After leaving Shirahoshi behind, Caelan returned to Ryugu Castle to discuss shipbuilding with Neptune.
At the same time, Knight of the Sea Jinbe, who had rushed back, also received word about Caelan.
The news that Caelan had killed Hody Jones along with more than 10,000 fishmen, and sentenced the remaining tens of thousands to ten years of labor reform, shook him.
How could he do something like that!?
Over ten thousand fishmen, killed as if their lives were nothing. They were his fellow fishmen!
And the rest, forced into so-called labor reform for ten years?
Calling it "reform" was putting it mildly. To Jinbe, it was nothing short of slavery!
Mining, sixteen hours a day, all year round—harsh, backbreaking labor.
This was worse than slavery!
Too cruel. Far too cruel!
A fishman's life is still a life!
No matter how powerful Caelan was, Jinbe had to stand up for his people.
Furious, Jinbe's blue skin swelled and flushed purple. His face twisted with rage.
He stormed into Ryugu Castle, where Caelan was in discussion with Neptune.
"Jinbe? What's he doing here?"
Caelan looked at the large whale shark fishman rushing toward him and immediately recognized him.
The three slaves in the original story swapped allegiances so many times...
At this moment, Neptune also realized Jinbe's intentions and immediately grew anxious.
"Jinbe, be rational!"
He knew exactly why Jinbe was angry. But right now, Caelan was the guardian of Fishman Island—the hope for its future on land.
More importantly, Caelan was on par with the Four Emperors.
Under no circumstances could Jinbe provoke Caelan.
If he does, the fish are doomed!
"Rational? What reason do I have left!"
Jinbe roared, ignoring Neptune completely.
More than ten thousand fishmen were killed, and forty thousand more (not counting the humans and sea beasts among the rest) were thrown into a labor system worse than slavery.
Faced with such injustice—
Jinbe was furious!
The veins on his arms bulged, his muscles swelling as if about to explode.
"You planning to fight?"
Caelan frowned and placed a hand on Jinbe's shoulder.
Who are you trying to intimidate with that stance?
The next moment, an enormous force surged into Jinbe's shoulder.
Boom!
Jinbe stiffened his body, trying to hold on.
But the pressure on his shoulder was like a mountain crashing down, utterly irresistible.
In an instant, Jinbe snapped out of his rage. Cold sweat soaked his back.
He was facing a powerhouse who stood at the peak of the world—on the level of Whitebeard.
"…"
Jinbe had no words when faced with Caelan.
"You're speaking up for those fishmen? What right do you have?"
Caelan released his hand from Jinbe's shoulder and instead pointed at his chest.
"I'm their fellow countryman. I can't stand to see them treated like this!"
Jinbe stiffened his neck, refusing to accept Caelan's approach to the situation.
"You already knew what kind of people they were. With your strength, you could've stopped them, kept them in check, and kept them out of trouble."
"But you didn't! You turned a blind eye to their crimes. You could even say you enabled them."
"You think that's loyalty?"
"Arlong, the one you let go, ran wild in the East Blue and ended up being killed by me. Macro, the one you ignored, was kidnapping mermaids on Fishman Island—he was killed by my crew. And the New Fishman Pirates, the group you let slide, tried to take over Fishman Island and challenged me. Now look at their fate."
"It was your inaction that led them down the path of destruction."
As Caelan listed the crimes, Jinbe lowered his head in shame.
Arlong caused countless deaths and ruined countless families in the East Blue. His crimes were unforgivable. Macro sold mermaids into slavery. Another crime beyond redemption.
And the New Fishman Pirates had openly tried to overthrow the country and declare war on humans.
The fishmen Jinbe hadn't been able to punish… had all committed terrible crimes and paid the price.
He couldn't blame anyone else.
"I admit it was my fault. I'm willing to take responsibility for those fishmen. Please, let them go."
Jinbe closed his eyes in pain.
He admitted Caelan was right, and he was willing to shoulder their punishment in exchange for their freedom.
"You're still getting it wrong. If I let them go, they'll just start causing chaos on Fishman Island again."
"They'll make the same mistakes, harm others, and be killed anyway. Would that satisfy you?"
"I'm making them undergo labor reform so they can pay for their crimes, learn the cost of wrongdoing, and become better people. This is for their own good!"
"They're not slaves. They're being transformed through labor, given a second chance to become real people!"
Caelan spoke with conviction, like it was the moral high ground.
Neptune stood dumbfounded at his side.
Killing over 10,000 fishmen and working the rest to death—is this really for their own good?
No matter how you spin it, this can't be right… can it?
"Through labor, they can change, atone, and begin anew?"
"I see… I was wrong before."
Jinbe repeated the words and found a strange logic to them.
"It's not too late to understand now. You can still help them."
Caelan nodded, continuing his persuasive talk.
"How can I help?"
Jinbe looked at Caelan, eyes filled with a desire for redemption.
"You should join them and lead by example. Set the standard for labor reform. That way, you can guide them and keep them from making more mistakes."
"That's how you can truly help them."
Caelan offered the suggestion sincerely.
"I'll supervise them and make sure they truly change!"
Jinbe's eyes gleamed with determination.
He would take responsibility and make sure those fishmen were properly reformed.
"Very good. Their first task is to build a large ship within three days. Can you oversee it and make sure it gets done?"
Caelan patted Jinbe on the shoulder, his tone serious.
"No problem. I'll see it through!"
Jinbe responded firmly.
With that, Jinbe turned and left, ready to dedicate himself to Caelan's shipbuilding project.
Soon after, Jinbe gathered the criminal fishmen and began organizing the construction of the new ship.
Any fishman who tried to slack off or act up was beaten by Jinbe, educated thoroughly, and thrown back to work.
After this happened a few times, no one dared to mess around anymore.
"Not bad, not bad."
Caelan inspected the worksite and was very satisfied.
Fishmen had ten times the physical strength of humans. Under Jinbe's strict supervision, the tens of thousands of workers were moving efficiently.
At this rate, the ship would be done in three days.
(To be continued.)