Ken looked at the guards and sighed. His eyes squinted, and black lightning crackled around him. Within seconds, all the guards fell to the floor. The only people among the royal army who weren't affected were the three princes. Their eyes widened in shock as they saw the guards collapse without warning.

They could tell that Ken had done something, but they didn't know what. Luffy and the others didn't seem to care for the princes and were busy enjoying the banquet.

"Fukaboshi, you should know who we are. Your palace has our Jolly Roger," Ken said. This revelation caused the three princes to have a breakdown, and they fell to their knees, crying.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Please forgive me... Please, I beg you... Please save my sister," Fukaboshi and his brothers pleaded. Luffy didn't seem to care at all, which was understandable since they hadn't shown respect in the beginning.

Jinbe didn't know what to say, and Marco was disappointed with their actions. Just like the Straw Hats' Jolly Roger, the Whitebeard Jolly Roger was also with them. Trust between fishmen and humans was a rare thing, and suspicion had been the norm for a very long time.

"Please help us... We know that we made a mistake, but we didn't have any other options," the three brothers continued to implore. Jinbe sighed and looked at Luffy.

"Luffy-kun... Could you please help? Haachi has been kidnapped."

"Haachi... Hmm... I miss his takoyaki... Maybe I should save him," Luffy said, his eyes already turning into takoyaki again.

"Oi, you were just eating something and now you're dreaming of eating something else," Sanji shouted, and everyone laughed. Only the princes remained in a state of anxiety.

"If we save you, I'll take all your treasures," Nami stated her conditions since they had decided to help.

"Yes, yes... As long as you save our father and sister, we're ready to give away anything," Fukaboshi said. This brought a gleam to Nami's eyes. With that settled, everyone left for the palace. Within minutes, they arrived in the main hall where everyone had gathered, including the ministers. The King sat on the stairs leading to his throne, tears streaming down his face.

Around his neck, there was a thick collar with bulges on two sides.

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"Please, Jinbe-san... Straw Hat-san... Please help us," Fukaboshi pleaded. When the King saw the Straw Hats, he was taken aback and then became extremely angry.

"Fukaboshi, Ryuboshi, Manboshi... What did I tell you? Not to contact the Straw Hats... Do you even know how they protected our island? And you went on to bring them here. Get out," the King was furious and shouted for them to leave.

The princes once again fell to their knees and begged the King. Ken and the others were a bit confused about what was going on, but they understood from their pleading and the King's anger. After the King was fitted with the bomb collar and Shirahoshi was kidnapped, he had forbidden the princes from contacting the Straw Hats and asking them to come.

Because that was disrespectful. He started berating them and even told them that their rights of being the princes was now null and void.

"Neptune-sama, I think you need to calm down. At the end of the day, your sons were just worried about you and wanted to help in their way they could." JInbe said. But Nepune was angry and thus didn't hear a word.

Ken could tell that Neptune was really angry with what had happened and not faking to gain sympathy. Neptune came forward and even apologized to Luffy, who seemed to be fine.

"If Luffy here is able to free Shirahoshi and save you, will you give us the treasures?" Nami asked.

"You don't have to do anything. I am sorry for involving you all in this matter. We will handle it ourselves." Neptune said. Nami got angry and shouted.

"Just answer my question."

"Uh.. Yes.. You can take whatever you want and you don't need to do anything." Neptune had always known that the safety blanket they had was because of them and in fact at the evening they wanted to host a banquet for them but it was now in drains.

"Good Luffy, Zoro, Ken, Sanji beat him up." Nami shouted.

"Why should we?" Luffy, Zoro and Ken asked back.

"Haii.. Nami-swan.. I will do it." Sanji went against the three and said. Ace and Marco who had been there as a spectator could only shake their head. These guys were really crazy. Ken just sighed and approached Neptune.

Neptune was confused and asked.

"What do you want to do?"

"Freeing your from the collar." Ken said and placed his hands on the collar. His face went from casual to a serious one. His hand had already turned black and then with a small pressure the collar broke off. The ticking bomb suddenly started to tick louder and Ken just threw it out of the palace.

Before the collar could touch the ground it bursted. Ken had just used internal destruction and taken out the collar. Over the two years he had progressed a lot in his haki. Though his Armament haki wasn't as advanced as Observation haki, it had still reached Internal Destruction level and thus it was quite easy for him to take care of some bomb collar.

Neptune and Princes were dumbfounded seeing how easily Ken was able to get rid of the collar so easily.

"Your Haki has improved so much." Ace said when he saw Ken getting rid of the collar so easily.

"How far did you learn?" Ken asked and not bothered by the surprised expression of the people around. Even Jinbe was a bit surprised but was glad that they had become powerful.

"Enough to go back to Wano." Ace replied. This brought a smile on the face of Ken. Wano was their goal and they would need to go there one way or the other.