A double-headed shark Fish-Man, holding a massive hammer in one hand and a string of handcuffs in the other, slowly advanced on Shirahoshi.
"Princess Shirahoshi, please cooperate and let me tie you up, Dosu~"
Prince Fukaboshi glared at Tosu, anger flaring. "Why attack my sister? She hasn't threatened you."
Hody Jones spat. "Do you think I'm naive? More than killing you incompetent royals, my true target is Shirahoshi."
Ryuboshi struggled against his restraints. "Why? She's just a child!"
Hody raised his head, calm and cruel. "Shirahoshi possesses the most troublesome power in this World. Naturally, she is my greatest threat."
Neptune's chest tightened. Hody had indeed learned of Shirahoshi's power, a secret their family had guarded for generations. He had always wished she would never need to fear it, but now he faced the harsh truth.
"Alright, Tosu, tie her up quickly." Hody's impatience was clear; he feared surprises.
A calm female voice cut through the tension. "Shouting in public, how impolite."
All eyes turned to Madam Shyarly, the chief fortune teller of Fish-Man Island. She held her pipe with composed authority.
"Don't get carried away, Hody Jones."
Hody looked up, feigning surprise. "Shyarly? Long time no see. What brings you here?"
Madam Shyarly puffed on her pipe, lips curving in a slight smile. "A warning: my divination shows someone will destroy Fish-Man Island."
Hody's confidence faltered. "What?! Are you saying it's me?"
Neptune and the royal family exchanged puzzled glances.
Shyarly shook her head. "No, it is not you."
"Impossible! There is no one stronger than me on this island!" Hody raged.
Then his gaze landed on Rolan. "Could it be…?"
"Yes," Shyarly replied. "Exactly, It's Emperor Rolan."
Neptune, Fukaboshi, Ryuboshi, and Manboshi stiffened. They had spent time with Rolan and never suspected him capable of such divinely foretold power. Yet Shyarly's visions were always accurate.
"Impossible! I've prepared this coup for eight years! I… I even went as far as killing Queen Otohime!" Hody roared.
He laughed, wild and chilling. "Only by blaming humans for her death could I incite your hatred."
The crowd gasped.
"Why… why would you do this?" Neptune's heart pounded.
Shirahoshi lowered her head, serene rather than crying. Fukaboshi's hand twitched in frustration; he expected his sister to collapse.
"Shirahoshi, don't be afraid. Big brother will deal with him," he offered.
Shirahoshi shook her head calmly. "No need. I always knew Hody killed Mother."
"What?" Neptune and the princes were stunned.
Before she died, Queen Otohime had told Shirahoshi to avoid hatred and keep the truth secret. She had followed this faithfully all these years.
Hody's jaw tightened. Even after admitting murder, he had failed to ignite Shirahoshi's fury.
"Water Shot!" he shouted, firing a droplet faster than a bullet at her.
The crowd gasped, hearts frozen.
The droplet froze in midair before Shirahoshi's forehead, halted by an invisible barrier.
"Hey! Hody, am I invisible?" Rolan stepped forward, clenched fists radiating authority.
Fear flickered in Hody's eyes. He recognized Rolan as the one who had stopped his attack.
"Attack! Kill Rolan!" Hody barked to his men.
The Fish-Man pirates hesitated, unwilling to die for a hopeless cause.
Hody's frustration exploded. He crushed a human Pirate beside him. "Move! Or this is your fate!"
Reluctantly, the Fish-Man pirates charged.
Rolan shook his head. "Lucky for them, they'll get to see the ceiling of this World," he muttered.
His eyes flared crimson. Conqueror's Haki erupted.
A red aura expanded outward, kicking up dust across Gironcaud Plaza. Every Fish-Man and pirate on the ground collapsed, like leaves swept by a hurricane.
Hody slumped to the earth, trembling in pain.
"What happened?"
"Why are they all down?"
"Nearly 70,000 people, just like that?!"
"This… this is the power of an Emperor with a 3 billion bounty?!"
Even Madam Shyarly's eyes widened. "Impressive!"
Rolan wasn't done. Pebbles lifted into his hand, floating effortlessly.
"Railgun!"
He flicked his finger, and the main cadres of the New Fish-Man Pirates, including Hody Jones, had terrifying holes appear in their foreheads. Blood spattered, screams silenced.