Chapter 261: Setting Sail towards a New WorldChapter 261: Setting Sail for the New WorldLuke jumped from the large bird onto the deck, embracing Nami and Robin. The two ladies had become even more beautiful."Xiao, you've grown taller," Nami said."Xiao, you've become more handsome," Robin said.The ladies' compliments left Luke feeling very satisfied."These are gifts for the two ladies, Spatial Rings. They can store many items. Please accept them with a smile."Luke placed ancient rings with beautiful patterns on Nami and Robin."Thank you so much, Xiao! Only you remember to bring gifts." Nami threw herself onto Luke, giving him a big hug.Robin smiled faintly, "With this ring, shopping will be much easier. Thank you, Xiao.""It's nothing," Luke said.Usopp held out his hand and wiggled it in front of Luke."What is it, Usopp?" Luke asked."A Spatial Ring," Usopp said."There were only two, and they've already been given to Nami and Robin. There are no more. These things are very difficult to Appraise," Luke said."Liar! You're definitely lying!" Usopp didn't believe him.But it was true; Luke had only Appraised two additional Spatial Rings."Everything happens by chance, Usopp. Another day, I'll Appraise some fun things for you."Hearing Luke's words, Usopp became energetic again: "You're right! On our next adventure, I'll find even more fun things for you to Appraise!"On the other side of the deck, Sanji was bleeding profusely, and Chopper quickly helped him with treatment.Luffy stared at Franky, his eyes shining.After two years, Franky had undergone a major body modification, becoming more robust. His short hair had changed to a buzz cut, and his arms looked like he had two giant lead balls tied to them."What is it, Luffy? Is there something that catches your attention?"Franky continuously showed off his new body, then touched his nose with his finger. His buzz cut instantly turned into an afro, then into medium-length hair.As everyone was happily reunited, a cannonball flew over, and three Marine warships appeared in the distance.Three cannonballs accurately targeted the Sunny.But as they flew halfway, the Kuja Pirates' ship appeared. The Empress used Slave Arrow, turning the cannonballs in mid-air into stone.The Kuja Pirates blocked the three Marine warships.The Marines were shocked: "That... that's the Kuja Pirates!""Who is it that dares to park Marine warships in the path I must take?" Hancock said, standing heroically at the bow of her ship.On the Sunny, Robin said, "That's the Kuja Pirates' flag."Nami asked, puzzled, "Kuja?""That's the powerful all-female pirate crew led by the Shichibukai, Empress Boa Hancock," Robinexplained.Usopp exclaimed, "Shichibukai!"Robin said, "Empress Boa Hancock. Legend has it that anyone who beholds her beauty, no matter who they are, will be captivated by her and eventually turn to stone."Brook, observing with binoculars, saw the Empress's figure and was blinded by her dazzling presence.Usopp picked up the binoculars and also saw Hancock: "Who is that peerless beauty?"Hearing "peerless beauty," the unconscious Sanji sat up with a start: "Where is the peerless beauty?"Sanji grabbed the binoculars and searched back and forth, finally locating the Empress on the Kuja Pirates' ship.The Empress looked back, and without using any ability, Sanji turned to stone just like that.The Marines were angry and told Hancock to move her ship."Are you going to obstruct us from carrying out our duties?"The Empress didn't fall for it: "Stop looking for trouble. I simply don't like giving way to people."The Marines also grumbled, "How incredibly self-willed.""Is that not allowed?" Hancock said.Subsequently, the Marines' eyes filled with hearts, and they were easily captivated by Hancock.Hancock looked in Luke's direction, winked at him, and silently thought, "Alright, husband, leave quickly now."Luke also winked at Hancock. Their powerful Observation Haki sensed each other's flirtatious glances, and Hancock instantly collapsed to the ground."What's wrong, Elder Sister!" Marigold exclaimed."Just now, Xiao was sending me his love," Hancocksaid, her face flushed."To be able to sense it from such a distance!" Sandersonia was greatly puzzled."We're saved! Let's depart now!" Luke said.Nami asked, puzzled, "Do you know that Shichibukai?""Yes, she's my wife, although we haven't had the wedding yet," Luke said.They hadn't had the wedding, but they had already consummated their marriage. The wedding would be held later."Nani!?"All the crewmates were shocked, including Luffy.Seeing everyone's shocked expressions, Luke didn't think much of it. After all, he had lived with Hancockfor two years and was used to calling her that.Either Hancock or wife."Wait, wait, wait! You're saying the ShichibukaiEmpress Hancock became your wife?" Nami was already bewildered.Luke nodded, "More or less. For now, she should be considered my girlfriend.""Luke is really amazing, to actually get the Empress!" Robin snorted softly, a hint of displeasure in her tone.Sanji, on the other hand, directly grabbed Luke's collar: "You became boyfriends with that Empress? I say, did you really train properly, Xiao!"Sanji was in tears. He had just witnessed the Empress's devastating beauty, only to find out she was Luke's girlfriend. He found this hard to accept."Of course I trained properly, Sanji," Luke said, patting Sanji's shoulder to comfort him.Sanji pushed Luke away, knelt on the ground, and repeatedly pounded the deck, recalling his past two years: "Why am I so unlucky? I've been with transvestites for two years!""Dating the Empress, I wouldn't even dare to dream of it." For some reason, Usopp also felt a sense of loss. Such a beautiful woman had become someone else's wife.It seemed that the news of Luke and the Empressdating was a big blow to everyone."Nami, it's time to depart," Luke reminded her."Hmph, I know," Nami's tone carried a hint of displeasure, which made Luke feel inexplicably confused."I wonder why Appraiser-san didn't stay on Amazon Lily and live a carefree life with the Empress?" Robin's words also held a feeling that made Lukeuneasy."Of course, adventure is more important. Everyone is important, and my girlfriend is important too," Lukesaid."Hurry up and get to work! Weigh anchor, weigh anchor!" Nami poked Luke's chest several times and said loudly."Understood, Navigator-sama!"Luke immediately went to work. Being stared at with murderous intent by the two ladies gave him goosebumps, so he quickly got to work."Nami, I'll leave the navigation to you." Franky said, then jumped into the sea and activated the coating inflation device.The coating Rayleigh had applied to the ship began to inflate, then enveloped everyone, continuing to expand until it completely covered the Sunny, forming a bubble dome.
Chapter 262 The Man Who Defended the SunnyChapter 262: The Man Who Protected The Thousand SunnyThe principle of the coated ship is simple: just remove the buoyancy bags from the bottom of the ship, and the hull will sink to the bottom of the sea due to insufficient buoyancy.All preparations were complete, just waiting for Captain Luffy to give the order.Luffy strode forward, arms crossed, standing in the center of the deck: "Brothers, there's a lot I want to say, too much to say, but in short, thank you all for forgiving my willfulness.""Your willfulness isn't a one or two-day thing," Sanjisaid with a smile."Exactly, you've always been like this," Usopp said.Luffy laughed happily, and at the same time, the Sunny began to sink.Luffy stretched out his hands: "Set sail! Full speed ahead to Fish-Man Island!""Roar!"Setting sail again after two years excited everyone.As the ship sank, the scenery in the seawater was beautiful, but only in the upper part.Sunlight still shone in, illuminating green plants and the sturdy tree roots of Sabaody Archipelago, with fish constantly swimming around. It was rare to have such a spacious, all-around skylight with the coating.There was a feeling of moving further and further away from the human world.Looking down, it was boundless darkness, a feeling of falling into an abyss.It was as if a giant monster in the abyss was eyeing them covetously. When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.Seeing so many fish outside the coating, Luffy and Zoro's appetites were piqued, and they wanted to catch those fish to eat.Luke stopped both of them with a flying kick."What are you doing? If the bubble breaks, we're all doomed. I swear I'll tie you two up!" Luke let out a long sigh."Nice job, Xiao!" Chopper said."I'll tie them up right now," Usopp said.There was still a problem child on board: Sanji.Due to his two years on Okama Island, he had lost all resistance to beautiful women and would gush blood whenever he saw Nami and Robin.Chopper had prepared a dozen blood bags for Sanji's transfusion therapy.From the moment they met until now, he had spent most of his time unconscious.When lechery and low resistance combine, this kind of troublesome situation arises.Mainly, Nami and Robin wore less clothing and were very beautiful."What exactly happened to Mr. Sanji, who adored beautiful women for the past two years? If he were to see the mermaid ladies he'd been dreaming of, he'd probably die of excessive blood loss. The road ahead is worrying," Brook said."We'll need to find blood donors on Fish-Man Island. I wonder if Fishman blood is the same as human blood," Chopper said.While everyone was chatting, a giant Sea Kingsswam by, giving everyone a fright. Fortunately, it didn't notice the bubble ship.Nami pulled out a report that stated, based on extensive statistics, that seven out of ten ships heading to Fish-Man Island would sink before arriving, so they needed to be careful.Just then, a school of fish swam by outside.Luffy said, "If I used my Gum-Gum Pistol, none of those fish would escape."Zoro rested his katana on his shoulder and said, "Then let's see who catches more fish."Chopper and Usopp intervened in time, beating them up and preventing a second reckless act.Once everyone calmed down, Franky decided to tell them something.Franky sat there, his expression slightly serious."It is said that Hachi, who originally promised to take us to the seabed, was severely wounded on Sabaody Archipelago and is currently recuperating on Fish-Man Island. The reason is the same as Duval's: he was injured protecting the Sunny. A year ago, the Marine discovered the Sunny. After a fierce battle, they were honorably forced to withdraw, severely wounded.""Then how could the ship remain safe all this time?" Usopp asked."Because there was another warrior.""Another warrior?""He is Bartholomew Kuma, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the culprit who sent us flying two years ago. When I came to find the Sunny a few days ago, I couldn't believe my eyes."Franky recalled the scene of meeting Kuma. Kuma had been guarding the Sunny, covered in wounds.Kuma simply said, "Mission accomplished," and then limped away."Later, I asked Rayleigh and learned that during the battle with Kizaru that day, Kuma whispered to Rayleigh that he was a Revolutionary Armyexecutive and had sent the Straw Hat flying away from there for certain reasons. I think you all vaguely sensed that he saved our lives. After we disappeared from the island, according to Kuma, who visited Rayleigh, he no longer had time. Although I don't know what leverage the World Government had over him, that guy was gradually transformed into a cyborg by the Marine as an experimental subject, and a contract to completely strip him of his personality was made before the Marineford War," Franky said.Chopper asked, confused, "But even if he sent us flying, he couldn't have predicted what would happen to us afterward. Even so, he waited for us on this ship, even after losing his personality?""It is said that he made a promise with Vegapunk, who was responsible for the modifications, asking for one mission to be set as a preset program: to guard the pirate ship until a member of the Straw Hat arrived. So for these past two years, even though he lost his original memories, as a human weapon, he still carried out the set mission, waiting for us," Franky said."That's insane! Why would he be so good to us?" Zoro asked."If there's any connection to the Revolutionary Army, it can only be Luffy," Luke said."I don't know much about my dad's business, but is that guy who looks like Kuma really a good person?" Luffy asked.Franky said, "In any case, what's certain is that he is undoubtedly the one who created these meaningful two years for us. It's impossible to ask him his intentions for doing this now. For our crew, Bartholomew Kuma is, in terms of outcome, our great benefactor. But even if we meet him someday, he will have completely become a human weapon. That's all I have to say.""I'm grateful, but I still have many questions. I hope one day I can understand his intentions," Zoro said."Benefactor?" Sanji, who was unconscious, suddenly opened his eyes."Come eat your bento, Sanji, a nutritious bento from Amazon Lily," Luffy asked."Amazon Lily? Is that Kuma guy really a benefactor? Do you know where I've been for the past two years? What exactly did you and Xiao train for in that paradise full of women?" Sanji gradually became agitated."Alright, alright, calm down, Sanji. I know you've suffered a lot, but we're about to start enjoying a new journey, aren't we?" Luke patted Sanji's shoulder, comforting him."Enjoy what, you ghost, Xiao? When I recover, I'm definitely going to challenge you to a duel! A duel!" Sanji said.Luffy then added insult to injury: "Sanji, you can't beat Xiao.""Nani!? Compared to your happy life on Amazon Lily, I've experienced terrifying demon training in an Okama illusion! I'm much stronger now!"Sanji raised his arms and shouted, then fainted again due to insufficient blood supply.
Chapter 263 The Giant Beast in the SeaChapter 263: The Leviathan of the Deep SeaWith nothing to do, Usopp picked up his binoculars and spotted a sinking ship at six o'clock.That ship was rapidly approaching the Thousand Sunny, pulled from the front by a giant sea cow. It was Moo-Moo, the sea cow from the Arlong Pirates.Luke glanced over. It was that guy Caribou, looking as lecherous as ever.The Caribou Pirates, pulled by Moo-Moo, continuously rammed the Thousand Sunny, causing some panic among the crew.Luke didn't dare to act rashly, fearing he might damage the coating."Moo-Moo, you're Arlong's Moo-Moo, right? It's me! Do you remember me? I'm Nami, Nami of the ArlongEmpire!" Nami shouted.Nami's shouts caught Moo-Moo's attention.Moo-Moo carefully looked at the crew on the ship: there was Sanji, the guy who kicked him flying; and Luffy, the guy who punched him away.Seeing these two, Moo-Moo immediately panicked.Caribou was about to lead his crew to charge, advancing through the connected coated area.Caribou, leading by example, passed through the coating and arrived on the deck of the Thousand Sunny."Little ones, follow me!" Caribou yelled loudly.However, at that moment, Moo-Moo quickly fled, taking Caribou's crew with him.The crew exclaimed, "What's wrong with you, sea cow!""How can this be? Now only the Captain is left on that ship alone."At this time, Caribou was still unaware, striding towards everyone, sticking out his disgusting tongue.Caribou chuckled sinisterly, "As a greeting, give me a machine gun and kill all the Straw Hat!"The sudden silence was deafening. No one responded behind Caribou, because besides him, no one else had managed to board the ship."Huh?" Caribou turned his head, his eyes nearly popping out in shock as he saw no one behind him.Everyone looked at Caribou as if he were an idiot.Franky walked over, lifted Caribou with one hand, and prepared to throw him overboard."No, don't do this, please don't throw me into the sea! Anything else is fine, little brother, this little brother, but this really isn't allowed! You can't easily trample on others' lives! God is watching!" Caribou struggled constantly, his will to live extremely strong.Franky threw him onto the deck: "Stop talking to yourself, you bastard! Didn't you just say you were going to shoot us with a machine gun and kill us all, you bastard!""No, that was just a figure of speech, just a figure of speech," Caribou seemed very flustered."Is there such a figure of speech?" Zoro asked."You're the Captain of that ship just now, aren't you?" Luke came before Caribou.Caribou was aghast when he saw the man in front of him—the rumored Lightning King who survived a lightning tribulation, the peerless holy hand who made Whitebeard young again.Caribou immediately knelt before Luke: "How could I be the Captain? I was just following orders from those guys, I was just their pawn. I'm really fed up with that ship!"The acting was very obvious.Usopp couldn't help but retort, "That excuse is too flimsy."Caribou continued, "By the way, could you all give me a ride? I'd be eternally grateful!"Caribou kept kowtowing, which made everyone lose the desire to hit him. As the saying goes, one doesn't hit a smiling face, and this guy was already kneeling.Nami was somewhat interested in the sea cow pulling the ship. Caribou said he caught it nearby, and that using sea beasts to pull ships was a common practice for experienced sailors.This meant that everyone letting the ship sink automatically to the bottom of the sea wasn't a very clever method.Hearing this, Luffy was already peering into the sea, looking for a target to pull the ship.He searched for a long time but couldn't find a good target.Luke was responsible for tying up Caribou and putting Sea Stone handcuffs on him.Next, the ship needed to enter a descending current that dives from the surface to the deep sea, similar to the current that rises to Sky Island—one goes up to the sky, one goes down to the sea. This way, they could reach the deep sea floor.In an area of turbulent currents, everyone saw the descending current, like a giant waterfall stretching before the ship, extremely spectacular.The seawater continuously flowed downwards, very quickly."What a magnificent current! I wonder if it's hundreds of meters in diameter," Robin exclaimed."We're doomed! If we plunge to the bottom of the sea at that speed, it'd be a miracle if we weren't smashed to death!" Usopp cried out in alarm."Don't worry about the ship. The Thousand Sunny is made of Adam Wood; it's the best ship," Frankysaid."Alright, let's go!" Luffy cheered, raising his arm.However, just below the current, Luke sensed the aura of a powerful sea beast.If he guessed correctly, that giant creature should be the devil known for dominating the seas, humanity's mortal enemy, Kraken.Although Caribou's body was bound and his hands were cuffed, his feet could still move.He stood at the edge of the deck and saw the pair of eyes in the deep sea, which scared him so much that he immediately screamed, "Something's wrong! There's a monster!""What are you talking about? How could there be a monster? Legends are just made up by people," Usopp said."There is indeed a monster, but don't worry, it's easy to deal with," Luke said."There really is a monster! But if Xiao says it's easy to deal with, then it's fine, haha," Usopp said, laughing happily.Then the monster called Kraken surfaced. Just a few of its tentacles were larger than the Thousand Sunny. Its shape resembled a combination of an octopus and a squid.Seeing this giant sea monster, Usopp's face turned pale: "Ah! Xiao, is this thing 'easy to deal with'? It's too big!""It's Kraken!" Caribou trembled with fear.In Kraken's tentacles, there were also several shattered ships. Many departing ships had become souls under its tentacles."Let's turn back! It'll surely leave in a few days!" Caribou said."You're so noisy, shut up! I've got a great idea. I'll tame it!" Luffy had another brilliant idea.It really was a brilliant idea. Even Usopp couldn't help but wonder what Luffy was thinking.Usopp grabbed Luffy and made him take a good look at the sea monster."Look closely! Actually, you don't even need to look closely to see it clearly, just look at its enormous size!""It's huge," there was no hint of fear in Luffy's tone, but rather a touch of excitement.Luffy began to ponder how to tame the sea monster. After thinking for a while, Luffy came up with another good idea."Hey Nami, charge straight towards that octopus!" Luffy said with righteous indignation.As expected, Luffy's brilliant idea was on the level of Sleeping Dragon and Phoenix Fledgling.Coincidentally, at this moment, the Caribou Pirate ship that had fled swam back."Big Brother, we've come to rescue you!" his younger brother, Coribou, said."You've come to rescue me!" Caribou cried tears of joy.The next second, the sea monster's tentacles grabbed the Caribou Pirate ship, then with a squeeze, crushed the entire ship into two halves, instantly destroying it and killing everyone aboard.The crew members floated to the surface like jellyfish, departing peacefully.
Chapter 264 Lost at SeaChapter 264: Lost at SeaAfter the octopus sea monster crushed Caribou's pirate ship, it set its sights on the Sunny.The Sunny was like a small toy in front of the sea monster's massive body.How to fight such a large monster was a problem, mainly because they couldn't break the coating.At this point, Caribou proposed a constructive idea: use a temporary water-coating device to create individual bubble coatings.Similar to the bubble bikes on Sabaody Archipelago, they could fight independently in the sea.Luffy, Luke, Zoro, and Sanji put on their bubble suits, ready to leave the ship's coating and fight.Luke had never fought in the sea before and wanted to try it out. As for whether to tie a rope connecting him to the ship around his waist, Luke felt more comfortable being free and didn't need it.The four passed through the ship's coating and entered the sea.The quality of this coated bubble was quite good; it didn't rupture under such water pressure, but the oxygen inside was limited, so they needed to finish quickly."Wait, if you don't tie a safety rope, you'll be swept away!" Nami worried.But the four were already getting further and further away, reaching the giant sea monster."You guys buy me some time, I'll take it down in one move," Luffy said.Luke wondered if using his lightning ability in the sea would electrocute everyone.After thinking about it, Luke still pulled out the Hero's Sword, intending to cut off one of its tentacles to roast and eat."I'll take care of it before you even make a move," Zoro said confidently."Cutting it won't work, I want to keep that octopus!" Luffy said innocently."Are you going to keep this guy in a fish tank, Luffy? How will you get it in?" Luke asked curiously."Just shove it in, shove it in hard," Luffy said."As expected of Captain Luffy, so knowledgeable," Luke said, full of admiration and respect.Usopp shouted from afar: "Just lure that sea monster away, the further the better!"Another question arose: how could Usopp's voice be heard underwater? Perhaps some of the physical laws of this world didn't quite match the original world, but in any case, they could hear him.Luffy stretched out his right arm, inflated it, using Bone Balloon, then covered his giant fist with Armament Haki hardening.Sanji charged out first, delivering a powerful Demon Wind Kick to the sea monster's tentacle. The sea monster let out a painful wail, its tentacle already roasted.In pain, the sea monster used another tentacle to pursue Sanji.At this moment, Luke moved, stepping forward quickly and using the Hero's Sword to cut off this tentacle. A heavy sword without an edge, simple yet profound, a straightforward strike with no unnecessary techniques.Compared to Luke, the bard Zoro recited the name of his technique: "Three Sword Style Secret Technique: Six Paths Cross!"A sword slash, imperceptible to ordinary people, cut off another of the octopus's tentacles into several segments.In the realm of swordsmanship, Zoro was still superior.Luke, who had studied swordsmanship with Rayleigh for two years, couldn't compare to Zoro, who had practiced swordsmanship for most of his life. Luke didn't aim to surpass Zoro in swordsmanship; a 40-60 split would be fine."And they call you a demon of the seas, you're so easily defeated," Zoro scoffed at the sea monster.For the past two years, Zoro had immersed himself in endless battles every day to surpass Hawkeye, without the slightest slack."You're going to get rid of all its legs!" Luffyexclaimed.Then Luffy roared, unleashing a Giant Elephant Gun covered in Armament Haki, precisely hitting the giant sea monster's head.The sea monster was knocked unconscious instantly.At the same time, a red-clad shark emerged from the sea monster's body; it was Megalo, Princess Shirahoshi's pet.This shark was quite polite, thanking everyone before leaving.But just then, Luke felt a powerful pulling force. He hadn't noticed during the battle, but the group had entered a downward current.The strong current pulled the four of them, sweeping them deeper into the sea."The four of them were swallowed by the descending current!" Robin exclaimed."Oh no, hurry and chase them!" Usopp said.Then the Sunny also entered the descending current.The descending current was very turbulent, but fortunately, the coated bubble was very sturdy and had not ruptured in such turbulence.After about ten minutes, the four were swept into a deeper part of the sea, where the light was dim and they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces.Luke pulled out an electric arc, and the coating acted like a light bulb, illuminating the surrounding sea.What Luke saw startled him. This deep-sea area was full of huge creatures.Their average size was more than ten times larger than the fish in the previous sea area, and many species had no eyes; their eyes had degenerated in this environment.There were also giant poisonous jellyfish and huge old man fish.After searching for a while, they finally found Luffyand the others; the four were finally reunited.The immediate priority was to find the Sunny and regroup with the others.Suddenly, Luffy noticed the unconscious octopus sea monster not far away."I have an idea," Luffy said, tapping his left palm with his right fist, a flash of inspiration.It was obvious what his idea was.A few minutes later, through "friendly" communication with the octopus sea monster, this giant sea monster became the four's mount and began to help them search for the Sunny.Hard work paid off; after searching for about ten minutes, they finally saw the glowing Sunny.The Sunny had a powerful electrical system, and even without Luke, there were plenty of batteries to provide power, so there was no need to worry about lighting.At this moment, a giant redfin puffer Fishman stood in front of the Sunny, swinging a huge fist, preparing to attack it.Just as it was about to hit the Sunny, Luffy ordered the sea monster to attack.The sea monster delivered an uppercut tentacle punch, precisely striking the giant Fishman's chin and knocking him away.Then the sea monster Kraken unleashed a series of tentacle punches, countless tentacles swinging continuously, knocking the giant Fishmanunconscious."Luffy, Xiao, Zoro, Sanji!" Usopp exclaimed.Seeing the four return safe and sound, the crew on the ship were overjoyed beyond words. These four were the main combatants, and not finding them always made them feel very insecure.Passing through the ship's coating, the four returned to the Sunny's deck. It was more comfortable with more space.A dilapidated large ship passed by the unconscious giant Fishman, and someone there kept shouting: "Wake up, Sea God, take revenge, fight back!"Luke glanced over there; it seemed to be the pirate ship of that guy named Vander Decken. Luke had some impression of him.Vander Decken possessed the Mark-Mark Fruit, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit. Once an opponent was designated as a target, any item the user threw would automatically track them to the ends of the earth. Shirahoshi was greatly troubled by this.However, at this moment, no one was in the mood to pay attention to him, because the underwater volcano was about to erupt.Not far away, an area was red, with magma churning.Under Luffy's command, the sea monster Kraken carried the Sunny, speeding in another direction.
Chapter 265 Landing on Fishman IslandChapter 265: Arrival at Fish-Man IslandThe power of the volcanic eruption exceeded everyone's expectations; the strong impact caused the Thousand Sunny to sway violently.The most terrifying thing was that as the magma continuously gushed out, the temperature of the surrounding sea began to rise sharply.At this moment, everyone felt as if they were in hot water, as if the water was about to boil."Run, Little Squid!"Little Squid was the nickname Luffy gave to the Sea Monster Kraken, and now everyone on the ship called it that.Needless to say, Little Squid was also fleeing at top speed; it wanted to live too.Under Nami's command, Little Squid led everyone to a giant trench.Little Squid carried the Thousand Sunny and leaped into the trench, heading deeper into the sea once again.Darker than darkness itself, was Fish-Man Islandreally here? Everyone couldn't help but feel a little doubtful.The area where they were now had reached a depth of 8,000 meters.At this pressure, going out of the bubble would instantly flatten them.Seeing a huge rock falling from above, Usopp fired a bullet, and giant seaweed flew out of the bullet, blocking the huge rock.Usopp's performance in this dangerous moment earned him everyone's praise.After several hours of diving, they finally reached the bottom of the trench, which was the abyss of 10,000 meters below the sea.For some reason, the sun was shining brightly here, the light was soft, and the dazzling glow almost blinded everyone.Was this the deep sea? Why was there light in the deep sea, as bright as if standing on land?"Look up, look up!" Luffy said excitedly.Luke looked up; the light was too dazzling, and for a moment, he couldn't see clearly.Once his eyes adjusted to the light, Luke finally saw what Luffy was pointing at: it was a fantastical island, Fish-Man Island, enveloped by a giant bubble.Countless fish swam around Fish-Man Island, as if they were in a dream world, looking like the Sabaody Archipelago of the sea."It's so big, wrapped in a blue bubble!" Luffyexclaimed."There's even clouds inside, maybe even air." Namiwondered."That's Fish-Man Island, which means we're 10,000 meters below the sea." Chopper said.Having been to Sky Island at 10,000 meters above and Fish-Man Island at 10,000 meters below, they had indeed embarked on a magnificent adventure with the Straw Hat Crew."What is that big tree at the top of the bubble?" Usopp was greatly shocked."Great, we finally made it!" Luffy cheered."A famous attraction of the Grand Line!" Frankyclasped his arms together, striking his classic pose."The island where mermaids dance, the beautiful mermaid princess—I've finally arrived at the paradise I've dreamed of since childhood!" Sanji was already impatient.Just fantasizing about mermaids, Sanji was already bleeding from his nose; one could already imagine what he would be like after landing on the island and seeing mermaids.The immediate priority was to find the entrance to Fish-Man Island.But at this moment, a group of giant Sea Kingsswam over and surrounded the Thousand Sunny.These Sea Kings looked very bizarre, some resembling lions, some elephants, and there were also Masira, giraffes, and rhinos, with beast bodies and fish fins.On top of these bizarre giant Sea Kings appeared several Fishmen.One of the Fishmen spoke: "Why do you obey humans, Kraken?"Seeing these appearing Fishmen, the Sea Monster Kraken abandoned the Thousand Sunny and fled in panic.Luke's understanding of mermaids and Fishmen was simple: mermaids, like Shirahoshi, had human-like upper bodies and fish tails for lower bodies. Fishmen, on the other hand, had fish-like upper bodies and human-like legs for walking upright, like Arlong."You are the Straw Hat, aren't you!"The Fishman said, sitting on the sea beast."Who are you, and how do you know us?" Luffyasked."Of course I know. The pirates who once crushed Arlong's ambitions. If it were just that, things would be simple, but two years ago, I heard that one of you killed those hateful Celestial Dragons, just like our beloved Fishman hero, Fisher Tiger."Luke recognized this Fishman; he was Hody Jones, a combatant of the New Fish-Man Pirates.Luke also saw the drunken Fishman next to him, also from the New Fish-Man Pirates, the assassin Ikaros Much, and the combatant Dosun.Hody Jones scoffed, "I don't know how to deal with you. So tell us, are you friends or foes? I'll give you a choice: join our New Fish-Man Pirates, or refuse?"Hody Jones's eyes suddenly became murderous."If you refuse, we'll sink you here."Nami had already started telling Luke to recharge the power. How could Luffy obediently listen to them? Moreover, they were 10,000 meters deep in the sea, fighting was inconvenient, the chances of winning were very low, and they would be crushed if they went out. It was better to escape first.Using super electric jet to rush into Fish-Man Island—that was Nami's plan. Once they reached Fish-Man Island, they could fight easily."Alright, leave it to me and Xiao." Franky began to operate, and Luke started to increase the power.Luffy grinned and made a face at them: "No way, you idiots!"At these words, the three members of the New Fish-Man Pirates were shocked.Hody Jones was enraged: "You refused our invitation to the New Fish-Man Pirates, so you are our Fishmen's enemies, sinful humans!"Luffy continued to make faces at them: "Idiots, idiots! Why would I become your subordinate?""What a pity, then we cannot let you pass here. You will sink here!" Hody Jones ordered the sea beasts to attack.By this time, Luke's power had been fully charged, and Franky pressed the button, unleashing the Super Electromagnetic Jet.With a tremendous thrust, the Thousand Sunny shot upwards, flying towards Fish-Man Island."What's going on with that ship!?" The three New Fish-Man Pirates members looked bewildered."We're going to crash in!" Franky said.The moment it collided with the outer bubble of Fish-Man Island, the Thousand Sunny entered the bubble, and the ship's coating gradually disappeared.Surprisingly, the bubble had a double structure; there was another layer of bubble inside.Now the Thousand Sunny was in the first bubble, surrounded by air, and without buoyancy, the ship began to descend.Immediately after, Franky pressed the button again, and the electromagnetic jet reactivated.The second impact propelled them into the inner layer of the bubble.However, the inner layer of the bubble was filled with seawater.The ship, having lost its coating, was instantly submerged in seawater, leaving everyone at a loss.Luke also held his breath the moment they encountered the seawater, but the others were not so lucky; all the Devil Fruit users suffered.Luke carried Luffy and Nami, Zoro carried Chopperand Usopp, and Sanji carried Robin and Brook, swimming towards the Fish-Man Island town nearby.Fortunately, they met Camie in the town.With Camie's help, Luke, Zoro, and Sanji led everyone to Camie's room.The outside of the town was all seawater, but the rooms inside were filled with air; this strange structure amazed everyone.
Chapter 266 Beautiful MermaidsChapter 266: Beautiful MermaidsAfter resting for half a day in Camie's home, Luffyand the others woke up one by one.Luke was chatting with Camie at this moment, while Sanji, upon seeing Camie again, continued to have nosebleeds. It was unclear what kind of constitution this guy had.From chatting with Camie, they learned that the starfish Pappag was very famous here and had a villa in the bustling area of Gyoverly.Also, Hachi had been seriously injured a year ago protecting the Thousand Sunny and was still recovering, but he was almost completely healed now.There were many small mermaids in Camie's home, and they curiously surrounded everyone, examining them."Isn't that Camie? Long time no see!" Luffy said happily after opening his eyes.Camie was cooking. Sanji wiped his nosebleed, and when he picked up the cooking utensils, he seemed to transform into a different person, no longer distracted by beautiful women, and focused on his cooking."It really has been a long time. It's great to see you all!" Camie said."If Camie is here, does that mean we've reached Fish-Man Island?" Luffy's brain was clearly a beat behind."Yes, to be honest, I just woke up too," Usopp said."This is Camie's home. Here's your Straw Hat," Luketossed the Straw Hat to Luffy."It's Camie's home.""Sorry, I was supposed to pick everyone up, but I got the date wrong by a month." Camie felt a bit ashamed."Don't worry about it, Camie," Luffy said.Camie brought over a bowl of soup: "Try this. Everyone got cold, so I prepared some soup to warm you up."But Camie's soup was very bland. At first glance, it looked like steeped tea with a few tea leaves in it.The soup was called Wakame Cold Soup. Camie said it was delicious, but everyone clearly didn't believe her."Cold soup?" Luke asked in surprise.Camie then realized: "Ah! ~ Cold soup can't warm anyone up. What should I do?"Even though it was cold soup, everyone tasted it and still found the flavor good.Soon, the little mermaids brought dry clothes, and everyone put them on, preparing to go explore Fish-Man Island.Camie said: "This is the bottom of Mermaid Cove. It's the girls' dormitory for the Mermaid Cafe in town, so I have a lot of friends here.""Girls' dormitory."Upon hearing this, Sanji swallowed hard, tightened his tie, and became very interested in the Mermaid Cafe: "Camie, that Mermaid Cafe is…?""It's the shop where I work as a waitress. There are many beautiful mermaids there.""Beautiful women! Mermaids!" Sanji was already lost in fantasy."Oh, let's go up and take a look. I'll introduce you to my friends," Camie suggested.Everyone eagerly went out and took the unique turtle elevator. The turtle shell had a large bubble with plenty of oxygen inside.Riding the turtle elevator, they passed through the Coral Apartments. Camie's home was at the very bottom because the rent was cheap.The most expensive rent was for the uppermost floor, where the sunlight could reach.After about ten minutes, the turtle elevator carried everyone to the surface of the sea.Emerging from the seawater and standing on the rocks, the feeling of solid ground underfoot was wonderful.Looking around, Usopp was greatly astonished: "Speaking of which, the deep sea actually has a sky and white clouds.""Really? What kind of structure is this?" Chopperexclaimed."Hey, Camie!" A female voice suddenly came from not far away.Luke looked in that direction and saw several beautiful mermaids sitting on the rocks there. Each one was very pretty, and their clothes only covered the crucial parts of their bodies."Are your friends all right?""You didn't come through the entrance, did you?""You don't look that scary.""Illegal entry, quite wild. I really like pirates."The beautiful mermaid ladies spoke one after another. Sanji, seeing such a dreamlike scene, finally couldn't hold back.Sanji raised his arms, tears streaming down his face: "I've finally found it! This is my All Blue!"Camie said: "Let me introduce everyone. These are all my mermaid friends."Without a word, Sanji immediately took off his clothes, dove into the sea with a fish-like leap, and began happily frolicking with the mermaid beauties.The mermaid ladies watched Sanji's comical performance and found him very amusing.Luffy had another purpose for coming to Fish-Man Island: to find Jinbe.Chatting with Camie, they learned that Jinbe was not here.Two years ago, Jinbe resigned from his Shichibukaiposition, so the members of the Fish-Man Pirates could not stay on this island and left with their boss, Jinbe.While everyone was chatting, Camie's little mermaid friends swam over and informed everyone of a piece of news.The King's ship had arrived. Although its purpose was unknown, the King's ship was rarely seen, and it was most likely here to apprehend illegal intruders.Looking into the distance, a large fish carrying an airship flew towards them. The airship somewhat resembled the Ark Maxim.To avoid conflict, everyone had to hide.A mermaid pulled Sanji, hiding him behind a rock, but Sanji's cheek landed on the mermaid's chest."Sanji, get over here!" Luke wanted to pull Sanjiaway from the mermaid's embrace.But it was no use. Sanji clung to the mermaid like an octopus, achieving the "face wash" accomplishment.Luke didn't bother anymore and found a place to hide. If nothing unexpected happened, Sanji would definitely have a massive nosebleed soon.Accompanied by the horn sounds of the mermaid soldiers, the airship docked by the shore."Prince Neptune's three Highnesses have arrived!"Standing prominently on the airship were Neptune's eldest son, Sharkstar, second son, Ryuboshi, and third son, Fukaboshi.The eldest son, Sharkstar, said: "Ladies of the cove, I have something to ask you!"Some of the mermaids were excited to see the princes arrive and cast flirtatious glances at them."We received reports of illegal intruders. Have they come here?" Sharkstar asked.The second son, Ryuboshi, said: "If they came, tell us. If not, then it's fine."The third son, Fukaboshi, said: "Red sunfish, roll, roll, roll, I want to play here too."From their conversation, it was clear that, apart from the eldest son, the other two were quite foolish."No one has come here.""Are they such important people that even the Prince Highnesses came specifically?" Camie's mermaid friend said.Sharkstar said: "Hmm, it's not yet confirmed if they are the people I'm looking for."The second and third princes chimed in, and the third prince could no longer resist dancing."Since they are not here, I shall take my leave. Sorry to interrupt your fun," Sharkstar said, then boarded the airship and turned to depart.The mermaid ladies also bid farewell to the princes.Luke glanced at Sanji, who was having a "face wash" in the mermaid's arms, already on the verge of a volcanic eruption.Even from over ten meters away, Luke could hear Sanji's heartbeat, thumping like an Emperor Engine.The speed increased rapidly, and finally, upon reaching the critical point, Sanji had a massive nosebleed.The blood gushed out, forming the shape of a beautiful mermaid lady.With such a blood loss, if he didn't get a transfusion, he would likely die.
Chapter 267 Friendly CompatriotsChapter 267: Friendly Compatriots"Sanji!" The Fishman holding Sanji was stunned, looking at Sanji in panic."The amount of blood just now! Oh no, Sanji!" Luffywas also stunned."It's no good, his suppressed excitement has erupted!" Usopp exclaimed.Sanji's nosebleed immediately caught the attention of Neptune's three princes.Sharkstar took out the wanted poster photo and compared it: "Without a doubt, that's the pirate Straw Hat Luffy."The princes turned their ship around and led their soldiers to face everyone.The soldiers jumped off the ship, ready to arrest them.Compared to fighting, the most urgent task now was to save Sanji; his skin had already turned gray, the same color as a zombie, and he had very few red blood cells left."Can you wait a bit to arrest us? Is there anyone who can donate blood right now! If this continues, my companion will die within an hour! His blood type is S-type Rh-negative! It's a bit rare. Does anyone among you have this blood type? Quick, can anyone donate blood?" Chopper pleaded."Luke, can you save Sanji?" Usopp asked.Luke took out a stamina recovery pill and put it into Sanji's mouth: "I can only restore his stamina; as for blood, I have no way."Usopp slapped his head: "Sanji, how can there be such a foolish way to die!""Please, someone give Sanji some blood!" Luffyknelt on the ground and said earnestly.Fishmen, merfolk, and humans have the same blood types and can receive transfusions, but just as humans discriminate against merfolk, merfolk also discriminate against humans, and no one was willing to donate blood.At this moment, mocking laughter came from not far away, from the members of the New Fishman Pirate crew who had intercepted them earlier.Hammond laughed loudly: "What foolish things are you humans saying? On Fish-Man Island, no good Samaritan would ever donate blood to you low-class humans. If anyone were to donate blood to you, they would surely face retribution from their companions. Bleed to death like this! This country has had a law since ancient times forbidding blood transfusions to humans.""What?""Don't misunderstand, these were originally rules set by you humans. Throughout a long history, you have regarded us as monsters and feared us, resisting mixing your blood with ours. Fish-Man Island's hero, Tiger Fisher, died because of this. He dedicated his life to freeing slaves, regardless of race, and later lost blood in battle. If someone had given him a blood transfusion, he would definitely have survived, but he died because heartless humans refused to give him blood!" Hammond said angrily.Luke, who had intended to beat this guy up, heard about Tiger Fisher's story and lowered his fist, watching to see what he would do next.Hammond said: "Straw Hat, I only have one thing to say to you. You and that guy named Luke next to you, abandon the lives of your other companions and come with us to Fish-Man District! Lord Hody Jones, the captain of the New Fishman Pirate crew, summons you!"Hammond raised his rifle: "If you don't come quietly, we'll use force to take you."Luke extended his right hand and unleashed three consecutive Finger Pistols, knocking all three of them flying."Luffy, there's a Sea Beast behind you!" Usopp said.Luffy turned and glared at the fierce Sea Beast, which immediately cowered, lying there motionless.The princes were shocked; the people from Fish-Man District instantly collapsed, and the Sea Beast was defeated without a fight."What's going on? That handsome man and Luffyare so strong!" The Fishman ladies showed infatuated expressions.Just as the princes were engrossed in the power of Luffy and the others, Camie had secretly boarded the princes' flying ship, the Ryugu."Luffy and everyone, quickly bring Sanji up! Let's go to town! There are many humans at the town's port, hurry!" Camie waved.Luffy stretched out his right arm, gathered everyone, and jumped onto the Ryugu."Alright, we're on! Let's go, Camie!""Please, Ryugu, take us to town," Camie said to the giant fish below.The fish nodded, indicating it understood, then flew towards the town.This Ryugu was even more foolish than a husky; a husky follows whoever gives it treats, but this Ryugu just goes if you simply say so."Sorry, we'll return it after Sanji is treated!" Camie said to the princes.The Ryugu flew towards the town, leaving the princes in disarray in the wind.At this moment, although Sanji's condition was not optimistic, his spiritual world was very full; he was practically dying but was still smiling pervertedly, muttering about the soft elasticity that he couldn't forget.Actually, these princes were looking for Luffy and the others to deliver Jinbe's message, but Sanji's life was in danger, so saving Sanji was the priority.Soon, the Ryugu arrived at a small town, and everyone kept shouting down below, looking for someone willing to donate blood to Sanji.But it was clear from their expressions that many were unwilling to donate blood, and some who had the idea to donate clenched their fists and chose silence.Fortunately, there were still humans here.In a place like Fish-Man Island, humans were not plentiful, so compatriots helped each other, and Sanji's blood type was quickly found.To thank these compatriots, Luke gave each of them one hundred gold coins. They were also very grateful, saying they were all their own people and would help if needed.Thirty minutes after the transfusion, Sanji finally regained consciousness from his coma, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.When Sanji opened his eyes and learned that humans had donated blood to him, he was very grateful and wanted to meet the donors to thank them in person."I advise you not to look," Luke reminded him."Bastard Luke, your heart is harder than Sea Stone! I must thank them in person!" Sanji said righteously.Luke took a drag from his cigarette: "Is that so? Since you want to see, then thank them properly."Luke pulled back the curtain, revealing the humans who had helped Sanji with blood donations—no, to be precise, they were Okama.Their enchanting figures, muscular builds, abundant leg hair, heavy stubble, and lipstick made Lukeunable to look directly; every time he looked, his appetite decreased by sixty percent.The Okama said gently to Sanji: "It's alright, little silly. If you don't mind, we can give you some more, little silly."The Okama blew a kiss to Sanji.Sanji, who wanted to express his thanks, instantly turned to stone, so scared that he pulled out his IV drip and jumped around like a Masira, shouting incoherently.At this moment, Sanji seemed to have returned to Okama Island. On this Fish-Man Island, full of beautiful women, he unexpectedly had his mental exhaustion cured by Okama.At this moment, Okama blood flowed through Sanji's veins.Seeing Sanji so energetic, Luffy laughed happily: "Haha, it's great that you've recovered your spirits!""Calm down, Sanji, there are still three bags of blood left to transfuse," Luke said."No, no, I don't want it!" Sanji knelt on the bed, clutching his head with both hands, somewhat mentally distraught.
Chapter 268: Prophet Mrs. ShirleyChapter 268: The Prophet, Madame ShyarlySanji was receiving treatment at the home of the proprietress of the Mermaid Cafe, where Camie worked. The proprietress, a beautiful shark named Shyarly, had a mature voice, an elegant, older-sister demeanor, and held a pipe.She wore a hood, looking just like a fortune teller."Is the blond boy alright now?" Proprietress Shyarlyasked."Yes, but since Madame is a beauty, he shouldn't go near that room for now," Camie replied.Camie understood Sanji. If he saw another beautiful woman, he'd start bleeding again. This was a doctor's recommendation Chopper had given Camie; a peculiar prescription, but very effective for Sanji."Hey, Madame, what's this?"Luffy pointed at a large crystal ball and asked curiously."Don't touch that, Straw Hat boys," Proprietress Shyarly said.Camie explained, "That's a fortune-telling crystal ball. Madame possesses the ability to foresee the future and is very famous in this coral reef.""I stopped fortune-telling a long time ago. It's best not to know about the future," Madame Shyarlysaid, exhaling a smoke ring with a profound air."So, do Mermaids poop too?" Luffy asked."What does that have to do with fortune-telling, Luffy?" Luke asked."You rude child!" Madame Shyarly opened her mouth, revealing sharp shark teeth that terrified Usopp, who was standing next to Luffy."Sorry!" Usopp pressed down on Luffy's head and apologized to Madame Shyarly.Madame Shyarly told Camie that she didn't need to work at the shop today and could take her friends out to explore.Mainly, human pirate tourists hadn't been coming recently, so business was a bit slow.Camie also remembered something: she needed to deliver clams to Pappag.Speaking of Pappag, Proprietress Shyarlymentioned that Pappag was currently playing with the maids at the cafe.So, everyone decided to follow Camie to the cafe to find Pappag.On the way to the cafe, they chatted with Camie about Madame Shyarly.Madame Shyarly's fortune-telling was very powerful; she could predict many things.When she was very young, she predicted that many pirates would come to the island, and the following year, the Great Pirate Era began.Later, she also predicted the war at Marineford. However, what puzzled Shyarly was that about a year ago, the future she had predicted changed.A long time ago, she predicted that Whitebeardwould die at Marineford. But about a year ago, at some point, she suddenly had a premonition and predicted again. The result was that Whitebeardwould not die, but instead would live a long life, which greatly confused Shyarly.In all her years of fortune-telling, this was the first time she had seen such a thing. According to Shyarly, the world line had shifted.After chatting with Camie about Madame Shyarly, Luke guessed that the reason for the change in prophecy must have been his arrival, which caused the timeline to deviate and lead to a different outcome.Walking along Coral Avenue, everyone arrived at the entrance of the Mermaid Cafe.The street was bustling with people, and Luffy felt hungry as soon as he saw the cafe."This is a cafe," Usopp said."They also have food, sea fruits!" Camie said."What about meat?" Luffy asked."Mermaids don't eat meat or fish, so the menu consists of caramelized wakame, seaweed fruit tarts, and kelp souffles. There is meat, but it's shellfish meat."Shellfish meat wasn't enough to even get stuck in Luffy's teeth.While everyone was chatting, Pappag and several maids came out."Pappag!""Straw Hat, and everyone, I missed you all so much!" Pappag said happily."Long time no see," Luffy said, holding Pappag in his hand.Seeing the maids, Brook also asked, "Beautiful Mermaid ladies, may I see your panties?""Mermaids don't wear panties!" Nami smacked a large bump on Brook's head.Pappag said, "Come on, let's go to my place. I'll treat you to sea beast meat. How could a wild guy like me be satisfied with just wakame and shellfish? My main dish is the fiercest sea beast meat!""Pappag, I almost forgot, here are today's clams."Camie gave the clams to Pappag."Wow, Camie's delicious clams!" Pappag was instantly delighted.Holding the clams, everyone boarded a fish-shaped vehicle to Pappag's house.Along the way, they saw Vander Decken's wanted poster, the same dilapidated ghost ship they had encountered on their way.Vander Decken was now a pirate who had been sought nationwide for many years. Every week, he would send a love letter to the Mermaid Princess. Slowly, the letters turned into small packages, and now they had become threatening marriage proposals.The Mermaid Princess was very frightened by Vander Decken's abnormal behavior, and the nation could no longer stand idly by.King Neptune, the Mermaid Princess's father, was furious. The three princes they had seen earlier were also searching everywhere for Vander Decken, wanting to arrest him, but they hadn't found him yet.King Neptune, the Sea God who ruled this country, had four children: three princes and one princess.Vander Decken was a pirate cursed centuries ago. In reality, that Vander Decken was already dead; the current one was his descendant, Vander Decken IX.Looking down from the Mermaid airship, they saw various kinds of fish.Mermaids and Fishmen could also procreate, with a 50/50 chance of their children being Mermaids or Fishmen.On the buildings along the way, they could see the Whitebeard Pirates' flag hanging.In the original storyline, the Big Mom Pirates' flag was hanging here. Since Whitebeard didn't die, he still protected this place, and unlike Big Mom, Whitebeard didn't demand anything in return.After traveling a bit further, they arrived at the bustling Gyoverly Hills, where a giant mansion stood—Pappag's home."Just a starfish, and such a huge house!" Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Brook, and Franky exclaimed."Look, it's Pappag!""Is it the super famous one?""Awesome, is it really him?"The surrounding Mermaid ladies looked at Pappag as if they were seeing a celebrity, showing Pappag's influence here."You're that popular?""Surprised, aren't you? Outside this sea, I'm just a fashionable starfish, but back on this island, I'm the president of the Criminal Brand Company and a super popular renowned designer. This brand is already famous worldwide, with branches even in various countries."Pappag proudly stood there speaking, but no one was listening to him; their attention was focused on the shops ahead.Seeing the clothing store, Nami immediately got excited and took Robin inside to shop.Seeing Nami enter the store, Luke knew that the store owner wouldn't be making any money today.Nami picked out many clothes in the store and then started negotiating prices with the owner."So, isn't this store too expensive? The clothes are cute, but they should only cost 10,000 Berries," Nami said."You're cutting too much, customer. That's not even half price!"The owner was completely stunned, a blow straight to the jugular.Nami grabbed Pappag's cheek: "I say, this is your store, isn't it? What's with these prices, are you trying to extort us?""No, you could say it's brand pricing. I'm a popular designer, after all.""Give me a discount!""No, no, you..."Pappag broke free from Nami's hand, then stood before everyone and said, "Don't say such formal things! You helped me two years ago, so everything is free! Take whatever you want!"Pappag's generosity was boundless.//Hearing "free," everyone else's generosity also became boundless. Each person took a large bag of clothes, filling them to the brim.Then, looking around, the store was empty of clothes, completely bare."You really don't hold back, do you?" Pappag was sweating.Just then, it suddenly became very noisy outside.Luke walked out of the store and saw a golden light shining in the sky, as if a Buddha had descended."That great one!""Look at the sky! That great one is coming from the palace!"The Fishmen on the street pointed at the sky.Looking up, a giant whale soared through the sky. Standing on the whale was a stout man, holding a golden trident and wearing a crown, exuding an aura of immense majesty.The whale slowly descended, flying towards Luke.Many people were seeing King Neptune for the first time; he hadn't even brought guards.As Neptune approached, they realized his body was enormous, as big as the whale.Seeing this massive Fishman king, they couldn't help but feel that female Mermaids were more beautiful."He's such a big, curly-haired old man," Luffy said bluntly."Hey, Megalo, are you sure it's them?"Beside King Neptune floated the small shark Megalo, who had been rescued from the sea monster earlier.Megalo nodded."Hey, Straw Hat humans, I'm going to..."Neptune's expression looked very serious, making people feel he wouldn't say anything good."I'm going to invite you to Ryugu Palace as my guests."Neptune spread his arms, and the sudden change in tone caught everyone off guard.Ryugu Palace, to the residents here, was a sacred place, a heavenly world forbidden to ordinary people, located at the top of Fish-Man Island.It was the residence of the King, the three princes, and Princess Shirahoshi."Hey, old man, is there a lot of good food there?" This was what Luffy was most interested in."Of course, the banquet is already prepared.""Oh, that's exciting.""I want to go too, Ryugu Palace!" Nami cheered, her eyes already shaped like money, her intentions clear.Luke was also very interested, wondering what treasures inside might be worth collecting.The small shark Megalo was responsible for carrying everyone to Ryugu Palace. Of course, Camie and Pappag also had to be called."No, how could people like us go to Ryugu Palace, right?" Pappag said worriedly."Stop babbling, let's go!" Luke grabbed Pappag and threw him onto Megalo's back, then picked up Camie and jumped on."Hey, Xiao, the difference in treatment is too great!" Pappag complained.On the way to Ryugu Palace, King Neptune, in high spirits, began to sing."Old man, your sea shanties sound silly," Luffy said bluntly again.Neptune didn't get angry, he just laughed heartily: "That shark, Megalo, is my daughter's beloved pet. She cries non-stop when Megalo isn't around, and I can't do anything about it. I didn't expect it to be attacked by the Kraken, so thank you for saving it.""Actually, I just sent my sons to pick you up, but they haven't returned, so I came myself, because I'm also looking forward to the banquet's food and want to start quickly."Drool was already dripping from Neptune's big beard.Luffy's drool was also dripping; the two shared a common hobby.By the way, Robin and Franky had chosen to explore Fish-Man Island before the King arrived.Robin wanted to find the history of Fish-Man Island, while Franky went to find relatives of his master, Tom, as this was Tom's hometown.Nami raised her question: "It's so dark under the sea, why is only Fish-Man Island so bright here?""It's not that the location of Fish-Man Island is bright, but rather, a long time ago, the Fishmen settled in the only place underwater where sunlight could reach. This is the origin of Fish-Man Island," Neptune replied.On Fish-Man Island, there was a giant tree root called the Sun Tree Eve, which could directly transmit sunlight from the surface to the seabed. In other words, there existed a glowing tree root over ten thousand meters long here.Although scholars racked their brains trying to explain it with scientific principles, it was a mysterious great tree that used surface sunlight to illuminate its roots. This tree also transmitted ample air to the seabed.After several tens of minutes, everyone arrived at the entrance of the palace.Neptune pressed a switch, and the guards lowered the passage.Ryugu Palace was filled with seawater, so they had to wear bubble suits to enter.Proceeding quickly along the passage, everyone finally arrived at the legendary Ryugu Palace.At a glance, Ryugu Palace was resplendent with flowers. Around the giant, colorful palace, a vividly carved coiled dragon was entwined, and various brightly colored fish swam around.The surrounding seaweed and fruits were countless, and they could see Dragon Turtles and crabs playing leisurely inside."Mr. Pappag's mansion is like a flea compared to this," Brook said."Don't compare!""What a beautiful castle!" Nami exclaimed.Following the stairs, they reached the golden, magnificent gate of Ryugu Palace."Open the gate!""Welcome home, Your Majesty!"The guards stood in two neat lines, respectfully welcoming the King's return."This is my castle, everyone relax and enjoy!" Neptune said grandly.Immediately after, the King was reprimanded by the Left and Right Ministers. They asked why His Majesty had gone out alone without a word, as it was a very dangerous thing to do.Neptune said, "I've brought the people who rescued Megalo from the Kraken. Quickly, entertain our guests."As for Princess Shirahoshi, the Left Minister reported that Vander Decken had again used an axe to attack Shirahoshi from a long distance.Moreover, the banquet wasn't even ready yet.Then, in an instant when no one was paying attention, Luffy had already followed a distant scent and left. Luke immediately chased after him.Although he didn't smell anything, Luke knew that by following Luffy, he would get to see Princess Shirahoshi, and he also wanted to see the cute Shirahoshi.Following Luffy, they arrived in front of a giant iron gate.Axes, longswords, and long knives were stuck in the iron gate, clearly the work of Vander Decken.Due to the long-distance targeting, Shirahoshi could only hide inside, living a monotonous and anxious life every day.Because the guards who had just passed by were squatting and delivering fragrant food into the room, Luffy was curious about what there was to eat inside.Pushing open the iron gate, Luke and Luffy walked in. It was very dark inside, and this area had no seawater, so they didn't need to wear bubble suits.Upon entering, they smelled delicious food. Luffycouldn't see anything clearly and just jumped over, ending up jumping onto Shirahoshi.Luffy hadn't even realized he was standing on Shirahoshi and was walking back and forth, searching for food, when he bumped into Shirahoshi's twin peaks."What's this, so soft?" Luffy asked, puzzled."Hmm~~" Shirahoshi whimpered softly."Eh? Did someone just make a sound?" Luffy asked Luke.Then Luffy, in a playful mood, jumped around as if he were on a trampoline."Haha, it's just like pudding!" Luffy said innocently.
Chapter 269 The Mermaid Princess of the Hard Shell TowerChapter 269: The Mermaid Princess of the Hard-Shell Tower"Excuse me, who is here?"The room lights suddenly turned on, and Shirahoshisat up, sending Luffy, who was on her, flying off.Seeing the Mermaid Princess in person, her size was indeed enormous, but her proportions were perfectly balanced, her figure was excellent, and her beauty was top-notch, beyond words."What are you doing on me? Who exactly are you?" Shirahoshi's voice was a bit timid, and tears welled up in her eyes.Luffy looked up and saw Shirahoshi's face."What, such a huge mermaid!" Luffy exclaimed in surprise.Shirahoshi looked adorable, clenching her small fists: "You've also come to take my life, haven't you? But I'm not scared at all, because I am Neptune's daughter. So I won't be afraid, not afraid."Even with someone coming to take her life, she still used a respectful form of address, and her tone was gentle. She was too kind. In reality, where would you find such a naive princess?As Shirahoshi spoke, she started to cry, tears streaming down, even larger than Luffy's."Ah~~~" Shirahoshi covered her eyes, crying incessantly, tears gushing like a spring."Help! Father! Brothers!""Hey, hey, I didn't do anything!" Luffy protested.But Shirahoshi continued to cry.Luffy covered his head, at a loss: "Seriously, what's wrong with you? Xiao, think of something!"Luke didn't know what to do either. He remembered the cotton candy he had bought for Chopper earlier. When Luke took it out and offered it to Shirahoshi, she cried even harder.The cotton candy wasn't even as big as Shirahoshi's fingernail and fell off with a touch."That's Princess Shirahoshi's crying! It's coming from the Hard-Shell Tower!"Shirahoshi's crying quickly attracted the attention of the guards, and a large number of guards rushed towards the Hard-Shell Tower.Shirahoshi was still crying: "You two came here to take my life, didn't you?""No, hey, no! I'm just hungry!" Luffy said.Just then, a large axe flew over Luke's head, heading straight for Shirahoshi.Luke caught the axe with one hand and then stuck it into the ground."Why did an axe fly over?" Luffy asked, puzzled.On the axe, there was a huge red pattern. It was clearly thrown by Van Der Decken.Princess Shirahoshi saw the axe caught and immediately understood that these two people were not there to kill her.Just then, the guards rushed in."Quick, hide!"Shirahoshi grabbed Luke and Luffy with her hand and placed them behind her."Your Highness, are you alright?" the Right Minister asked."No!" Shirahoshi seemed a little flustered."Hearing Your Highness's unusual crying, we were very worried. What about this door? Is it an intruder?" The Right Minister looked around.Luffy, in Shirahoshi's hand, wanted to shout, but Luke covered his mouth."Shh, don't make a sound. We're not safe right now," Luke whispered to Luffy."We are guests of Ryugu Palace!""It's already chaotic outside. Remember Caribou? He used his Devil Fruit ability to abduct many Fishmanwomen. Now, that crime has been shifted onto us. And there's Miss Shyarly's prophecy; she predicted that we are the ones who will destroy this island."Luffy was greatly shocked: "How do you know all this?"Luke pointed to his head: "Use your brain more."Luffy stroked his chin, seriously pondering Luke's words, then blurted out: "Can you know all this just by using your brain?""Yes, read more books," Luke patted Luffy's shoulder, saying earnestly.On the other side, Shirahoshi was explaining to the Right Minister: "I think I had a nightmare. I made you all worried.""Indeed, I seemed to hear something.""No, no, that was the sound of my stomach.""Is that so?"At this moment, the little shark, Megalo, arrived, swimming happily around Shirahoshi.Megalo saw Luke and Luffy behind her. Luke made a shushing gesture, and Megalo nodded in understanding. He was a quite spiritual shark.Next, the Right Minister began to say that they suspected the Straw Hat had abducted a large number of Fishmen. Based on Madame Shyarly's prediction, they decided to consider the Straw Hatdangerous and imprison him.Now, their companions outside had been captured. Zoro had drunk a large jar of sake, gotten drunk, and was also captured."But the Straw Hat Captain and Xiao are missing. We believe they are hiding somewhere in RyuguPalace, so please be careful, Princess," the Right Minister said.At this moment, Luffy's stomach rumbled again. He covered his mouth, but couldn't stop his stomach.The Right Minister was stunned. What was that sound? Princess Shirahoshi would never be so undignified."Princess, you're a bit strange, what's wrong?"Fortunately, a nearby guard pulled out a timer: "Right Minister, time's up.""Five minutes have passed, so we will take our leave."The Right Minister led the guards to close the door and left the Hard-Shell Tower.After the door closed, Shirahoshi lifted Luke and Luffy in her palm."I apologize for my rudeness just now. I hope you can understand. You are Megalo's saviors," Shirahoshi said.Seeing Shirahoshi up close, Luke noticed that her eyes were very beautiful, and his own body was only slightly larger than Shirahoshi's eyes.Luke stroked Megalo's head, and it seemed very happy.Shirahoshi asked: "Luffy and Lord Xiao are pirates, so are you bad people?""I don't know, you decide that," Luffy said."I heard your companions were caught by soldiers.""It's fine, there's no way they could be caught by you, right, Xiao?""That's right. Nami is now a great sorceress. If she unleashes the magic she's cultivated these past two years, Ryugu Palace will probably tremble.""Is Nami that amazing now?" Luffy asked in surprise."What did you think? The title of Seven-Element Grand Sorceress isn't just for show."Luffy scratched his head, indicating he knew nothing: "So everyone's gotten so strong, haha."Luffy looked at Shirahoshi: "What was with that axe earlier?""I know who the culprit is."Shirahoshi began to explain the origin of the axe. It was that guy, Van Der Decken. Shirahoshi had rejected his marriage proposal, so he had been pestering her ever since. He possessed the power of the Mark-Mark Fruit, so no matter when or where, Shirahoshi could be hit by the weapons he threw. Shirahoshi could only stay in this Hard-Shell Tower and couldn't take a single step outside.As she spoke, Luffy's stomach rumbled again. Shirahoshi opened the dining lid the guards had given her earlier, revealing delicious food.Luke wasn't very hungry, so he ate a few bites, while Luffy began to clean the plate."How long has this been going on?" Luke asked."It's been ten years," Shirahoshi said.Luffy was very surprised: "Ten years? That's too boring.""And Father also set a rule that soldiers can only stay here for five minutes, so the only one I can talk to is Megalo. He's my most important friend. Why are Father and the others locking up benefactors? Speaking of Madame Shyarly, her predictions are highly accurate. By the way, your body is so small, but humans really eat a lot!"Shirahoshi was amazed by Luffy's eating capacity.Luke shook his head: "It doesn't represent all humans, only Luffy himself."
Chapter 270 The White Star Abduction IncidentChapter 270: Shirahoshi's Abduction IncidentLuffy finished eating and then drank, so busy he didn't have time to chat.Luke, meanwhile, chatted with Shirahoshi, who was very interested in pirate matters.Having stayed there for ten years, she yearned for the life of a pirate, for adventure.Speaking of adventure, Shirahoshi's face was full of longing: "Oh, you've seen the sun, haven't you? At night, the stars rise into the sky, and there are all sorts of flowers and furry animals. Have you ever been to a green place called a forest?""I've seen the sun, the stars are always in the sky, furry animals are everywhere, and green forests are boundless," Luke answered all at once."I want to go on an adventure too," Shirahoshi said eagerly."You can. When I have time, I'll take you on a sea trip, to play, wherever you want to go," Luke said."Really?""Really.""Then we're good friends, pinky promise.""Pinky promise?""Pinky promise." Shirahoshi extended her pinky finger."Alright, pinky promise." Luke hadn't expected himself to become so childish."I'm full, thank you for the meal!" Luffy finally finished eating."Let's go, Shirahoshi, let's go for a walk with us," Luke suggested."Yes, come with us. I heard you wanted to go to many places, so let's go now!" Luffy said, putting on his Straw Hat."Wait, this won't do.""It's fine. If anything flies over, I'll punch it away," Luffy promised."Are we leaving now? I'm not ready yet.""Let's go, Shirahoshi, we're friends, and we'll protect your safety," Luke said."It's just too sudden. I haven't... that is... I haven't mentally prepared myself. Please give me more time," Shirahoshi said, looking a bit downcast."It's just a walk, why make such a fuss?" Luffysighed, not understanding, because those axes posed no threat to him.Luffy sat on the bed: "Then hurry up. I really hate you."Hearing Luffy say he hated her, Shirahoshi froze for a moment, then rubbed her eyes and burst into tears, wailing like a child.Luke tapped Luffy: "Be nicer to Shirahoshi.""I know, I know. I'll just wait here, hurry up," Luffy lay down.As a result, Shirahoshi cried even harder.After a while, Shirahoshi finally stopped crying."Let's go, Shirahoshi, we'll take you out to play," Luke said."I'm sorry, I still can't go out. If I go out without permission, it will cause trouble for everyone in the city," Shirahoshi said, her back to them."Don't worry, it's good to go out for a change of scenery. If Luffy stayed here for ten years, his mind would definitely go wrong. As a thank you for treating us to a meal, we'll take you out. Where do you want to go?" Luke asked."That... Sea... Sea Forest," Shirahoshi finally blurted out."But that's just my dream, I can't be so willful and just go out."Shirahoshi started crying again."Why do you cry just for saying a place you want to go?!" Luffy shouted loudly."I'm sorry, I finally mustered up the courage, please don't be angry with me, Lord Luffy is so scary. Waaah~~" Shirahoshi burst into tears again.Luke directly kicked Luffy away."Don't cry, Shirahoshi, I've got your back," Luke said.Just then, an explosion suddenly came from outside the room.Luke calculated with his fingers; it should be Hody Jones and Vander Decken acting together, attacking Ryugu Palace.But that could wait; first, he needed to convince Shirahoshi to go out and walk around."Can you really protect me?""No problem, look at this axe."Luke picked up the axe from earlier, covered it with Armament Haki, and with a little force, the axe broke into two.This move directly boosted Shirahoshi's trust, and Shirahoshi finally agreed to go out, wiping away tears of joy."Let's go, Shirahoshi!"To ensure Shirahoshi's absolute safety, Luffy came up with a brilliant idea, a method worthy of a Sleeping Dragon and Phoenix Fledgling, and Shirahoshi actually agreed.That was to put Shirahoshi in Megalo's mouth, a sight too gruesome to behold.Opening the door, they found many pirates and a large number of guards at the entrance.It turned out that the explosion earlier was caused by pirates being transported as cannonballs.Luke used Chain Lightning, electrocuting all the pirates at the door."Charge! To the Sea Forest!" Luffy said.Megalo the shark carried Shirahoshi, Luke, and Luffy, quickly leaving the Hard-Shell Tower."Hey, stop Megalo, where are you going?!" The Right Minister exclaimed.Megalo didn't respond. Then the Right Minister entered the Hard-Shell Tower and discovered that Princess Shirahoshi was also gone, immediately turning pale with fright."Your Highness! This must be reported to His Majesty!"On the other side, they finally brought Shirahoshioutside.Megalo's mouth was stuffed with Shirahoshi, and it was clear he was uncomfortable, wanting to spit her out at any moment."Come out, Somersault Cloud."Luke called out the Somersault Cloud."Grow bigger!"Following Luke's command, the Somersault Cloudgrew ten times larger, just enough for a few people to ride."Xiao, you're amazing, the Somersault Cloud got bigger!" Luffy's eyes sparkled."My appraisal level has improved, allowing me to appraise items a second time. This is an additional effect of the second appraisal; it can grow larger or smaller, and its speed has also increased," Luke said."I want it!""No way, not giving it to you.""Stingy, stingy!" Luffy pouted.Shirahoshi emerged from Megalo's belly and half-lay on the Somersault Cloud."A soft cloud, so comfortable," Shirahoshi said.Megalo also rolled around on the Somersault Cloud, having never played with anything so fun.Looking down, there were colorful houses and various people, making Shirahoshi very happy."What kind of place is the Sea Forest?" Luffy asked.Shirahoshi said: "It's a graveyard. I haven't been there since it was built. It's the place I've wanted to go to for ten years."Ten years had passed since the shocking assassination of Queen Otohime in broad daylight that rocked Fish-Man Island; it was her memorial site.The two chatted happily with Shirahoshi, swimming towards the Sea Forest.They could see the surrounding blue marlin, pufferfish, and donut-shaped clouds.Then, thinking of her father, the King of RyuguPalace, Shirahoshi started crying again.Subsequently, Luffy made a funny face, making Shirahoshi laugh again.Meanwhile, Ryugu Palace was facing an unprecedented crisis.Hody Jones invaded with a large number of pirates. Hody Jones began to wreak havoc in Ryugu Palace, causing water to flood into the palace, making the situation increasingly dire.Fortunately, Zoro, Nami, and others were there, helping the Royal Army resist.Below Luke's Somersault Cloud, someone suddenly shouted."Hey, you bastard Xiao, is that you?"Luke looked down; it was that guy Sanji."Still alive, Sanji!" Luke said."What are you talking about? I'll definitely live longer than you. By the way, that figure on your Somersault Cloud, could it be—!" Sanji's heart stopped.