"Knight of the Sea" Jinbe

Chapter 116: "Knight of the Sea" Jinbe

"Hahaha!" Upon hearing this, Rodney burst into laughter.

Hody Jones immediately turned back and asked loudly, "What are you laughing at?"

"I remembered something amusing. You don't need to mind me. Hey, Mr. Jinbei, has this guy ever left Fish-Man Island?" Rodney rubbed his face and said, "Calling him a frog in a well wouldn't be an exaggeration."

Having never left Fish-Man Island, encountering pirates every time, all of whom were reckless newcomers entering the New World, being dealt with by the Fish-Men here was quite normal. The so-called Devil Fruit users became weak and helpless in the face of seawater, unable to escape from the bubbles surrounding their ships.

To Fish-Men who could freely move underwater, humans were easy to bully. They were far from being a match for Fish-Men with ten times the physical strength of humans. There was no need to worry; their inability to win was simply due to their weakness.

Dare to claim the sky is boundless like a frog at the bottom of a well? Unaware of the might of the sea?

Without encountering heroes from all over the world, one wouldn't realize their own insignificance. Among the Fish-Men in Fish-Man District, Hody Jones could be considered a top expert. 

Furthermore, with the E.S. Drug, his confidence surged, making him believe he could easily defeat all humans, start a rebellion, lead the Fish-Men to the surface, defeat humans, and treat them as their slaves, just as humans had treated Fish-Men.

This was Hody Jones' ambition! For the Fish-Men, and for himself. Though extreme, it was born from the miserable experiences and idolization of Arlong in his youth, and it had become an extreme idea.

With his own strength boosted by the E.S. Drug, Hody Jones intended to use its power to kill Rodney upon his arrival, and then, under the banner of "avenging Arlong," absorb the indecisive Fish-Men. With followers, his plan could be put into action.

However, he who had always been on Fish-Man Island had no idea how many humans out there could easily defeat him.

In response to Rodney's words, Jinbei's face remained calm. "Indeed, Mr. Rodney's words are correct. A frog at the bottom of a well! Unaware of how strong opponents on the sea can be! Hody Jones, it's not too late to stop now."

"Yes, it's not too late to stop now. If you stop, Mr. Hody Jones, I won't kill you. After all, you don't have a bounty worth collecting." 

Rodney lacked interest in Hody Jones, as he couldn't earn any money or mission points from him. Therefore, letting him go wasn't an issue.

"Damn it! I'm prepared to die! Do you think I appeared like this for no reason? Jinbei! Rodney! Both of you can go to hell!" 

Hody Jones erupted with his power, throwing a punch with a terrifying sound that tore through the air, heading straight toward them.

"In that case, I won't hold back either." Rodney leaped, dodging the punch with his palm emitting a bolt of dazzling lightning, and Jinbei heard the crackling sound of electricity, resembling the cries of birds.

"Chidori!"

Squelch!

His palm was like the sharpest blade in the world, easily piercing through Hody Jones' chest. His massive heart was penetrated, and under severe injury, he couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.

"Puff!"

Although Hody Jones' right chest was wounded, his residual strength remained. With webbed fingers, his battered hand directly grabbed Rodney's shoulder. With a little effort, he could crush his shoulder.

However, he didn't do that, or rather, he wanted to do it, but he could no longer feel his arm.

Rodney's Shusui was dripping with blood and crackling with lightning chakra, and Hody Jones' hand and his shoulder were effortlessly separated by his blade.

Removing his arm from his shoulder, Rodney said, "This is how you underestimate the heroes of the world. Even without me, you would have encountered humans who could kill you. Hody Jones, you've encountered me today. Your luck isn't great today. Remember the red trident you used? Don't try to be a spearman when you're free. Spearman luck isn't great."

"You... you despicable... obviously I..."

Hody Jones' body fell. His dreams, his ambitions, had just turned into a puddle of illusions. He could never achieve them again.

Jinbei looked at Hody Jones' fallen body, falling into silence. Rodney searched Hody Jones' clothes and found a few remaining E.S. drugs. This treasure was stored in the Ryugu Castle's treasure box, but Hody Jones, who had once served as a guardian of the Ryugu Castle, had stolen it. It contained highly explosive materials.

Drug Name: E.S. Drug

Production Date: Unknown

Shelf Life: Unknown

Origin: Unknown

Effect: Temporarily enhances the user's own strength when consumed.

Side Effects: Exchanges lifespan for power.

This was such an untested and unverified product, the E.S. drug, yet Hody Jones dared to consume it. However, after consuming it, his condition deteriorated. He had shown signs of aging even before the reaper's scythe had reached him, his skin becoming wrinkled, like bark, and his once-strong body shrinking.

Rodney washed the blood off his arm by the water's edge. Jinbei looked at the scene of bloodshed, his face somber. His emotions were mixed. These were his compatriots, and even though he knew they had brought this upon themselves, it still didn't sit well in his heart.

Rodney had warned Aladine and the others from the beginning. He wouldn't actively seek trouble with the Fish-Men, but if they provoked him, he wouldn't show mercy. The situation had escalated to this point because of Hody Jones and the others' recklessness.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rodney. The situation today was my mistake," Jinbei's fist clenched tightly. He had too many burdens to bear and couldn't gamble with the safety of Fish-Man Island.

This Shichibukai was truly dangerous. Two Shichibukai had died by his hand, and he wasn't afraid of Rodney. However, he needed to protect the safety of Fish-Man Island.

"It's nothing. They brought this upon themselves. Mr. Jinbei, you don't need to apologize to me. This was a matter of self-defense. The fault isn't yours. You don't need to apologize on their behalf. Mr. Jinbei, you are a chivalrous person, and I've always admired you. Don't lower your head to me."

His words caused Jinbei to stand up straight, looking down at the young man who only reached his chest. He reconsidered him, seeing him without any killing intent when not in combat. Ordinary and unremarkable, he seemed like a frail and weak human. Yet, it was precisely this aspect that made him stand out even more.

It was this kind of human who had just killed Hody Jones, a Fish-Man

"I understand. I will handle the matter concerning Hody Jones. King Neptune wishes to host you. Please proceed to Dragon Palace City."

"Oh, that's fine. Can I bring my crew along?"

"Of course, you can bring them to meet King Neptune, and afterward, I'll discuss something with him."

"Very well." Jinbei nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I'll go. First, let's locate my crew. By the way, I have one more question for you." He gazed at Jinbei and asked, "Arlong... You were banished to East Blue, correct?"

After the Fish-Man adventurer Fisher Tiger was ambushed by the Marines and died from severe injuries, Jinbei took over as the captain of the Sun Pirates. However, Arlong, unable to comprehend Fisher Tiger's intentions, harbored even stronger resentment toward humans, and this eventually led to a rift between him and Jinbei.

At the time, he was apprehended by Kizaru, who was then a Vice Admiral, and received a pardon for all his crimes once Jinbei became a Shichibukai.

Refusing to live under Jinbei's shadow as a "lapdog" to humans, he was ultimately defeated by Jinbei and departed with a group of Fish-Man who chose to follow him to the East Blue. This marked Arlong's exile.