[137] Arrival

[2000 Words]

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In the Sabaody Archipelago.

"Did you hear the rumors...? This is truly unbelievable..." A man in his thirties whispered with a trembling voice to his friend in the streets of Grove 30 and above, where criminal activities related to pirates were absent.

"Yeah, man, I heard about it... I can't believe what's happening..." The man replied to his friend's question, then glanced at the Marines who were on high alert in the streets.

In the past few minutes, shocking news had spread... news that a Celestial Dragon had been killed!

The news was so shocking that many people initially did not believe it, but seeing the warships and Marine ships that had arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago made it seem true!

"Attention all citizens! You are not allowed to leave the island for the next hundred hours!"

One of the Marines spoke through what appeared to be a loudspeaker, and this scene unfolded in many groves; a curfew was imposed on the Sabaody Archipelago that had never happened before.

"A Celestial Dragon was killed... who is crazy enough to do this!" A woman whispered from her home as she watched the Marines spread everywhere from her window.

"Mom, mom, what's happening?" Beside her was a small child who looked worried.

"Nothing, dear, come on, let's go play." The woman smiled and took her son, trying to divert his attention from the chaos outside.

...

In Grove Number 13.

"Whew... he's really bold..." Shakuyaku, smoking a cigarette in a hidden spot, watched the hundreds of Marines who had arrived at Grove 13, the site of the murder; this was natural.

She had already closed the bar; there was no way she could operate under these circumstances anyway.

"Isn't he afraid of his status as a Warlord? One wrong move could expose what he did." Rayleigh muttered, and it seemed some thoughts were wandering in his mind.

"Do you want to tell the Marines who did it?" Shaki looked at him, trying to read what was on his mind.

"Doesn't that mean I'm doing a favor for the World Government? Hell no, I would never do that." Rayleigh laughed and showed no intention of doing what Shaki suggested.

...

"This is awful~ who did this... and I thought I would enjoy a nice vacation..." A bored voice came from a tall man with an annoying monkey-like face.

Of course, it was none other than Admiral Kizaru.

Previously, he had received an urgent and critical mission from Sengoku informing him that something big had happened in the Sabaody Archipelago, which made him rush here, and thanks to his Devil Fruit ability, he arrived in just a few minutes.

"S-Sir Admiral Kizaru... we have captured some pirates for interrogation!" One of the Marines, specifically the one in charge of the Marine base in the Sabaody Archipelago, approached him.

He was terrified; something like this happening on the island he was responsible for... it certainly meant his death!

If the World Government didn't find the culprit and execute him, they would execute him and his subordinates to vent their anger, and no one would dare object...

"Hmm... let's see~ you there, did you see who did this?" He pointed to a body covered with a golden shroud and placed on a jewel-studded stretcher.

After all, the deceased was a god! So this was natural.

"W-We didn't see anything, sir..!!" The pirate who appeared to be the group's captain spoke in a terrified voice; he recognized the man in front of him—none other than Admiral Kizaru.

"This is a problem~" Kizaru replied with the same expression, then looked at the rest of the pirates and saw one of them seemed like he wanted to say something.

"Do you know anything? Speak." His voice was as usual, but there was a hint of threat and seriousness in his tone; even the lazy Kizaru understood what this meant and the level of chaos it could cause.

The pirate Kizaru pointed to trembled, then under the threat of the Marines' guns, he opened his mouth and said in a shaking voice filled with fear: "I-I didn't see him well... there were... no, there were three people... all wearing black cloaks.... I was lurking, trying to rob them, but when we saw the Celestial Dragon walking around... we knelt and... then..."

"What happened next?" Kizaru was interested and commanded him to continue.

"A-After that, the Celestial Dragon started yelling at one of the cloaked figures, then another person like them appeared and killed him!!"

He screamed in horror as he recalled that hellish scene, "Not only did he kill the Celestial Dragon, but he also killed dozens of pirates who were watching the show! Luckily, I survived! Thank goodness! Hahaha! I survived!"

"Get him away from here." Kizaru whispered to one of the Marines to take these pirates away and then sank into deep thought.

"Cloaked figures... and a power capable of killing dozens of pirates in seconds..."

He seemed to be pondering something, then looked at one of the Marines guarding the stretcher that held the body of the Celestial Dragon, "Let me see for a moment."

Then without waiting for any reply, he lifted the shroud and saw a headless corpse...

"Eh... where did his head go?"

.....

The scene shifts to a palace that stands out on a strange island, where the towering structure resembles a legendary castle sparkling under the ocean's light. The palace's towers are surrounded by enchanting architectural details inspired by marine creatures, adorned with colorful coral and gently flowing fountains.

Upon entering the palace, the interior space is vast, with walls decorated with shells and pearls reflecting beams of light, creating a magical atmosphere. The ceiling is embellished with engravings depicting mythical sea creatures, while the halls are filled with the refreshing scent of the ocean, as if echoing the rich heritage and culture of the Fishmen.

Inside this palace, specifically in the throne room, an interesting conversation unfolds.

A massive, muscular mermaid captures attention with his stature and majesty as he sits on a throne clearly meant for kings. He features a prominent red nose and small eyes that match the features of his face. Despite his age, he retains long, curly orange hair and sports a thick beard. His hair covers his chest and arms, enhancing his strong and imposing appearance.

He wears an elegant golden crown resembling a tulip, encrusted with jewels, and his wrists are adorned with shiny golden bracelets. In his hand, he grips a carefully crafted golden spear, reflecting his royal status and authority as the ruler of the Fishmen's island.

"Father, the number of pirates visiting our island has been increasing since Whitebeard's fall…" spoke a tall, slender mermaid to King Neptune, who sat on his throne with a gloomy expression.

Neptune looked at Fukaboshi, his son, and sensed his concern.

Sighing... "You are right, we need protection from one of the three Yonko. Since Newgate fell, things have not boded well…" The recent rise in mermaid kidnappings is attributed to their island, which previously deterred pirates due to Whitebeard's flag, no longer providing any deterrent. It contains many beautiful mermaids who would be sold at high prices in surface slave auctions.

Although it is primarily the mermaids living in the impoverished Fishman district without military protection who are being kidnapped and enslaved, they are still their people!

"Your Majesty! I have something important to report!" Suddenly, a soldier entered and knelt on one knee, speaking in a panicked voice.

"What is happening?" Neptune looked at him with a calm expression and ordered him to report what he had.

With every word that came from the soldier's mouth, Neptune's expression tightened.

….

[Moments Earlier.]

"So this is Fishman Island… what a massive bubble capable of containing an island, and that smaller bubble, is there a building inside it or what is that?" Kaya exclaimed excitedly as she gazed at the beautiful scene before her.

"That's right, Kaya, the smaller bubble is where the royal palace of the Ryugu Kingdom, called Ryugu Palace, is located."

Ren replied to the curious girl without taking his eyes off the stunning view.

"Was this hole in the Red Line formed naturally...?" It seemed that Robin was pondering something else as she looked at the perforated Red Line.

Fishman Island lies deep in the ocean, at a depth of 10,000 meters below sea level, inside a massive hole that extends beneath the Red Line in a deep trench. The island is surrounded by a double-layered bubble, with half filled with water and coral, while the other half is filled with air, creating a unique environment supporting diverse marine life. At the top of this bubble is Ryugu Palace, the center of governance on the island, where the king resides and manages its affairs. The Hachin Tree lights the place with its natural glow, adding a magical atmosphere to the island. Fishman Island serves as an underwater gateway to the New World, providing an alternative route for pirates who prefer to avoid crossing the Red Line.

The entire crew was absorbed in contemplating the beautiful scene before them, where giant whales of all kinds swam peacefully in the sea.

If any ordinary pirate crew had been here, they might have died of fear at the sight of these monstrous sea creatures lying beneath ten thousand meters of ocean, but with their strength, what should they fear?

Elsama soon reached the entrance that resembled a fish's mouth.

"Stop, intruders!" A sharp voice came from ahead, belonging to one of the guards stationed at the entrance.

"Are we unwelcome?" Mikita whispered with a small smile on her face.

"That's normal; after all, humans and Fishmen have always been historically at odds, and our pirate flag is clear even to the blind…" Robin remarked, prompting the crew to nod in agreement.

"Nami, don't stop, go in." Ren spoke, uninterested in wasting his time here; he had better things to do.

"Understood, Captain~!" Nami smiled, then directed Elsama to proceed through the gateway.

"W-Wait, I said to stop—"

The guard screamed in terror, but it was too late; Elsama had already breached the gate and successfully entered Fish-Man Island!

"Captain, what's our destination?" Nojiko asked as she cleaned her weapon, "Falcon."

"We'll just wait for the king of the island to come to us." Ren had a proposal for Neptune and knew the man wouldn't refuse if he genuinely cared about the safety of his people.

"It might take a while, so let's head to a famous spot here: Mermaid Cove." Ren said, and the girls couldn't help but notice the excitement in his voice, leading them to regard him with a hint of suspicion.

Between the suspicious name of the cove and Ren's enthusiasm, there was definitely something odd about it.

"Captain, do you like mermaids?" Nami asked, a slight frown on her face. Ren found the expression endearing; he gently patted her head, pulled her closer, and whispered softly, "I love Nami…"

Her cheeks flushed red as she buried her head against his chest, breathing in his sweet scent.

All of this happened under the watchful eyes of the other girls, filled with envy, jealousy, shyness, and confusion…

...

Ren had stored his ship in the infinity space, and since no one was present in that dimension, he was able to do so seamlessly. Now, the entire crew, including Bell-mere, was wandering around Fish-Man Island, observed by the curious gazes of mermaids and fish-men.

"It seems humans don't have the best reputation here~" Nojiko laughed, ignoring the fearful looks directed at her.

"Are you alright, Nojiko?" Bell-mere asked with concern, worried that the girl might be forcing herself.

"I'm fine, Bell-mere~ Come on, have a little faith in me." Nojiko replied with a gentle smile, but her expression suddenly turned serious as she noticed someone blocking her path.

"Sigh… here comes the trouble."

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To be continued...

500PS= Bonus chapter.