Hunting Plan, Fresh Bait! (Two-in-One)

Ever since the New Marines claimed Fish-Man Island as their territory, no large-scale unrest had ever broken out in its central districts.

But the arrival of the Straw Hat Pirates set such a precedent for Fish-Man Island.

In the past, pirates who landed on Fish-Man Island only dared settle in sparsely populated towns on the outskirts. They never dared run wild on the island itself—after all, anyone with a shred of sense would not want to be targeted by a behemoth like the New Marines.

The New Marines had not earned widespread recognition as an "Emperor-level" force through mere word of mouth, but through one great pirate after another falling at their hands.

Those fallen great pirates had established the New Marines' prestige. It was precisely because of those cautionary examples that Fish-Man Island had maintained broad stability and developed peacefully to this day.

The battle between Luffy, the Seraphim, Jinbe, and the others had caused an enormous commotion. Several violent explosions in the heart of the city had long since drawn crowds of onlookers.

The pirates who had sneaked onto Fish-Man Island all loved excitement. In less than half a day, news of the Straw Hat Pirates had spread like wildfire.

"Did you hear? The New Marines failed to capture the Straw Hat Pirates, and Jinbe, the base commander here, was seriously injured!"

"Did you hear? The boss of the Straw Hat Pirates destroyed the New Marine Branch and killed Vice Admiral Jinbe!"

"Did you hear? The Straw Hat Pirates are going to claim Fish-Man Island for themselves! They've already taken over Ryugu Palace, and Neptune's whole family has been killed!"

Rumors about the Straw Hat Pirates swept across Fish-Man Island. They not only spread farther and farther, but grew increasingly exaggerated, completely losing any resemblance to the truth.