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Chapter's Events:
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"We merfolk have the ability to understand the hearts of the ocean's fish, and to communicate with them, yes? But no mermaid has ever been able to communicate with those gigantic Sea Kings." At that moment, Queen Otohime was speaking with her three sons about their younger sister's uniqueness.
"That is beyond even your father, Neptune… the only person on this island able to communicate with whales."
"However, according to the records of the royal family… once in every few centuries, a mermaid is born… with the ability to understand and communicate with even the mighty Sea Kings." In the background, a scene appeared of a mermaid surrounded by gigantic Sea Kings.
"…A mermaid who is able… to speak with the Sea Kings?!" Fukaboshi was astonished.
"And you're saying that's Shirahoshi, mother?!!" exclaimed Manboshi.
"Oh, myyy!! I… I'd love to be able to ride on a Sea King's back one day!" An admiring, longing look appeared on Ryuboshi's face.
Queen Otohime went on, speaking of a mysterious prophecy. "It is further told that one will appear with the power to guide that mermaid – to guide Shirahoshi, to show her the right path, and the correct way to use her ability."
"And it is said that when that time comes, a great change will come upon the world…!!"
"The world…?!!" the three brothers wondered.
"If this is true, then I feel certain that our island, too, will see great change…" Small fish gathered thickly around the smiling Otohime at that very moment.
"Then maybe it'll help what you're trying to do, mother…!" Ryuboshi said excitedly.
"I feel certain of it. The power of love… can save thousands of lives if the will is strong enough…!!" said Otohime.
"If used wrongly, the power that Shirahoshi holds is great enough…"
"…to sink the entire world beneath the waves…!!" Otohime was clear about how terrifying the Sea Kings are and how many of them roam the world's oceans; this power could certainly destroy the world.
"And yet, even Shirahoshi herself is still unaware of her ability… and she is unable to control it."
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At Marineford, Sengoku's brow furrowed as he read Queen Otohime's words on the chapter's pages.
The power to drown the world—how terrifying, how horrifying is that?!
The question here is: can the Sea Kings actually do that?!
In Sengoku's view, of course, they can! The sea was endlessly vast; only the Creator knows how many gigantic Sea Kings dwell in the depths. If there were someone who could truly control this power, it would be a catastrophe for humanity—especially since the one in control wouldn't even be human, but a mermaid of the Fish-man race!
"This is scary!" This time, Borsalino wasn't joking; he truly felt fear at how dreadful this ability was.
The power to control the Sea Kings…
"Arara— I thought the Sea Kings that gathered around the Celestial Dragon because the little girl Shirahoshi cried had come due to some affinity with the mermaid princess or something like that. Who would have expected she actually has the ability to control them?"
Even Kuzan was stunned by the sheer amount of information.
"Who is this person who will come in the future to teach Shirahoshi how to control her ability… Don't tell me it's Luffy?!"
Zephyr was shocked after connecting the dots; after all, it was Luffy who freed Shirahoshi from her confinement.
"This ability must be Poseidon—one of the ancient legendary weapons…"
spoke Sengoku, who knew some secret information.
"One of the Ancient Weapons!?"
"No wonder Otohime said it could drown the world," Tsuru sighed helplessly.
For a few heavy seconds, silence pressed down on the Fleet Admiral's chamber—until Sakazuki's voice split the air like shrapnel.
"Enough sentimentality…!!" he said, clenching his fist against the long conference table. "A weapon capable of drowning the world is not a 'child'. It's a strategic threat, nothing more, nothing less. Even if at sixteen she seems timid and spiritless—and more than that, gentle by nature—the real fear is that this power could fall into the hands of a villain like Hody Jones, or Arlong, or Vander Decken, and the rest."
"Arara~" Kuzan scratched the back of his head lazily, but his eyes were serious. "Child or not… reality says a single surge of Sea Kings is enough to wipe out an entire fleet. Her crying alone made six gigantic Sea Kings appear, which made a Celestial Dragon wet himself."
"Tsk. In this world, there really are those born with strange abilities and a massive fate on their shoulders." Borsalino stretched lightly, but he didn't hide the shiver in his voice. "What's terrifying is the Sea Kings' response speed… one scream from her and creatures the size of mountains move…"
Zephyr folded his arms, watching their faces. "The problem isn't the power itself—it's who directs it… If Otohime's prophecy about a 'guide' is true, we're looking at an equation with two unknowns: the power… and the conscience of the one who leads it."
Tsuru cleared her throat and said. "If we misjudge this, we'll pay a political and moral price generations won't forget. Reckless pressure on the Ryugu Kingdom will turn a fragile dream into a bloody nightmare. If Shirahoshi is to be born in Ryugu, then relations must be improved and the roots of the Fish-man slave trade cut out entirely. It's better the World Government not take a violent course—especially since the Ryugu Kingdom lies under the watchful eye of Sky Sword."
"As an ordinary reader, I'd agree with you, Tsuru—but as the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, I see that an outstretched-hand policy doesn't work with an opponent holding a weapon that can harm you at any time. The safety of billions of humans hinges on how we handle this. Caution is required, and strict measures must be taken—even in secret—even if what it takes is something… evil."
A rare glint of approval flashed in Sakazuki's eyes; the Fleet Admiral had voiced exactly what he wanted to say, so he merely nodded and turned the manga to the next page.
The room fell silent again; only the sound of pages turning prevailed at that moment.
…
Marijoa — the Empty Throne Hall.
Tongues of light from the opulent chandelier rippled around the swords planted about the throne. The Five Elders sat in a half-circle below the long stairway leading up to the seat, while the shadow seated above revealed nothing but a glow of the eyes and long red hair braided beneath the tall golden crown.
Saint Saturn stepped forward: "The new volume stated the name plainly: 'Poseidon'. No longer a legend to the world, but a princess with a beautiful face."
Saint Nusjuro flipped a page calmly, the fingers of a swordsman that did not tremble. "'A guide' will lead her… if the text rings true. I don't like equations whose keys we don't hold. Is he Joy Boy's heir? The same story will repeat, then…"
Saint Mars spoke in a cold tone: "They aren't keys. They're detonators. If one goes off even once, there will be nothing left for us to 'rule' under the sun. Beneath this raging sea is a frightening stillness in the depths; we don't know how many Sea Kings are out there. Even the red serpent encircling the world would be torn apart if millions of Sea Kings surrounded it."
(The red serpent: the Red Line.)
Saint Jupiter interjected: "The danger isn't Shirahoshi alone, but 'who will win her over'. Pirates… revolutionaries… or that 'vendor' who prints truth on paper and sells it to the highest bidder."
Saint Warcury growled: "Rob. The 'Art' stores. We let them breathe atop the mountain… and they began feeding the world secrets that should have stayed buried. The Void Century may not remain void at this rate."
Saturn bowed slightly toward the figure above. "Your orders, Lord Imu."
Imu's cold expression twisted into a mocking smile.
"Balance is a lie. Control is the truth."
Saturn understood the intent, as one accustomed to the voice of shadows: "Shirahoshi must not be allowed to be born into this world."
Nusjuro asked, closing his eyes for a moment: "How will we handle Rob's hunters— and Rob himself, if he appears?"
Imu shrugged. "See to the hunters. I'll take care of my dear Rob if he shows up."
…
The Sorbet Kingdom—inside an Art store, the scene was as lively as in all the Art stores scattered across the world.
The scent of fresh paper and dark coffee. Pages turning, and every eye fixed on a single line: "…to drown the entire world beneath the waves…!!"
"Fufufufufu~" Crocodile chuckled, pushing the page's edge with his index finger. "My counterpart spent years hunting 'Pluton'… only to find the sea itself obeys a child. From my perspective as a reader, I'm starting to see the world truly isn't fair."
"Hee-haw!" Ivankov fluttered his extravagant lashes. "A child with the power to 'drop the curtain' on an entire world?! Is she the reincarnation of an Ancient Weapon?"
Inazuma took a small sip with his usual calm: "If the equation is true—Poseidon + a guide = the world changes—then the next line in the 'Book of Revolution' writes itself. Enough flashbacks. Let's return to the present time in the story."
Kuma read in silence, as if catching the words on the skin of his palm. "...."
But inwardly, he thought: he wasn't the only one cursed by lineage in this world; there are many cursed like him. Why should a little, cute girl be burdened with such a dreadful power?!
Dragon raised his head—the look of a leader who wastes no words. "Power alone changes nothing. 'Intent' changes direction. Otohime understood that. We don't want a world that drowns; we want a world that breathes. The world truly needs more noble people like Otohime. With that, I'm certain those at the top won't last for long."
Garp laughed with a hoarse chuckle, winking at the page. "Bwahahaha… Another kid dragging the world by the nose. Reminds me of a certain mischievous grandson." Then his voice hardened for a moment like steel: "But the sea doesn't forgive. If a child's toy breaks… everyone drowns. Luffy needs to know how to steer this 'bomb' of a princess."
"So you've concluded Luffy is the one destined in Otohime's words?" Dragon asked in surprise.
"Of course! Who else but my grandson is qualified?!" A wry grin spread across Garp's face; to him, it was obvious.
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 949: The Death of Queen Otohime.
Chapter 950: Jimbei's Words.
Chapter 951: Hody Jones Attempts to Seize the Throne.
Chapter 952: Joy Boy!
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