Justice requires not only the eradication of sin but also the cultivation of fertile soil for righteousness.
After eliminating all the corrupt marines, Ivan headed straight for the branch prison. Using Technique: Unbind, he severed all the shackles and, amidst a chorus of gratitude, freed every 'criminal.'
Just as Ivan stepped out of the prison, preparing to dive deep into the ocean and head for Fish-Man Island, he suddenly sensed a powerful presence rushing toward him at incredible speed.
A few seconds later, a gust of wind exploded, and an old man with disheveled long hair, a resolute face, and a deep scar appeared before Ivan.
This man was none other than Silvers Rayleigh!
Rayleigh glanced at the ruined marine base, then at Ivan, his expression grave.
"Hahaha, young man, which one of the Shadow Garden are you?"
"Azure Dragon."
"Azure Dragon, huh... Could you tell this old man what your purpose is in coming to Sabaody Archipelago?"
Rayleigh was tense. The appearance of any Shadow Garden member invariably triggered a major incident without exception.
He was worried—would Azure Dragon stir up something massive, throwing the entire sea into complete imbalance?
"My purpose isn't here. I'll be leaving soon."
"Oh? And your destination is?"
"The New World!"
Rayleigh's eyes narrowed sharply as his mind raced to deduce why the Shadow Garden would head to the New World.
Finally, he thought of the Four Emperors. Only these four rulers of the sea could attract the attention of the Shadow Garden, right?
When he snapped back to reality, he suddenly realized the figure in the black robe wearing the Azure Dragon mask had already vanished. Even with the vast range of his Observation Haki, he couldn't detect a single trace of Azure Dragon.
...
Ordinary pirates needed to coat their ships to reach Fish-Man Island, but Ivan required no such measures.
He wasn't a Devil Fruit user and possessed numerous abilities. To him, the sea was no different from a swimming pool.
His speed was astonishing, his body flickering through the seawater. In just half an hour, he reached the depths ten thousand meters below and laid eyes on the undersea kingdom—Ryugu Kingdom!
Standing in the seawater, Technique Forward Rotation: "Azure" negated the immense water pressure around him. Just as Ivan was about to pass through the double-layered bubble and enter Fish-Man Island, he carelessly let his guard down and was struck on the back of his head by a massive axe.
Upon impact, the axe shattered instantly, but Ivan still felt a twinge of pain. He couldn't help but curse,
"Damn it, who's littering in the ocean? Have they no sense of decency!"
His Observation Haki quickly pinpointed the culprit—a broad-striped tiger shark fish-man.
It had small eyes, sharp teeth, a stout body, and most notably, four legs. It didn't look like a decent person at all and was currently staring at Ivan in stunned disbelief.
Ivan quickly searched his memory and confirmed the fish-man's identity.
Vander Decken IX—the direct mastermind behind Shirahoshi's seclusion in the Hard-Shell Tower, too afraid to venture outside for years.
Perfect timing. Just when he thought he'd have to search high and low, the gift for the kingdom had fallen right into his lap.
Realizing that this masked figure, who moved effortlessly under ten thousand meters of water pressure, was now looking his way, Vander Decken IX immediately sensed danger and tried to flee.
However, the moment he moved, an invisible blade sliced across his neck, decapitating him instantly.
Having casually dealt with the troublemaker who had caused Shirahoshi immense distress, Ivan took a step forward. His body vanished from the spot and reappeared inside Fish-Man Island.
Although Fish-Man Island lay directly beneath Sabaody Archipelago, the two places' acceptance of the Shadow Garden was worlds apart.
Due to the Celestial Dragons' orders, there were no longer any masked pedestrians on Sabaody Archipelago. In contrast, nearly every fish-man and mermaid on Fish-Man Island wore masks.
When Ivan appeared inside Fish-Man Island, his sudden arrival startled several nearby mermaids. But when they saw the mask on his face and recalled how he had appeared, their eyes lit up, and they crowded around him.
"Are... are you a member of the Shadow Garden?"
"Ahhh! It's a lord from the Shadow Garden!"
In the past, appearing with the identity of the Shadow Garden had mostly garnered hostility. Unexpectedly, within Fish-Man Island, the Shadow Garden's reputation was incredibly high.
This brought him a sense of relief. Fish-men and mermaids, constantly hunted by humans at sea, harbored deep hatred for the World Government.
This hatred wasn't good, but in this era, it was the most fertile soil for burning justice and a crucial cornerstone for revolution!
After chatting briefly with his fans, Ivan didn't linger. He teleported away immediately.
The next moment, he appeared within Ryugu Palace and met King Neptune.
When Ivan arrived, King Neptune was having a meal. Spotting Ivan's sudden appearance, he immediately grew wary. However, upon seeing the Azure Dragon mask on Ivan's face, he relaxed completely.
"Are you... a member of the Shadow Garden?" King Neptune asked hopefully.
"Indeed. I am from the Shadow Garden. I have come this time on behalf of the Shadow Garden to present a gift to King Neptune."
"A gift?" King Neptune was puzzled.
But when Ivan placed Vander Decken's head on the table, King Neptune's expression changed dramatically, revealing overwhelming joy.
"This... this is?" he asked, his voice trembling.
"The Shadow Garden heard that Princess Shirahoshi is often harassed by this individual, so we specifically took action to help resolve the issue for Princess Shirahoshi," Ivan declared righteously, as if that had been his sole purpose all along.
"Thank you, thank you so much!" King Neptune's eyes welled with tears. To solve Shirahoshi's troubles, he had expended immense effort but never succeeded.
He never imagined that for the Shadow Garden, such a problem could be resolved so effortlessly.
This further solidified King Neptune's resolve to join the revolution.
He thumped his chest and vowed, "Mr. Azure Dragon, the Ryugu Kingdom owes the Shadow Garden a great debt this time. Whenever you have need, please do not hesitate to command us. We will spare no effort!"
Finally, he emphasized, "Anything at all!"
Ivan understood. King Neptune's words were a signal to the Shadow Garden.
One day, if the Shadow Garden were to formally attack Mary Geoise, the Ryugu Kingdom would undoubtedly give its all!
Ivan smiled slightly, his tone steady and resolute:
"Thank you, King Neptune. No matter how much time passes, the Ryugu Kingdom will always be a friend of the Shadow Garden.
We will spare no effort in promoting the belief that all are equal. Fish-men, mermaids, and humans are fundamentally no different and should never be treated with discrimination!"
"Well said!" At that moment, a shark fish-man strode quickly into the hall.
Seeing this person, King Neptune's expression turned kindly, and he introduced him to Ivan:
"Mr. Azure Dragon, this is Namul. He is the 8th Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates and also the combat member stationed by the Whitebeard Pirates on Fish-Man Island."
At this point, he paused, his expression tinged with grief and indignation:
"You may not be aware, but the New World is entirely different from Paradise.
The influence of the World Government can hardly reach here.
Even though Fish-Man Island is a World Government affiliated nation, we receive none of the protection we deserve.
Over the years, we have relied entirely on the protection of the Whitebeard Pirates to fend off the slave traders who come to hunt fish-men and mermaids.
If not for them, life on Fish-Man Island would be a hundred times more difficult than it is now."
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