Joy Boy's Apology

Hard-Shell Tower.

"Waaahhh~"

Shirahoshi had already sensed the malice outside the tower and was bawling her eyes out. She was only an eleven-year-old girl, even if she was already quite large.

"Shirahoshi, stop crying. I've already found someone to help you. Vander Decken IX will never harass you again." Neptune clumsily tried to comfort Shirahoshi, but he still could not stop the bucket-sized tears from splashing onto the floor.

"Crybaby, stop crying. Quiet down for a moment. You'll be free soon enough." Yake pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. The crying was too loud and irritating, making it impossible for him to focus on using Observation Haki to search for Vander Decken IX.

The crying grew even louder...

"Sorry, my tone was bad just now, Miss Shirahoshi. I'm here to help you beat up the bad guy. Could you save your tears for later and stop crying for now?" Yake came to Shirahoshi's side and gently comforted her.

"R-Really? You'll help me beat... beat up the bad guy?" Shirahoshi calmed down a little, though tears still hung on her face. It seemed that the slightest disturbance would make her burst into tears again.

"You're so cute. How could I bear to lie to you? Just wait here." Seeing that Shirahoshi's emotions had stabilized, Yake immediately activated his Observation Haki.

His Observation Haki continued to expand, bringing the voices of every fish-man on Fish-Man Island into Yake's perception. He quickly filtered through them but found no trace of Vander Decken IX within Fish-Man Island.

Having no other choice, he expanded his Observation Haki again. At last, he found something unusual not far outside Fish-Man Island.

Aboard the Flying Dutchman, Vander Decken IX had just used his ability to hurl a spinning battle-axe.

"Captain, you threw it in the wrong direction..." the bald sea monster said in a muffled voice.

"Shut up! This captain's attacks never miss!!" Vander Decken IX roared. Grotesque and lecherous-looking, he had always believed that he and the Fish-Man Princess were truly in love, even when she had only been six.

I really envy him. He's so ugly, yet so confident.

"Found you!" Yake smiled and raised a hand, firing a massive ball of electricity into the sky.

"God's Judgment!"

Outside Fish-Man Island.

"Captain, what's that?" The bald sea monster spotted a blue-white sphere nearly as large as his head rapidly approaching them.

"Not good, it's coming for us! Hurry and pull the ship away!" Seeing that the object was clearly headed for their vessel, Vander Decken IX hurriedly ordered the sea monster to drag the ship away.

However, just as the lightning sphere was about to strike the Flying Dutchman, it shot straight upward.

"Wasn't the target us?" Vander Decken IX wiped away a cold sweat.

The next moment, a colossal, blinding pillar of lightning engulfed the Flying Dutchman, reducing it to dust in the sea. The high-voltage current also instantly knocked out the bald sea monster pulling the ship ahead of it. Thus, the legend of the Flying Dutchman came to an end.

Yake kept his Observation Haki trained on the area for around ten more minutes. Only after confirming that there were no survivors besides the sea monster did he deactivate it, and the lightning gathered in his right hand for a finishing blow dispersed as well.

As for the bald sea monster, it still had other uses. He would spare its life. Why bother arguing with an idiot?

Yake clapped his hands and let out a sigh of relief.

"All right, Vander Decken IX will never harass you again, little Shirahoshi."

Neptune said in disbelief, "Could it have been that ball of lightning just now?"

Yake nodded and pointed at the Hard-Shell Tower.

"This can be torn down now. If you're still worried, leave it up for a few more days."

Ryugu Palace was especially lively today. Besides the royal family attending the banquet, the Mermaid Princess Shirahoshi, who had lived in the Hard-Shell Tower for nearly six years, had finally been freed from Vander Decken IX's threat and attended the feast. Jinbe, one of the Shichibukai, had come as well.

"Lord Yake, I will forever remember the favor you have done Fish-Man Island. I have long wanted to resolve the trouble of Vander Decken IX, but I could never find his whereabouts, so I had no choice but to give up."

"If you ever need my help in the future, please do not hesitate to ask. I will certainly give you my full support!"

Jinbe was the first to express his gratitude for what Yake had done.

"However, how do you explain taking the lives of Hody Jones and his group for no reason? Though they hated humans, their crimes..."

"Wait!" Yake interrupted Jinbe.

"Hody Jones killed Queen Otohime. Didn't you know? He admitted it himself, and your soldiers heard it too, didn't they?" Yake pointed at the guards beside them.

"My deepest apologies, Lord Yake. We hadn't had time to inform King Neptune before Vander Decken IX attacked Princess Shirahoshi, so..." The Fish-Men soldier was drenched in sweat, his heart filled with fear.

"I see. Then I wrongly blamed Lord Yake." Jinbe was about to bow and apologize when Yake stopped him.

"That's enough, Brother Jinbe. You didn't know either. If you insist on apologizing, then help me gather Poneglyphs. Rubbings will do too." Yake spoke casually. Jinbe was righteous and loyal, truly worthy of being called the Knight of the Sea. Once Jinbe found Poneglyphs in the future, he would certainly make a rubbing for him instead of handing them straight to Big Mom.

That would save Yake from having to search the entire world for them himself.

"Mm, don't worry. I'll definitely keep an eye out for them." Jinbe said with a solemn expression.

Reiju and the others gathered around Shirahoshi, whispering among themselves. The considerate Reiju immediately noticed Shirahoshi's discomfort. Shirahoshi had been trapped in the Hard-Shell Tower for too long and had not interacted normally with others, so Reiju helped the pitiful Mermaid Princess quickly blend into the atmosphere.

Once the banquet ended, host and guests alike were thoroughly satisfied. Yake and the others followed Neptune to the location of Fish-Man Island's Poneglyph, the Sea Forest.

This was an enormous coral forest, as well as the burial site of Shirahoshi's mother, Queen Otohime.

Deep within the Sea Forest stood a massive, ancient stone monument.

"As expected, it really is one of the Poneglyphs." Robin's gaze was completely drawn to the monument before her, and she ran up to it without another thought.

"Joy Boy? Who is he apologizing to?"

Like Cobra, the king of Alabasta back then, Neptune's eyes widened.

"You can read these words?"

Robin folded her arms and answered openly, "That's right. I'm a survivor of Ohara. My purpose in living in this world is to seek the truth of history!"

"Ah, if that's the case, then I'll tell you." Neptune sighed, turning his gaze toward Queen Otohime's grave.

"This passage is Joy Boy's Apology, written to the Mermaid Princess of that time."

"Joy Boy was a real person who existed during the Void Century. He failed to keep his promise to the Mermaid Princess, so he left behind this apology."

"What promise?" Robin pressed.

"I do not know the specific details, but one day, someone will appear to fulfill the promise in Joy Boy's place. This is also a legend passed down through our royal family from generation to generation..."