One Piece: I'm not Roger

At dusk, Fish-Man Island sank back into darkness as the Sunlight Tree Eve ceased to emit its light. At the port, the three ships of the Big Mom Pirates had already disappeared without a trace.

A few hours earlier, those ships, along with Charlotte Katakuri and the others, had been taken away by Silvers Rayleigh. He needed to reach Marco as quickly as possible.

Leaving alongside Rayleigh was Jewelry Bonney. Aether had not spent much time dealing with the so-called princess, yet Bonney departed as a member of his crew.

When Bonney took the initiative to join the crew earlier, both Aether and Rayleigh were surprised. A woman as proud as her choosing to give up forming her own pirate crew was unexpected, though it made sense after some thought.

After Aether exposed her plans and made her priorities clear, joining the forces of an Emperor became the most practical choice.

First, Bonney could rely on the crew's strength, which would be crucial whether she sought to save her father or take revenge on Vegapunk.

Second, the destruction of her previous crews had shaken her confidence. Perhaps she no longer saw herself as fit to lead.

With a Supernova of great potential joining, Aether and Rayleigh had no reason to refuse. They had already considered recruiting new members. However, given Bonney's current strength, Aether only granted her the position of apprentice.

Unless she remained with the crew for a full year or reached the level of a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral, she would not be recognized as a full member.

Vice Admiral strength marked a clear threshold. They formed the backbone of the Marines, and the true core members of an Emperor's crew possessed comparable power. Even the elite members of Donquixote Doflamingo's family stood at that level.

Aether had a clear vision for his crew. Like the Roger Pirates and the Red Hair Pirates, he valued quality over quantity. With himself and Rayleigh present, there was no need for a large number of weak members. Too many would only harm the crew's cohesion.

After concluding matters at Fish-Man Island, he planned to meet with Big Mom and Kaido. The New World needed a period of stability, especially with the Marines preparing for a major move.

Inside the dreamlike Ryugu Palace, Aether met an old acquaintance in a private office. His voice echoed through the spacious room.

"Jinbe, what do you think about the conditions I proposed?"

Jinbe, who had just returned, hesitated. Two days earlier, he had led a group to pursue pirates trafficking merfolk.

Before leaving, he had anticipated possible unrest on Fish-Man Island, which was why he had remained there since the Marineford War, unwilling to leave it unprotected.

Unexpectedly, shortly after his departure, a crisis had nearly destroyed the island. Offending the Big Mom Pirates alone could have spelled disaster, yet Aether had resolved everything.

Realizing this, Jinbe understood he could no longer refuse. Before, Fish-Man Island had two potential allies, Aether and Big Mom. Now that one path was gone, only one remained.

"Aether, I accept your invitation. From now on, I am a member of your crew. I look forward to working with you, and thank you for protecting Fish-Man Island."

Aether nodded slightly.

"I will uphold every condition I promised. One day, the people of Fish-Man Island will live freely on the surface. Welcome aboard, Jinbe."

Jinbe felt a surge of anticipation at those words.

In this era, aside from the World Government, few possessed the ability to bring about such change.

The two stepped out of the room. Seeing Jinbe's decision, Neptune, who had been waiting, finally relaxed. This choice did not only affect Jinbe, but the entire island.

From that moment on, Fish-Man Island and Aether were bound together. This was no simple alliance. Their fates were now tied, sharing both prosperity and downfall.

As they continued discussing details, Aether's gaze shifted to a towering structure nearby. He recalled another reason for his visit.

"Neptune, you have a daughter, correct? Why haven't I seen her?"

Neptune paused before answering, a thought crossing his mind. This might be the perfect opportunity to eliminate a lingering threat once and for all.

"It's like this. Vander Decken IX of the Flying Pirates has been targeting my daughter with thrown weapons. To protect her, I have kept Shirahoshi confined within the palace."

He briefly explained the situation.

Aether gave a small nod.

"A grown man targeting a young girl and even trying to kill her, how pathetic. I will deal with him. Also, I would like to meet the princess of Fish-Man Island."

On the surface, Aether appeared to be helping a friend. In truth, he was curious about Poseidon and wanted to see Shirahoshi for himself.

Neptune led him to her chamber. Jinbe had already excused himself.

As the door opened, a massive yet graceful figure rushed forward and embraced Neptune. A gentle voice followed.

"Father, you finally came to see me. There was so much noise outside today, I was worried about you and my brothers."

"Do not worry, Shirahoshi. Everything has been resolved. As you can see, I am perfectly fine."

Aether glanced at Neptune, noticing the bandages clearly visible across his body.

He said nothing.

Some things did not need to be pointed out.