Charlotte Amande stood at the forefront, her tall, slender figure and distinctive long neck marking her as a mber of the Snakeneck Tribe. As the third daughter of Charlotte Linlin, she held the title of Minister of Nuts and governed Nut Island. At her side rested her Great Grade Blade, Shirauo. Her strength placed her just below the Sweet Commanders, far surpassing that of an average Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral.
Behind her, a lion-like mink stepped onto the island, his expression full of irritation.
"Lady Amande is right. I'm tired of seeing Fish-n. Just being here makes my fur damp."
This was Pekoms, a forr mber of the Nox Pirates and now a combatant of the Big Mom Pirates.
The guards of Fish-Man Island burned with anger at their words, but none dared to respond. Since the fall of Whitebeard, the island had lost its greatest protector. Provoking one of the Four Emperors, especially Charlotte Linlin, was a risk they could not afford.
More than ten days had passed since Whitebeard's death at the Marineford War, and Fish-Man Island had remained in lockdown. The value of Fish-n and rfolk made them constant targets, and pirates had already begun taking risks.
In just two days, several rmaids and nearly ten Fish-n had vanished.
With communication cut off during the lockdown, the last news they received was that the remnants of Whitebeard's crew had escaped, and that Gol D. Roger had sohow appeared during the war.
What they did not know was that Aether had already risen as one of the new Four Emperors, inheriting Whitebeard's role as protector of this territory.
A heavy presence interrupted the tense atmosphere as a towering man stepped forward.
"Enough, Amande. We ca here to protect Fish-Man Island. Stop with the unnecessary remarks."
The speaker was Charlotte Katakuri, the strongest of the Sweet Commanders. Standing at nearly five ters tall, his muscular build and crimson hair gave him an imposing presence.
"Yes, Brother Katakuri."
Amande lowered her gaze and fell silent.
A small girl clung to Katakuri's leg, her tone mocking.
"Sister Amande, don't ruin Brother Katakuri's mission."
She was Charlotte Flampe, one of Big Mom's many daughters.
Amande's cold eyes flicked toward her, irritation evident. The Snakeneck Tribe was not known for strong familial affection.
"That's enough," Katakuri said, his voice steady. "The mission cos first."
Flampe imdiately quieted, her admiration for Katakuri absolute. Among all the Charlotte siblings, his authority was unmatched. He protected them all, and in return, they revered him.
The guards quickly recognized him, their expressions tightening.
"That's Katakuri, Big Mom's right-hand man. I didn't expect him personally."
Not long after, Neptune, the king of Fish-Man Island, arrived with his sons.
At twelve ters tall, Neptune's massive figure was accompanied by the three princes: Fukaboshi, Ryuboshi, and Manboshi. Along with them was Princess Shirahoshi, kept under close protection.
Beside them stood Otohi, whose smaller stature contrasted with the others.
Neptune's eyes lingered on Katakuri, and a quiet sigh escaped him. The inevitable had co. All he could hope was that Charlotte Linlin's demands would not be excessive.
"Honored guests, please follow to the conference hall so we may discuss matters in detail."
"We appreciate your hospitality, King Neptune," Katakuri replied with a slight nod.
The group moved toward the palace under heavy watch, while nearby citizens whispered among themselves. Most Fish-n held deep resentnt toward humans, though the royal family continued to seek peaceful relations.
Hidden in the shadows, several figures observed the procession.
One of them spoke nervously, "Brother Hody, are we really going through with this? Attacking the Big Mom Pirates is no small matter."
The tallest among them, Hody Jones, answered with cold determination.
"What choice do we have? If Fish-Man Island bows to humans again, where is our pride? Humans have no right to stand on our land. If this alliance succeeds, it will be even harder to overthrow the royal family."
The others hesitated, then nodded.
"You're right."
"The royal family that sides with humans deserves to fall."
"Kill… kill…"
Their voices faded into the darkness.
anwhile, far above the ocean floor, Aether's warship descended steadily toward Fish-Man Island. The coating had been completed by Silvers Rayleigh, whose skill ensured a smooth journey beneath the sea.
Aether reclined on a lounge chair, holding a newspaper in his hand. His expression was unreadable as he scanned its contents.
The front page displayed images of Portgas D. Ace and Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy had raised his arm, revealing an X-shaped mark, clearly a ssage to his crew.
What caught Aether off guard, however, was the headline.
"A Look into the Pirate King's Family, His Son Speaks Out."
The exaggerated tone made him wonder if Morgans had lowered his standards or simply allowed sensationalism to take over.
The article detailed Ace's resentnt toward his father, his conflicted emotions, and his personal struggles. Aether could see right through it, Ace had pushed himself just to deliver that ssage.
"It seems I need to have a proper talk with Ace."
Although Aether avoided approaching Ace from a familial angle, it did not an he was indifferent. A fragnt of Roger's lingering will still resonated within him.
More importantly, a system notification from the previous day lingered in his mind.
Portgas D. Rouge had developed negative emotions toward him, low-level anger, reward 1000 EXP.
Aether's gaze drifted to the image printed in the corner of the newspaper, a blonde woman facing away from the crowd. Even from behind, the silhouette was unmistakable.
"Rouge… I would rather not face you."
He exhaled softly, pushing the thought aside.
After nearly three days, the experience gained from the Marineford War was finally reaching its limit.
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