Deep beneath the sea at ten thousand ters, the sapphire-like Fish-Man Island.
Inside the luxurious Ryugu Palace, the Fish-Man King, Neptune the Knight of the Sea, paced anxiously, his massive tail sweeping all the dust clean from the floor.
Thump, thump, thump.
A series of hurried footsteps ca from outside the door, and soon he saw his three sons, followed by a blue-skinned giant.
"King Neptune, what's happened?"
Who else could it be but Jinbei?
Since returning to Fish-Man Island, he had been working to reform the Fish-Man District.
That place was once the birthplace of all Fish-n, and in the eyes of so stubborn Fish-n, the Fish-Man District was equivalent to the Ryugu Palace.
It was precisely by stirring up the emotions of the common Fish-n in the Fish-Man District that Hody Jones had once managed to incite a rebellion of a hundred thousand Fish-n.
At any ti, those living in hardship are more likely to stir waves of rebellion than the wealthy.
Although the Fish-Man District, abandoned by Neptune, saw so improvent during the Straw Hat crew's rescue of Fish-Man Island, the generational gap and prejudice between its inhabitants and the royal family remained unavoidable.
Thus, Jinbei—once the boss of Fish-Man District and now the powerful captain of the Ryugu Palace guard—beca the bridge connecting both sides.
He had just been busy helping the starfish Pappag resolve a dispute at his shop when Prince Fukaboshi found him, saying King Neptune urgently needed him.
As soon as Jinbe entered the main hall, he saw the anxiety on King Neptune's face.
Neptune directly reached out with his large hand and grabbed Jinbe.
"It's bad, Jinbei. Shirahoshi is having another episode. And it's much worse than last ti. Co quickly and see."
As he spoke, Neptune strode swiftly toward Shirahoshi's residence.
A mont later, the group arrived at Shirahoshi's dwelling.
In the room, Shirahoshi, with her beautiful pink tail, wore an expression of intense pain.
She was clutching her forehead, trying to bang her head against the wall.
Fortunately, her pet shark was protecting her, using its soft belly to block the impact.
The shark was knocked cross-eyed by Shirahoshi's head, thudding loudly against the wall.
"Shirahoshi! My precious daughter!"
Neptune's tears imdiately poured down like a waterfall upon seeing this.
Fukaboshi and Shirahoshi's other brothers rushed to her bedside, watching their suffering sister with tense expressions.
"Sister, what's wrong?"
Jinbei frowned deeply, watching Shirahoshi's condition and recalling what Rayleigh and the others had discussed during their last visit.
Just the thought that Shirahoshi's illness might be connected to that monster made Jinbei's heart twist painfully.
Shirahoshi let out a weak moan and slowly opened her large, crystal-like eyes.
Her beautiful, translucent eyes were filled with mist and tears, her pitiful and delicate appearance evoking a strong desire to protect her.
"Father, brothers, the voice in my head is growing louder and clearer. I can feel it calling to ."
Shirahoshi's words caused Jinbei's expression to change drastically.
It reminded him of what Rayleigh and Gaban had discussed last ti.
When Shirahoshi's condition improved and the unknown voice in her head weakened, it ant the being connected to her was moving farther away.
But once her condition worsened and the voice grew stronger, it indicated that the other party was getting closer!
According to Rayleigh and Gaban's speculation, the being connected to Shirahoshi was highly likely to be Caesar!
Just as Jinbei was about to share his suspicions with Neptune, Shirahoshi suddenly sat up, her massive body even knocking her brothers flying.
"Shirahoshi!" Neptune exclaid in shock.
But his precious daughter's eyes were vacant, and her seemingly delicate body now radiated an unfamiliar, imposing majesty!
Shirahoshi swung her large pink tail and charged straight out of the room, swimming away!
"Sister!" Prince Fukaboshi and the others hurriedly chased after Shirahoshi.
But after a short pursuit, their faces gradually filled with horror.
Neptune was equally horrified.
Because they realized Shirahoshi's speed was unprecedentedly swift!
Among the few, only Jinbei could barely keep up from afar, taking large strides as he chased after Shirahoshi's rapidly receding figure!
"I sense an unprecedented majesty emanating from Shirahoshi! That aura feels just like when I saw those super-giant sea kings before—vast and boundless as the ocean!"
While picking up a Den Den Mushi to notify the military forces across Fish-Man Island, Neptune recalled the greatest monarch in Fish-Man history.
The underwater sovereign who, according to legend, once ruled over vast territories on land eight hundred years ago.
Poseidon!
And according to the Fish-Man Island's Poneglyphs, Sea King Poseidon had made so promise with the liberation warrior Joy Boy.
Actually, Neptune hadn't voiced his suspicions to Rayleigh last ti.
He believed the mysterious giant voice echoing in Shirahoshi's mind might be the drumming of Joy Boy's Liberation Drum, not necessarily what Rayleigh and the others speculated—sothing related to Caesar.
But none of that mattered now.
Because Shirahoshi had already charged out, and without needing deep thought, Neptune knew she was definitely heading toward the source of that summoning voice!
"Whether it's Joy Boy or so Beast God Caesar, we'll find out soon enough."
Imdiately, Neptune learned the direction Shirahoshi was heading through the guard forces outside Fish-Man Island.
That was... the direction where those super-giant sea kings had dragged the massive ship Noah away!
Suddenly, the entire Fish-Man Island darkened. The sunlight shining down from the sea surface above disappeared, as if blocked by dark clouds.
"What's happening? Did night fall?"
Fish-n across Fish-Man Island erged from their hos one after another, looking up at the now gloomy, pitch-black sky above.
When their gazes reached upward, an icy chill seeped from their very bones, flooding everyone's hearts!
"What... what is that? Could it be the Noah?"
The takoyaki in Hatchan's hands fell to the ground with a splat as he stared dumbfounded, his mouth agape at the sky above.
The rmaid Caimi was so frightened she imdiately hid in Hatchan's embrace, burying her head against his chest and trembling.
"If Noah crashes down, Fish-Man Island will be destroyed! Hatchan, let's run away!"
Hatchan's gaze was dazed, his pupils gradually reflecting an imnse black shadow—so vast it seed like an entire continent, with no visible edges in length or width.
The volu of that shadow was countless tis larger than the massive Noah, completely surpassing Fish-Man Island's size by imasurable degrees!
When the oppressive, wall-like black shadow descended over Fish-Man Island, illuminated by the island's pearl-like glow, everyone collapsed to the ground, their minds roaring, rendered completely speechless!
"That's not Noah at all!"
"That's... a sea king!"
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