One Kill, One Capture, Acquiring the Mark-Mark Fruit(Mato Mato no Mi)

"Three ancient weapons?!" Jinbe's face showed an expression of shock. He couldn't understand why Sanders would bring up the ancient weapons.

"The three ancient weapons, which have been given divine names: Pluton, Uranus, and Poseidon. Among them, the ancient weapon Poseidon reappears every few hundred years, manifesting as a mermaid princess. The current Poseidon is none other than Shirahoshi," Sanders explained without hesitation.

He knew Jinbe wouldn't spread this information recklessly because it would bring unimaginable disaster to Fish-Man Island.

"Poseidon?!" Jinbe was utterly stunned. He hadn't imagined that the legendary mermaid princess, said to be capable of summoning Sea Kings, was actually one of the three ancient weapons. The fact that one of the ancient weapons was a living person was even more surprising.

But how did Sanders know this? Even the royal family of Ryugu Kingdom only knew that a mermaid princess who could summon Sea Kings appeared every few centuries. They had no idea that this mermaid princess was actually the ancient weapon Poseidon.

"You're telling me this without fear that I might reveal it to others?" Jinbe asked, puzzled. This was his first meeting with Sanders, and they had never interacted before. Why would Sanders reveal such a secret?

"Would you say it?" Sanders smiled at Jinbe.

Jinbe fell silent. He fully understood the consequences if this secret got out. Ambitious forces across the sea—the Marines, World Government, and pirates alike—would turn their attention to Fish-Man Island. This would plunge Fish-Man Island, already struggling to survive, into an even worse crisis, possibly leading to its destruction.

"What do you intend to do with this power?" Jinbe asked after a moment of silence.

"Nothing," Sanders replied. "I told you I won't force Shirahoshi to do anything against her will. I simply think that someone with such incredible talent would make a fitting companion for me.

"Just like my other crew members: my first mate Issho, who possesses top-tier strength; my navigator, who has the best navigation skills on the seas; my archaeologist, who can read the Poneglyphs; and my ship doctor, who holds the ability of the Op-Op Fruit and could potentially perform the Perpetual Youth Surgery.

"Adding a mermaid princess who can summon Sea Kings isn't too surprising, don't you think?" Sanders smiled.

He considered Issho and the others as his true crewmates—the core members of the Thunder God Pirates. Everyone else was secondary.

"So, Jinbe, the best in sea battles—will you join my crew?" Sanders extended his invitation once again.

Jinbe looked at Sanders in shock. He hadn't expected Sanders' crew to consist of such top-tier individuals.

"We're almost at Fish-Man District. Are you sure you can find Hody Jones and Vander Decken IX?" Jinbe didn't answer the invitation directly but instead shifted the topic.

Fish-Man District was vast, not a place where people were easily found. If Vander Decken IX was that easy to locate, Jinbe, given his connections on Fish-Man Island, would have captured him long ago to end Shirahoshi's troubles.

"They're here, and not only that, they're together," Sanders stated confidently.

Because of the immense size of the whale Hoe, Neptune's steed, they decided to leave it stationed above Fish-Man District to avoid alarming the targets. As a precaution, Sanders also asked Jinbe to wrap him in a bubble.

Meanwhile, in a hidden corner of Fish-Man District.

Vander Decken IX, accompanied by members of the Flying Pirates, arrived at Hody Jones' secret base.

"Bahaha! Hody Jones, I heard some of your officers were captured and handed over to Ryugu Kingdom?" Vander Decken IX mocked as he strode into the base, his four-legged body adorned with necklaces and a small top hat on his head.

"This hideout isn't bad. I also heard you've formed the New Fish-Man Pirates? Aren't you afraid Jinbe will hunt you down? He's still on the island," Vander Decken teased, surveying the hideout with a smirk.

"That traitor Jinbe, who mingles with humans, is unworthy of leading the Fish-Man Pirates!" Hody Jones snarled.

Hody Jones' expression turned grim."Mingling with those inferior and vile humans—Jinbe is a disgrace to fishmen!"

"Bahaha!" Vander Decken IX laughed uproariously.

"Would you dare say that to Jinbe's face?"

A flash of unease flickered in Hody Jones' eyes. Jinbe was, without question, the strongest figure on Fish-Man Island at present. Even if Hody were to consume energy steroids, he couldn't match Jinbe in combat.

If it weren't for Jinbe and the Fish-Man Pirates still being stationed on Fish-Man Island, Hody wouldn't be hiding in the shadows—he would have stepped into the limelight openly.

"If you're just here to mock me, you can leave," Hody said darkly.

"Alright then, what's the real reason you summoned me here?" Vander Decken IX shrugged, feigning nonchalance.

"I want us to join forces to attack Ryugu Kingdom!"

"What?!" Vander Decken IX's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you insane?! Even if we team up, we can't defeat Neptune's royal army and Jinbe's Fish-Man Pirates!"

Unlike Hody, Vander Decken IX knew his limits. He might be capable of raiding passing ships, but launching an attack on Ryugu Kingdom—a force capable of fighting underwater—was pure folly. If he had such power, he would have stormed the palace and taken Shirahoshi long ago.

"You're not trying to rescue your subordinates, are you? You've never struck me as someone who cares about the lives of your crew." Vander Decken IX smirked, knowing full well the type of person Hody was—a man willing to sacrifice anything for his own ambitions. To Hody, the lives of his underlings were as disposable as trash.

"Of course not. I have something else in mind…" Hody began to explain.

Before he could finish, an unfamiliar voice interrupted, echoing through the room:

"What a lively gathering!"

Hody and Vander Decken IX's faces shifted dramatically.

Before they could react, the door to the room was kicked open. Two figures stood at the entrance.

"Jinbe!"

Both Hody and Vander Decken IX shouted in unison, instantly recognizing their sworn enemy. Jinbe's expression was as grim as ever.

Although he hadn't heard the entirety of Hody's plan, he knew that nothing good could come from these two conspiring together.

"Damn it! How did Jinbe find this place? Did you betray me?!" Vander Decken IX shouted, glaring at Hody.

"Shut up, you fool! Focus on getting through this mess alive first!" Hody snapped, his expression dark. He pulled a handful of energy steroids from his pocket.

His gaze shifted to the human standing beside Jinbe, and his teeth clenched in fury.

"Sanders, the Thunder God!" Hody spat. He recognized this man immediately. It was Sanders who had killed his idol Arlong and captured his subordinates.

"Damn it! You know this human? Is this your doing? Are you trying to get me killed?!" Vander Decken IX cursed, pulling out several throwing knives and holding them between his fingers, his eyes wary of the two intruders.

"Hody Jones, was it you who harmed Queen Otohime?!" Jinbe bellowed, ignoring Vander Decken IX entirely and focusing his fury on Hody.

Hody froze momentarily, then burst into laughter.

"Ja-ha-ha-ha!"

"So you've figured it out, Jinbe! Yes, it was me who shot Queen Otohime. Afterward, I killed the human pirates I hired and framed them for the crime.

"That foolish mermaid wanted high-class fishmen to coexist peacefully with those lowly humans. How utterly absurd!"

"You vile scum!" Jinbe's eyes burned with rage, his fists clenched tightly.

"That kindhearted Queen Otohime—how could you bring yourself to harm her?!"

With a roar, Jinbe surged forward, closing the distance between himself and Hody in an instant.

"Fish-Man Karate: Karakusa Tile True Punch!"

Hody Jones was unsurprisingly sent flying by Jinbe's strike. The gap in strength between the two was overwhelming.

"Damn you, Jinbe!"

Hody struggled to his feet, immediately biting into a handful of energy steroids. The drugs coursed through his body in an instant, triggering a transformation. His muscles bulged grotesquely, and his once jet-black hair turned stark white.

"Ja-ha-ha-ha! Come on, Jinbe!" Hody roared as he charged forward, his movements now fueled by his chemically enhanced strength.

From the side, Sanders shook his head.

"Hody's ignorance really knows no bounds. Does he seriously think those pills can close the gap between him and Jinbe? How naive."

Sanders paid no further attention to their battle, instead shifting his focus to Vander Decken IX.

"You, human!" Vander Decken called out, panic evident in his voice. "I haven't provoked you! Let me go, and I swear I won't make a move against you!"

He assumed Jinbe and Sanders had come solely for Hody and that his presence was an unfortunate coincidence.

"I'd love to let you go," Sanders said with a shrug. "But you've been causing problems for one of my crewmates."

"Your… crewmate?" Vander Decken looked puzzled, unable to recall having wronged the man in front of him. Perhaps it was from attacking passing ships in the past?

"Shirahoshi is now my crewmate," Sanders said, his tone calm but firm. "Your very existence makes her feel unsafe. So, you have to die."

"Shirahoshi? Your crewmate?" Vander Decken's eyes burned with rage as he shouted, "Don't be ridiculous! Shirahoshi is my future wife! She's the one I'm destined to spend my life with! How dare you call her your crewmate?!"

Fueled by anger, Vander Decken hurled daggers at Sanders with unrelenting ferocity.

"You've got a twisted imagination for someone so hideous." Sanders sidestepped the knives with ease, muttering his disdain before appearing directly in front of Vander Decken.

With one swift motion, Sanders gripped Vander Decken's neck.

"Snap!"

The sickening crack of breaking bone echoed through the room as Vander Decken's lifeless body slumped to the ground. His face remained frozen in a mix of fury and disbelief.

Sanders casually discarded the corpse before turning his attention back to Jinbe and Hody. He began contemplating the location of the Target-Target Fruit, deeming its abilities quite valuable—perfect for enhancing the strength of his subordinates.

Meanwhile, Jinbe's battle quickly reached its conclusion.

Despite the energy steroids, Hody was utterly powerless against Jinbe. The difference in their abilities was simply too vast.

Hody didn't even know how to wield Haki. How could he possibly win?

Soon, Jinbe approached Sanders, dragging a frail and aged Hody behind him. The effects of the steroids had taken their toll, leaving Hody looking like an elderly man in his twilight years.

Glancing at the lifeless Vander Decken on the ground, Jinbe wasn't the least bit surprised.

For someone capable of defeating Admirals, eliminating a pirate like Vander Decken IX was a trivial matter for Sanders.

"Thank you," Jinbe said, nodding at Sanders in gratitude.

"Didn't finish him off?" Sanders asked, gesturing to the decrepit Hody.

"He killed Queen Otohime. He needs to face trial in Ryugu Kingdom," Jinbe replied firmly.

Sanders nodded without further comment.

The two strode boldly through Fish-Man Street, one carrying Hody Jones, the other dragging Vander Decken IX's lifeless body. Their imposing figures left onlookers stunned in their wake.

Many fishmen cast resentful glances at Sanders, but due to Jinbe's presence, none dared to act. Jinbe's reputation in Fishman Street was unshakable.

"Is that Hody Jones? How did he end up like this? He looks so old!"

"That's Vander Decken IX! A notorious fugitive wanted by the Ryugu Kingdom! Is he dead?"

"Who's the human carrying his body?"

The crowd on Fishman Street erupted into murmurs. News of Hody Jones' capture and Vander Decken IX's death quickly spread, not just through Fishman Street but across the entire Fishman Island.

"Why aren't we leaving immediately? Are you trying to provoke Fishman Street?"

Walking along the streets, Jinbe questioned Sanders with some confusion. After dealing with Hody Jones and Vander Decken IX, Jinbe had wanted to head straight back to Ryugu Castle, but Sanders insisted on lingering in Fishman Street.

Without responding, Sanders headed to a fruit stand.

Fishman Island was known for its unique underwater fruits, often served at places like Mermaid Café.

Sanders picked up a fruit with peculiar spiral patterns, paid the shopkeeper some Beli, and turned to leave.

Jinbe glanced at the fruit in Sanders' hand, recognizing the distinctive design instantly.

"Is that a Devil Fruit?"

"Yes, the Paramecia-class Target-Target Fruit. I killed him, so naturally, the fruit belongs to me," Sanders said casually, gesturing at Vander Decken IX's lifeless body. He added with a grin, "Lucky for me it respawned on Fishman Street. If not, I'd have had to waste time tracking it down."

Jinbe was stunned. "How did you know the Devil Fruit would be here?!"

When a Devil Fruit user dies, their power reincarnates into a new fruit somewhere in the world. No one can predict where it will appear.

Sanders smiled enigmatically. "That's a secret, Jinbe." Then he added teasingly, "Of course, if you join my crew, I might just let you in on it."

Jinbe fell silent but grew even more curious about Sanders. He began to suspect that Sanders had some unique ability to locate people or items, which explained how he had so easily found Hody, Vander Decken IX, and now the Devil Fruit.

The two boarded a whale shark and returned to Ryugu Castle without further conversation.

They didn't head to the banquet hall; by now, the festivities had likely concluded. Instead, the guards escorted them to an audience with King Neptune and his three sons.

The ministers of the left and right were also present.

Upon seeing Sanders, the two ministers snorted and turned away in disapproval, making their dissatisfaction evident.

Sanders smiled, unfazed. He understood their hostility—they were protective of Shirahoshi and wary of him, an outsider who intended to take her away.

After all, they had watched over the kind and gentle Shirahoshi for years.

"Your Majesty, Hody Jones has confessed to assassinating Queen Otohime," Jinbe reported, tossing the unconscious Hody onto the ground.

Hody, still alive but looking pitifully frail, lay unmoving like a discarded rag doll.

Neptune glared at Hody, his eyes burning with anger. "I've already confirmed this with Megalo. I never imagined…the one who killed Otohime was a fishman!"

Tears welled in Neptune's eyes as he spoke.

Even after Otohime's death, Neptune had upheld her ideals, though he harbored lingering resentment toward humans. To discover that Otohime's murderer was not a human but one of their own—a former soldier of Neptune's army—was a bitter pill to swallow.

The three princes and the ministers also glared at Hody, their faces twisted in fury.

"The Vander Decken problem has been resolved as well. Shirahoshi can now leave the Hard-Shell Tower freely," Sanders said lightly.

Neptune glanced at Vander Decken IX's corpse and let out a sigh of relief. Finally, his beloved daughter was free from her long confinement.

However, the thought of Shirahoshi leaving Fishman Island soon dampened his spirits once more.

"Regardless, we owe you our thanks, Sanders," Neptune said, steadying his emotions.

Though Neptune harbored mixed feelings about Sanders, he couldn't deny that Sanders had helped eliminate significant threats to the kingdom.

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T/N:

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