Anniversary of Revenge

Fish-Man Island looks upward as strange figures streak through the water above. Voices from the island call the palace again and again: "Calling the royal palace, calling the royal palace!" and "Please respond...!" A child asks, "Mama, what's that?" as people stare skyward. Luffy, riding on Megalo with Shirahoshi hidden inside, shades his eyes and looks toward the same distant shapes. He says, "Something's flying up there... Can't see what it is, though. It's too far..." The page builds alarm before anyone understands the attack: the island can see movement in the sky-water, the royal palace cannot be reached, and Luffy's escape route is crossing the same unstable moment.

The border guard tries to contact the palace: "Calling the royal palace! This is the border guard!!" but receives no answer. The guards realize something is wrong: "This is strange... Why can't we seem to make contact...?" and ask, "Is the Den-Den Mushi ill...?" A report comes in that "A number of dangerous individuals from the Fishman District... have just been seen entering Fishman Island...!!" and they were not behaving like tourists: "They did not appear to be going on a mere shopping trip." The guard commander orders, "Now listen up, men. This day will go down in history..." The warning gives the chapter its political weight: Fish-Man Island is not facing random disturbance, but a planned incursion from the district tied to Hody Jones.

Hody Jones rides into the island with the New Fish-Man Pirates and speaks like a revolutionary conqueror. "As the day Fishman Island was unified under one vision!!!" he declares. He says, "This world is not right until all fishmen, merfolk included, are able to see things eye-to-eye...!!" but his vision is domination over humans: "Humans are an inferior species who cannot even breathe underwater. They should submit to our authority!!!" On the side, another voice says, "Time and again, history has taken the wrong path... But now, we're going to set things straight!!!" Vander Decken IX treats the invasion as part of his romance, laughing, "Bahohohu!! Today will be the anniversary of our engagement, Shirahoshi...!! No need to rush into things; the wedding can wait until... tomorrow!!!" The movement is both a coup and Decken's personal obsession.

The New Fish-Man Pirates divide their targets. One officer says that Jimbei's faction, "that irritating offshoot from the Sun Pirates that always stood in our way," is already out of the picture, then names the remaining obstacles: "Neptune. Fukaboshi. Ryuuboshi. Manboshi." The plan is to remove the king and the three princes because "If we can just take those four out, the rest of the Neptune Army is nothing to worry about!!" Hody orders, "Let's get this started... You all have your assigned locations, so go and conquer them!!!" The officers answer in their own styles: one cackles, "Kya!! Let's tear the flesh from their bones!! Kyackya!!" and Hyouzou says, "You show me what to slice, and I'll slice it... simple as that... *hic*." Hody announces the goal to the cheering army: "Today marks the end of the Ryuuguu Kingdom!! We will be the new rulers of the ocean depths!!!"

At a fish bus stop bound for "The Ocean Forest," a guard tries to report that someone "got away," while Robin moves calmly through the island toward her own objective. She says, "Just as I thought, this is valuable information. There is a poneglyph in this area..." and concludes, "This country holds an important key... to the secrets of the Blank Century..." While the island panics over the invasion and the palace, Robin is following a separate historical trail. Her quiet investigation places the Ocean Forest at the center of both Shirahoshi's personal wish and the larger mystery of the world.

Inside Ryugu Palace, Zoro reacts to the captured soldiers' accusations with irritation. He says, "Oh, don't you go acting like I sliced 'em all up because I wanted to!" and snaps, "Whaddaya expect me to do when a bunch of pirates come charging in with swords at the ready?! Serve 'em tea?!" A soldier insists, "But it is true! You battled with vicious joy! Any fool could see, you are a born killer!" Nami tries to impose calm: "Y - yes, tea would be a good start... Then you could talk things over calmly..." but Zoro rejects the idea: "As though that would've worked with these guys!!!" Since all the enemies are down, they have no way of knowing the attackers' objective. Neptune, still bound, cries, "Forget all that!!! Release my bonds!! Return my Shirahoshi to me, you fiends!!" The palace's fear turns back to Luffy when someone says, "Look, why would we kidnap the mermaid princess?! Straw Hat Luffy is the culprit!!!"

Brook and Nami try to reason through Shirahoshi's disappearance. Brook says, "Certainly, it is true that Luffy-san and the shark came out of that room... But I saw no sign of anyone resembling a mermaid princess!" Another voice says, "Nevertheless, she would never leave the palace of her own accord!!" and someone points out, "And besides, Shirahoshi is as large as I. She could hardly leave without anyone noticing!!!" The guards panic at the idea that the princess is huge, while a soldier suggests the absurd possibility that Luffy stuffed her inside Megalo's mouth. Nami pushes back: "Even if somebody were crazy enough to think up such an idea, they would never carry it out!! The very concept is absurd!!" Then the entrance opens: "Ryugu Palace entrance: all gates open." Neptune becomes desperate and threatens, "No!! There is no other explanation!! If Shirahoshi does not return unharmed... I will never bring you your ship or your crewmates!!!"

In the depths northeast of Fish-Man Island, the Ocean Forest spreads beneath whales and sunken ships. Franky explains, "This is what you'd call a 'graveyard of ships'. Sunken ships are brought here by the flow of the currents." He adds, "Ironic, isn't it? That this, of all places, would be blessed with the light of the sun tree Eve, and filled with beautiful coral... Even the fish and whales gather around it..." Tom's younger brother, Den, listens nearby. Franky says, "It certainly is hard to believe we're at the bottom of the ocean. Of course, Fishman Island is the same way... As for me, I'm living in these parts so I can research this mysterious ocean forest that has grown upon the ocean depths." Franky praises the Thousand Sunny: "I'm impressed you managed to obtain wood from the treasure tree Adam. And it is a wonderful vessel worthy of that legendary wood." He says the ship uses the same material Tom used for the Pirate King's ship and that "the design is my life's finest work!!" Den answers, "Hahah!! I'd be glad to coat this ship for you. I'll handle it with a 'don'!"

Den introduces himself as a shipwright and ocean researcher: "The name's Den!" He is identified as "Shipwright and Ocean Researcher Den (Tom's younger brother) (Wolffish Merman)." Franky jokes that Den does not look like a merman, and Den replies, "Right, Den-san. Still, you really don't look much like him, huh...? I mean, you're a merman... and not even a puffer fish..." Den explains that this is a human way of thinking. Many surface species resemble their parents, but fishmen and merfolk carry a long memory of their genes. If an octopus mermaid gives birth to a shark merman, it means somewhere far back in the family tree there was a shark merman ancestor. On Fish-Man Island, "it's practically impossible to predict what a child will look like just from looking at their parents," so people are classified by appearance. The explanation broadens the arc's biology and culture rather than advancing the fight.

Franky confirms he knows why Den recognizes him: "I've heard all about you and Iceburg-kun from those letters, you know." Den says, "Oh, right... Old lady Kokoro was sending you letters..." and adds that he knows all about the incident. Den smiles that his brother lived with a "don" until the end and is happy Tom had such a wonderful apprentice, Franky, who came all the way here to tell him what happened. Franky, embarrassed, says, "You're making me blush!" He then asks about the person nearby: "...Hey, by the way, I've been wondering for a while now... Who's that guy sitting over there?" Den answers, "Oh... That's the boss, Jinbei." When Franky asks, "Boss?" Den explains that Jinbe is apparently waiting for someone and cannot enter the island because he is a fugitive.

The chapter cuts back to the palace routes opening: "Entryway to the palace..." "The connecting way..." "The main gate..." and "The palace gates..." Decken and Hody's forces have reached the palace, and the human projectiles have done their work. A guard cries, "You fiends...!! How did you make it all the way in here?!" and then recognizes the leader: "And that man is...!! Hordy Jones, from the Fishman District!!! What business do you have coming back here?!!" Neptune's soldiers identify him with horror: "Hordy...? That man is... He was once... a skilled warrior in our very own Neptune Army..." Vander Decken is also recognized: "That face...!!! Why, you are the deplorable Vander Decken!!! Finally you show yourself!!" but no one understands why he is working with Hody. The palace's supposedly sealed defenses have failed because the invaders used the very openings Zoro forced the palace to prepare.

Hody Jones and Vander Decken step into the palace entrance like conquerors. Decken laughs, "Well, whaddya know!!! We came in here all ready to start a battle... but it looks like someone beat us to it! Neptune and his troops are all tied up!!" Hody says, "I'm quite amazed... whoever is responsible for this, they left us quite a present...!!!" while someone wonders, "Could it be a trap?! This is far too good to be true." Zoro, standing among the hostages and the opened gates, cuts through the confusion: "I see now... You must be in cahoots with these scoundrels!! It was you who granted them passage into the palace!!" Brook protests, "Look, we wouldn't even be here in the first place if you hadn't invited us!! Now who the heck are those crazy powerful-looking guys?!" The palace guards beg, "Please!! You must at least return us our weapons!!" and point out that "The guests just keep coming, don't they...? This is one lively palace, all right...!!"

Neptune immediately accuses Vander Decken: "Vander Decken!! Now that you have shown your face here, there can be no further doubt!!! You are the culprit!! Return my daughter at once!!!" Decken rejects the accusation: "Bahohohoh! I ain't even married the girl yet! Don't you think you're getting a little ahead of yourself, Pops?!! I am not your 'Pops'!!!" Neptune demands, "What have you done with Shirahoshi?! You had better not have harmed a hair on her head!!!" Decken fires back, "What's this guy blabbering about...? You tryin' to tell me Shirahoshi's already gone off somewhere...? My beloved Shirahoshi... disappeared?!" Hody interrupts: "Do not play the fool, Decken!!! What other explanation is there for her sudden disappearance?!!" but Zoro observes a practical detail: "At the very least, that means she was still here when you launched the attack!!" Hody tells Decken to calm down, explaining that the humans he sent toward the princess have indeed arrived inside the palace, and Zoro concludes, "Besides which, regardless of the truth of these men's words... you have an infallible means of finding the princess' whereabouts, do you not?!!"

Vander Decken accepts the logic and turns his power toward Shirahoshi again. He calls Hody "a sharp one" and shouts, "Fly, coral!! Fly to my beloved Shirahoshi!!" Instead of heading back to Shell Tower, the coral veers away, and Decken notices, "It's not heading for the Shell Tower...!!" Luffy, Shirahoshi, and Megalo are shown on their escape route as the coral tracks the princess's current location. Decken leaps onto the flying coral, cheering, "Kuah! We've been joined by the bonds of love for ten years now! Nothing short of death could hope to keep us apart!!" Shirahoshi reacts in fear while Luffy grins, unaware that the stalker has effectively found them. Decken's final threat closes the story page: "Bahoho hoh... I'll never surrender you to another man!!! I'd sooner see you die a bloody death!!! Shirahoshi!!!!"

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