Ryugu Kingdom, one of the member nations of the World Government.
It could be considered a country, or it could be considered the Ryugu Palace.
Like the Alubarna Palace in the Arabasta Kingdom, it is the place where the royal family lives.
The Ryugu Palace is located on the top layer of Fish-Man Island, where sunlight can reach. It is a large, luxurious palace built from massive coral reefs, shells, and other materials, with a giant dragon coiled around it.
Only honored guests invited by the king, or high-ranking officials of Fish-Man Island, are qualified to enter Ryugu Palace.
Riding on the back of a giant flounder specially used to transport honored guests, Karl chatted enthusiastically with Jinbe.
After all, on Fish-Man Island right now, this blue giant before him was the strongest practitioner of Fish-Man Karate.
To obtain Fish-Man Karate, he naturally had to start with Jinbe.
"...Jinbe, do you know Arlong?"
As they were chatting, Karl suddenly asked.
"...I do."
Jinbe looked at Karl with a complicated expression, and the change in his emotions made Karl pause for a moment.
Could it be that Jinbe knew Arlong was dead?
As expected...
Jinbe suddenly performed a deep bow of apology to Karl on the back of the giant flounder, saying, "What my brother Arlong did was entirely his own fault. Please, Lord Dragon Knight, do not extend your anger to his family or to Fish-Man Island!"
"It seems you know."
After his surprise, Karl immediately had an idea and stated his purpose: "I can forgive what he did, and I will not extend my anger to his family or Fish-Man Island, but... I need Fish-Man Karate!"
"Thank you for your magnanimity, Lord Dragon Knight..."
Looking up at Karl, Jinbe was not angered by Karl's demand. Instead, he promised with a grateful expression, "As for the Fish-Man Karate you want, I will deliver it into your hands after the banquet is over."
"...Alright."
Karl hadn't expected this at all.
He had thought that obtaining Fish-Man Karate would require some difficulty, but it had fallen into his hands so easily.
Karl's original plan was to see if he could leverage Jinbe's brotherly feelings for Arlong, then tell him that the Arlong Pirates had been wiped out to provoke this honest man.
If the other party still didn't lash out for the sake of Fish-Man Island, Karl would use the pretense of seeking instruction in Fish-Man Karate to engage in a martial arts contest with the inwardly furious Jinbe.
Then, just like when he assessed Lucci, he would copy all of Fish-Man Karate during the fight.
But Karl had not expected... Jinbe already knew that the Arlong Pirates had been completely annihilated at his hands.
Not only did he have no intention of avenging the Arlong Pirates, but he even pleaded in a subservient manner.
Clearly, Jinbe had investigated the course of events and knew what the Arlong Pirates had done in Cocoyasi Village.
At this point, Karl suddenly recalled the image of Rayleigh's surprise attack last year.
Could it be... that Rayleigh's attack back then was also for this reason?
If he remembered correctly, that octopus Hatchan was Rayleigh's lifesaver.
So that's how it is...
Karl instantly understood.
The reason he knew all this was because the Marine branch he had cooperated with for many years had announced the news of Arlong's demise throughout the East Blue.
Having obtained Fish-Man Karate in this way, Karl couldn't help but look at Jinbe with a hint of admiration.
He was truly worthy of being called the Knight of the Sea; not only was he chivalrous and had a strong sense of responsibility, but he also knew how to distinguish right from wrong.
Fearing that Karl would cause trouble for Arlong's sister or retaliate against Fish-Man Island, he did not hesitate to kneel before Karl and offer up Fish-Man Karate with both hands.
This guy is a real talent!
When the giant flounder, enclosed in a large bubble, flew to the entrance of the Ryugu Palace, Karl, who was in a good mood, saw from a distance a twelve-meter-tall coelacanth merman, accompanied by his ministers, waiting for Karl and Jinbe at the palace entrance.
With a sturdier build than ordinary mermen, a thick, fluffy mane of orange-red hair and beard, and flame-like tattoos on his arms, this was the current king of Ryugu Kingdom, an old acquaintance of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger, and a good brother to the World's Strongest Man—Neptune.
In the previous era before the legend ended, Neptune was definitely one of the most well-connected figures on the seas.
Even now, with the Whitebeard Pirates' flag flying over the island, no one dared to cause trouble on Fish-Man Island.
If it were anyone else, not even the Seven Warlords of the Sea or the monsters of the New World would be worthy of Neptune's reception, let alone have him wait at the palace entrance.
But Karl was different.
As one of the old-timers who had witnessed the Rocks Era, the last golden age, and even this Great Pirate Era started by Roger, Neptune knew exactly what kind of monsters the overlords of the seas were.
His good brother, Edward Newgate, had only to hang his flag on the island to bring peace to the chaotic Fish-Man Island for over a decade.
The young man before him, who had defeated the World's Strongest Creature last year, was an existence on the same level as his good brother.
If he didn't know, perhaps he could pretend not to have seen him.
But since he knew Karl had come to Fish-Man Island, Neptune had to show him the utmost respect.
This was respect for an overlord of the seas.
If he could gain the other party's favor, then when he grew old and lost the protection of the Whitebeard Pirates, his sons might be able to gain his support.
The other party was only 16 years old this year, not even in his prime.
When those other overlords grew old and entered a phase of physical decline, the next owner of the "World's Strongest Man" throne would very likely be this young man before him.
As the king of a nation, Neptune had to consider these things.
"A pleasure to meet you for the first time, Lord Dragon Knight..."
After Karl and Jinbe disembarked from the back of the giant flounder, Neptune looked down at the young man whose figure was as small as an ant compared to his own, making it completely unimaginable that a power capable of destroying islands was hidden within his body, and said politely, "Welcome to Fish-Man Island and Ryugu Palace. Please forgive my humble hospitality!"
"Not at all..."
Karl shook his head and smiled, "You've given me plenty of face, King Neptune."
"It's our first meeting. My name is Karl. You and Jinbe can just call me Karl."
"Lord Karl, it is a pleasure to meet you."
A friendly smile immediately appeared on Neptune's face, and he then turned to the side and gestured, "Please, come in. I have prepared a grand welcoming feast for you."
"At the same time, I have also sent people to invite your companions."
Hearing Neptune's last sentence, Karl spoke slowly, "My companions are here as tourists and are not suited for this occasion."
"They are only here to see the legendary underwater paradise, which is why we didn't fly over the Red Line to return to the first half of the Grand Line."
"Let them have their fun down below."
"...Very well."
Neptune nodded and then gave a look to a minister beside him.
The minister, understanding Neptune's meaning, quickly withdrew to make a call and inform the people below.
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