268 Cheerful Shirahoshi

"Ah, my eyes, my eyes!" 

Van der Decken IX yelled in sudden agony.

Seeing Shirahoshi's figure in front of him, Van der Decken IX's eyes were captivated by the sight, unable to look away.

He even showed an extremely wretched look, and Whitebeard directly blinded his eyes.

Whitebeard's powerful vibrations destroy the nerves around Van der Decken IX's eyes, causing irreversible damage.

As a result, Van der Decken IX won't see anything anymore. This unexpected attack also shocked Fukaboshi and highlighted Whitebeard's fierceness.

"This is your punishment," Whitebeard remarked casually. 

Shortly after, Shirahoshi woke up, glancing around with a confused expression.

"Brother, what's going on?" 

Shirahoshi asked after waking up and seeing Fukaboshi.

Before Fukaboshi could respond, Shirahoshi noticed Whitebeard and Van der Decken IX once more.

Shirahoshi had heard the name Whitebeard before but didn't know much about him. 

But she knew Van Der Decken and immediately, she shouted, "Van der Decken IX! Brother, hurry!"

It looked like Shirahoshi hadn't fully recovered, and her mind seemed a bit shaken.

"Don't worry, this guy won't bother you again" 

Whitebeard assured with a smile.

Shirahoshi calmed down a bit and then noticed that Van der Decken IX was chained and his eyes were hurt.

She eased her worries, thinking that Van der Decken IX had been subdued, but it was clear her brother couldn't do it. It seemed the only one capable was the person in front of her.

"Hey, who are you, mister?" Shirahoshi asked with curiosity.

"Sis, be polite. This is our savior and the future guardian of Fishman Island, Whitebeard!" 

Fukaboshi quickly introduced Whitebeard to Shirahoshi.

"Oh!" Shirahoshi gasped, covering her mouth.

"Whitebeard? The strongest man in the world? Why is he here?" 

She asked, her tone filled with suspicion.

"Guurarara, Fishman Island is my territory, so naturally, I need to protect it" 

Whitebeard laughed.

"So, are you here to help us?" Shirahoshi asked with her big eyes open.

"Of course." Whitebeard smiled and nodded.

"Awesome, now I don't have to worry about my Father and brothers' safety."

"Oh, and one more thing. Besides Van der Decken IX, we also need your help catching that troublemaker Hody Jones. He's a real bad guy"

Shirahoshi added, showing strong trust in Whitebeard. Fukaboshi observed that it was the first time he had seen Shirahoshi so lively, especially towards a human.

"Sure thing, take a good rest now. We'll handle the rest of the matters"

Whitebeard assured. He planned to let Shirahoshi rest while dealing with Hody Jones and Big Mom's forces simultaneously.

However, disappointment filled Shirahoshi's eyes as she watched Whitebeard leave. She quickly spoke up,

"Grandpa, are you leaving already? I still want to talk to you."

"Grandpa? Makes me sound too old," Whitebeard replied, suddenly feeling a bit helpless.

"But your mustache is so long, all crooked like a crescent, and completely white. Doesn't that mean you're old?" 

Shirahoshi's big eyes blinked, talking in a serious tone.

"Well…." 

Whitebeard hesitated, and didn't really know how to explain. Despite being more than seventy years old, his body and spirit were still at their peak thanks to Life Recovery and monster body cards.

"Even though I may look old, my heart is still young, so don't call me 'grandfather"

Whitebeard said after a moment's thought.

He dislikes being called a grandfather, especially considering he's still in the company of such a stunning mermaid beauty.

"Oh, okay then. What should I call you then?" Shirahoshi asked, gently holding her white chin.

"Just call me Whitebeard," he replied.

"Okay, Whitebeard!" Shirahoshi nodded.

"Whitebeard, Whitebeard, it's a fun name!" 

Shirahoshi expressed her interest in the name.

Fukaboshi felt embarrassed, realizing that the man in front of him was one of the Four Emperors, the strongest man in the world.

Yet, Shirahoshi could talk with him on an equal level, and she was surprisingly easygoing.

Therefore, Fukaboshi is quite concerned that Shirahoshi's words and actions might unintentionally upset Whitebeard.

Little does Fukaboshi know that Whitebeard is quite fond of Shirahoshi and finds her company enjoyable.

While Whitebeard has a strong liking for Shirahoshi, and she's considered as an ancient weapon, he still prioritizes solving other matters first.

"Shirahoshi, you need to be obedient, get some good rest, and we'll talk once I've sorted things out," 

Whitebeard advised.

"Well, then you better hurry back," Shirahoshi said with a hint of reluctance.

Following that, Whitebeard and Fukaboshi brought Van der Decken IX back to the Ryugu Palace to begin the interrogation.

Certainly, Whitebeard didn't take part in the interrogation; instead, he listened to information from Neptune's report.

Hody Jones' pirate crew is based on Noah's Boat, while the chocolate envoy led by Big Moms has a separate area on the edge of Fishman Island.

"Now that Van der Decken IX is in custody, Hody Jones will surely report it to Big Moms, and then she might start a fight"

Neptune expressed his concern.

"Guuurarara, Linlin, you think I'll just ignore her? Well, we've been on the same ship, and we have a bit of friendship"

Whitebeard chuckled.

He didn't underestimate Big Moms at all, which relieved Neptune, as he had wanted to test Whitebeard's perspective.

If Whitebeard decides to avoid confrontation with Big Mom, Neptune becomes genuinely concerned.

"Absolutely, Lord Whitebeard. I heard that when you visited Fishman Island earlier, there were five Marine warships that arrived with you. What was the reason for that?"

Neptune asked with curiosity; the five Marine battleships and Sanjuan Wolf were all stationed in one area and hadn't moved. Neptune expected to receive updates on this matter soon.

"Marine battleships? Those are part of my fleet. If Big Mom's pirates actually come to attack Fishman Island, they can be deployed for defense. But for now, they're not necessary"

Whitebeard explained.

Whitebeard prefers to handle issues on his own without relying on those warships, considering that their ammunition is limited.

Even though Whitebeard has a vast territory now, there's one thing he still lacks—a factory that produces artillery shells.

Certainly, once the affairs of Fishman Island are settled, Whitebeard intends to take control of a military factory focused on producing weapons and artillery shells.

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TO BE CONTINUED

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