The turtle prime minister grew more and more excited as he spoke, his face flushing red with emotion.
"If you hadn't arrived in time, we wouldn't have known what to do..."
"Damn Roger's pirate crew! Those evil bastards even threatened us with force!"
He waved his turtle-like hands angrily.
"But Fish-Man Island is a Member Nation of the World Government! We have always been loyal to the government and the Marines—how could we possibly bow to their threats... It's just that our strength was too lacking, so in the end, we had no choice but to put on an act."
"Your arrival is truly a blessing for us!"
Listening to the turtle prime minister's shameless twisting of the facts, Neptune and the other ministers of Ryugu Palace couldn't help but avert their gazes, the corners of their mouths twitching slightly.
"So that's the truth... It seems I misunderstood all of you."
Daren watched the turtle prime minister's performance with great interest, smiling as he casually blew out a smoke ring.
He had to admit, this guy was quite the talent.
"You can't really be blamed. After all, you were just fulfilling your duties, taking your responsibilities seriously... We can all understand that. After all, who in this vast sea doesn't know that you, Vice Admiral Daren, the 'King of the North Blue,' are the Marine most devoted to justice and the sworn enemy of evil?"
Noticing that Daren's tone had softened a bit, the turtle prime minister twirled his moustache, bent deeply at the waist, and smiled even more broadly.
He was terrified that this fearsome Marine might cling to the matter of "harboring Roger's pirate crew" and refuse to let it go... A situation like that could spiral out of control fast. Once it escalated to a political level, the consequences would be catastrophic.
After all, humans and the World Government had never truly trusted the Fish-Man race. Their relationship was already as tense as water and fire. If Daren insisted on pursuing this "crime," Fish-Man Island would be finished.
Hearing the turtle prime minister's flattering words—so earnest it almost sounded like he was stating facts—Daren nearly believed it himself, if not for his own clear self-awareness.
"Sounds like you know me pretty well," he said with a half-smile.
The turtle prime minister exclaimed excitedly,
"Of course! Everyone across the seas says His Majesty, the King of Ryugu Palace, is the 'knight' who protects Fish-Man Island, but among the five million residents of Fish-Man Island, who doesn't know that the Marines are our true shield?"
Neptune: ...
The turtle prime minister pretended not to notice Neptune's face growing darker and continued with a bright smile,
"Vice Admiral Daren, you, the greatest friend of the Fish-Man race, are the true hero!"
"This time, you saved Fish-Man Island from the evil and cruel Roger Pirates. We truly don't know how to thank you enough... Ryugu Palace has prepared a small gift for you. Please don't find it too meager."
With that, he clapped his hands.
Soon after, a squad of Ryugu Palace soldiers stumbled in, panting heavily as they carried large chests into the hall. With heavy thuds, they set them down on the floor, and brilliant piles of gold and silver treasures spilled out, clattering across the ground.
The dazzling light from the treasure instantly overwhelmed the glow of the night pearls illuminating the banquet hall, creating a scene of breathtaking splendor.
Seeing the mountains of treasure, many ministers and guards stared wide-eyed, utterly speechless.
This turtle really knows how to handle things...
Daren smiled in satisfaction.
With his current status and influence, a mere treasure trove worth a few billion Belly was hardly enough to move him.
But the money wasn't the point.
What mattered was Ryugu Palace's attitude.
And he liked this kind of attitude very much.
Very sensible. Very tactful.
"Vice Admiral Daren, if you need anything else, please feel free to let us know."
The turtle prime minister smiled as he spoke, frantically signaling to Neptune.
Neptune quickly caught on and laughed dryly, "That's right, Vice Admiral Daren."
"Although Fish-Man Island isn't as wealthy as many other nations, we still have some interesting treasures. The gates of Ryugu Palace's vault are always open for you."
Daren smiled and waved his hand.
"I appreciate the thought... Since Fish-Man Island abides by the law and stands opposed to evil pirates, naturally, I won't make things difficult for you."
"Peace between the Fish-Man tribe and humans hasn't come easily. As a Marine, it's my duty to contribute my humble efforts to maintaining that peace."
"As long as Fish-Man Island doesn't collude with pirates, I'll have no trouble explaining things to my superiors. Otherwise, things could get... complicated. After all, I'm not a violent man, you understand?"
As he finished, the Vice Admiral let out a long, helpless sigh, putting on the appearance of someone reluctantly burdened by duty.
Neptune: ...
The ministers: ...
The turtle prime minister's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
He thought he was already shameless enough, but he hadn't expected that someone in the Marines could be even worse. He couldn't help but feel a deep sense of admiration.
"Of course, of course, we understand. It's hard for everyone. We completely understand."
The turtle prime minister nodded with a smile, then turned his head and barked commands arrogantly at the soldiers.
"What are you standing around for?"
"Hurry up and pack the gifts properly! Contact the merchant convoy... Hmm, Vice Admiral Daren didn't bring a warship this time, so just send everything straight to Marineford—no, send it to the North Blue!"
After issuing his stern orders, the turtle prime minister once again turned back to Daren, bowing deeply with a sycophantic smile.
"I've made the arrangements. Please don't refuse, Vice Admiral Daren. It's just a small token of our gratitude from the people of Fish-Man Island."
As he spoke, he waved again, urging the soldiers to move quickly with the treasure.
...This guy really knows how to handle things...
Daren muttered inwardly but didn't refuse.
He was already used to this sort of thing back in the North Blue... If he didn't accept the "gifts," Neptune probably wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully ever again.
Seeing Daren's lack of objection, all the ministers of Ryugu Palace finally let out a collective sigh of relief.
They weren't afraid of giving money; they were afraid Daren wouldn't accept it.
Even if he only accepted a token amount, it would mean the matter had been glossed over.
Such was the reality of power.
"Ahem... Vice Admiral Daren, since this was all a misunderstanding, why don't you put that sword away?"
Neptune swam over, swinging his huge tail, cautiously testing the waters.
As he spoke, he discreetly glanced toward the entrance of Fish-Man Island.
In front of the shattered gate, on the ruined ground... the towering black Cursed Sword was still deeply embedded, stretching straight up into the clouds with no end in sight.
Even from afar, it radiated an overwhelming, chilling killing intent, like a massive iron wall formed from dried blood, sending shivers through everyone who saw it.
"Ah, right, look at me, I completely forgot. My apologies."
Daren patted his forehead with a deliberately exaggerated look of surprise.
Everyone: ...