No. 303: The Plan / No. 304: A Conspiracy on Fish-Man Street

Like the other citizens of Fish-Man Island, Neptune had always been wary of contact with humans. He had neither supported nor opposed Queen Otohime's vision, choosing instead to remain silent.

But he had never realized how much pressure his usually confident, cheerful wife carried.

"I promise you, from now on, I'll do everything I can to support your dream!"

Resolve shone in Neptune's eyes as he made his promise to Otohime.

"Really? Then perhaps the future the children of Fish-Man Island grow up in will change, even if only a little!"

Queen Otohime smiled through her tears. She walked around the chair and slowly approached Neptune.

Neptune reached out a huge hand and, smiling, gently stroked his wife's face.

For a moment, a rare warmth filled Ryugu Palace.

Bang!

Suddenly, someone pushed the heavy door open from outside. A blue Fish-Man squeezed in, then awkwardly withdrew at the sight before him, muttering all the while:

"I'm terribly sorry! I didn't see a thing, Your Majesty!"

"..."

The couple exchanged a smile and drew apart. Almost in unison, they called after the retreating blue figure:

"Jinbe, come in and talk. Is something urgent?"

They knew Jinbe rarely came to Ryugu Palace to see Neptune unless it was important.

Plans

"Atlas... Is that Fish-Man Island?"

Aboard the White Hou, Smoker stared wide-eyed at Fish-Man Island without blinking.

A huge, double-layered semicircular bubble enclosed the entire island. Though it lay ten thousand meters beneath the sea, it still had a sky and sunlight, even white clouds.

Smoker was a Devil Fruit User, and they had never traveled to the New World by way of Fish-Man Island. It was his first time seeing anything like it.

"Are we going straight in?"

Grus looked up and asked Atlas, who stood at the beast-shaped prow.

He