【One Piece】Dawn in the Darkness

Chapter 499 Return to 0

"Hody has gone mad!" Shark Star looked at Hody, who was frantically taking the drug. Just how much hatred could drive him to keep getting back up after being repeatedly knocked down, even at the cost of his life? Shark Star couldn't help but ask.

"Why, Hody! Why did you do this? What have humans done to you, Hody!!"

Upon hearing Shark Star's question, Hody laughed maniacally, "There's nothing there! We are... chosen by the heavens to bring punishment upon humanity!!"

Upon hearing Hody's words, Shark Star stared in shock. The fish-men above the plaza looked at Hody in bewilderment. If humans had not harmed him, why did he hate them so much?

“Virtual hatred.” Lucci pursed his lips as he looked at the deranged Hody. This was a tragedy created by an environment of hatred.

"Yes." Ace nodded. He was grateful that his brothers had always been by his side, ensuring that he would never lose himself because of the darkness in his heart.

Lucci put his arm around Ace's shoulder, looked at the shock on Neptune and Prince Shark Star's faces, and said softly, "This happening now might be a good thing. It will make this island understand what the key change is for Fishman Island if it wants to go under the sun."

Jinbe also heard what Lucci said to Ace and couldn't help but glance at Lucci. He didn't expect that Lucci would understand their problem from the very beginning, but this answer was something they had to sacrifice a lot to fully understand.

Jinbe grinned as he looked at his companions above the plaza. He knew this was a good start. After all this, whether it was the prince or the people, they would all understand that not all humans are cruel. There are many like Luffy and Whitebeard.

"The Whitebeard Pirates will still owe the Straw Hat Pirates a favor," Ace said with a smile.

"Why?" Chopper asked, puzzled.

“Fishman Island is now Whitebeard’s territory,” Robin explained. “In a sense, by helping Fishman Island resolve this issue, we are helping Whitebeard.”

“But we are also competitors,” Lucci said with a smile.

"We can just have a fight then." Ace grinned as he looked at Luffy, who was fighting Hody. "It's about to end. Before it ends, let's take a good look at just how much our little brother has grown."

"Mr. Hody looks even more terrifying!" Shirahoshi was a little scared looking at Hody.

Shark Star closed his eyes in anguish. He already knew Hody's true colors. "These guys' resentment lacks experience and will. It's intangible, an illusory enemy! Mother was killed by such resentment."

Neptune covered his face in anguish. "It was my neglect of Fishman Street that caused all this."

"It's all too late. The Fishman Street, which we lack communication with, has long since become the dark sentiment of Fishman Island. We turn a blind eye to the twisted anger that keeps accumulating in the illegal gutter deep in the sea... Collecting signatures on behalf of Mother is just a superficial act, and we think that's moving forward!" Shark Star said with tears streaming down his face, feeling guilty for not being able to keep his mother's promise before her death.

"Gum-Gum..." Luffy dodged Hody's water droplet attack and charged at the oncoming Hody with "Rocket Launcher!!"

"Straw Hat Boy!!" Shark Star shouted, "Hody is a monster created by his environment! The new Fishman Pirates are monsters created by resentment!"

Luffy turned to look at his brother Hoshi, who was shouting at him.

"Hody and his companions feared that the resentment of their ancestors, inherited in the shadows of Fish-Man Island, would be forgotten, and that the Fish-Men's anger towards humans would subside, and they lived in unease."

"To justify their so-called holy war, they secretly desire that humans are not benevolent. These bloodthirsty bastards have never even wished for the peace of the fish-men." Shark Star cried bitterly, tears streaming down his face. "We realized it too late. These guys are the very beings Mother feared most!"

"We should have fought our own internal problems first, we should have fought our own dark feelings towards humanity. Our mother died because of the resentment and curses from Fishman Island!"

"By harboring a little hatred towards humans, we have overlooked the resentment of Fishman Island. By the time we realize it, they have already grown into a powerful force that we can only dream of. If this continues, Fishman Island will bring about its own destruction because of its hatred for humans!"

"So please, Straw Hat Boy! Use your own hands to reset Fishman Island to zero!!" Shark Star shouted, tears streaming down his face. "The past no longer matters, let everything be reset!! Destroy the spirits that keep this island away from the sun!!"

"Stop talking nonsense, Shark Star!" Hody wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, stood up from the ground, and grinned. "The grudges of the Fishmen will last forever!"

“Brother Star.” Luffy lowered his hat, the shadow covering his eyes, then he raised his head and a bright smile appeared on his face. “When we arrived at the plaza, Jinbe and I decided that we wouldn’t let anyone hurt Fishman Island. Leave everything to us, Brother Star! Aren’t we friends?”

"Oh!!"

The fish-men above the plaza shouted, "Straw Hat Luffy, defeat Hody!"

"How could we possibly doubt such a human being?!" The Right Minister muttered to himself, looking at the straw-hatted boy in the square.

"Gum-Gum..." Luffy flicked his hand back, instantly activating Gear Second, "Jet Pistol!!"

"Aaaaaah!" Hody screamed in pain, angrily standing up from the rubble and stuffing the pills into his mouth again.

"This guy's really tough," Lucci muttered, frowning as he watched the fishman go berserk again.

"It's just temporary strength. I don't know what he obtained, but he's been overdrawing his life force to keep going," Ace commented. "This battle will be over soon."

Luffy watched Hody stand up again, feeling somewhat annoyed. This guy must be incredibly durable, even though he doesn't have any particularly powerful moves.

"Hahaha! I won't let you get in my way, Straw Hat Boy!" Hody grinned maniacally, his sharp teeth making him intimidating to look at, his face contorted with utter savagery. "I will slaughter everyone on Fishman Island, including you undignified fishmen!!"

"I'm going to send you flying!!" Luffy raised his hand, aiming with his left hand at Hody, determined to finish him off. "Gum-Gum Pistol!"

Hody, whose size had increased again, was surprisingly fast. Luffy's attack only hit his afterimage. Luffy calmly watched Hody moving rapidly around him, and then his outstretched arm shot out like a gun.

"Hahaha! Die, Straw Hat Boy!!" Hody dodged the Gum-Gum Pistol attack and instantly appeared behind Luffy.

"Gum-Gum Whip!!" Luffy immediately turned around and stretched out his leg to swing it at Hody behind him.

"Hahaha, too slow!" Hody laughed triumphantly and charged at Luffy again, determined to teach him the true power of a shark fishman. Hody's jaws slammed into Luffy's shoulder.

"Mr. Luffy!!" Shirahoshi shouted worriedly as she looked at Luffy who was being bitten.