CHAPTER 85

"All in all, it's not up to me, a mere Marine Colonel, to decide," Carl waved his hand dismissively.

"If you insist, take it up with the higher-ups."

King Neptune let out a subtle sigh of relief—at least Carl hadn't outright refused.

"Colonel Carl! Colonel Carl!"

An urgent voice rang out from outside Ryugu Palace.

Carl frowned slightly and disappeared from his spot, reappearing instantly at the entrance of the palace.

A Marine, gasping for breath, ran up. "Hah—finally found you!"

"What's the hurry?" Carl raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, right!" The soldier quickly gathered himself. "Come quickly! Over in the square, Major Bright and the others are locked in battle with two Fish-Men!"

He was referring to Gyoncorde Plaza—the very place where Queen Otohime once passionately advocated for human-Fish-Man coexistence before her tragic assassination.

Carl's expression remained calm, but his Observation Haki flared outward like an invisible wave, scanning the area.

"…I see. You've done your job, now go rest."

With that, his figure flickered and vanished toward the plaza.

Gyoncorde Plaza

A group of Marines was engaged in battle against two powerful Fish-Men.

One of them, covered in black-and-white stripes, was a zebra shark Fish-Man.

The other, with yellow skin, was a wobbegong Fish-Man wielding twin long swords.

Despite being outnumbered, the two Fish-Men held their own against the Marines, their physical prowess allowing them to fight on equal footing.

On the ground nearby, Coffey lay motionless, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, while Emily knelt beside him, using her Healing Fruit abilities.

Suddenly, a figure materialized beside them.

"Beaten already?" Carl asked nonchalantly, cigar clamped between his teeth.

Coffey stiffened before his face flushed red with frustration.

"No! It was that damn zebra shark bastard—he ambushed me!"

The zebra shark Fish-Man had used his natural camouflage abilities, blending into the surroundings before launching a sneak attack. The unexpected strike had left Coffey gravely wounded.

If not for Emily's Healing Fruit, he wouldn't even be conscious right now.

Carl exhaled a puff of smoke. "Alright, then we'll ramp up your training when we get back. No complaints."

A Marine at Coffey's level was talented, but still far from strong enough to compete with the New Fish-Man Pirates. Even with the superhuman physiques found in the world of pirates, overtraining could cause harm.

But with Emily's Healing Fruit, those limits could be pushed further.

Coffey clenched his fists and nodded fiercely. "Yes, sir! I won't disappoint you!"

Carl turned his attention back to the battlefield, casually scratching his head. "So… these guys belong to that pirate crew, huh?"

He recalled Hody Jones' New Fish-Man Pirates, a radical group filled with hatred for humans.

"Doesn't matter," Carl muttered. "Let's just wrap this up."

With blinding speed, he reappeared beside the two Fish-Men—before either of them could react, Carl casually tapped their shoulders.

"Who?!" "What?!"

Both Fish-Men spun around in shock.

Between them stood a Marine in a Justice cloak, three swords hanging at his waist.

"How the hell did you get here?!"

The wobbegong Fish-Man, Leopard Zang, roared and swung his blade at Carl's head.

Clang!

A single finger blocked the strike.

No matter how much force Leopard Zang exerted, his blade refused to budge.

"Impossible…" The Fish-Man's eyes widened in disbelief. "My sword can slice through boulders—"

Carl hadn't even activated Armament Haki. His Tough Body, forged through rigorous training and a monstrous natural physique, was enough to make the attack utterly meaningless.

To put it in perspective—Carl could've stood still and let Leopard Zang keep swinging, and the damage numbers would still be "0" every time.

"Pathetic human!"

Beside him, Jie O, the zebra shark Fish-Man, bellowed and threw a devastating punch at Carl's ribs.

Carl sighed. He was getting bored.

Bang! Bang!

Two brutal impacts rang out.

The next second—

Boom! Boom!

The two Fish-Men were blasted backward like cannonballs, crashing into a rocky formation in the plaza.

A thick cloud of dust erupted.

Silence fell over the watching crowd of merfolk and Fish-Men.

"…What just happened?"

"That Marine… what kind of monster is he?"

Carl clapped his hands lazily.

"Alright," he said, glancing at Bright and the other Marines. "Head back to the palace and tell King Neptune to meet me at Fish-Man Street."

"Oh, and bring Princess Shirahoshi along too."

"Yes, sir!" Bright saluted sharply.

Carl turned and started walking away.

His Observation Haki had already picked up on a powerful presence near Fish-Man Street—the likely leader of the New Fish-Man Pirates.

On his way, he casually stopped at a food stall.

The vendor, a pink octopus Fish-Man, eyed Carl with unease as he prepared a serving of takoyaki.

Carl took his food and walked off without a word.

Behind him, the vendor—Hatchan, former member of Arlong's crew—exhaled in relief.

"…No wonder Rayleigh's benefactor said that guy's a monster… He's terrifying."

Fish-Man Street

If Fish-Man Island was a dazzling, dreamlike paradise, then Fish-Man Street was the complete opposite—a slum where criminals and outlaws gathered.

Here, Hody Jones and the New Fish-Man Pirates made their base.

At this point, they had yet to relocate to Noah, the legendary ark.

Inside a dark room, Hody Jones reclined in a chair, contemplating his next move.

Should he attack Neptune after dealing with the Marines?

Or perhaps manipulate public opinion, gaining control over Fish-Man Island through fear and power?

"Boss!"

A subordinate rushed into the room.

"What is it?" Hody asked, frowning.

"A Marine has entered Fish-Man Street… and he's coming straight for us!"

For a moment, Hody was silent. Then he sneered.

"A Marine?" His sharp teeth glinted. "Does he think Fish-Man Street is a tourist attraction?"

Hody stood up. "I wasn't planning on acting just yet… but since he came to me first—"

"No need."

A calm, dull voice cut through the room.

"I'm already here."

Hody spun around sharply.

A Marine in a Justice cloak sat comfortably in his reclining chair—Carl.

Casually, Carl pulled out a cigar, lighting it like he was relaxing at home.

"…You bastard…!" Hody growled, eyes wide with shock. "When the hell did you get in here?!"

Carl exhaled a ring of smoke.

"I don't care about your name," he said lazily.

"Now then… tell me where you're keeping the Energy Steroid (E.S.) pills."

Hody's pupils shrunk in shock.

"How do you know about that?!"

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