As Damon's figure receded into the distance towards Gyoncorde Plaza, the Third Prince Manboshi pursed his lips and turned to his Sea King Army, saying:
"From now on, I will intercept them alone. You all should go back for now!"
The Sea King army did not obey the orders of the third prince, but silently followed him.
"We swear to protect His Highness with our lives!"
The Third Prince felt both helpless and gratified, and quickly led his army to speed up their pace.
Today was the day of Queen Otohime's speech, and a large number of citizens had gathered at Gyoncorde Plaza.
Regardless of wealth or poverty, whether mermaid or fish-man, despite their skepticism about Queen Otohime's beliefs and their belief that humans were unlikely to coexist peacefully with them, they still held this kind and peaceful royal in high esteem.
The scene was crowded with people, and Damon's figure disappeared into the crowd, quickly vanishing from the pursuers' sight.
"Oops!"
Seeing this, the Third Prince secretly regretted his actions.
But now, he could not disperse the crowd, because Queen Otohime's speech had already begun.
Queen Otohime, dressed in simple clothes, stood on the stage set up in the square, gazing gently at the people she loved. Her calm yet powerful voice resonated in everyone's ears.
"Today, I am delighted to be with you all in this greatest struggle for freedom and equality."
"After a meeting of the World Government, the Celestial Dragons have decided to live in peace with humans and even allow us to relocate to the land. All our citizens need to do is sign a consent form, and we will be able to live under the true blue sky and white clouds, enjoy the sunshine and beaches we yearn for, and ensure that our descendants will no longer have to worry about being enslaved by humans day after day."
"You might find this hard to believe."
"But this is equivalent to the World Government signing a promissory note that every merman and mermaid can inherit. This promissory note promises that everyone, whether human or us, enjoys the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
"Friends, today I want to tell you that despite the many difficulties we face now and in the future, I still have a dream."
"I dream that one day all people will be born equal, whether they are mermaids and fish-men or humans, and everyone will be able to live on land without distinction of wealth or status, and enjoy the richness and diversity of life together."
"I dream that one day, on the Red Line, the children of former slaves will be able to sit at the same table as the children of former slave owners, as close as brothers and sisters, and there will be no more discrimination or antagonism between races."
"I dream that one day we mermaids and fish-men will be able to walk on land with our heads held high, in any country or on any island in the world, and we will have the same status as humans, working together, living together, praying together, fighting together, and defending freedom together."
"Because we know that one day we will be free! Free!"
A seemingly ordinary yet luxurious term.
When Queen Otohime finished speaking, the entire Gyoncorde Plaza was completely silent; you could hear a pin drop.
All the mermaids and fish-men were dumbfounded, as if they couldn't believe that Queen Otohime had actually obtained this promise from the World Government after attending a meeting there.
Just as everyone was at a loss, a figure stepped past them and walked towards the podium.
Queen Otohime was usually busy running around and did not recognize Damon's identity as the pirate Dragon Ash.
The eldest shark prince cursed his second and third brothers inwardly for being useless, allowing such a terrifying pirate to enter the plaza silently. Knowing that the pirate was a rising star and the most notorious new pirate, the eldest shark prince resolutely stepped forward to protect Queen Otohime. Holding the heavy Sea King Trident, he blocked Damon's path and said in a deep voice:
"Lord of the Night, you are not welcome here."
Damon glanced at the other person.
Even a fleeting moment, as King's Haki expanded and contracted, caused the Shark Prince to lose his composure, his body collapsing limply to the ground, his eyelids feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds, as if he were about to close his eyes.
The shark prince bit his tongue hard, the stinging sensation briefly restoring his senses. He gripped Damon's ankle tightly with his five fingers, like an eagle's iron claws, a resolute look in his eyes.
"I will never allow you to harm my mother!"
The shadows clung to the shark prince, pulling his hands apart.
When Damon approached Queen Otohime, this woman, whose tragic air was palpable, looked like a frightened little rabbit, her expression showing a hint of panic, yet also a resolute determination to die for her principles.
"Are you here to take my life?"
Queen Otohime was no fool. She was well aware of how much her efforts over the years, especially in securing the support of the World Government, would affect the interests of the Celestial Dragons and nobles. Therefore, she was already mentally prepared.
"Do not."
Surprisingly, the man in front of them did not make a move, but instead said:
"As a weak woman, I am very curious how you miraculously gained the support of the World Government. If you really get the signatures of the citizens of the Ryugu Kingdom, can you really promote racial equality?"
"If a person has enough faith, they can create miracles."
"After all, those who believe in miracles are just as remarkable as miracles themselves."
"Ding!"
"Congratulations, host, for reciting a classic line from Star Journey. You have been awarded one chance to draw a prize. Would you like to start the prize wheel?"
In Damon's line of sight, the lottery wheel slowly appeared, with only ability as a prize.
Abilities: Shadow Manipulation, Spatial Contract, Feigning Death...
[Shadow Mark]: Implants a shadow mark on the target. The Shadow Mark slowly enhances the target's physical attributes, gradually turning the target into a shadow person who is controlled by the caster.
Damon chuckled lightly, and amidst the bewildered gaze of Queen Otohime, he suddenly moved closer, pretending to smooth her messy hair behind her ear, in order to conceal the shadow mark he had implanted on Queen Otohime, hidden beneath her hair, invisible to ordinary people.
Upon receiving the warning from the Third Prince Manboshi, King Neptune was leading a contingent of the Sea King's army to provide support. He happened to witness this scene from afar, and his face immediately darkened, feeling as if he had been publicly humiliated.
"You audacious madman, prepare to die!"
Damon glanced at King Neptune out of the corner of his eye, ignoring the impotent and furious King Neptune. His gaze lingered on Princess Shirahoshi for a moment, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips. He then vanished from the podium, his figure disappearing swiftly from everyone's sight.
King Neptune rushed onto the podium, placed his hands on his beloved consort's shoulders, looked her up and down, and said with concern:
"My beloved consort, are you alright?"
Queen Otohime was slightly taken aback, then smiled broadly.
"Honey, I'm fine."
Princess Shirahoshi is one of the three Ancient Weapons, Poseidon, and no one knows what would happen if someone were to tamper with her.
There is never a shortage of smart people in this world.
If it were possible to control Poseidon and thus command a large number of sea king creatures, the World Government would have done so long ago.
It is likely that these ancient weapons contained certain countermeasures to prevent them from falling into the hands of others and being controlled by them.
Damon originally planned to kidnap Queen Otohime and use his Mangekyo Sharingan to hypnotize her, thereby indirectly controlling Princess Shirahoshi.
However, now that Damon had acquired the Shadow Mark technique, it saved him a lot of trouble.
The only drawback was that the Shadow Mark was not as simple and direct as the Mangekyo Sharingan. It required years of gradual influence to slowly shape the target into the desired form.
There were advantages to being slow. At least during this period, Queen Otohime would not do anything unusual. With Damon's hints, and with her reputation and power on Fishman Island, she would be able to take control of the entire Ryugu Kingdom sooner or later.
Now, it remained to be seen whether, without the interference of scoundrels like Hody Jones, if Queen Otohime were to gather all the signatures of the people, the World Government would be able to keep its promise.
If the World Government broke its promise, it would severely damage its image and prestige in the eyes of other countries, and it would also allow all discerning people in the world to see the true face of the World Government.
Damon was curious and looking forward to seeing how things would develop next.
After leaving Fishman Island, Damon did not go to the New World.
Crossing the cave beneath the Red Line was no easy task. Damon might as well revert to his original appearance, return to the three-masted sailing ship, and lead his companions through the Holy Land of Mary Geoise to the New World.
He had been away from the three-masted sailing ship for more than two weeks, so it was likely that the ship had already undergone refurbishment, painting, and hull modifications.
"Pfft!"
Suddenly, a head popped out of the calm sea.
Despite possessing the passive ability to breathe underwater, Damon still yearned for land and the ubiquitous oxygen due to human instinct. The moment he surfaced from the seabed, Damon greedily inhaled the air, letting the moist air fill his entire chest.
Damon removed the Dragon Ash skin and reverted to his original physique and appearance.
Looking down at himself, Damon realized he was only wearing a pair of shorts. He glanced around and saw an endless sea stretching before him. Unable to tell which part of the sea he was in, he randomly chose a direction and set off on his way.
An armed ship flying the flag of the Prodence Kingdom drifted on the sea. The ship had three decks of massive cannons, and its wooden hull was covered with a layer of iron. It was a model of a sturdy ship with powerful cannons.
Two figures, one tall and one short, stood on the deck, sighing deeply.
"This is outrageous! This is absolutely outrageous!"
"King Riku once did me a great favor and could be considered my good brother. Now, I can only watch helplessly as the Dressrosa Kingdom falls into the hands of Doflamingo, the Heavenly Demon. To avoid being implicated, I had no choice but to flee the New World!"
"How hateful! How hateful!"
A man looked up at the sky and let out a mournful cry.
This man was shirtless, revealing the strong muscles he had developed through years of training. He wore a boxing champion's cape, thick boxing gloves, and a jewel-encrusted crown on his head. He was none other than Elizabello II, the King of the Prodence Kingdom, also known as the War King.
The Prodence Kingdom was close to the Dressrosa Kingdom, with the two islands less than 300 kilometers apart. They supported each other and, although they were not officially an alliance, they were in fact allied.
Doflamingo felt his luck was running out. In less than half a year, he lost both the Diamond Legion and the Plum Blossom Legion. If it weren't for the special effects of Sugar, who had eaten the Hobby-Hobby Fruit, and was kept by Doflamingo's side, the losses would have been even greater.
For this reason, after Doflamingo was granted the title of Shichibukai, he immediately began to annex the Dressrosa Kingdom according to his plan. He had now driven out the Riku royal family and restored the Donquixote Family to the royal family of Dressrosa.
Beside the king, a stout man bowed slightly, a hint of caution showing on his lewd face, and said:
"Your Majesty, the Heavenly Demon is extremely ambitious and controls the arms trade in the underworld. Because of our past relationship with King Riku, it's not appropriate for him to openly target us now that he's in a position of power. However, he can indirectly cause us many losses by dumping advanced weapons at low prices on enemy countries. That's the real problem!"
"We need to reach out to all friendly nations and form an alliance, even if it means sacrificing some interests. Otherwise, we will face the crisis of losing our territory!"
The one who offered advice was Vasco da Gama, the strategist of the Prodence Kingdom.
The New World was not the wonderful place that outsiders imagined.
Thanks to its geographical, astronomical, and environmental advantages, the New World was rich in resources and had a large population, with everyone thriving.
However, the solid material conditions did not give rise to peace. Instead, they bred countless ambitious individuals, leading to frequent wars between the countries of the New World. They engaged in both distant alliances and close battles, or formed alliances and counter-alliances, creating a chaotic Warring States period.
Behind these warring nations, there might be Celestial Dragon families, the Four Emperors controlling things behind the scenes, or even the World Government secretly supporting them.
If I had to describe the state of the New World in one word, it would be "chaos"!
It's a complete mess, impossible to untangle.
This was why the Navy didn't focus its main efforts on the New World, to avoid creating trouble for itself.
Vasco da Gama's gaze suddenly sharpened, and he pointed to the sea surface, saying:
"What is that?"