NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 198: This Is My Territory
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"What did you just say?!"
Hody Jones's laughter stopped abruptly. His glare turned vicious as he locked eyes with Uchiha Kitaro.
"I said," Kitaro repeated casually, "you're nothing more than a pitiful, pathetic frog stuck at the bottom of a well."
"You damn human!"
"Kill them all! Wipe them out!"
"Hody!"
Jinbe roared as he charged toward the attacking fish-men.
Neptune turned to Kitaro with urgency. "Lord Kitaro, you're our honored guest. I deeply regret that you've been dragged into this mess, but I beg you—please protect Shirahoshi!"
Kitaro smiled faintly. "You all seem to have forgotten something very important... Fish-Man Island is actually my territory."
The declaration sent ripples of surprise through everyone present.
Back when Whitebeard was alive, he had declared Fish-Man Island his domain, which deterred most pirates from causing trouble there. An attack on Fish-Man Island was equivalent to provoking Whitebeard himself—a risk few were willing to take.
Whitebeard had been a benefactor to the island, although he allowed it to remain largely autonomous under Neptune's rule.
When Kitaro inherited Whitebeard's legacy, this territory naturally came under his control. Like his predecessor, he maintained the island's autonomy, only requiring a minimal monthly tribute that was far less burdensome than the exorbitant "Heavenly Tribute" demanded by the World Government.
For the fish-men, this arrangement was akin to paying a small fee to use the "Uchiha Security Company" trademark. With the island being a critical gateway to the New World, the profits far outweighed the costs, and peace prevailed—as long as no one caused trouble.
Meanwhile, the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, joined the fray. Still fuming after learning about Fisher Tiger's tragic past, her anger burned like a tempest, and these attackers became the perfect outlet for her wrath.
"Perfume Femur!"
BOOM! CRACK!
Hancock's devastating kicks turned weapons and attackers alike into stone, which then shattered into pieces.
"AAAAAHHH!"
"Wh-What's going on?! Who is this woman?!"
"She kicked him, and he turned to stone!"
"She's a Devil Fruit user! She has some terrifying ability!"
Before the panicked fish-men could react, a blinding bolt of lightning suddenly struck from above.
BOOOOOOOM!
"AAAAHHHH!!"
"This is impossible! We're ten thousand meters underwater! How is there lightning?!"
"Hahaha! I knew it—going on a mission with Kitaro-nii always leads to something exciting!"
Shisui and Itachi arrived, riding sea beasts.
Kitaro rolled his eyes at Shisui. "Do you have to phrase it like that? It makes it sound like I'm the one causing trouble here. Clearly, these idiots started it."
"They're with him too! Kill them all!"
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Itachi breathed out a massive fireball that incinerated a group of attackers.
BOOM!
"AAAAHHH!"
"What the hell?! That guy can breathe fire!"
"Is he a Devil Fruit user too?!"
Shisui formed a hand seal, and a massive thunderbird materialized from his body, crackling with electricity.
"Thunderbird!"
The bird shot forward, electrocuting a line of enemies in its path.
"Thunder Beast!"
With another hand seal, a gigantic lightning beast charged across the battlefield, leaving behind a trail of scorched fish-men.
"Bring in the sea beasts! Take him down!"
The attackers unleashed a swarm of ferocious sea beasts, aiming them at Shisui.
"Thunder Dragon!"
A colossal lightning dragon erupted, tearing through the sea beasts and their handlers alike.
"ROOOAAARRR!"
"AAAHHHH!"
The battlefield filled with the agonized cries of enemies and the dying roars of sea beasts.
"Unbelievable! That's the captain of the First Division of the Uchiha Security Company?"
The three Neptune brothers were awestruck as they watched Shisui's overwhelming power. The fish-men pirates were utterly powerless against him, falling like blades of grass before a scythe. They had heard tales of Shisui's terrifying strength, but witnessing it firsthand was another matter entirely.
"Take out that kid instead!"
Realizing Shisui was too strong, the remaining fish-men turned their attention to Itachi.
Itachi unsheathed his Nichirin Blade—a weapon Kitaro had specifically brought from the world of Demon Slayer. Crafted with centuries of refinement, its quality rivaled the Supreme Grade Blades of the One Piece world.
"Flame Breathing: First Form—Unknowing Fire!"
With a single slash, Itachi unleashed a blazing arc of flames that tore through the attackers.
In this world, combining the sword techniques of Demon Slayer with Haki created unparalleled results.
"AAAHHHH!"
Hody Jones's face twisted as he watched his forces crumble under the might of Shisui, Itachi, and Hancock. These humans were nothing like the weak pirates he had encountered before. Their power was on a completely different level.
"Hody!"
Jinbe's shout jolted Hody back to reality.
Jinbe glared at him, his voice grave. "Hody, do you know why Fish-Man Island has enjoyed peace for so long? It's because pirates fear the might of the Uchiha Security Company.
"That man before you is Uchiha Kitaro—the president of the company and the one who inherited Whitebeard's title as the World's Strongest Man.
"You've lived your whole life on Fish-Man Island, thinking humans are weak because their strength pales compared to ours. But that's only true for ordinary humans.
"Truly powerful humans are a hundred, a thousand times stronger than us.
"You think we fish-men stay in the depths because we want to? No! It's because the world above is too strong for us!
"Uchiha Kitaro is right—you're nothing but a frog in a well. A pitiful creature stuck ten thousand meters beneath the sea!"
"SHUT UP!"
Hody roared in frustration, his face contorted with rage and humiliation.
"Kill him! Kill them all!"
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