Knight of the Sea Jinbe

What a lavish palace. Maybe building my own Void Palace wouldn't be a bad idea either—once I have the money!

By then, Lord Cifer would sit high above the heavens, while young men like King Luffy and Ace could only bow their heads in submission. With a single call, he'd rally countless followers, wipe out the Celestial Dragons, and swap the World Government's flag for a red one...

While Cifer was lost in his daydreams, King Neptune and the three princes had already come to stand before him.

"Father, this guy doesn't seem very reliable. Is he really a friend of Whitebeard's?" the eldest prince, Hoshi, whispered, eyeing the distracted Cifer.

"Maybe... probably?" Neptune also felt Cifer wasn't too dependable, but since the man claimed to be Whitebeard's friend, he had to show some respect.

As for whether he was an impostor, everyone believed no one would dare pretend to be a member of the Whitebeard Pirates.

"Hello, Mr. Neptune. I've come to discuss a deal with you," Cifer said, snapping back to reality without paying their whispers any mind.

"Oh? And what kind of deal would Mr. Cifer like to discuss?"

"I've heard your princess has been harassed by some jumping jack for years. I can take care of it for you." Cifer raised one finger. "Just 100 million Belly. How about it?"

Cifer didn't know exactly how much 100 million Belly was worth, but recalling Water Seven, he figured it wasn't a small sum. Since it was just a trivial effort on his part, there was no need to ask for an arm and a leg.

Besides, he only said he'd take 100 million Belly—he never said he wouldn't accept other things. At that thought, a grin spread across Cifer's pale face.

"Just 100 million Belly! If you can solve that problem for my daughter, Fish-Man Island will forever regard you as our greatest friend!" Without a moment's hesitation, Neptune agreed to Cifer's terms.

"Take me to see Princess Shirahoshi first."

"Hold on!" At that moment, a catfish fish-man in a purple robe and black top hat jumped out. "Your Majesty! How can you agree so casually? What if he does something to Princess Shirahoshi?!"

"Left Minister!" Neptune didn't answer him. In his eyes, Shirahoshi had been hiding in the Hard Shell Tower for years. He'd try even the slimmest chance.

"Left Minister and Your Majesty need not worry. I will accompany him." An aged voice came from behind.

"It's Jinbe!"

As everyone turned to look, Cifer also saw this "Shichibukai": wild eyebrows and sideburns, a topknot hairstyle, a coarse black stubble on his chin, a lightning-shaped scar at the corner of his left eye, a bulky frame, and two large teeth protruding from his lower jaw.

"Let this old man go with Cifer to deal with Vander Decken!" Jinbe's sharp eyes locked onto Cifer. "I am also a good friend of the Whitebeard Pirates. Mr. Cifer shouldn't mind, should he?"

"Of course not!"

Cifer shrugged. If he really wanted to cause trouble, even Whitebeard being here wouldn't stop him.

Then, led by Neptune and the guards, Cifer finally arrived at Princess Shirahoshi's residence of many years—the Hard Shell Tower.

The outer shell of the Hard Shell Tower was now embedded with all kinds of weapons. Anyone seeing it would think a fierce battle had just taken place here, never imagining it was the suffering of a pitiful young girl.

Vander Decken really is a disgusting bastard! Daring to treat my future crewmate like this. A flash of murderous intent flickered in Cifer's eyes, but it still startled Jinbe beside him.

A terrifying man.

A cold sweat dripped down. That was the only thought in Jinbe's mind. He had originally thought that with him here, he could stop Cifer if he tried anything bad. Now it seemed this man was far more fearsome than he'd imagined.

Having had no contact with the Whitebeard Pirates for a while, Jinbe couldn't be sure if Cifer was truly their friend. He could only hope the man was telling the truth.

Meanwhile, aboard the Flying Pirates' ship.

"Shirahoshi~ Why won't you respond to my love after all these years~" Vander Decken was still going through his daily monologue of confession.

"Accept my love, Shirahoshi!"

A three-meter-long battle axe flew out with Vander Decken's shout, cutting through the ocean and heading straight for the Hard Shell Tower.

"Shirahoshi, it's your father. Are you awake, Shirahoshi?"

Neptune gently knocked on the door of the Hard Shell Tower, waiting for Shirahoshi's reply, but no answer came from inside for a long time.

"Um... Vander Decken has been throwing weapons at Shirahoshi at all hours lately. She probably hasn't been able to rest well." Neptune scratched his head, explaining to Cifer. "How about we wait a bit?"

"No problem. Disturbing a sleeping beauty is not something a gentleman does." Cifer didn't mind at all. He walked over to the Hard Shell Tower, sat down leaning against it, and closed his eyes to rest.

Cifer had always been this polite, and with his pale complexion and his over-three-meter but somewhat slender frame, Neptune momentarily wondered if he had misjudged the man.

"Here it comes!" Cifer suddenly spoke.

"Could it be?!" Neptune's eyes widened. He clearly understood what Cifer meant.

"Armament Haki, Hardening!"

Just as everyone was startled, Jinbe had already leaped up, a black aura coiling around his arm.

"Sharkskin Crusher Fist!"

The immense force of the punch shattered the battle axe into a dozen pieces, but the fragments still flew straight toward the Hard Shell Tower!

"Cero."

A towering emerald-green light flashed, and the axe fragments were completely obliterated.

"Disturbing a girl's sleep is not good behavior." By now, Cifer had stood up, murderous intent in his gaze.

Originally, Cifer had planned to talk with Princess Shirahoshi first, sweet-talk her a bit, and then deal with Vander Decken. But since the man was so eager to die, Cifer didn't mind taking him out first.

The axe from earlier still carried Vander Decken's aura. Cifer's Neural Scan began to expand outward, searching for a similar signature, then traced it back along the path.

Neptune and the others had no idea what Cifer was doing standing there frozen, but they could tell he was angry and didn't dare approach him.

"Wait for me!"

In an instant, Cifer vanished from everyone's sight, drawing gasps of surprise from Neptune and the others.

"That's... Soru?!" Jinbe, with his wealth of experience, thought of something more. "No, in my Observation Haki, he just vanished!"

Meanwhile, aboard the Flying Pirates' ship, Vander Decken felt a growing unease, as if something terrifying was about to arrive.

"Bald Sea Monster! Take me to Noah at once!" Vander Decken sensed more and more that a major event was imminent—only by reaching Noah could he feel even a shred of safety.

"Got it, Captain!"

On the seabed, the eighty-meter-tall Bald Sea Monster, Mizunami, pulled the Flying Pirates' ship and strode quickly toward Noah.

On the other side, Cifer, who had been relentlessly chasing Vander Decken's scent using Sound Step, was already considering whether to activate his Resurrección.

In his current state, he could only track the flying axe's trail in reverse. If he entered Resurrección, he could likely expand the range of his Neural Scan directly to Vander Decken himself, and then use Void Release to teleport right to his side.

Unaware of all this, Vander Decken sat aboard Noah with his crew, using his ability to steer the bubble-coated ark directly above Fish-Man Island.

In his view, as long as his opponent was after Fish-Man Island, Noah suspended above it was his greatest leverage.

"Not running, but coming toward me instead?" Sensing Vander Decken suddenly appear within his detection range and approach him, Cifer's face twisted into a mocking grin.