"Come on, here's to a great partnership. Cheers!"
In the blood-soaked, crime-ridden Fish-Man District, Hody Jones, leader of the New Fish-Man Pirates, clasped hands with Vander Decken. Their crews burst into cheers. "Yeah! Yeah!"
Vander Decken was a repulsive sight, and his smile was downright sinister. "Hody Jones, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. King Neptune is about to take his people to the Reverie. He'd never dream we'd join forces and make our move now. Fish-Man Island will be yours, and Princess Shirahoshi will be mine." At the thought of Shirahoshi's breathtaking beauty, his mouth watered.
In the original story, the two would not have joined forces so soon. But the Reverie had been moved forward. King Neptune would take his people to the Holy Land, leaving Fish-Man Island poorly defended. Hody Jones and Vander Decken could seize their chance to take it.
Both men grinned as though their ambitions had already come true: one would claim the woman he desired, the other would become Fish-Man Island's new ruler. Then a piercing scream cut their laughter short. Everyone turned in shock as Dos and the others stumbled up to Hody Jones. "Captain Hody, something terrible happened! We got beaten up!"
Hody Jones froze. Dos and the others were bruised, swollen, and covered in blood. He frowned. "Who did this to you? Who on Fish-Man Island has the nerve to lay a hand on you?"
Dos limped in pain, grimacing so hard he could barely stand. "Ye Chen. Ye Chen of the Grim Reaper Pirates. They're too strong! They knocked us all flat in no time. We still don't know where Hyouzou landed!"
"Ye Chen?" Hody Jones and Vander Decken were both stunned.
After a moment, Vander Decken asked cautiously, "Is Ye Chen really that strong?"
Dosun shuddered at the memory.