#432 - Chapter 432 The Right to Stand in the Sun

The Den Den Mushi's eye flashed, broadcasting Jin's image and voice to every corner of Fish-Man Island.

On the giant screens, his figure appeared as steady as a mountain, his voice clear and strong, resonating throughout the entire island.

In the streets, shops, docks, and even the most remote corners of Fish-Man Island, millions of residents stopped what they were doing, looking up at the screen at that human admiral they had only ever considered a stranger, distant figure.

At first, whispers rippled through the crowd, many filled with caution and even hostility towards this human.

But as his words reached their ears, sentence by sentence, the flames of hatred and mistrust gradually subsided.

Jin's tone wasn't harsh, yet each of his words struck like a heavy hammer, directly hitting the hidden pain in the hearts of the Fish-Men.

He didn't try to avoid the historical divide between Fish-Man Island and humans, but instead acknowledged the existence of these problems.

On a bustling street, an elderly Fish-Man sighed softly, looking at Jin on the screen with a complicated expression.

His face was etched with the marks of time, clearly indicating he had lived through those dark days.

"Perhaps, this human admiral is… different from the humans we've encountered before," he muttered to himself.

Nearby, a young Fish-Man stopped, his eyes glued to the screen.

He clenched his fist, his face showing hesitation and wavering.

Hatred, something deeply rooted in his heart, was now being challenged by Jin's words, causing him to reflect.

He had never seen a human willing to stand before Fish-Man Island, directly confronting this massive conflict, instead of choosing to escape or ignore it.

"Is this human really different from those who brought us pain?"

He looked at the screen, his tone tinged with doubt.

In the most crowded marketplace on Fish-Man Island, a group of Fish-Men gathered, their eyes fixed on the screen.

Jin's figure was no longer just a human wearing a Marine admiral's coat, imposing and distant, but someone truly standing up to face them.

As Jin's words became more profound, his image slowly transformed from cold and aloof to vivid and real.

He was no longer just a symbol of authority on the screen, but a being of flesh and blood.

"He's right, hatred will only hold us back."

"Princess Otohime always said we should coexist with humans, but no human has ever stepped forward like him."

Further away, deep in Fish-Man District, a little girl hugged her doll, sitting in a dark corner.

Her eyes peered through a half-open window, watching the screen outside.

She had grown up hearing about the horrors of humans, her parents telling her not to trust them.

But at this moment, the human on the screen, with a gentle expression and firm tone, seemed to possess an invisible power, gradually dispelling the fear in her heart.

"Mommy, will… will he hurt us?" the little girl asked softly, her eyes filled with innocent confusion.

Her mother was silent for a moment, a complicated look flashing in her eyes, then she shook her head: "I don't know, but we are just onlookers... perhaps he will... perhaps he won't, but let's hope he won't."

Residents all over Fish-Man Island were silently watching Jin at this moment, with hesitation, confusion, but more so, a hint of hope.

Jin's figure in their hearts gradually transformed from a distant, untouchable symbol into something tangible, vivid, and real.

"Admiral Jin," a middle-aged Fish-Man sighed softly, standing in front of a shop, gazing at the clear face on the screen, "perhaps he really wants to bring us peace."

Jin in the picture still maintained that composure and calmness, each of his words striking directly at people's hearts: "The future of Fish-Man Island will ultimately belong to you, but we must all strive to make that future bright, not by dwelling in the hatred of the past, but by fighting for new hope."

His voice echoed throughout Fish-Man Island, like a gentle but firm tide, gradually smoothing the sea that had been disturbed by hatred.

Millions of eyes were watching him, that powerful but unfamiliar figure, now becoming more real and trustworthy before them.

Jin stood before the Den Den Mushi's lens, his eyes calm and deep, as if he could see through people's hearts.

His voice, though not loud, carried a steady power that inspired trust, allowing everyone watching to feel the sincerity within.

However, he also knew that the seeds of hatred had been deeply planted in the soil of Fish-Man Island, and a few words were not enough to uproot them.

"Of course, I know that hatred is not easy to let go of," Jin paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the palace, as if he were staring at every hostile Fish-Man resident, "In fact, you don't even need to let it go right now."

His words were like the currents of the deep sea, slowly seeping into those guarded hearts.

Before the screen, some Fish-Men frowned; their hatred was deeply rooted, and Jin's words seemed to give their anger a space to vent.

"You can't let go either," Jin continued, his voice carrying a slightly somber echo, "Because the harm you suffered was real. You were harmed by pirates, by those brutal human traffickers who treated you as merchandise."

With each sentence he spoke, he seemed to tear open the defense line built by hatred, exposing the pain to the sunlight.

There is no reason or qualification for later generations to forgive on behalf of their predecessors and those who have been hurt.

Before the screen, several Fish-Men couldn't help but clench their fists, their eyes flashing with sparks of anger.

Their families, friends, and even the entire history of Fish-Man Island, were deeply scarred by the disasters brought by these humans.

Jin did not shy away from these facts; his tone was firm, as if promising them that he not only saw these hatreds, but even understood their existence.

"But," Jin's tone suddenly became gentler, like a soft breeze blowing across the sea, "what's most important now is not to continue dwelling on the pain of the past, but to achieve a greater goal—the future of Fish-Man Island."

He raised his head, as if looking through the screen at the blue sky, "If we can get you out of this seabed and into the sunlight, that will be the real victory."

Whispers rippled through the crowd, and some Fish-Men began to waver in their hearts.

They knew that Princess Otohime had been fighting for this goal, but her ideals had been shattered time and time again by hatred and violence.

And now, this human admiral stood here, acknowledging the existence of hatred, while also painting a broader future for them.

Jin continued: "When you go to the surface and enter that sunlight that truly belongs to you, you can naturally deal with those ill-intentioned humans. You can even seek help from the Marines."

This sentence was like a stone thrown into the ocean of Fish-Man Island, stirring up ripples.

Some Fish-Men began to discuss in low voices, while more looked up at the screen, a distant hope beginning to emerge in their hearts.

Help from humans?

They had always regarded the Marines as enemies, but now, the Jin before them seemed to break their inherent perception of the Marines.

"Of course," Jin's voice returned to its previous steadiness, "There may not be many people willing to help you. There may only be a few who truly understand your situation."

His words were honest and direct, without any false promises.

However, it was this honesty that caused the stubborn defense line in the hearts of the Fish-Man Island residents to waver slightly.

They knew that in this chaotic world, there were very few people willing to speak out for Fish-Man Island.

Jin was one of them, and this support from the minority might be enough for them to take the first step.

A young Fish-Man stood in the crowd, raising his head, a firm light flashing in his eyes. He said softly to the person next to him: "He might be right. We can't stay on this seabed forever. We have the power and the right to stand in the sunlight."

Many Fish-Men were silent for a moment, then nodded.

The light of the Den Den Mushi was still flashing, Jin's figure echoing throughout Fish-Man Island, leaving a deep impression on everyone.

Hatred was indeed difficult to let go of, but at least, for a moment, they began to realize that perhaps there was another possibility waiting for them ahead.