From the outside, the Hard-Shell Tower with its gates as thick as walls resembled a prison designed to confine someone. However, once inside, one would find it filled with pink decorations, exuding a distinctly girlish style.
The room was spacious, but the light in other areas was very dim—only the special bed beneath the glow of a bedside lamp stood out conspicuously. So, upon sneaking into the room, El was immediately drawn to the large bed and the giant mermaid lying upon it. Yes, a giant mermaid.
As a monster among mutated humans, Charlotte Linlin at five years old was already much larger than an ordinary adult; by adulthood, she stood 8.8 meters tall.
Kaido was only 7.1 meters tall, while Whitebeard—another mutated human—measured just 6.66 meters.
So, what was Shirahoshi's height? In the year 1522 of the Sea Circle Calendar, at only sixteen, she would reach an astonishing 11.87 meters. This year, though merely nine years old, she was already several meters tall. At this moment, she lay sleeping on her specially made bed.
Not far from the bed rested a sleeping shark over a dozen meters long, wearing a shirt from the Criminal fashion line. This was Shirahoshi's pet, playmate, and companion within the Hard-Shell Tower.
"Shirahoshi, wake up." After surveying the interior of the impregnable tower, El began to rouse her.
"Umm, what's wrong, Megalo?" El's voice successfully awakened both Megalo and the sleeping Shirahoshi.
"Eh!"
When Shirahoshi finished rubbing her eyes after sitting up and saw El floating directly before her, her face suddenly changed color. Her body—several meters tall—shrank back to the edge of the bed. Pale-faced, her voice trembled as she spoke: "Who are you?"
Shirahoshi's squeal also awakened the drowsy Megalo. Realizing there was an intruder inside, Megalo hurriedly floated in front of Shirahoshi, attempting to bare his fierce teeth at El.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt Shirahoshi." Looking at Megalo, who had rushed to act as guardian, El smiled and said, "So, may I ask you to step aside?"
Gazing at El's gentle smile, Megalo's face showed horror, cold sweat forming. When his eyes met El's red irises—seemingly surrounded by a dark purple glow—he quickly nodded vigorously and retreated to a dark corner, shivering.
"Shirahoshi, don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."
After Megalo left, El looked at Shirahoshi on the edge of the bed and spoke softly in a tone like coaxing a child: "With your innate ability, you should be able to sense that I have no ill intentions toward you, right?"
Shirahoshi, recovering from her fright, stared at El's gentle smile. As if sensing something, her pale complexion slowly faded. Then she asked in a timid voice: "Then... who are you?"
"My name is El. We're the same kind—and I'm your future captain."
El floated before Shirahoshi again, crossing his legs in mid-air to align with her line of sight before speaking slowly: "Like you... I was also born with the ability to see into people's hearts. So I came to Fishman Island after first discovering your existence. I heard your wish, and I came specially to fulfill it."
"Shirahoshi, leave Fishman Island with me. Let's roam the outside world together."
"Really?" Hearing El's words, Shirahoshi's blue eyes suddenly shone brightly. She looked at him with excitement and anticipation, asking: "Will you truly fulfill my wish and take me to the outside world?"
Seeing El smile and nod, Shirahoshi was about to reply happily—but then, as if remembering something, she shook her head disappointedly. "No... I can't leave here."
"Are you afraid of Vander Decken IX?" At this moment, El spoke again, smiling at Shirahoshi. "Don't worry. Since I've come to fulfill your wish, how could I forget about that guy?"
"I've already dealt with him. His body is outside the Hard-Shell Tower. So Shirahoshi... you are now... free."
As El's last words fell, Shirahoshi's eyes suddenly filled with tears as she looked at him. "Really?"
El nodded again, then stretched out his palm toward Shirahoshi, grinning. "So, Shirahoshi—come out of here with me!"
"Um!"
Inheriting her mother's innate Observation Haki and the ability to perceive others' thoughts and emotions, Shirahoshi could look directly into a person's heart. Tearfully, she nodded and responded to El in a choked voice.
The two people with the same kind of ability communicated in their own unique way.
If El had approached her with the intention of using Poseidon's power, then Shirahoshi—who could see directly into a person's heart—would have perceived him the same way El perceived others emitting a disgusting stench. She would have defined him as a villain like Vander Decken IX, and his invitation would not have been easily accepted.
For the pure and kind Shirahoshi, El held genuine goodwill. The reason he rescued her from her distress was not because she was the current incarnation of the Ancient Weapon Poseidon, but because he truly felt distressed by her situation.
So in Shirahoshi's eyes, El was a savior radiating dazzling golden light, saving her from the darkness.
There was no room for suspicion in the communication between El and Shirahoshi. In their conversation, lying was impossible—and meaningless. They didn't communicate with their mouths, but through their minds.
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