In the end, une finally "succumbed." He didn't dare to front Cudius head-on. After all, the imposing demeanor of the Celestial Drago him little room fument.

  une nodded and said, "Yhness' kindness is somethihe Fish-Man Isnd, will remember in our hearts. We will rely on you and Admiral Sengoku moving forward."

  Cudius withdrew his gaze from the sery outside, pg his wine gss oable with a smile. "There's o thank me. In truth, it is the Wover and I who owe your people an apology. This is simply us trying to correct a mistake."

  Standing to the side, Sengoku adjusted his gsses, a glint of admiration in his eyes. Cudius' ability to lead versations and create resolutions without causing flict was nothing short of extraordinary. His methods were subtle yet forceful, making it hard for others to resist or refute.

  Before they had arrived at Fish-Man Isnd, Sengoku had prepared himself for lengthy discussions and possible pushbacks. He imagined days of bad-forth iations, or worse, weeks of tension and mistrust before reag any agreement. But in the span of a single versation, Cudius had ly ed up the matter of Whitebeard's fg without even directly demanding its removal. Instead, he'd framed it as if Kiune himself had "eagerly" removed it for the sake of diplomacy.

  From a Wover standpoint, this was a masterstroke. It not only recimed their authority but also made Fish-Man Isnd appear cooperative an invaluable gesture of respect that Cudius had cleverly maneuvered them into.

  Sengoku couldn't help but feel a little giddy. I thought this mission would drag on for days, maybe even weeks, and now I might be able to head baarineford tomorrow? Truly a miracle!

  But before Sengoku could fully indulge in his relief, Cudius' voice rang out again.

  "With the security issue resolved for now, and with any future adjustments to be addressed as needed, I believe it's time we move on to a different topic. Let's discuss the development of Fish-Man Isnd," Cudius said with a smile.

  Sengoku's fleeting happiness disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. He groaned internally. Development? Wasn't our job here just to deal with the pirate fg issue?

  But as the thought settled, Sengoku residered. Perhaps Cudius had been tasked with broader responsibilities by the Five Elders. CP-X, after all, was a jack-of-all-trades department, capable of meddling ihing from politics to eics.

  une was visibly stunned, unsure how to respond. He had assumed Cudius' only purpose here was to address the presence of Whitebeard's fg, but now the discussion had shifted into unfamiliar territory.

  "The development of Fish-Man Isnd?" ued, his tone uain.

  Princess Otohime, however, looked intrigued. She remembered how Cudius had mentioned "a business worth hundreds of millions" when they first met at the port. Unlike une, who had gro the isnd's isotion, Otohime had always dreamed ing the gap between their people and the surface world.

  "Yhness, what exactly do you mean?" Otohime asked eagerly. "We of Fish-Man Isnd have long yearo ie with the sea above us. It's bee hundred years sihat promise was first made."

  Cudius nodded knowingly. He had done his homework. Eight turies ago, Joy Boy had made an unfulfilled promise t the people of Fish-Man Isnd to the surface. Though that promise had been broken, the longing for coexisteh the surface world had been deeply ingrained in the hearts of Fish-Man Isnd's residents ever since.

  However, Cudius khat such a moal goal couldn't be achieved ht. For now, building trust and f cooperatioweewo sides would be crucial steps. Fear and misuanding had created an invisible wall between the Fish-Man Isnd and the rest of the world, and tearing it down would require time and effort.

  "I uand this dream of yours, Princess Otohime," Cudius said sincerely. "I've taken it into sideration, but we must take this process oep at a time. Trust must first be built between our peoples before we make any rge strides."

  He g uhen back at Otohime, and tinued, "The best way to eliminate fear is through uanding, and uanding es through iion. Both sides o face their fears and work to dissolve them."

  Cudius paused for a moment, then smiled. "This is why I believe that trade and cooperation should be the foundation of our efforts. It will allow both sides to eh one anradually and in a trolled manner. For that to happen, Marine and CP-X are more than willing to serve as the bridge that ects Fish-Man Isnd to the surface world."

  Princess Otohime houghtfully, feeling that Cudius' words carried merit. She admired his logical approach, even if the path forward wouldn't be easy.

  Sengoku, oher hand, had no idea what Cudius was doing. He g him out of the er of his eye, his mind rag. Marine as the bridge? Couldn't you have at least briefed me on this pn, Yhness?

  Despite his fusion, Sengoku trusted Cudius' judgment. If this was the pn, he would support it fully. Without missing a beat, he nodded firmly and said, "Yes, we in Marine are ready and willing to shoulder this responsibility."

  Princess Otohime smiled, clearly reassured by the Admiral's support. "Then, Yhness, ecifically do you have in mind?"

  Cudius leaned back slightly in his seat, the picture of ease. "The first step is employment," he said.

  "Employment?" Otohime asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

  "Exactly. I've learhat one of the root causes of the u on Fish-Man Isnd stems from poverty. Many of your residents, especially those from Fish-Man Street, ck stable opportuhis has led to desperation and, in turn, crime. The solution, then, lies in providing them with dignified work," Cudius expined.

  Otohime looked thoughtful, nodding as Cudius spoke. "Yes, that's something we've always believed, but we've struggled to find the right avenues."

  Cudius smiled. "Then allow me to propose one. As I uand it, the Fish-Meurally gifted in shipbuilding, and their strength and skills make them ideal for heavy bor. As it happens, both Marine and CP-X are in dire need of skilled workers and borers. Why not employ them? With fair wages and proper training, this could be a win-win situation for everyone involved."

  Hearing this, Sengoku's eyes lit up as if a lightbulb had gone off in his head. He hadn't sidered this before, but it made perfect sehe mermen and Fish-Men could be invaluable assets, especially in Marine's current efforts to expand and develop. Their expertise in shipbuilding alone could help bolster Marine's fleet.

  "Brilliant! Yhness, this is an excellent idea," Sengoku said with enthusiasm. "If we hire Fish-Men to assist with projects like strug ships or developing routes in the Calm Belt, it would be everyone. Why didn't I think of this sooner?"

  ***

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