Perhaps "capable and reliable" would be too strong a description—at the very least, they were the cream of the crop among his tens of thousands of ordinary followers, the best chosen from thousands.
These officers had some standing within Fish‑Man Island, but saw no real future or opportunity to advance.
Frustrated and resentful, they were easily drawn into Hody Jones's orbit and became core members of the New Fish‑Man Pirates.
Their strength far outstripped that of the rank‑and‑file soldiers.
Yet even when combined with Hody Jones himself, their total power amounted to nothing at all.
In El's eyes, these so‑called officers and their captain were nothing more than strong, oversized ants—easily crushed with a single casual move.
But clearly, Hody Jones had not yet realized this.
He still did not understand the situation, nor did he grasp who exactly stood before him.
The truth would soon become painfully clear—and by then, it would be far too late for regrets.
Even now, without waiting for that moment, unease was already creeping into Hody's heart.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and a cold chill ran down his spine.
He had never imagined such rare and overwhelming power would be present in his enemies' ranks.
As someone of standing in Fish‑Man Island, he instantly recognized what was happening: the terrifying force that stopped his men from getting close was Conqueror's Haki.
This power could only be wielded by those born with the quality of a king.
It could not be earned through training alone—without the natural gift, no amount of effort would ever unlock this extraordinary, overwhelming strength.
Hody Jones had dreamed of possessing such power, of ruling as a king himself.
But he lacked more than just strength; he had only petty cunning and schemes, without the vision, character, or true might to back it up.
It was obvious that his ordinary foot soldiers stood no chance against such a force.
It seemed his hopes of building an empire on the backs of disposable followers alone were already crumbling.
But Hody refused to be discouraged.
After all, he still had a small group of powerful fighters he had spent years carefully recruiting and cultivating—men who were counted among the strongest in all of Fish‑Man Island.
He had brought them into his service precisely for their exceptional combat ability.
Beyond his vast crowd of common soldiers, these men formed his elite strike force.
Of course, Hody cared only about their fighting power.
Their character, morals, intelligence, or lack thereof—none of that mattered to him.
Whether they were good or evil, clever or foolish, was irrelevant; he only wanted what they could do in battle.
And in that regard, they were indeed impressive—at least by the standards of Fish‑Man Island.
But like frogs living at the bottom of a well, their view of the world was limited.
Hody believed these warriors, especially his top officers, were the strongest the island had to offer, and the best possible supporters for his ambitions.
Yet only when faced with true masters of the sea did their true level become apparent.
They were nothing compared to the world's greatest fighters and most powerful pirate crews.
Unlike the common soldiers, who had already collapsed unconscious from the sheer pressure of Conqueror's Haki, Hody's inner circle remained standing.
Their strength was truly exceptional, even by Fish‑Man Island's standards.
On top of that, Hody had secretly obtained an illegal substance to boost their power—and his own—for a short time: the forbidden drug Energy Steroid EX.
This substance was banned in nearly every nation across the world.
Possession alone was considered a serious crime. It acted like a stimulant, but far more potent and dangerous than any normal drug.
Naturally, greater effects came with far greater consequences.
The side‑effects were severe and long‑lasting.
But Hody cared nothing for the future damage it might cause—he only wanted a quick surge of power right now.
Even without the drug, his officers were already more than strong enough to satisfy him.
With its help, Hody believed the whole of Fish‑Man Island would be his for the taking.
If not for the sudden arrival of El and his crew, he would have struck soon—launching a full‑scale coup, seizing control of the royal family, and declaring himself ruler of the island.
The very size of his hidden army made his intentions clear.
After all, Fish‑Man Island was still a kingdom, governed by the authority of the Neptune royal family.
By law, no private faction was allowed to raise large armies or stockpile weapons.
This was true not just here, but in every stable nation on the surface—no ruler would willingly let a rival power grow strong enough to threaten their own throne.
King Neptune had been completely unaware of Hody Jones's secret activities.
He did not know that Hody had, right under his nose, gathered an army of tens of thousands, nor did he realize the full extent of his ambition.
If he had known, he could have easily crushed the threat before it took root.
But as it stood, Hody had already grown into a danger that could no longer be ignored.
The number of followers alone was not the issue—the royal guard still commanded a force of elite warriors.
The real problem lay with Hody himself and his core officers.
King Neptune was no longer the Knight of the Sea he once was.
With age came a steady decline in strength.
His physical condition had deteriorated far more than anyone expected; he could barely muster even ten or fifteen percent of his former power.
In his prime, Neptune had stood among the strongest figures in the world, a true giant of the sea.
It was this legendary might that had earned him the friendship of men like Whitebeard and Gol D. Roger.
But time waits for no one.
Even Whitebeard, the strongest of the Four Emperors, was no longer what he used to be—his position at the top was becoming increasingly precarious.
Neptune's situation was much the same.
If Hody Jones was not dealt with soon, the opportunity to stop him would only grow slimmer.
Unlike the aging king, Hody was in the prime of his life—strong, vigorous, and hungry for power.
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