LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 73: Chapter 70
"No," Neptune replied firmly. Seeing Jinbei and Namur's skeptical expressions, he added, "Rest assured, he didn't leave any contact information. He came and went in such a hurry that there wasn't even time for that."
This was indeed true, though not long after Ethan left, Neptune managed to obtain his contact number from Madam Shyarly.
Seeing this, Jinbei didn't press further. He stood and bid farewell with a respectful bow, "Your Majesty, if that's the case, we'll go seek out Ethan. If he comes back, please let me know."
"You…"
Neptune sighed, looking at the two. One with steadfast resolve, the other driven by anger—he couldn't dissuade them. He could only give them a few words of caution.
"No matter what happens, you must avoid provoking Ethan. His fury is not something to be taken lightly."
"I can sense that he has a cold and ruthless nature. He's willing to do anything to achieve his goals, eliminating anyone who stands in his path without hesitation."
"If you intend to challenge him or speak out of turn, be prepared to risk your lives!"
"Hmph! Frightening words don't scare me. I've been a pirate too long to be cowed by that!" Namur scoffed, leaving immediately.
Jinbei, noticing this, gave Neptune an apologetic smile before following Namur out.
Namur glanced at Jinbei as he caught up. "Boss Jinbei, you must be feeling the same about this guy's actions, right?"
"Ah, yeah… that's right…" Jinbei, worried his true feelings might anger Namur further, responded with a nod.
Namur, misunderstanding Jinbei's intent, felt validated and grew even more arrogant in his stride.
Once the two had left, Neptune remained silent for a moment. Only after sensing with his Observation Haki that they were out of earshot did he take out the Den Den Mushi and dial Ethan's number.
Having lived so many years, Neptune was no fool. He'd lost too much already—there was no doubt about where he stood on this matter.
"Buru Buru~ Boga~"
"Hello, who is it?" Ethan was currently flying back to Fishman Island on a magic carpet with Shirahoshi.
"It's Neptune."
"(Shirahoshi: It's Father!) Eh? How did you get my contact?" Ethan asked, surprised.
With a chuckle, Neptune continued, "I got it from Madam Shyarly… Captain Jinbei has returned to Fishman Island, along with Namur, the 8th Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates."
"They know about the major event happening tomorrow. I tried to dissuade them, but it was no use—they're already on their way to find you…"
Namur… That big-headed shark guy?
"Heh~ Let them come, Neptune. You've made the right choice," Ethan said, his smile fading as he passed the Den Den Mushi to Shirahoshi. "Here, Shirahoshi, talk to your father."
A strange feeling rose in his chest as he handed the phone to her, as if he'd somehow ended up "taking" Neptune's daughter.
"Father… Father!"
"Oh~" Neptune couldn't hold back a smile. Perhaps he was a soft-hearted father, after all.
After some chatting, Shirahoshi returned the Den Den Mushi to Ethan, a happy glow on her face. Their talk had been filled with Neptune's fatherly concerns and his gentle advice for her to follow Ethan's lead.
They finally reached Fishman Island, and Ethan's Observation Haki caught sight of Jinbei leaving the Ryugu Kingdom.
It was getting late; time to take Shirahoshi back to rest.
As they flew towards Shyarly's private estate, Ethan noticed Jinbei and Namur closing in on him at full speed.
Not surprised, he knew they weren't far off and that Shirahoshi's large figure stood out enough for any competent Observation Haki user to spot.
"My husband, what's happening?" Shirahoshi asked, noticing the magic carpet slowing down.
"Just a little trouble I need to deal with tonight. It'll save us some big problems tomorrow."
As Ethan spoke, he recalled what he knew about Jinbei and Namur's strength.
Namur, the 8th Division Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, surely wielded some basic Haki. He once took down a Marine elite during the Paramount War, though his actual fighting prowess was nothing to boast about.
Jinbei's strength was more of an enigma, with fans having mixed opinions. He wasn't even at Yonko level, which is why he'd always relied on others to safeguard Fishman Island.
Ethan pondered as the two finally caught up. He turned, casting a cold gaze at them.
"Electric Shock Kid! I hear you're trying to claim Fishman Island? Don't you realize this is Whitebeard's territory?" Namur demanded rudely.
Well now, this shark guy came right up with a disrespectful nickname.
Hearing this, Jinbei looked horrified. Why provoke Ethan right from the start? Wasn't this like inviting Fishman Island into the jaws of destruction? (Jinbei hadn't been present when Ethan attacked Ace's hometown).
"Oh? So you two came here with bad intentions…" Ethan responded coldly, lightning crackling along his arms as he spoke.
"Divine Judgment!"
A thick column of lightning blasted toward Namur, a surge of power that made the deep-sea-loving fishmen squint from the blinding light.
In a split second, the lightning struck Namur, leaving half his body charred and bloody from the explosion.
Namur was barely alive, only able to moan faintly, his strength fading fast. Without treatment, he'd bleed out within half an hour.
Ethan vs. Namur—one move was all it took.
Poor Namur's arrogance vanished as he lay there, defeated. He'd barely managed to get out a few disrespectful words before fate had him lying flat on the ground.
"Lord Ethan!"
Jinbei finally regained his senses, screaming as he assumed a defensive stance. He realized now that he was no match for Ethan.
"Heh~ That's the proper honorific you should use."
Jinbei felt conflicted. How had he missed Namur's reckless side before? Normally, he was quite serious, but here he'd shown cruelty in dealing with his enemies.
Had he known this would happen, Jinbei would never have let Namur come.
After all, Jinbei wasn't technically a Whitebeard Pirate. His loyalty lay solely with Fishman Island, and he couldn't fully relate to Namur's emotions.