70 Fishmen Island X

As Akane and Shirahoshi had both just fallen asleep, another weapon came their way. Too lazy to really bother with it, Ban just grabbed the weapon, halting it in its tracks. Looking closely at the weapon, he immediately noticed a faint magic signature on it. Having found a clue as to what might be causing the homing attacks on Shirahoshi, Ban saw no need to keep the weapon.

He handed it to Shinobu, who easily broke it with a potent acid. Where she got it was a mystery, but let's just say she had her hiding spots.

Looking over Shirahoshi's body, Ban found the marking as easily as he had on the weapon. Stretching out his hand, Ban chose the marking.

"Snatch"

As simple as that, the magic appeared in his hand. It had a slight pink color, the shape of a rose. Feeling resistance from it, Ban smirked as he easily crushed it in his hand.

***

Somewhere on the ocean floor, a man with four legs suddenly spat out a mouth of blood.

""""Vander Decken-sama!"""

The people around his quickly hovered about, worried that something might have happened to him.

"Stay away! I am fine!"

Vander Decken yelled, wiping the blood from his chin. He stared down at his trembling hand, anxiety and rage the most prominent emotions in his eyes.

'Who dare to touch it! How dare they destroy his mark!'

Yet what soon followed after that was a bout of fear. Cause who else beside him could have messed around with the markings he placed?

As emotions were rampaging around in his head, Vander Decken began to smash whatever that was breakable around him into pieces.

He didn't calm down until the next morning.

***

Ban wiped his hands on his pants in satisfaction. His task was easily accomplished, so now he could just sit back and relax. All he and Shinobu had to do was make sure the bodies of the mermaid and Akane weren't touched in this time frame.

"Oi, Shinobu. Want to play cards?"

Ban said as he waved a pack of cards back and forth between them.

"I will have to decline, Ban-san. Card games with just two persons is not fun. While you find a way to entertain yourself, I will continue to train a bit more in this armament haki the captain spoke of. I feel like I can properly wield a sword if I do."

Having said her piece, Shinobu went back to her training, leaving Ban up to his own devices.

"You're no fun at all..."

Ban replied, receiving only silence as his reply.

Sighing, Ban took out more than a few dozen packs of cards. His aim?

Filling the room with a massice card palace that would leave little moving room to move about.

With his goal set, Ban began his challenge.

***

After the guard had left Akane and her group behind, he rushed back to the throne room. There Neptune, his advisors and Whitebeard were sitting at a massive table that showed a map of the fishmen district.

"Your Majesty! Another weapon was flying towards the Princess's room. The weapon was destroyed before it could impact the door. Another batch of weapons might soon be coming again!"

The guard nervously reported.

"What about Shirahoshi? Is she alright?"

Neptune asked. He was a bit worried, but he was sure the room was locked, so there was little chance the weapons were going to hurt her.

"The door is still standing strong, so there is no harm that has befallen the princess."

The guard replied.

"Good. Where are the guests?"

Neptune asked, only noticing now that the other three guests weren't with the guard.

Only now did the guard remember that he had left them behind.

"T-They are still there, your majesty."

"You should go look for them, Neptune. One of them has a soft spot for interesting things and will surely look around your palace."

Whitebeard said as he laughed at the situation. If he had read into Ban's character deely enough these past few hours, then he was sure that Ban had quite a loose hand. Maybe he would get himself some new clothes this time.

"You are right. Go search the palace. I will see if Shirahoshi is alright."

Neptune said as he left the room to his advisors.

Neptune soon left the room, followed by Whitebeard as both of them left towards Shirahoshi's room.

Neptune looked questioningly at his friend, but didn't ask him anything. Whitebeard surely had a reason for following him.

Whitebeard saw Neptune looking at him, but didn't bother explaining. He was sure the three brats had entered Shirahoshi's room, being the curious bunch they were. He just wanted to see a good show once he and Neptune arrived.

Laughing to himself, Whitebeard followed after Neptune, waiting to see what those brats were up to.

After a short walk, the two of them arrived in front of Shirahoshi's room, which was remarkably open. Whitebeard already knew who had opened it, thinking of the casually smiling face of Ban.

Filled with confusion and trepidation, Neptune quickly entered his daughters room, only to be greeted by a massive yet intricate miniature palace made entirely of playing cards.

There was no room to move around.

At the side, Neptune could see Megalo, Shirahoshi's pet shark, passing a pack of cards to Ban.

Seeing Ban in the private chambers of Shirahoshi, Neptune anger began to rise.

"What is going on here-jamon!"

Neptune roared, causing the card palace to fall down.

"Ah man! I only needed to put up the last card too~"

Ban lamented, only now seeing the two men standing in the opening of the door.

"Oh hey pops."

Ban casually gave a wave towards Whitebeard, letting himself fall down in a siting position beside Shinobu. He didn't seem the slightest bit perturbed by the sudden entry of the two men.

Shinobu had glanced once at the new entries and quickly went back to her haki training.

"Sneaking into the bedroom of a princess. I really doubt if I am your pops or not."

Whitebeard said, though he chuckled at the end, much to the annoyance of Neptune.

"Where is your captain?"

Neptune asked, still angry. At first glance he didn't see her around.

"Oh, the little fox? She's with the princess. Showing her what it's like in the outside world."

Neptune spotted Akane on Shirahoshi's chest. The words of Ban didn't make any sense to him, but he knew for sure that no one could take advantage of his daughter like that!

Stretching out his hand to take Akane of Shirahoshi, he was stopped with a single grab of Ban's hand.

"I wouldn't do that. Their minds aren't really here, so it is best to wait."

For the first time the two men could see a deadly serious Ban, staring down at them to back off.

Neptune took back his hand, but he still glared at Ban.

"Don't worry, don't worry. She's fiiiine~ Walking through a forest at the moment I suppose. Chatting with the swords might also happen. They are a crazy yet funny bunch."

Ban chattered, thinking back to when he first entered her mindscape. It wasn't as gentle as when Shirahoshi entered it.

In fact, he was stabbed by Akane with her sword, though it did not damaged him at all. And another change was that he got completely sucked into her mind scape, body and all. It was a crazy experience for sure. Especially the death stare he got from Amaterasu. Like he was a scoundrel that wanted to steal her daughter, Akane, away from her.

Naturally the others didn't know this at all, otherwise Neptune might not have been as nice as he was now.

Considering nothing was happening with his daughter and everything was well, Neptune and Whitebeard sat down with Ban and Shinobu, waiting for the two sleepers to wake up.

"Soooo, want to play a card game?"