Capítulo 361: Chapter 361: Slaughter?
(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
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The conversation was so casual and unhurried that Neptune and the others were left confused.
Kisame gave a slight nod and exited the room.
Colt then turned to Neptune.
"He has some matters to attend to; he'll be back shortly. Let's eat first."
Seeing Colt remain so easy-going, Neptune felt a sudden chill rise in his heart for reasons he couldn't quite place.
Without daring to question anything, Neptune quickly led Colt into the palace.
As soon as Colt entered, his eyes landed on an enormous mermaid gracefully flicking her pink fishtail, her chin resting on her right hand.
'This mermaid is huge! She is also very beautiful'
In fact, it wasn't just Colt.
Nami, Robin, and Perona were also mesmerized, their gazes firmly locked.
'So beautiful!'
Such a thought echoed simultaneously in the minds of all three women.
Though each was confident in her own beauty, they couldn't help but feel a twinge of inadequacy in front of her presence.
It felt as though every beautiful word ever conceived existed solely to describe this mermaid.
Neptune, eager to break the spell, made introductions. "Colt-sama, this is my daughter Shirahoshi."
Shirahoshi blushed deeply and timidly extended her hand or rather finger in greeting.
Looking at a finger larger than his own fist, Colt's mouth twitched.
Forming a hand seal, he activated the [Expansion Jutsu] of the Akimichi Clan.
For the first time, this technique found a serious use.
Under everyone's astonished gazes, Colt's height swelled to over ten meters before halting.
"Perfect," Colt said with satisfaction as he reached out and gently patted Shirahoshi's head.
"Hello, little Shirahoshi," he greeted with a smile.
Shirahoshi, startled by Colt's sudden growth, covered her mouth in surprise.
"Amazing!"
Thus, the banquet began.
Colt maintained his enlarged form and chatted with Shirahoshi.
Before long, Shirahoshi—initially timid and wary—relaxed and began whispering shyly to Colt.
Learning that Kisame had arranged for Shirahoshi to tour him around during his stay on Fish-Man Island, Colt silently credited his observant subordinate for the thoughtful gesture.
Compared to the fiery and domineering Hancock, Colt found Shirahoshi's innocent, well-mannered, and gentle personality more appealing.
In Shirahoshi, Colt saw a hint of Hinata's pure demeanor, which only endeared her further to him.
"Don't worry," Colt said reassuringly.
"I'm not as scary as Kisame. From now on, I'll rely on you, Cowardly Princess."
Hearing this nickname, Shirahoshi pouted her lips in a cute display of protest but nodded earnestly.
"I'll do my best! Though... there's still so much I don't know about Fish-Man Island. Please don't be mad at me if I mess up."
Colt chuckled at her endearing demeanor.
"This personality suits the nickname Cowardly Princess perfectly," he thought.
****
Meanwhile, outside the Dragon Palace, the mood was starkly different.
Kisame stood in the dim light, his expression murderous.
Samehada had been fully unleashed, its razor-sharp edges gleaming ominously.
Before him stood a group of recently captured Fish-Men, trembling under his icy glare.
"Kisame-sama! What is the meaning of this?" One of the New Fish-Man Pirates stammered, clutching a deep wound inflicted by Samehada.
The mere sight of Kisame was enough to rekindle the terror he felt during their last encounter when Kisame had killed Hody Jones.
Without a word, Kisame swung Samehada, now clad in [Armament Haki], slicing him cleanly in half.
"If you must blame someone, blame your own hatred for humans," Kisame growled before moving to his next target.
Earlier, as they entered Fish-Man Island, Colt had sensed the pervasive malice directed toward humans.
With his abilities comparable to Naruto's [Nine Tails Mode], such ill intent was impossible to miss.
Colt agreed wholeheartedly with Princess Otohime's dream of peaceful coexistence between humans and Fish-Men.
However, he understood that this ideal could only flourish when there was no longer any hate toward humans.
The fish-men whose hearts burned with hatred posed a direct threat to this vision—and to Colt's plans.
It was better to eliminate them now than let them sow greater chaos in the future.
By the time the banquet concluded, Kisame had completed his task and returned to the Palace, his body drenched in blood.
Shirahoshi, seeing the blood-streaked Kisame, let out a frightened wail and hid behind Colt, sobbing uncontrollably.
"What... what is the meaning of this?!" Neptune exclaimed, his face pale with shock.
The three princes, weapons drawn, aimed their tridents at Kisame, bracing themselves for an attack.
"What have you done, Kisame-san?" Neptune demanded, barely suppressing his fury.
Kisame flashed his shark-like grin. "Just clearing out threats to Colt-sama. Eighty-six of them in total. None escaped."
Colt calmly ate the fruit on the table and gestured for Kisame to sit.
"Good work. Sit down and eat something."
Neptune's composure cracked.
"Colt-sama, I demand an explanation! Why have you slaughtered my people like this?"
Neptune's voice quivered as realization dawned—nearly a hundred Fish-Men had been killed during a single banquet.
Shirahoshi sobbed quietly, while the guards pointed their tridents at Colt and Kisame.
Colt sighed deeply, setting his cup down.
He glanced at Neptune with a calm yet penetrating gaze.
"Neptune, don't you see? I'm helping you and Fish-Man Island."
Capítulo 362: Chapter 362: Colt's Warning
(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
****************
Neptune couldn't believe his ears.
What had he just heard?
The man standing before him had ordered Hoshigaki Kisame to slaughter nearly a hundred fishmen and mermaids, yet now he brazenly claimed to be helping Fish-Man Island.
Did he take Neptune for a fool, or was this person utterly mad?
Colt ignored Neptune's anger.
He opened his right palm, and an irresistible gravitational force pulled the dazed Shirahoshi to his side.
"Shirahoshi!"
The eldest prince, Fukaboshi, panicked and charged at Colt, brandishing his trident.
Clang!
Kisame stepped in, blocking the attack effortlessly and sending Fukaboshi flying with a single slash of his blade.
"Prince, I suggest you remember your place," Kisame said coldly.
"Colt-sama's words must be treated with attention. This is your savior you're addressing."
This guy...
Was he really part of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?
Robin's lips twitched slightly.
It seemed Kisame had maxed out his skill in flattery, displaying his unwavering loyalty to Colt at every opportunity.
'What a talent.'
"Stand down," Colt said calmly.
"Fukaboshi is only acting out of concern for his sister."
Colt continued to idly play with Shirahoshi's hair.
His gaze shifted to Neptune; his tone soft but commanding:
"King Neptune, although many years have passed, you haven't forgotten the reason behind Queen Otohime's death, have you?"
As he spoke, the Fish-Man soldiers who had rushed in fell unconscious one by one, their weapons clattering to the ground.
Colt disliked having weapons pointed at him.
Neptune's pupils shrank. He didn't dare act rashly and instead pondered Colt's question.
"Queen Otohime once dreamed of the fishmen living on land openly, breaking the barriers between them and humans. To achieve this, she tirelessly lectured and shared knowledge about humanity..."
Colt's words brought back memories for the royal family, silencing them.
Shirahoshi began to cry unconsciously, remembering how her mother would come to her, tears streaming down her face whenever the people rejected her ideals.
Back then, Shirahoshi would cry along with her.
Those were her most fond moments.
"Hody Jones was just a symptom—a representation of the deep-seated hatred for humans among the inhabitants of Fish-Man Island. His death doesn't erase this hatred."
"As long as these ideas persist, you'll never achieve true peace with humanity."
Colt's calm analysis left Neptune with no choice but to admit the truth.
Even he harbored a deep-seated mistrust of humans.
"That's why you should thank me," Colt continued. "I've cut off this hatred at its root, preventing an even greater crisis in the future."
"I promise that within five years, the residents of Fish-Man Island will be able to live freely on land, with the same rights as humans."
Colt spread his hands, a gentle smile on his face.
Yet the temperature in the palace dropped as he continued; his voice laced with cold authority:
"But for this to happen, you must abandon your narrow-minded racial thinking."
"While it may be difficult for others, I hope you, King Neptune, will guide your people wisely."
"Otherwise..."
Colt trailed off, leaving the unspoken threat hanging in the air.
Without waiting for a response, he ordered Kisame to escort them to their assigned quarters, ending the tense banquet.
****
The Next Morning
Shirahoshi appeared at the gates of Ryugu Palace, ready to serve as a tour guide.
Neptune doubted Colt's claim that all fishmen could achieve equality with humans within five years.
But under the current circumstances, he had no choice but to comply.
With Jinbei driven back to the Whitebeard Pirates and Kisame reigning supreme, open defiance would only lead to ruin.
However, Neptune had received word that the Whitebeard Pirates were on their way.
The inevitable clash would determine Fish-Man Island's fate.
If Kisame emerged victorious, Neptune would have to seriously consider Colt's proposal.
****
"Colt-sama, which of the destinations mentioned yesterday shall we visit first?" Shirahoshi asked, her large eyes filled with excitement.
Her innocent mind had already forgotten yesterday's tension, focusing instead on showing Colt around Fish-Man Island and satisfying her own curiosity.
Having been confined to the Hard Shell Tower since she was six, this was a rare chance for her to explore.
"Let's start with the Mermaid Cafe," Colt replied with a smile. "I'm curious about the place."
Shirahoshi nodded enthusiastically.
****
The group attracted plenty of attention as they moved through the island. Shirahoshi's presence was especially noteworthy, as many residents had all but forgotten their princess.
Shirahoshi shyly cradled Colt in her palm, carefully placing him on her chest like a treasured beanbag.
Colt found a comfortable position to recline. Shirahoshi's size made even her palms feel like an oversized, luxurious sofa.
****
At the Mermaid Cafe, Shirahoshi gently placed Colt on the ground.
"Princess Shirahoshi, it's wonderful to see you outside the Hard Shell Tower," greeted Madam Shyarly, the cafe's glamorous owner, whose crescent-shaped tail made her instantly recognizable.
Shirahoshi tilted her head curiously.
"Have we met before?"
Madam Shyarly smiled mysteriously, offering no explanation.
Over a decade ago, she had prophesied the arrival of a princess destined to command the Sea Kings.
At the time, Shirahoshi hadn't even been born.
Her sharp gaze shifted to Colt, narrowing slightly as she instinctively sensed danger.
"Madam Shyarly," Colt said, stepping forward with a casual smile. "I've heard about your renowned divination skills. Today, I'd like you to perform a reading for each of us."
He gestured to himself, then to Nami and the others.
Madam Shyarly's expression turned serious.
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