Next Bonus, 100!!
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Prince Fukaboshi stood against the sea wind.
"Jinbe," he said, his tone heavy.
"Humanity—in numbers, in powerful individuals, even in technology—has far surpassed the Fish-Man race. If we ever hope to bring Fish-Man Island from the depths to the surface, we must first find a way to coexist with them. Otherwise, the day Fish-Man Island rises to the surface will be the day our people face extinction."
"The deep sea that our people see as a prison..."
"From another perspective, it isn't a cage. It's the very 'bubble' that protects us from the worst of humanity," Prince Fukaboshi mused.
Jinbe nodded. "Perhaps. Even if humans can reach Fish-Man Island with coated ships, they still face immense risks. More than sixty percent of those ships are lost. But if we were on the surface, without a powerful protector... Fish-Man Island would quickly be reduced to ruins, wouldn't it?"
"Indeed," Prince Fukaboshi said, lost in thought. "Sometimes I wonder if the very existence of pirates is a deliberate creation of the World Government. Because of pirates, the member nations are forced to seek the government's protection and obediently pay the Heavenly Tribute. The chaos of the pirates highlights the importance of the World Government's 'order.' That contrast makes people more willing to accept their oppression."
To unite the member nations, the World Government needed an "enemy." In the past, it was non-affiliated nations like Fish-Man Island. But as those nations weakened, they created new enemies—the "Four Emperors," "pirates"...
And when the Emperors and the pirates are gone, will it be the Revolutionary Army? Or someone else?
Jinbe shook his head. "That is not for us to consider."
Prince Fukaboshi let out a long breath. "If we are to make contact with humanity, King Jin seems like the ideal choice."
Jinbe nodded.
The king was, indeed, different.
"I still have some business to attend to on the Sabaody Archipelago," Jinbe said suddenly. "I will not be able to return to Fish-Man Island with you, Prince Fukaboshi. I will have Aladdin and the others escort you."
The prince was surprised but didn't press the matter. He nodded and thanked Jinbe for his protection thus far.
Unseen, behind the royal mermaid ship, the demonic carrier sailed in "stealth mode," following at a steady pace.
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Inside the conning tower, Jin was deep in thought.
"Madam Shyarly told me in private... she foresaw Prince Fukaboshi's assassination. In the original timeline, Prince Fukaboshi doesn't die. But now, in the future I've altered, he's going to be killed?"
A theory began to form in his mind.
Prince Fukaboshi's successful diplomatic mission to the Winter Blossom Kingdom had likely enraged the extremist factions on Fish-Man Island. They would choose to assassinate him and frame a human for the crime.
Just as they had done with Queen Otohime.
Regardless, it was a situation that could easily tarnish the Winter Blossom Kingdom's reputation, which was something Jin could not allow.
And so, he was following them in secret.
On one hand, he despised being framed.
On the other, he was going to personally alter this unforeseen future.
The only problem was the logistics. Fish-Man Island was located deep beneath the sea. The demonic carrier's "dive mode"—coating it like a submarine—couldn't handle that kind of depth. It was designed to sail on the surface, with only a part of its hull making contact with the water. And even then, there was a protective barrier. Descending into the deep sea was too risky. It wouldn't be destroyed, but it would definitely be stranded.
For the sake of safety, Jin wasn't willing to take that chance.
And so, he contacted Hancock. He set a course for Amazon Lily, anchoring the demonic carrier in a rocky cove.
While delivering a shipment of supplies to Hancock, he also collected the "Dream" they had cultivated.
Ten thousand plants.
The "Dream" from before had been grown in the cultivation chamber. This batch had been grown naturally. He would need Ai to test its composition and effects.
If it passed, this year's Heavenly Tribute would be covered. With the Winter Blossom Kingdom's territory having expanded, the tribute was no small sum—it was more than ten times what it used to be.
Psychoactive drugs existed in the world of One Piece. They were illegal, but some of the Four Emperors' territories were known to produce them. The Celestial Dragons and other nobles were frequent customers, though they patronized more high-end establishments like the Gran Tesoro.
But compared to "Dream," those drugs were low-grade.
"Dream" was derived from a poisonous, hallucinogenic mushroom. The Mushroom-Mushroom Fruit had been used to remove its lethal toxins while enhancing its psychoactive properties, stimulating the cerebral cortex to produce dopamine.
It allowed one to "dream" of euphoria and pleasure.
Of course, it had its side effects. Overuse led to addiction and the erosion of one's will and spirit.
That was why Jin only supplied it to the Celestial Dragons. The seeds he had given to Amazon Lily were strictly controlled to prevent them from leaking to the outside world.
If the quality of the Amazon Lily batch was good, a portion would go to the Celestial Dragons. The rest could be supplied exclusively to the noble clientele of the Gran Tesoro.
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The moment they met, Hancock threw herself into Jin's arms without a shred of restraint, nuzzling against him like an affectionate cat.
Robin shot her a sidelong glance. 'Hmph.'
Hancock, sensing her gaze, looked back. Realizing something, she deliberately planted a kiss on Jin's cheek, her eyes flashing with defiance.
The other Kuja pirates were completely bewildered.
Only Gloriosa was unfazed.
Love, it seemed, had allowed the Pirate Empress to fully blossom. She was more radiant than ever, her beauty unparalleled, her every movement exuding a captivating, languid grace.
She invited Jin to be her guest in Kuja City, leaving Gloriosa and Robin to handle the rest.
In the hot spring, Hancock, her skin like polished alabaster, coiled around Jin like a serpent, asking him to remove the slave brand from her sisters' backs—a painful memory that still haunted them.
Jin agreed.
But he would have to wait until the demonic carrier's next evolution, when new crew positions could be assigned.
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After two days on Amazon Lily, Jin left the ship behind, along with Maya, Shiro (Sabertooth), and Perona, for them to undergo Haki training with the Kuja.
He and Robin then traveled to the Sabaody Archipelago, escorted by the Empress herself on her Perfume Yuda.
He had already contacted Jinbe. He and the members of the Sun Pirates would guide them to Fish-Man Island.
Jinbe had also learned from Madam Shyarly about the premonition of Prince Fukaboshi's assassination. To uncover the truth and catch the real culprit, he, Jin, and Shyarly had devised a plan to lure the snake out of its hole.
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