At the end of 1483 in the Sea Circle Calendar, in the New World, at a depth of 10,000 meters beneath the sea, Fish-Man Island.
Fish-Man Island, currently experiencing turmoil and rebellion, was going through a dark age.
On the island, pirate forces ran rampant, openly committing arson, murder, and plunder while completely disregarding the flag of the Rocks Pirates flying above the island. They stopped at no evil.
Or rather, it wasn't just disregard—they were practically trampling the name of the Rocks Pirates underfoot.
Meanwhile, the royal army of Fish-Man Island was utterly powerless to act.
This was because intense turmoil had long been brewing within the Ryugu Kingdom.
Under the machinations of the kingdom's general, Daken, the authority of the current king, Aegir, was continuously eroded.
Now, apart from retaining his title as king, the only thing he could still command was the loyal royal army.
The rest were either Daken's subordinates or fence-sitters, not worth mentioning.
Under such circumstances, how could Fish-Man Island possibly move in a positive direction?
With Daken's tacit approval, large numbers of mermaids were continuously captured by the pirates on the island, taken to the outside world to be auctioned or used as bargaining chips for advancement.
So far, over a hundred mermaids had fallen victim to this fate.
As for fish-men, the number was even greater—too many to count.
Faced with this situation, the mermaids had only two options left.
One was to hide in uninhabited areas of Fish-Man Island, such as the Sea Forest.
But these places were too dangerous, where they could easily lose their lives or be discovered by pirates.
The other option was to hide outside Fish-Man Island, seeking refuge in the deep sea.
However, this approach made them vulnerable to attacks by the deep-sea Sea Kings.
Both options offered little chance of survival—it was truly a miserable predicament.
Amid this crisis, public opinion on the island gradually grew extreme, splitting into two factions.
Most of the native inhabitants of Fish-Man Island began to yearn for the protection of the Rocks Pirates, remembering how much better life had been under their rule.
A small minority of radical fish-men, however, grew even more extreme, becoming excited by the chaotic situation.
These troublemakers hoped to see Fish-Man Island descend into even greater chaos, believing it would facilitate their next move toward domination.
At the same time, they promoted the ideology of fish-man supremacy, seeking to expand the influence of fish-men.
Daken was the representative figure of this small faction.
In a secret underground council chamber on the outskirts of Fish-Man Island, the air was stifling and humid.
This was the heart of the rebellion controlled by Daken, the brother of King Aegir.
Within this hall forged from volcanic rock and deep-sea metal, a secret meeting that would determine the fate of Fish-Man Island was underway.
Daken, a powerfully built sawshark fish-man, sat at the head of the table, his face wearing a fanatical and morbid smile.
His gaze swept over a dozen core confidants and various pirate leaders in the hall, his voice low and seductive.
"Our time has come!"
Daken slammed the table abruptly, causing the seawater on it to ripple slightly.
"That stubborn old fool Aegir, always dreaming of peaceful coexistence with humans—he's nothing but a disgrace to the Fish-Man Tribe."
"Look at the human pirates flooding our island these years. They act without restraint, plundering our resources. Is this the treatment we, the proud children of the sea, deserve?"
Beside him, a massive sea cow fish-man general, known as Ironclad Goru, immediately chimed in.
"Your Highness Daken is absolutely right! The Fish-Man Tribe possesses the power of Fish-Man Karate and the sea itself. We should uphold fish-man supremacy!"
"Drive out those lowly humans, suppress the mermaids who lord over us, and seize all the wealth of Fish-Man Island for ourselves."
Daken nodded in satisfaction, tapping his fingers on the table.
"Excellent! Our plan is mostly complete. That brute Neptune, who relies solely on brute strength, is no match for us."
"As for that old fool Aegir, there's no need to worry about him. He's aged and nearly useless."
"Now, there are only two potential threats we need to focus on. First, those ignorant fish-men in the Fish-Man District led by Tiger."
"The second threat, and the most critical one, is the group of pirates we recruited."
After a pause, Daken turned to a hawk-nosed fish-man.
"Cass, the pirates you brought, while they've transported many weapons for us, are insatiably greedy."
"Once we seize power, how should we deal with them to ensure it's clean and doesn't affect our overall plans?"
Cass let out a cold, raspy laugh.
"Your Highness, it's simple. When we launch the final assault, position them on the front lines to deplete Ryugu Palace's forces."
"After the battle, regardless of whether they're alive or dead, we'll eliminate them under the pretext of 'cleaning up remnants of the rebellion.'"
"After all, the ideology of fish-man supremacy cannot tolerate humans running amok on our island."
"Your Highness, Cass's plan is perfect. No human can be trusted—they must all be killed."
"I agree, Your Highness. Wipe out those pirates and show them who truly rules the seas."
Sinister laughter echoed through the hall as everyone indulged in fantasies of impending victory and bloody purges.
Daken's ambition had reached its peak.
Although he had ordered his subordinates to guide these pirates to Fish-Man Island and commit these crimes, it didn't mean Daken held no grievances against them.
Previously, it had been a necessary move to completely erase the traces of the Rocks Pirates from Fish-Man Island while ensuring their faction didn't draw too much attention.
Otherwise, Daken, who adhered to mermaid supremacy ideals, would never have condescended to use these pirates.
Frankly, he didn't just despise these pirates—he even looked down on Rocks, whose power far surpassed his own.
In essence, Daken and all his followers were extreme racists.
"Very well, we'll proceed as you suggest. Make preparations in advance to eliminate them all when the time comes—leave none alive."
"Your Highness, I have another matter to report."
"Speak."
"While we can eliminate these pirates, what about our captured mermaids and fish-men? A significant portion have been taken to the surface by slavers."
At that moment, a somewhat simple and honest fish-man, who still retained a trace of "humanity," stepped forward to report.
The thought of those several ships carrying away their kidnapped mermaid and fish-man brothers and sisters made his heart ache as if cut by a knife.
"This—"
Daken was momentarily at a loss for words. This was indeed a troublesome matter.
Although the kidnapping of these mermaids and fish-men was a result he had tacitly allowed and condoned, he was genuinely concerned that it might become an obstacle to his future rule over Fish-Man Island.
But soon, Daken snapped back to attention. A flicker of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes as he spoke directly.
"Simply announce that those kidnapped fish-men and mermaids have already been killed—all victims of human slaughter."
"As for the mermaids and fish-men who haven't been taken away yet after the pirates are dealt with, eliminate them all. They can no longer be allowed to exist, lest they affect the bigger picture."
"But—"
"I said, nothing must affect the bigger picture. Understood?"
Daken fixed his gaze on the simple and honest fish-man who had spoken, his tone carrying a hint of threat.
"Yes, I understand, my lord."
Though unwilling and finding it hard to believe that his own lord would deal so ruthlessly with their fellow islanders, he knew the arrow was already on the bowstring—there was no turning back. There was nothing he could change.
Seeing that no one raised any objections, Daken stood up, ready to deliver his final mobilization speech.
Then, the unexpected finally occurred. Daken's nightmare was about to descend!
--Enjoying the story? Want more chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance chapters.
Just search for "GoddessTL" on Patreon!"
Thanks!