Summary:
The chapter opens with Vander Decken IX and Wadatsumi at the bottom of the sea waiting for a response from Princess Shirahoshi. Decken IX accuses King Neptune, believing that he is trying to arrange a marriage for the princess for political reasons, and as proof he locks her in a steel tower for ten years. Vander Decken IX is revealed to be a Japanese bull-fish man shark. He then pulls out a giant ax with a rose painted on it and uses his curse to hurl it towards her, saying that no one will marry her but him and he will kill her if she marries anyone else. However, the ax turns and cuts the ship’s mast. The Flying Pirates crew points out that he missed. Vander Decken IX responds by saying that he never misses, and goes on to say that Shirahoshi’s fate is either marry him or die.
At Ryugu Palace, guards rush to Princess Shirahoshi’s room. The princess calls for help as Luffy explains that he was only looking for food. An ax thrown by Decken IX then flew into the room, but Luffy caught it and deflected it, saving the princess. When the guards finally enter the room, the princess tucks Luffy in her hand and places him behind her back. The Minister of the Right asks if she is okay and she says she had a nightmare and apologizes for worrying them. The guards then say that they are looking for Luffy, who snuck away from his crew. Due to the suspicions of the kidnappings and Madam Shyarly’s predictions, it was decided that the Straw Hats would be held in the castle prison and Zoro had already been captured. The Minister of the Right then looks at his watch and notices that five minutes have passed and it must be gone.
The princess first thanks Luffy and apologizes for her rudeness, asking for his forgiveness. Shirahoshi says that she never imagined that Luffy was the one who saved Megalo. He asks if he is Luffy, which the pirate claims he is. She asks Luffy if he’s a bad person for being a pirate, and Luffy replies that it’s up to her to decide. When asked about his crew, Luffy says it’s okay because there was no way they could actually be captured. Luffy then asks her about the ax and who threw it. He explains that the ax was thrown by Vander Decken IX using his Mato Mato curse and that it was placed in the tower for its protection. She also said that she had been there for ten years and her only companion was Megalo and that the soldiers could only stay in the room for five minutes. He cannot leave the tower for fear of his life. Luffy then understands why the feast was held.
As Luffy eats, Shirahoshi comments on his size, that he is able to eat so much for someone so small. Luffy explains that Neptune is going to start the feast, but they kept yelling at him so he followed the smell of the food. Luffy remembers that the guards called her a princess, so she must be a mermaid princess. Shirahoshi says yes and introduces herself. Luffy says her name is really hard to pronounce. He comments on how Luffy really doesn’t seem like a bad person. She asks him if he’s going on an adventure because he’s a pirate. Then she asks him if he saw the sun or came across different flowers, furry animals or forests. Luffy tells her not to ask so many questions while eating. He comments on the size of Luffy’s cheeks and pokes them. Luffy yells at her for shoving herself in the face while eating. The princess begins to cry as she tells him not to scold her so loudly, that she is a really scary person and that she has never been yelled at before. Luffy then asks her why she’s crying this time and tells her to stop. He also questions how someone so big can be so weepy. He then says that he doesn’t like that he makes her cry even more. Shirahoshi says she’s never heard such words, calling Luffy a terrible man and telling him to leave. He then says he can’t take it anymore as Megalo growls at Luffy. Luffy then says that he ate a lot and praises the food. He says being locked up for ten years would make him sick. The princess tells him to hurry up and leave. Luffy asks her if there is anywhere she would like to go. She says there are several, but Luffy won’t let her finish her sentence. He offers to go for a walk with the princess and protect her if any guns are flying at her, much to the princess’s shock.
In the palace halls, Camie tells Usopp, Nami, and Brook that if they continue to resist, they will truly be considered criminals, not mere threats. Brook tells Camie that they have no reason to listen to them. Usopp tells her that they will be arrested if they don’t resist and that the guards are the ones who came after them for some crazy reason. Usopp asks if they really think they’re going to get captured for something they might do in the future. Brook draws his sword and says he will fight as many of them as they wish. The guard notes how many incidents the pirates have caused and that they are incredibly strong even without their captain. Nami says that she was really looking forward to the alcohol they were going to serve in Ryugu Kingdom. Pappag is impressed with how confident Usopp is. The minister of the left tells the soldiers to make no mistake because this is surely a “prologue” of what is to come. He tells them to defeat the pirates and protect the land at all costs. Usopp tells him that if the guards hadn’t attacked them, they wouldn’t have had a reason to go as wild as they did. Usopp then says that the crowd of guards is nothing compared to the collective attacks of the insects when he was in the Boin Archipelago. He then introduces his new weapon, the Black Kabuto. The Minister of the Left asks Neptune to use his power to help the guards. King Neptune says he wants more time to decide whether or not it’s okay to arrest the people for the prediction, but tells the guards to capture them for now. Brook is about to block as Neptune is about to attack the pirates with his trident. However, Zoro appears and blocks the attack. Nami and Usopp are shocked to see him. Usopp says he thought he was in prison. Zoro says he heard the party start so he comes out.
The scene cuts to Noah, where someone alerts Jones to the arrival of Vander Decken IX. Vander Decken IX tells Wadatsumi to stay put. When he is led to Jones, Decken apologizes for being late because he encountered some volcanic activity and asks him if he is talking to the infamous Hody Jones. Jones says they are both infamous. Both say they are happy to do business with the other. Jones goes to shake his hand, but Decken tells him to wait a moment while he puts on his glove. Jones says their alliance is toward a single goal that would both benefit them. Their goal is to crush Neptune’s army and take Neptune’s head. Zeo says that they are now invincible at the bottom of the ocean, to which Daruma replies that two very powerful people have just joined together. The chapter ends with Jones and Decken saying that the complete collapse of the Ryugu Kingdom will occur once they take Neptune’s head.