The bubble coating around the ship (courtesy of kisames water jutsu) ripples as it passes through the final membrane, and Fishman Island explodes into view — glowing coral towers, drifting schools of neon fish, and the faint hum of the undersea currents pressing against the dome.
The Akatsuki crew steps off the ship, boots tapping onto the coral-paved main street. Conversation in the plaza slows… then pauses entirely.
A few fishmen nearby tilt their heads and squint.
Fishman #1: "Oi… brother, look at him. That blue skin, those gills… you from the district? You look like one of us!"
Kisame smirks, sharp teeth flashing.
"Something like that."
A couple fishmen grin proudly, slapping his shoulder like they just found a long-lost cousin.
Fishman #2: "HAH! Look at this! Another shark-type! Been a while since we've seen someone built like you!"
Another fishman leans in closer, studying the rest of the group—Itachi's calm gaze, Deidara's annoyed glare, Konan's composed expression, Sasori's stiff posture.
Their presence, their clothing… none of them look normal.
Fishman #3 (whispering): "…They're not all fishmen. Those are surface people."
Fishman #4: "Surface people walking around like that? Hah. They must be dangerous."
But then another fishman freezes, staring at the bounty posters on the wall nearby.
He drops what he's holding. His eyes widen.
Fishman #5: "No way… those are… they killed Celestial Dragons."
The plaza goes silent.
Some fishmen tense, wary… not of the Akatsuki, but of the possibility of Marines coming after them.
Others stare with something far deeper—hope, admiration, even disbelief.
Older Fishman Woman: "My son… he was taken by those monsters years ago… and you… you really killed them?"
Kisame folds his arms, letting the whispers grow.
Respect. Gratitude. Awe.
For once, their presence doesn't inspire fear — it inspires relief.
A young fishman boy runs up to Kisame.His eyes sparkle.
"Sir! Can you teach me how to be strong like you? So nobody can hurt my family again?"
Kisame looks down at the kid, then at the hopeful fishmen gathering around.For a brief moment, he looks… almost softened.
"Kid… strength starts with knowing what you're protecting.If you've got that, you're already halfway there."
The boy beams, and the crowd murmurs proudly.
Itachi steps beside Kisame, speaking softly.
"It seems you've made an impression."
Kisame chuckles.
"Guess it's nice being mistaken for a local hero for once."
Up above, mermaids peek over coral balconies.A few more fishmen bow slightly in gratitude.Others watch warily, still cautious—but willing to see what happens next.
The Akatsuki take their first steps deeper into Fishman Island… with the eyes of an entire oppressed people following them, full of a rare blend of fear, awe, and respect.
-----------------------
After a while of exploring the bright coral streets, the Akatsuki walk through a quieter district—massive bubble-lamps glowing overhead, coral arches curving like ribs of an ancient sea beast. Kisame is casually leading the front, still getting the occasional wave or nod from passing fishmen.
Then the atmosphere shifts.
A group steps into the street, blocking the path. Tall, burly, rough-looking shark fishmen.
Hody Jones's gang.
Hody himself isn't there, but his lieutenants grin wide, all teeth.
Hammond: "Oi oi oi… what do we have here? A shark-man walkin' around with surface trash?"
A few of them circle around, clicking their tongues.
Fishman Punk #1: "Brother, you don't gotta be with these humans. You're one of us."
Fishman Punk #2: "Yeah, ditch these air-breathers. We protect our own."
Kisame raises a brow, amused.
Kisame: "You sure? Because I'm not feeling very 'protected' right now."
They ignore the sarcasm.
Hammond steps closer.Looks Kisame up and down, sizing him like a recruit.
Hammond: "A shark of your caliber should be fighting for fishman supremacy—not babysitting these land-walkers."
Some Akatsuki members remain silent—Itachi calmly watching, Konan's eyes narrowing, Sasori not moving at all. Deidara is already irritated.
Deidara: "Tch. These bottom-feeders sure talk a lot, un."
Hammond snaps toward him.
Hammond: "You! Shut your filthy surface mouth. You humans have enslaved our kind for centuries!"
Sasori quietly: "We don't care."
Fishman Punk #3: "Brother Shark—listen! Join Hody Jones. Humans have no future under the sea. You'll be respected with us."
Kisame grins, slow and predatory. "Respect?You think I need respect from a bunch of weaklings?"
Some of Hody's men snarl.Hands go to weapons.
Hammond: "Then you're no brother of ours."
Kisame: "Good. I'm not."
The tension snaps.
Meanwhile… at Coral Castle
Jinbe is speaking with guards when a frantic young fishman bursts through the entrance.
Young Fishman: "Captain Jinbei! Trouble in the Coral District!"
Jinbe turns sharply.
Jinbe: "What kind of trouble?"
The fishman gulps.
Young Fishman: "Hody's lieutenants—they're harassing a group of dangerous outsiders! The ones who killed multiple Celestial Dragons!"
Jinbe freezes.
"…The Akatsuki."
The guard nods rapidly.
Young Fishman: "Yes! And there's a shark-type with them—Hody's men are trying to recruit him!"
Jinbe's face tightens with frustration.
"Foolishness. Hody's hatred will burn this island down if left unchecked."
He steps forward, water swirling around his feet like coils.
"I'll deal with this myself."
He launches forward, moving through the water tubes and coral streets with incredible speed.
Back at the Stand-Off
Hammond sneers.
Hammond: "Last chance, shark-man. Stand with your people, or die beside the humans you cling to."
Kisame cracks his neck.
Kisame: "…I like door number three: beating all of you into the floor."
Deidara laughs.
Deidara: "Finally, some entertainment, un!"
Just as Hody's men prepare to strike—
A massive burst of water slams between the groups.
Tiles crack under immense force.
And Jinbe lands with a booming voice:
"ENOUGH!"
Every fishman freezes.
Jinbe: "Harassing travelers on our island—again?You shame Fishman Island with your actions."
Hammond snarls.
Hammond: "Jinbei! Stay out of this!"
Jinbe glares.
Jinbe: "I will not. Especially when you pick a fight with visitors capable of sinking Marine fleets."
He turns, examining Kisame.
Jinbe: "…Are you a fishman who left the island while young?"
Kisame smirks.
Kisame: "Not quite."
That answer only deepened Jinbe's confusion, but before Hody's men could escalate again, a sharp glare from Jinbe sent them scattering. The confrontation ended there—Hody's crew retreating with curses, the civilians watching with relief, and the Akatsuki regrouping calmly.
A Few Minutes Later – Coral Streets
Jinbe walked alongside the Akatsuki, his pace steady, expression apologetic.
Jinbe: "I must apologize on behalf of Fishman Island… Hody's followers act on hatred, not reason. What happened should not have occurred.It will not happen again while you're here."
Kisame shrugged.
Kisame: "Didn't bother us."
Hidan: "Speak for yourself, fishboy. I was ready to—"
Sasori cut him off without looking.
Sasori: "Nobody cares."
Jinbe exhaled, somehow already used to their dynamic.
As they passed through a huge coral archway, Jinbe glanced at the group again, counting.
Jinbe: "If you don't mind me asking… your group has gained quite the reputation recently.But I notice two of your members are missing."
Deidara stretched lazily.
Deidara: "Ah—yeah. Nagato and the lightning guy."
Hidan clicked his teeth.
Hidan: "Enel. Freak walks around barefoot like some prophet."
Sasori added:
Sasori: "They separated earlier. Something about gathering information."
Jinbe frowned thoughtfully.
Jinbe: "So they're roaming the island alone…?"
Kisame nodded.
Kisame: "Relax. If trouble finds them, trouble's the one that needs luck."
Jinbe didn't doubt it for a second.
But still—
Jinbe: "…I would appreciate knowing their whereabouts. This island has its own dangers."
Itachi: "They are aware."
Kisame's grin widened.
Kisame: "And they're probably causing more trouble than they avoid."
Jinbe stared ahead, uneasy but resigned.
Jinbe: "Very well. When they return, I hope to speak with them directly."
The Akatsuki continued walking with him, deeper into the heart of Fishman Island—unaware that Nagato and Enel's were currently at the base of Hody Jones.
-------------
Flashback
Nagato and Enel had been wandering through the quieter outskirts of Fishman Island, examining the strange coral structures and glowing bulbs, when a group of hostile fishmen suddenly surrounded them—Hody Jones' underlings.
They didn't get far.
A single arc of lightning reduced two to ash.A brief flick of gravity crushed another into the coral floor.Within seconds, the entire group lay dead.
Nagato placed his hand on one of the bodies, eyes narrowing as the rinnegan spun.
Nagato: "Hody Jones sent them."
Enel crackled with static.
Enel: "Never heard of him."
Nagato: "He despises humans. Anyone on land, anyone above him. The memories show a base—far from the main district. He plans something… unpleasant."
Enel grinned.
Enel: "Then let's go ruin it."
And they vanished in a burst of light and gravity.
Present — Hody's Base
The flashback ended.
Nagato and Enel now stood in the middle of Hody Jones' stronghold, though calling it a stronghold was generous. The place was in ruins.
Bodies were everywhere. Stone shattered. Water tanks cracked. The air hummed with leftover electricity.
Hody's officers lay broken on the ground, unconscious or worse. Enel had carved through them before they understood what they were facing.
As for Hody himself…
He lay face-down, twitching, unable to stand.
Nagato had crushed him with a single Shinra Tensei the moment he stepped forward to swallow an Energy Steroid pill—he never even got his fingers near it.
Enel loomed over another defeated fishman, bored.
"These weaklings were hyped up? That's it? I thought this island had stronger warriors."
Nagato dusted himself off, unimpressed.
"Their hatred is strong. Their power is not."
Hody tried to lift his head—a pathetic motion.
Nagato stepped on his back and forced him down again without even looking.
"Your ambitions end here."
Enel crackled with amusement.
"So… do we finish him?"
Nagato turned away.
Nagato: "He isn't worth the effort."
Lightning sparked behind him as Enel destroyed the last of the unconscious officers.
The base was silenced, Hody's entire operation erased before it could begin.
---------
Elsewhere — Sabaody Archipelago
The air above Grove 1 shimmered from heat.
Akainu stood at the edge of the mangrove path, arms crossed, expression carved from stone.
A Marine battleship sat anchored behind him, heavily armed, reinforced, and tense.
Vice Admiral Stainless approached cautiously.
Stainless: "Admiral Akainu… Are you certain about waiting here?"
Akainu didn't look at him.
"Charging into Fishman Island would mean fighting them underwater."His jaw clenched."Even I can't fully maneuver beneath ten thousand meters of pressure."
Aokiji stood a short distance away, leaning against a mangrove trunk, hands in his pockets and breath misting lazily in the humid air. "You say that like it's embarrassing."
Akainu's glare slid toward him.
"It is. But I won't let the sea be the reason scum escape."
He turned his eyes toward the deep blue below—toward the ocean that connected to Fishman Island far beneath the surface.
"They'll have to pass through here eventually. The moment they rise… the instant their ship surfaces…"His fists ignited with slow-rolling magma."…I'll wipe them out."
Aokiji sighed.
"You're too eager. They aren't simple pirates."He glanced at the sea, thoughtful."Who know's how strong they truly are?"
Akainu didn't respond.
He didn't need to.
He was waiting—burning with anticipation, fury, and absolute conviction.
And when the Akatsuki emerged from the depths—
He intended to be the first and last thing they saw.