That night, Ryugu Palace held a grand banquet, one of the largest celebrations seen on Fish-Man Island in years, to entertain the Nightfall Pirates.
During the day, most members of the Nightfall Pirates had been quietly monitored by the Fish-Man Guards as they explored the island. It wasn't meant as hostility. The guards simply wanted to prevent any unexpected conflicts.
The concern went both ways.
Ever since the beginning of the Great Pirate Era, Fish-Man Island had become a frequent stop for pirates and slave traders. Abductions and looting were common, especially targeting fish-men and merfolk.
Young mermaids were particularly valuable. In the human slave markets, they could be sold for enormous prices. Because of that, pirates who passed through the island often tried to kidnap them.
Even though the island's defenses had been strengthened and it was protected by the Whitebeard Pirates, incidents still happened from time to time.
Because of this, most residents of Fish-Man Island held a deep distrust toward humans. Resentment had become the dominant feeling on the island.
This was far from the relative stability that would exist years later, when the balance between the Four Emperors, the Seven Warlords, and the Marines created a fragile peace.
In the future, Otohime would persuade even a Celestial Dragon to speak in support of Fish-Man Island, reducing the number of slave traders. Later, Jinbe becoming a Warlord would further strengthen the island's deterrence.
Only through all those factors would Fish-Man Island eventually achieve a measure of peace.
For now, however, that peace was still far away.
The Nightfall Pirates had more than 1,600 members. Most of them were arranged to stay in other areas of the island.
Only the core crew followed Teach to the banquet in Ryugu Palace, where King Neptune personally hosted them.
Even so, preparing a feast for such a large pirate crew was an enormous task. The palace had begun preparations early and even invited famous chefs from across Fish-Man Island to prepare delicacies.
For the wealthy kingdom beneath the sea, it was worth the effort.
King Neptune raised his glass toward Teach.
"Mr. Teach, if there is anything you require, Fish-Man Island will do its best to assist you."
Their relationship was not yet close enough for Neptune to call him by name, unlike his familiarity with Whitebeard.
Whitebeard valued loyalty above all else. In the past, when Neptune had not yet become king, he had helped Whitebeard greatly. That assistance had turned into a deep friendship.
The Nightfall Pirates were wealthy as well. Neptune could not imagine anything on Fish-Man Island that Teach would covet.
But if Teach truly wanted something, refusing him might be dangerous.
Neptune had already learned from Shyarly what Teach had asked about earlier. For now, the Nightfall Pirates showed no intention of taking her away.
"I actually do have a question," Teach said after sipping some of the island's fine wine. "Something I'd like to ask you, King Neptune."
Neptune paused slightly. What could he possibly know that Teach would want?
He quickly regained his composure and waved to the attendants around them.
"You may all leave."
"Your Majesty—" one of the ministers protested, glancing nervously at the pirates.
"Do not worry. Leave us."
Neptune knew very well that if the Nightfall Pirates truly intended to act, no guard in the palace could stop them.
Although Fish-Man Island was protected by the Whitebeard Pirates, Whitebeard himself was currently locked in a major confrontation with the Marines. Neptune did not want to create more trouble for them.
The ministers and guards eventually withdrew, leaving the hall empty except for Neptune, Queen Otohime, and the Nightfall Pirates.
"Please," Neptune said calmly, maintaining his kingly dignity. "What do you wish to ask?"
Despite Otohime's influence, Neptune still carried a deep prejudice toward humans. Only after her death would he truly inherit her will and strive to become a bridge between humans and Fish-Man Island.
Teach leaned forward slightly.
"Fish-Man Island should have a red Poneglyph, correct?"
The hall suddenly grew quiet.
"Where is it now?" Teach continued. "Or rather… who took it? Gol D. Roger… or Whitebeard?"
Neptune and Otohime both stiffened.
They hadn't expected Teach to know such a secret.
Their minds immediately flashed back to the time when Roger had visited Fish-Man Island after learning about Poseidon in Skypiea. The Nightfall Pirates had also traveled there. Perhaps they had learned something during that journey.
Still, it was unlikely they could read the Poneglyphs.
But knowing about the red one was another matter entirely.
Teach watched their reactions calmly.
The Mermaid Princess who would eventually awaken Poseidon's power had not even been born yet.
Their silence told him everything he needed.
If Roger had taken it, Neptune would simply say so. After all, the Roger Pirates had already disbanded and scattered across the seas.
The only logical answer was Whitebeard.
Roger and Whitebeard had once shared a strange relationship, something between rivals and friends. Before the Great Pirate Era began, the two had met in Wano Country beneath blooming cherry blossoms. They had spoken privately for a long time.
It was very possible Roger had entrusted something to Whitebeard then.
Neptune understood the importance of the Road Poneglyph from Roger himself. If its existence on Fish-Man Island became widely known, it could bring disaster upon the kingdom.
Giving it to Whitebeard was the safest choice. Only someone of his power could protect it.
"I see," Teach said, shaking his head slightly. He did not press the matter further.
Neptune and Otohime quietly released the breath they had been holding.
The pressure had been immense.
Then Teach spoke again.
"Our crew is recruiting fish-men on Fish-Man Island. I hope that won't be a problem."
Otohime's eyes immediately brightened.
Neptune frowned slightly, but it was not a look of refusal.
"Mr. Teach, we would not oppose such a request," Neptune replied carefully.
"However… you should understand that many fish-men hold deep prejudice against humans. Your recruitment may not achieve the results you expect."
That was putting it mildly.
While mermaids were generally more open-minded, some fish-men were extreme racial supremacists who deeply hated humans. Many of them lived in Fish-Man District, where their influence was strong.
"That won't be a problem," Teach said with a faint smile.
"With the flag of the Nightfall Pirates, people will come."
He raised his glass slightly.
"And besides… don't fish-men and merfolk long for the surface world?"
"This is an opportunity."
Once we reach the New World, Teach continued, he planned to occupy a vast territory.
"When that happens, there will naturally be space for fish-men to live."
His words strongly appealed to both Neptune and Otohime.
Teach was confident in his crew's appeal. The worship of strength was an instinct shared by all living beings, and fish-men were no exception.
At sea, fish-men were incredibly valuable fighters. Their natural abilities gave them overwhelming advantages in naval warfare.
With enough fish-men warriors, a fleet could dominate the ocean.
For now, that vision was still far away.
But over time, more and more fish-men and merfolk would surely be drawn to them.
Neptune considered the proposal carefully.
Fish-Man District had always been a troublesome and unstable part of the kingdom. If some of those more radical fish-men chose to leave with Teach, it might actually ease many of his problems.
At the same time, it aligned with Otohime's dream of creating a future where their people could live on the surface.
Neptune exchanged a glance with his queen. Seeing the hope in her eyes, he made his decision.
"I accept your request."
He bowed his head slightly.
"Ryugu Palace will assist you. But I ask that you treat the fish-men who join you well."
"As king, I must think of my people."
Teach smiled.
"Of course. I'm not looking for cannon fodder."
The banquet ended not long afterward.
The next day, the Nightfall Pirates officially announced their recruitment of fish-men crew members.
The news spread rapidly across Fish-Man Island.
A powerful pirate crew like theirs was already under close observation by nearly every fish-man and mermaid on the island.
As Teach had predicted, many fish-men were intrigued.
Their race respected strength. And after suffering during the Great Pirate Era, many longed to become stronger themselves.
The famous Nightfall Pirates seemed like a perfect opportunity.
Some had already considered going to sea but feared they would not be accepted by a human crew. Others hesitated because of the long-standing conflict between humans and Fish-Man Island.
Now the door had been opened.
Why refuse?
Fish-men who had long dreamed of sailing the seas began stepping forward one after another.
Another factor helped greatly.
The Nightfall Pirates already had a fish-man among their ranks: Mog Ratoon.
That alone made the crew feel less distant.
After all, even the Whitebeard Pirates had many fish-men members, including a division commander.
With the support of Ryugu Palace spreading positive news about the recruitment, things moved quickly.
Still, the divide between humans and fish-men remained deep.
Many people watched cautiously from the sidelines, unwilling to take that first step.
But once the first few stepped forward, the situation gradually changed.
Everything is hardest at the beginning.
With the first step taken, the rest became easier.
Ryugu Palace fully supported the effort. Not only did it help fulfill their people's dream of reaching the surface, but it also strengthened ties between Fish-Man Island and the Nightfall Pirates.
After all, their interests did not conflict.
Fish-Man Island currently had only one real connection to the surface world: the Whitebeard Pirates.
More allies would mean more opportunities.
The kingdom desperately wanted the nations of the surface to hear their voices. They were willing to cooperate, yet the surface world ignored them.
To most human nations, fish-men were nothing more than an inferior race fit only for slavery.
Even now, Fish-Man Island was not recognized as a member nation of the World Government.
Within three days, the Nightfall Pirates had recruited more than five hundred fish-men.
It sounded like a large number, but compared to Fish-Man Island's population of several million, it was barely noticeable.
All of the new recruits stayed aboard the pirate ship.
With more than five hundred additional members, space was tight. Some people had to sleep on the deck.
Still, this was the maximum capacity the ship could handle.
It wasn't that Teach couldn't acquire more ships. He deliberately chose not to.
Living together on one vessel forced the crew to interact and build stronger bonds.
After all, nearly a thousand members of the Nightfall Pirates were recent recruits.
Aside from the fish-men, most of the newcomers had been recruited in the Sabaody Archipelago.
The original crew, mostly from the Four Seas, were generally curious about fish-men and held little prejudice.
The Sabaody recruits were harder to judge.
But time would smooth things out.
With enough shared experiences, barriers would slowly fade. After a few battles fought side by side, friendships would naturally form.
Besides, with Teach and the core crew maintaining strict authority, few would dare to cause trouble.
And with so many fish-men now aboard, their collective strength was far from weak.
After four days on Fish-Man Island, the Nightfall Pirates finally prepared to depart.
King Neptune personally came to see them off.
During their stay, relations between the Nightfall Pirates and Ryugu Palace had grown surprisingly friendly.
The crew had purchased many deep-sea specialties from the island. Ryugu Palace had also gifted them a large collection of treasures.
Among those gifts was even a Devil Fruit.
It was an ordinary Zoan-type, the Toad-Toad Fruit, but it clearly showed the kingdom's sincerity.
Standing on the deck, Teach raised his voice.
"Prepare to set sail."
"Our destination… the New World!"
The Nightfall Pirates departed from Fish-Man Island.
And news of their imminent arrival in the New World spread quickly across the seas.
Fish-Man Island possessed its own visual communication network using Video Den Den Mushi. Through it, the news traveled across the world even faster than newspapers.