"Your Majesty Nereus! Allow me to explain! That guy is from the Deul Kingdom in the North Blue. He's called Hardinge the Teleporter, and his bounty is fifty million Berries.
Don't be fooled by his bounty, he can pass through the Red Line normally, not because of a Devil Fruit ability, but because he's an official pirate of the Deul Kingdom, serving that kingdom directly."
At this moment, Vander Decken VIII, who had been standing to the side, approached with a wide grin on his face. After having submitted to him back then, Nereus had not done anything to him.
Because he used to operate as a pirate around Fishman Island, Vander Decken VIII was well-acquainted with all sorts of people and even had connections with certain people in the Sabaody Archipelago.
Although he didn't possess Nereus's fearsome reputation in the Underworld, sometimes the name of a local security captain was more practical than that of a big shot. Vander Decken VIII was exactly that kind of figure.
Occasionally, he could still be useful.
"You've had dealings with him?"
"How could that be! It's more like we have a grudge… Your Majesty Nereus, that b*stard Hardinge is downright racist! Not only does he discriminate against other races, he even discriminates among humans.
In his eyes, there are standards for skin color, hair color, eye color… even the shape of one's bones… Only those who meet his requirements are considered superior in his view."
As he spoke of this, Vander Decken VIII's face showed both mockery and anger, as if he thought the man was completely insane.
"That guy believes inferior people are only fit to be slaves for his kingdom. He's not exactly a human trafficker, but he's a buyer—a representative sent by his kingdom to 'stock up.'
He has connections with many slave traders, but those people were all killed by Your Majesty.
Since he couldn't complete his task, he was probably scolded quite a bit by his king. If you ask me, he just wants revenge."
"Didn't you say he's a buyer?"
Hearing this, Barbell at the side suddenly felt something was off. According to Vander Decken VIII's description, this man should be very interested in slaves, and Merfolk slaves already sold for astronomical prices.
After Nereus took power, scarcity had made them even more valuable, their prices becoming nearly immeasurable.
Although the law forbade it, if laws alone could eliminate evil, the world would have been peaceful long ago. Many people ignored those regulations.
"Well…"
Vander Decken VIII suddenly looked embarrassed, becoming somewhat timid. In the end, he cautiously said, "Lord Nereus, please don't be angry. That guy believes only inferior people deserve to be slaves for them.
And we…"
He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear enough.
"Rule of the few? He's quite confident. But he violated my ban and still left alive. This matter can't be settled so easily."
"Boss! Leave it to me! I'll bring you his head!"
Barbell cared about this more than anyone. After all, the man had escaped from under his watch. If he didn't resolve it, Sebastian would surely use it as an excuse to mock him whenever they drank.
"Come back. Do you even know where to find him? And the Warp-Warp Fruit ability… it's troublesome. Even if you locate him, are you confident you can keep him?"
In terms of escape abilities, the Warp-Warp Fruit ranked among the very best. For someone with that power, moving between two islands with just a few stepping points was extremely easy.
If one wasn't fast enough, even after discovering him, there was still a chance he would escape.
"But Boss, someone like that, do you really need to handle it personally? Fishman Island isn't lacking in people. We can't let you take action for everything…"
There were matters that only Nereus could handle because no one else could, like storming Mariejois. Aside from Nereus himself, who had enough lives to dare expend them, no one else could attempt that.
But someone like this didn't require Nereus's personal involvement. If they truly want to send someone to hunt him down, even Hermes could accomplish it.
Though he was used as a support unit every day, Hermes's own combat power was quite formidable.
"Of course not. Doesn't he think he's a cut above others? Then let him experience what it feels like to be betrayed and abandoned by everyone. Issue the order: all soldiers of the Neptune Army are to cancel their leave. Fishman Island will enter a state of lockdown.
Contact Morgans. I have a big piece of news for him.
It's been three years since I made a serious move. Has this sea already forgotten me?
Fishman Island seeks peace, but that doesn't mean we only know peace."
If Nereus personally took action and spent some time, he could indeed kill Hardinge.
The Warp-Warp Fruit was troublesome, but as long as he found his trail, Nereus naturally had the ability to end his life before he even noticed Nereus and activated his power.
But that would be meaningless. Given enough time, a second or third Hardinge would appear and do the same thing.
On this sea, what it never lacks are reckless fools who don't know the immensity of heaven and earth.
Using this incident as an opportunity, it was just right to let the world know what Fishman Island would do if it were truly pushed to the brink.
"President! President! The Ryugu Kingdom is on the line. They say there's something very important and want you to receive it!"
At the headquarters of the World Economy News Paper, Morgans was staring blankly at the information gathered from all over the world. There really hasn't been any big news worth reporting lately.
It was all the same old stories of Pirate-versus-Marine, nothing eye-catching at all.
"Receive it? This is a newspaper office, not a pleasure district. What are you talking about?" [TN: The word used here for receive can also be interpreted as entertain.]
"Ah, just answer it, President! It's a call from the kingdom. Maybe it really is some big news!"
The reporter who came to fetch Morgans ignored his complaints and dragged him toward the long-distance Den Den Mushi.
Morgans held a high reputation within the World Economy News Paper and was well liked by the other reporters. They generally got along quite well.
"Morgans, you still remember my voice, don't you?"
When Nereus's voice came through the Den Den Mushi, Morgans's eyes widened immediately. He shot a questioning look at the reporter who had called him over.
[He's calling personally and you didn't say that?!]
[You didn't ask.]
The two exchanged looks, then Morgans replied respectfully, "Of course, Your Majesty Nereus. But may I ask, using which identity are you contacting me?"
The Undying King of the Underworld. That identity made Morgans far more wary. After all, he wasn't exactly a clean businessman himself; he had his own ties to the Underworld.
"Other than the King of Fishman Island, what else could it be? Morgans, I have a piece of big news to give you."
"What is it?"
"I want someone's head."
Nereus's tone was calm, as if he were speaking of something trivial.
To Morgans, it truly wasn't a big deal. Nereus killing someone wouldn't even make it into the corner of a third-rate newspaper.
"This…"
"Until this matter is resolved, Fishman Island will seal its seas. No ship, no matter whose, will be allowed to pass a single step beyond Fishman Island. This stretch of sea is closed to all traffic."
"!!!!!!"
Please support on pat*eon for extra chapters; there is date to date subscription enabled on patreon. [There is a 7-day trial version availabe on patreon.]
https://www.pat*eon.com/dmtranslations
You can read ahead upto 25 chapters on my pa*reon.
Tiers-
1$- 10 chapters of OPUK
3$- 12 chapters
5$- 15 chapters
10$- 25 chapters