114 Stepping Back #114

The revelation sent shockwaves through the battlefield, and the fishmen recruits stood frozen in disbelief. Hody's confession had shattered the foundation of their loyalty, exposing the depths of his deceit and manipulation. The truth had finally come to light, and it was more devastating than any punch I could have thrown.

As the weight of Hody's words settled upon them, I seized the opportunity to send Hody flying before I addressed the fishmen recruits, my voice carrying across the battlefield. "You've heard it from his own mouth. Hody Jones is not the savior you believed him to be. He is a murderer and a traitor,"

The fishmen recruits exchanged uncertain glances, the doubt in their eyes growing more pronounced. The seed of truth had taken root, and it was beginning to erode the walls of hatred and sightless loyalty that Hody had constructed.

"You have a choice to make," I continued, my voice steady and firm. "You can continue down the path of destruction, following a leader who would manipulate and sacrifice you in a heartbeat. Or you can choose a different path..."

"I'm not telling you to stop hating humans, but at the very least, you should follow someone who gives a shit about you..." I concluded, trailing off as I surveyed the fishmen recruits.

Silence filled the air as the fishmen recruits wrestled with their decision. The weight of their choices hung heavily upon them, and the once fierce determination in their eyes wavered. It was a critical moment, a crossroad where they had to decide whether to break free from Hody's foolishness or succumb to its self-destructive allure.

As the tension mounted, a Fishman stepped forward from the crowd. The fireman's imposing stature and fierce expression conveyed a sense of authority as he approached me, his gaze piercing as he spoke with conviction.

"Enough, human! You dare to stand here and preach to us? Your words hold no weight. We cannot trust someone like you, no matter what truths you claim to reveal," he declared, his voice resonating with anger and hatred.

I couldn't help but sigh as I watched the hesitant fishmen recruits harden their resolve upon hearing their comrade's words. Their eyes burned with determination, and their grip tightened on their weapons. The atmosphere crackled with tension, ready to explode into violence.

I rubbed my forehead. My voice laced with frustration and irritation, I spoke. "How foolish could you be to refuse to listen to reason because a human spoke it? You let your hatred divert you to the truth, even when it's staring you in the face."

The same Fishman who had questioned Cedric before stepped forward, his voice filled with venomous defiance. "We have no intention of listening to human trickery. We will never trust your kind. Hody is our leader! He's one of our own and we will stand by him till the end."

As the Fishman spoke, Hody and the other officers recovered from their earlier defeat, gathering around Hody with newfound vigor. They each swallowed handfuls of energy steroids, their bodies pulsating with an unnatural power. The ground beneath them trembled, and the air grew heavy with the impending confrontation.

I narrowed my eyes as I witnessed the fishmen recruits reinforcing their loyalty to Hody, their determination unyielding. I had hoped to avoid further confrontation with the regular fishmen, as I knew I would have to stop holding back against such numbers, or I might risk defeat.

It's unfortunate, but if words and logic can't reach the fishmen, maybe some good old-fashioned violence and murder would knock some sense into their heads.

Shaking my head, I prepared to make the first move, knowing that violence might be the only way to break through their stubborn loyalty. But as I braced myself for the impending clash, a sudden interruption cut through the tense atmosphere.

"Stop it, you fools!" A loud exclamation filled the air, capturing everyone's attention. I turned toward the source and wasn't surprised to see a sizable blue-skinned Fishman standing atop Noah.

"The words of a human may not sway you, but maybe mine will," The Fishman boldly stated, his voice echoing as he leaped into the ground, creating a crater beneath him.

Everyone recognized him as Jinbe, the captain of the Sun Pirates, and the revelation of his identity sent shockwaves through the fishmen recruits, causing them to freeze in disbelief.

Jinbe's arrival brought a sudden halt to the escalating tension on the battlefield. The fishmen recruits, still reeling from the revelation of Hody's treachery, looked at Jinbe with awe and uncertainty. His presence commanded respect and authority, and his reputation spoke volumes.

Jinbe surveyed the scene, his eyes piercing through the chaos. "If you won't believe in the words of a human, believe in me," he declared, his voice firm and resolute.

He paused, allowing his words to sink in, before continuing. "Following Hody will only lead you to ruin. But it is not too late to choose a different path. Throw away your weapons and go home. Return to your families!"

A moment passed, and Jinbe did not receive any response. Hody looked in silent amusement, grinning smugly, but his grin slowly faded when a metallic clang echoed in the area as the one recruit dropped his sword.

The fishmen recruits hesitated, their eyes shifting between Jinbe and their comrade who had dared to drop his weapon. The weight of Jinbe's words and the shock of Hody's betrayal hung heavy in the air.

As another recruit dropped their weapon, another followed, and it seemed that everyone was ready to listen to reason, but before hope fully enrooted itself, Hody made his move.

Consumed by rage and desperation, he launched a surprise attack on the Fishman, who had discarded his weapon, killing him instantly and viciously for all to see.

The battlefield erupted into chaos again as cries of outrage and sorrow filled the air. The fishmen recruits wavered between shock and anger, their doubts overshadowed by the raw grief of losing one of their own. It was a grim reminder of the extent Hody would go to maintain his grip on their loyalty.

"JINBE!" Hody bellowed in a rage. "You damned traitor! Don't think you can come here and deceive our brethren!"

Jinbe's expression turned sorrowful as he witnessed the cruel act committed by Hody. He stepped forward, ignoring Hody. His voice filled with regret and determination, he spoke. "I apologize for not acting sooner," he said, expression carrying the weight of his words. "I have always known about the darkness within Hody, but I never thought he would sink this low. It is my responsibility to put an end to this."

Jinbe turned to me, his eyes meeting mine. "Young man, please, do not interfere. It is my responsibility; this is a battle I must fight."

I nodded with a shrug. "As you wish,"

With that, I stepped back, allowing Jinbe to take center stage. The fishmen recruits, still reeling from Hody's shocking act, shifted their attention to Jinbe, their gazes filled with confusion and hope.

Jinbe's sorrowful expression mirrored the pain and disappointment felt by the fishmen recruits. They had trusted Hody, only to be betrayed by his cruelty. Now, they looked to an alternate path.

Jinbe stood tall, his presence commanding respect. He addressed the fishmen recruits, his voice carrying across the battlefield, filled with determination and conviction.

"I stand before you not as an outsider but as a fellow Fishman," Jinbe began, his words resonating with the weight of his experience and integrity. "I understand your anger and your desire for justice. But Hody has taken advantage of that anger and twisted it for his own selfish hatred."

The fishmen recruits listened intently, their doubts and confusion beginning to overshadow their fear.

"I offer you a different path," Jinbe continued, his voice unwavering. "I have fought for the rights of Fishmen and will continue to do so. Join the army or the sun pirates, and together we will build a brighter future for our brethren!"

Jinbe's words resonated with the fishmen recruits, their resolve slowly shifting. They began to see the truth in his words, recognizing that their loyalty to Hody had been misplaced. They exchanged glances, their skepticism slowly giving way to hope.

One by one, the fishmen recruits dropped their weapons, their loyalty shifting away from Hody. The battlefield transformed from hatred and violence to a scene of introspection and hope.

Jinbe extended a hand to the fishmen recruits, his voice filled with genuine compassion. "Let us put an end to this senseless fighting. Together, we can forge a new path. A path that will lead us to the sun!"

With the fishmen recruits now on his side, Jinbe turned his attention to Hody, the once charismatic leader who had fallen into darkness, unable to do anything besides watching in disbelief as the fishmen recruits abandoned him, leaving him only with his officers.