Fishman District, Fish-Man Island.
A heavy-set fish-man in a patterned yukata spoke into a Den Den Mushi, his voice steady and loyal. "Rest assured, Your Majesty, I'll accompany you to the port."
This was no ordinary fish-man. His broad frame and blue skin marked him as a whale shark fish-man. Twin fangs jutted from his lower jaw, and a jagged scar like a bolt of lightning traced from the corner of his left eye. His wild, wind-swept brows and thick sideburns framed a traditional chonmage-style topknot. A bold red sun symbol adorned his chest, and the geta on his feet clicked as he moved.
He was Jinbe, the "Knight of the Sea." Former member of the Sun Pirates. One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Fish-Man Island Port.
The fleet had moored in the coral-fringed bay. Hundreds of pirates disembarked, filling the seabed streets with curious chatter.
"This place is wild! A port under the sea!"
Otto rested his enormous wheel-axe against his shoulder, standing beside Backan. The two hulking men gawked at the surroundings like overgrown children.
"So these are merfolk and fish-men, huh? First time I've ever seen one!"
Aeridar's tone was just as intrigued as his gaze, which flicked between the elegant mermaids and the stocky fish-man guards.
"Same here!" Millie and Mina nodded excitedly in agreement.
"There's a sky... and clouds... even ten thousand meters under the sea."
Arlan lit a cigarette, eyes fixed upward in quiet awe.
"Wonder if they serve booze here. I'm dying to taste fish-man wine."
Oliver licked his lips greedily, practically drooling.
"Following the captain's lead was the right call."
Dimitri breathed in deeply, savoring the briny tang in the air. "I'd never have seen a place this beautiful otherwise."
"The food here's bound to be good. I bet they've got some exotic ingredients."
Gorbo adjusted his black suit and removed his sunglasses with a calculating air.
"Such a hassle... If only the captain had caught that Sea King, I'd love to dissect it."
Switch Dalt muttered as he disembarked, unkempt as always and already mumbling disturbing thoughts.
"Hey, Arlan, leave a few men behind on each ship. Everyone else can explore, but tell them not to start anything. This is Whitebeard's territory, and now's not the time to provoke that man."
Aeridar called over Arlan, speaking in a low, firm voice.
"I know. Leave it to me."
Arlan nodded and went off to relay the orders to the ship leads.
Since the Grand Fleet had been assembled rather hastily, the surplus ships varied wildly in size and command structure. Aeridar had chosen not to designate new captains just yet, instead assigning a few trusted elites to temporarily oversee each vessel.
"Hey, look, that's the Chris Pirates' flag!"
"Isn't that the new Grand Fleet? That's a lot of ships for a group without affiliates."
"So he really came... Looks like the New World's about to stir again."
"I heard that guy's nuts. What if he stirs up trouble here on Fish-Man Island?"
From nearby ships docked in the harbor, murmurs and gasps spread among seasoned crews.
The Chris Pirates' arrival had clearly shaken the local balance, and even veterans were watching with interest and no small amount of wariness.
Just then, a fish-man guard came rushing toward them.
"E-Excuse me... Are you Lord Aeridar?"
The fish-man wore coral armor and clutched a wanted poster, his voice nervous as he approached.
Aeridar gave him a sideways glance, inwardly grimacing. Man, what an ugly mug...
"Aeridar-sama," the guard said hastily, "please wait here. His Majesty the King would like to personally invite you to a banquet at Ryugu Palace."
"Oh? Even royalty's rolling out the red carpet, huh? Captain's fame really does open doors."
Oliver whistled in surprise.
"His Majesty? You mean King Neptune?"
Aeridar raised a brow. He hadn't even been on the island an hour and the royal court already knew, and wanted him at their table.
"Yes, King Neptune himself," the guard confirmed, bowing low and avoiding eye contact.
"Very well, I'll wait. By the way... will Jinbe be attending too?"
Aeridar had no intention of refusing a royal feast, especially not when it came with a taste of Ryugu Palace cuisine.
The guard thought for a moment before replying.
"Jinbe-san... Yes, I believe he will be there as well."
"Mhm~" Aeridar nodded casually, not bothering to acknowledge the Fish-Man guard any further.
Fortunately, the guard had enough sense to excuse himself and leave.
Watching the guard's retreating back, Dimitri stepped forward and asked, "Captain, want us to stay on the ship?"
"No need. The officers and ship leads are all coming with me to the banquet. Just leave a few hands behind on board. The Ryugu Kingdom wouldn't dare make a move on us, unless, of course, the Whitebeard Pirates suddenly decided to declare war on us too," Aeridar replied with a dismissive shake of his head, clearly unconcerned.
Unless they were underwater, or Whitebeard's crew joined the fray, Aeridar was confident he could crush them. With his raw strength and the power of the Impact-Impact Fruit, if he went all-out, he could single-handedly obliterate the entire Ryugu Kingdom.
As long as Jinbe stayed out of the water, even he would struggle to hold Aeridar back, much less stop the destruction.
Inside Fish-Man Island.
King Neptune, flanked by dozens of Neptune Army soldiers, had just descended from Ryugu Palace when he encountered Jinbe rushing in from Fish-Man District.
"Your Majesty!" Jinbe greeted him respectfully as he stepped up.
"No need for formalities, Jinbe," Neptune said, waving his hand while gripping the Golden Trident with the other. The two began walking together as the king asked, "Let me ask you something, both you and Golden Ring Aeridar are Warlords of the Sea. What do you know about this man?"
"Know him..." Jinbe shook his head slightly. "Not really. I've never even met the man. But I've heard the rumors. He's been called the strongest rookie, reckless and unhinged... and from what I hear, a monster when it comes to raw power."
"How does he compare to you? You're both Warlords, your strength can't be that far apart, right?" Neptune asked gravely.
Within Fish-Man Island, Jinbe was considered their strongest protector. If even he couldn't stand against Aeridar, there might not be anyone left who could.
"In the sea, I'd win for sure," Jinbe replied after some thought, shaking his head again. "But on land... I probably wouldn't be able to take him."
He at least had the humility to admit that. On land, whether it was someone like Syrons or Moria, Jinbe doubted he could win, at least not with any certainty.
"What a terrible situation... Hopefully Whitebeard's flag alone will be enough to keep him in check," Neptune sighed with resignation. Against a pirate of Aeridar's caliber, Ryugu Kingdom was clearly outmatched.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty," Jinbe offered in quiet reassurance. "At the very least, that man doesn't strike me as the type to act without reason. And if it comes to it, I'll lay down my life to protect Fish-Man Island."
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