Hody Jones and Vander Decken IX Caught Red-Handed

Gyoncorde Plaza.

The entire plaza was packed to the brim. Tens of thousands of Fish-Men and Merfolk citizens had gathered there, every gaze fixed on the raised platform at the center.

On the platform, a slender, frail figure held a loudspeaker and spoke herself hoarse to the citizens below.

She had long, wavy golden hair and a pair of clear, resolute blue eyes. An orange crown-shaped hairpin gathered her hair behind her head. She wore a long robe patterned with orange fish scales, cinched at the waist with a red-and-white sash and tied again with a white ribbon. She was none other than Princess Otohime.

Not long ago, she had returned from Mary Geoise with the signatures of the World Nobles agreeing to establish friendly relations between the Fish-Man Tribe and humans. She intended to strike while the iron was hot, gathering the island's citizens to sign a joint petition to move to the surface.

Princess Otohime's voice spread throughout the plaza through the loudspeaker shell. She was born with an Observation Haki capable of moving others. This special power could convey her thoughts and emotions completely to others.

For six whole years, she had used this power to travel everywhere and make appeals, hoping to dissolve the hatred between the Fish-Man Tribe and humanity.

Under the influence of her Observation Haki, the citizens in the plaza had lowered their deeply rooted resistance toward humans to its lowest point.

Many people stepped forward one after another and signed their names on the petition. The atmosphere grew increasingly enthusiastic.

But at that moment, an unexpected change occurred!

Several furtive figures slipped into the crowd. They were human pirates hired by Hody. While everyone's attention was focused on the platform, they suddenly pulled out fire starters and set the signature collection box