Ryugu Castle, Drawing Room
"It's truly thanks to you this time, Rin-sama," King Neptune said solemnly to Rin. Indeed, had Rin not intervened, the outcome could have been catastrophic. Without Rin's actions, Queen Otohime might have died at the hands of Hody Jones, and the rampaging Sea Kings, responding to Shirahoshi's cry, could have brought ruin to all of Fish-Man Island. Neptune knew well that Rin deserved his deepest gratitude.
"You flatter me, Your Majesty. I only did what anyone with the power to help should do." Rin replied modestly. Yet in this battle, a significant development had occurred: thanks to the guidance of Tony Pington, Rin had unlocked a new combat skill a beam-condensed flame, which he had unleashed during his clash with the venomous Sea Serpent. That skill, now complementing his Ice-Ice Fruit powers akin to Aokiji, gave Rin the versatility to counter even elemental Devil Fruits.
"Lord Rin, you've truly left a deep impression on me. My understanding of the Seven Warlords has changed because of you. I never imagined someone like you would be among the Shichibukai," Neptune admitted. Previously, Neptune had harbored deep distrust toward the Shichibukai system, believing it to be filled with pirates like Doflamingo and Gecko Moria, men driven by greed and cruelty. But Rin Pandora was different he had saved lives and acted with honor.
"There are others like me as well, Your Majesty. Take 'Knight of the Sea' Jinbe for example." Rin mentioned the fish-man warrior with respect. Even in his previous life watching the anime, he had admired Jinbe's unwavering honor, sense of duty, and loyalty. Jinbe had always stood apart from the other warlords.
"Ah, Jinbe... It's been some time since I've seen him. He once served as a guard here in Ryugu Palace. And now... sigh." Neptune's expression saddened. Jinbe had once been a protector of Fish-Man Island, but later became a pirate and joined the Sun Pirates, eventually rising to the Shichibukai.
"By the way, King Neptune how much do you really know about Hody Jones?" Rin asked, steering the conversation to a more urgent matter. From Neptune's demeanor, it seemed he had not yet realized that Hody Jones had vanished.
"Hody Jones? Now that you mention it... I haven't seen him since morning," Neptune said, puzzled. "He was supposed to be stationed here, but he disappeared right after Queen Otohime's speech."
"That's just it," Rin said gravely. "The one who planted the bomb... and the one who tried to assassinate Queen Otohime... it was Hody Jones."
"What!?"
Neptune's eyes widened in disbelief. "The one who tried to kill Otohime... was Hody Jones? He's been among us, trusted and relied upon!" The king's voice trembled with shock. He had never suspected that a traitor could be hiding so close let alone one with such venomous intent.
"That's right. During her speech, I intervened before he could fire. He had every intention to kill her," Rin confirmed. He withheld certain details about the ensuing fight, but the truth was clear Hody had become consumed by extremist ideals and hatred.
"This is unthinkable... I treated him well i gave him a place here in Ryugu Castle... And to think he tried to murder Otohime!" Neptune collapsed back into his seat, overwhelmed. "It's like raising a tiger in your own house," he muttered bitterly. One betrayal after another his trust had been shattered.
"Then where is Hody now?" Neptune suddenly demanded. His shock gave way to fury. "We must arrest him find out who's backing him and stop any further conspiracies!"
"Guards! Find Hody Jones search every corner of Fish-Man Island if you have to!" The king's command rang through the corridors. He could not allow such a dangerous traitor to walk free.
"There's no need to look, Your Majesty." Rin stood up and, without hesitation, pulled an object from his space ring. With a dull thud, he dropped Hody Jones' lifeless body onto the floor. His eyes were frozen open, bulging from his skull, his hands still stiff with tension.
"You... you killed him?" Neptune asked, stepping forward slowly. One look at Hody's corpse, swollen and veined, revealed the truth he had overdosed on Energy Steroids (E.S. Drugs), the same lethal substances stored in Ryugu Castle's armory. His muscles were torn from overuse, but Rin had defeated him regardless.
"He struggled. But in the end, he bled out." Rin said this as if stating a simple fact. His voice was calm numb from years of witnessing life and death.
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"Good. He deserved it."
Neptune's voice was cold now. "Take his body away. Bury him quietly I don't want those eyes staring at me any longer." Guards rushed in, carefully wrapping Hody's body and removing it from the room. Even in death, Hody's glare was twisted and filled with hatred a reminder of how far he had fallen.
"If there's nothing more, I'll go check on Artoria," Rin said, ready to leave. Artoria had not yet awakened from her detoxification and needed monitoring.
"Wait!" Neptune raised his hand, stopping Rin.
"What is it?" Rin asked, turning back.
"There is one last thing I wish to ask you," Neptune said. He hesitated for a moment clearly weighing his words carefully.
"Please, go ahead," Rin replied calmly.
"It's just that... I hope you would consider marrying my daughter."
The words hung in the air like a thunderclap. Neptune's expression was serious. He had been considering this for days. After seeing Rin's strength, his integrity, and his connection with Shirahoshi, he felt there was no better match. Shirahoshi needed protection and Fish-Man Island needed a powerful ally.
"If you would marry Princess Shirahoshi, it would bring peace of mind to us all."
Neptune's voice softened as he finished. The weight of the kingdom, the safety of his daughter, and the legacy of Queen Otohime's ideals all rested on this one proposal.
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