I agreed to win with Roger, but the guy I met was too young Chapter 036

Just as the standoff continued, the Ryugu Kingdom’s guard finally arrived.

“Everyone, stop!”

The aged Merman King (Neptune’s father) appeared, surrounded by his guards, his gaze complex as he looked at Roger.

“You… are the ones who repelled the slave traders?”

Roger nodded. “Kuhahahaha! Just happened to be in the way!”

The old King was silent for a moment, then bowed slightly and invited, “Please, everyone, come to Ryugu Palace for a discussion.”

Tiger suddenly looked up. “Your Majesty! They are humans!”

The old King looked deeply at Roger. “Some humans… perhaps are worth meeting.”

Inside Ryugu Palace’s banquet hall, crystal chandeliers illuminated delicacies and fine wines, but the atmosphere was far from relaxed.

The Roger Pirates and the nobles of the Ryugu Kingdom sat at separate tables. Shanks and Buggy were relegated to the children’s table in the corner, secretly piling their plates high with sweets.

Rett sat beside Rayleigh, his fingers lightly tapping a wine glass, his gaze calmly sweeping over the Merman nobles at the banquet.

The old King raised his glass in a toast. “Thank you all for your assistance in repelling the slave traders.”

Roger heartily drained his drink. “Kuhahahaha! It was nothing!”

Just then—

“Your Majesty, I have a question.”

Rett’s voice was not loud, but it instantly silenced the entire banquet hall.

The old King put down his glass, his aged eyes looking at him. “Please speak.”

Rett looked directly at him, his tone calm but sharp:

“Why wasn’t the first wave of resistance against the slave traders the Fish-Man Island army?”

“Why did the orphans and commoners of Fish-Man District have to fight for their lives themselves?”

“Why—” He narrowed his eyes slightly. “—did you clearly know that human nobles were supporting the slave trade behind the scenes, yet you could only hide in Ryugu Palace, watching helplessly as your own people were captured?”

Every word was like a knife piercing the hearts of the Merman nobles.

A minister slammed his hand on the table. “How dare you! What right do you, a human, have to question us?!”

Rett’s blood mist permeated the air. The minister who had just spoken felt an acidic burning sensation on his skin as if it were being corroded.

“Is it enough that I’m stronger than you?”

Rett retracted his blood mist. These people couldn’t see the situation clearly. Hadn’t they noticed that their King had to bow when inviting them? Yet they jumped out themselves, old fools lost in their own fantasies, spit.

The old King watched Rett for a long time, finally letting out a deep sigh.

“You are right.”

The entire hall erupted in murmurs.

The old King slowly rose, his aged voice heavy with emotion.

“We… have indeed failed in our duty.”

He slowly stood up, his eyes filled with barely suppressed anger, and walked to the window, gazing at the distant darkness of the deep sea.

“It’s not that we don’t want to intervene, but that we can’t.”

“Human nobles, Celestial Dragons, slave traders… behind them is the tacit approval of the entire World Government.”

“If we send our army to intercept? The next day, a Marine Admiral will arrive with a Buster Call.”

“If we openly resist? Fish-Man Island would be completely blockaded, and more people would starve to death.”

He turned around, his aged face etched with weariness.

“Do you think I don’t know the suffering of Fish-Man District? Do you think I don’t want to change it?”

“But the reality is—we can barely even protect ourselves!”

After listening, Rett suddenly laughed.

It was a laugh purely of malicious mockery, a nearly icy disappointment.

“So, you choose to compromise?”

“To let Fish-Man District fend for itself, to let slave traders run rampant, just so Ryugu Palace can live in temporary peace?”

The old King clenched his fists, then released them powerlessly.

“Young man… you don’t understand.”

“Some wars cannot be won with just passion.”

The old King’s thoughts were clearly very weak. No wonder Neptune would have that kind of personality later. This was no different from a robber coming to your home and telling you that as long as you don’t resist, he won’t hurt you, and then coming back every day.

A race that is already weak, if they can’t even fight for their lives, is destined to be enslaved. Although Rett had never seen that painful history, that deep pain was deeply buried in his heart. Seeing such a familiar scene, it was inevitable that he would feel some anger.

The old King knew that if they rose up in resistance, many people would die. He couldn’t bear to see the deaths of his compatriots, but not resisting would only mean dying more slowly, like being cut by a blunt knife. This was a qualified minister but an unqualified king.

Roger suddenly stood up, patted Rett’s shoulder, then looked at the old King:

“Kuhahahaha! Your Majesty, he’s a bit blunt, but he’s not wrong.”

“Compromise doesn’t earn respect, it only makes the enemy more arrogant.”

Rett also picked his nose and chimed in,

“What you need isn’t a stronger army, but the courage to fight for your lives. You can’t expect others to fight for your race.”

The old King lowered his head. He had indeed initially thought about seeking the Roger Pirates’ protection. Similarly, Fish-Man Island desperately needed a moment to breathe.

The Roger Pirates hadn’t offered to shelter Fish-Man Island, because ultimately, Fish-Man Island was their own home.

Looking at how stable Fish-Man Island was under Whitebeard’s protection, and how it instantly fell into chaos after Whitebeard’s downfall, it shows that Fish-Man Island didn’t develop strong self-defense capabilities under Whitebeard’s protection.

Instead, they became complacent and lived in a false sense of security. Don’t say that fish-men are weak; there’s no racial distinction here. Didn’t Arlong also rule dozens of villages in Cocoyasi for many years? It’s just a difference in mindset.

After the banquet, Rett stood on the terrace of Ryugu Palace, looking at the distant Fish-Man District.

Shanks walked over and quietly asked, “Rett-bro, were you too harsh just now?”

Rett said indifferently, “Some things just need to be said.”

Buggy scratched his head. “But they really can’t beat humans…”

Rett scoffed. “Not being able to beat them doesn’t mean they should accept their fate. Fish-men are naturally stronger than ordinary humans. Look at the fish-man soldiers who stopped us when we entered the port; they don’t lack courage. These last few kings of Fish-Man Island don’t seem very competent.”

The sight of Fish-Man Island made Rett grit his teeth. Devil Fruit users are naturally weakened by the sea, and to reach Fish-Man Island, one needs to be coated. Fish-Man Island’s geographical location is incredibly crucial, so how could it be so downtrodden?

If you don’t let me have a good time, then no one will.

Roger walked over and handed him a bottle of sake. “Kuhahahaha! You really laid into the King today!”

Rett took the bottle and chuckled softly. “I just spoke the truth.”

Rayleigh leaned against the ship’s railing, deep in thought. “Do you think they’ll change?”

Rett took a sip of sake.

“Tiger will.”

“That red-skinned fish-man… he has fire in his eyes.”

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night, but who exactly wouldn’t be sleeping, we don’t know.