"Vice Admiral! Vice Admiral Sakazuki! The people from Fish-Man Island have arrived!" Onigumo knocked on the cabin door. He lifted his head and looked toward the approaching royal palanquin in the distance.
The elite troops responsible for escorting the Fish-Man Island royal family—an exceptional force even among the vast Sea King Army.
Sakazuki responded and stepped out, fixing his gaze on the Fish-Man army that had halted dozens of meters away. After some thought, he decided to bring along his two adjutants as he disembarked from the warship.
"Your Majesty, Sea God, Vice Admiral Sakazuki of the Navy Headquarters pays his respects." The highest-ranking officer of the warship spoke loudly. The ruler of Fish-Man Island stood surrounded by a well-disciplined, well-equipped army.
Hearing the Navy's greeting, the massive coelacanth merfolk, riding a whale, slowly advanced and nodded slightly.
Though the burly vice admiral was already considered quite tall among humans, he was still dwarfed by the towering Neptune standing before him.
"What brings a vice admiral of the Navy Headquarters here?" The ruler of Fish-Man Island, holding his trident in his arms, got straight to the point.
"As you can see, to exterminate pirates," Sakazuki replied without arrogance or subservience.
The Great Knight of the Sea and the vice admiral of the Navy stood less than three meters apart. Though the seasoned warrior was one of the top three experts on Fish-Man Island, standing before Sakazuki felt like standing at the mouth of a volcano—oppressive, heavy, and suffocating.
At his level, he could already gauge an opponent's strength through sheer instinct, yet looking down at Sakazuki gave him the illusion of being looked down upon instead.
The navy's response did not confirm the Sea God's previous speculations. Neptune casually asked, "Is this the decision of the Navy Headquarters?"
Sakazuki did not hide anything. "No, this is my decision."
"..." Neptune's brow gradually furrowed. "You must understand, according to the laws of the World Government, I have the right to order your expulsion."
Sakazuki did not answer directly but instead presented the data he had gathered beforehand: "In Sea Circle Calendar 1498 and 1499, the number of missing persons on Fish-Man Island remained stable at around 20 to 50 per year. However, after the execution of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger, within just two years—from 1500 to early 1501—you, Your Majesty, must already know how drastically the numbers changed, don't you?"
These words struck a sore spot for Neptune. As the king of the Ryugu Kingdom, how could he not care about his own people?
Even though he had doubled the patrol numbers and density of the Sea King Army, it was still like trying to extinguish a raging fire with a cup of water in the face of the overwhelming influx of human pirates to Fish-Man Island.
Too many pirates and slave traders saw Fish-Man Island as a juicy prize, knowing that they had ample channels and means to make exorbitant profits on the Red Line.
As a nominal member of the World Government's allied nations, Neptune had heard whispers about the fate of the captured merfolk and fish-men.
The Celestial Dragons—the descendants of the twenty royal families who originally formed the World Government, the self-proclaimed supreme beings, and so-called creators—were the biggest buyers of these captives.
Neptune was filled with rage but dared not express it. That was the greatest helplessness of a ruler. He wanted to seek justice for the minority who were persecuted and enslaved, but he also had to prioritize the safety of the majority on Fish-Man Island.
If he were to openly break ties with the World Government, the tragic consequences of a Buster Call sent by the Navy Headquarters were still fresh in his memory.
Fish-Man Island desperately needed a powerful ally.
Neptune's expression flickered with uncertainty. If only this vice admiral before him had been officially dispatched by the Navy Headquarters—it would be a clear declaration of the navy's stance, deterring many pirates who sought to plunder Fish-Man Island's people.
"You came here this time to capture pirates?" Neptune reconfirmed the key question. He was worried that this fleet, like so many before it, would come and go hastily.
After capturing pirates, the merfolk still disappeared.
"Not capturing pirates—exterminating them," Sakazuki corrected Neptune's wording. He paused for a moment before adding, "If you permit it, my troops will be stationed on this island for a while."
The Great Knight of the Sea, Neptune, had already made up his mind. Even though this was not an official deployment from Navy Headquarters, the arrival of this powerful force was an opportunity he would not waste.
Even if they had come of their own accord, the navy's presence was undoubtedly a morale booster for the people of Fish-Man Island, who had suffered at the hands of pirates for too long.
For the first time, the king of Fish-Man Island extended a formal invitation: "Fish-Man Island welcomes the navy's garrison. I, Neptune, humbly request—if you permit it—the Sea King Army would like to invite the navy to join our island's defense efforts."
Sakazuki nodded in satisfaction. As expected of a true leader, this Sea God Neptune knew how to play his cards.
This way, rather than being seen as the navy illegally interfering in the military affairs of an allied nation, their presence would now be regarded as an official invitation from the king himself to jointly safeguard Fish-Man Island's security.
He extended his hand toward Neptune, the highest ruler of Fish-Man Island. "That couldn't be better. Exterminating pirates and maintaining regional stability is the duty of the navy."
The massive Neptune readily dismounted from his whale, bent down, and extended his hand in alliance.
"Then please, esteemed warriors, proceed to Ryugu Palace. We shall properly welcome the navy's forces who have traveled so far."
However, Sakazuki firmly rejected the offer. "No reward without merit. Besides, our purpose here is to exterminate pirates."
He gestured toward his subordinates. "Lindeman, Onigumo, prepare the troops. Each of you will lead a team to assist the Sea King Army in patrolling key areas."
With that, Sakazuki turned back toward the warship. The justice coat draped over his back billowed with his swift movements. The word "Justice" reflected in Neptune's eyes.
"Apologies, but compared to fine wine and delicacies, my men prefer to let their blades drink deep of pirate blood."
The Great Minister, responsible for commanding the Sea King Army, stepped forward, visibly displeased. "How insolent! They completely ignored Your Majesty's goodwill!"
"Oh? On the contrary, I find myself quite admiring this general." The Sea God's lips curled into a slight smile.
"Eh?" The Great Minister's seahorse-like face froze in disbelief.
Neptune turned and led his men away, summoning his troops to march on. A small catfish merfolk approached him. "Your Majesty, do you really intend to trust these navy men?"
Neptune chuckled. "Left Minister, at first, when he said he came without orders, I had my doubts. But just now, I believe him."
"Only a navy officer with such character, temper, and determination—one who refuses to accept the status quo—would dare defy the world and try to uphold true justice, no matter the cost."
The ruler of Fish-Man Island lifted his gaze toward the light source of his kingdom, the Sunlight Tree Eve, which transmitted the sun's radiance even to the depths of the ocean.
And yet, who could spread justice and equality into the hearts of all?
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the easiest way to find is to copy and paste THE LINK IN THE SYNOPSIS
www.patreon.com/c/iamsuzu
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