One Punch Knockout

Vander Decken IX was the one who had used the Target-Target Fruit to lock onto Shirahoshi and harass her all this time. Because of him, Shirahoshi had been forced to live inside Hard-Shell Tower.

Rune walked down the road casually, showing no signs of anything unusual. Only when he drew close to Vander Decken IX did the Dark-Dark Fruit's power activate in an instant.

A mass of darkness wrapped around Vander Decken IX's legs, and then Rune practically teleported right in front of him.

Rune raised his right fist, recalling the punch Garp had thrown at him.

"Fist Bone Impact!"

Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki both coated his hand as Rune smashed his fist into Vander Decken's head, knocking him unconscious on the spot. If Rune had not held back, that punch would have shattered his upper body just as it had Teach's.

But now, having controlled his strength, Rune had merely knocked Vander Decken unconscious.

Not long after Rune made his move, the Neptune Army appeared nearby. Having witnessed the power of Rune's punch, they did not dare step forward to arrest him.

"Don't be nervous. I'm with the Whitebeard Pirates. I merely captured a pirate guilty of countless crimes."

As Rune spoke, he smiled faintly at one of the Neptune Army squad leaders. "I only arrived today. Prince Shark Star was the one who welcomed me in."

The Neptune Army had no idea whether Rune was telling the truth, but since he had mentioned Prince Shark Star, they would know once they summoned him.

Before long, Prince Shark Star hurried over. Since this concerned someone from the Whitebeard Pirates, ordinary Neptune Army soldiers did not dare handle it themselves.

When Prince Shark Star arrived and saw the unconscious Vander Decken IX, he could not help but freeze.

"What is this?"

"I saw him about to do something bad, so I knocked him out while I was at it."

Rune smiled faintly and pressed a hand against Vander Decken. A moment later, he pulled out a Devil Fruit.

"All right. From now on, your sister won't be harassed by this man again."

Prince Shark Star pointed at Vander Decken IX, and the Neptune Army soldiers immediately went over and tied him up. What awaited Vander Decken IX was imprisonment.

"Thank you for your help. If you hadn't captured him, who knows how much longer my sister would have had to endure his harassment."

Prince Shark Star looked at Rune with a little more respect in his eyes. As expected of someone from the Whitebeard Pirates—he had done Fish-Man Island a huge favor the moment he arrived.

"You don't need to thank me. It was only a small thing."

Rune smiled faintly. "Still, I'd like to meet your sister."

"This... I'll report it to my father and give you an answer later."

"All right."

Prince Shark Star and the Neptune Army dispersed, while Rune continued wandering around Fish-Man Island. It had to be said that there were quite a few beautiful mermaid girls on Fish-Man Island.

Of course, there were even more oddly shaped fish-men.

Rune was starting to go numb from looking at them.

After wandering around twice without finding anything special, Rune returned to the lodging Prince Shark Star had arranged for them. Luffy and Bonney had both eaten their fill and were sleeping in their respective rooms. Yamato was sitting by the door, and when she saw Rune return, she immediately stood up to greet him.

"I saved some food for you. It should still be warm."

"Thank you."

Rune smiled and entered the room with Yamato. While Rune ate, Yamato watched him curiously.

"Rune, God Valley... can you tell me more about it?"

Yamato was extremely curious about everything beyond Wano Country. Rune looked at her and smiled.

"Sure."

Rune slowly told Yamato everything he knew about what had happened at God Valley. As she listened, Yamato gradually frowned.

When she heard that Rocks had been killed by those three God's Knights who were like clowns, Yamato abruptly shot to her feet.

"This is outrageous..."

A trace of fury appeared in Yamato's eyes, and she wished she could go kill Saint Garling right that instant. Rune merely smiled faintly and sighed softly.

"If Rocks had trusted Pops a little more and told him that information beforehand, he could at least have walked out of God Valley alive."

Whitebeard did not possess the ability to hear the voice of all things, so he had no idea what had happened to Rocks after he was controlled by Black Turn. To be told by his old captain that he was in the way, then attacked with full force—one could imagine how Whitebeard had felt at the time.

But if Whitebeard had known all this beforehand, he definitely would not have abandoned Rocks. Rocks would have had a chance to survive.

But that was all in the past. There was no point in talking about it now.

"Speaking of which..."

Yamato looked at Rune and lightly pressed her lips together.

"What do you think of Kozuki Oden? I've been on the ship for so long, but I've never heard anyone mention that name."

Yamato looked at Rune expectantly. Rune smiled, but his gaze was somewhat cold.

"He was a complete clown."

Yamato clenched her fists. Because it was Rune, she did not get angry immediately. Instead, she suppressed the emotions in her heart and looked at him.

"Why?"

"He had the power to kill Kaido and save Wano Country. Yet he chose to give up resisting, ultimately allowing Wano Country to fall under Kaido's control."

Rune bit into a piece of meat and spoke as he ate. "If he hadn't been Kaido's match, then willingly playing the clown and enduring humiliation to protect his people would have been understandable. But he was clearly stronger than Kaido and still chose to do that. All I can say is that there was something wrong with his head."

"But if Oden hadn't done as he was told, Kaido would have killed the people of Wano Country..."

"Oh? And what about now?"

Rune snorted coldly. "Are fewer people in Wano Country being killed now?"

Yamato fell silent. She suddenly felt that the conviction in her heart had begun to waver a little. Mainly because Rune's words made sense—Oden had possessed the strength to overturn everything, yet he had given up resisting.

In the end, he had failed to save the people of Wano Country.

Instead, he had gotten himself killed.

Wano Country's future would only grow worse. Unless someone capable of defeating Kaido, and willing to save Wano Country, appeared.

"Yamato, remember this."

As he ate, Rune spoke to Yamato. "Some people's promises can be trusted. Others only make promises to lull you into letting down your guard. You're Kaido's daughter, so you should know exactly what kind of person Kaido is.

"The foundation for negotiating with evil people is possessing the strength to kill them and make them fear you. You must show them that strength, as well as the resolve not to fear sacrifice."

Rune stood up and gently patted Yamato's shoulder.