The chapter opens with the people of Coral Hill looking at a group of figures in the sky while someone tries to contact the Ryugu Palace in Den Den Mushi. Luffy can see the figures as well, though he is too far away to see them clearly. It turns out that the border patrol was the group trying to contact the palace. Someone remarks how strange this is and wonders if the Den Den Mushi in the palace might be sick. The Border Patrol reports that dangerous individuals have entered the Fish-Man District and they just wanted the people in the palace to know, further stating that they don’t look like normal tourists, but hopefully they won’t cause trouble. The group in the sky are Hody Jones, Vander Decken IX and their crews. The pirates are spread out among several sea monsters that the Straw Hats saw when they first arrived.
Hody announces that today marks the mental connection of Fish-Man Island. Unless fishmen and merfolk are of one mind, they can achieve nothing. Also, people who cannot breathe underwater should be controlled by fish men. Today, the history of fish men’s recurring mistakes will be resolved. Decken adds that today would also mark his and Shirahoshi’s wedding anniversary. He adds that there is no need to rush because they can have the ceremony tomorrow. Dosun adds that Jinbe and his crew are no longer on the island. Zeo calculates how many people in Neptune’s army pose a real threat. It comes with four: Ryuboshi, Fukaboshi, Manboshi and Neptune. Ikaros Much adds that if they can eliminate four, the rest should be easy. Jones urges everyone to start suppressing their assigned areas. As all the sea monsters go in different directions, Jones says that today will be the last day of the Ryugu Kingdom and they will become the new rulers of the sea floor.
The scene changes to a fish bus stop, where several defeated guards are lying on the ground, one of them saying that he has to tell Neptune that she escaped. The woman in question is Nico Robin. She learned that there was a Poneglyph in the Sea Forest and was on her way to explore it. He believes the Poneglyph contains important information about the Void Century. Back at the palace, Zoro yells at the Minister of the Left, telling him not to make it sound like Zoro was enjoying fighting all the pirates. The Minister of the Left says that Zoro looked very energetic during the battle and that he is a natural born killer. Zoro then sarcastically asks if the minister wanted to bring tea to the attacking pirates. The minister of the left agreed that it would be a good idea to bring tea to the attacking pirates and then talk to them. Zoro says his plan wouldn’t work on these people. The minister tells him that beating all the pirates would not help them understand their purpose of infiltrating the palace. Zoro tells him that he doesn’t have to be so hospitable. Usopp and Nami talk, Usopp comments that things are going in the wrong direction.
Brook wonders if Luffy has met the princess yet. Neptune falls behind Usopp, his eyes full of tears. He tells them to untie his chains and return Shirahoshi to him. Usopp asks why they would kidnap the princess, Neptune says that Luffy is the culprit. Brook argues that he saw Luffy and Megalo leave the room and didn’t see the princess with them. Neptune tells them that the princess knows not to leave the palace alone. Also, with how big Neptune is herself, there’s no way she could sneak in without anyone noticing. Brook doesn’t believe Neptune when he mentions Shirahoshi’s size, imagining the princess as bulky like Neptune with a similar build.
Neptune suddenly gets an idea, Megalo could have hidden Shirahoshi in his mouth and could have gotten her out of the palace that way. This causes all the bound guards to start laughing. They tell Neptune not to make them laugh at a time like this, and even if someone made it up, no one would because it sounds too bizarre. Nami defends Luffy saying that he would never kidnap anyone and for Neptune to direct his suspicions to someone else. Neptune tells them that she can’t think of any other way she could have escaped, and if she doesn’t return safely, she won’t bring back the other crew members or their ship. As they argue, one of the invading pirates tries to stand up, resting his arm on the three levers that control the entrances to the palace and the corridor leading out of the bubble.
In the Sea Forest, someone explains how the area they are in is called the ship graveyard because all the ships that get stuck in the currents end up there. Franky is then seen and a talking man is seen walking behind him. The man says he’s been exploring the Sea Forest that stretches along the ocean floor. Franky says he can’t believe he’s seeing a place like a forest in the deep sea. He adds that it is the same as Fish-Man Island. The man then compliments Franky that he was able to find wood from the Treasure Tree Adam to build the ship. Franky tells him that it’s the same material that Tom used to make Gol D. Roger’s ship. He adds that Thousand Sunny is also his best work. The man says he will take care of the necessary paint, with don. Franky thanks him and asks his name. The man replies that his name is Den.
He is the Bering merman and Tom’s younger brother. Franky asks Den why he doesn’t look like Tom at all, because his brother Franky thinks that Den should at least look a little like Tom. Den tells Franky that he’s thinking very humanly about it, but he doesn’t blame him because the species families on land are very similar to each other. Den explains that fishmen and merfolk can have genes that can lie dormant for generations. He gives an example, if an octopus mermaid gives birth to a shark merman, that would mean that at least one of the parents has an ancestor who was a shark. He goes on to say that on Fish-Man Island, no one really cares what type of children a mother gives birth to.
He also adds that fishmen and merfolk cannot understand why humans feel the need to categorize humans. Den then asks Franky if he had a robot ancestor. Franky tells him that he is human. Den mentions that he received letters detailing Franky and Iceburg. Franky then remembers that Kokoro used to write letters. He adds that he also knows about Tom’s death, saying that he lived with the don until the very end. Den tells Franky that if he came all the way to Fish-Man Island just to tell him, then Tom picked the right student, much to Franky’s embarrassment as he pinches his nose to make his hair stand up. Franky then remembers seeing someone sitting nearby and asks Den about it. Den tells him that he is “Boss” Jinbe and explains that he seems to be waiting for someone, but since he is a wanted criminal, he cannot enter the island.
Back in the palace, a connecting corridor opens and sea monsters await at the main gate. The ministers recognize Vander Decken and Hody Jones, much to their shock and horror. Neptune recognizes Hody and the Minister of the Right confirms that the man is the same Hody who was once a talented soldier in the royal army. Decken is surprised and says that he expected them to start the battle, but that everyone is already tied up. Hody comments how he didn’t expect such a “gift” to be waiting. Then he wonders if it’s a trap because he feels too comfortable saying things. Zoro comments on how busy the castle is, getting one guest after another. The bound guards demand the surrender of their weapons. The Minister of the Left asks Usopp if they conspired with the fishmen and invited them to the palace. Usopp counters that the straw pirates wouldn’t even be in the palace if they hadn’t been invited. He then asks who the new pirates are.
Neptune is furious with Decken as his presence now confirms to him that the fishman is the real criminal and demands his daughter back. Decken jokes that he hasn’t even married the princess yet, and the king already wants her back. He tells the king that he is getting ahead of himself and calls him papa to Neptune’s fury. He asks Decken where Shirahoshi is and says she should be fine. Decken is now confused and tells the king that he is acting as if the princess has disappeared. Neptune yells at him not to play dumb and asks why she wouldn’t be in her room otherwise. Decken is shocked that Shirahoshi is gone.
Hody tells Decken to calm down because the pirates he threw all landed where they were supposed to, which could mean she could still be here. He adds that regardless of whether she is here or not, he has a way to find her. Realizing he’s right, Decken rips out a large tree-shaped piece of coral and tells it to fly to Shirahoshi. When he realizes it’s not going towards the tower, he jumps at it, saying that after ten years of waiting, only death can do their love apart. The chapter ends with Decken saying that the princess will die in a sea of blood if she becomes someone else.
