14

At the Ryugu Palace

King Neptune: Why Cero-kun has not gone back here yet? You, pirates go check on him!

Brook volunteered to go, As he wants to see Mermaid Princess. When he tried to go, The minister of the right told Brook to bring him as knows where the way to the Hard Shelled Tower. Brook agreed and carried him on his shoulders.

Brook arrived At the Hard Shelled Tower, saw a lot of human captives on the ground, Minister of the right told Brook to enter the Hard Shelled Tower, As they saw inside nobody was there. Minister of the right deduced that Cero took the Mermaid Princess away.

The human captives start to gets up. One captive said "Let's find the gate that connects the Fish-Man Island and the Ryugu Palace... We need to find the switch to open. As this is only the way we'll live if we obey them." They then saw Brook carrying the minister of the right and rushed at him asking desperately where the switch. Brook just shrugs them away and ran back to the Palace. The human captives followed Brook and the minister.

As Brook arrived back at the Palace, the minister of the right told King Neptune that Shirahoshi was taken away by Cero and human captives that were thrown by Vander Decken is coming here. As Zoro saw the human captives, he grabbed his swords preparing to fight them.

After a few minutes. The captives are still unwilling to give up.

Brook: What's wrong with these guys?

Nami: Why do we always get involved in trouble?

Zoro: Stop complaining Nami! The battle is currently ongoing. They just keep attacking us no matter what.

A captive: Wh-Where... Is... The Switch of... the... Gateway... If we... can't open it... Hody is... gonna kill us... Kill them... KILL THEM!!!

They start to fight again. After fighting, the minister of the left complains to Zoro that he knocked them up and not know their objective is. King Neptune starts to cry as he wants to be untied and he wants to see Shirahoshi if she is okay. The Straw Hats didn't know that one of the captives got to the switch and activated the switch.

---

Outside the Ryugu Palace, The New-Fish Man Pirates and Flying Pirates are waiting for the switch after Hody Jones told the other member to start conquering the other towns of the Fish-Man Island. As they saw that the switch was activated. They entered the gateway. Arrived at the Palace, Both the New-Fish Man Pirates and Flying Pirates marched inside the Palace.

Minister of the right: How did you guys get this far?!

Decken: I can't believe this! I was ready to fight right away but didn't expect King Neptune and the soldiers were tied up.

Hody: I guess this is a present given by the Gods. What a surprise.

Minister of the left: That sly Vander Decken, you have shown up at last!

Zoro: We've had visitors one after another. What a lively place.

Brook: Thankfully, the mermaid princess is not here to get involved in this mess.

Decken: Ei!!! The Mermaid is not here!!!

Hody: Look at this Decken, all of the humans that you threw, aimed at the Mermaid Princess, are here. That means that Princess Shirahoshi was here at least during that time. Plus, it doesn't matter because you know how to check where is she now.

Vander Decken compliments Hody for being smart and goes outside and breaks a piece of a huge coral then touched it. The coral starts to move directly where Shirahoshi is. Decken rides the coral then left the Palace.

Currently, At Cero and Luffy, who was riding Megalo, while Shirahoshi was inside Megalo's mouth. Luffy is telling Shirahoshi about his adventures. En route to Sea Forest, They saw Sanji and Chopper, surrounded by the Fish-Men while Hatchan is laying on the ground, covered by bandages.

Luffy: Oh? Sanji! Chopper!

Chopper: Is that Luffy?! What's that blowfish?

Megalo who was struggling to keep Shirahoshi on his mouth. spits out Shirahoshi. showing to her to the Fish-Men

Cero: Shoot... Sanji is here. Well, who cares... He ain't having a nosebleed If he saw her.

All the Fish-men: Princess Shirahoshi-sama!!!

Shirahoshi: Um... Well, uh... You found me!

Chopper: She's big! Don't tell me that is...

Sanji: Huh. Is there someone on my back?

Chopper: No, Sanji! Don't turn around at any cost!

Cero: Sanji, I recommend listening at him.

Sanji: Huh?! Just who is behind me.

Cero: ... The Mermaid Princess

Sanji: Princess... Cero said Princess! Don't tell me that's...

Cero: Sanji if you want to live then don't turn back at any cost

Sanji: Hey, could it be that the Mermaid Princess is behind me... If I turn around...

Cero: Yes.., she's there...

Sanji starts to smoke. then shouted at Cero and Chopper. "Both of you! Rather than live a day longer without grasping at a dream within reach. I will live out my dream and choose to die!

Cero: I'll just give my condolence. Goodbye Sanji...

Chopper: Cero, you!!!

Cero: Just let him live out his dream.

Cero then whispered to Chopper. " He won't die, just trust me." Chopper look at me. "Ei!!!"

Sanji turns around and saw the Mermaid Princess. his heart started to beat fast." Th-th-that is... Now I know how poor my imagination is! She is magnificent! a beauty you can't even draw..." then turned to stone.

Cero: See, he didn't die.

Chopper: How did you know.

Cero: I'll answer that later, someone coming.

Afar you see a figure.

Decken: I found you Shirahoshi! Marry me Shirahoshi!

Shirahoshi: Um... You're not my type!

*silence*

Decken: What? NOOOOOOO!!! Then... I'll kill you!

Decken grabs his ax. Before he could attack. Cero already hit him and slams Decken onto the ground. Cero carried Decken and Flash-Step elsewhere to the secluded place. Summoned his Zanpakuto and swings it at Decken's head decapitating it. Cero almost puked as he saw Decken's lifeless head. As it is the first time he sees this. He went back to Luffy and tell him. "Luffy, Let's go to the Sea Forest" Luffy nodded and carried Hatchan, Chopper, and Sanji to Megalo and went to Sea Forest with Shirahoshi. Luffy asked Cero where Decken is. Cero just replied. "He's gone"

While going to the Sea Forest, Cero asked the system why isn't issuing any task for him. the system replied. "I'll give a task soon, just wait for it."

Cero thought: It's been a while I been given a task. I wonder what it is.