Inside a modest chamber deep within Ryugu Castle...
"So, this is our first meeting, Aeridar-sama. May I ask what matter is so pressing that it warrants a personal audience?"
Jinbe sat back on a shell-shaped couch, brows slightly furrowed. They'd never crossed paths before. No ties, no correspondence, yet this stranger claimed to have something important to discuss.
Seated across from him, Aeridar's gaze fell on the prominent sun tattoo emblazoned across Jinbe's chest.
"That's the mark of the Sun Pirates, isn't it?"
"You know it too, huh..." Jinbe's eyes narrowed, his voice cooling.
The Sun Pirates were his pride, yet also his pain.
"I know a little. So, tell me, what's your view on the relationship between humans and your people? Fish-men and merfolk?"
Aeridar's tone remained unfazed, undeterred by Jinbe's growing chill.
"My view?" Jinbe cast him a strange look, unsure of his angle.
"Don't look at me like that," Aeridar said, raising both hands as if in surrender, then shrugged with a smirk. "I'm a pure-blooded human, after all."
"Pure-blood... human?" Jinbe's expression twitched. Pets and animals were bred for purity, not people.
"Oi oi, Captain," quipped Arlan from the side, sharp teeth bared in a half-mocking grin. "Sounds like one of those nobles obsessed with their pedigreed hounds!"
"Ah, come on~ don't take it so seriously." Aeridar waved his hand with a lazy smile. "I'm just messing around. But seriously, I'd like to hear your take."
Jinbe's tone turned grim. "The relationship between humans and fish-men, merfolk too, has never been good. To humans, we were just 'fish.' Your kind's prejudice and disdain have been with us for centuries. If not for Pops, Edward Newgate, this island would've become a hellscape long ago."
It wasn't just pirates. Even the Marines once raided this island, snatching away fish-men and merfolk with impunity. Back then, it was common for human pirates to abduct mermaids right off the streets.
If not for the protection of Whitebeard, Fish-Man Island would've become just another playground for humans.
"In that case," Aeridar said, extending a hand with a smile, "Jinbe, I'd like to invite you to join an alliance."
"...Alliance?" Jinbe blinked in surprise. This man had just been questioning the divide between races, and now he wanted to form a coalition?
"I appreciate the offer, but I'll have to decline," Jinbe replied with a shake of the head. "You know I'm one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. And surely you're also aware of my ties with the Whitebeard Pirates. There's no way I'd sign on to some unknown alliance."
"Don't be so quick to turn me down, Jinbe." Aeridar waved his hand, still calm. "It's because you're one of the Seven Warlords that I'm asking. This alliance is called, the Seven Warlords Alliance."
"Seven Warlords... Alliance?"
Jinbe and Neptune both froze, eyes wide with shock as they turned toward each other. Neither could find words.
"That's right," Aeridar said, teeth flashing in a grin. "Sure, you're on good terms with the Whitebeard Pirates, but you never actually joined them. You chose the Warlord path instead, to protect your people through legitimacy. So this alliance wouldn't conflict with your friendship with Whitebeard. In fact, it could strengthen it."
Jinbe mulled over the words, but still shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I must—"
"Hey now, no need to rush." Aeridar cut him off before he could finish. "At least hear me out before turning me down. This alliance... it benefits both of us."
"...Alright then," Jinbe sighed, arms crossed. "Let's hear it."
"The Seven Warlords Alliance, as the name implies, is a coalition of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. The Marines may still be the dominant force on the Grand Line—but ever since their failed campaign into the New World, their control has waned. With the Four Emperors growing bolder and more powerful, the Marines can't keep pace. That's where we come in."
Aeridar's voice hardened. "Of the Three Great Powers, the Warlords are the weakest link; mere pawns used by the World Government to maintain balance. You joined them not for power, but for peace; to create a bridge between humans and fish-men. But let's be honest: before Whitebeard's protection, your efforts barely made a dent."
At that, both Neptune and Jinbe lowered their eyes, their expressions darkening. The painful memories of that era came rushing back, those desperate days when Fish-Man Island was a battleground, not a home.
"This world runs on the law of the jungle, only the strong survive. At the end of the day, Fish-Man Island is simply too weak."
Aeridar spoke with cool detachment, his words cutting with ruthless clarity.
"Whether it's pirates or the Marines, you lack the power to stand against them. And you, Jinbe... you're nothing more than a pawn of the World Government."
"This so-called peace is nothing but a fleeting illusion. I'll admit, Whitebeard is powerful, 'the strongest man in the world,' they say. But don't forget: the man is aging. How many years does he have left? Ten? Twenty? Thirty at most? Or will he defy fate and live to a hundred? Attain immortality?"
"If Fish-Man Island wielded the power of a Yonko, what would you have to fear? Would you still need someone else's protection?"
As expected, Neptune's face twisted, his expression darkening.
It was true. Jinbe wasn't weak, not by any measure. But in this vast sea, powerhouses were everywhere. Even at his level, Jinbe was on par with the top commanders of a Yonko, nothing more. And there were many like him.
Think of Whitebeard's division commanders, more than a dozen powerful fighters. Kaido's All-Stars. Big Mom's Ministers. Red-Haired's elite crew. The sea is thick with warriors who rival Jinbe in strength.
And lately, every time Jinbe visited Whitebeard, Pops, he couldn't help but notice it: the old man's health was failing. Doctors and nurses were always around, monitoring him, treating him...
Sure, Ryugu Kingdom was a nation, but even a kingdom is no match for a Yonko. When you stand against one of the Four Emperors, even ten nations might not be enough.
"Pops... will become the Pirate King."
Whether to steel his heart or reassure himself, Jinbe clenched his fists and stared hard at Aeridar, his voice firm with resolve.
"Sure," Aeridar said casually, leaning back and rolling his eyes.
"Whitebeard's the man closest to the Pirate King's throne. No one would be shocked if he made it. But then what? What good is it?"
He spread his hands with a cynical smile.
"Can he wipe out the Marines? Overthrow the World Government? Or ensure that Fish-Man Island stays at peace after he's gone?"
Then came the final blow, soft, but cold as the abyss.
"True strength... only comes from within. Relying on someone else will never make you truly powerful."
What good was becoming the Pirate King, really?
Even the last Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, ushered in the Great Pirate Era... only to be executed by the Marines. If Whitebeard reached that throne, what would it even change?
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