"If you release all fishmen and mermaids, they've agreed to first release half—women, children, and elderly Celestial Dragons."
"...Grateful. But... everyone, you say."
"Is that difficult?"
The Special Vice Admiral commanding Navy forces surrounding and blockading Fishman District has a stern face.
Well, as expected. No problem.
(If only all Celestial Dragons were captured, talks would proceed faster...)
"If we release all fishmen first, couldn't we at least have all captured Celestial Dragons released too? Of course, their release can come afterward."
"I understand your feelings and it's reasonable, but... the ones most likely to rampage now are Celestial Dragons more than fishmen. If we end this as a simple exchange, reckless orders could lead straight to combat."
"...Mm...uu..."
If that happens, I'll naturally side with fishmen. This Vice Admiral surely understands that.
Though it was combat without letting me go full force, he probably doesn't think he can win against me after I defeated Kizaru.
"Mere resetting won't stop situations from repeating. If Celestial Dragons peacefully flee home that's one thing, but their obsession with fishmen is abnormal. They'll probably nitpick and start combat again."
Yeah, I can clearly picture that scene.
It's obvious the Navy will be dragged into pointless battles with no profit, become even more short-staffed, and the world will go "whee."
I can see it clearly even without Observation Haki.
Seriously, those guys drag nothing but feet.
Celestial Dragons remaining on the Navy side are also noisy, unable to read not just the atmosphere but the situation itself.
I genuinely sympathize with this Special Vice Admiral.
He smells slightly like Lord Pinscher.
"This is a racial and national crisis. For them—who have persecution's history and experience. That's precisely why they chose any means, resorting to the normally impossible method of abducting and securing Celestial Dragons."
Agh, anyway, work. Must work.
Extremely high possibility of unexpected eruptions somewhere—feels like being thrown onto a small island covered in landmines.
Explosions are inevitable, but if I don't defuse as many mines as possible, there won't even be a safe zone to flee to.
...
It's been like this constantly since Shiki's attack, dammit!!
"...The conditions attached to releasing the other half of Celestial Dragons... our withdrawal?"
"Yes. Well, we'll need recovery personnel, so it'll take the form of leaving one ship."
(Now then. What to do from here?)
Naturally negotiations will begin. Too convenient for the fishmen side.
Which means—
"...Understood. I'll somehow persuade the remaining Celestial Dragons in that direction."
.....Huh?
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
"So, how was it? Those guys."
Arlong.
East Blue arc's final boss.
In the story, truly a cruel and brutal pirate.
"...We need to slightly change plans."
"Haah?"
So I thought first contact would tangle more, but he surprisingly complied honestly with talks.
Though that doesn't mean I gained complete trust—he's watching me with suspicious eyes...
Well, can't be helped.
But I'm grateful he secured Celestial Dragons by pulling them back to barely visible range as I said.
"Initially I planned to manage amid various nitpicking and have half released—or women and children—but."
"Don't tell me you failed!?"
"No, the opposite."
At my words, Arlong shouts with an expression suggesting he'd say 'then I'll kill half the Celestial Dragons,' but makes a dubious face at my continued words.
Well, that's natural.
When I thought it'd take more time and tried pushing our demands while pressing one debt on the Navy side, the probing-stage demand went through.
"They said they'd unify opinions toward complete release of captured fishmen."
"! Really!?"
No, there's nothing disadvantageous.
"Yes. This was somewhat unexpected for us too..."
Really unexpected.
I thought it might be a trap, but there's no merit to that.
That Special Vice Admiral—I thought he was probably government-side personnel for controlling the Navy, but...
(Could things be more dangerous everywhere than I thought? Did Celestial Dragon blunders exceed my imagination?)
I presume having many soldiers stuck here is considerably problematic.
From uniform dirt and such, I'd guessed they had to assemble a makeshift unit for Celestial Dragon rescue.
But... probably, the situation was even worse.
(Situations requiring soldiers. Pirates exist, but... riots or rebellions? Too early for Revolutionary Army rise. When I touched information at the Holy Land, Dragon's organization called Freedom Fighters was still small-scale. Though time passed since then... in about a month...)
"So, Arlong-san. I have a request."
"What?"
"When their opinions unify and fishmen are released, naturally we must confirm no fishmen or mermaids are hidden in ships. But even if I confirm and tell you and everyone, you couldn't possibly believe it."
"...True. You're certainly reasonable, but... human."
"Yes. So I'd like you to select someone to accompany for confirmation. Since Celestial Dragons are there too, you'll certainly have unpleasant experiences, so someone who won't act rashly."
"...Tch."
He probably was about to say he'd go himself.
But then there'd be no one restraining short-tempered fishmen.
Understanding that, he glances sharply at the fishmen around him, clicks his tongue, and deeply sighs.
...Yeah.
Actually helpful since I intended to stop him if Arlong said "I'll go!"
"...I'll select here, but then that side will get anxious."
"That side? ...Ah."
Oh crap, I forgot.
Rather, I should've visited first.
"Listen, I trust you to some extent."
...
Are you really Arlong?
Are you some different person with the same name and species who's this reasonable?
"But that's it! If you betray us, I'll kill you along with Celestial Dragons! Got it!?"
"Yeah."
"How long are you keeping us here...!"
"Only water and tasteless fish feed! Bring wine and lobster!!"
"Are you listening! You pirate scum ignoring us!!"
"Really... how much you're... saving us...!"
"...Sorry..."
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
"I apologize for my greatly delayed greeting. I'm truly sorry, King Neptune."
"No! Rather, we must apologize! You wonderfully stabilized that explosive situation!"
Unlike Arlong being far from imagination, this matches expectations.
If anything, the Jinbe-like fishman's gaze beside him is slightly cold.
"I'll explain the situation. Negotiations with the Navy are progressing, and while we're currently unifying opinions, things are settling toward fishmen release and withdrawal."
"I-is it true!?"
The surprised respondent wasn't King Neptune but Jinbe (tentative) beside him.
...As expected, suspected from this side too... well, can't be helped.
It's this when I thought it'd take more time.
"Lord Kuro. Is that certain?"
"At least Special Vice Admiral Skipper the commander is unifying opinions in that direction..."
"Mmm..."
"Probably the distortion between government, Navy as actual workers, and Celestial Dragons grows daily."
By the time Luffy and others set sail, the meaning of 'Celestial Dragons' might drastically change from the original.
No, it was imagination I thought "surely not," but... judging from that Special Vice Admiral's urgency...
"Celestial Dragon existence is becoming World Government framework's shackles. Mountains of problems need addressing, yet crucial Celestial Dragons go outside causing problems, making responses uncertain."
"So honestly they want to recover Celestial Dragons and quickly leave?"
To King Neptune's voice practically saying "ridiculous," I nod "yes" in affirmation, but...
(If they want to leave, that'd be fine...)
Scariest is the pattern where that Vice Admiral thinks he must return urgently.
No, even if Whitebeard is detained for some reason, they can't indefinitely delay.
If that's the circumstance, it'd help, but... the Vice Admiral doesn't show that much urgency.
They probably executed some strategy against Whitebeard, but... seriously, what did they do?
"When opinions unify without problems, Lord Arlong suggested we should also have official kingdom people come for complete fishman and mermaid release confirmation personnel."
"!? That Arlong!?"
Ah, so that's the impression.
...
Huh? Then why did he listen to me?
...
Because of the hopeless guys beside him?
"And something personally concerning... King Neptune."
"Mm, what is it?"
"I intend to devote efforts toward avoiding collision and achieving political resolution."
"Y-yes. Rather, I'm ashamed as king for receiving this much help yet doing nothing—"
"This is a historical problem accumulated by fishmen, humans, and Celestial Dragons. Only limited people can move to address it—that's inevitable. ...Precisely why, my involvement is only until resolving this stalemate."
King Neptune makes a bitter, extremely troubled face.
That's also inevitable.
...Really, what should I do about this?
"How will the government move..."
"Clearly they're at fault, but it's also fact you touched Celestial Dragons."
...Jinbe-san, were you the type to snort derisively like that???
Fishman Island arc's past story... I remember the general flow but not details at all, dammit.
Honestly, more of a vigilance target than Arlong.
Not much different from hot-blooded guys Arlong is restraining.
"...They'll suppress this island."
"Rather, that may have been the objective from the start."
"Mm?"
"If Whitebeard is detained for some reason, it's too convenient for the government."
"Surely not... a strategy from the start!? Absurd... what's the point... do they intend to make Whitebeard an enemy!?"
That's the thing.
But the sadness that the World Government might do it.
(If they make this island government territory, only Red Port allows traveling between seas. Intending to repeat West Blue? Even though it didn't succeed...)
Possible—regrettably possible—if the Five Elders or whoever's above judged this failure as insufficient division.
Further restrict island-to-island navigation and communication so Celestial Dragon blunders don't spread.
Situation reconstruction making information manipulation more convenient for World Government.
A strategy unique to ocean worlds completely unlike reality, but... will it work???
(Grand Line blockade. Red Port value absolutization through division, pirate incorporation as division/execution agents.削ding Navy authority while degrading them to local security maintenance forces. ...Hmm...)
If the originally scheduled 'stronger protection for Navy personnel and their families' had been executed, Navy soldiers' connections with families and hometowns would strengthen, becoming chains.
Thinking now, was that more primary than Navy hierarchy?
(On top of that, truly blockade the Grand Line and sever island connections more than ever.)
...Is it possible while making Whitebeard an enemy amid this chaos?
...
True, in this Fishman Island, powerful ability users like Whitebeard can't go full force, and once suppressed, it's suited for interception.
Intending to switch systems?
Unless weapons like Pacifistas from the original are mass-produced, this stage is too risky.
(So... Celestial Dragons blundered too much making things impossibly維持able as-is, so they hastily advanced stewing plans... maybe?)
In that case... seriously, quite, considerably, the government is panicking.
Large-scale deployment using this incident as material is quite likely.
But all judgments are consistently late for that.
(A small fire became forest fire level, and they don't know where to start?)
Can't dismiss it as utter foolishness.
As division policy advances, higher-ups can't see field realities.
Everywhere, they can't grasp what's happening where.
Perhaps the government most desperately wants accurate information.
If so, there's high possibility they'll try proceeding from conspicuous places...
"Worst case, we may need to flee once."
"...You're saying abandon the island. Pirate."
Don't glare, it's scary, Jinbe-san!!
The enemy is the government, not me!!
I'm a harmless pirate!!?
"If the government decides to redo these '800 years,' there's sufficient possibility they'll first target nearby here."
"Nuu...uu..."
"And though shameless evil law, having touched Celestial Dragons within order absolutizing Celestial Dragons... I can only say clinging to this island is extremely dangerous."
If it were one person like the original, somehow—at worst assassination was an option—but too many Celestial Dragons!
With equal-ranked people and numerous soldiers, anger outweighs crisis awareness so they can't view situations correctly.
I tried earlier, but persuasion is impossible in this atmosphere. Yet full combat produces wasteful casualties.
(If I can make them retreat, it'll somehow work. Seems it will, but...)
Either way, decide evacuation destinations early.
Fortunately, straight from here to the New World.
Within Whitebeard's territory it'll somehow work.
In that case, the government might try treating fishman/mermaid races entirely as pirates, but there's no alternative.
"Actually, some already fled to your island. ...That, the fishman you saved said there's an island in West Blue where fishmen live hidden."
"Fishman I saved? The pioneer team members... ah, no."
Right, fishmen saved at the Holy Land.
Dangerous—really grateful you didn't say the Holy Land keyword.
Also, pioneer team information didn't transmit at all.
Completely new information apparently. King Neptune and naturally Jinbe and other soldiers widen eyes at "Hack and others!?"
"Yes. We're protecting fishman pioneer team members... afterward we searched for scattered ones, having them help develop our hidden island and a certain base, agricultural work."
"I-I see. Honestly doubted, but such a thing really..."
"So, about fishmen who fled in—how many exactly?"
Depending on how much we plundered from the base, well, we have some leeway.
If there's food until around spring's end, we can sufficiently manage afterward.
If Mihawk and Robin are teaming up, Canet pioneering should have progressed reasonably.
"Many were injured from capture, perhaps some fell behind too."
"Yes."
High possibility of many injured.
...Food aside, medicine is dangerous.
Perona requested Mihawk cultivate garlic as disinfectant substitute, but...
"If everyone arrived safely, probably around seven thousand..."
"I see, seven thousand people."
...
.....
Sev... thousand!?!?
No wait wait, it's from here to West Blue. Plus if there were already injured, dropouts occurred... even so... possibly over six thousand!? Idiots!!!
Enough already, God! Seriously nothing but trials constantly—give me some peace!
I worked hard and seriously didn't I!!!!
I'm confident the Holy Land chaos would've been five to ten times worse without me!!!!!
(Daz, sorry!! Really sorry for not being there at this critical time!!)
Haven't you collapsed from stomach pain? The pressure must be insane!?
Are you okay after predictions of "no big deal" got punched from completely unexpected directions!?
...
More importantly, is Mihawk rampaging strangely!? I'm counting on you, Robin!!
I'll return as quickly as possible, so wait!!
(But rushing carelessly tangles problems in weird directions! If Celestial Dragons stay quiet like this—)
"Bang...!"
At that moment, a sound echoes.
A surprisingly light bursting sound.
Gunfire.
At the sound echoing far higher-pitched than the rifles I'm accustomed to, I turn around first fearing fishman eruption.
But the barricaded fishman side—Arlong and others—contrary to expectations, hadn't done anything.
Rather, they stand dumbfounded as if not understanding what happened.
Looking toward where they're staring—
There was Special Vice Admiral Skipper collapsing with his cloak bloodstained, and a Celestial Dragon gripping a garishly gold-gleaming pistol.
***
If you want to read 10 chapters ahead or support me, visit my p.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m /Well_being