— Don't let your guard down.
That was the consensus among those who'd been holed up in Fishman District.
True, that bespectacled man in the black suit had moved to free their captured comrades.
But some had realized that this was simultaneously for the sake of the fishmen and for the sake of the humans holding their comrades captive.
He's not on the fishmen's side.
That guy isn't on the fishmen's side.
He's only pretending to be an ally because from the human side, it's more advantageous to help.
Because he's a pirate.
He's the same as those who've ravaged this island, attacked it, and sold off their brethren.
He's got a bounty of 2.8 billion—an absurd amount.
If you judge him by appearance, you'll be killed.
Show an opening and you'll be captured.
Let your guard down and—you'll be sold again.
It wasn't just those who'd been holed up.
Even within the Ryugu Kingdom's army, in positions to pacify and restrain those holed up, such opinions were numerous.
There were those who called Arlong a spineless fool for starting to trust the pirate.
There were those who called King Neptune weak and cowardly for only being able to overcome their brethren's crisis through the lukewarm means of negotiation.
"If we let them escape now, they'll eventually come to kidnap us again."
Someone muttered quietly.
"Even if we get our brethren back, they'll turn around and take even more of our brethren. That's certain."
Someone else muttered, gripping their weapon.
"Don't let them escape."
The pirates—everyone who was supposed to fight to buy time for the rescue—gradually began to grow feverish.
"If we let them go, they'll come back again. The pirate was saying something, but even if we drive them off once, they'll just come back to kidnap us! The opponents are Celestial Dragons! The World Government itself! What meaning is there in arguing them down with words?!"
"That's right! They're not opponents who'll listen to discussion!"
"Destroy the ships! Cut off their legs! That's more certain for rescuing our brethren!"
"Don't be fooled by the pirate's lukewarm words!"
"If we let them escape, even more armies will come! Seal them off for certain!"
"Kill them all! Don't leave a single one alive!"
And it didn't take long for that to become a raging inferno.
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"Arlong! Can you stop them?!"
What I saw was a scene of masses of fishmen surging forward with fire—definitely not for illumination purposes.
The ship we're currently on, the two target ships, and probably even the other Marine vessels—they're likely trying to burn them all down.
There are also large fishmen charging with simple crude battering rams made from sharpened log ends—not proper weapons.
This isn't simple attacking or rescue.
They're clearly trying to destroy all the ships.
"Impossible! This many people... and besides... damn it, why?! I explained it properly, and you guys agreed!"
The basic principle is that in a ragtag group without education or training, after verbal explanation, only about twenty to thirty percent properly understand.
That's the principle, but...
A surge of this scale is way beyond unexpected!
Damn it! Armed rioters on this scale are supposedly on our side—or rather, a faction we need to cooperate with!
What the hell am I supposed to do here?!
Help me, seriously help me out here!
(Kicking down a few won't stop this momentum! Their aim is complete immobilization and the Marines... worst case, killing the Celestial Dragons?! Stop, don't do that! If it goes that far, we really won't be able to stop it!)
From the rear area, I don't hear any particular commotion.
I'm worried about the safety of the Celestial Dragons the fishmen captured, but there's nothing I can do from here.
At this point, I can only trust those reliable elites that Arlong personally requested.
(If they get killed by any chance, then there'll be war between fishmen and humans... I want to somehow contain it before that stage, but... but still!)
"Arlong, Jinbei! If that force avalanches in like this!"
I shout at the two who are shocked, and they hurriedly turn toward me.
There's no time to be dazed! The situation just took an even worse turn!
"Do you think there'll be ships left for the Marine forces to escape with the Celestial Dragons?!"
"...No."
"Impossible. Those who live on this island—many know about ships that can come here, about coated ships. Those who make a living related to that. Even if they can't destroy them all, in this chaotic battle, to the degree of preventing them from leaving the island..."
Possible, huh?
Yeah, probably damn well possible!
Even if they try to launch ships in a panic, the Celestial Dragons seem to be camped out on frontline ships, so forcing departure would take too much time.
Besides, against fishmen, there's essentially no safe place on the escape route from Fishman Island.
(The relay point prepared for post-rescue evacuation worked in the wrong direction!)
Strong presences had moved together earlier to take down that relay point first.
Now the presences have been scattered—probably swept away by Wired or Issho.
Because of that, the Marine camp crumbled further, and the fishmen's advance speed skyrocketed.
What the hell was I supposed to do differently?!
Though abandoning the fishmen and this island is out of the question, the situation is far too bad!
(If all the ships become completely immobilized like this, the Marines will finally commit. Facing the fishman forces they themselves ignited with orders, they'll unite as one.)
In that case, it wouldn't be strange for the forces that didn't move while surrounding us to start moving.
Actually, it's a miracle they're not moving.
(With the fishmen side making such a flashy move, sooner or later the encirclement will tighten. Once it tightens, it'll become a defensive battle for our position. In that case!)
"Adding to the operation objectives!"
When I shout that, Arlong, Jinbei, and the fishmen who came with them shift to listening mode.
At least the members here understand how bad the current situation is. I'm grateful.
...
Really, seriously incredibly grateful!
"Jinbei, can you command them to prevent the relay point from being attacked?!"
"...No. Sorry, but at this point, Arlong is better suited. From what I can see, those moving to destroy the ships are from Fishman District. In that case—"
"Alright. Changing the rescue leader role to Arlong. After reclaiming the site, be ready to withdraw at any time!"
"Got it! To Fishman District?!"
"...No."
That place is dangerous.
True, the defenses are currently the strongest, but if those there become rioters, coordination will be easily severed.
If the situation continues and the Marines regroup, chaos will erupt in that area.
If that happens, it won't just be about maintaining battle lines.
A completely uncharted, ruined urban area with most of our forces as rioters—that's obviously a straight course to self-destruction.
(At least secure visibility. If we don't have an environment where each side somewhat knows the other's battle situation, we'll easily invite division and defeat in detail!)
"Push the front line to the ship my crew came on, and reorganize around it! If you cooperate with those who established the relay base, you can assemble it somewhat faster. I'd like to secure Fishman District if possible, but forcing its defense will increase casualties! Take the hostage Celestial Dragons and make our ship the temporary headquarters!"
"Then what about the Kingdom Army guys?!"
"Now that it's come to this, all fishmen will likely be judged as enemies. There's no longer meaning in the pose of non-involvement. Evacuate outside the island! If they can't accept that, urge them to join us! Beyond that, leave it to King Neptune's decision!"
A blessing in disguise—Lady Otohime and the children have fled to West Blue.
If they've successfully reached West Blue, then as a last resort, we can have the 'Black Cat' serve as backing and establish a government in exile.
Right about now in West Blue, a Marine defection festival should be happening.
Around the 46th Branch with many Marines who have family and friends in Superior, at minimum they should be split between government and anti-government factions, falling into civil war.
If Superior's damage is too great, perhaps even unconditional surrender to the 'Black Cat'.
We might have been able to go as far as absorbing all their forces, supplies, and ships wholesale.
With executive forces matching Admiral-level, elite units starting with the guard corps, and swelling military strength combined, the World Government would become an even more immobilized organization.
If both Whitebeard and we double as backing for the fishman forces, it should be rock solid for the time being.
"Now, Jinbei! There's something I need the strong fishmen to do!"
"Say anything! I'll mobilize them immediately!"
As expected in this situation, even Jinbei who'd been watching with suspicious eyes will move.
This helps! People from the fishman regular forces who'll move are more valuable than anything right now!
"Take as much food and water as possible! If there's room, medical supplies next, then ammunition and cloth!"
If we neglect this, we'll easily be defeated!
We're already inferior in numbers.
Right now aside, once things calm down, the Marine forces will settle in and reorganize their units.
Even so, individual quality is overwhelmingly on our side.
If we maintain their performance while building minimum coordination, there's a chance of victory.
If we can't eat, we lose! Whoever eats wins!
(True to being pirates, we'll take everything we can use!)
Resent the bastard who pulled the stupid trigger, not us!
We'll shave off every bit of your side's margin!
(I looked around inside the ship, but I can't find the Den Den Mushi that should be on every ship. It's a hastily assembled unit, and they don't even have the tools for coordination.)
Probably, this Fishman Island raid itself was highly classified—or rather, more like... they must have been conscious that they needed to thoroughly hide it because it would be bad.
I can see traces of trying to move as stealthily as possible to the limit of what they could do.
(While that's an opening we can exploit, it's simultaneously an anxiety factor where we can't read ahead, damn it!)
Whitebeard—we're here! Come quickly!
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"Fishmen who'll cooperate, please persuade and calm the people approaching from the rear! Corporal Hina, the prisoners?!"
"Everyone is secured in places as inconspicuous as possible! Devil Fruit users have seastone cuffs!"
"Good, absolutely don't let them be killed! If fishmen lynch prisoners here carelessly, the situation will worsen further! Rioters easily go mad with blood and flames!"
"Yes! Issho, sorry but—"
"Understood. I'll keep watch while monitoring the enemy's movements."
Wired and the others, who'd been expanding the defensive line centered on the captured relay point while driving away Marines that might block the escape route, had noticed the situation was heading in an even worse direction.
It was only natural with groups approaching from the rear carrying logs, torches, and barrels filled with oil.
Wired and her group, who'd joined partway through, weren't expecting organization from the fishmen.
That's why their response was quick, and they'd reinforced defenses in that direction just in case.
"...Corporal Hina."
"Yes."
"If we use Mr. Issho's ability, we can retreat. When the Captain returns, that would be possible, but..."
Among the Marines following Kuro, if Hina was the one moving most as Kuro's right hand, then the female officer Wired could be called the other arm.
Commanding soldiers with questionable training levels, crossing the high-difficulty seas of the New World—that was largely due to her skill.
That same woman now wore a difficult expression.
"Kuro won't approve of such a thing."
"...I know that, but still, as I thought."
The Marine who, if dressed up instead of in uniform, would attract men—she frowned at the crashing sounds of fishmen probably smashing ships with their superhuman strength, reconfirming their situation.
Only a few with minor injuries.
For a battle of this scale, that could be called a miraculous number.
Part of it was that the flag Hina planted here wasn't the Marine flag or the Ryugu Kingdom's, but that 'Three Claws' flag.
Seeing that those opposing them were associated with the 'Black Cat', many clearly showed disrupted morale.
Evidence that the flag was becoming not a symbol of those to be struck down, but a symbol of those who cannot be touched.
"...Then it becomes a defensive battle."
"I think Kuro understands. And right now, Kuro is attacking enemy vessels with the fishman elite."
"...Not just rescue targets, but supplies too, huh."
"If Kuro hasn't abandoned winning, then probably."
"Rather violent for that Captain Kuro."
"He calls himself a pirate."
"Ha ha ha! Finally we'll see the Captain's pirate-like side!"
Though that act should be incompatible for someone who's originally a Marine, Wired is laughing.
"If that man has decided to go that far with his actions, it means the situation is quite dire."
"With Celestial Dragons taken hostage, it's already an emergency."
"Despite that, there's no sign of reinforcements coming."
"No sign of them abandoning the fishmen and mermaids to flee either. Do they want fishman slaves that badly?"
"No... Probably the Celestial Dragons are anxious about the safety of their route. Until the situation is decided at 0 or 100, at least the Celestial Dragons on the other side can't move. They don't have the guts to swallow defeat."
"...I truly feel grateful that we had Special Admiral Zephyr's special mission. Under the Celestial Dragons, we'd just pointlessly scatter our lives."
At Hina's extremely disrespectful words, Wired makes a complex expression but immediately nods.
Even for Wired, if asked whose orders she'd rather fight under in this situation, she'd instantly choose Kuro.
The motivation to fight, tactics to keep soldiers alive, and command—it was obvious at a glance that they were incomparable to those currently wasting Marine soldiers.
Most of those fallen on this wide battlefield are Marines.
Marines taking injuries, falling.
The fate of those who scattered meaninglessly, unable to utilize their proper coordination due to unreasonable orders to retake Celestial Dragons and capture fishmen.
Too cruel, too miserable a fate spreads here and there.
"...The enemy numbers have been greatly reduced. However, those are only soldiers who went on the attack. Most maintain the encirclement uninjured."
"Does that mean they preserved forces for later, premised on defeat?"
"I don't know. But if so, it means there's an officer who can do their best even in that terrible situation."
"...A threat. Even with Admiral-class Kuro here, we also have anxiety about coordination... We can't avoid a prolonged battle."
At this location alone, the battle situation is overwhelmingly favorable.
The Marines are scattered and swept away by the fishmen who struck out all at once.
But on the other hand, the slum-like shantytown where the fishmen had been holed up until now is clearly thinly defended.
If the encircling Marines move, even with terrain advantage, it will be captured.
And most of Fishman Island has long been captured by the Marines.
They'd confirmed that while flying ships with Issho's ability.
In other words, places where defensive lines can be established are extremely limited.
"...How much food and water Kuro can take will be the key."
This relay point, right now being fortified as a makeshift position.
And the ship they came on—unlike the Marine vessel they burned and disposed of on that island, a pirate ship equipped with armaments—looking at it, Hina wipes sweat from her forehead.
The battle that would later be called the 'First Battle of Fishman Island' was finally about to finish its opening engagement.
And from here, the long, nerve-grinding second battle began.
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"Is the loading of supplies complete?"
"Just confirmed it. We've minimized shells and secured more food and water."
"Crocodile, the seastone—"
"Just had the Black Cat veterans transport it. Confirmed it's packed tight in the ballast."
"Good. The guard corps?"
"Yes. Myself as captain, plus twelve members. We've completed the handover of Superior-Rigalo reconstruction and governance duties."
"Mm. As expected, Amis. Hack, how about your side?"
"As a result of recruiting volunteers from the pioneer group, thirty elite will accompany us. Leave the pathfinding to me as well."
"Horohorohoro, that's reassuring. With combat-experienced ability users like Crocodile, maybe this retiree can take it easy like a retiree should?"
"Oh? If I can take it easy, there's nothing better, but what do you think, Hancock?"
"Fool. When it's time to draw your sword, you will draw it, Rayleigh."
"We go! Cross the Calm Belt and aim for Fishman Island!"
"Set sail!"