Chapter 129: Torture

──The world was drowning in conflict.

“Pirates!! Grab your weapons!!”

“This is the only way… to protect my family!!”

“Give it back!! That’s our food…!!”

Wars knew no boundaries—neither time nor place.

In a world where order had collapsed, many nations fell, countless rulers rose and fell, and endless lives were crushed beneath the weight of violence.

What was being stolen—was life itself. To live, to survive. Food, money, shelter, safety—everything was seized by plunderers. In a world without justice, no one would protect you but yourself, and the only way to claim anything was to take it by force.

Yesterday, you might’ve held hands with your neighbor, hoping for peace—but today, those same hands are clenched into fists, fighting to survive through conflict.

It was a sight now common across many regions—particularly former non-member states of the World Government or weak nations destroyed by pirates or neighboring countries.

──And meanwhile, those with strong wills sought their own ways to survive.

“Pirates!! Surrender now!!”

“! Damn it… It’s the New Government Army...!!”

“Don’t falter!! This world belongs to the pirates now!! Fight back!!!”

“…!! So you won’t listen, huh…!! All units!! Subdue the pirates!!!”

“Yes, sir!!”

Even now, in a world ruled by violence, the New Government Army continued to fight across the seas, striving to stop rogue nations and pirates in the name of freedom and peace.

Roughly 40 countries had pledged support. That was only about a quarter of the former World Government’s might—but even so, remnants of the Revolutionaries and Navy joined together, with nations like the Alabasta Kingdom and Sakura Kingdom—rich in power and technology—forming the new coalition to resist those who desired only war and violence.

They had even continued the old bounty system, relying on bounty hunters to deter lawless criminals. Through diplomacy and trade, they desperately tried to protect the people from a world of bloodshed and fear.

But even then… they couldn’t save everyone suffering in poverty and desperation.

──In the pirate world, much had changed—factions shifted and power realigned—but the top had remained unshaken since the end of that Paramount War.

“…Pirate supremacy has changed hands many times… Just months ago, it was Whitebeard… before him, Roger… Golden Lion, Big Mom… and before that, Rocks… go back a hundred years, and there was even an era where the giants ruled the seas.”

That voice came from a man inside the headquarters of the New Government—on the Grand Line, in Baltigo. A man speaking of the tides of piracy.

“The pirate world seems convoluted, but it’s actually simple. It all comes down to this—do you seek ‘freedom’… or ‘domination’? Every pirate ultimately falls into one of those two camps.”

“…So by that logic… Roger stood for freedom… and Rocks stood for domination, right?”

“Yeah… you could say that.”

The speaker—an elderly man with glasses, graying hair, and deep wrinkles—nodded while feeding a goat beside him. One arm was a prosthetic.

His name was Sengoku. A battle-hardened former Fleet Admiral of the Navy, now acting as an advisor to the New Government Army.

Though retired from the front lines due to war injuries, Sengoku continued to pass on his wisdom to the younger generation. He could no longer fight—but he could still support the future.

“But nowadays… it’s not just pirates. All sorts of powers are split between freedom and domination. Germa in the North Blue… Black Drum Kingdom in the South Blue… Prodence Kingdom in the New World… Whether by choice or coercion, more and more forces now rise openly to dominate and crush the weak. And frankly… part of the blame lies with us—the former Navy and the old World Government.”

Sengoku said this with a self-deprecating chuckle. The Navy once protected the World Government’s authority and, in doing so, turned a blind eye to atrocities against the innocent. Sengoku, as a mere man—not a high-ranking official—finally voiced what he had never before admitted.

The young man listening nodded seriously.

“…We revolutionaries were outlaws waving the flag of freedom, too. We weren’t spotless either.”

“Heh… that’s true. But history is always written by the victors. And now, it’s the New Government writing the new order… though we may already be becoming the ‘evil’ in someone else’s eyes.”

“Even so—we won’t let that happen.”

The young man answered with a voice full of conviction. Sure, the winners weren’t them, and the world wasn’t leaning toward freedom.

But he still believed that a world where only the strong thrived by oppressing the weak could never be called proper—let alone just.

Sengoku narrowed his eyes at the boy’s resolve. He bore no ill will toward the New Government—they had employed him as one of their own.

And so, for the sake of the “justice” the New Government now stood for—he would offer his wisdom and strength however he could.

“Yeah, I’m counting on you. Aokiji—Kuzan—has both the strength and ideals, but he’s probably feeling out of place, what with most of the New Government Army being former Revolutionaries. Help him.”

“Of course. Dragon told us not to treat him differently just because he’s ex-Navy. And honestly—discrimination’s the thing we hate most.”

“…That’s reassuring to hear.”

Sengoku nodded, relieved that their ranks wouldn’t be divided by background. The New Government was doing well—offering proper positions to former Navy officers based on merit.

Its leader was Dragon, former head of the Revolutionary Army—but its practical No.2, the New Government Army’s Commander-in-Chief, was none other than Kuzan, former Navy Admiral Aokiji.

And the young man before Sengoku was No.3—Chief Strategist of the New Government Army.

“…But the seas remain volatile. I heard dozens of countries were wiped out just last month…”

“…Yeah. Especially… the incident at Fish-Man Island was devastating. Hack and Koala were both deeply shaken…”

…And the future was far from bright.

Just a few months since the war ended—and already, the world had been rocked by incident after incident, nation after nation falling.

Sengoku and the young strategist clenched their teeth, thinking of that one particularly haunting incident—the destruction of Fish-Man Island and the force behind it.

“…We knew it wouldn’t be easy… but the new rulers of the sea aren’t pulling punches…!!”

“Yeah… I’m keeping an eye on the other pirates, but…”

“…Of course, we can’t be careless—but the current hegemon isn’t the second Whitebeard Pirates, nor the vanished Blackbeard Pirates… not even the alliance between Red-Hair and the Jester of a Hundred Tricks.”

Yes—those who destroyed Fish-Man Island. The current rulers of the sea.

They were the most powerful, most malevolent force the New Government faced—and the mortal enemies they must defeat to reclaim freedom.

The young man spoke their name:

『New Government Army Chief Strategist — Sabo』

“Of course I know. Our greatest enemy is the alliance between the Big Mom Pirates and the Beasts Pirates…!!! The so-called Pirate Empire dominating the New World…!!!”

---

──That incident occurred just two months after the Paramount War.

Ten thousand meters beneath the sea. The light-filled depths, despite being at the bottom of the ocean, were known as an undersea paradise—one of the Grand Line’s most popular tourist spots.

An island all pirates headed for the New World must pass through—a death trap where it's said seventy percent of travelers are annihilated before making it through.

But because of that… pirate attacks never ceased. It was a cursed, unfortunate island.

"Kyahhhhh!!"

"Pirates!! Run for it!!"

"Gehehe!! Mermaids!! There’s a ton of mermaids here!!"

"Grab them!! Mermaids sell for a high price!! And they’re good-looking, too!! Keeping one for yourself ain’t bad either!!"

With the fall of the World Government and Marine Headquarters, and even Whitebeard’s banner having lost its authority, the place that suffered most from the resulting chaos—

Was none other than Fish-Man Island—part of the Ryugu Kingdom, both a World Government member nation and a former territory under Whitebeard's protection.

"H-Hey!! This island’s under Whitebeard’s protection!!"

"Yeah!! We know that!! So what!!? Gya-hahahaha!!"

"The monster Whitebeard is dead, isn’t he!? So who the hell’s gonna protect this place now!!?"

"Kh… damn it…!!"

With the collapse of order and the number of pirates surging, the frequency of attacks on Fish-Man Island also rose. Pirates targeting mermaids came in droves.

The name of Whitebeard no longer carried weight. He was dead. Though there were rumors that his second captain, Fire Fist Ace, had succeeded him, their influence had dropped to the level of any other pirate crew.

After all, they’d been utterly crushed during the Paramount War. Branded as "losers," they were now seen as little more than the remnants of a fallen force.

So even if it was their territory, few pirates feared them. Especially those headed for the New World to make a name for themselves—against one of the other Four Emperors, maybe they’d hesitate, but not for a washed-up Whitebeard.

"Kyah──!!?"

"Got one!! Bagged us a mermaid!! Yeeaahhh!!!"

"──That’s far enough!!!"

"Hah? ──Gyaaaahhhh!!!"

And so—Fish-Man Island was now defended solely by the Ryugu Kingdom’s soldiers, led by the three elite commanders.

And above even them, stood the great knight of the sea—the Sea God, King Neptune.

Fish-men and merfolk were born with strength ten times that of humans. The trained soldiers among them possessed power that far surpassed the average man.

That’s why, even after the war, the island’s peace had—barely—been maintained.

──But the enemy that day… was on a whole different level.

"Uwaaaahhhh!!!"

"What the hell is that…!?"

"Hide, quick…!! Pirates…!!"

"When did they get in…!?"

The pirates rampaged through the streets of Fish-Man Island, their advance shaking the earth.

An enormous army of savage, brutal pirates, led by a massive ancient beast—caused both fish-men and merfolk to tremble in terror.

"!!? C-Could it be… those guys…!!"

"Th-Those horns and that flag…!!"

Some among them recognized the invaders.

The men wore black cloaks and leather pants, the women armored bikinis. Both had horns sprouting from their heads—a distinct appearance known the world over.

A vicious crew that few in the seas were unaware of.

They surrounded fish-men and merfolk, crushed buildings, and made their way to the central plaza. At the head of the pack marched an enormous, mammoth-like creature.

The man transformed into this mammoth turned toward the citizens, soldiers, and even royalty—and made an outrageous demand.

"People of Fish-Man Island!! Soldiers!! Royals!! Hand over the princess of this kingdom—Princess Shirahoshi!!!"

"!!?"

An unthinkable demand from the mammoth—clearly a Devil Fruit user. Judging by his presence, he was likely one of the executives of this crew.

Even those unfamiliar with him could sense the sheer power radiating from his giant form.

But what shocked everyone, both those who recognized them and those who didn’t, was the content of his demand.

"P-Princess Shirahoshi!?"

"W-What kind of nonsense is this…!?"

"There's no way we’d hand her over!!"

"Please!! Take our food or gold instead!! Just take that and leave!!!"

The citizens and on-duty soldiers raised their voices in protest.

Some offered food and treasure as a compromise. In the pirate world, offering one’s valuables to save lives was a common survival tactic. When push came to shove, surrendering everything to preserve life was necessary.

"Hahahaha…!! What the hell are you idiots babbling about!? Living down here must’ve made your brains regress to fish, too?"

"!?"

But—that wouldn’t work on them.

They weren’t the kind of pirates who made compromises. They were the real deal. Insane, bloodthirsty pirates who didn’t reason.

They embodied both traits—monstrous and mad. A savage crew, feared across the seas. The strongest force in the world—the Beast Pirates.

"Don’t pretend you don’t know who we are!!"

A man with two black horns stepped forward from among the pirates.

Flanking the mammoth were two more figures. These three weren’t ordinary pirates—they were executives, elite warriors of the strongest crew—the Tobi Roppo.

『Beast Pirates Headliner — Sheepshead』

"We serve one of the Four Emperors!! The one closest to becoming Pirate King—Kaido of the Beasts!! And alongside him, the two siblings feared across the seas—Nue the Demon Beast!! We are the BEAST PIRATES!!! And this man right here is one of the four calamities—Kaido-sama’s elite enforcers!!! ──Jack the Drought!!!"

Sheepshead dramatically pointed to the mammoth as he made the introduction.

It could’ve come off as over-the-top, but no one now would dare mock that name.

At the mention of the Beast Pirates, the blood drained from the citizens’ faces. News of the war had reached even the ocean floor.

They had crushed the World Government, the Marines, and the Whitebeard Pirates—one of the Four Emperors.

The world’s strongest pirate crew now stood before them. And the mammoth was one of its top officers, known as a “Calamity.”

"Wherever Jack-sama passes, it's as if a drought follows—everything withers and dies!!! For you fish-men and merfolk, that's a death sentence!! Unless you want to dry out into jerky—hand over Princess Shirahoshi!!! Or what—do you intend to fight us!!?"

"Gya-hahahahaha!!!"

"Geh-heh-heh-heh!!!"

"……!! There's no way we can accept that…!!"

"……!!"

The pirates laughed. Sheepshead repeated the demand, and the foot soldiers jeered.

A soldier reflexively rejected them—and that was when Jack moved.

"!!!"

"!!?"

"Kyahhhhhhh!!!?"

"Uwaaaaaaa!!!!"

With a swing of his long trunk, Jack shattered a massive coral formation—and crushed the civilians beneath it.

One, two… no, dozens lay scattered across the plaza, coughing blood. Among them were women and children. He showed no mercy. Jack stepped forward with his enormous foot, addressing the crowd.

"I’ve got no patience for pointless talk. We already know where she is—she’s in Ryugu Palace, right? Ain’t that right, Sono?"

"──Y-Yes… according to the intel, Princess Shirahoshi is in the palace… probably… maybe… I mean, I’m not totally sure, to be honest…"

"!!?"

Ahead of Jack’s words, there stood a blue-haired beauty draped in flowing red sashes and frilly attire.

Despite her sleepy half-lidded eyes and slouched posture, she too was a high-ranking officer of the Beasts Pirates—a Shinuchi.

Beasts Pirates Shinuchi “Shisui no Sono” – Bounty: 464.9 million berries

“…Well, if you think about it logically, she’s probably in Ryugu Palace where the royal family lives… probably, almost certainly… haah, talking is exhausting… Sheepshead-san, Hotei-san… I leave the rest to you.”

“Eh…!?”

“…I’d heard rumors, but… she’s seriously lazy…”

With her vague wording implying the intel was likely accurate, Sono nonchalantly left things to Sheepshead and the other Shinuchi, letting out a yawn as she smoothly stepped back. Sheepshead looked startled by this, while the other let out a faint sigh of exasperation. Then, the last one stepped forward. Unlike the others, he wore traditional Wano garb and carried a katana—a genuine samurai.

Beasts Pirates Shinuchi (Former Captain of the Patrol Unit) Hotei

“Whatever. It’s our first expedition, after all. Never fought a fish-man before, but if there’s a fight, I’m gonna go all out…!! You lot, get ready…!!”

“Yes, Hotei-sama!!”

Hotei, former leader of Wano’s Patrol Unit, barked orders at the samurai standing behind him—once patrolmen like him, but now soldiers of the Beasts Pirates. With a fierce smile, he turned and spoke to Jack.

“Yo, Jack. Let us former ‘Warriors’ of the Patrol Unit take the first crack, alright? If we’re gonna live the pirate life, I want to rack up achievements, build up my infamy… I’m aiming for a higher position. Just gimme a chance.”

“! …Do as you like.”

Though the newly appointed Shinuchi’s words were brash and ambitious, Jack gave his permission without showing any displeasure. The "Warriors"—Beasts Pirates combatants who had once served Wano's shogun—joined the crew as part of the New Onigashima Project.

Among them, Hotei was one of the top two samurai alongside Fukurokuju of the Oniwabanshu. His strength was without question, and he was quickly promoted to Shinuchi. Yet, a man who had already risen in Orochi’s government wasn’t satisfied with just a mid-level rank in the Beasts Pirates. He had his eyes fixed upward.

In an organization like the Beasts Pirates, this kind of ambition wasn't suppressed. There was no need for camaraderie, no need for forced honorifics. One needed only to pledge loyalty to two people. If you had power, you could do as you pleased.

The Beasts Pirates were structured with the top two at the helm, and the rest competing fiercely below. That’s why Jack said nothing about Hotei’s cocky tone. As long as the chain of command was followed, nothing else mattered. The only thing that mattered was power—the power to carry out missions.

“You bastards…!! We won’t let pirates desecrate this country!! No matter how mighty you are…!!”

“Hah! Big words for someone facing the Beasts Pirates. Even the samurai of Wano couldn’t handle us—what the hell can a bunch of fish do!?”

The soldiers of the Ryugu Kingdom clashed with the Beasts Pirates' warriors—samurai from Wano.

Fish-men and merfolk were known to be physically stronger than normal humans. That was common knowledge.

However… in the New World, raw physical strength alone meant little.

“Tch, you’re weak… is this all you’ve got?”

“Ugh… these guys… they’re all using Haki…!?”

“'Ryuo' is standard. Damn, there’s no thrill in slicing through you guys…!!”

“Guh…!!”

Even for fish-men or merfolk soldiers, compared to the level of the Four Emperors’ crews, they were no better than human grunts.

Especially against Wano’s samurai from the strong nation of the New World—Ryuo, or Haki, was expected. Their skill levels varied, but most could use it.

There was no way the Beasts Pirates would lose. And no way the fish-men could win.

“C’mon now, hurry up and hand over that Shirahoshi princess.”

“Kh…!! N-No way we will…!!”

“Hah, is that so? Then the first one dies—”

“……!!”

But—no matter the group or race, there are always strong ones among them.

“──That’s enough, pirates!!!”

“…? Who the hell are they…”

“! The princes are here!!”

Cutting through a number of samurai, the newcomers were three merfolk armed with spears and swords—the main force of the Neptune Army. Sono muttered as she saw them.

“The Neptune Army’s top three. The three princes… Fukaboshi, Ryuboshi, Manboshi… My, my, swinging those weapons around like they know what they’re doing… they’ve grown quite a bit… and now even the Great Knight of the Sea, Lord Neptune, is coming from the rear…”

“Well now… looks like we’ve finally got something decent to deal with…!!”

Seeing them down several samurai and hearing Sono’s comment, Hotei grinned wickedly. Beating the enemy’s main force would surely earn him a promotion.

“──We’ve heard everything!! You’re after Shirahoshi, aren’t you!!?”

“──Too bad for you, Shirahoshi’s our little sister!! There’s no way we’re handing her over!!”

“──If it were money or food, maybe… but your demand is absurd!! We outright refuse!!”

“Then we’ve got no choice but to kill you…!!!”

“If you won’t hand over Princess Shirahoshi, then death is the only outcome!!!”

“Haa… I really didn’t want to see your faces again… but since we’ve come this far, I guess there’s no avoiding it. Fine then, let me give you one move—for old time’s sake…”

“…!! They’re transforming!!”

“It’s Devil Fruit powers!! And that woman over there—is she really…!?”

Seeing the princes cut a path forward, the three Shinuchi—Hotei, Sheepshead, and Sono—finally moved.

Two of them were Devil Fruit users, visibly shifting to new combat forms, and Sono took up a stance well known on this island.

“Let’s see if a bunch of fish can handle this…!!”

“! That’s… a sheep!?”

“That’s right!! I’m the user of the Ushi Ushi no Mi, Model: Sheep!!!”

Sheepshead transformed into a human-beast hybrid with curled horns and wool, clashing his horns against Manboshi’s sword.

Zoan-type Devil Fruits, especially when well-trained, drastically enhanced physical strength. Against ordinary fighters, ability users rarely lost out in sheer power. Manboshi was no exception—he was overpowered.

And Ryuboshi—faced an opponent who made him doubt his eyes. Someone familiar. A fellow mermaid… a master of Mermaid Jujutsu who had left the country years ago.

“!!? You… you really are… Sono…!!”

“Ahh… I figured you’d remember. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it, princes? You’ve grown so much… which is exactly why this has become such a pain…”

“…!! I knew it when I saw the wanted poster… but why the Beasts Pirates…!? You weren’t like this back then…!!”

“…Haah… What could a prince know about a lowly civil servant like me…? Whatever, doesn’t matter. This is all a hassle, so I’ll put you down quickly…”

Sono lethargically faced off against Ryuboshi, effortlessly parrying his dual swords with her bare hands and gaining the upper hand.

But it was inevitable. Eleven years ago, before she left the country, it was Sono who taught the princes Mermaid Jujutsu—she was their teacher in both combat and technique. She knew every move, every habit they had. Fighting her was like fighting their own master—an uncomfortable experience, even as enemies.

And the final match-up—Fukaboshi faced off against Hotei. But Hotei’s form was far from ordinary.

“May as well… You’re strong, right? Then let me test this new power I just got…!!!”

“!!? A dinosaur…!! That’s a Zoan-type… an ancient model!!”

“Yeah… Sorry, but I don’t have time to waste on weaklings like you. I’ll finish this fast…!!!”

“!!! Guh…!!?”

A carnivorous dinosaur. As its form changed in an instant and it moved with startling speed, Fukaboshi was taken aback—but he couldn’t react in time. Slashes were carved into his body in the blink of an eye.

The residents who had placed their hopes on the princes joining the fight now faced despair, betrayed by those hopes. After all, this was a pirate crew said to possess the strongest forces in the world. And their officers were, as expected, formidable foes.

But one warrior remained. The strongest in this country—none other than the Sea God, Neptune.

“Stop this at once!!”

“! So that’s the king of this land… the Grand Knight Neptune.”

“Yes, that’s correct, Lord Jack… He’s quite strong and fairly troublesome… and I’m currently tied up with this prince, so I can’t deal with him myself. I’d appreciate it if you could handle him, Lord Jack… Ah, so tough. These princes are seriously tough!”

“You spew such blatant lies so easily… But fine. If I beat him down, maybe Princess Shirahoshi will come out willingly…!!”

“! You bastards… Why are you after Shirahoshi!? She’s just a girl with a big body!! She’s not a warrior or anything!!”

“Shut it… I’ve got no obligation to explain anything to you…!! We’ve only got one demand…!! Hand over Princess Shirahoshi!!! If you don’t… we’ll destroy this country until you do!!!”

“Ghh…!! This is madness…!!!”

Neptune’s spine trembled as he stared into Jack’s monstrous eyes below. This man was insane—there was no other word for it. A monster with a bounty over a billion. Neptune knew he couldn’t win—he could sense it with terrifying clarity.

But even so, he couldn’t back down. Shirahoshi was his daughter. The last memento of his late wife. There was no way he could hand her over to pirates… If he did, something terrible would happen.

That they were specifically demanding Shirahoshi led Neptune to believe that the Beasts Pirates understood her true worth. After all, they were the ones who declared they would destroy the world—and had actually reshaped it to what it was now. It wasn’t hard to imagine what they’d do with Shirahoshi.

That was why Neptune steeled himself to fight to the death. Unless he defeated them, neither escape nor preparation was possible. No matter the path they chose afterward, surviving this battle came first… Nothing could begin otherwise.

…But.

“!!!”

“Ghh…!!”

“──Father!!!”

Jack’s powerful strike with his snout easily crushed Neptune.

“No… way…!!?”

“One of the Neptune Army’s big three…!”

“Even Lord Neptune can’t hold his own…!!?”

And now, the residents truly despaired. Their strongest on Fish-Man Island, Sea God Neptune, had been completely overpowered alongside the princes. Their overwhelming strength left no room for resistance. Their cruelty, their lack of hesitation in inflicting pain—utterly merciless.

Jack shifted from his beast form back to human form and raised his blade over the fallen Neptune, aiming to stab down. Everyone turned pale at the sight.

“Gyahahaha!! Did you see that!? Our boss!! Lord Jack has a bounty of 1.3 billion berries!! Sea God or top three or whatever—don’t get cocky!!! If you wanna live, just hand over what we asked for!!!”

“Tch… Loudmouth lackey, but… he’s right. Refuse, and you die…!!”

“Ugh… Such regret…!! I never imagined they’d be this strong…!!”

With his blade hovering above Neptune’s body, Jack was saying he could kill him at any time. The worst imaginable scenario flashed through the minds of the residents and soldiers.

“Father!!”

“──I’ll ask again…!! Hand over Princess Shirahoshi!!! If you don’t, I’ll start by gouging out the king’s eyes… and slicing off his ears…!!!”

Jack aimed the tip of his blade at Neptune’s right eye. A small movement, and the eye would be pierced.

At this point, the soldiers and princes couldn’t fight back. Their fighting spirit dwindled in an instant as they worried for Neptune’s life.

“Don’t worry about me…!! Fight to protect Shirahoshi…!!!”

“Father…!!!”

“Fine, that works too. If she doesn’t come out, we’ll just kill everyone one by one…!!!”

“Whoa… as expected of Lord Jack. You say such scary things… Hey, Lord Neptune. You’d best hand over Princess Shirahoshi, you know? Otherwise, Lord Jack will smash everything to pieces…”

“Ghh… Sono…!! Why are you siding with these brutes!!? The princes and Shirahoshi all adored you…!! Even Otohime treated you well…!! And you, too, cared for Otohime—”

“…Haaah… You really don’t get it, do you…? Blinded by noble ideals, and completely clueless about the people below…”

“!!? What are you saying…!!?”

Hearing and seeing Sono’s deep, weary sigh and listless voice, Neptune questioned her in disbelief.

He’d always found it strange. Eleven years ago, one day out of the blue, Sono resigned as the Neptune Army’s martial arts instructor and head of the royal guard—and vanished from Fish-Man Island.

The next time she appeared was on a wanted poster, unchanged, but now an officer of the Beasts Pirates.

Neptune and the royal family, who had once trusted her, had long wondered what had driven her to become a pirate. They always held onto a faint hope that perhaps she had no choice.

But now… Sono spoke as though it were nothing. As if there was no longer any point in hiding the truth.

“…It’s nothing, really… I just got fed up. With all that idealistic nonsense about harmony with humans, or revenge for human discrimination… I got tired of all of it.”

“!! You call that… nonsense…!!?”

“Yeah. It became too much of a hassle. Thinking about that stuff wears you down mentally… Sure, at first, I wanted to do what I could with my own strength. But the more I looked at the world, the more I saw that fish-men and merfolk aren’t all that strong. I’m not that strong either. Fish-Man Island and the people living there are always in a precarious position… never knowing when everything might collapse. Rather than live every day tormented by that fear… I figured it’d be easier and more stable to serve someone overwhelmingly stronger…”

Sono said that because she had once stood closest to Queen Otohime and seen the world from Fish-Man Island, she reached a certain conclusion.

That fish-men and merfolk were weak in many ways, and it was no surprise that they were scorned or oppressed at any time.

Yet despite that, they kept standing out and making moves, jeopardizing their status again and again.

Living in such a vulnerable state—always at risk of being killed or mistreated—was mentally unbearable, she said.

“…At first I even considered serving under the World Government. But I couldn’t risk being enslaved by the Celestial Dragons… Then I thought about joining the Marines after leaving the island, but the risk was still there. And there’s never been a mermaid marine before… So in the end, I figured the only path was to become a pirate. And not just any pirate—one from an overwhelmingly strong crew…!!”

“Gwah!!?”

“Ryuboshi!!”

Ryuboshi, who had rushed at Sono with his sword, was thrown to the ground.

The moment she twisted him was imperceptible. It happened so fast, the only explanation was that she had thrown him with her expert fish-man jujutsu—true to her title as a master.

And with that technique, she turned her fangs on her own kin.

“They say ‘go with the flow,’ right? If I’m going to serve a dragon… I’d rather serve the stronger dragon.”

That’s why she said her current position was ideal—and she was lucky. After leaving Fish-Man Island and settling in the New World, she researched various pirate crews.

She’d hoped to join a Yonko crew—but meeting one was a matter of luck. So she waited and waited, even while slipping into decay… And within a year, she encountered the top candidate. It was almost too lucky.

“And that’s why I’m with the Beasts Pirates now…… Aah, I’m tired of talking. I’ve neutralized Prince Ryuboshi, so I’ll handle the rest as I see fit… As for you, Lord Neptune… I’ll just say this: I recommend handing over Princess Shirahoshi soon. If this drags on, things will get ugly…”

“Ghh…!! Sono… You…!!”

Neptune watched her speak with bitterness—yet deep down, he couldn’t deny the long-standing hardships of fish-men and merfolk.

If they had been treated the same as humans… or if they had outnumbered humans… or if they’d been powerful enough to flip the societal structure—perhaps there would’ve been no discrimination at all.

What-ifs meant nothing now. As king, Neptune had to protect his people from this disaster.

His former subordinate had betrayed them. Fish-Man Island now faced annihilation—not just from pirates, but from those who didn’t even see them as people.

And perhaps that fate was sealed—not when he was defeated, but the moment they were targeted by the Beasts Pirates.

If so… then all he could do now was save as many lives as possible. Neptune readied himself to die, having made his decision.

“──Everyone, run!! Get away from here right now!!!”

"!!"

“N-Neptune-sama…!!”

“Father…!!”

“Hah?”

King Neptune raised his voice so all his citizens could hear—as both a king, and a father.

Even as the Beasts Pirates watched in confusion, his cry rang out.

“These fiends won’t stop until they have Shirahoshi!!! They’ll kill thousands, tens of thousands if they must!!! That’s why… even if it’s only one more person… I want you to escape, to live!!!”

“Aah?—GYAHAHA!! What the hell’s this king babbling about!? Just hand over Princess Shirahoshi already, and this’ll all be over…!!”

“──Shirahoshi isn’t here.”

“!?”

Neptune’s blunt declaration drew shock from the Beasts Pirates’ fighters.

Lying on the ground, blood dripping from his lips, Neptune looked up at Jack towering over him and declared:

“I’m a pitiful excuse for a king… I couldn’t protect my people… from you monsters… from this cruel world…!! But if I hand over Shirahoshi… you’ll only take more lives… If I hand her over, I might save some… But even so—I couldn’t bring myself to make that choice!!!”

“You bastard…”

“If we fall, I told Shirahoshi to slip away in secret… She won’t be yours. I had hoped… that perhaps we could defeat you. But if that’s not possible… then—”

“!”

Neptune stood again, seizing his spear and swinging it at Jack.

It was easily blocked—but even so, Neptune bared his resolve.

Not as a king… but as a warrior.

“To protect my people, to land a single blow on you bastards… I’ll fight until my last breath!!!”

“……!!”

“Citizens!!! Flee!! Run now!!! Get to the sea and you’ll have a chance!! We’ll buy you the time!!!”

“……Looks like you really have a death wish…!!!”

Veins bulged on Jack’s forehead.

This foolish merman dared to think he could protect his people, even get Shirahoshi to escape… and worse, he dared think he could stop them?

He needed to kill this king, the prince, the soldiers—then hunt down Shirahoshi. Orders were absolute.

Jack moved to execute—yet the royal family weren’t the only ones who dared stand in their way.

“Fishman Karate: Water Shot!!!”

“!!?”

“W-Whoa!!? Lord Jack!!”

“……!! Who did that!?”

“That blow… I’ll take it from here as well…!!!”

“! T-That man…!!”

Suddenly, a small burst of water struck Jack.

Just a splash—yet it packed enough force to draw blood, and even hurl his massive body across the ground.

The Beasts Pirates gasped. So did the citizens.

Because the one responsible was a fish-man known to all.

And behind him—pirates bearing the sun mark, weapons drawn, brimming with hostility toward the Beasts Pirates. Leading them was a fellow fish-man… and the first ever fish-man to join the Seven Warlords.

The successor to Fisher Tiger, hero of the fish-men, and current captain of the Sun Pirates:

『Former Warlord of the Sea — Captain of the Sun Pirates
"The First Son of the Sea" Jinbe
Bounty: 438 million Berries』

“Beasts Pirates…!! You’ll not have Shirahoshi or a single citizen!!!”

“……!! It’s Jinbe, the former Warlord!!!”

“Boss Jinbe…!!”

“The Sun Pirates came to help…!!”

──“The First Son of the Sea,” Jinbe.

His arrival sparked a glimmer of hope in the people.

Yet Jinbe, glaring fiercely at Jack, held no illusions. No hope of easy victory.

This was the mightiest pirate crew in the world now. Jack, one of their top three "Disasters"—a true monster. Surviving his forces without casualties? Unthinkable. Even in a death match, the odds were grim.

And even if they did bring Jack down, the Beasts Pirates wouldn’t stop. They’d regroup with stronger forces and come again. Still—

“…So you want to die too?”

“A-Aye!!! If it means protecting my comrades, this life is cheap!!! If you want their lives—you’ll have to kill me first, Jack!!!”

“!!”

“…Oh, great… Now that’s another pain in the ass… Boss Jinbe and the Sun Pirates… This might take some time…”

Sonō sighed at the sight of Jinbe and the Sun Pirates readying for battle without a trace of fear.

Between Neptune’s forces and now the Sun Pirates, things were bound to drag. If they stalled too long, Shirahoshi would slip away.

Better to use a ‘difficult’ card now than risk failure.

So Sonō stepped back, pulling out a Den Den Mushi to call someone equally troublesome.

“──Hello? You ready over there?”

『Sonō-san!! Um, no, we’re still in the middle of the performance… It’s going to take at least another half day…』

“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”

A sigh. Looks like they weren’t quite ready for the finale.

While Sonō handled his call, the situation on the battlefield continued to evolve.

Jack and Jinbe locked eyes. Neptune and the princes still showed no sign of surrender.

And among the citizens—some had even taken up arms, ready to fight beside their soldiers.

“If we back down now, we lose our home…!!”

“Get the women and children out!! Don’t let the king and Boss Jinbe’s will be in vain!!!”

“If it’s just grunts, we can manage…!!”

“King Neptune!! Boss Jinbe!! Let us fight too!!!”

“You all…!!”

“...You realize what this means, don’t you?”

To Jinbe’s sober question, some citizens nodded.

It needed no explanation—they were prepared to die for their families. For their children.

And if that’s how far they were willing to go, any further warning would be insulting.

Jinbe accepted their resolve, turned back toward Jack.

“……!! You have my gratitude!!! All of you—steel yourselves!!! We fight to the death to hold them off!!!”

“Oooooooooooooh!!!”

“…Orders, Lord Jack?”

“Fools… Kill them all!!! Capture the ones that try to run!!! We’ll use their lives as bait to draw out Shirahoshi!!!”

“As you command, Lord Jack～～～～～!!!”

“GYAHAHA!! Suicidal idiots!!! Let’s teach them real pain—real fear!!!”

“Attack!!!”

“Oooooooooooooooohhhhhhh!!!”

Jinbe and King Neptune—leading the Sun Pirates and Neptune’s army. The adults of Fishman Island standing with them.

Against them stood Jack, Sonō, Hotei, and Sheepshead. Ten thousand fighters of the Beasts Pirates clashed with the defenders.

A battle to decide the fate of Fishman Island had begun—and elsewhere, others watched with different feelings in their hearts.

“…So the fighting’s started… Captain Hody. What should we do?”

“Jahahahaha…!! I hate the humans, but this is a perfect opportunity… If that man wipes out Neptune’s army and the Sun Pirates, then our goal is as good as complete…!!!”

“You think it’ll work?”

“Of course it will…!! That man is the strongest fish-man alive…!!! No, the strongest in the world…!!! If we side with him… we’ll rule Fishman Island once it’s over!!! And after that… Jahahahaha!!!”

A certain pirate crew, led by a shark fish-man, burst into cruel laughter. Meanwhile—

“Captain!! Princess Shirahoshi…!!”

“Calm down, you idiots!! Judging from the direction she’s headed—Shirahoshi hasn’t made it far from Ryugu Palace yet!!! But it’s only a matter of time before she escapes!! In that case… we cut her off during the chaos and she’s ours!!! Bahohhohoho!!! I’ll be the one laughing in the end!!!”

There were still those who hadn’t given up on the legendary mermaid princess, ready to seize her amid the confusion.

And then—

“Madam!! You must evacuate now…!!”

“Oh no…!!”

“Eh?”

──Fishman Island’s greatest fortune teller. No—the world’s greatest seer. Her predictions had crossed into prophecy.

And now, the mermaid woman trembled, clutching her head as she stared at the vision in her crystal ball.

“Fishman Island… cannot be saved…!!! This island… will be destroyed by a monster!!!”

What she saw in the swirling waters was a vision of utter ruin—of Fishman Island’s annihilation.

---

The battle was expected to go on… endlessly.

“Hah… Hah… You monster…!!”

“They’re Animal-type Zoan users…!! Tough bastards… But even they’ll run out of stamina eventually…!! Just hold out…!!”

“Hand over Princess Shirahoshi……!!!”

The battle on Fish-Man Island dragged on, claiming many lives.

With the water-rich environment of Fish-Man Island, the combined efforts of Jinbe, the Sun Pirates, and the volunteer soldiers had managed to hold the enemy off for more than half a day.

But in this world… battles never truly end.

All living beings in this world are doomed to tremble before endless violence and fear.

“Run…!! To the sea…!!”

“Get to where even their ships can’t follow…!!”

“…! Look…!! Something’s sinking…!!”

“…? What is that…? Some kind of humanoid… coffin or something…?”

“Does it matter!? Just run already!!”

“…………”

Even with the bay and the gates seized, the fish-men and mermaids managed to slip past the bubbles and flee.

And from that bay… a chain extended—deep into the sea.

“Hey… it’s almost been 24 hours, hasn’t it?”

“Even so… damn, she’s tough… Spent a whole day underwater and didn’t die…”

“To actually do this to herself, even if it’s just for show… she’s insane…”

“Hey, idiot!! What if she hears you!? Don’t underestimate her Observation Haki!!”

“Enough chatter!! The pre-stream is over!! We’re pulling it up!! Haul it uuuup!!!”

“Yoooo!!!”

The pirate ship anchored in the bay was the flagship of the world’s strongest pirate crew, the one currently assaulting the kingdom.

That flagship had submerged a single torture device into the depths… and now, after time had passed, they were raising it back up.

Everyone watched that moment.

“!!!”

“!? What was that sound!?”

“…!! No way… that sound…!!”

“It's oooover…!!”

In the plaza of Fish-Man Island—the heart of the battlefield—it appeared.

The torture device.

Suspended by an unidentified flying object in the sky, gently rising with music playing alongside it, the iron maiden appeared—meant to impale and torment those locked inside.

“—Puhah!! Cough… ahhh~… that was suffocating~~…♡ Quite the torture session, that one… I’d give it… hmm, an 80 out of 100.”

“!!?”

Water spilled from the device, and from within emerged a single girl, her cheerful voice stunning everyone into silence.

Even the hardened soldiers of the Beasts Pirates broke out in sweat. The grotesque performance filled them with dread.

Their time was up.

And that girl—was the one who had been tortured.

“But this isn’t nearly enough… It still lacks true fear…!!!”

To speak of her is to recount her life of torment—defeated eight times as a pirate, captured by the Navy or enemy ships a total of twenty-five times. Torture upon torture, she lived the life of a criminal.

And right now—she was streaming. A rare broadcast from ten thousand meters beneath the sea—Fish-Man Island—her 24-hour Torture Endurance Livestream…!!

Let us repeat: alone—or sometimes with one other—she challenged the Navy and even the Four Emperors. Caught twenty-five times. Endured over two thousand torture sessions. Sixty death sentences.

She’s been hanged without choking, guillotined and lived, impaled and endured, poisoned and survived—she withstood every torture imaginable. In the end, she sank eighteen prison ships…!!

In other words—

“Now then… I think it’s time we kick off the livestream where I capture Princess Shirahoshi and bring ruin to Fish-Man Island—let’s give them a taste of our terror…!!!”

No one could kill her…!!!

—And she herself was no exception…!!!

Her hobby is torture. Her name is—

“Hope you all enjoyed the pre-stream that really showed off just how mysterious I am~?”

“…!!!”

—The Phantom Beast “Nue”

“If there’s anyone who could take on Kaido one-on-one and win, it’s probably Nue,” people say.

By land, sea, and sky—of all the creatures living under heaven—she is the most enigmatic… a pirate known as the “most terrifying lifeform”!!!

『Beasts Pirates Vice Governor “Phantom Beast Nue” – Bounty: 4,480,100,000 Berries』

“But the real show starts now……!!! Let it begin!!! Let us drench this glorious world of conflict in fear… with the greatest showtime of all!!!”

—To truly seize the world, she had begun to move.