One Piece : From Slave to Fleet Admiral Chapter 283

The discussions with King Neptune concluded far more effortlessly than Jake had initially surmised.

His Majesty accepted Jake's proposals with barely any hesitation.

Observing Neptune's compliant demeanor, Jake surmised that Whitebeard had likely predisposed the king to his terms.

However, a seamless resolution was all that mattered, and Jake saw no reason to scrutinize the circumstances further.

Yet, amidst the celebratory banquet, a colossal, wickedly sharp axe descended from the heavens, hurtling directly towards Jake.

The weapon sliced through the banquet hall's structural supports, its trajectory unaltered until King Neptune intercepted it with a single, decisive punch, crushing it into the very floor.

As the axe disintegrated into a thousand shards, Neptune's countenance grew grim.

He met Jake's gaze, his voice resonating with unfeigned sincerity.

"Esteemed Jake-sama, this act was by no means perpetrated by us. It was undoubtedly the work of an individual harboring extreme animosity towards humankind."

Neptune was visibly sweating, his brow slick with perspiration.

He paid no heed to his hand, which was already bleeding; such minor wounds paled in comparison to the potential fallout if Jake misinterpreted their intentions.

Under such duress, Neptune recognized that Jake could plausibly suspect this was a ruse, an ambush designed to strike him at his most unguarded moment.

Failure to promptly establish their innocence now would render any future explanations futile.

The painstakingly forged accord could be irrevocably shattered.

Nevertheless, observing Jake's remarkably composed, unfazed expression, Neptune could not suppress a sliver of doubt.

Could this entire event be an elaborate charade orchestrated by Jake himself?

Was his objective to ensnare them in this predicament merely to leverage it for even more exorbitant demands?

Just as Neptune found himself adrift in such conjectures, Jake's words promptly dispelled all his reservations.

"Your Majesty Neptune, there is no cause for concern. My faith in your genuine dedication to fostering a brighter future for Fish-Man Island remains unshaken. As for the identity of our assailant, I already possess a clear understanding."

Upon hearing this, a fleeting expression of surprise crossed Neptune's features.

He fixed his gaze upon Jake, inquiring with a tone laced with apprehension.

"Jake-sama, you ascertain the attacker's identity? Pray tell, who is it? I shall immediately dispatch the guards to apprehend them."

Even as he spoke, Neptune's fingers involuntarily tightened into fists, and beads of sweat formed on his back.

He desperately hoped the perpetrator was not affiliated with the royal household.

Even without his knowledge, the inevitable erosion of trust would be insurmountable.

Jake, acutely perceptive of Neptune's mounting anxiety, opted for directness.

He turned his attention towards Jinbe, inquiring.

"Jinbe, do you recall the cloaked fish-man I subdued with electricity earlier in the Fish-Man District?"

Jinbe instantly grasped the implication.

He cast a furtive glance at Jake, then at Princess Shirahoshi, his features contorting with a barely concealed surge of fury.

"Jake-sama, you posit that this assault was orchestrated by that scoundrel, Vander Decken IX? You only recently incapacitated him with electricity—how could he have possibly recuperated so swiftly and targeted you? No—wait, he was unaware that you had assumed the role of his intended mark!"

As Jinbe articulated this realization, his expression deepened into one of profound consternation.

Queen Otohime's face turned ashen, a gasp of sudden comprehension escaping her lips.

"That axe was never intended for Jake-sama at all—it was aimed directly at Shirahoshi!"

Neptune's visage warped in bewildered shock.

He turned to his wife, his voice urgent.

"Why would Shirahoshi be singled out? What knowledge do you all possess? What precisely is transpiring?"

Witnessing Neptune's distress, Queen Otohime swiftly recounted the preceding events, elucidating how Jake had selflessly volunteered to assume Shirahoshi's position as Vander Decken IX's designated target.

Had it not been for Jake's timely intervention, the axe would have undoubtedly struck Shirahoshi.

The realization struck King Neptune with such force that his face drained of color.

Jake, a Rear Admiral in the Marine Headquarters, wielded a power that clearly surpassed Jinbe's.

For an individual of Jake's caliber, the earlier projectile posed virtually no threat.

But what if Jake had been in Shirahoshi's stead?

Had Shirahoshi been alone at that critical juncture, that solitary strike would have been fatal!

To guarantee Shirahoshi's safety, it was highly probable that, from this day forward, she would be compelled to reside within an impenetrable iron cage—a prison that would forever curtail her liberty!

The mere contemplation of his daughter narrowly escaping such a fate sent an unbearable weight crushing down upon King Neptune's heart.

His voice, now imbued with a potent fury, boomed forth, resonant and thunderous like the clash of storm clouds.

"Where is Vander Decken IX at this precise moment? Dispatch the soldiers without delay to trace the trajectory and origin of that airborne axe! We must apprehend that villain immediately! There exists absolutely no justification for permitting such unbridled recklessness!"

An palpable sense of gravity permeated the entire palace, palpable to all who heard King Neptune's impassioned decree.

Renowned for his exceptional tolerance and gentle rule, this marked the first instance in his tenure as king that anyone had encountered such unyielding severity in his tone.

It was abundantly clear that Vander Decken IX's audacious actions had ignited his wrath to its absolute limit.