"Muhhi!"
The other officers screamed, their eyes instantly turning red with rage. Not only were they Hody's subordinates, but they had also grown up together as childhood friends.
"Attack together! Kill him!"
"Avenge Muhhi!"
The officers charged forward without hesitation.
Only Hody Jones remained motionless, standing in place as he coldly stared at Jack.
"Take this hammer, Doss!"
From the left came a Fish-man named Toss, swinging a massive spiked iron hammer downward.
Jack took half a step back, narrowly avoiding the hammer. With a casual grab, he seized Toss's wrist and gave it a slight twist.
Crack!
The sound of snapping bones was unmistakable. Before Doss could even let out a tearful scream, Jack effortlessly snatched the hammer and smashed it into the ground, turning him into a bloody pulp.
In the next instant, Jack grabbed Daruma, who had leaped onto his shoulder to bite him, and Zeo, who had stealthily crept up behind him while invisible.
He slammed the two together, knocking them unconscious, then hurled them toward Hyozo, Fish-Man Island's top Swordsman, who was charging at him with a blade.
A flash of steel later, the two unconscious officers were sliced clean in half.
"Ahh..." Hyozo blinked, his drunken face twisting in discomfort. "Well, this is..."
Before he could finish, Jack's right hand clamped around his throat and snapped his neck.
Within mere seconds,
All the officers of the New Fish-Man Pirates had been reduced to corpses on the ground.
Only then did Jack turn his gaze to Hody Jones.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Hody, shockingly, broke into a wide grin and began applauding, as if the dead men at his feet were nothing more than random strangers.
"You... not bad. Very not bad! Strength like this—you're almost on par with that old fool Jinbei! Now that's what I call worthy of the Fish-man Bloodline!"
"If a monster like you joined us, the New Fish-Man Pirates' name would spread across the seas even faster. Hey, big guy—how about swearing loyalty to me?"
Jack didn't respond, merely staring at him like he was an idiot.
"Pretty cocky, huh? Guess I'll have to beat you into submission first."
Hody wasn't bothered. His grin widened as he pulled out several ES Drugs. He swallowed one at first, hesitated briefly, then shoved the rest into his mouth with a vicious smirk.
"—Now, I'm invincible!!!"
Hody's body instantly swelled, muscles bulging, veins popping, his eyes turning blood-red as an overwhelming, monstrous aura erupted from him!
BOOM!
He shattered the ground beneath him, lunging at Jack with terrifying speed, his fist tearing through the air as it aimed straight for Jack's chest!
And yet...
Thud.
Jack effortlessly caught the punch with a single hand, standing firm like an unshakable iron tower.
"Wha—?!"
Hody's pupils shrank in shock.
"Only this much, huh..."
Jack looked down at him with disdain. "Tch. What a letdown... Even after doping yourself into this state, you're still this weak?"
"You—!" Hody roared, throwing another punch!
Jack caught it just as easily, then—
CRACK!
Hody's wrists were instantly crushed!
"Aaaah!!!" Hody let out a shrill scream, but before he could react, Jack's knee had already slammed viciously into his abdomen!
Bam!
Hody's body instantly curled up like a shrimp, blood spraying from his mouth as he was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the wall!
"Cough... cough..."
Hody struggled to rise, fear finally surfacing in his eyes. "Impossible... one ES Drug pill doubles my strength, two quadruples it... I just swallowed four whole pills..."
"Impossible!"
Hody shook his head frantically, then suddenly pulled out another handful of ES Drugs from his pocket, tilting his head back as he shoved them all into his mouth. "Not enough... I need more power... MORE!!!"
His body swelled again, his black hair turning stark white, blood even seeping from the corners of his eyes as his entire visage twisted into something monstrous.
"DIE!!!"
Hody roared as he charged again, his aura even more terrifying than before, stirring violent shockwaves in his wake.
Yet—
Jack merely sidestepped slightly, effortlessly dodging the attack, then countered with a pitch-black Haki-coated hand chop straight to the back of Hody's neck!
"Bam!"
Hody's body instantly stiffened, his eyes bulging before he collapsed like a limp rag, completely unconscious.
"..."
Jack looked down at the unconscious Hody and shook his head.
"Clown."
It had been easier than he'd expected. Even after taking those so-called ES Drugs, this guy was still at this level. Without them, he probably wouldn't even measure up to the Supernovas they'd encountered in Sabaody.
He lifted his foot, about to crush Hody's skull, when his gaze was suddenly drawn to a thick notebook nearby.
It must have fallen from Hody's pocket. Jack picked it up and flipped through it casually.
A diary?
For a thug like him, this was an unexpected habit.
The earlier pages were filled with deranged ramblings—rants about ruling the world, exterminating other races, and the like.
Jack frowned as he read, but when he reached the later pages, his expression abruptly changed as something caught his attention.
He immediately pulled out his Den Den Mushi, but before he could dial, the one belonging to Hody on the sofa rang first.
Buru buru—
Jack hesitated for a moment before answering, though he remained silent.
"Hey, Brother Hody!"
A greasy, lecherous voice came through the receiver. "It's me, Decken! Been a while since we last talked. So, when exactly are you planning to execute your coup against Neptune's army?"
An accomplice?
Jack's eyebrow twitched slightly as he turned his attention fully to the Den Den Mushi.
...
...
About an hour later.
Xiano stepped into the Fish-Man District, followed by King Neptune and a guard unit led by the three princes.
Jack was already waiting at the warehouse entrance. The moment he spotted Xiano, his eyes lit up, and he hurried forward.
And so, the residents of Fish-Man District watched in stunned disbelief as...
The giant who had effortlessly wiped out the New Fish-Man Pirates now stood meekly before the black-haired youth, head bowed, answering every question with utmost deference.
"So, you're saying you've taken out every last one of Hody's officers?"
"Yes, Boss."
"You also found a diary on him, documenting the truth about Queen Otohime's assassination back then?"
"Yes."
"And you managed to contact his ally Vander Decken, setting up a meeting time?"
"Mhm. But that guy is extremely cautious—he refused to enter Fish-Man Island and arranged the meeting spot somewhere outside. I've already marked it on the nautical chart."
"Ho, not bad, Jack!"
Xiano gave him a hearty slap on the arm. "First time handling things solo, and you're already this reliable!"
Finally receiving praise from Boss Xiano, Jack scratched his head and grinned foolishly, completely shedding the intimidating aura he'd exuded earlier.
This kid…
The more Xiano looked at him, the more pleased he felt. He really shouldn't judge too hastily. While Jack was straightforward by nature, his mind was actually quite sharp in daily life.
Having followed Xiano all this way and seen plenty of the world, he had gradually grown into a capable officer who could stand on his own—just like Kuina.
As for losing his head in a fight, charging recklessly at anyone in sight…
Well, that was probably impossible to change.
...
Meanwhile.
Neptune, who had come along, had just finished reading the diary Jack handed over to him.
"So… so this was how it was…"
His hands trembled as his voice grew low and shaky. "Otohime's death… it was all because of this bastard…"
Hody seemed to take immense pride in the flawless execution of his plan back then. The diary recorded every detail of the entire scheme.
Not only had he orchestrated the assassination and stolen the treasure from the Treasure Chest of Tamate, but he had also deliberately framed humans to stoke resentment among Fish-Man Island's residents.
All the efforts Queen Otohime had accumulated over her lifetime were destroyed in an instant.
Even though Neptune and the three princes had inherited her will over the years, tirelessly advocating across the island, the hatred toward humans among the populace remained severe.
Otohime…
Neptune took a deep breath, suppressing the grief and fury in his heart before turning to his three sons with a grave expression.
"Wake Hody up."
The three princes, already seething with rage, immediately stepped forward.
The eldest prince, Fukaboshi, yanked the unconscious Hody up by the collar while the other two princes each delivered a heavy punch to his chest.
"Cough… cough!"
The sharp pain in his chest sent Hody into a violent coughing fit, finally forcing his eyes open.
When he saw Neptune and the three princes standing before him, his pupils shrank—but soon, a vicious grin spread across his face.
"Heh… if it isn't our 'Sea God' Majesty. What brings you out of Ryugu Castle today, gracing my humble territory with your presence?"
Neptune stared at him coldly. "Hody Jones, do you admit to orchestrating Otohime's assassination?"
"Seems you've learned quite a bit… At this point, even if I denied it, you wouldn't believe me, would you?"
Hody licked the blood from his lips and sneered.
"It was me! So what if I killed her, huh? That madwoman kept blathering about 'letting everyone see the true sunlight again' and 'peaceful coexistence with humans'—she was a disgrace to Fish-men and Merfolk alike! I did the world a favor by killing her!"
"You bastard!"
"How dare you insult Mother!"
The third prince, Manboshi, roared and slammed his full strength into a punch, sending Hody crashing to the ground.
"That didn't even hurt!"
Hody fell to the ground but laughed even more maniacally:
"What's wrong? You hate me to death, yet this is all the strength you can muster? Pathetic! Weak royals like you don't deserve to rule Fish-Man Island! Only a true powerhouse like me can lead the Fish-men to conquer the world!"
Oh, so you're the strong one now?
Putting on airs, are we?
From a distance, Jack watched the scene unfold and couldn't hold back his disgust. He muttered angrily, "That bastard's grin is revolting. We should've just killed him on the spot."
"That wouldn't have allowed for a proper confrontation. We're outsiders—without solid proof beyond a diary, Neptune and the others wouldn't have fully believed us."
Xiano shook his head. Ever since Queen Otohime's death, the situation on Fish-Man Island had been complicated. As a human, he couldn't easily intervene before Hody openly rebelled.
Fortunately, Jack, being a Fish-man himself, had no such reservations. By sheer luck, he had stumbled upon Hody's hideout and uncovered crucial evidence...
Things had suddenly become much simpler.
In that regard, Jack truly was something of a lucky charm.
...
Neptune closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, his gaze was calm and resolute:
"Hody Jones, you stand convicted of regicide, inciting rebellion, and colluding with foreign enemies. By the authority of the King of Ryugu Kingdom, I sentence you to death. Execution is to be carried out immediately."
Hody's expression twisted, but soon he burst into wild laughter:
"Hahaha! Go ahead! Kill me! My ideals have already spread throughout Fish-Man District! As long as our brethren continue to suffer under human oppression, forced to hide in this sunless abyss, countless others will inherit my will! You can never—"
Before he could finish, Crown Prince Fukaboshi drew his trident and, without hesitation, pierced Hody's heart.
Hody's eyes widened, blood trickling from his lips as he collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
The sight surprised Xiano slightly.
He had expected Neptune to handle things as in the original story—at most, sentencing Hody to lifelong imprisonment.
Yet, the execution had been swift and decisive.
But then again...
In his youth, Neptune had been known as the fiery-tempered "Great Knight," the kind of man who drank merrily with Whitebeard as brothers.
It was only after marrying Otohime that her kindness and gentleness softened him, gradually mellowing his temper into benevolence.
The Neptune of today hadn't yet become the burdened, crisis-ridden old man he would be six years later.
Hody's utter lack of remorse for the assassination and his open insults toward Otohime had undoubtedly struck the deepest nerve.
"..."
Neptune stared at Hody's corpse in silence for a long moment before finally lifting his head with a heavy sigh. Turning to Xiano, he bowed deeply:
"Lord Xiano, thank you—and your subordinate—for uncovering the truth. At last... Otohime can rest in peace."
Behind him, the three princes knelt on one knee, tears brimming in their eyes.
Xiano quickly helped them up. "It was nothing. If you want to thank anyone, thank Jack. As for Vander Decken..."
Neptune's expression darkened as he spoke in a low voice:
"That scoundrel threatening Shirahoshi—I will never let him off the hook either! Now that he's taken the bait, I'll personally lead troops to eradicate him completely!"
Xiano nodded. "Jack, go with them as backup, just in case."
"Yes, boss!"
...
If Hody Jones at least had some strength bolstered by the ES Drug, Vander Decken was utterly powerless, relying solely on the Target-Target Fruit and his sleazy tactics to be a nuisance.
With his location pinpointed and an ambush set in advance, he stood no chance of fighting back.
Not long after Xiano returned to Ryugu Castle, Neptune and Jack also came back.
The three princes personally dragged Vander Decken, tightly bound, in front of the Hard Shell Tower and gave him a brutal beating. His wails filled the air as he wept and groveled before Shirahoshi, begging for mercy before being hauled off to prison.
Was this their way of helping their sister overcome years of fear and trauma?
Xiano found it quite amusing and fully approved. If Nami and Nojiko had endured something similar, he would have done the same.
"Lord Xiano, not only have you uncovered the truth behind Otohime's murder, but you've also completely rid us of Vander Decken, this scourge. These are two great debts of gratitude, and the Ryugu Kingdom will forever remember them."
Neptune, accompanied by his three sons, expressed his thanks once more and earnestly requested hosting another banquet that evening—this time with the highest honors—to welcome the entire crew of the Curtain Closer.
Such enthusiasm was hard to refuse.
Considering his two sisters had never visited Ryugu Castle before and might even become friends with Shirahoshi, Xiano agreed.
Crown Prince Fukaboshi and his two younger brothers personally went to Fish-Man Island to fetch the crew members. Soon, Kuina, Smoker, Zeff, and the others arrived at the castle one after another.
Nami and Robin were the last to arrive. The latter seemed to have made significant progress in her archaeological pursuits, wearing a faint smile and in high spirits. Nami, however, looked dazed, like a puppet.
(End of Chapter)