Fish-Man Island lies relatively close to the Navy's sphere of influence.
Conversely, it is also quite distant from the territories controlled by the Four Emperors.
In the past, Whitebeard, out of old friendships, took Fish-Man Island under his protection to shield it from harm.
Under Whitebeard's deterrence, pirates who would have otherwise posed a grave threat to Fish-Man Island instead became its regular patrons.
Over the years, the continuous influx of pirates passing through Fish-Man Island on their way to the New World fueled the island's economic growth, allowing it to flourish like a ripe, gleaming fruit.
Now, devoid of Whitebeard's protection, this ripe fruit lay exposed for all to see.
As a result, Charlotte Linlin, Big Mom of the Four Emperors, after consolidating all the territories she could, had set her sights on Fish-Man Island—the last remaining prize, even if it was the farthest from her base.
To claim it, she dispatched one of her top commanders, Charlotte Smoothie of the Sweet Commanders, along with a battalion of elite warriors numbering close to a hundred.
This alone was proof of Linlin's determination regarding this conquest.
"Lady Smoothie, should we act now? If we take out the pirates in the plaza immediately, it'll make our follow-up work much easier."
A squad captain under her command looked up at the coldly beautiful Smoothie and offered a suggestion.
"No need. We're heading to Ryugu Palace first."
Smoothie rejected the proposal outright, shifting her gaze from the plaza to the floating Ryugu Palace above.
They were here to claim territory, not to destroy Fish-Man Island.
Rather than immediately instilling fear, it was more crucial to first force Neptune and his family into submission.
From the distant streets, the faint sounds of commotion could be heard. Smoothie's gaze lingered on Ryugu Palace for several seconds.
Then, she took a long stride forward, leading her crew toward their destination.
Behind her followed a group of rough-looking but undeniably powerful subordinates.
Their formation and presence alone exuded an aura of intimidation, a clear sign that they were not to be trifled with.
Meanwhile, on a nearby street, a group of about twenty pirates was making its way toward Gyoncorde Plaza. As they passed an intersection, they spotted Smoothie's entourage from a distance.
The leading pirate, a burly man with a thick beard, widened his eyes in shock the moment he recognized Smoothie. Terror flickered across his gaze as if he had seen something truly horrifying.
"Damn it… Has the Big Mom Pirates already extended their reach here?"
Without hesitation, the bearded pirate took a step back and quickly retreated into a narrow alley without saying a word, pressing himself against the wall with a conflicted expression.
His crewmates, who also recognized Smoothie and her crew, reacted with similar fear, slipping into the alley as well.
"That woman just now… she's one of the Big Mom Pirates' highest-ranking officers—Charlotte Smoothie of the Sweet Commanders!"
"I remember her bounty—it's something ridiculous, like a billion berries!"
"It's actually 932 million."
"If they've sent a Sweet Commander, then that monster of a woman, Big Mom, must already consider Fish-Man Island as her own."
"What should we do? Are we still heading to the plaza?"
"If you have a death wish, go ahead. I'm staying out of this."
"Damn it… We waited so long for the chance to storm Ryugu Palace, and now we have to give up? This is frustrating!"
One of the pirates clenched his fists in frustration, but he had no argument against his companion's reasoning.
Everyone in the alley, including the silent bearded pirate, bore expressions of lingering fear.
Had they walked onto that street just a minute or two earlier, they would have run into Smoothie head-on—and their fate would have been sealed.
"The ones leading this raid are in trouble…"
"Who was it again? I was too drunk last night to remember the details."
"There were two of them—one was the 330-million bounty Black Robe Libis, and the other was called Arthur… His bounty was around 90 million."
"330 million, huh? Once a bounty reaches the 300-million range, it's hard to increase it further. Libis must be strong to have 330 million. No wonder he dared to lead the charge…"
"But Smoothie has 932 million. That guy's done for."
The once-terrified pirates, now safe, couldn't help but sneer at Libis's predicament.
The bearded pirate glanced at his crew, took a deep breath, and said in a low voice, "Leaving like this doesn't sit right with me. How about we try our luck at the Deep Sea Apartments? Maybe we can catch a few mermaids."
The idea piqued the interest of the others.
"A single mermaid sells for at least 70 million berries. If we can catch even one, it'll be worth the trip to Fish-Man Island."
"If we're lucky enough to catch three or four, we'll be rich."
"Boss, we should act fast before that woman starts stirring up trouble."
The mention of mermaid girls quickly reignited the spirits of the dispirited pirates.
"Let's go. We'll head to Coral Hill first to get some bubble membranes, then we move to the Deep Sea Apartments!"
"Yeah!!!"
...
Gyoncorde Plaza.
The largest plaza on Fish-Man Island, Gyoncorde Plaza was a vast, flat area surrounded by layered rock formations.
At its center stood a towering, moss-covered coral reef several meters high.
Perched atop this reef was a dark-skinned, muscular man draped in a black robe.
His frame was so massive that even the loose-fitting robe could barely conceal his bulk.
This man was none other than Black Robe Libis, a pirate with a bounty of 330 million berries and a former Supernova who had emerged in the same era as Bacardi Maude and Cavendish two years ago.
Back then, every Supernova of that era had been eager to challenge Maude, the dark horse who had outshined them all when they arrived at Sabaody Archipelago.
However, out of that entire generation, only two had survived their encounters with Maude—
Libis, who had foreseen the danger and backed down before the fight even started, and Cavendish, who had been captured by Maude as research material.
Every other Supernova had been crushed by Maude, one after another.
It was then that the world finally recognized the true terror of Bacardi Maude—the Gatekeeper of the New World.
Even the infamous Supernovas of the Grand Line's first half were no more than children before him, utterly powerless.
"Arthur."
Libis looked down at a man standing beside the reef, wearing a funeral director's mask.
"So far, the turnout looks good."
"Heh."
A deep chuckle came from beneath the mask. Arthur's voice carried a tinge of anticipation.
"This was expected. The target is Ryugu Palace's treasure vault. Pirates who traveled thousands of miles to Fish-Man Island wouldn't pass up this opportunity. The only reason they hadn't gathered sooner was because they lacked a leader."
"You're right."
Libis nodded slightly and turned his gaze to the ever-growing crowd of pirates gathering from all directions.
A cold gleam flickered in his eyes.
Numbers were good for breaking through Ryugu Palace's defenses.
But too many meant the spoils would have to be shared among more people.
And that was unacceptable to Libis.
When the time came, he would need to ensure that the weaker ones were the first to die in battle.
As time passed, more and more pirates gathered in the plaza.
Among them, some had come for the treasures of Ryugu Palace, while others were drawn by the legendary beauty of Princess Shirahoshi.
"I didn't expect so many people to show up..."
"Ryugu Palace is doomed! Hahaha!"
Most of the pirates, unable to contain their excitement, were itching for action.
In their eyes, the remaining forces of Ryugu Palace posed no real threat. The only real obstacles were the three Neptune Brothers, the palace's strongest warriors.
However, the eldest of the three, Fukaboshi, had already been defeated not long ago by none other than the man who had summoned them all here—the cloaked Libis.
With this thought in mind, the pirates turned their attention to Libis, who stood atop a coral reef.
"So that's Black Robe Libis... the man with a bounty of over 300 million."
"Hey, did that guy really take down Fukaboshi?"
"Yeah, I saw it with my own eyes. Fukaboshi, the strongest warrior of Ryugu Palace, couldn't even last ten moves against him."
"No way... Fukaboshi lost?!"
"With so many witnesses, do you really think it's a lie?"
"If he's here, we don't have to worry about the Neptune Brothers."
"Exactly! Why do you think we answered Libis' call?"
If not for his sky-high bounty and the feat of defeating Fukaboshi, they would never have gathered here.
The number of pirates in the plaza kept growing.
Standing atop the coral reef, Libis and his accomplice, Arthur, could hardly contain their excitement.
"Princess Shirahoshi belongs to me!" Libis declared.
He looked up toward Ryugu Palace, his eyes gleaming with undisguised desire. In his mind, he had already envisioned the mermaid princess' enchanting figure.
As for the countless reverent gazes cast upon him by the pirates below, he completely ignored them, his mind consumed only by thoughts of Shirahoshi.
Arthur, on the other hand, lowered his head and muttered to himself, "Libis only wants Shirahoshi, but as long as I can get my hands on the gold and silver of Ryugu Palace, I'll finally be able to buy a Devil Fruit from the black market..."
This man, a survivor of the Mad Hat Town incident, had spent years traveling between Paradise and the New World in search of a Devil Fruit.
Yet fate had never favored him.
No matter how hard he tried, he had never been able to acquire one.
Thus, upon arriving at Fish-Man Island and seeing the chaotic state of affairs, he immediately sought out Libis, convincing him to rally the island's pirates to storm Ryugu Palace.
Their interests aligned, and their plan led to the current scene: a massive congregation of pirates at Gyoncorde Plaza.
Now, with such a formidable force assembled, Arthur felt as though victory was within his grasp.
"No matter what... I must obtain a Devil Fruit!!!"
His obsession had long since reached a fever pitch.
However, neither he nor Libis realized that two mighty forces had just arrived at Fish-Man Island.
Suddenly—
A startled voice rang out from the crowd.
"Hey, look up there!!!"
"Hmm?"
Hearing the cry, the pirates in the plaza all turned their gazes upward—and were instantly dumbfounded.
At the entrance to Ryugu Palace, appearing suddenly and without warning, was the very person coveted by countless men—Princess Shirahoshi.
But what shocked them even more was that the mermaid princess, who had always remained hidden deep within Ryugu Palace, was now tightly bound with ropes that accentuated her alluring figure.
Of course, that wasn't the main issue.
The real question was—why was the princess, who should have been safe within the palace, now trussed up and delivered right before them?
"What's going on? Why is the mermaid princess..."
"Wait, am I seeing things?"
"Gulp."
Someone swallowed hard.
On the coral reef, Libis stared at the bound Shirahoshi, his eyes widening to their limits. Bloodshot veins surfaced in his sclera as excitement surged through his body.
"What the hell is this?" Arthur frowned.
Unlike Libis, who was overwhelmed with excitement, Arthur sensed something off about the situation.
However, many of the pirates cared little for such details.
With the world-famous Princess Shirahoshi bound and presented before them, there was only one thing left to do!
"Shirahoshi is mine! No one else can have her!"
"Get lost! First come, first serve!"
"Hey, who's got good aim? Shoot her bubble membrane and make her fall!"
"Are you an idiot?! No one fires a shot! If you hurt the princess, I'll make you pay!"
Shirahoshi's sudden appearance threw the entire plaza into chaos.
Nearly every pirate present, their eyes bloodshot with greed, gazed hungrily at the mermaid princess, who hovered above them thanks to her bubble membrane.
While her unparalleled beauty was certainly one reason for their fixation, their true motivation lay in the staggering price she would fetch as a rare mermaid princess.
If they could bring Shirahoshi to the auction house at Sabaody Archipelago, she would undoubtedly command a record-breaking price!
Up above—
Suspended in midair, tightly bound, Princess Shirahoshi trembled in fear as she looked down at the ravenous pirates below, each one staring at her like a starving beast eyeing its prey.
"Mmm..."
Feeling their sinister gazes upon her, Shirahoshi bit her lip, struggling to hold back tears. All she could do was let out faint, fearful whimpers.
At the edge of the plaza, atop a rocky hill—
"The captain certainly moves fast."
Watching Shirahoshi dangle from the entrance of Ryugu Palace, Lafitte's crimson lips curled into a sly grin.
Jim, observing the frenzied pirates below, muttered, "I think it's about time we made our move."
"Not yet. At the very least, let the mermaid princess draw in the remaining hesitant pirates first..."
Lafitte raised his cane, blocking Jim's path, signaling him to be patient.
Jim gently pushed the cane aside and nodded. "Understood."
Meanwhile, Hawkins, eyes half-lidded, shuffled his tarot cards as he silently pondered what fate had in store for them on Fish-Man Island.
Back in the plaza—
Lafitte had restrained Jim, but no one could rein in the insatiable desires of Black Robe Libis.
"So beautiful... absolutely breathtaking..."
Libis' bloodshot eyes could see nothing else in that moment—only Princess Shirahoshi.
Bang!
Libis suddenly stomped down, shattering the coral beneath him.
Using the recoil, he propelled himself into the air like a cannonball, soaring straight toward Princess Shirahoshi, who was suspended at the entrance of Ryugu Palace.
His immense strength, combined with his overwhelming desire for Shirahoshi, gave him the confidence to ignore any potential traps.
Before the eyes of the countless pirates in the plaza, Libis became the first to reach Princess Shirahoshi.
"Damn it!"
Seeing Libis about to seize Shirahoshi, the excitement on the pirates' faces froze.
Just as everyone thought the princess was about to fall into Libis's clutches, a sudden gunshot rang out from the entrance of Ryugu Palace.
Whizz—! A lead bullet, fired from above, streaked past Shirahoshi and shot directly toward Libis in midair.
"Is that all?"
Having anticipated an ambush, Libis sneered the moment he saw the bullet's trajectory.
If this single shot was the so-called trap Ryugu Palace had set while using Shirahoshi as bait, then it was downright laughable—no, outright foolish!
As his thoughts raced, Libis shifted his body slightly, allowing the bullet to graze past his chest.
"Hmm? This is...?!"
Just as he thought he had successfully dodged it, his keen eyesight caught something unbelievable.
Time seemed to slow.
The bullet—without any warning—suddenly curved in midair and drilled straight into his chest.
Splurt!
Libis' body trembled violently as blood sprayed from his chest.
The impact of the shot sent him plummeting toward the ground.
"A bullet that changes direction... Is it him? Is it HIM?!"
As his body rapidly descended and pain flared through his chest, a name echoed in Libis' mind—a name he dared not face.
Boom!
Libis crashed heavily onto the plaza, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
Seeing him shot down, the pirates in the plaza were stunned.
No one could believe that a man with a bounty exceeding 300 million berries had been taken down with a single bullet.
And then—something even more shocking happened.
"No mistake... There's no mistake at all...!!!"
Libis shot up from the ground, his hat falling back to reveal a face twisted in sheer terror.
"This kind of gunplay—only HE could do this!!!"
His trembling voice laid his fear bare for all the pirates to see.
"What is he talking about?"
"It's just a gunshot. Why is he so terrified?"
The pirates struggled to comprehend Libis' bizarre reaction.
Watching Libis' panicked expression, as if he'd seen a ghost, Arthur frowned, sensing the situation spiraling out of control.
But Libis paid no heed to the bewildered gazes around him.
Ignoring the gunshot wound in his chest and even forgetting about Shirahoshi, he lifted his head and stared fixedly at the passage beneath Ryugu Palace.
"It's him... It has to be him... Bacardi Maude is here!!!"
"What?!"
The fear in Libis' trembling voice sent a shockwave through the pirates.
Arthur and the others reacted instinctively, their faces instantly filled with horror.
For a brief moment, silence engulfed the entire plaza.
If what Libis said was true…
Then they could finally understand his reaction.
Only a monster like Bacardi Maude—someone who could rival the Four Emperors—could strike such terror into a man with a bounty exceeding 300 million berries...
.
On the streets surrounding Gyoncorde Plaza.
Smoothie and the subordinates following behind her all stopped in unison.
They had heard Libis' voice, thick with fear.
But what truly made them halt in their tracks—was the name Bacardi Maude.
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