"Uh, Lieutenant General, aren't we going a bit overboard?" Lindeman cautiously asked as the warship passed through the front entrance of Fishman Island, standing behind Sakazuki.
In Lindeman's view, this kind of provocative move—killing people and causing trouble right at someone's doorstep—was certainly domineering but could easily lead to unnecessary conflicts.
If Fishman Island misunderstood it as a deliberate provocation, things would become especially troublesome.
Sakazuki shook his head. If he had the Marines with him this time, he wouldn't have chosen such a high-risk way to make an entrance.
"Anchor the warship outside the town. No one is to enter without orders," Sakazuki signaled for Onigumo to arrange for furling the sails and other related tasks.
Lindeman's doubts were normal, but the smart thing about "Fox" was that he never questioned his superior's orders during missions. Instead, he waited until the action was over to ask in private.
And in private, Sakazuki was willing to guide his capable subordinates: "It's actually very simple—it's a matter of stance."
"Stance... Lieutenant General, I don't quite understand. How does this relate to a stance issue?" Fox tilted his head.
The Lieutenant General didn't answer directly but instead posed a hypothetical question: "If we had the Marines with us, what do you think would happen next?"
"Uh... in that case, we could go straight to Ryugu Palace and explain our intentions to His Majesty, the great knight of the sea, Neptune. There would be no diplomatic disputes, nor any conflicts over interference in internal affairs," Lindeman thought carefully. He finally realized what Sakazuki was trying to tell him. "But right now, we don't..."
Sakazuki picked up where he left off: "Exactly. This time, we don't have the Marines with us. Therefore, we cannot recklessly go to Ryugu Palace to negotiate. We know we are acting independently, but Fishman Island doesn't."
If they were perceived as a Marine headquarters force intervening in Fishman Island, every move Sakazuki made from then on would be interpreted as an act of the Marine Headquarters or even the World Government.
And that was precisely what the Five Elders didn't want to see. The whole point of black operations was that even if people knew the World Government was behind it, they wouldn't be able to find any actual evidence or intelligence.
Lindeman pondered for a moment. "Lieutenant General, then how should we proceed? With just our force of a thousand men, it's unlikely we can maintain stability across all of Fishman Island."
Sakazuki closed his eyes slightly, remaining calm as ever. "Wait. We can't take the initiative to seek out the Neptune Army; we can only make them come to us. Do you understand my meaning?"
The earlier display of force sent two messages:
A highly powerful yet unidentified Marine unit was now stationed within Fishman Island's territory.
As the ruler of Fishman Island, Neptune would have no choice but to personally investigate after receiving this "signal" and "gift."
Ryugu Palace was situated at the topmost layer of Fishman Island, where sunlight could still reach. It was a luxurious palace built from massive coral reefs, seashells, and other materials. At the very top of the palace structure coiled a giant dragon, symbolizing the identity and status of Fishman Island's royal family.
"Your Majesty, we have an urgent military report!" The Grand Minister, responsible for overseeing Fishman Island's defense and military affairs, hurriedly arrived from the communication corridor.
Ryugu Palace reacted swiftly. Through the corridor specifically designed for relaying messages, the guard captain stationed at Fishman Island's main gate quickly reported a shocking event via the surveillance system and a Den Den Mushi call.
The Grand Minister, a seahorse fish-man, spoke with a grave expression. "According to the stationed soldiers, these Marines directly engaged a pirate crew waiting to enter the island—right at the front gate."
"And," the Grand Minister gripped the crescent-bladed glaive in his hand more tightly, "they annihilated that pirate crew in less than a minute."
"A minute?" The massive, crown-wearing male fish-man furrowed his brows. His physique was even more robust than the average fish-man, and he had thick, fluffy orange-red hair and a beard.
The meticulous Grand Minister nodded. "You heard correctly, Your Majesty. This Marine unit displayed overwhelming power. Before the Neptune Army could even react, they had already slaughtered every single pirate on board."
The revered Sea God of Fishman Island folded his arms, revealing flame-like tattoos on them. This stance made him appear even more imposing. "Where is the squad on duty?"
"Uh… Your Majesty, they were quite shaken up. In my personal opinion, their current state is not fit for an audience with you," the Grand Minister replied in his usual rigid manner, as a loyal guardian and defender of the royal family.
"Hoh hoh hoh hoh," Neptune laughed heartily. "Don't be so stiff. Let them in—it's fine."
"Well... understood!" The seahorse fish-man sighed in slight frustration at his king's carefree nature. He turned to the Neptune Army soldiers at the entrance of Ryugu Palace. "Open the doors and let them in."
A dozen or so Neptune Army fish-men, visibly trembling, entered carrying a box. The Grand Minister, seeing their pathetic state, couldn't help but snap in frustration: "What exactly happened? Report it to His Majesty clearly and truthfully!"
"Your Majesty, those Marines... they're demons," one fish-man soldier blurted out, still shaken by the terrifying scene he had witnessed.
"Blood... there was nothing but human blood, along with severed limbs everywhere," another fish-man recalled the gruesome scene, hastily covering his mouth as if about to retch.
Compared to his cowardly subordinates, the Neptune Army squad leader was far more composed. "Your Majesty, I've witnessed and participated in battles against pirates before, but I have never seen anything like this."
From the fragmented accounts of the soldiers, Neptune gradually pieced together the events. Noticing the lingering fear in the squad leader's expression, he asked, "Are you afraid?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Even when facing vicious pirates, I have never backed down. But this time... I was afraid." The Neptune Army squad leader nodded solemnly. "They were colder and more ruthless than the worst of pirates. They slaughtered the pirates with terrifying speed—strong, brutal, and completely unfazed by the bloodshed they caused."
One of the fish-men holding the box tugged at his captain's armor. "This... this is the head of the pirate captain. That Marine officer said it's a gift for you."
Neptune's eyes widened. In the past, even when capturing pirates, the Marines had never formally greeted the royal family.
The Neptune Army would simply accept their military orders and allow passage. But never before had Marines acted like this.
"..."
A brief silence. Neptune then picked up a finely-carved trident leaning against his throne. "Let's go meet them."
The Grand Minister immediately tried to dissuade him. "Your Majesty! The risk is too great! Those Marines are clearly not the gentle type. There's no need for you to go in person!"
The Sea God ran his hand over the massive whale that had swum near in response to his summons. "As of now, I am still a member of a World Government-affiliated nation. The Marines won't attack. But I must personally figure out why they have come to Fishman Island. That is my duty and responsibility as its protector!"
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