In the end, Maude decided to make a trip to Fish-Man Island.
As a result, Gaya had to temporarily halt her training and instead haphazardly attach the remaining ores to the bottom of the Thriller Bark.
Only a small section of the surface was left clear to serve as a docking area for the various pirate ships under Maude's command, as well as his own vessel, the Styx.
The next morning.
Shortly after entering the New World, Thriller Bark set sail on its return journey.
However, before heading to Fish-Man Island, they first needed to take care of the coating process and obtain a Log Pose.
With ample time, these matters could be addressed at a steady pace.
As dawn broke, a thin mist hung over the sea.
The waters were calm and undisturbed.
Three pirate ships and a single merchant vessel lay anchored on the tranquil ocean surface.
The merchant ship's deck, which had been littered with bodies and blood just the day before, was now devoid of corpses.
Upon closer inspection, faint traces of bloodstains still lingered on the deck.
As the sun rose, the mist gradually dispersed.
With the fog lifting, a large Marine warship appeared on the distant horizon, cutting through the waves.
The lookout on the merchant ship was the first to spot it.
"There's a warship approaching!!"
His excited cry rang out across the deck.
Hearing the shout, the people below deck hurried onto the ship's surface, their expressions a mix of relief and anticipation as they watched the warship draw closer.
"They're finally here..."
Excitement rippled through the crowd as they murmured among themselves.
During the attack by the Ellis Pirates, the merchant ship's rudder had been completely destroyed.
Thus, after Maude and his crew departed, the only option left for them was to wait for the Marines' rescue.
As for commandeering the three pirate ships to sail toward the nearest island, such a thought never even crossed their minds.
After a short while, the Marine warship reached the merchant vessel, dropping anchor and extending a boarding ladder.
Fully armed Marine soldiers descended onto the merchant ship's deck.
Leading them was a tall man wearing sunglasses, with half a slice of pizza still stuck to the corner of his mouth—none other than Vergo, the Donquixote Family's undercover agent within the Marines.
His assigned post, the G-5 branch, was one of the few Marine outposts stationed within the New World.
Whenever a distress call was received, it was typically the G-5 branch that responded.
Thus, Vergo's presence here was no coincidence.
"You encountered the Maude Pirates?"
Standing on the merchant ship's deck, Vergo clasped his hands behind his back, a faint smile on his face as he addressed the civilians before him.
However, beneath his sunglasses, his eyes were filled with unmistakable killing intent toward Maude.
Thankfully, the sunglasses concealed his expression, preventing anyone from noticing his reaction.
"Y-Yes…"
The civilians eyed Vergo cautiously.
Despite his outwardly kind demeanor, something about him sent chills down their spines.
"You're safe now. However, we need to gather detailed information about the Maude Pirates. Once we finish inspecting the scene, we'll be asking you some questions. I trust you'll cooperate."
Vergo's tone remained gentle and reassuring.
"Of course! No problem at all!"
The civilians responded in unison, eager to comply.
To them, ensuring their safety was the highest priority.
Vergo then signaled to his subordinates—who looked more like pirates than Marines—to inspect the nearby pirate ships.
Though they appeared unorthodox, his subordinates were competent, completing their inspection in no time.
Afterward, Vergo meticulously interrogated the merchant ship's passengers about Maude, noting down even the smallest details.
Hours later.
The warship set sail once more, carrying the rescued civilians to the nearest island.
Inside the captain's quarters, Vergo sat expressionlessly behind his desk.
On the tabletop lay a freshly compiled report detailing every aspect of Maude's presence on the merchant and pirate ships.
Even his words were recorded verbatim.
Such an obsessive level of detail was almost pathological.
But because it was Maude, Vergo deemed it necessary.
"Bacardi Maude."
Vergo's gaze fell upon the bounty poster lying beside him, his eyes radiating a cold and murderous intent.
Never before in his life had he wanted to eliminate someone so badly.
Just then—
Brrrrr! Brrrrr!
A faint vibration emanated from within his coat pocket.
Vergo's expression shifted slightly as his eyes gleamed red. Using his Observation Haki, he quickly scanned the area outside his quarters.
After confirming there were no eavesdroppers, he retrieved a small white Den Den Mushi—one designed to prevent wiretapping—from the depths of his pocket.
This particular Den Den Mushi was Vergo's private line to the Donquixote Family.
They would only contact him in situations of great importance.
Vergo answered the call.
"Cola beef patty."
A man's voice came through from the other side.
Vergo eyed the Den Den Mushi, which showed no change in appearance, and calmly responded, "Hamburger and fries."
Having exchanged their seemingly mundane passcodes, Vergo asked, "What's the situation?"
"We just received intel on the 'Gura Gura no Mi.'"
"Hm? You mean the Gura Gura no Mi?!"
Vergo's eyes sharpened, and the half-eaten beef patty at his lips fell to the floor.
"Yes. The very same fruit that made Whitebeard the strongest man in the world… No matter what, we must obtain it!"
"What do you need me to do?"
Vergo's gaze locked onto the Den Den Mushi.
Everyone understood what the Tremor-Tremor Fruit represented.
Whoever possessed it would gain overwhelming power in a short amount of time.
The voice on the other end of the line replied with an undeniable firmness, "Come with us and seize the Gura Gura no Mi."
"What about my cover?"
"Securing the Gura Gura no Mi is more important. Among us, you're the only one who hasn't consumed a Devil Fruit. You're also the most suitable candidate to eat it."
"I understand."
Vergo's eyes grew cold.
The Donquixote Family was a powerhouse of Devil Fruit users.
From their leader, Doflamingo, down to their officers, nearly all were ability users.
Given their extensive underworld network and massive trade operations, acquiring rare Devil Fruits was a trivial task for them.
Because of this, almost every officer within the family had been granted a Devil Fruit.
However, since Vergo had been embedded in the Marines for years as an undercover agent, he had never received such a privilege.
Now, with Doflamingo gone and an unbridgeable grudge against Maude, the Donquixote Family had obtained intelligence on the whereabouts of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
For them, claiming the fruit was non-negotiable.
And with nearly every officer already possessing abilities, it was only natural that Vergo would be chosen to eat it.
Even if it meant abandoning his position as a Marine officer, securing the Tremor-Tremor Fruit took priority.
After a brief exchange of final details, Vergo hung up the transponder snail.
"…The Gura Gura no Mi…"
A Devil Fruit capable of destroying the world—without a doubt, it was something every powerhouse across the seas coveted.
Vergo was no exception.
Specializing in combat through martial arts and Haki, obtaining the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit would grant him an immense boost in strength.
One week later.
10,000 meters beneath the sea.
Encased in a massive bubble membrane, Fish-Man Island hovered quietly above the ocean floor.
Bathed in the sunlight transmitted through the roots of the Sunlight Tree Eve, the depths of the sea shimmered with a dazzling, radiant glow.
However—
No matter how warm and brilliant the sunlight, the entire island, including its royal family, was shrouded in an inescapable shadow of dread.
Ever since the end of the Summit War, slave-hunting crews and pirates had swarmed Fish-Man Island like madmen, flooding in from every direction without restraint.
With Whitebeard's flag no longer offering its protection, and the sheer number of pirates arriving overwhelming the island's defenses, the screening checkpoint at the entrance of Fish-Man Island had completely lost its function.
Against the relentless waves of pirates descending like a plague of locusts, the kingdom's forces could not even hold the main gate.
And once the gate fell, it became even easier for pirates to pour in.
No longer needing to resort to risky illegal smuggling routes, they could now enter the island freely and without obstruction.
The invasion of countless pirates, combined with the stretched-thin defenses of the kingdom, had left the streets eerily deserted.
To escape the relentless pursuit of slave hunters and pirates, a great number of mermaids had fled into the deepest reaches of Coral Apartments.
Yet—
When countless predators with bloodshot eyes and saliva-dripping fangs prowl hungrily, no matter how deep they hide, they can still be dragged out.
Nearly every day, multiple young mermaids fell victim…
And their fates needed no further elaboration.
Ryugu Palace – Fish-Man Island.
The royal palace of Fish-Man Island.
Situated at the highest point of the island where sunlight could still reach, the grandiose castle was built from massive coral reefs, seashells, and other materials. A magnificent dragon coiled above its structure, adding to its majesty.
Inside the main hall—
King Neptune, the mighty Sea Knight and ruler of the Ryugu Kingdom, sat upon his throne. His towering physique dwarfed even the average fish-man. A heavy crown adorned his head, but it could not conceal the sorrow etched upon his face.
His right hand clenched into a fist, pressing firmly against his forehead.
Even his thick, bushy beard could not hide his distress.
Before him stood a catfish fish-man, donning a formal top hat, a monocle over his left eye, and a cane with a horn-shaped handle in his right hand.
This was the Minister of the Left.
"Your Majesty Neptune… The eastern port town, Coral Hill, has been completely overrun by pirates. Prince Fukaboshi led our forces in an attempt to drive them out—"
"But they were outnumbered. Our troops suffered heavy casualties, and the prince himself was wounded. Fortunately, his injuries are not critical… But if this continues, what are we to do?"
The Minister of the Left lowered his head, his expression filled with grief.
Beside him stood a seahorse fish-man, gripping a crescent-shaped blade.
He was the Minister of the Right.
After his colleague finished speaking, he stepped forward, gritting his teeth as he reported, "Your Majesty Neptune, our request for reinforcements from Marine Headquarters has gone unanswered."
"…I see."
Neptune furrowed his brows and sighed. "Ultimately, this is Fish-Man Island's crisis to bear. We cannot place our hopes on humans for salvation."
With that, his fists tightened, and his voice grew solemn.
"The pirates are too many, and our forces are stretched too thin. We can no longer afford to take the initiative against them. The only option left is to retreat and consolidate our defenses—at the very least, we must safeguard our people."
At that moment, a soldier rushed into the hall and knelt before the throne.
Everyone, including Neptune, turned their attention to him.
The soldier's expression was grave as he looked up at his king.
"Your Majesty Neptune! Just moments ago, our scouts at the entrance spotted the flag of the Big Mom Pirates!"
"What?!"
Neptune's face changed instantly.
The ministers around him also reacted in shock.
Even the forces of the Four Emperors had arrived…
Veins bulged on Neptune's forehead.
Only now, in this dire predicament, could the significance of Whitebeard's former protection truly be understood.
"Damn it…"
Neptune pressed his hand against his forehead, gritting his teeth. "Are we about to return to the dark days of the Great Pirate Era's beginning…?"
Even though the island's forces had grown stronger over the past twenty years, they still stood no chance against the sheer, overwhelming numbers of invading pirates.
And as always, Marine Headquarters remained indifferent—deep down, they still harbored prejudice against non-human races. Expecting them to send aid was a fool's hope.
If there was any way to eliminate the pirate threat once and for all, it would be to gain the protection of another Emperor of the Sea.
Neptune clenched his jaw as a thought took root in his mind.
Whitebeard's flag no longer held any power.
And now, at this critical juncture, the Big Mom Pirates had come to Fish-Man Island.
Perhaps… they could seek protection under Big Mom.
The soldier continued relaying intelligence from the scouts.
"Possibly due to the arrival of the Big Mom Pirates, the pirates occupying Coral Hill have started regrouping and are heading towards Gyoncorde Plaza in pairs and clusters."
"Understood. You may withdraw."
Neptune took a deep breath.
Now that the idea of seeking Big Mom's protection had formed, the movements of the Coral Hill pirates suddenly seemed insignificant.
Regardless of what they planned at Gyoncorde Plaza, the palace's forces could do little beyond defense.
"Minister of the Right."
Neptune turned to the seahorse fish-man and issued his command.
"Send someone to make contact with the Big Mom Pirates and invite their leader to Ryugu Palace. No matter their intentions, we must not provoke them."
"Understood."
Though puzzled, the Minister of the Right promptly obeyed and departed to carry out the order.
Once he was gone, the Minister of the Left hesitated before looking up at Neptune.
"Your Majesty… are you planning to seek the protection of the Big Mom Pirates?"
"..."
Neptune remained silent for a long moment before sighing.
"Perhaps this is the only way to resolve the crisis… Just as Newgate once left his flag behind to protect us."
"But, Your Majesty… this is Big Mom we're talking about—"
"I know."
Neptune cut him off, his voice heavy.
"But as long as we can meet whatever demands she makes, the protection that comes with her flag will be the same…"
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