One Piece : From Slave to Fleet Admiral Chapter 284 -

The negotiations with King Neptune concluded with surprising ease, far surpassing Jake's expectations.

His Majesty the king readily assented to Jake's demands, barely hesitating.

Observing Neptune's lack of resistance, Jake surmised that Whitebeard must have already conferred with him.

Nevertheless, a smooth progression was the most favorable outcome, and Jake saw no need to ponder the reasons further.

However, during the ensuing banquet, a colossal, wickedly sharp axe plummeted from the distant heavens, its trajectory fixed directly upon Jake.

The formidable weapon carved a path through the banquet hall's defenses, its unstoppable momentum arrested only when King Neptune intervened with a single, powerful punch, shattering the axe against the ground.

As the weapon disintegrated into a cascade of fragments, Neptune's countenance adopted a grave mien.

He turned his gaze to Jake, his voice imbued with utmost sincerity.

"Jake-sama, this action was in no way sanctioned by us. It must have been perpetrated by someone harboring extreme animosity towards humans."

Neptune was visibly drenched in sweat at this critical juncture.

He paid no heed to his hand, which still bled from the impact; compared to such minor injuries, the repercussions would be far more dire should Jake misinterpret their intentions.

Under these specific circumstances, Neptune recognized the distinct possibility that Jake might perceive this as a treacherous trap, sprung at his moment of greatest vulnerability.

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

The hard-earned accord could potentially be rendered entirely void.

Yet, noting Jake's distinctly unperturbed expression, Neptune could not suppress a burgeoning suspicion.

Might this entire event be a deliberate charade orchestrated by Jake himself?

Was he attempting to ensnare them in this predicament to leverage it for even more exorbitant demands?

Just as these troubling thoughts occupied Neptune's mind, Jake's ensuing words dissolved all his lingering doubts.

"Your Majesty Neptune, there is simply no cause for concern. I would never question your earnest dedication to fostering a brighter future for Fish-Man Island. As for the identity of the assailant, I already possess a clear understanding."

Upon hearing this, a subtle flicker of surprise crossed Neptune's features.

He regarded Jake, inquiring with a nervous edge to his voice.

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

As he uttered these words, Neptune's palms clenched involuntarily, and beads of perspiration materialized on his back.

A silent plea formed: 'May the culprit not be someone from within the palace walls.'

Even if he remained unaware of any wrongdoing, the resultant erosion of trust would be insurmountable.

Jake, fully perceiving Neptune's palpable tension, opted for directness.

He turned his attention to Jinbe, inquiring.

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

Jinbe's comprehension dawned instantly.

He cast a glance towards Jake, then towards Princess Shirahoshi, his visage contorting with barely contained rage.

"Jake-sama, are you positing that this assault was orchestrated by that scoundrel Vander Decken IX? You only incapacitated him moments ago—how could he possibly recover so swiftly to target you? No—wait, he could not have known you had supplanted his intended victim!"

As Jinbe spoke, his expression became exceedingly grim.

Queen Otohime's complexion turned ashen, a gasp of dawning realization escaping her.

"That axe was never intended for Jake-sama—it was meant for Shirahoshi!"

Neptune's face contorted in sheer astonishment.

He looked towards his wife, urgently questioning.

"Why would Shirahoshi be the target? What knowledge do you all possess? What precisely is transpiring?"

Witnessing Neptune's mounting distress, Queen Otohime swiftly recounted the preceding events, elucidating how Jake had voluntarily assumed Shirahoshi's position as Vander Decken IX's intended mark.

Were it not for Jake's timely intervention, the axe would have directly struck Shirahoshi.

Confronted with this stark reality, King Neptune's face paled considerably.

Jake, a Rear Admiral of Marine Headquarters, wielded a power sufficient to effortlessly vanquish Jinbe.

For an individual of such caliber, the earlier assault represented negligible danger.

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

Had Shirahoshi been alone then, that solitary strike would have sufficed to claim her life!

To safeguard Shirahoshi's life, it was highly probable that from this day forward, she would be confined within an impenetrable iron cage—an eternal restriction upon her freedom!

The mere contemplation of his daughter narrowly escaping such a fate settled a profound weight upon King Neptune's heart.

His voice, now resonating with potent fury, boomed, thick and thunderous like the clash of storm clouds.

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

An palpable aura of gravity permeated the palace upon hearing King Neptune's pronouncements.

Renowned for his exceptionally patient and benevolent reign, this was the first instance in his many years as king that such a tone had been heard from him.

It was abundantly clear that Vander Decken IX's transgression had ignited his fury to its zenith.

However, at that precise instant, Jake's voice intruded, carrying a distinct note of reassurance."Your Majesty Neptune, there's no need to look for him. My Observation Haki has already pinpointed his location. I can bring him to you right now, but this isn't the best moment. His attacks are barely a nuisance to me, so you don't need to fret about my safety. More importantly, Your Majesty, perhaps you should ponder why Vander Decken IX would target Princess Shirahoshi when they've never even crossed paths before, wouldn't you agree?" Upon hearing this, King Neptune halted in his tracks. He gazed at Jake, the anger concerning his daughter's close call dissipating, replaced by a cold fear that permeated his very being. That Vander Decken IX... might very well be aware that his daughter was one of the legendary three Ancient Weapons—Poseidon! But... how could this information have been learned?! And what troubled King Neptune even more was this: how had Rear Admiral Jake known about it beforehand?! --------- This fanfic is currently on hiatus. As soon as the original author releases more chapters, I will update it promptly.