One Piece: Take the Uchiha Clan to the Grand Line

Chapter 196: The Real Culprit



-----

"Lord Kitaro... Are you saying..."

Neptune and the others froze, their expressions shifting drastically.

"You all never really thought this through because of your hatred for human pirates and slavers, and the grief over Queen Otohime's death," Kitaro said calmly.

"But there are glaring flaws in the whole story. Why would a mere human pirate burn the box of agreements?"

"What reason would they have to shoot Queen Otohime, knowing full well it would mean certain death for them?"

Kitaro leaned back and sipped his drink. "Think about it. Did you ever hear this so-called culprit admit they killed the queen?"

The room fell silent. Neptune, Jinbei, and the others avoided each other's gazes.

"No, right?" Kitaro continued. "Even if they had denied it, in your rage, you wouldn't have believed them. But let me tell you something: pirates are greedy creatures. They don't act without reason. "

"Killing Otohime wouldn't have benefited them in any way. The real culprit is far more likely someone from Fishman Island itself."

"What?!" The outburst came in unison.

"Queen Otohime sacrificed so much for the good of everyone—why would anyone here do such a thing?" Neptune exclaimed, his voice trembling.

Kitaro set his cup down, his expression unchanging. "It's simple. Fisher Tiger is a hero to many on this island. People idolize him. And when he died, rumors spread that it was because humans refused to give him a blood transfusion. His death sparked a hatred for humans that runs deep among some of your people.

"Now imagine those people watching Otohime advocating for peace with humans. To them, it might've felt like betrayal. Hatred drives people to do unimaginable things. And I'd bet anything the culprit thought they were protecting Fisher Tiger's legacy."

A heavy silence hung in the air.

"I'll be honest," Kitaro added. "I've already got a pretty good idea who it is."

"Who?!" Neptune, Jinbei, and the others all turned toward him, their faces burning with righteous fury.

"Think back, Jinbei," Kitaro said, his gaze piercing. "You said you tried to stop the news from spreading. Who was it that deliberately spread the story despite your efforts?"

Jinbei's eyes widened as realization struck. "Hody Jones!"

He roared the name in anger, his voice shaking the walls. "That bastard! He's been attacking pirate ships all these years, and I thought— Damn it! Kitaro-sama, I have to confirm this with my own eyes!"

---

Fishman District

Once a shelter for orphans, this area had devolved into a haven for criminals, thanks to years of mismanagement.

"Boss! Did you hear? That so-called 'strongest man in the world,' Emperor Uchiha Kitaro, has arrived on Fishman Island!"

Hody Jones sneered. "Heh. Humans and their ridiculous hype. 'Strongest man in the world,' 'Heavenly Emperor'—what a joke."

His gang laughed nervously as Hody continued, "We Fishmen are born ten times stronger than humans. And with just one dose of E.S., our strength doubles. That's twenty times their power!"

"Two pills double it again!" he bellowed. "The cost? A shorter lifespan. But who cares? Fisher Tiger's sacrifice, Arlong's will, the dark history of Fishman oppression—all of it ends with us, the New Fishman Pirates!"

Suddenly, a loud crash shook the room.

"Who dares mess with the New Fishman Pirates?!" Hody roared as one of his men was thrown through the door, landing in a heap on the ground.

Outside, a voice thundered, "HODY JONES! GET OUT HERE!"

Hody's eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a menacing grin. He stepped forward, his arrogance on full display. "Well, well, if it isn't Jinbei. Been a while, hasn't it? What brings you here, big brother? Did my crew offend you somehow?"

Jinbei wasted no time. "Hody! Answer me! Who killed Queen Otohime?!"

Hody blinked, then smirked. "Why ask me that? Everyone knows it was a human! Or are you suddenly trusting their lies over your own people, big brother?"

"Enough games! Tell me the truth!" Jinbei demanded.

Hody's eyes flashed with mock hurt. "The truth? I already told you. Humans killed her. Have you been brainwashed by that outsider?" His gaze briefly flicked to Kitaro.

"I thought we were brothers, Jinbei. You'd take the word of some human over mine? Shameful."

Jinbei hesitated, doubt creeping in.

Kitaro's voice cut through the tension. "You won't get the truth by asking like this. He'd never admit it. Not unless he's a complete fool."

Hody seized the moment. "See? Even he knows I'm innocent! Jinbei, you're embarrassing yourself!"

But Kitaro's smile didn't waver. "Innocent? Hardly. If I was only suspicious before, I'm now completely certain—you're the one who killed Queen Otohime."

"What?!" Neptune and his family, who had followed Jinbei, gasped in horror. Even Jinbei turned back to Hody with renewed suspicion.

Hody sneered. "That's a bold claim. Got any proof?"

"I don't," Kitaro admitted, his tone casual. "But you do."

Before Hody could respond, Kitaro's eyes morphed into the red, spinning Sharingan. In an instant, Hody was caught in a genjutsu, his body frozen in place.

"Who killed Queen Otohime?" Kitaro asked coldly.

Hody's mouth moved, his voice distant and hollow. "It was me."

The confession hung in the air like a thunderclap.

Neptune and his sons paled, their faces a mixture of shock and rage. Jinbei clenched his fists, his fury barely contained.

"No... this..." Shirahoshi whispered, her hands trembling as tears streamed down her face. "Why...?"

.

.

.

 


Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.