For Fish‑Man Island, this was nothing short of a blessing. It was only natural that the kingdom would gladly bear a small price in return.
"Thank you all so much for your efforts!" King Neptune greeted them with great courtesy.
He looked at the fallen figures scattered across the ground—all of his own kind, yet for a long time now, they had not truly been under his rule.
Fish‑Man District had operated as an independent zone for years, which was exactly how Hody Jones had managed to build up such a large force without being detected.
"Guards!" Neptune called out to his retinue. "Take these men away and place them under arrest!"
The kingdom had its own legal system, but for the moment, the king's word was absolute. After all, Fish‑Man Island was still a monarchy in every sense.
Hody and his crew were completely unable to resist. They had consumed the forbidden drug in such massive quantities that it had inflicted nearly irreversible damage to their bodies.
The tyrant who had once ruled over Fish‑Man District now looked like a frail, elderly creature, barely able to stand.
Even the strongest officers of the New Fish‑Man Pirates were now so weakened that a child could easily overpower them.
They had tried to gain power through shortcuts, only to end up losing everything.
Hody had been on the wrong path from the very beginning—choosing to rely on forbidden drugs was the first step toward ruin.
The more he took, the further he strayed from the right course, until he was reduced to this state, unable even to live a normal life as a Fish‑Man.
Hody Jones and his followers were led away by the royal guards.
Meanwhile, the commotion and the arrival of Neptune's forces had drawn many ordinary Fish‑Men from the island to come and see what was happening.
Though relations between the royal city and Fish‑Man District were strained, this mattered little to the common folk.
To them, the district was simply a dangerous place best avoided—but for some, it remained a possible last resort if they ever fell on hard times.
Most of its inhabitants had gathered there out of similar necessity.
Curiosity got the better of many, and they came to observe the unusual event.
Among them was a figure held in high regard: Madam Shyarly, said to be the younger half‑sister of Arlong—the warlord who had once been exiled to the East Blue.
She was famous throughout the island for her prophecies, which were rumored to be accurate one hundred percent of the time.
It was rare to see someone of such standing and influence who was not part of the royal court.
El immediately noticed Shyarly, standing prominently among the crowd.
"Captain, does this interest you?" Doflamingo asked, stepping closer with a knowing smile.
El glanced at him. "I don't put much stock in such things."
"Of course, of course!" Doflamingo chuckled.
"How could the fate of someone like you ever be read by ordinary fortune‑tellers?"
"Not necessarily," Issho spoke up unexpectedly, though he rarely offered his opinion.
"When it comes to matters like this, it is often wiser to believe them possible than to dismiss them outright."
Issho seemed like a steady, serious man, yet he was also a notorious gambler who never learned his lesson, even when he lost everything.
It was strange that someone who could not see the world around him held such respect for the unseen.
"Ha! If you find it interesting, Issho, then let's go and see for ourselves," El said.
He had no real faith in divination, but since Issho was curious, he did not want to disappoint one of his strongest new recruits.
A crew could not stand on the captain alone; it needed capable hands and loyal companions. Even the mighty El Pirates had to follow this rule.
Accompanied by his officers, El and his crew approached Madam Shyarly.
She was a large and imposing figure, but unlike her brother Arlong—a Fish‑Man with human‑like limbs and fish‑like features—Shyarly was a Merfolk: upper body of a human, lower body of a fish.
"Lord El…"
Though well‑known across the island, Shyarly understood exactly who stood before her.
Only moments ago, these men had defeated the fearsome New Fish‑Man Pirates that had terrorized Fish‑Man District.
"Might I ask… do you wish to have your fortune read?" she asked respectfully.
She knew her reputation rested entirely on her gift of prophecy.
And before coming here, she had already felt a vague but powerful intuition—this visit would be meaningful, and the most important part of it would center on the El Pirates, and specifically on El himself.
Normally, she would never offer her services so freely, but today she felt compelled to do so.
El paused, then nodded. "Why not? It can be nothing more than a bit of amusement."
He did not believe in it, but there was no harm in indulging the moment.
Shyarly bowed humbly, as if she had already foreseen his agreement.
With trembling hands, she brought forth her crystal ball, ready to begin the reading.
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