Jinbe's voice was low but powerful, and his unwavering conviction seemed to infect the surrounding fish-men. Countless fish-men who had been watching the situation stepped forward, glaring at the Marines with hostility.
They wanted to take away Fish-Man Island's hero? They would have to ask whether the fish-men agreed first.
Fish-Man Island had only just escaped disaster. At a time like this, they would never obediently hand over Uchiha Hikaru, whom they regarded as a beacon of hope, to the Marines.
Hina was taken aback by the fish-men's reaction. She had not expected Uchiha Hikaru to have earned Fish-Man Island's trust to such an extent that they would stand up to defend him even at the cost of becoming enemies with the Marines.
"What a surprise." Chaton spoke up at that moment. "I never expected Fish-Man Island to ultimately abandon the Marines, who represent justice, and choose to attach itself to pirates. From Whitebeard to Charlotte Linlin, you never truly trusted the Marines in your hearts!"
Hikaru let out a cold laugh, the corner of his mouth curling with disdain. "The Marines can't even maintain control over the seas, allowing the entire world to fall into the chaos of rampant piracy. What right do you have to mock Fish-Man Island's choice? Besides, your brain doesn't seem to work very well. I already stated that I'm not a pirate."
For years, the Marines had devoted themselves to restoring order at sea, and the effort they had expended was far more complicated than the apparent wins and losses. Uchiha Hikaru's judgment of the Marines based solely on the current state of the seas was rather selective, which displeased Chaton greatly.
"Since you aren't a pirate, hand them over." Chaton pointed at Jinbe and the others. "Hand over these infamous pirates and declare