Hearing this, Neptune was torn with indecision. He looked at his ministers, then at Queen Otohime, and finally sighed deeply.
"Lord Vladimir… if I were just an ordinary citizen, I would dearly choose the first option. It might change the fate of our island forever. But as King, I cannot take such a risk. Compared to that, the Artificial Sun is far more secure. I am sorry, Otohime… but I choose the second way."
"I understand."
Vladimir nodded. With a single step, he appeared right before Princess Shirahoshi.
"Little Princess… I have brought great harm to your island, though never out of malice. To make amends…"
As he spoke, Vladimir reached out his right hand and gently placed it upon the top of Shirahoshi's head.
Instantly, a holy radiance shone forth. It was like the hand of a god caressing a devout believer, bestowing a divine blessing upon them.
Princess Shirahoshi widened her beautiful eyes. Her whole body felt warm and comfortable, as if she had returned to the peace and safety of her mother's womb, where everything was calm and gentle.
"Lord Vladimir… what is this?" Queen Otohime asked, a hint of anxiety in her voice.
"This is Holy Radiance. If one day Shirahoshi finds herself in grave danger, this light should protect her and keep her safe. However… it is a one-time blessing only."
Vladimir smiled and patted her head gently. "Farewell, little princess."
The words had barely left his mouth when his figure vanished instantly.
No one present could detect even a trace of his movement.
When he appeared again, Vladimir was already floating high above Fish-Man Island.
Beside him, the small golden Space-Time Fish swam gracefully, blowing bubbles as it moved.
"Manifest Illusion!"
Vladimir closed his eyes and raised both hands high above his head.
Immediately, from his palms, a blazing white sun began to slowly take shape.
At first, it was no larger than a fist, yet it expanded rapidly before their very eyes. In just one minute, it had reached a diameter of a hundred meters.
"Artificial Sun!"
With a soft cry from Vladimir, the miniature sun expanded once more, swelling to ten times its previous size in an instant.
It hung in the sky above Fish-Man Island, replacing the Sunlight Tree Eve, and once again brought brilliant light back to the deep ocean.
"Haa…"
Letting out a soft breath, Vladimir stroked the little golden fish beside him and murmured to himself.
"I took away your light, and now I have returned it to you. Even if it won't last forever… I've been more than generous, haven't I?"
Chuckling to himself, Vladimir moved to depart from the deep sea.
But at that very moment, through some mysterious connection, he sensed a specific call that caught his attention.
"Hmm? Who is speaking my name?"
As soon as the words were spoken, Vladimir closed his eyes. With a single thought, he crossed infinite distances and descended directly upon the source.
...
Meanwhile — Marine Headquarters.
Inside a special conference room, a large screen displayed the images of four elderly men — the Five Elders.
Standing before the screen, Sengoku and the other high-ranking Marine officers sat rigidly, their expressions serious.
"So… Phantom has vanished?"
From the screen, the Elder holding the sword spoke with a cold snort. "And what makes you so certain? What is the situation regarding Kong?"
Sengoku lowered his head and replied, "Currently, that stretch of sea is occupied by massive numbers of Sea Kings. Our ships are unable to approach, and Commander-in-Chief Kong's whereabouts remain unknown. As for Phantom vanishing… it is based on conversations between Lord Vladimir and Whitebeard, as well as comments accidentally revealed by the Great Demon of Fear. We deduced that…"
Before he could finish his sentence, a violent gale suddenly swept through the conference room.
"Who dares to speak My Name with such disrespect?"
Along with these majestic, dominating words, the wind swirled like a whirlwind, roaring and gathering shape until it formed a solid human figure.
"Lord Vladimir?!" Garp's expression changed drastically, and he leaped to his feet.
"So it was you people."
Vladimir raised an eyebrow. His gaze swept across the room, finally settling upon the large screen.
"You four old fools… are you so eager to die?"
"You four old fools… are you so eager to die?"
Vladimir looked at the screen, his expression calm and unreadable.
On the display, the four Elders sat rigidly. Despite the immense distance separating them, they were momentarily stunned into silence, overwhelmed by his aura.
They already knew that Phantom's Shadow Spirit could appear and disappear without a trace, but they never expected Lord Vladimir to be even more direct — manifesting instantly just like this.
And judging by his opening words, it seemed he had come simply because someone had spoken his name.
"You were supposed to have vanished…"
After a long silence of nearly fifteen seconds, the Sword Elder finally spoke, frowning deeply.
"It seems you have received your intelligence," Vladimir replied flatly, his tone calm and devoid of emotion.
"I wonder… who has been running their mouth off?"
"Lord Vladimir!"
Sengoku assumed a highly defensive stance, speaking loudly to hide his inner fear. "What is the meaning of your visit here? What do you want?!"
"You spoke My Name… and with malicious intent," Vladimir replied, glancing at him indifferently.
"But it matters little. There are countless people in this world who bear ill will toward me — you are just one more. And frankly… I do not have the time or patience to deal with you right now."
Hearing this, the Elder with the square face narrowed his eyes sharply.
"That phrase… 'Our time is running out'… what exactly does it mean?"
"Hahaha…"
Vladimir chuckled softly. "I have no interest in idle chatter with you. But since I am here, let me leave you with a warning. It is true that we of Phantom will vanish for a time… but that does not mean we cannot return. Just as I have done now, I can manifest anywhere, anytime. You had best be careful… and pray you do not anger me."
With a wave of his hand, the entire conference room shook violently, as if struck by an invisible giant palm. The very space around them trembled.
"Doflamingo and Nico Robin are respectively reserve and core members of Phantom. If you lay a single hand on either of them, it will be taken as a direct provocation against us. And when that happens… rest assured, someone will come to deal with you permanently."
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