Two days had passed.
"Captain… nothing happened to him, right?"
Leone stood near the bow, her brows furrowed in concern. "It's been two days. The fog's finally started to clear… but why hasn't Captain Ryuunosuke co back up yet?"
Clutching her imperial weapon, she tried to sense his aura—anything that could confirm he was still down there. But there was nothing. Not a trace.
Aka, standing beside her, crossed her arms. "Leone, you don't know Brother Ryuunosuke like I do. If he hasn't surfaced yet, it just ans he's found sothing important down there."
Her tone was confident, but her eyes betrayed her anxiety. She was worried too—just trying harder not to show it.
Leone raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint flashing across her face. "Aka… you like the Captain, don't you?"
"W-What?" Aka blinked rapidly, flustered. "Of course I do! I an—it's not a big deal, right? It's totally normal to like soone like him!"
"I'm not talkin' about admiration or hero-worship, kid," Leone said, walking up behind her and whispering in her ear. "I'm talkin' about the kind of love between a man and a woman."
Aka's face went bright red. "Th-That kind of…?"
Her hands flew to her chest, eyes wide. "Is that really what I'm feeling?"
"Hah! You're so easy to tease," Leone chuckled, ruffling Aka's hair.
"Actually," Mine chid in, not missing a beat, "I think love's always kinda sneaky. Like that idiot Tatsumi. I don't even know what I like about him, but here we are!"
"Oi!" Tatsumi scratched his head awkwardly from the side. "Can you not throw under the bus like that?"
Before the banter could continue, a calm voice spoke from behind them.
"The fog's completely gone now."
It was Nojiko. Standing beside her were Kobayashi and Rem, who nodded in agreent.
"The barrier's broken. They're free now."
"No more sorrow."
Their synchronized words made everyone turn to the front of the ship.
In an instant, Nojiko dashed forward and took control of the helm of the Ship of Gods. With practiced ease, she adjusted the direction, heading toward a location marked on their map.
Soon, in the distance, a tall figure appeared—standing not on the water, but on sothing else.
As they drew closer, they realized the truth.
Ryuunosuke was standing atop the head of a massive sea creature—none other than a deep-sea mirage whale, its enormous body barely visible beneath the waves.
"You're late," Ryuunosuke said with a small smile, his cloak billowing in the sea breeze. "Nojiko, full speed ahead. If the winds are with us, we'll reach the Valley of the Gods by nightfall."
He crouched down, patting the whale's head gently. "You all did well. But it's ti to return to the depths. This world… isn't yours anymore."
The mirage whale let out a soft cry of gratitude, then slowly turned and disappeared beneath the waves. One by one, twelve more followed suit—thirteen in total, each one massive and ancient, now freed from whatever force had bound them.
"T-That many were tied up here?" Mine gasped. "What kind of place is this?"
Ryuunosuke stepped back onto the Ship of Gods.
"The World Governnt must place extre importance on this area," he said, brushing the water off his coat. "To imprison thirteen mirage whales… that's not sothing done on a whim."
Rem approached him. "Captain, before they left, the whales said sothing… I couldn't fully understand it, but I think it was: 'Under the Red Earth Continent.'"
"The Red Earth Continent…" Ryuunosuke muttered, his expression darkening with thought.
He stared out toward the distant red strip that split the ocean in two like a scar. The Red Line Continent—an unnatural landmass that divided the Grand Line, ho to the Holy Land of Marijoa and, according to legend, many long-lost races.
But what was beneath it?
"There's soone who might know," Ryuunosuke murmured. He reached into his coat and pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
Sowhere on News Island, in a room cluttered with papers, newspapers, and surveillance photos, Big News Morgans was still hard at work.
Yes—still on News Island.
Because, as any cunning survivor knew: the most dangerous place was often the safest.
No one would expect the world's most infamous journalist to stay put in the eye of the storm.
Riiiiing...
The Den Den Mushi on his desk chirped to life. Morgans glanced at the na.
"Captain Ryuunosuke?"
He picked it up, curious. "Don't you have better things to do than bother a humble newsman like ?"
"Cut the nonsense," Ryuunosuke's voice ca through, serious. "I need every scrap of intel you've got on the Red Line. Na your price."
Morgans blinked, then leaned back in his chair, intrigued. "What's got you interested in that old relic?"
Ryuunosuke didn't hesitate. "One of the Sea Kings spoke to . Said to pay attention to what's underneath it."
Silence.
Even the Den Den Mushi blinked, stunned.
Morgans' heart skipped a beat.
Did he just say… the Sea Kings spoke to him?
That could only an one thing. The Voice of All Things?
The journalist didn't ask directly. He just scribbled the theory into his notebook.
"Well, well," Morgans chuckled, recovering. "Now I'm even more curious. Fine. I'll send a News Bird your way with everything I've got."
"Appreciated," Ryuunosuke said. "But be warned. I'm not the only one poking around the Red Line."
Before Morgans could respond, a loud ringing interrupted him.
Another Den Den Mushi buzzed to life.
World Governnt line...
"Tch," Morgans clicked his tongue. "Guess that's my cue. Let's talk again soon, Captain."
The call ended.
Morgans stared at the two Den Den Mushi—one from a pirate, the other from the most powerful political machine in the world.
He let out a low whistle.
Just when he thought he'd seen it all.
"Ryuunosuke…" he muttered. "What the hell are you?"
He pulled out a thick leather-bound notebook, flipping to the pages labeled Dragon Hunter Pirates – Profiles.
Each page was packed with information—nas, abilities, bounties, backgrounds. But even this book felt… incomplete.
New mbers appeared every few weeks. Power levels surged beyond prediction. And none of the records from the World Governnt matched what he'd seen with his own eyes.
Check my Pâtreon for (40) advanced chapters
Pâtreon /Fanficlord03
Change (â) to (a)
Reviews
All reviews (0)