Chapter 73: Future Territory.

Fish-men could move freely underwater. Hody Jones thrived in the ocean depths, while Vane, despite his strength, was still a Devil Fruit user. He was only able to survive thanks to a protective water coating. If that coating were torn, exposing him to the sea directly, he'd be rendered helpless.

This was the sea—Hody Jones's domain. Confident and furious, he had followed Vane after spotting him leaving Fish-Man Island.

He didn't just want to kill Vane—he wanted to break him. Make him suffer. Or better yet, force him to kneel and acknowledge Hody's superiority.

"You go first. I'm worried I might kill you too quickly," Vane said with a smirk.

That grin only enraged Hody further.

"Don't underestimate the noble fish-men clan!"

Hody took a sprinter's stance. His right foot slid back, his body leaning forward. Then he launched forward with incredible speed, the water around him trembling from the pressure of his movement. In the sea, fish-men gained power—on land, it was a different story.

But here, Hody was in his element. Swift, deadly, confident.

"Die!" he roared.

A violent surge of bubbles trailed behind him as he charged. His harpoon thrust forward with terrifying force.

But Vane's expression didn't change. Hody, even at his best, was just a stronger-than-average fish-man—without enhancements, he wasn't worth much concern.

There were no real masters on Fish-Man Island anymore, aside from maybe Jinbe.

Still, Vane didn't dare use the Gura Gura no Mi here. Causing a seaquake would be disastrous, especially with Fish-Man Island so close by.

As the harpoon neared him, Vane calmly raised his left hand, palm out.

A barrier of ice formed instantly, halting Hody's red harpoon in its tracks.

"What?!" Hody's eyes widened.

Only now did he realize Vane had used a full-body water coating, which allowed him to retain his powers even underwater.

Before Hody could react, Vane's right leg swung forward with brutal precision. Despite the surrounding water, the force behind the kick was overwhelming. The stillness of the current made resistance minimal.

Bang!

Vane's foot connected with the side of Hody's head, bending his neck with a sickening snap. The impact sent Hody's body flying, hurtling into deeper waters like a ragdoll.

Vane didn't hesitate—he launched after him, diving into the darker abyss.

Here, sunlight couldn't reach. Even Sunlight Tree Eve, the tree of light, couldn't illuminate this depth yet.

In the shadows, massive eyes blinked open.

Sea Kings.

Vane could feel their presence—monsters hundreds of meters long. Some were said to reach five thousand meters in size, capable of sinking islands. And only one person in the world could control them: Poseidon.

Princess Shirahoshi.

But her power remained a closely guarded secret. Until she matured, no one could know. Certainly not someone like Hody.

The Sea Kings didn't move. They merely watched.

And Vane stared right back.

He knew better than to show fear. The Sea Kings had no supernatural abilities besides raw strength. Only a few showed intelligence. But fear would embolden them.

Suddenly, a shout echoed from behind.

"Die!"

A blur of motion rushed from the shadows. Hody was charging again.

Vane twisted mid-drift, coiling his arm back, and slammed an uppercut straight into Hody's gut. The blow bent Hody's body in half, a burst of water exploding outward as if struck by a cannon.

"You really shouldn't yell before a sneak attack," Vane said dryly.

Hody choked, blood spilling from his mouth and dissolving into the sea.

Before he could recover, Vane struck again. Another punch—this one straight to the chest. Hody was sent crashing deeper into the abyss, disoriented and stunned.

But he didn't rise immediately.

In the darkness, his face twisted with fury. From his pocket, he withdrew a vial of crimson pills and downed them all without hesitation.

His body began to swell.

Muscles expanded grotesquely. Veins bulged. His skin turned pale white, shedding its previous tone. His hat and harpoon were lost in the transformation.

"This is power… this is invincible power!" Hody cackled, eyes glowing with madness.

"I am Hody Jones! I am the future Pirate King!"

He launched forward again, this time moving like a torpedo. The forbidden drugs of Ryugu Palace had taken effect, multiplying his strength. But at what cost?

Short-term power. Long-term ruin.

"You can't defeat me!" Hody shouted, confidence surging.

"Human pirate! Surrender now or die!"

He danced around Vane, moving in erratic, broken lines.

When Vane didn't answer, Hody exploded again.

"Fine! If you won't answer, then die!"

Fish-Man Karate: Umi Taiko!

Hody punched the ocean itself, compressing water into a high-pressure shockwave. The strength-enhancing drug gave him boundless confidence. He believed even Jinbe would fall before him now.

But Vane was faster.

With his Observation Haki, he sensed the attack the moment it was released. He vanished just as the shockwave passed, water trembling from the force.

"What…?" Hody muttered.

The only trace left was a ripple of water.

"I'm here," said Vane calmly.

Hody looked up—Vane was floating directly above him.

Before Hody could react, Vane's fist crashed down into his skull.

BOOM!

Water exploded outward. Hody smashed into the seabed, creating a massive crater in the mud and rock. A cloud of sediment billowed up, obscuring the battlefield.

Vane followed, pressing his palm—now crackling with the power of the Gura Gura no Mi—into Hody's chest.

"You're weak," Vane muttered. "Like an insect."

"You thought you could rule Fish-Man Island? That just proves how weak this place has become."

"I really wish you hadn't come looking for me, Hody Jones."

The seabed trembled again. More silt surged upward, clouding the water in a murky fog.

---

Half an hour later, Vane returned to Fish-Man Island.

Dragging Hody Jones behind him, bound by a sea vine, he dropped the broken warlord before the royal guard.

The once-proud fish-man was visibly aged, his body hunched and his hair graying. The overdose of forbidden drugs had accelerated his decay. His life force had been burned like oil in a fire.

Why didn't Vane kill him?

Because turning Hody over to King Neptune would be far more valuable.

After all, Hody had stolen the Ryugu Palace's banned drugs—and more damning—he was the one who assassinated Queen Otohime.

That alone sealed his fate.

Vane didn't act out of justice. But removing Hody restored stability to Fish-Man Island. And that suited Vane's long-term plans perfectly.

One day, this island would become his territory.

For now, this was just part of the setup.

---

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