At that moment, everyone was stunned by Queen Otohime's reaction.
"What's going on?"
"Your Majesty…"
"Tiger-brother… you…"
Jinbe looked at Tiger as if he had guessed something, but Tiger said nothing. His face was dark, his jaw set.
Then Yemu's voice rang out again, a trace of disdain in his eyes.
"Those tears are meaningless."
"Tiger, do you remember what you once said?"
"The weak can't protect what they want to protect."
"And while killing can't solve every problem, it can solve some."
The vast banquet hall fell into complete silence.
Everyone kept turning those two sentences over in their minds.
"The weak can't protect what they want to protect."
"And while killing can't solve every problem, it can solve some."
Those words struck home for many present—especially Jinbe, Aladdin, Arlong, and the others who had grown up in Fish-Man District.
At that moment, their hostility toward this human lessened.
Neptune, too, began to seriously consider Yemu's words. He understood his wife's innocence all too well.
But he truly had no better solution.
Could this pirate from the human world really have one?
He didn't know—but he chose to ask.
"Captain Yemu, could you explain in more detail?"
Yemu didn't keep them waiting.
"My method is simple. Criminals are punished by law. So establish strict laws on Fish-Man Island specifically targeting pirates and traffickers. Arm the entire island. Mobilize both fish-men and mermen. Hunt them down so they have nowhere to hide. Once found, execute them publicly to serve as a warning."
He spoke calmly.
"This won't completely eliminate traffickers. Human greed has no limits. But it will stop them from running wild like they are now."
"This…"
Neptune felt the proposal had merit—but he also sensed the danger within it.
"But if we do that, what will happen to our relationship with humanity? Our ancestors spent two hundred years becoming a member nation of the World Government, gaining recognition from humans. If we follow your approach, Captain Yemu… I'm afraid… And arming the entire island…"
He trailed off.
Yemu fixed him with a steady, oppressive gaze.
"You say humans have accepted fish-men, King Neptune. Are you really as naive as your Queen?"
"Eh?!"
"If what you're saying were true, then why are there so many mermaid traffickers here?"
"This…"
"King Neptune. Queen Otohime. Everyone here. Tell me—has your situation truly improved since becoming a member nation of the World Government?"
"This… this…"
Each question left the people of Fish-Man Island speechless.
Improved?
Improved how?
Not a single person present could honestly say they felt it.
In the mouths of pirates, they were still monsters. Still freaks.
Yemu did not push things to extremes.
"It looks like you already know the answer."
"I understand your concerns. You're afraid of provoking a strong reaction from the human world. Ideally, you'd use both punishment and reward. A stick and a carrot."
He paused slightly.
"But unfortunately, the ones coming to Fish-Man Island are either hostile pirates or traffickers. There's no one here who deserves a carrot."
"So during the process of killing, what matters most is strict and fair enforcement of the law."
Yemu looked at everyone in the hall.
"Even though this is my first day on Fish-Man Island, if my perception isn't wrong, those traffickers include not only humans, but also mermen and fish-men from your own island."
The words left everyone from Fish-Man Island visibly uncomfortable.
It was something they had been deliberately avoiding.
They blamed everything on humans—but if there were no insiders on Fish-Man Island, then who helped coat the ships of those pirate crews that managed to escape with trafficked mermaids?
"I don't expect pirates and traffickers to acknowledge Fish-Man Island's laws," Yemu continued calmly. "But at the very least, you must ensure absolute fairness. Don't you agree?"
"This is the best solution I can think of for now."
Silence fell over the banquet hall again. The fish-men and mermen exchanged uneasy glances.
"Can… can it really work?"
"It doesn't sound unreasonable…"
"But if it only deepens human hatred toward us…"
At that moment, Tiger's eyes grew firm.
He rose from his seat, stepped into the center of the hall, and bowed his head slightly toward Yemu.
"Thank you, Captain. I understand."
Then he turned toward King Neptune and Queen Otohime. For the first time, he dropped to one knee.
"King Neptune, Queen Otohime. I won't pretend to know what the final outcome will be. But I trust my captain. I'm willing to try. If it can change the current situation on Fish-Man Island, then whatever the result, it will be worth it."
Seeing Tiger's unwavering expression, Jinbe, Aladdin, and Arlong immediately stepped forward to stand beside him.
"Tiger-aniki, we believe in you."
Nothing more needed to be said.
Neptune's expression hardened as well.
"I understand, Tiger. I will assign the Royal Army to cooperate with you. Any request within reason, I will grant. You may even act in my name if necessary."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Though Neptune had agreed, Tiger knew this could not be done without Yemu's involvement.
"Captain."
"I know," Yemu replied. "I'll help. And…"
He looked at his crew.
"For Tiger's homeland, let's get to work."
He began assigning tasks one by one.
"Enel. You're responsible for monitoring the entire island. Before we leave, I don't want to hear about a single mermaid or fish-man going missing."
"Ha. That's easy. Leave it to me."
Enel narrowed his eyes, clearly energized.
"Erik, you'll follow… You're Jinbe, right?"
Jinbe straightened instinctively.
"That's me, Yemu…aniki."
"Uh… forget that. Starting today, Erik, you'll stick with Jinbe. If they run into situations that are difficult to handle, you step in. You understand what I mean."
A sharp killing intent flickered in Yemu's eyes.
Erik nodded without hesitation.
"I understand, Captain. Leave it to me."
"Next, Flare. The beginning is always the hardest part. Having a human handle certain matters will be smoother and less explosive. You'll lead the rest of the crew to assist Erik. Any problem with that?"
"Of course not."
"Good."
Yemu's gaze sharpened.
"Finally, the most important matter—the law. Tiger, you've traveled the world. You've seen the laws of many kingdoms. I know a bit myself. But if the laws are drafted by just the two of us, they won't convince Fish-Man Island."
He slowly lifted his eyes toward the throne, meeting the gazes of King Neptune and Queen Otohime.