Chapter 291
The moment the Oni Slayer's outer coating touched the enormous bubble surrounding Fish-Man Island, there was a soft pop, almost like two droplets of water merging.
A heartbeat later, the seawater outside was completely shut away.
Warm, humid air replaced it around the ship, carrying the faint scents of coral and some unfamiliar variety of seaweed.
Zaraki looked through the porthole at the kingdom hidden beneath the sea.
Immense coral formations formed the skeleton of the city, covered in multicolored luminous plants that lit the depths almost as brightly as daylight.
Fish-men and merfolk of every imaginable shape and size moved through specially constructed waterways, leaving brilliant trails of color behind them.
Every so often, curious children pressed close to the transparent membranes separating the waterways and waved their tiny webbed hands at the dark Marine warship passing by.
'Pretty place.'
Zaraki had to admit that much.
Unfortunately, pretty scenery could not be fed into the system and converted into points.
The moment he remembered the 4,070 points he was still missing for the themed mystery box, every colorful coral reef outside somehow began to look like it was flashing BROKE at him in neon.
Under the guidance of local escort fish, the Oni Slayer slowly entered the exclusive harbor beneath Ryugu Palace.
The heavy gangway dropped onto the stone pier with a metallic clang that echoed through the unusually empty harbor.
The entire area had already been cleared.
Only one group stood waiting for them.
At the front was an enormous red-skinned merman wearing a crown, with long orange hair and a beard flowing around his massive frame.
A gigantic trident rested in one hand.
King Neptune of the Ryugu Kingdom.
Zaraki's gaze moved past him to the three princes standing behind their father.
The largest and most stern-looking was clearly the eldest, Fukaboshi.
Beside him stood Ryuboshi, with two long rapiers sheathed in a crossed arrangement behind his lower back.
He was normally known for a much brighter disposition, but there was little cheer in his expression today.
The youngest, Manboshi, wore his distinctive rounded hairstyle and looked considerably more restless than absent-minded.
The intelligence reports had been mostly accurate.
The welcome, however, was much colder than expected.
There were no flowers, no ceremonial honor guard of the sort normally prepared when a World Government member nation received a senior Marine envoy, and not even the appearance of warmth.
The harbor felt like a powder keg.
The fish-man guards behind Neptune all wore grim expressions, their hands resting firmly on their weapons while open suspicion and hostility showed in their eyes.
"This atmosphere..."
Yamakaji lowered his voice, cigar smoke curling around his face.
"Something's wrong."
As a Vice Admiral, he had visited enough kingdoms on official assignments to recognize diplomacy when he saw it.
This barely qualified.
Zaraki said nothing.
He simply started down the gangway at an unhurried pace, his boots striking the damp stone in steady steps.
Yamakaji and Gion exchanged a glance before following.
The closer they came to the royal delegation, the more obvious the tension became.
"So you're the Marine they call War Demon Zaraki?"
Ryuboshi stepped forward before Neptune could speak.
There was distrust in his voice rather than childish bravado.
"The newspapers make you sound like some kind of monster."
His eyes moved over Zaraki from head to toe.
"But Fish-Man Island has learned the hard way not to trust reputations from the surface. Whitebeard-sama protected this island when almost nobody else would."
"Ryuboshi."
Fukaboshi immediately cut him off, his brows drawing together sharply.
"Enough."
Then his own expression hardened.
"Whitebeard showed Fish-Man Island a kindness we can never repay. There is no reason to turn that debt into an insult toward a guest."
Although he had stopped his younger brother from provoking Zaraki outright, the look Fukaboshi gave the Marines was hardly friendly.
After a moment, he continued.
"As for the accelerated Reverie..."
His eyes cooled.
"...circumstances have changed since we first agreed to attend."
That was no longer subtle.
"Enough."
Neptune finally spoke.
His deep voice carried the authority of a king, silencing both princes at once.
The enormous ruler moved forward, his trident tapping lightly against the stone.
The sound was not loud, but every Marine nearby instinctively tensed.
Yamakaji's hand drifted toward his sword.
Gion narrowed her eyes, her body tightening as she prepared to move if necessary.
Neptune stopped three steps away from Zaraki and inclined his massive body slightly, offering the courtesy expected of a monarch receiving a high-ranking representative.
"Special Envoy Zaraki."
His voice remained deep and formal.
"Your journey here on behalf of Marine Headquarters and the World Government honors the Ryugu Kingdom."
'Polite bullshit.'
Zaraki waited.
Sure enough, Neptune continued almost immediately.
"However, before the schedule was changed, the royal family intended to attend this year's Reverie."
His gaze remained firm.
"With the meeting suddenly moved forward, circumstances on Fish-Man Island no longer allow us to leave safely."
"You have traveled a very long way to deliver the revised summons, and for that, you have our apologies."
He paused.
"But the Ryugu Kingdom has decided to withdraw its attendance."
The harbor went silent.
"What?!"
Yamakaji genuinely lost his composure, his cigar nearly falling from his mouth.
He had dealt with stubborn rulers before.
Kings who stalled negotiations, lied, deflected, and buried refusals beneath hours of meaningless diplomacy were nothing new to him.
He had never met one who essentially opened the conversation with thanks for coming, now leave.
"King Neptune!"
Yamakaji stepped forward.
"What exactly is this supposed to mean?"
His expression tightened.
"Is this because of Jinbe? If so, we can discuss—"
"This has nothing to do with Jinbe!"
Fukaboshi moved sideways and blocked his approach.
"This is Fish-Man Island's decision."
Behind him, dozens of guards lowered their spears at once.
Every weapon pointed toward the Marines.
The harbor froze.
"Hey, hey."
Zaraki's lazy voice cut through the confrontation.
"Everybody calm down."
He placed one hand on Yamakaji's shoulder and casually moved the Vice Admiral backward before he could continue arguing.
Then Zaraki stepped forward alone.
Dozens of spearpoints faced him.
He looked as relaxed as though the guards were holding flowers.
"I'll handle it."
The words were directed quietly toward the Marines behind him.
Then he raised his eyes to Neptune.
The king's gaze was filled with determination.
Zaraki's mouth slowly curved upward.
"Your Majesty."
His voice was not loud, but it carried clearly through the still harbor.
"You're reversing that decision awfully quickly."
Neptune's eyes narrowed.
Zaraki continued.
"Is it because you're worried that if the royal family leaves Fish-Man Island..."
His gaze sharpened.
"...there'll be no one here to guarantee Princess Shirahoshi's safety?"
Neptune's enormous body jolted.
His pupils contracted.
Behind him, Fukaboshi and Ryuboshi both went visibly pale.
Zaraki ignored their reactions.
Whether Fish-Man Island attended the Reverie or not mattered very little to him.
What mattered was what he could offer.
"Attend the Reverie."
He shrugged slightly.
"Don't attend."
"I couldn't care less."
Then his expression became a little more serious.
"But..."
His eyes remained fixed on Neptune.
"What if I told you I have a way to give your princess something she's never truly had?"
The entire royal delegation went still.
Zaraki smiled faintly.
"Freedom."