Promice!

After hanging up the phone, Nicholas's face turned grim. He knew that his contact with Bedeck usually involved special Den Den Mushi connections. The fact that Bedeck didn't answer meant that something was wrong on his end.

"That shark-faced guy over there."

Nicholas pointed at Jimbe, who looked puzzled, and continued, "Yes, you. I've already made arrangements with the Sabaody Archipelago. You'll go there and coordinate with the Doflamingo family. They'll do their best to send back any merfolk and fish-men captured from Fish-Man Island."

"What's wrong?" June noticed that Nicholas was in a bad mood and asked.

"Bedeck is in trouble. After we resolve the situation on Fish-Man Island, we'll pay a visit to Sabaody Archipelago," Nicholas replied, trying to sound casual, but June could sense the underlying tension.

Night fell, but Fish-Man Island was alive with activity. With the threat of pirates and slave traders gone, merfolk returned to the streets, rebuilding their homes. The previously deserted streets came back to life as the merfolk rejoiced in their newfound freedom.

At that moment, the image snails placed around Fish-Man Island began broadcasting. The image of Neptune appeared on screens all over the island. He apologized sincerely as the king of Fish-Man Island and explained the events of the day. Neptune expressed his gratitude to Nicholas and his pirate crew.

In the final moments of the broadcast, Neptune issued a long-awaited recruitment order to the entire Fish-Man Island!

The ordinary citizens of Fish-Man Island had no idea that this recruitment order was Neptune's first step in changing the island's status quo. To them, it seemed like Neptune was merely expanding the military to strengthen Fish-Man Island's defenses after the recent pirate invasion.

Thus, with Nicholas's intervention, Fish-Man Island began moving towards a different future.

Shortly after the broadcast ended, a shocking event rocked Fish-Man Island once again.

Neptune ordered the guards of Ryugu Palace to personally arrest several fish-men and incarcerate them in the palace's prison tower. The speed and forcefulness with which this was carried out exceeded everyone's expectations.

Although Ryugu Palace ruled Fish-Man Island, it was previously perceived as inactive, and its prison tower was more of a symbolic presence. But today, Neptune's decision changed everything.

Within a short period, this explosive news spread throughout Fish-Man Island.

"King Neptune actually ordered the arrest of fish-men... I can't even believe this is real."

"And most importantly, the guards of Ryugu Palace dared to enter Fish-Man District and make arrests, and Tiger Boss even allowed it."

"What happened that made Tiger Boss make such a decision?"

With the spread of this news, Fish-Man Island, just recovering from the pirate raid, was once again in turmoil.

Meanwhile, in a corner of Fish-Man Island, Hody Jones, who had narrowly escaped danger, was still shaken. Remembering the scene of a sawshark fish-man being shot by the guards of Ryugu Palace for resisting, Hody Jones felt a chill down his spine.

Now, watching the broadcast on the image snail, Hody Jones clenched his fists. He would reveal the truth to all the residents of Fish-Man Island and expose the dirty secrets of the royal family.

"Neptune, you traitor to Fish-Man Island! And you, Tiger and Jimbe, you traitors too!"

Inside the prison tower, watching Neptune, Tiger, and Jimbe, Hody shouted angrily as he gripped the bars of his cell.

Despite being prepared for this, the insults still affected Neptune, Tiger, and Jimbe.

"Shut up, Hody Jones. Do you think we don't know about your actions? Who was leading the fish-men to secretly rob passing merchant ships, sink them afterward, and even attack pirate crews at sea? Don't think I don't know that the reason those pirates attacked Fish-Man Island was because of your instigation. Even the breaches in Fish-Man Island's defenses can be traced back to you."

Anger filled Jimbe's voice. Some information was difficult to investigate amidst chaos, but once things settled down, many truths could come to light.

As Jimbe spoke, Tiger's expression darkened.

Although they knew Hody Jones and his followers were fish-man supremacists, they hadn't expected them to go to such lengths to incite hatred between Fish-Man Island and humans.

"Don't deserve to be called the king of Fish-Man Island, Neptune..."

Hody turned his head and looked at Neptune outside the prison tower, sneering, "Neptune, look at you. Leading the Ryugu Kingdom, you're just like a dog begging for stability from those inferior races who can't even breathe underwater! Even your ancestors wanted to join the World Government. Two hundred years ago, Fish-Man Island supported your royal family's decision to join the World Government. And then? Did those humans respect Fish-Man Island? In their eyes, we're still filthy, inferior beings. Oh, but of course, that's only for fish-men. After all, even mermaids are considered beautiful and elegant by humans. Your royal family's incompetence and cowardice have caused great harm to Fish-Men, and your repeated concessions are an insult to our noble bloodline. We, fish-men, are the rulers of the ocean! Those inferior races that can't even breathe underwater should fear us!!!"

Hody raised his arms, his eyes full of malice.

"We are the children of the sea, the rulers of the underwater world! We should crush those inferior races under our feet! Your royal family is the culprit for all the troubles of Fish-Man Island, hahaha! Knock down one fish-man, and thousands of fish-men will rise!"

Hody laughed loudly.

"What a lunatic!"

"This guy..."

Neptune, Tiger, and Jimbe all had grim expressions. Once again, Nicholas's words had hit the mark.

"Since you've proven me right, Neptune, let's make a deal," Nicholas said.

"What do you mean..."

Neptune's emotions were turbulent. What he witnessed and heard in the prison tower had deeply affected him.

Nicholas's expression suddenly became extremely serious.

"I, Albert Nicholas, will lead you all to the surface one day and ensure that both merfolk and fish-men can walk the world openly and freely."

"!!!"

Neptune, Tiger, and even Jimbe looked incredulous.

Because they recalled a certain agreement recorded in Fish-Man Island's history about a man and a mermaid princess from eight hundred years ago.