While King Neptune, Queen Otohime, and the princes were still discussing Fishman Island's future, a catfish merman came sprinting into the hall, gasping for breath.
"Bad news, Your Majesty! Your Highness!"
Neptune and Otohime both stiffened. The Left Minister was usually calm and composed; seeing him this flustered meant trouble.
"What is it, Left Minister?" Neptune asked, gripping his trident.
"Haa… haa… Your Majesty, My Queen… a Celestial Dragon has suffered a shipwreck and drifted into Fishman Island. He's at the harbor right now!"
"What!?" Neptune and Otohime shot to their feet.
"H-How is he?" Otohime asked anxiously. "Is he injured?"
"The Celestial Dragon is alive," the Left Minister said between breaths. "But all his guards are dead. He's the only survivor."
Otohime's eyes lit with urgency. "What? Then hurry, take me to him! This is a golden opportunity!"
"You mustn't!" everyone in the room blurted out at once.
Even Jinbe, who had just arrived, shook his head firmly.
"Why?" Otohime asked, stunned.
Neptune took a deep breath. "Otohime, Celestial Dragons are not what you think. They're greedy, cruel, twisted. They treat others as livestock. They've committed every crime under the sun."
He described the "normal behavior" of Celestial Dragons in Mary Geoise—slaves, collars, auctions, casual executions.
The others all nodded grimly.
"But… but this is still a chance for fish-men and humans to coexist!" Otohime's eyes shimmered with tears. "If we can rescue a Celestial Dragon and sit down to talk…"
"Otohime," Jinbe said quietly. "We all want peace. But you can't take that risk. Their minds are broken. You'd be in danger."
"If I don't go," she argued, "who will talk? You men will just glare at him!"
"This is our best chance. We save his life, treat him sincerely, and speak properly… maybe we can finally break the curse that's hovered over Fishman Island for eight hundred years!"
The hall fell silent.
Slowly, the air around Otohime seemed to change. A gentle yet powerful aura flowed from her, brushing against everyone's hearts. Her unique Observation Haki, laden with emotion, began to sway their resolve.
Jinbe felt it, but didn't think much of it. It was still Otohime's wish, after all.
Neptune's rigid expression softened. The princes shifted uneasily.
"...Alright," Neptune finally said. "Then I'll go with you."
He turned to Jinbe. "I'll leave Her Highness' protection to you."
"This is my duty, Your Majesty," Jinbe said, bowing. "I will not let harm come to the Queen."
"Then let's hurry," Otohime urged. "If something happens while we sit here, it'll be too late!"
She dashed out of the hall. Neptune, Jinbe, and the guards scrambled to follow.
Meanwhile, on Sabaody Archipelago, in the office of the 62nd Marine Base, a roar echoed through the building.
"What!? Fleet Admiral Sengoku, this glorious and noble mission? I refuse!"
Sengoku's furious bellow boomed from the Den Den Mushi. "Shut it! That's an order!"
The Den Den Mushi even puffed up its cheeks and adjusted its little wire glasses just like Sengoku.
"Come on, old man," Jin complained, slumped back in his chair. "I just got back from a mission. I haven't even had a proper rest, and now you're throwing this crap at me?"
Kuro, Jango, Ain, and Ryder, standing at attention nearby, all tried to merge into the wall. The moment they heard the words "Celestial Dragon shipwreck," they knew this was going to be a mess.
And then they discovered their commanding officer… really didn't like Celestial Dragons.
"Your last little joyride does not count as a mission!" Sengoku roared. "This request came from the World Government!"
"Why does it have to be me?" Jin groaned, sagging even deeper into his chair.
"Because," Sengoku said through gritted teeth, "Sakazuki is in the New World. Kuzan has to remain at Marineford. Borsalino must stay in the Holy Land. That leaves you as the only Admiral-level combat power available."
Jin stared at the Den Den Mushi. "What about Gion and Tokikake? Those two together could beat an Admiral into the floor. Or Garp. That old monster could use an Admiral as a hammer."
"Shut up!" Sengoku snapped. "You are going. Gion has other duties. Tokikake is already en route with CP9 to rendezvous with you."
At that moment, noisy chewing came from the other end of the line.
"Oi, Sengoku, why is there only one bag of senbei in your drawer?" Garp's voice echoed faintly in the background.
There was a crack of something heavy hitting something harder.
"Garp, put that down! That's my last bag!" Sengoku roared.
"Senbei is meant to be eaten, old friend! Donuts, too!" Garp replied cheerfully.
"Shut up—no, I mean stop eating! You gluttonous idiot! Go chew your donuts elsewhere! Anyway, that's it. Tokikake will support you, but you're in charge. End of discussion."
Click.
The line went dead.
Jin glared at the Den Den Mushi. "Damn it. Why do I have to do this joke of a mission? If a Celestial Dragon dies, so what? They've got a whole stack of spares up there…"
As he said that, the office door swung open and Tokikake stepped in, freezing mid-stride.
He had clearly heard every word.
Nope, Tokikake thought. Definitely hallucinating. I must just be exhausted. No way he just said that out loud like Garp…
Two CP9 agents in black suits followed behind him, faces dark as soot. But knowing Jin's file—three-color Haki, Mythical Zoan, suspected Admiral-level strength—they swallowed their outrage.
Jin flicked them a glance. "Kuro, you're with me. The rest stay and hold the base."
"Yes, Rear Admiral!" they answered.
"Let's go, Tokikake." Jin strode past him.
The two walked side by side, with Kuro half a step behind and the CP9 pair bringing up the rear.
Jin was still grumbling. "Damn it, why this mission? Sengoku knows the fish-men and I have bad blood. Sending me is like sending a spark into a powder keg."
Tokikake just chuckled, more than happy to not be the one in charge for once.
They boarded the coated warship. With a soft rumble, the ship submerged and began its descent into the deep sea.
Tokikake lit two cigars and passed one over, grinning. "Come on, White-kid. We're going to Fishman Island. Just picture all those gorgeous mermaid girls. Doesn't that cheer you up a little?"
Jin took the cigar, lit it, and exhaled. "Helps exactly one percent. I hate this kind of mission. After we get back, I'm taking some damn leave."
"No way," Tokikake said in mock shock. "Rumor says you dump everything on your subordinates. Paperwork, training, even most fights. 'Let the kids grow,' right? What exactly do you need leave from?"
Jin gave him a lazy side-eye. "My subordinates are competent. If they can handle things without me, why should I hover over them? That's called trusting your team."
Tokikake snorted. "You win. I got nothing."
"So why are you here?" Jin asked. "I'd have thought you'd avoid this assignment like the plague."
A familiar sleazy grin spread across Tokikake's face. "Because, White-kid… mermaids."
His voice dropped conspiratorially. "Fishman Island's famous for them. You know, right?"
Jin rolled his eyes, but his mind betrayed him with a brief image of curvy mermaids in shell bikinis.
He shook his head to clear it and changed the subject. "I heard that old man Garp smacked Kaido around recently?"
Tokikake nodded. "Didn't you read the paper?"
"I've been busy with… upgrades," Jin said.
"Right, right. Well, same old story. Kaido tried rampaging at G-4 again. Garp just happened to be resupplying there. They fought. Sakazuki arrived later, and the two of them together finally brought Kaido down."
"Did they kill him?" Jin asked.
Tokikake shrugged. "As if. The World Government ordered him sent to Impel Down."
Jin snorted. "He'll escape. Betting on it. They should've knocked him out and force-fed him another Devil Fruit. See if he dies or not."
Tokikake stared. "That's… horrifyingly dirty. It's a tragedy you didn't get stationed at G-5."
"You think I didn't want to?" Jin sighed. "Feels like that's where I truly belong."
They fell silent for a while, watching the deep-sea scenery drift past.
Jin's thoughts turned inward.
Kaido's pushing himself toward awakening, he figured. Mythical Zoan. He's probably one step away.
And me… same problem. With normal Zoans you just keep getting beat up until your body catches up. Mythicals? You have to fight like hell and squeeze every last drop of power out of yourself.
And even then, it takes luck to awaken. Kaido's endless suicide attempts… probably part of that.
He pictured a fully awakened fish-dragon, scales unbreakable, breath unstoppable.
The so-called "strongest creature in the world", huh?
Jin smirked.
Strongest creature? We'll see.
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