The Dawnblade's warship disappeared beneath the sea, submerging fully into the deep.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni stood at the ship's prow, quietly observing the underwater world. A sense of wonder welled up in his heart. In all his years of life, he had never witnessed such a sight.
Several meters below the surface, the sun's light still reached the surrounding waters. Ripples shimmered around the ship, and he could clearly see vibrant schools of fish darting past the hull.
Perhaps because they hadn't traveled far from Sabaody's coast, the sea beside the ship glowed with coral-lined stone walls, teeming with swaying algae and coral in brilliant colors. The display was dazzling enough to make Yoriichi narrow his eyes.
All across the deck, Marines gazed around in awe.
From the moment the ship submerged, the world above had gone utterly quiet. Though the scenery was colorful and dreamlike, the further they sank, the more unnerving the silence became. It made the Marines uneasy.
Some of the younger Marines began showing signs of claustrophobia. Once the novelty wore off, all that remained in their hearts was tension.
As the ship sank further, tens of meters deep, the surroundings began to dim.
The kaleidoscopic fish that had once surrounded them vanished, and the vibrant reef wall disappeared from view.
Now, a dark and lifeless abyss enveloped them. As the vessel descended, a chilling stillness filled the water, an eerie silence that sent a shiver down the spine.
At the prow, Yoriichi released his Observation Haki, spreading it outward in all directions. Even he couldn't deny that this shadowed, pressure-filled environment stirred an unease within him.
"Turn on the lights," he ordered, frowning.
Soon after,
Ding!
With a soft mechanical sound, rows of high-powered laser lamps on the ship activated, casting beams of light through the darkness.
The Dawnblade's vessel used the most advanced lighting tech in the world, technology taken directly from Pluton by shipwright Tom.
In the pitch-dark deep sea, the searchlights carved out clear lines of vision stretching over ten meters.
Humans are creatures of the light. In darkness, unease takes root, but light invigorates the spirit.
As the lights activated, a wave of cheers rang out across the deck. The heavy atmosphere was broken, and the Marines visibly relaxed.
Kyros let out a breath of relief and stepped up beside Yoriichi, handing him a backup Eternal Pose.
This one pointed directly to Fish-Man Island. Kyros had prepared several: one for the helm, others distributed among key officers, and one just for Yoriichi.
After all, no matter how tough someone was, venturing into an unknown environment without control over navigation would naturally spark fear. The Eternal Poses were meant to ease that anxiety.
Whether it worked or not, Kyros simply hoped it helped.
Yoriichi accepted the Eternal Pose, glancing at the dial, it pointed downward. That alone confirmed the route. He fastened it to his wrist, gripped the railing with both hands, and murmured:
"A sight like this… really is something else."
"This kind of wonder, this stirring of the soul, maybe that's what all those navigators and adventurers chase after."
Now illuminated, the deep sea revealed its secrets.
Murky waters swirled with drifting algae and colorful seaweeds caught in hidden currents. Nearby, bizarre, vibrantly hued fish darted past, strange species Yoriichi had never seen before.
"Maybe…" Kyros chuckled wryly. "But I think I still prefer exploring above the sea."
Suddenly, Yoriichi's expression sharpened. He looked up toward the surface above the ship.
There, something vast moved silently through the water. In the distance above them, a mountainous shadow passed overhead, briefly caught in the beams of the searchlights.
A massive tail swayed in the abyss, its size rivaling multiple warships. A faint green glow shimmered in the dark, sliding through the water like a spectral presence.
Unbeknownst to them, the Dawnblade's ship had already descended several thousand meters.
And the life forms around them had transformed, from dazzlingly beautiful to disturbingly alien.
"What is that?" Kyros whispered, eyes fixed above.
Others followed his gaze. Mihawk, Tiger, and all the Marines on deck turned their heads, and then fell silent.
No one dared speak. The pressure of the thing above them stilled their breath.
"Sea King," Tiger muttered quietly.
As a Fish-Man, he was far more comfortable underwater than his human comrades. Though he couldn't see the creature clearly, he recognized it immediately.
Sea Kings weren't a specific species, they were a category of deep-sea creatures known for their immense size, diversity, and intelligence.
When angered, they could unleash terrifying power far beyond human comprehension. They were called Kings of the Sea for a reason.
The one overhead was over five thousand meters long. Its sheer mass eclipsed their entire warship, making the hundreds-of-meters-long Dawnblade ship feel like a mere speck in comparison.
The Marines grew increasingly tense. In such depths, if that thing attacked, they would have nowhere to run.
"Vice Admiral, what do we do?" Kyros stepped beside Yoriichi, speaking in a hushed voice. Though he trusted Yoriichi's strength, this was a monster beyond anything he had faced.
Even Kyros, a seasoned warrior, couldn't calm his racing heart.
"Don't worry," Tiger said. "Deep-sea Sea Kings don't usually attack ships. Even if it's hungry, something our size wouldn't be a target."
"And the ship's bottom is lined with Seastone. That should, "
Before he could finish, the ship suddenly lurched violently.
The Sea King above had turned, stirring the water with its body. The resulting current rocked the entire vessel.
"Something's not right," Yoriichi said quietly.
At that moment, two massive green eyes locked onto the ship.
Each eye was like a full moon in the darkness, cold, luminous, and utterly soul-crushing.
"We've been spotted! It's looking right at us!" a young Marine shouted, panic overtaking him.
Chaos erupted.
On the deck, Marines began to scramble. Fear overwhelmed discipline.
Mihawk felt the threat immediately. Without realizing it, he had already drawn his sword, ready to strike first.
He didn't care whether it was a Sea King or some other sea god. If it threatened him, it was an enemy. And enemies could be cut down.
But-
"Stand down, Mihawk!" Yoriichi shouted. "If you attack, the coating will break!"
"Everyone, stay calm! Shut off the laser lights! Return to your posts and grip the rails!"
"Kyros, go get Kensaku! Tell him to bring his tools!"
Yoriichi's voice was like thunder.
His authority snapped the panicking crew to attention. They scrambled to follow orders.
Kyros ran off. Kensaku, the young Marine coating specialist, was brought to the deck. He immediately began preparing emergency personal coatings for Yoriichi and Mihawk.
"If you swing your weapon, your arms will be exposed," Kensaku explained. "This coating will let you breathe for 15 minutes. After that, it'll rupture, so return before then!"
As the worst-case preparations were underway, Yoriichi's expression suddenly relaxed.
"Kensaku, after you coat Mihawk, hold off on the oxygen."
"The threat is gone."
He had sensed it clearly.
The Sea King had lost interest.
Perhaps it couldn't see them anymore in the dark, or perhaps the Seastone had hidden their presence. In any case, it didn't pursue. Instead, it turned upward and drifted away into the depths above.
Minutes later, Yoriichi ordered the lights back on.
The surroundings lit up once more, and the relieved Marines cheered.
The Sea King incident, though tense, passed like a fleeting shadow.
The rest of the journey went smoothly.
Eventually, a strange glow appeared in the distance.
As the ship approached, it emerged into view.
Fish-Man Island.
If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, none would have believed that such a vibrant city existed tens of thousands of meters beneath the sea.
The entire island was encased in a giant air bubble. At the gate stood a barrier checkpoint, guarded by armored mermen and Fish-Men.
As the warship approached, the guards spotted it and panic broke out.
Since the start of the Great Pirate Era, Fish-Man Island had known little peace. Pirates often descended upon them. King Neptune had been forced to expand the royal guard just to maintain order.
In truth, even that wouldn't have been enough, until years ago, when the Whitebeard Pirates passed through and claimed Fish-Man Island as part of their territory.
Whitebeard's flag brought them peace at last.
But now, that peace was broken.
"The Marines?! Marines are here! Notify King Neptune immediately!"
"Why would the Marines come? Did the World Government find out we joined Whitebeard and send them to wipe us out?!"
"Damn it, damn humans!"
Panic gripped the guards.
As they scrambled to alert Ryugu Palace, the warship steadily drew near.
Just as the guards prepared to resist, a single figure dove from the warship into the water, swimming with ease like a native of the sea.
A Fish-Man.
"Is that… Tiger? Big Brother Tiger?!"
Several Fish-Men recognized him immediately. Before his voyage, Tiger had been a leader of the Fish-Man community.
"I'm back," he said.
"I'm a Marine now. I've come on important business. Let us through."
Some of the Fish-Men guards immediately relaxed. Without waiting for orders, they moved to open the gate.
But not everyone welcomed him.
Among the merfolk guards, a few remained wary. As they sent reports to Ryugu Palace, they made sure to mention Tiger's return.
"King Neptune! King Neptune!" a seahorse merperson ran through the palace halls shouting.
"The Marines have come! Marines are at Fish-Man Island!"
"Tiger, Tiger has joined the Marines!!"
At that moment, a large whale shark Fish-Man guard was walking the corridor. Hearing the name, he stopped in his tracks, stunned.
"Tiger…?"
"Big Brother Tiger?!"
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100 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter
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