw the destruction of Fish-Man Island," the messenger said, his voice trembling. "She said the island will be completely destroyed, consumed by fire and collapsing ruins."
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the throne room. Neptune's eyes widened.
"Destroyed?" Neptune repeated, his voice barely a whisper. "Did she see who was responsible?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," the guard swallowed hard. "She said it was a human. A pirate wearing a straw hat."
The silence shattered.
"A straw hat?!" The Minister of the Right gripped his seahorse-shaped staff, his face turning pale. "But... the pirate crew we just invited into the palace... the ones currently sitting in our banquet hall! Their captain wears a straw hat!"
"Monkey D. Luffy," the Minister of the Left gasped, clutching his head in sheer panic. "He is the one! He is the destroyer from the prophecy! Your Majesty, we have invited our executioners into our own home!"
Neptune gripped the armrests of his throne. His mind raced. He had met Luffy. The boy was loud, incredibly gluttonous, but he had saved his beloved daughter's pet, Megalo. He didn't seem like a man bent on senseless destruction.
"There must be a mistake," Neptune said slowly. "They have shown no hostility toward us."
"Your Majesty, Madam Shyarly is never wrong!" the Minister of the Left pleaded, dropping to his knees. "She predicted the Great Age of Pirates! She predicted the birth of our princess! If she says the Straw Hat will destroy Fish-Man Island, then it is an absolute certainty!"
"We cannot allow a prophecy of ruin to walk freely through our halls!" the Minister of the Right agreed fiercely, brandishing his weapon. "We must act now, before they make their move! We have the advantage of surprise while they are eating!"
Neptune looked down at his trembling ministers. His heart was heavy. He did not wish to betray the laws of hospitality, nor did he want to make an enemy of a crew that had declared war on the World Government. But the safety of his kingdom, the millions of innocent lives relying on the protective bubble of Fish-Man Island, outweighed his personal reservations.
Neptune stood up, grabbing his massive, golden trident.
"Mobilize the Neptune Army," the King ordered, his voice echoing with sorrow and iron resolve. "Surround the banquet hall. We will detain the Straw Hat Pirates immediately."
The Noah District - Fish-Man Island Outskirts
Far from the glittering light of the royal palace, deep in the darkest, most impoverished sector of the island, the massive, rotting husk of the legendary ship Noah rested in the shadows.
This was the Fish-Man District. A lawless slum where the hatred for humans festered and grew, fueled by the dark legacy of Arlong.
Inside a dimly lit, coral-stone cavern, Hody Jones sat lazily on a crude throne of piled weapons. The Great White Shark fish-man popped a handful of Energy Steroids into his mouth, his eyes bloodshot and pulsing with unnatural aggression. His crew, the New Fish-Man Pirates, lurked in the shadows around him.
Heavy, uneven footsteps echoed at the entrance of the cavern.
"You called for a meeting, Hody Jones," a raspy, grating voice called out.
Stepping into the dim light of the cavern was Vander Decken IX. The Japanese bullhead shark fish-man walked on his four legs, wearing his tattered captain's coat.
Hody grinned, revealing rows of razor-sharp, jagged teeth. "Decken. I'm glad you could make it. I hear your little obsession with the Princess isn't going very well. Ten years, and she still hides in her tower."
Decken's face twisted in rage. "Do not mock my love, Hody! She will be my bride! If she refuses, I will simply kill her!"
"A pragmatic approach," Hody laughed cruelly. "You want the Princess. I want the head of King Neptune and the complete eradication of the Ryugu Kingdom. Neptune is a coward who bows to the humans. I will tear down his pathetic peace treaties and establish a true kingdom where Fish-Men rule supreme."
Hody leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand.
"We share a common enemy," Hody stated. "Neptune's army guards the Hard-Shell Tower. If we combine our forces, my men will crush the royal guard and execute the King. In the chaos, the Princess will be left completely undefended for you to take. Do we have an alliance?"
Decken's eyes narrowed. He looked at Hody's heavily armed crew, then at the massive stockpile of weapons in the cavern. It was exactly the distraction he needed.
"We have an alliance," Decken agreed, a manic smile spreading across his face.
He stepped forward, extending his right hand to seal the deal.
Hody reached out to shake it.
"Ah, wait one moment," Decken pulled his hand back quickly.
He reached into his coat pocket with his left hand and pulled out a thick, black leather glove. He carefully slipped the glove onto his right hand before extending it again.
"Can't be too careful," Decken chuckled darkly. "My Mato-Mato no Mi marks the last living thing I touch with my bare hand as my permanent target. I wouldn't want my axes accidentally flying toward my new business partner."
"A useful curse," Hody sneered, firmly grasping the gloved hand. "Let's bring this kingdom crashing down."
Ryugu Palace - The Banquet Hall
The banquet hall of the Ryugu Palace was a picture of chaotic gluttony.
Sanji, Usopp, Nami, Robin, Chopper, Franky, Brook, Bonney, Vivi, Caroo, Merry, Sunny, and the four Giants were seated around the massive, coral-carved tables. They were enjoying the lavish spread of deep-sea delicacies the royal chefs had prepared.
"This sea-pork is incredible!" Bonney mumbled, her cheeks stuffed to the absolute limit.
"A fine brew!" Dory laughed, clinking his massive tankard with Brogy.
Ben sat near the edge of the table, sipping a glass of wine, casually observing the room. The captain had likely wandered off following the scent of another kitchen.
Suddenly, the heavy, ornate doors of the banquet hall slammed shut with a resounding BOOM.
The jovial atmosphere vanished instantly.
From the side doors and balconies, hundreds of heavily armed royal guards poured into the room, their tridents lowered and aimed directly at the Straw Hat crew.
"What's this?!" Usopp panicked, instantly dropping his fork and raising his hands. "Is it dessert time? Why are the waiters carrying spears?!"
Sanji stood up slowly from the table, lighting a fresh cigarette. "I don't think they're here to clear the plates."
The ranks of the guards parted. King Neptune floated into the room on the back of his whale, Hoe, flanked by the Ministers of the Right and Left. The King did not look angry; he looked conflicted, gripping his golden trident tightly.
"Straw Hat Pirates," Neptune's deep voice echoed across the hall. "Drop your weapons and surrender peacefully. You are under arrest."
Nami stood up, her face a mask of total confusion. "Arrested?! For what?! We haven't even been here long enough to break anything!"
"We have received a prophecy," the Minister of the Left shouted, pointing a shaking finger at them. "Madam Shyarly has foreseen the future! She saw a man in a straw hat destroying Fish-Man Island! You are a threat to our very existence!"
The crew blinked.
"Destroy the island?" Chopper gasped. "Luffy would never do that! We just got here!"
"A prediction?" Franky frowned, adjusting his sunglasses. "You're arresting us because some lady with a crystal ball had a bad dream?"
"Madam Shyarly's predictions are absolute!" the Minister of the Right countered fiercely. "They have never been wrong! If she saw it, it is an inescapable destiny! King Neptune, we must place them in the dungeon immediately!"
Nami turned to the King, her eyes pleading. "Your Majesty, please! You met Luffy! He's an idiot, but he's not a destroyer! If he breaks something, it's usually by accident! Is this fortune teller really never wrong?"
Neptune looked down at the Navigator, his expression heavy with sorrow. "I am sorry, young lady. But it is true. In all her years of scrying, Shyarly has never been incorrect. Her visions are a guaranteed glimpse of the future. I cannot risk the lives of my citizens on the hope that this one time, she made a mistake."
The crew exchanged worried, tense glances. They didn't want to fight the royal guard. They didn't want to make enemies of the Fish-Men. But if the King genuinely believed his island was doomed, there was no logical argument they could make to dissuade him. How do you argue against guaranteed destiny?
"Wait."
Ben stood up from his chair, placing his wine glass gently on the table. He stepped past Nami to face the towering King.
"What are you guys so shocked about?" Ben asked his crew casually, his voice completely unbothered by the hundreds of tridents pointed at them.
"What do you mean, what are we shocked about?!" Usopp shrieked. "They think Luffy is going to blow up the island!"
"Well, he probably will," Ben said smoothly.
The entire banquet hall—pirates and royal guards alike—gasped in horror.
"Ben!" Nami yelled. "Whose side are you on?!"
Ben ignored her, looking directly up at King Neptune.
"Luffy is going to become the Pirate King in the future," Ben stated, his voice ringing with absolute, unyielding certainty. "That is written in his destiny. He is going to find the One Piece, and then he will become the Pirate King. When he does... the entire world is going to turn upside down."
Neptune stared at Ben, his eyes widening slightly.
"The destruction of the old world order," Ben continued, stepping closer to the King. "The collapsing of the walls that divide the seas. That means everyone in the world will be affected by it. Naturally, Fish-Man Island, sitting directly beneath the Red Line, will get affected too."
Ben paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the silent hall. He looked Neptune dead in the eye, his golden gaze piercing right through the King's defensive posture.
"Or perhaps," Ben's voice dropped into a lower, heavily loaded cadence, "it isn't just about collateral damage. Who knows... maybe a long-lost promise given centuries ago might finally get fulfilled. Don't you think, King Neptune?"
The guards looked confused. The Straw Hats looked bewildered by Ben's sudden cryptic shift.
But King Neptune didn't look confused.
The blood completely drained from the massive merman's face. His grip on his trident loosened, the weapon slipping slightly in his hands.
"A long-lost promise..." Neptune whispered, his mind racing back to the deepest, most guarded secret of the Ryugu Kingdom royal family. The legend passed down from king to king. A promise made during the Void Century to the Fish-Men.
Neptune stared at Ben. He looked at the confident, knowing smile on his face.
Neptune's eyes widened in profound realization. "You mean..."
Ben simply nodded once.
"The Straw Hat will..." Neptune stammered, his voice cracking with the sheer, overwhelming magnitude of the implication.
Ben nodded again.
"Impossible," Neptune breathed, taking a stumbling step backward on his whale. The prophecy of destruction suddenly took on an entirely different meaning. It wasn't the end of their lives; it was the end of their isolation.
"Destiny is not a chain that binds us to destruction, Your Majesty," Ben said quietly, offering a respectful bow. "It is the fulfillment of a promise made before the oceans were divided. The sea does not forget."
Neptune stood paralyzed, his mind completely blown away by the revelation that the goofy rubber boy who had saved his shark was the inheritor of Joy Boy's will.
"Your Majesty?" the Minister of the Right asked nervously. "Shall we attack?"
"No," Neptune raised his hand quickly, his voice regaining its royal authority, though it still trembled slightly. "Stand down. All of you. Lower your weapons immediately."
The guards, though hesitant, obeyed their King. The tension in the room instantly evaporated.
"Phew," Usopp wiped his forehead. "I don't know what you just said, Ben, but good job."
Robin, however, had not taken her eyes off Ben. She sat quietly at the table, her blue eyes narrowed in deep, analytical suspicion. She had dedicated her life to uncovering the history of the Void Century, searching for clues about the Void Century.
And Ben had just casually invoked a long-lost promise to stop a king from arresting them.
She watched him walk back to the table, sipping his wine as if he hadn't just altered the geopolitical destiny of an entire kingdom.
It seems, Robin smiled faintly to herself, I am going to have to have a very long, very private talk with him tonight.
The Hard-Shell Tower
While Ben was diffusing a royal standoff with historical secrets, Luffy was currently enjoying a much more direct approach to diplomacy.
He sat cross-legged on the massive, soft bed inside the pitch-black room of the Hard-Shell Tower, polishing off the last giant drumstick from Princess Shirahoshi's royal food tray.
"Ah! That was great!" Luffy burped loudly, rubbing his stretched stomach.
Shirahoshi, the colossal mermaid princess, sat nearby, wiping a tear from her eye. She had just finished explaining the terrifying curse of Vander Decken and why she had been locked in this dark, lonely room for ten long years.
Luffy stood up on the bed, adjusting his straw hat. He looked at the giant, crying mermaid.
"Ten years in a dark room?" Luffy frowned. "That sounds terrible. I would go crazy."
"It is very lonely," Shirahoshi sniffled, looking down at her hands. "But it keeps me safe from the axes."
"Well," Luffy grinned, stretching his arms. "I'm full now. Let's go outside!"
Shirahoshi froze. "O-Outside? But... I cannot!"
"Why not?" Luffy tilted his head. "I offered to protect you, right? If any axes or swords or stuff come flying at you, I'll just punch them away. Where do you want to go?"
Shirahoshi hesitated. Her heart fluttered with hope. She had dreamed of the outside world for a decade. She looked at the small, fearless human who had effortlessly shattered the iron axe just an hour prior.
"If... if I could go anywhere..." Shirahoshi whispered softly, her eyes shining. "I would like to visit the Sea Forest. My mother... Queen Otohime is buried there. I haven't been able to visit her grave since I was a little girl."
"The Sea Forest?" Luffy grinned. "Sounds cool! Let's go!"
Luffy marched toward the massive, dented iron doors of the tower.
Shirahoshi watched him go. The reality of stepping outside the thick iron walls suddenly crashed down on her. The terror of the last ten years surged back, paralyzing her.
"Wait!" Shirahoshi cried out, tears instantly flooding her eyes again. She pulled her massive blankets up to her chin, hiding behind them. "I... I am too scared! The moment I step outside, Mr. Decken will know! He will throw something terrible! I can't do it! I'm sorry!"
Luffy stopped at the doors. He turned around, crossing his arms over his chest. He glared at the giant mermaid cowering under her blankets.
"You're a weakling," Luffy said bluntly.
Shirahoshi flinched as if she had been slapped.
"You're huge, but you're a coward," Luffy continued, completely devoid of sympathy. "I don't like crybabies."
The harsh words broke whatever composure she had left.
"WAAAAAAAAAH!" Shirahoshi bawled, the sheer volume of her crying vibrating the thick stone walls of the tower. "YOU ARE SO MEAN! NO ONE HAS EVER CALLED ME A WEAKLING BEFORE!"
"Because they were being nice to you," Luffy scoffed.
Before Shirahoshi could cry any louder, a terrifying, high-pitched whistling sound echoed from the water outside the tower.
Luffy's awakened Advanced Observation Haki flared to life.
It wasn't a single axe this time. It was a massive, concentrated barrage.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! CRASH!
The thick iron doors of the Hard-Shell Tower didn't just dent; they were violently blown completely off their hinges, flying into the room and crashing into the stone walls.
A torrential shower of deadly weapons—massive battleaxes, jagged swords, iron spears, and spiked maces—poured through the opening like a lethal rainstorm, all curving mid-air and homing directly toward the screaming Princess.
"Ah," Luffy muttered, cracking his knuckles as his fists turned pitch-black with Armament Haki. "It's that Decken guy again. He's really annoying."
Luffy stood directly in front of Shirahoshi, facing the storm of incoming steel.