The next day, Longinus and Tom headed to Fish-Man Island, while Franky and Iceburg returned to Water Seven to gather shipwrights.
Ever since he had been promoted to admiral, Longinus had resigned from his position as head of the G2 Branch. Unfortunately, the Fish-Man Island branch still depended on his illustrious reputation, so he could only continue serving as its base commander.
Thus, the coated warship carrying the two of them easily entered the waters around Fish-Man Island.
After disembarking, Tom looked at the familiar yet strange sights around him and let out a deep sigh. "It's really been a long time since I returned to Fish-Man Island!"
A stationed Fish-Man asked curiously, "Lord Longinus, is he the latest slave you rescued?"
"Uh, I'm not a slave." Tom was momentarily left speechless, then shook his head self-deprecatingly. "Though I'm not much better off. Lord Longinus pulled me out of Impel Down."
"Pulled someone out of Impel Down!" The Fish-Men nearby widened their fish eyes. They had long since moved beyond the stage of knowing nothing, and naturally understood how much weight and difficulty lay behind those brief words.
Thinking of this, the Fish-Men said emotionally, "Lord Longinus truly deserves to be our guardian deity!"
Just then, a tall, blue, portly man approached from the distance. "Lord Longinus, please come with me. His Majesty Neptune has already prepared a banquet for you."
From their initial hostility, to estrangement, to acceptance, and finally to respect, these changes reflected the path Jinbe and most of the Fish-Men had walked.
Everything Longinus had done had been witnessed by them.
If Queen Otohime had the highest reputation on Fish-Man Island, then Longinus and Whitebeard ranked second. Even Neptune, the King who had little presence, had to step aside.
"Having you, a Shichibukai, lead the way