Chapter 223

Several merchant ship captains who had just come down from the Sabaody Archipelago stood on the harbor's edge, looking up at the stacks of corpses on display, and it took them a long time to find their voices.

"So those rumors are true. Uchiha Natsu really did treat the entire Fish-Man Island as his own backyard." No one answered him, but everyone knew the answer.

The ocean currents swept through the harbor, causing the hanging corpses to sway slightly. Their empty eye sockets faced every ship that had just entered the harbor, silently conveying the same message to this deep-sea Paradise — Fish-Man Island, protected by Uchiha Natsu.

Trespassers will be put to death.

News of Fish-Man Island spread throughout the entire ocean in just over a month.

The first to be terrified were the intelligence brokers from the Sabaody Archipelago.

They made a living by trading intelligence on slave shipping routes and had the keenest sense of danger in various sea areas.

When they discovered that the number of pirates escaping back from Fish-Man Island had drastically decreased—not because they were dead, but because no one dared to go anymore—this deep-sea passage, once considered a "lucrative route" by slave hunters, was permanently removed from their list of recommended destinations.

Instead, a warning was written in red ink: Fish-Man Island, protected by Uchiha Natsu. Trespassers will be killed.

No one questioned the authenticity of these words, because the mortuary display platform at the port, made up of thousands of corpses, was the most irrefutable evidence.

When the news reached the New World, several large pirate crews that had planned to seize Fish-Man Island after the Whitebeard Pirates' withdrawal urgently changed their routes.

After reading the intelligence, their captain remained silent for a long time. Then he pulled the wanted poster with the Uchiha Gunbai flag on it out of the file and placed it in the upper right corner of the nautical chart. He told the navigator to take a detour in the future.

No explanation is needed; the bounty of 15 billion Beli is the best explanation.

The voices that once mocked the Whitebeard Pirates for "falling to the level of being watchdogs for the Uchiha" have disappeared without a trace, replaced by a kind of apprehension that even they themselves are unwilling to admit.

The ability to wipe out tens of thousands of pirates in just over a month demonstrates a level of deterrent power that only the Four Emperors can match on the Grand Line.

The Bounty Hunter Guild in the first half of the Grand Line have designated Fish-Man Island as a top-level restricted area, stating in bold font in their internal announcement:

We do not accept any requests involving Fish-Man Island, provide any information about pirate crews heading to Fish-Man Island, or undertake any escort missions for those attempting to conduct slave trade in the waters around Fish-Man Island.

When a newcomer asked why, the veteran bounty hunter simply tossed a stack of port photos recently sent back from the Sabaody Archipelago onto the table. After the newcomer looked at them, he never asked again.

Fish-Man Island, once a deep-sea Paradise considered a slave hunting ground by countless pirates, has transformed into the safest and most feared forbidden land on the entire ocean in just over a month.

Merchants are the most astute group. When they noticed that even the most notorious pirates who roamed the New World were starting to detour, they didn't hesitate to adjust their routes.

Merchant ships flying the Uchiha Gunbai flag became the most popular companions in the deep sea, and the docking fee revenue of the Ryugu Palace Port increased several times in two months.

Neptune reviewed the latest financial report in the council chamber of the Ryugu Palace. After a long silence, he uttered only one sentence. "All of these proceeds will be used to rebuild the buildings damaged on Fish-Man Island in recent days."

No one objected.

After decades of fear and pain, this deep-sea Paradise has finally found peace.

The boy who gave it peace is now holding Quan's hand, standing at the bow of the White Dragon, preparing to go home.

New Marineford, Fleet Admiral's Office.

Akainu slammed his fist on Sengoku's desk, making the teacup on it bounce.

He had just been transferred back to headquarters from the G2 Branch to attend the Supreme Operations Conference, and before he even had time to change out of his Justice Coat, he saw the detailed report about Fish-Man Island handed to him by the Intelligence Department.

Tens of thousands of pirates were slaughtered by Uchiha Natsu's Wood Clone in just over a month. Their bodies were nailed to the port for public display. The Uchiha Gunbai banner was hung in the Ryugu Palace, and Fish-Man Island completely sided with the Uchiha Clan.

"This is an insult to the Navy!" Akainu's voice shook the windowpane slightly, and his right arm involuntarily turned into magma, dripping molten lava onto the stone floor and burning several charred dents.

"Fish-Man Island is right at the foot of Mary Geoise, directly below the Sabaody Archipelago! How far is that sea area from Marine Headquarters?"

That Uchiha Natsu turned the entire Fish-Man Island into his private domain right under our noses, and he even flew the Uchiha Gunbai flag over Ryugu Palace! What is this? Where does this leave the face of the Marine Headquarters? Where does this leave the authority of the World Government?

He abruptly turned to Sengoku, who sat in the main seat, his tone brooking no argument.

"We must immediately send troops to wipe out Fish-Man Island! We can't let them side with the Uchiha Clan like this!"

The Sengoku did not answer immediately.

He leaned back in his chair, his hands crossed on the table, his gaze fixed on the intelligence report that Akainu had crumpled.

The office was silent for several breaths before he slowly spoke, his tone calm to the point of exhaustion. "So, if we're going to cleanse Fish-Man Island, who Uchiha Natsu?"

Akainu opened his mouth, Kizaru's hand holding the teacup paused slightly, and the white mist exhaled by Aokiji, who was leaning against the window, lingered in the air for a moment longer.

Sengoku didn't watch Akainu.

His gaze slowly swept across the faces of every officer present, his voice neither hurried nor slow, yet it was as if he were presenting the entire devastation of the Summit War to everyone once again.

"Uchiha Natsu, with a bounty of 15 billion Beli. During the Summit War, he single-handedly suppressed four Admiral-Emperor Level combatants: Akainu, Kizaru, Steel Bone Kong, and the Gunko of the God's Knights."

He slew Steel Bone Kong, slew Gunko, and forced Lord Imu to retreat.

He split Marineford in two, and we are still in the G2 Branch to this day.

He's currently on Fish-Man Island, a stone's throw from Mary Geoise, and has been there for over a month.

Cleansing Fish-Man Island is easy—but who will face him? You? You? Or you?

He raised his hand and pointed at Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji in turn, then turned his gaze to the newly appointed Admiral in the corner, who was sitting with his legs crossed.

"It's you again, Aramaki?"

Akainu's Magma Fist gradually cooled down, but his clenched fist did not loosen.

Kizaru put down his teacup, unusually refraining from trying to smooth things over.

Aokiji leaned against the window, turned his face to the outside, and exhaled a long puff of white mist.

Only Ryokugyu Aramaki leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head, his face showing a composure and nonchalance that hadn't yet been ravaged by the Summit War.

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, I took a day off yesterday.