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Chapter 159 Undercurrents
Chapter 159 Undercurrents
Bai Yu and his group walked along the wide coral avenue. The guards on both sides of the road bowed and saluted. The mermaid maids who were swimming freely also stopped and curtsied. The royal entourage of Fishman Island was welcoming this great villain, whom the World Government called a great villain and who had recently become famous in the Grand Line, with extremely high courtesy.
The scenery along the way to the Dragon Palace Kingdom grew increasingly magnificent. A giant conch shell horn hung from the palace pillars, and chandeliers made of seashells swayed gently with the current. The roots of the Sun Tree Eve cascaded down from the palace roof, casting golden light like a waterfall, illuminating the entire Dragon Palace Kingdom as if it were cast in gold. Countless colorful fish floated in the water, moving among the palaces alongside mermaid maidens, creating a breathtakingly beautiful royal scene in the deep sea.
Before long, the group arrived at the main hall of the Dragon Palace Kingdom.
The main hall is carved from a single piece of giant white coral. The gate is soaring into the clouds and inlaid with countless large pearls and gemstones. The moment you push open the gate, a solemn yet gentle atmosphere washes over you.
Inside the main hall, several merman nobles stood on either side, while King Neptune, with his imposing figure and the majesty of a sea god, sat on his throne. Below the throne, a mermaid dressed in a flowing white dress stood quietly.
She was Queen Otohime.
Queen Otohime has long, soft, golden hair, skin as white as a deep-sea pearl, gentle and clear eyes, and an aura of holiness and compassion emanating from her. Even when she is just standing quietly, she inspires respect in people.
She held a book of autographs in her hand, collected from the people she had been working tirelessly to ensure peace between the fish-men and humans.
The moment Princess Otohime saw Uchiha Shiraha and his companions enter the main hall, her eyes lit up instantly. She quickly stepped forward, without any royal airs, and bowed deeply to Shiraha with utmost sincerity.
"Uchiha Hakuha, is that right? May I call you Hakuha-kun? Thank you for coming to the Ryugu Kingdom."
Queen Otohime's voice was soft and warm, like the gentlest current in the deep sea.
"I have long heard of your deeds. You dared to kill the brutal Celestial Dragons and dared to resist the injustice of the World Government. You are the hope of all races oppressed by the Celestial Dragons. On behalf of all the people of Fish-Man Island, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to you."
Uchiha Hakuba slightly raised his hand, gesturing for Princess Otohime to rise, his tone remaining calm: "Princess, there's no need for such formality. I merely did what I was supposed to do."
Uchiha Shiraha couldn't stand it anymore and had to stay in the bubble ball, but there was nothing he could do about it, since he was a Devil Fruit user after all.
"No, this is no small matter."
Queen Otohime straightened up, her eyes shining with determination.
"For thousands of years, the Fish-Men and Merfolk have suffered from the oppression and discrimination of the Celestial Dragons. They have been sold and bullied, and countless compatriots have been displaced. I have spent my whole life pursuing the path of peaceful coexistence between Fish-Men and humans, but this path is too difficult. The indifference of the World Government, the brutality of the Celestial Dragons, and the hatred of some compatriots on Fish-Man Island are all hindering this peace."
At this point, Queen Otohime's self-confidence dimmed slightly, then she looked at Shiroyu again, her eyes rekindling with hope: "And your appearance has broken this deadlock. You are the first pirate who dared to openly kill a Celestial Dragon and still remain unharmed. Your existence is the greatest resistance against the Celestial Dragons and an encouragement to all of us who pursue peace."
"???"
"I invited you here today for two reasons: first, to personally thank you, and second, to discuss the future of Fishman Island with you."
Queen Otohime's voice grew increasingly sincere: "Over the years, I've come to understand a lot. Unlike powerful pirates like you, Fish-Man Island doesn't have anyone as strong as you. Therefore, we hope to live under the same sky as humans and Celestial Dragons. That's why I saved a Celestial Dragon recently. Now I believe even more that people can live together peacefully!!!"
"Lord Baiyu, your strength is formidable and your will unwavering. I implore you, if you achieve great renown in the new world in the future, please convey my request to everyone!!"
Queen Otohime bowed again, her tone filled with deep expectation and pleading. There was no hint of exploitation in her eyes, only love for her compatriots and a longing to reach the ground.
Inside the main hall, all the merman nobles watched this scene in silence. King Neptune spoke slowly, his voice deep and majestic: "Mr. Shiraha, Princess Otohime's wish is also the wish of my Dragon Palace Kingdom."
Artoria stood beside Shiraha, her eyes fixed on the devout and kind Queen Otohime before her, and a touch of emotion stirred within her. She was an idealist much like herself.
Uchiha Shiraha gazed at the queen before him, who had devoted her entire life to peace, and then at the carefree people of Fishman Island outside the main hall, his Sharingan subtly swirling in his eyes.
He then spoke slowly, his voice clear and firm, echoing throughout the main hall of the Dragon Palace: "Your Highness, rest assured, I have granted your request!"
Queen Otohime was overjoyed by Uchiha Hakuba's promise. It was truly rare for such a great pirate, whom she had only just met, to agree to her request. She felt joy, gratitude, and a sense of relief, as if she had finally found a glimmer of light in the long night.
She bowed deeply again, her long golden hair cascading down, brushing against the hem of her white dress: "Baiyu-kun—thank you, thank you so much."
King Neptune leaned forward slightly, raised his hand and gently stroked the trident of Poseidon at his waist, and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Bai Yu's words are enough. Everything can change slowly."
Artoria gently raised her hand and placed it on the hilt of the holy sword at her waist. Her golden eyes gazed tenderly at Queen Otohime, her heart filled with emotion.
She had seen countless soldiers who went to the battlefield for their ideals, but she had never seen someone so gentle yet so resilient.
Queen Otohime had neither formidable strength nor ruthless methods of killing; with only a sincere heart, she paved a path of peace for her race amidst the thorns of hatred and discrimination.
This dedication and purity perfectly aligned with the principles she upheld, inspiring her sincere admiration.
"Your Highness, there's no need for such formality."
Uchiha Hakuba slightly raised his hand, his Sharingan flowing calmly in his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the Fishman Island land outside the main hall, which was shrouded in the light of the Sun Tree Eve.
Queen Otohime slowly straightened up, and a gentle yet firm smile returned to her face.
She clutched the thick petition book tightly to her chest. The cover of the book had been repeatedly rubbed until it was slightly white. Every page was densely covered with the signatures of fish-men and mermaid citizens, representing the countless compatriots' yearning for sunshine, freedom, and peace.
"Tomorrow, I will go to Merman Square again."
Princess Otohime gently stroked the autograph book, her eyes sparkling with longing.
"Over the years, I've traveled to every corner of Fish-Man Island, collecting signatures from my fellow citizens to express their wishes. Now, we only need one last batch to gather enough signatures to make the World Government take us seriously. The Celestial Dragon I rescued earlier has already promised to speak up for Fish-Man Island at the World Conference. Once we have enough signatures, we can leave this dark abyss and truly stand in the sunlight, living as equals with humans!"
As she spoke, her voice rose slightly, filled with the joy of about to realize her dream. Her aura of holiness grew stronger, as if even the flowing seawater in the main hall became warmer because of her anticipation.
As Artoria gazed at the light in her eyes, a gentle smile unconsciously crept onto her lips.
She could feel the joy of impending fulfillment in Queen Otohime's heart, just like when she herself had witnessed the kingdom moving towards stability—the most precious happiness for an idealist.
"We'll go with you."
Uchiha Shiraha spoke calmly, a barely perceptible sharpness flashing in his eyes: "With us here, the Queen can be kept safe."
Queen Otohime was taken aback at first, then quickly waved her hand, her tone gentle: "Lord Shiraha, how could we trouble you like this? Besides, we are all peace-loving, no one will—"
"It's not a problem."
Artoria stepped forward, her golden eyes firm yet gentle: "Protecting those who cherish their race is our duty. We will ensure your safety on your journey to the plaza tomorrow."
Seeing the resolute attitude of Bai Yu and his group, Queen Yi Ji felt a surge of warmth in her heart and could no longer refuse. She thanked them repeatedly, and the hope in her eyes shone even brighter.
That night, Fishman Island was immersed in the tranquil darkness of the deep sea, and the light of the Sun Tree Eve transformed into gentle nightlights, illuminating the coral houses and streets.
Unbeknownst to anyone, in the darkest corner of Fishman Street, an undercurrent of boundless hatred is surging wildly.
Hody Jones's pale face was contorted with a ferocious rage, his shark-like teeth clenched tightly, making a crunching sound.
He gripped a deep-sea sniper rifle coated with deadly poison. The rifle itself was crafted using a special technique, and the bullets were soaked in a venom capable of instantly killing fish-men. His sinister eyes were fixed on the direction of the Ryugu Kingdom, and he uttered a low, maniacal mutter: "Peace? Peaceful coexistence with humans? That foolish woman, Otohime, is a traitor to the fish-men!"
The merfolk officers behind him bowed deeply, their eyes filled with fanatical rage.
The members of the New Fishman Pirates are all thugs brainwashed by hatred. They hate humans, hate the Celestial Dragons, and hate all fishmen who advocate reconciliation with humans.
In their eyes, Queen Otohime's peace ideals were a betrayal of the fish-men's millennia of suffering, an unforgivable sin.
"Lord Hody, tomorrow that old hag Otohime will go to the Fishman Plaza to collect the last batch of autographs; that's when she's most relaxed."
A fish-man officer reported in a low voice, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "As long as we eliminate her and frame humans, no one on Fish-Man Island will advocate peace anymore. Then, we can raise our voices and lead all our brethren to take revenge on humanity!"
Hody Jones jerked his head up, a bloodthirsty grin spreading across his pale face. He gently stroked the butt of his sniper rifle, his voice icy and venomous: "Well said. Tomorrow, I will show the entire Fishman Island the consequences of betraying the Fishman race and deceiving oneself into conformity with humans. I will shoot that fool, Otohime, in front of everyone, letting her blood stain Fishman Square red, awakening those fools blinded by peace! We are mortal enemies with humans!"
Meanwhile, in another abandoned shipyard on Fishman Island, Vander Decken IX's emaciated body was curled up in a dilapidated cabin. A wrinkled hand tightly clutched a crumpled love letter, the paper covered with twisted hearts and nauseating confessions. His eyes gleamed with a morbid obsession as he stared intently in the direction of the Ryugu Kingdom, muttering to himself, "Princess Shirahoshi—my Princess Shirahoshi—tomorrow, she will appear at Fishman Plaza with Queen Otohime. This is my first chance to confess my love to her—"
Vander Decken IX is a user of the Target-Target Fruit. Anything he touches will hit its target accurately, no matter what it is thrown at.
When Queen Otohime saved the Celestial Dragons, he, as a descendant of Vander Decken, knew about the special nature of the mermaid princess Shirahoshi.
Therefore, he had long regarded the mermaid princess Shirahoshi as his own possession, and at this moment his heart was filled with obsessive possessiveness. He was just waiting for Shirahoshi to appear tomorrow so that he could accurately throw the love letter in his hand at the legendary mermaid princess.
The next morning, warm golden light poured down from the roots of the Sun Tree Eve, illuminating the entire Merman Square.
The plaza was paved with colorful corals, with a huge seashell statue standing in the center. Glowing sea flowers swayed in the wind all around. Countless fish-men and mermaids had gathered here early, holding pens for signing autographs and wearing expectant smiles, waiting for Queen Otohime's arrival.
Queen Otohime, dressed in an even more pristine white gown and clutching the petition book that was about to be completed, walked slowly into the square accompanied by King Neptune.
Behind her followed three mermaid princes, while Princess Shirahoshi, who had not appeared in public for a long time, timidly followed behind the group.
Shirahoshi has long, soft pink hair, a large figure, and an absolutely beautiful face. Her pink fishtail sways gently, like the most precious pearl in the deep sea.
She is the legendary ancient weapon, the Sea King, but she is timid and cowardly by nature. At this moment, she is hiding behind Queen Otohime, her watery eyes looking at the people in the square with curiosity and shyness, her cheeks flushed.
Uchiha Shiraha walked side by side with Artoria beside the group. Shiraha was dressed in a black robe and exuded a faint sense of oppression. Artoria, Robin, and the others guarded Shirahoshi and Queen Otohime, guarding against any potential dangers.
Queen Otohime walked to the high platform in the center of the plaza, picked up the microphone, and her gentle voice, amplified by the megaphone, resounded throughout the entire plaza: "Fellow countrymen, thank you for your continued support! Our petition is almost complete, just one last signature is needed to let the world hear the voice of Fish-Man Island! We yearn for sunlight, we yearn for freedom, we yearn for peaceful coexistence with humans—this is not a wishful thinking, it is our right!"
As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous cheers erupted in the square. Countless people raised their arms, shouting their hopes for peace, and rushed forward to sign their names in the petition book.