Why... make such a promise?
Hearing Maude's words, Neptune's mind instinctively echoed this question.
Yet, he did not voice it aloud. Instead, he stared at Maude in disbelief.
A promise unfulfilled for eight hundred years—one that, at some unknown point in the future, would be carried out by a destined individual.
This was the legend passed down within the royal family of Fish-Man Island.
Now, Maude had taken the initiative to make a similar pledge. What could this signify?
A tidal wave of emotions surged in Neptune's heart.
But making a promise was easy. Fulfilling it was as difficult as finding a needle in the vast ocean.
"Going to the surface… is not an easy matter."
Neptune suddenly recalled the many tribulations Fish-Man Island had endured in recent times.
He understood now—no matter how much he exhausted his efforts to make Fish-Man Island a member nation of the World Government, it would not change humanity's deep-seated prejudice and discrimination against the Fish-Men.
What he had seen and experienced during this time had made the hopes he had harbored for so long feel as fragile as bubbles.
At the same time, it made him realize that unless the discrimination against the Fish-Men could be completely eradicated, bringing his people to the surface to bask in the sun's blessings was nothing more than a fantasy.
"What others cannot do, I can."
The killing intent Maude held toward the Celestial Dragons receded like the tide, replaced by an unfathomable calm.
Neptune stared at him in shock.
From Maude, he saw no signs of arrogance or overconfidence—only the stillness of a deep abyss.
And beneath that stillness…
An unwavering certainty.
"Tomorrow, we leave Fish-Man Island for the New World. You have until then to decide."
Seeing Neptune too stunned to speak, Maude simply stood up and, without giving him time to dwell further, strode toward the palace doors.
Neptune could only watch him leave in silence.
A long while later, Princess Shirahoshi emerged from an adjacent chamber, quietly gazing at the open palace doors.
Minutes later, Maude returned to his quarters.
To lead the Fish-Men to the surface and establish a home for them...
If Neptune agreed, Maude would treat this promise as a commitment to be fulfilled at all costs.
And in doing so, he would not ask for anything in return from Fish-Man Island.
Because by then, what he desired would naturally fall into his grasp.
Even if Neptune refused, it made no difference.
He had already made his stance clear and extended his influence over the entirety of Fish-Man Island.
With or without the promise, the image the people of Fish-Man Island held of him would not change.
By then, whatever he needed to do, there would be little in his way.
...
Night deepened.
Fish-Man Island remained brightly lit, yet within Ryugu Palace, all was silent.
Maude retrieved a Den Den Mushi and dialed a number.
After a few rings, the call connected, and the Den Den Mushi's eyes turned drowsy.
"Dada."
Maude spoke into the receiver.
The Den Den Mushi's sleepy eyes widened in an instant, snapping awake.
"Ahhh—Idol!!! I'm here, I'm here, I'm here!!!"
Dada's voice trembled with excitement, transmitted clearly through the Den Den Mushi.
Thud.
A loud crash sounded from the other end.
A question mark popped up in Maude's mind.
"Dada, are you alright?"
"I-I'm fine…"
A few seconds later, Dada's shaky voice came through.
"I just got too excited—I almost couldn't breathe!"
"..."
Maude was at a loss for words. Dada reminded him a lot of Bartolomeo.
"Idol, if you're calling at this hour, it must be something important, right?"
"Not too important, just wanted to provide you with some 'real news material.'"
"Huh? Idol, wait a moment—I'll grab my pen and paper."
"Alright."
Rustling sounds came from the other end, along with another set of footsteps.
Maude paid no mind and waited for Dada.
A moment later, Dada's voice returned.
"Idol, I'm ready! You can begin!"
"Today, I declared war on Big Mom."
Maude got straight to the point.
Clatter.
Something fell to the ground on the other end.
"WHAT?!"
The exclamation came, but it wasn't from Dada—it was from Morgans, the president of the World Economy News Paper.
Had Maude been present, he would have seen Morgans' eyes nearly bulging out of his head.
"This is HUGE news!!!"
Morgans' excited voice rang out, transmitted clearly through the Den Den Mushi.
A smirk formed at the corner of Maude's lips.
Once the declaration was published for the world to see, Charlotte Linlin would have no choice but to swallow the bait—if Maude did not go to Whole Cake Island to challenge her, her reputation would be in shambles.
This way, at the very least, he could ensure her attention was fixed on him.
Maude then provided Dada with the freshest 'news material' from the day.
Dada and Morgans, having received first-hand information, were overjoyed beyond measure.
Five or six minutes later, the call ended.
Maude put away the Den Den Mushi and went to sleep.
...
Morning arrived.
Maude's eyes suddenly snapped open.
Not due to his biological clock, but because he heard the faintest movement outside his door.
"Come in. The door isn't locked."
Maude sat up, his eyes flashing red for a brief moment before turning toward the door.
"Eh…?"
A startled gasp sounded from outside.
After a moment's hesitation, the door creaked open, and Shirahoshi cautiously peeked inside, her timid eyes fixed on Maude, who was seated on his bed.
"Maude-sama… Did I wake you?"
"What do you think?"
"U-uh…"
Shirahoshi shrank back slightly.
Maude tossed aside his blanket and got up, casually dressing himself.
Shirahoshi hesitantly stepped inside, stopping near the door, watching him intently.
Maude finished dressing and glanced at her. "What is it?"
"Maude-sama… I want to talk to you."
"Talk?"
Maude raised an eyebrow. "About what?"
Shirahoshi took a deep breath and gathered her courage.
"I-I still cannot accept your methods, Maude-sama."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Maude raised an eyebrow and walked straight to the washroom, brushing his teeth and washing his face right in front of Shirahoshi.
Shirahoshi's gaze followed Maude closely. "Your actions against those pirates in the plaza…"
"Huh?"
Maude wiped the corner of his mouth with a towel, turned his head toward Shirahoshi, and said calmly, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"It's just… just that… Maude-sama shouldn't have… shouldn't have done that to those pirates…"
Her voice weakened immediately, her lips trembling, unable to express what was in her heart.
But Maude understood her meaning from those fragmented words.
He gazed at the timid mermaid princess before him and shook his head slightly.
If he hadn't possessed knowledge of the future, it would have been difficult to believe that this seemingly frail and overly gentle mermaid princess held the power to command the mighty Sea Kings.
Perhaps every Poseidon born on Fish-Man Island throughout history had been like Shirahoshi—kind to a fault.
Otherwise, with the ability to summon the Sea Kings, they would have already claimed their place in the world rather than remaining hidden in the depths of the ocean, relying on the roots of the Eve Tree to bask in the sun's light.
Maude put down the towel and strode toward Shirahoshi.
As he walked, his body grew larger and larger.
Shirahoshi gasped, clamping her mouth shut in fear. She instinctively backed away, only to bump into the wall beside the door, looking at Maude with a flustered expression as he approached.
He stood before her, his sudden growth in size exerting an overwhelming pressure.
For the first time in her life, Shirahoshi saw a human even larger than herself.
Maude reached out a massive hand toward her.
Seeing his hand extend toward her, Shirahoshi's first reaction was to shut her eyes tightly.
His hand grasped her cheek and gave it a slight pinch, pushing her lips into a high, exaggerated pout.
"Princess, even innocence has its limits."
Maude lowered his gaze, staring into Shirahoshi's face.
Flustered, she waved her hands in distress.
"Vander Decken is dead. You no longer need to stay trapped in that shell tower," Maude said. "Instead of worrying about meaningless things, why not walk around the island more? I'm sure your people will be more than happy to give you an 'answer.'"
Releasing her cheek, Maude stepped past her, crossing the threshold and leaving the room.
"And don't tell me how to do things."
His footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
Inside the room, Shirahoshi stared blankly at the ground, listening to the sound of Maude's departure.
"I-I know… but… compared to violence and killing…"
Muttering halfway, she bit her lip and could not continue.
In her mind, Luna's terrifying stories from the previous day flashed like a nightmare.
...
Neptune had prepared a lavish breakfast for Maude and his crew, showing the utmost hospitality.
Among the dishes was a selection of desserts specially made for Maude by Fish-Man Island's newly restored sweets factory.
Each dessert had Maude's name meticulously drizzled in chocolate or fruit syrup as decoration.
Seeing the dazzling array of sweets, Perona and Bailey—both diehard dessert lovers—were ecstatic, completely ignoring the main courses, their eyes locked onto the treats.
As they ate, the two inevitably started fighting over the desserts, throwing punches in a chaotic mess.
Ignoring their usual antics, Maude picked up a chocolate-glazed cake.
On its smooth, dark surface was his name, elegantly written in white.
Even from such a small detail, he could feel the heartfelt enthusiasm of the confectioners from the sweets factory.
Shaking his head slightly, he took a bite.
The cake melted in his mouth, like rich, chocolate-infused cheese.
The texture and taste were impeccable.
"No wonder Big Mom went so far as to send one of her Sweet Commanders just to claim Fish-Man Island as her territory."
Savoring the cake's exquisite flavor, Maude could somewhat understand Big Mom's obsession with securing the island.
"Though it's a shame… From today onward, Fish-Man Island's famed desserts will become history."
Finishing the rest of the cake in one bite, Maude contemplated.
Publishing the declaration of war in the newspapers would be enough to fix Big Mom's attention on him as he re-entered the New World for the second time—but it wouldn't make her abandon her claim on Fish-Man Island.
The only way to truly eliminate Big Mom's interest was to destroy the sweets factory and completely erase the presence of its desserts.
Without its famed confections, Fish-Man Island—so far from the New World's center—would no longer be worth Big Mom's effort.
As for how to accomplish this? Simple.
They just needed to spread a false report that pirates had razed the sweets factory and slaughtered all the confectioners.
After breakfast, Maude directly approached Neptune about destroying the sweets factory.
After explaining the risks, Neptune decisively agreed.
The thousands of pirates who had died in the plaza left behind more than just weapons—many had carried small amounts of gold and trinkets. Gathered together, it amounted to a decent fortune.
That money could be used to compensate the confectioners.
With everything settled, it was finally time to leave.
Before departing Ryugu Palace, Neptune made a decision.
"Maude-sama, may we borrow your flag?"
"Of course."
Maude agreed without hesitation.
As the Maude Pirates' flag flew over Fish-Man Island, it was as binding as a seal on an agreement.
Both sides understood what it meant.
Leaving Ryugu Palace, Maude's crew arrived at Gyoncorde Plaza.
Yesterday, the plaza had been littered with corpses. Today, not a single trace of blood remained.
The efficiency of the cleanup was astonishing.
Neptune, Princess Shirahoshi, and the three princes—who had finally recovered from their injuries that morning—accompanied Maude's crew.
As royalty, it was only natural for them to personally see off their guests as a show of goodwill.
And in doing so, they granted Maude an immense level of prestige.
"Lafitte, how's the coating on the Underworld Ferry?"
"It's finished. We can set sail anytime."
"Good."
Maude nodded.
The group made their way through Gyoncorde Plaza toward Coral Hill's port town.
The streets were lined with Fish-Man Island residents, gathered en masse to bid farewell to the Maude Pirates.
Seeing the islanders' warmth toward Maude, Neptune and his family each wore complex expressions.
In their understanding, Maude was perhaps the only human who could make their people set aside their long-standing distrust of mankind.
Amidst the lively send-off, they finally reached Coral Hill's port.
The vast harbor held only one ship—the Underworld Ferry—making it seem rather desolate.
Besides the ship, a lone figure stood at the dock.
Arthur.
He had been waiting specifically for Maude.
"Maude! Sell me a Devil Fruit!!"
Seeing Maude, Arthur shouted his request outright.
Maude looked at him in surprise.
"Do you have the money?"
"..."
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