Meanwhile, deep beneath the ocean, miles under the surface, in Fish-Man Island's bustling Fish-Man Street,
Fisher Tiger leaned against the ornate yet cold coral wall, chest heaving with ragged breaths.
His once-pristine clothing, freshly donned at the start of his journey, had long since been torn and bloodied, streaked with grime from his desperate flight. Even back on the relative safety of Fish-Man Island, his broad, scarred hands trembled slightly from gripping too hard along the way.
His eyes reflected a tumult of emotions: the relief of surviving against impossible odds, the exhilaration of having liberated his fellow fish-men, and a deep, fathomless worry.
From the heights of Red Line's Holy Land, Mariejois, to the depths of the sea here, his escape had been a near-impossible ordeal—one he had barely survived.
Time and again, he had relied on the inherent strength of the fish-man body and his mastery of Fish-Man Karate to evade relentless World Government pursuers. Yet the strangest part of it all had been what happened as he finally dove into the churning currents circling the Red Line.
Those same agents and Marine soldiers who had doggedly chased him all the way to the edge of the ocean had stopped dead on the shore.
They hadn't followed him into the water. They hadn't even attempted any meaningful attack. It was as if some invisible order had frozen them in place: they merely stared coldly at the waves until his figure vanished into the deep blue.
"Why…?" The question flashed briefly in Tiger's mind.
Were they intimidated by the fish-men's strength underwater? Did the unpredictable depths give them pause? Or… was there some even deeper reason he could not grasp?
For now, he had neither the energy nor the heart to investigate.
Exhaustion weighed down his body, and the crushing weight of reality pressed on his spirit. He shook his head, trying to cast aside such questions for the moment.
He knew full well the enormity of his actions. Assaulting Mariejois, the World Nobles' sanctum, liberating slaves, wounding—or perhaps even killing—Celestial Dragons…
These were crimes that shook the very foundations of the World Government.
The retaliation would be cataclysmic, capable of sweeping over the entirety of Fish-Man Island. No power in the world could openly shelter someone guilty of such a "sin." Not even Fish-Man Island itself, isolated deep beneath the sea, could withstand the wrath of the World Government.
Returning here now was not about seeking protection. Tiger's purpose was simpler, yet heavier: to see his homeland one last time before the storm came, to warn King Neptune and Queen Otohime to prepare.
At this point, Fisher Tiger had resolved to bear all consequences alone.
"Brother Tiger!"
Arlong and several companions from Fish-Man Street rushed over, their faces filled with worry and admiration. "You've finally come back! Outside…"
Tiger raised a hand to halt them, his eyes scanning the distant domed splendor of Ryugu Palace. His voice, hoarse but resolute, carried across the street:
"I've returned… but the disaster will likely follow me. It's my fault… I've brought this upon Fish-Man Island."
There was no fear in his eyes—only a resolute courage, a willingness to face death head-on, and a deep guilt for the potential suffering of his people.
Arlong and his companions were momentarily overwhelmed by the weight of Tiger's words.
Without wasting more time, Tiger rested briefly, straightened his appearance, and then, with a quiet determination, bade Arlong farewell and turned toward Ryugu Palace.
Ryugu Palace
Inside the palace's grand hall, King Neptune sat firmly upon his throne, brow furrowed, clearly aware of the unsettling news.
Queen Otohime stood beside him, hands clasped, her gaze filled with concern.
Tiger approached the center of the hall. He did not bow, did not kneel. He simply straightened his back, eyes unwavering as they met those of his rulers.
"Your Majesty Neptune, Queen Otohime," he said, his voice rough but strong, echoing off the hall's walls. "I have returned."
"But I have also brought Fish-Man Island a disaster that could destroy us all."
Without hiding anything, Tiger recounted his journey: scaling the Red Line by hand, infiltrating Mariejois, freeing the enslaved, inciting rebellion, and the catastrophic consequences that might follow. Every word landed like a hammer blow against Neptune and Otohime's hearts.
Once finished, he did not pause for Neptune to respond, nor allow Otohime to intervene. He pressed on with unflinching resolve:
"Of course, I have not returned seeking Ryugu Palace's protection. The wrath of the World Government is far beyond what Fish-Man Island can endure. I, Fisher Tiger, act alone and will bear the consequences alone."
"No… Tiger, you really don't need to—"
But Tiger cut him off with a tone that brooked no argument:
"Your Majesty Neptune, rest assured. I will leave Fish-Man Island immediately and never return. I alone will shoulder the consequences. Perhaps this will prevent the World Government from taking their anger out on our homeland."
He paused, voice heavy with meaning.
"No matter what, everything I have done… I did for freedom. For those enslaved. For my people… I will never regret it!"
His words struck the hall like thunder, resolute, tragic, and heroic.
At that moment—
"Brother Tiger!!!"
A voice rang out from the hall doors, filled with sobs but also unyielding determination.
The massive figure of Jinbe barreled in, still in his Guardian Captain armor, too fast to even remove it, like a whirlwind.
With a heavy thud, he fell to his knees before Tiger, sending droplets of water flying.
Lifting his head, his round face gleaming with emotion and sincerity, he choked back his voice:
"Brother Tiger! If you go, I, Jinbe, will follow you forever! Wherever you go, whatever you face, I swear to stand by you with my life!"
The sudden declaration turned the already tense throne room into an even more charged scene. Otohime clutched her mouth, tears glistening in her eyes.
Tiger gazed at his kneeling brother. His usually stoic face finally softened; his lips trembled slightly, releasing a deep, measured sigh.
For a brief moment, the hall was silent—only Tiger's resolute words and Jinbe's labored breaths echoed in the space.
King Neptune looked at this fish-man hero, fearless in the face of death, then at the loyal Jinbe kneeling before him. His massive hand traced the armrest of the throne thoughtfully.
Just as the hall seemed about to freeze under the weight of grief and heroism, Neptune spoke:
"Tiger," his voice cutting through the silence, "you need not be so worried. The trouble you've caused… may not be as severe as you think."
"Your Majesty Neptune! You don't understand!" Tiger's brow furrowed tightly, voice sharp with urgency. "I attacked Mariejois itself! That is a crime punishable by death!"
"And…" he drew a deep, steadying breath, emphasizing the gravest point, "…I even killed a Celestial Dragon! That is an unforgivable sin! The World Government will never forgive this! Even Admiral Gern's banner cannot shield someone guilty of such a crime! I cannot drag Fish-Man Island into this!"
The anguish in Tiger's voice reflected his vision of an inevitable disaster for Fish-Man Island should the World Government retaliate.
Yet when Neptune heard the words "unforgivable sin" and "killed a Celestial Dragon", his expression did not harden in alarm. Instead, a strange, almost wry look appeared on his face.
Hell, one Celestial Dragon? That's nothing! he thought. Gern had once carried two freshly severed Celestial Dragon heads all the way from the Forest of Sea to the front of Ryugu Palace and casually tossed them at him, telling him to deliver them to the New World!
Of course, Neptune could not voice this now; back then, it had been a private meeting between him and Gern, unknown even to Otohime.
He glanced at Otohime, then continued:
"Not long ago, Mr. Tesoro reported through the Den Den Mushi that the aftermath in the Holy Land has been 'handled completely.' Admiral Gern personally took care of the remaining problems. The World Government dares not touch Fish-Man Island—or you—for now."
Neptune leaned back in his throne.
"So, Tiger, stay here without fear. This is not only your home—it's territory protected under the banner of the 'Heavenly Calamity.' As long as that flag flies, the World Government will not dare lay a hand on you.
"And if your heart cannot rest here, if you do not wish to live the rest of your life hiding in Fish-Man Island with guilt… you must follow your own path."
Tiger lowered his gaze. He could not remain on Fish-Man Island. He was a proud fish-man.
He would not hide behind walls, weighed down by guilt—even if that guilt would be trivial in Gern's eyes. He knew he would always wonder how much pressure Gern and Fish-Man Island had endured to help him.
So, with a single apology, he chose his own path, returning to the main current of his destiny.
After all, a coward who hides, fearing death and avoiding risk, could never liberate all slaves and claim the Red Line as his own.