Scum? I think you're the real scum. To achieve your twisted goals, you wouldn't hesitate to kill your own people and yet you dare dress it all up as righteousness." Rin scoffed. Hody Jones' hypocrisy was laughable. Rin knew Hody's nature well. Born during the height of the Great Pirate Era, Hody had grown up amid chaos, witnessing humans torment and abuse the Fish-Men. His worldview had been shaped by the hatred simmering in the slums of Fishman District especially after seeing humans kill Fisher Tiger and learning of Tiger's refusal to accept human blood even to save his life. Hody saw that as betrayal and weakness, fueling his fanatical racism.
Though once a promising soldier of Ryugu Palace, Hody pursued strength solely to become the hand of vengeance he believed Fish-Man Island needed. He trained under the Dragon Palace Kingdom, all the while hiding his deep hatred. When Princess Otohime was shot by a human pirate hired by Hody himself he ignored Gyojin Gibel's plea for restraint and told the people that it was the humans who had killed their beloved queen. This incited hatred and turned many Fish-Men and mermaids away from Otohime's peaceful dream.
Chopper had once described Hody as a man born and raised in hatred a monster created not by humans, but by a culture of fear and resentment. Rin also knew the hidden truth: that it was Hody who stole the banned Energy Steroids from the Tamatebako at Ryugu Palace, and that it was he who had gunned down the real killer of Otohime in Gyoncorde Plaza to eliminate witnesses blaming it all on the human pirate who was merely a pawn.
After Arlong's defeat at the hands of the Straw Hats, Hody claimed to carry on Arlong's "will," though he perverted it into something far worse. Arlong had at least loved his fellow Fish-Men Hody would gladly sacrifice his own comrades if it suited his goals. He murdered Fish-Men who showed kindness to humans, even if they were only donating blood. He once used his own men as shields and saw betrayal in those like Hatchan, who befriended humans. After planning to overthrow the Neptune royal family, Hody intended to present Otohime's World Noble invitation at the Reverie only to massacre every human king in attendance in a bloody act of revenge.
In his first public act of terror, he and his lieutenants wiped out the entire pirate crew of "Crab-Hand" Gyro. This vicious, ruthless mindset was precisely why Rin held such disdain for Hody.
"Still, I won," Hody said, coughing violently. "At least… I got close to finishing the job he gave me." His hands trembled as the life drained from him. Hody knew he wouldn't walk out of here alive but if he could drag a few more down with him, especially Otohime, he would die satisfied.
"Give me the bomb controller, and I'll heal your body. Restore it completely. What do you say?" Rin attempted to reason with him. If he could get the remote out of Hody's grip, controlling the situation would be much easier.
"Heal me? Cough, don't mock me. I'm beyond saving. And even if you did… would I not be dead anyway? If I must die… then others will die with me!" Hody Jones spat blood again this time, his voice faded, and his pupils dimmed. The sheer blood loss had finally taken its toll. His hand loosened and the detonator dropped.
"Damn it!" Rin's eyes widened. He immediately focused and sent a mental command to his shadow clone. As soon as the signal reached it, the shadow double leapt across the stage and tackled Princess Otohime to the ground.
BOOM!
The stage exploded in a massive blast. Shards of wood and debris flew everywhere. Mermaids and Fish-Men near the platform were sent flying some injured, others killed on the spot.
"What happened?!" shouted a panicked citizen on the south side of Coral Hill. The people had gathered expecting peace and were now met with bloodshed.
"What's going on?!" Casa had also spotted the explosion. The smoke and flame rising from the main stage could only mean something had gone wrong on Rin's end.
But the true horror unfolded on the west side of the square, where Artoria stood beside Princess Shirahoshi.
"Mother!" Shirahoshi shrieked, eyes wide with shock. She had just seen her mother smiling and speaking moments ago only to watch her engulfed in the explosion.
"Wh-what is this…" Artoria whispered, frozen as she stared at the crumbled remains of the podium. Only a scorched crater and scattered wreckage were left.
"Queen Mother! My Queen Mother!!" Shirahoshi's cries tore through the square. Her tears burst forth uncontrollably, and she screamed in anguish.
"Princess Shirahoshi, I " Artoria turned, trying to comfort her, but no words came. Nothing could console someone who had just witnessed their mother's death.
Panic erupted across the square. The merfolk had come to show support to sign for peace. None expected to be caught in such carnage. Cries rang out as civilians fled in all directions, terrified for their lives.
"Why… why… my mother!" Shirahoshi's cries echoed. Her sobbing grew louder, shaking with each word.
"Damn it…" Rin clenched his fists. He had heard Shirahoshi's cries from afar and now he was furious. Why was she here? She was never supposed to witness this.
"Princess Shirahoshi, don't cry." Artoria placed a hand on her shoulder, still confused about the depth of what had just happened.
"Artoria! Get Princess Shirahoshi back to Ryugu Palace—now!" Rin's sudden appearance startled her. He rushed forward the moment he realized Shirahoshi was at the scene.
"What's going on?!" Artoria asked, alarmed. Why this sudden urgency?
"Just do it!" Rin barked, panic and fury flashing in his eyes. Artoria had never seen him this shaken.
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