"How many people have joined us, kaka?"
New Fishman Pirates executive Daruma, looking frustrated, called over a subordinate who was tallying the number of new recruits to the rebel forces and asked about the recruitment progress.
According to the rebellion plan devised by Hody, destroying important targets on Fishman Island and crushing the Neptune Army would incite massive panic.
After completing the first phase of the plan, Daruma unfortunately hadn't encountered any worthy opponents and was forced to remain outside Ryugu Palace to recruit Fishmen whose ambitions had been stirred by the chaos.
"We've already got 30,000 people!"
The Fishman in charge of counting excitedly reported the exact number.
Daruma's mood finally improved.
The Merfolk, who lived relatively comfortable lives, wouldn't choose to join the rebels. The Fishmen, dissatisfied with their lives, were the primary targets for recruitment.
The chaos erupting across Fishman Island undoubtedly gave these poor wretches, who had nothing but their miserable lives to lose, an outlet to vent their grievances. Almost without hesitation, they joined the rebel forces.
"Counting this, we have around 100,000 people now, kaka."
Daruma's spirits lifted as he jumped onto a reef, straining to look into the distance.
Even more Fishmen were surging toward this recruitment point from afar, roughly estimated to be at least another 10,000 or so.
"Boss Daruma, should we go teach those who refuse to follow us a lesson?"
The smooth recruitment process had also made this Fishman in charge of registration even more arrogant, directing his hostility toward those who refused to join the rebellion.
He believed that with just a little coercion or persuasion, at least 50,000 more could be recruited from these blind fools.
With such a massive army, even the Neptune Army at its peak would stand no chance.
Daruma grinned viciously. "Let's take in this batch first. Later, we'll make those idiots face reality, kaka."
The subordinate had practically read his mind.
Fishman Island had a total population of several million.
Setting aside the Merfolk, the Fishmen alone numbered over two million.
Yet only a little over 100,000 had joined the rebellion. There were still so many Fishmen who refused to join.
How could this be tolerated?
Before long, the recruitment point was packed with people.
Tens of thousands of Fishmen excitedly discussed how, under Hody's leadership, they would take revenge on humans and prove that the Fishmen were the strongest race in the world.
"Listen up, everyone! Boss Hody has already captured Ryugu Palace. King Neptune, the three princes, even Boss Jinbe have all been captured by us!"
Daruma crouched on the reef and announced the progress of the rebellion to the assembled rebels.
"Boss Jinbe?"
Someone in the crowd cried out in shock.
Jinbe's reputation among the Fishmen far surpassed Hody's.
These new recruits had never imagined that Hody's group had even captured Boss Jinbe.
"Boss Jinbe will join us."
Seeing the crowd waver, Daruma immediately recited the script Hody had prepared in advance.
"That's great!"
The rebels instantly turned their shock into joy, rubbing their hands in excitement as they looked forward to the Fishmen rising again under the leadership of both bosses.
"Follow me to settle the score with those traitors! Let them know what our ideals are!"
Daruma's words once again stirred the rebels' emotions.
Every Fishman felt resentment toward those of their kind who refused to join the rebellion.
Those without any racial pride deserved to be taught a lesson. They had to make these fools understand the ideals they were fighting for.
Either join the cause or die!
"Your schemes will not succeed!"
Prince Fukaboshi, riding a shark, swiftly approached from a distance. Seeing so many Fishmen choosing to join the rebellion, he gritted his teeth.
He knew that Fishman supremacists had always existed on Fishman Island, and their numbers were not small.
But witnessing tens of thousands of rebels in person was a visual shock.
Only now did he realize that the "purge" Reddy had mentioned was indeed necessary. Otherwise, even if the rebellion hadn't erupted today, it would have eventually turned against Ryugu Palace.
"It's Prince Fukaboshi!"
Someone among the rebels screamed in alarm.
Countless doubtful eyes instantly fixed on Daruma's face.
At this moment, Daruma was also dumbfounded.
Hadn't King Neptune and his family been captured by Boss Hody?
"Big brother, I've taken care of things on my end!"
The second prince, Ryuboshi, led a squad of Neptune soldiers and quickly arrived to regroup. Seeing that his elder brother Fukaboshi hadn't actually engaged the rebels yet, he sighed in relief.
Not long after, the third prince, Manboshi, also arrived with another squad of Neptune soldiers.
Apart from this recruitment point led by Daruma, other members of the New Fishman Pirates were recruiting rebels at various locations outside Ryugu Palace.
The two princes had led Neptune soldiers, screened through actual combat, to suppress these smaller recruitment points.
Prince Fukaboshi had taken on the heavy responsibility of stalling the rebel forces alone.
"You..."
Daruma jumped in shock.
The three princes hadn't been captured. Was there a traitor in the New Fishman Pirates?
Had this been fake news deliberately spread?
Did that mean Boss Hody was doomed?
"Kill them, kaka!"
Daruma reacted quickly, inciting the new recruits to charge at Prince Fukaboshi, leading the charge himself.
Princes Ryuboshi and Manboshi immediately prepared to lead the Neptune soldiers to counterattack but were stopped by Prince Fukaboshi.
"Wait..."
Prince Fukaboshi watched with mixed emotions as the rebels drew closer.
Originally, according to the plan, he would stall this massive rebel force alone until his brothers arrived with reinforcements.
But along the way, someone had intercepted him.
"Why?"
Ryuboshi grew anxious.
Prince Fukaboshi remained silent, simply pointing at the rebels who were now less than fifty meters away.
The two princes didn't understand their elder brother's meaning and looked over in confusion.
At that moment, a door opened in the air.
Dark figures suddenly flew out of the door, crashing violently into the rebel forces.
The rebels' charge was instantly suppressed.
A large number of rebels screamed as they were sent flying into the air.
"Dr. Reddy?"
Manboshi was stunned when he saw Reddy step out of the door, hands in his pockets and a smile on his face.
"What foolish people."
Hancock was the last to step out, her face full of disdain.
In her eyes, the rebellion on Fishman Island was a joke. How dare they attack Reddy, an Emperor of the Sea?
Wasn't this the height of foolishness?
Reddy watched as the clones rampaged through the rebel forces, the corners of his lips curling upward.
The captured King Neptune, his family, and Jinbe were, of course, all fakes.
They were merely clones created with a bit of energy to serve as bait, ensuring Hody's group successfully captured Ryugu Palace.
The success of the rebellion would inevitably fuel Hody's greater ambitions, leading him to recruit even more rebels.
The most extreme elements on Fishman Island would reveal themselves.
Moreover, since this was a rebellion, Jinbe, as the most famous figure among the Fishmen, personally suppressing the rebels was perfectly reasonable, right?
This way, Jinbe's reputation remained intact while the Fishman supremacists were purged.
A win-win!
Reddy no longer paid attention to the doomed rebels, turning his gaze toward Ryugu Palace. "Jinbe must have made his move by now too."
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