This room was ten times larger than a normal one, with all decorations and utensils scaled to match its immense size. At the center of this enormous space lay a gigantic bed, where a beautiful mermaid slept soundly, her gentle breathing filling the room.
"Umm..."
The mermaid, who rivaled even Boa Hancock in beauty, was eleven meters long. Her enormous fish tail swayed gracefully, creating a mesmerizing arc. Her stunning figure exuded an ethereal charm, and her slightly furrowed brows added a touch of tenderness to her intoxicatingly beautiful face.
Slowly, she opened her bright blue eyes, tears glistening at the corners. This was Shirahoshi, the mermaid princess who harbored the power of Poseidon, one of the Ancient Weapons.
"M-my body..."
Tears filled Shirahoshi's eyes as she looked at her hands, confusion written all over her pretty face. An unfamiliar yet strangely familiar power was emerging within her. This sensation, which she couldn't comprehend, left her trembling.
Timid and prone to tears, Shirahoshi curled up, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Shark Shark!"
At that moment, a huge shark with a bubble like a swimming ring around its body swam over, using the bubble's buoyancy to float.
"..." Seeing her only confidant, Megalo, Shirahoshi couldn't help but hug the shark, sobbing into his side. The mysterious power within her was overwhelming, and she didn't know how to articulate her feelings. Hugging Megalo, she let her tears flow.
"Shark Shark."
Megalo, sensing Shirahoshi's distress, raised his fins in a comforting gesture. Shirahoshi, who had always been gentle and kind despite her hardships, had witnessed her mother's assassination and endured Vander Decken IX's relentless pursuit. These traumas had left her timid and prone to tears.
Despite her suffering, Shirahoshi remained kind-hearted. As Megalo tried to cheer her up, making funny noises, Shirahoshi managed a small, grateful smile. But there was a touch of awe and yearning in Megalo's eyes as he looked at her, a natural reaction to the awakening Poseidons power within her.
Megalo tried to hide his reaction, not wanting to add to Shirahoshi's unease. "Thank you, Megalo. I'm feeling much better," she said after a while, releasing the shark. As she looked at Megalo's comical expression, she couldn't help but laugh softly.
Her smile was so beautiful that it left Megalo momentarily stunned.
"Boom! Boom!!!"
A tremendous roar echoed outside the hard-shell tower, jolting Shirahoshi, who had been under constant threat from Vander Deken IX's Target Fruit for years. The sudden noise filled her with dread.
"What is it this time?!"
Tears welled up in Shirahoshi's beautiful eyes as she curled up, her heart pounding with fear. Vander Deken IX's attacks usually involved weapons like knives and axes, but this roar was unlike anything she'd ever heard. It was far more intense and terrifying, causing her anxiety to spike.
"Shark Shark!"
Sensing Shirahoshi's fear and hearing the deafening roar, Megalo swam protectively in front of her. The determination on the shark's face was clear despite his own apprehension.
"Boom!"
In the next moment, a massive explosion shattered the enormous, solid door of the hard-shell tower. Smoke and dust filled the room instantly.
"The door... the door is broken," Shirahoshi whispered, biting her red lips. Despite her overwhelming fear, which caused tears to spill from her eyes, she managed to control her trembling body and slowly stood upright.
"If I must face death, then let me die standing, like my mother," she thought, her resolve hardening. Even as fear gripped her, Shirahoshi chose to confront whatever threat lay beyond the broken door with courage, standing tall in the face of danger.
"Hahahaha! That electromagnetic gun sure is fast!"
A loud, hearty laugh emanated from the smoke. The unfamiliar yet vaguely familiar laughter left Shirahoshi stunned. This wasn't one of Vander Deken IX's weapons. And why did this voice seem so familiar?
"Ace! You reckless idiot! Are you trying to kill us?! We're 10,000 meters deep! That electromagnetic gun blasted through the coating! If the coating hadn't been able to repair itself, we would have perished in the sea! I thought we were really going to die! I... I will fight you, Ace!"
With tears in her eyes, Nami jumped onto Ace's back, opened her red lips slightly, and bit down on his neck. Ever since she boarded Ace's ship, each new destination brought thrilling, heart-pounding moments. This time was no different. The Merry, fitted with a unique railgun powered by Nami's Thunder Fruit ability and advanced shipbuilding technology, accelerated at a speed close to lightning.
Though Nami herself was a Thunder Fruit user, the experience of speeding through the depths of the sea still made her heart race. Nami, clutching Ace tightly, felt the exhilarating fear wash over her. The other girls, with shaky legs and teary eyes, shared similar sentiments. Being part of Ace's crew was always an adventure, and landing often felt like being reborn.
"Hahaha, sorry, sorry," Ace chuckled, his laughter insincere yet infectious.
Nami's desperation grew. Ace never seemed to learn, always plunging them into these wild stunts.
"My old bones are almost broken apart," Rayleigh said, rubbing his hair with a wry smile. Roger used to love exaggerated landing adventures, but Ace had taken it to a whole new level. Flying at near-lightning speeds 10,000 meters under the sea was something only Ace, with his understanding field and Merry's control, could manage. Ordinary ships would have disintegrated at such speed. Even the Dark King, Silver Rayleigh, found it a bit much.
"A-Ace..."
Unlike the others, Ain, whose powers were sapped by Perona's Spirit Fruit ability, was almost fainting. She collapsed to the ground, her eyes wide with horror. Perona's negative ghosts, enhanced by Ace's understanding field, rendered Ain's powers completely negative, unable to exert any strength. This meant no Devil Fruit abilities, no Haki, not even physical strength—everything was nullified. In such a state, surviving the thrill ride was a miracle.
"I... I survived," Zephyr gasped, taking two strong puffs from his Asthma Pump, cold sweat glistening on his forehead. Ace, now a figure above the Four Emperors, still acted with reckless abandon. Should he be called a lunatic or a man who stayed true to his heart? Zephyr couldn't help but admire Ace's refusal to be bound by status, his unchanging style.
Zephyr looked at Ace, his expression a mix of silence and a meaningful smile. "Just let me see how far you can go."
"You, you are..."
A sweet, soft voice drew everyone's attention. The excitement of Ace's arrival had temporarily disrupted their Observation Haki. As the smoke gradually dissipated, the scene before them became clear.
"Human... mermaid princess!"
Vivi exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.
"So beautiful, and... so big!"
Kaya covered her red lips in shock as she looked at Shirahoshi. The legendary mermaid princess was indeed as stunning as Hancock.
"Is she the legendary mermaid princess who's as beautiful as I am?"
Hancock's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she appraised Shirahoshi. She coughed and adopted a cool demeanor, masking her awe at Shirahoshi's majestic form.
"The mermaid princess has indeed been born."
Rayleigh observed Shirahoshi with a wistful expression. When the Roger Pirates last visited, she had not yet been born. Fate had played a strange joke on them. But now, having joined the Entei Pirates, he was here to witness her, the mermaid princess, grown and the power of Poseidon within her awakening due to Ace's influence. This era truly belonged to Ace.
"You, you are, Mr. Ace, Lord Ace?!!!"
Shirahoshi's voice trembled as she recognized Ace. The smoke had cleared, revealing the faces of her unexpected visitors. Seeing Ace, she grew emotional and exclaimed.
"Why?!"
The girls were taken aback by Shirahoshi's reaction.
"Princess Mermaid, do you know Ace?" Nami asked, surprised.
"Yes! I saw the world live broadcast in my room. Lord Ace saved our companions. Father said that because Mr. Ace declared before the entire world that the World Government wouldn't judge slave traders, he would. Since Ace hosted the trial and execution, no one dares to harm our companions anymore. Lord Jinbei also said that Lord Ace is a great man. I admire you very much, Ace-sama."
Shirahoshi's nervousness was palpable, but she spoke her truth. During the Entei Incident, Ace had encountered the illegal trade of mermaids by the Celestial Dragons. After rescuing them and publicly declaring his judgment, bounty hunters and pirates were terrified. The Fish-Man Island, despite being under Whitebeard's protection, had always been at risk. However, Ace's actions changed everything. His trial and execution of the Celestial Dragons sent a clear message: offend the Four Emperors, and there's a chance of survival; offend the Flame Emperor, and death is inevitable.
"I see."
The girls listened patiently to Shirahoshi's story, understanding the full scope. They smiled with joy. Under Ace's leadership, the Entei Pirates had saved many mermaids from the horrors of capture. They remembered their anger at the Celestial Dragons in the Sabaody Archipelago and felt relief and pride at being able to help the mermaids.
Ace, too, smiled at Shirahoshi's words. Just as he was about to speak, a sudden whistling sound filled the air.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Suddenly, bursts of whistling sounds echoed through the air. An array of knives, axes, and other weapons seemed to be propelled by a mysterious force, flying rapidly through the atmosphere. Their target was clear: the mermaid princess, Shirahoshi.
"Shark Shark!"
Shark Megalo looked anxiously at the incoming barrage of weapons. The hard-shell tower was designed to shield Shirahoshi from such attacks. These weapons, driven by Vander Dekken IX's Target Fruit ability, could strike Shirahoshi with incredible speed, regardless of distance.
Although Shirahoshi was the mermaid princess and King Neptune of the Dragon Palace and her brothers were strong, they were powerless against these relentless, unpredictable assaults. Seeking help from the Four Emperors or Whitebeard, who now protected Fish-Man Island, had never crossed Neptune's mind. Whitebeard's protection was already a significant boon, and asking for more help seemed excessive. Additionally, the underwater environment, 10,000 meters deep, posed many challenges even for a powerful Devil Fruit user like Whitebeard. Furthermore, Vander Dekken IX's attacks, powered by the Target Fruit, could come from any hidden location, making it nearly impossible to pinpoint his position, even with Observation Haki.
Therefore, Neptune had constructed the hard-shell tower to safeguard Shirahoshi. Inside this fortress, all attacks launched by Vander Dekken IX were blocked by its sturdy door. Although Shirahoshi sacrificed her freedom by staying in the tower, her safety was assured. But now, the door of the hard-shell tower had been obliterated by the impact of the Merry during Ace's and the crew's dramatic entrance.
With the door destroyed, the weapons fueled by the Target Fruit's ability invaded the tower unimpeded.
"Megalo!"
Shirahoshi's eyes filled with tears as she watched Megalo stand protectively in front of her, exclaiming softly.
"Shark Shark!"
Megalo responded, the determination in its eyes clear as it faced the flying weapons. The shark was prepared to shield Shirahoshi with its body from the oncoming attack.
"Buzz! Bah! Bah! Bah!"
In the stunned eyes of Shirahoshi and Megalo, Ace's gaze suddenly sharpened. The next moment, countless black and purple lightning bolts crackled violently through the atmosphere of the hard-shell tower.
"Boom! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The weapons soaring through the sky disintegrated the moment they touched the fierce black-purple lightning, dissolving instantly under the violent energy. These steel weapons vanished without a trace, not even leaving behind a scrap of iron slag.
"No matter how many times I've seen it, I'm always amazed. Ace's Conqueror's Haki has surpassed Roger's, right?" Shakky exclaimed, watching the weapon fragments disintegrate in awe.
"Ace's control over Conqueror's Haki is the strongest I've ever seen. As for its strength, it should be said that it is at least equal to Roger's," Rayleigh replied, his lips curling into a slight smile.
Ace's mastery of Conqueror's Haki was unparalleled, controlling it as if it were an extension of his own body. He could use it to manipulate targets without causing harm, and, like now, could accurately destroy each part of a flying weapon with pinpoint precision. To onlookers, it seemed as though the weapons dissolved upon encountering Ace's Conqueror's Haki.
If applied to humans, Ace's Conqueror's Haki could attack every cell of a target that lacked a comparable level of Haki. This degree of control was unheard of, something even Roger had never achieved. While Ace's Conqueror's Haki was formidable, Roger had relied on both his Haki and unparalleled swordsmanship to become the Pirate King, surpassing even the peak strength of Whitebeard.
Whitebeard, wielding the mighty Murakumogiri and the power of the Shock Fruit, was a formidable opponent. Roger's ability to fight Whitebeard on equal footing demonstrated the unmatched strength of his Conqueror's Haki. Though Ace's Haki was terrifyingly powerful and the best in the current era, it still didn't surpass Roger's at his peak. Yet, this was enough to impress Rayleigh deeply.
Roger had endured countless battles across the seas, from the Valley of the Gods incident, where he joined forces with Garp to defeat Rocks D. Xebec, the era's absolute overlord, to completely conquering the Grand Line and becoming the Pirate King. Ace, still young and only having sailed the first half of the Grand Line, already possessed a Conqueror's Haki as powerful as Roger's.
Rayleigh couldn't help but wonder how much stronger Ace's Conqueror's Haki would become when he truly ascended to the throne of the world. Watching the black and purple lightning of Conqueror's Haki gradually dissipate, Rayleigh was filled with admiration and anticipation for Ace's future.
"Ai, Lord Ace..."
Shirahoshi's beautiful eyes brimmed with tears as she gazed at Ace, who wore a gentle smile on his face.
So incredible! Is this the power of Ace? Those weapons that once filled her with despair vanished instantly with just a look from him. The black and purple lightning was the same as the one she saw during the live broadcast of the Entei incident—so powerful!
"Shirahoshi," Ace called softly, his lips curving into a warm smile.
"Master Ace..." Shirahoshi murmured, staring blankly at Ace's smile.
"Do you want to live freely outside?" Ace pointed toward the exterior of the hard-shell tower and spoke gently.
"Go out? Want to go out? I..." Shirahoshi looked outside, her beautiful eyes filled with longing. But then, fear overshadowed her desire. She truly wanted to go out, to live with her father and royal brothers, and to honor her mother. However, the Target Fruit's curse bound her, and if she ventured outside, she would face attacks at any moment. Her father and brothers would never let her get hurt; they would shield her with their bodies. The thought of them getting harmed was more terrifying than losing her freedom.
"Don't worry, starting from today, you will no longer be troubled by the Target Fruit's ability," Ace reassured her with a gentle smile.
"Why?!" Shirahoshi's beautiful eyes widened in astonishment.
"Shirahoshi!!!" At that moment, Neptune's anxious shout echoed through the tower.
Shirahoshi turned toward the entrance, her eyes filling with tears of relief. "Father! Brothers!"
"Shirahoshi! Great, Shirahoshi is not injured," her third brother exclaimed with a sigh of relief upon seeing her unharmed.
"Very good!" her second brother, the lanky Fukaboshi, shouted happily.
Even the usually aloof eldest brother, Ryuboshi, let out a sigh of relief. The moment the hard-shell tower exploded, they had rushed toward it with King Neptune. Worry consumed them on the way, fearing something terrible might have happened to Shirahoshi. Fortunately, they arrived to find her safe and sound.
Neptune and her brothers quickly embraced Shirahoshi, their relief palpable. The chaos had subsided, leaving a profound sense of gratitude for Ace's timely intervention. Shirahoshi, still teary-eyed, clung to her family, her heart swelling with hope and newfound courage. The era of fear was over, and with Ace by their side, a brighter future awaited.
"Lord Flame Emperor, if my daughter has offended you, please let me atone for her sins." Neptune's voice trembled as he spoke, his heart heavy with despair.
The scene before him was intimidating: not only had Ace arrived, but the famous cadres of the Entei Pirate Fleet were also present. Among them were Everybody except Fujitora Kuzan and the Giants.
Seeing these renowned figures gathered here was enough to make Neptune believe that the entire Fish-Man Island could be leveled by their presence alone.
His heart sank further when he saw the state of the hard-shell tower, its door destroyed by Ace's ship. His love for his daughter and the pressure of facing Ace, who had a reputation as a formidable and unpredictable force, led him to the hasty conclusion that Shirahoshi had somehow offended the Flame Emperor.
Without hesitation, Neptune's massive form fell to the ground, bowing deeply in fear and respect. Shark Star, Fukaboshi, and Ryuboshi quickly followed suit, understanding the importance of showing the utmost respect to an emperor, especially one as powerful as Ace.
"Neptune, long time no see. Why are you so nervous?" Rayleigh asked with a chuckle, finding amusement in Neptune's reaction. Yet, he understood the Fish-Man King's anxiety. Ace's reputation had grown so immense and unpredictable that many now saw him as a lunatic.
"Father, Sir Ace did not hurt me. He helped me block the attack," Shirahoshi quickly interjected, her voice filled with urgency as she looked at her frightened father and brothers.
"What?!" Neptune and his sons were immediately stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief. They had expected the worst, but Shirahoshi's words turned their world upside down. The Flame Emperor, the man they feared might harm their princess, had instead protected her.
This revelation brought a wave of relief and confusion over them. Neptune looked up at Ace, his eyes filled with gratitude and a mix of awe. It seemed that the legendary Flame Emperor was not the monster he had feared, but a protector willing to stand against the threats that haunted their lives.