Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece.

She slowly walked down the platform, clutching the petition book tightly in her arms. She walked step by step to Bai Yu's side, and when she looked at Hody Jones, who was being held high and had a ferocious expression, tears welled up in her eyes.

Her voice was gentle but trembling slightly, filled with confusion and pleading: "Hody... I know you experienced pain when you were young, and you know the suffering that humans have brought to our fish-men race. I hate those humans who hurt us just like you, but that is not a reason for us to hate everything."

Queen Otohime's gaze swept over Hody, then turned to the still bewildered crowd in the square. Her voice grew increasingly heavy: "We fish-men in this dark deep sea are discriminated against by humans and trampled upon by the Celestial Dragons. I have spent my entire life collecting signatures, not to bow down to humans, but to allow our compatriots to leave the deep sea, to stand in the sunlight, and to have the right to live as equals with humans. I only want to end the hatred, so that our children will no longer live in fear and hatred on the cramped Fish-Man Island."

"Wrong! Utterly wrong!" Hody Jones roared, his eyes filled with even more intense resentment. Even with Bai Yu gripping his neck tightly, he still struggled to shout angrily.

"Equality? There is no equality between fish-men and humans! Humans are all despicable, selfish, and cruel. They only bully us, enslave us, and slaughter us! Otohime, you foolish woman, do you think you can give us freedom with a tattered autograph book and human pity? You are simply delusional!"

A crazed, twisted grin spread across his face, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. His eyes gleamed with a fanatical, racist light: "The merfolk are a race far superior to humans! We possess strength far exceeding that of humans, the talent to freely traverse the deep sea. We should rule this world, we should make those despicable humans our slaves, serving us. Your so-called peace is nothing but a betrayal of the merfolk's millennia of suffering, a desecration of our merfolk power!"

"Wake up, Hody!"

Queen Otohime's tears finally fell, dripping onto her white skirt: "Hatred will only bring more pain, and will only plunge our compatriots into a deeper abyss! Look at our compatriots in the square, what they yearn for is not war, not revenge, but peace and freedom!"

"Shut up!" Hody interrupted Otohime sharply, his eyes filled with madness. "Those fools are blinded by your hypocritical peace! They don't know that only revenge, only domination, can truly make the fish-men stand up. Today, I will show you the true power of the fish-men, and I will let you know how ridiculous your peace ideals are!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Hody struggled violently, tearing open his shirt to reveal a whole bottle of deadly poison hidden inside. It was a forbidden drug that he had painstakingly crafted. After taking it, it could greatly enhance one's strength, speed, and recovery ability in a short period of time, but it would cause irreversible damage to the body, deplete one's life force, and make the user more violent and insane.

"What is that, Hody? No!" Queen Otohime's expression changed drastically as she tried to stop him, but it was too late.

Hody bit hard to open the bottle of the drug, and ignoring Bai Yu's grip on his neck, he drank the entire bottle of drug in one gulp.

The moment the medicine entered his throat, his body convulsed violently. His pale skin instantly turned an unnatural crimson, his muscles swelled wildly, his already burly frame became even more robust, his shark-like teeth grew longer and sharper, the whites of his eyes became bloodshot, his pupils turned a ghostly green, and he exuded a chilling aura of violence and raging power.

"what--!!!"

A shrill and frenzied roar erupted from Hody's mouth. His strength surged instantly, and with a sudden burst of power, he managed to break free from Bai Yu's restraints, crashing heavily to the ground. He immediately stood up, the ground around him trembling slightly from his power.

He cracked his stiff neck, a maniacal grin spreading across his face. His eyes were fixed on Bai Yu with a sinister glint in them, and his voice was hoarse and violent: "Can you feel it? This is the true power of the Fish-Men! Uchiha Bai Yu, today, I will tear you apart, tear apart that fool Otohime, and let all the Fish-Men know that revenge is our only way out!"

The power of the drug completely devoured his reason, leaving only pure violence and a destructive desire. His body was forcibly strengthened to the extreme, every inch of his muscle was filled with explosive power, and his aura was as violent as a ferocious beast out of control.

So what is the cost?

Tragic news has arrived from the merfolk world: Hody Jones, a heretic who had been given drugs, suffered irreversible damage to his gonads, rendering him essentially infertile. Although his physical body has been tempered to the point of being incredibly vigorous, however…

The crowd in the square was already terrified and retreated in panic, their eyes filled with fear. King Neptune tightly protected Shirahoshi and the three princes, his face extremely solemn. Artoria also gripped her holy sword tightly, ready to deal with Hody's attack at any time, her golden eyes full of vigilance.

Uchiha Hakuba remained standing still throughout, his expression calm and unmoved.

He watched as Hody Jones, who had become frenzied and violent after taking drugs, slowly rotated his Sharingan, the crimson tomoe in his eyes growing even deeper. The air pressure around him dropped again, and an oppressive feeling far exceeding Hody's swept towards him like a tidal wave.

"Strengthen your power?" Bai Yu's voice remained cold, tinged with a hint of mockery: "It's nothing more than a desperate attempt to prolong your life by overdrawing on your strength. How dare you challenge me?"

Driven even more insane by Bai Yu's oppressive aura, Hody roared and slammed his legs into the ground, his body shooting towards Bai Yu like an arrow. His swollen arms, accompanied by a whistling wind, slammed into Bai Yu's chest with enough force to shatter hard coral and even easily tear apart the bodies of ordinary Devil Fruit users.

Despite Hody's ferocious attack, Bai Yu remained standing still, without even moving a step.

Just as Hody's fist was about to strike his chest, he slowly raised his right hand, a dense wisp of chakra gathering at his fingertips. His crimson Sharingan precisely captured the trajectory of Hody's attack, and with a gentle block, he accurately caught Hody's fist.

"What?!" Hody's eyes were filled with disbelief. He could feel the power in his fist, enough to split mountains and shatter rocks, but Bai Yu's hand was like an impenetrable wall, not moving an inch. No matter how hard he tried, he could not move forward an inch.

A look of terror crossed his face. He tried to pull his fist back, but found that Bai Yu had gripped it tightly and he couldn't break free at all.

Bai Yu exerted a little force, and the power from his fingertips instantly suppressed Hody's violent power. Hody let out a painful scream, and the bones in his fist began to creak and crack, as if Bai Yu would crush them in the next second.

Chapter 161 Death and Another Mastermind

Bai Yu's eyes turned cold, and with a slight twist of his wrist, Hody's body instantly lost its balance and was violently thrown out, crashing heavily into the seashell statue in the center of the square. The statue shattered instantly, sending shards of stone flying everywhere.

Hody struggled to stand up, but his body was wracked with pain. Although the enhancement effects of the drug were still present, Bai Yu's attack had severely damaged his bones and internal organs.

He lay on the ground, coughing up mouthfuls of blood, his face turning from crimson to deathly pale, but the madness in his eyes remained. He raised his head, staring intently at Bai Yu, and roared, "No... impossible... how could I lose to you... I am a powerful member of the merfolk... I will take revenge... I will enslave humanity..."

Bai Yu walked step by step to Hody, looking down at him with a calm expression in his Sharingan eyes. His tone was as cold as winter: "Your hatred, your arrogance, your racism are nothing but self-deception. Your so-called power is worthless in the face of absolute strength. It's a pity. Some of your ideas are correct. If you had enough strength, the Fish-Men would be better off under your protection. It's a real shame that you don't have enough strength. Your strength is not enough to match your ambition."

As soon as he finished speaking, Bai Yu raised his foot and gently stepped on Hody's chest. The immense force made it impossible for Hody to breathe instantly, and he spat out another mouthful of blood. His body convulsed violently, and the madness in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by deep despair.

He looked into Bai Yu's scarlet Sharingan eyes and was filled with fear. He finally realized that there was a world of difference between him and Bai Yu. His revenge and his ambition were nothing but a ridiculous farce.

“You… what kind of person are you? Humans are so complicated…” Hody’s voice was so weak it was almost inaudible, his eyes filled with resentment and fear.

Bai Yu didn't answer him, but slightly increased the pressure under his feet. Hody let out a final painful groan, completely lost consciousness, and his body slumped to the ground. The enhancement effect of the drug gradually faded, and his figure returned to its original form, except that his face was as pale as paper and his breath was weak, like a candle flickering in the wind.

The square was deathly silent, save for the heavy breathing of the crowd and the flowing light and shadow of the Sun Tree Eve.

Queen Otohime stood there, looking at Hody lying on the ground, her eyes filled with heartache and helplessness, tears silently streaming down her face. She knew that Hody's tragedy was caused by hatred, and she had to continue on her journey, carrying the hopes of her people, to realize that dream of peace.

Artoria sheathed her holy sword and walked to Bai Yu's side, her golden eyes full of approval: "Well done, Bai Yu. Fortunately, you were there. You prevented this potential tragedy."

Bai Yu nodded slightly, withdrew his foot, and the crimson color of his Sharingan slowly faded, returning to its normal appearance.

He looked at the petition book that Queen Otohime was holding tightly in her arms on the high platform, then at the crowd in the square who were gradually calming down and whose eyes were filled with renewed hope, and said softly, "Peace is never something that can be achieved through compromise, but rather something that can be protected by strength. Before the emergence of top-tier powerhouses, Fishman Island will indeed need to compromise to gain benefits..."

Queen Otohime wiped away her tears, walked up to Shiraha, and bowed deeply once more. Her long golden hair cascaded down her back, and her voice was full of gratitude: "Shiraha-kun, thank you. Thank you for protecting our hope once again. I promise you that no matter how great the difficulties we encounter in the future, I will persevere and lead my people out of the deep sea, into the sunlight, and to achieve true peace and freedom."

King Neptune stepped forward, bowed deeply to Bai Yu, and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Bai Yu, we are deeply grateful. From now on, Fishman Island will be your friend. Whatever your needs, we will do our best to help you."

Bai Yu slightly raised his hand, gesturing for them to stand up, and then his gaze swept across the square again: "No need for formalities. Before I leave, I will take care of that ability user who threatened your daughter."

"Huh? There are other people besides Hody Jones??"

Neptune was instantly flustered.

Hody Jones's body had completely stopped moving, and his chest was no longer rising and falling.

The deathly silence in the square had not yet completely dissipated when King Neptune's exclamation shattered the tranquility.

He abruptly raised his head, his solemn expression instantly replaced by panic. His hands unconsciously clenched the hem of his clothes, his gaze fixed on Uchiha Shiraha, his voice filled with barely concealed anxiety: "Mr. Shiraha, you... what did you say? Someone else is threatening Shirahoshi? That's impossible! Hody has already been subdued by you. Within Fishman Island, besides him, who else would dare to lay a hand on my daughter?"

Princess White Star hid behind King Neptune. Her eyes, which had calmed down slightly after Hody's defeat, were now filled with fear again. Her slender fingers gripped her father's sleeve tightly, and her body trembled slightly.

The three princes also looked wary, their eyes scanning the square with suspicion, as if trying to find the hidden threat in the crowd.

Queen Otohime stopped wiping away her tears, her eyes filled with doubt and worry. She looked at Shiraha and asked softly, "Shiraha-kun, is what you're saying true? Hody is determined to overthrow my peace ideals and seek revenge. I always thought that the person who threatened Shirahoshi just now was him..."

Bai Yu slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over the panicked faces of the crowd. His expression remained calm, and he spoke softly to Neptune in a calm yet resolute tone: "Hody's target has never been White Star. His obsession is revenge, to overthrow your peace proposals, and to enslave humanity. To him, White Star is nothing more than a pawn to disturb your minds and restrain your power. The one who is truly threatening White Star with the anchor and trying to use her abilities to achieve his own goals is someone else."

"Shirahoshi's abilities? Someone else is involved?"

After a moment's thought, Neptune said, "Implement street control; everyone must leave this dangerous area."

After the unrelated people left, King Neptune's voice began to tremble. He took a step forward, grabbed Bai Yu's arm, and said urgently, "Mr. Bai Yu, please tell me, who is that person? Where is he? Bai Xing... she can't be hurt!"

"Don't worry, that person won't dare to make any rash moves for the time being."

Bai Yu gently withdrew his arm, his gaze fixed on a certain direction in the deep sea, activating his sensory abilities.

"His Observation Haki is quite impressive. He's been secretly observing Fishman Island from this distance. Hody Jones's chaos is exactly what he wants. He wants to reap the benefits while we and Hody are both exhausted before he kidnaps Shirahoshi. If Hody Jones hadn't made his move, he wouldn't be in such a hurry."

Upon hearing this, Artoria's golden eyes instantly sharpened, and the holy sword in her hand once again glowed with a faint golden light. Her aura became even more chilling. She looked at Bai Yu and said in a deep voice, "Bai Yu, let's go find him now. Bai Xing is so cute. We can't let him hurt Bai Xing, nor can we let him destroy the peace of Fishman Island."

"Ah."

Bai Yu nodded slightly: "We have the historian Robin, so we know about Princess Shirahoshi's special status. So, besides you, who else could possibly know about Shirahoshi's special status?"

“Vander Decken IX?!” King Neptune’s expression changed drastically, his eyes filled with shock and lingering fear.

"He's a descendant of Vander Decken, the mermaid who ate the Target-Target Fruit! I never expected he would have a legend about the Sea King passed down from his ancestors. Even though I sent people to drive him off Fish-Man Island, I never imagined he would stay so far away and secretly orchestrate all of this!"

Queen Otohime's face also turned pale. She remembered that when Shirahoshi activated her power, Vander Decken IX was indeed present. A chill ran down her spine: "So... so the anchor that inexplicably appeared near Shirahoshi's palace was really his doing. I thought it was Hody's men's doing. I was too careless."

"There's no time to lose. I'll go with Artoria to deal with him first. You guys stay here for now."

Without another word, Bai Yu flashed and headed towards the deep-sea undercurrents. His black robes fluttered gently in the water, and he moved so fast that he was left as a blur.

Upon seeing this, King Neptune immediately wanted to go with Shiraha, but was stopped by Queen Otohime.

"Your Majesty, you cannot go."

Queen Otohime grasped his hand, her eyes filled with determination: "You are the king of Fishman Island. You have just evacuated the people. Now you need to stay here to stabilize the people's hearts and appease them. Shiraha-kun and Miss Artoria are both strong. They will definitely be able to subdue Vander Decken. We will just wait for them to return here."

King Neptune looked at Queen Otohime's resolute eyes, then at the timid Shirahoshi behind him, and finally nodded heavily, saying in a deep voice, "Alright, I'll stay here."

After Neptune finished speaking, he looked in the direction where Shiraha had left and silently prayed, "Mr. Shiraha, Miss Artoria, please come back safely and protect Fishman Island!"

Bai Yu and Artoria had already disappeared into the deep sea, speeding towards the dark current area. Just as Bai Yu had said, the dark current area was dimly lit, with rapid currents and huge reefs scattered in the sea. Whirlpools spun constantly, making a whooshing sound, like a giant mouth ready to devour anything that approached.

Fortunately, the bubble suit that Bai Yu was wearing was of good quality.

"He's right ahead."

Bai Yu stopped and looked at a huge black reef not far away. Vander Decken IX's aura was cold and greedy, with a nauseating malice. Unlike Hody's violence, Vander Decken's aura was more sinister and cunning.

Artoria stopped, gripped the holy sword tightly, her golden eyes fixed on the black reef, and said in an icy tone, "Come out. We've found you. Stop hiding."

Artoria's voice echoed in the darkness, while the pressure of the holy sword caused the surrounding water to tremble slightly.

A moment later, a chilling laugh came from behind the rocks, followed by the slow emergence of a hunched, ugly man. His skin was a sickly yellow, his hair was disheveled, and a hat covered most of his face, revealing only a pair of sinister eyes filled with greed and madness.

He is Vander Decken, a user of the Target-Target Fruit, who can use any object as a target and throw it accurately, hitting the target no matter how far away.

"Hahaha... I didn't expect you guys to find out."

Vander Decken IX licked his lips, his gaze greedily sweeping over Artoria before settling on Bai Yu, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes.

“Uchiha Shiraha, Artoria… I never expected you two to interfere in the Fishman Island affair. That idiot Hody Jones actually chose to make his move at this time.”

"You secretly threatened Princess Shirahoshi with the anchor, coveting her abilities and wanting to use her to achieve your own ambitions. Today, we are here to deal with you."

The air pressure around Bai Yu decreased again, and a powerful sense of oppression swept towards Vander Deiken, causing Vander Deiken's body to tremble slightly.

Vander Decken's apprehension deepened, but it was quickly replaced by greed and madness. He pointed at Bai Yu and Artoria and said, "Take care of me? What do you know? I've been waiting for this day for many years. Bai Xing was born to be my wife!"

"Wishful thinking!" Artoria roared, her figure flashing as she charged towards Vander Decken, raising her holy sword high: "The good deserve protection."

The holy sword, accompanied by a whistling wind, slashed fiercely at Van der Deiken, with enough force to split the massive reef in two.

A flicker of panic crossed Vanderdeken's eyes. He quickly dodged to the side, simultaneously hurling an arrow at Artoria.

Artoria felt that this guy's combat power was too weak. She paused, turned around abruptly, and gently blocked with her holy sword.

The arrow was deflected by the holy sword and slammed heavily onto a reef, shattering it instantly and sending fragments flying.

"You've got some skills."

Van der Deiken used countless pebbles, debris, and cannonballs as targets, hurling them continuously at Bai Yu and Artoria.

"Since that's the case, then let me show you what I'm capable of!"

Countless debris and shells rained down like a storm, densely packed and obscuring the entire field of vision.

Bai Yu's eyes turned cold.

"Earth Release-Earth Flow Wall!"