Under Jinbe's guidance, Kraken finally regained his freedom. After receiving Leno's approval, it quickly fled without a trace.
As soon as Leno and the others entered Fish-Man Island, they were stunned by the scene before them.
Rows upon rows of Neptune Army soldiers stood in perfect formation, their blazing gazes fixed on the group aboard the ship, faces filled with reverence.
At the center was a massive royal carriage marked with the words "Dragon Palace." Several figures atop it were just as excited, their eyes brimming with anticipation.
The instant they spotted Leno, their eyes lit up, and they immediately used the bubbles at their waists to float down.
"Lord Leno, welcome to Fish-Man Island! We've been looking forward to this for a long time~"
Seeing the tall merman before him, wearing a crown and sporting orange-red whiskers and hair, Leno's gaze wavered for a moment.
Then it clicked—this was King Neptune. He was even more imposing in person than Leno had imagined.
The figures behind him were probably the three princes.
"King Neptune, you're too kind. Sorry for the trouble we're causing on this visit~"
"Not at all, not at all! Please, do come in, Lord Leno. I've already had a banquet prepared to welcome you!"
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Leno and the others were directly invited to the uppermost level of Ryugu Palace.
The hospitality was so enthusiastic that even the thick-skinned Leno felt a bit overwhelmed.
Along the way, Yamato and the others were completely captivated by the scenery of Fish-Man Island and nearly couldn't resist breaking off to explore on their own.
Thankfully, they still considered the king's dignity and forcibly suppressed the urge, not scattering on the spot.
Still, their curiosity was hard to contain, and one by one they leaned over the railings, looking around.
Below, countless coral-reef buildings of every color stood densely packed, while all kinds of fish-shaped vehicles darted back and forth, dazzling the eyes.
Schools of fish-men swam joyfully through the waterways, their graceful forms drawing admiration.
"So those are the legendary mermaid beauties~"
"They're so pretty!"
"Huh? That waterway running across everything… doesn't it feel kind of familiar?"
"You mean the Cloud Road on Skypiea?"
"..."
Everything here felt novel, and the group couldn't help but chatter excitedly.
They had long yearned for this famous "undersea paradise," and today they finally got to experience it!
Soon, after passing through the bubbles at the top level, a vast and majestic complex of buildings appeared before them.
Bright sunlight shone everywhere, and wherever the eye fell were splendid palaces constructed from shells, coral, and the like.
Looking out, the entire Ryugu Palace spread before them like a dream, glittering brilliantly.
The only inconvenience was that this level was completely filled with seawater, forcing humans to remain inside bubbles.
They didn't have to wait long before the flounder transport carried them into the banquet hall.
Inside the pitch-black hall, beams of spotlight suddenly lit up one after another, all converging on Leno's group.
Only then did they realize that beneath this enormous hall stood ranks upon ranks of King Army soldiers.
Countless gazes of reverence and gratitude gathered together, and unified shouts rang out, stirring the heart.
"The hero has arrived!"
"Welcome, hero of Fish-Man Island!"
"Hero! Hero! Hero! …"
Faced with such a grand welcome, Leno couldn't help but smile wryly.
He really hadn't expected his reputation to be this prominent on Fish-Man Island.
Who knew how Fisher Tiger had introduced him back then—judging by this, it almost felt like they were treating him as an object of faith.
Chopper and Uta stared at Leno with admiration as well. He practically looked like he was glowing~
Who would've thought that, besides Skypiea, there was another country deep beneath the sea that held Leno in such high esteem?
Even Robin and Nami gazed at Leno with shining eyes, a feeling called pride quietly swelling in their hearts.
This was their man—wherever he went, he shone brilliantly!
As wave after wave of cheers rolled through the hall, colorful lights began to flash, and lively music followed.
Graceful mermaids wove through the crowd, and all kinds of delicacies and drinks were presented one after another.
With the beautiful melody, the banquet atmosphere soared instantly.
Just then, the voice of ceremony rang out.
"Next, let us invite His Majesty the King to lead everyone in a toast!"
At the head seat, Neptune lifted his wine jug and gestured slightly downward, gratitude evident in his voice.
"Before we raise our glasses, I feel it's absolutely necessary to say a few words of thanks!"
After a brief pause, Neptune's gaze turned toward Leno.
At the same time, the three princes, the ministers, and countless soldiers all looked in Leno's direction!
This was the hero who, together with Fisher Tiger, had saved their Fish-Man Island brethren!
"The great benefactor who rescued their suffering people from Mary Geoise and the Celestial Dragons!"
"Lord Leno, thank you—"
"Let the banquet begin!!!"
A loud, crisp voice cut Neptune off. Yamato, holding a wine cup, was beaming with excitement as she drank heartily.
"Cheers!!!"
Driven by Yamato, the banquet atmosphere erupted once more.
The clinking of glasses, laughter, and lively chatter rose and fell, filling the hall with joy and celebration.
Yet Neptune, seated at the head, seemed enveloped in a low-pressure aura, standing in stark contrast to the festive mood.
He lowered his head, muttering softly in a gloomy tone.
"Anyway… anyway, what I say doesn't matter…"
Noticing the situation, Leno planned to exchange a few polite words with him. After all, he was the king, and he had gone to such lengths to host them.
Pfft~~
A soft chuckle suddenly came from a corner, followed by a voice tinged with delight.
"Interesting, this is really interesting~ Hahahaha…"
"Hm?"
Leno followed the sound and saw a young man with a bare upper body and freckles on his face, laughing so hard he was practically doubled over.
Sensing Leno's gaze, the youth raised his wine cup toward him in a casual toast.
Tch—
Why is this guy here?
Seeing the orange hat on his head and the crescent-shaped dagger at his waist, Leno's eye twitched uncontrollably.
If he wasn't mistaken, this guy was Ace. Shouldn't he be in the New World at this time?
Jinbe, who was accompanying them, snapped back to his senses and quickly introduced him to Leno.
"Lord Leno, I forgot to introduce him. This is Fire Fist Ace, commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division. He returned here with me."
Fearing a misunderstanding, Jinbe continued explaining.
"Since I resigned from the Seven Warlords and cut ties with Fish-Man Island, I normally don't stay here."
"This time, I just happened to be patrolling with Ace and ended up here by chance. I never expected to run into you all!"
"So that's how it is~" Leno said as he raised his cup and clinked it with Jinbe's, adding apologetically, "Sorry, Jinbe. I ended up dragging you into this!"
"Not at all, not at all, Lord Leno. Please don't say that…"
Just as Jinbe began explaining in a fluster, Yamato's sharply defined, beautiful face suddenly leaned in, her eyes brimming with excitement.
"The Whitebeard Pirates? That's the crew of the world's strongest man, right?"
…
…