Before them stood a massive warship—broad hull, sleek gunwales, towering masts—it looked like a colossal behemoth, imposing and overwhelming, nearly blotting out the sky.
This was the legendary Pluto?
Shyarly's eyes widened in shock. Beside her, Shark Star was equally stunned, his grip on his trident loosening.
The aura it gave off was terrifying. Even from a distance, they could feel the oppressive killing intent emanating from the massive vessel.
"Not bad at all," Kaguya said, wiping sweat from her forehead as she admired the newly restored Noah.
This was the result of using the advanced form of Mirror Flower, Water Moon—not only restoring the ship to its pre-corrosion state but enhancing it with several features of her own. Three triple-mounted 748mm main guns, four triple-mounted 514mm secondary guns, and twelve 348mm single-barrel anti-air cannons.
This was the pinnacle of battleship configurations. Even the Navy's most powerful warships couldn't compete. A single shell would be enough to sink a battleship—this was the true embodiment of "big, black, and brutal."
Though it had drained much of her mental energy and chakra, it fully satisfied Kaguya's warship-obsessed tastes. The finished product exceeded even her expectations, balanced in offense and defense. Even Whitebeard's Moby Dick would look like a toy in comparison.
What pleased her even more was that despite having sails and masts, the ship's main propulsion system wasn't wind-based—it ran on steam power. In its engine room were five steam turbines powered by diesel fuel, giving it a cruising speed of 40 knots and a top speed of 50 knots. That was faster than even modern nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.
With some modification, it could become an indestructible fortress at sea, unmatched in the Grand Line.
Kaguya walked forward and said, "I like this ship. Since you've so graciously given it to me, I'll gladly accept."
Seeing Pluto revived, Shark Star couldn't deny his regret. But he knew—without strength, owning such a thing would only attract predators. So better to offer it to Kaguya, earn her favor, and have her help rescue his kidnapped sister.
"I do have one request," Shark Star said urgently.
Kaguya waved him off. "I know what you want to say. It's about your sister, right? Don't worry. I'll get her back."
With Kaguya's promise, Shark Star finally let out a breath of relief. If she couldn't do it, no one could.
"As I thought…" Shyarly stared intently at Kaguya, whispering to herself, "It's just like my prophecy. She really is the one."
Though the warship used diesel, this world's technology hadn't yet developed internal combustion engines—only primitive steam engines, designed by Vegapunk.
In truth, this world's tech tree was bizarre. They had electricity and advanced devices—even operating systems resembling computers—but no internal combustion engines. It was hard to understand.
But that was no obstacle for Kaguya. Although there were no engines or gasoline, crude oil was plentiful—perhaps even more so than on Earth. It was easy to find oil reserves.
Conveniently, Fishman Island had one.
After basic refining to remove impurities, the oil could power the giant ship. Kaguya didn't know the exact refining process, but fortunately, Noah wasn't picky.
Kaguya approached Shyarly and Shark Star. "Aren't you two coming with me? If you're that worried about Shirahoshi."
"No," Shark Star shook his head. "Even if I went, I'd be useless. With my current strength, I'd only hold you back."
At least the guy had some self-awareness.
"I won't go either," Shyarly said softly. "Fishman Island is my home. The outside world is too distant, and there are still many children here who need me."
"If I'm not mistaken," Kaguya said, "you probably don't have any food left, do you?"
Shyarly removed her pipe and sighed. "Since the war started months ago, not only our wealth, but even essential supplies were looted by pirates. They attack so frequently, we can't even go fishing. If this continues…"
"Check the Mermaid Cafe," Kaguya said. "There might still be food."
"The Mermaid Cafe?" Shyarly shook her head. "We already checked. It was cleaned out by pirates—nothing left."
"Look again. There might still be something," Kaguya replied.
"But that place—"
Before Shyarly could finish, Kaguya tapped her foot. Her figure shot forward like an arrow. In a flash, she leapt onto Noah. With a rumbling roar, the ship's massive hull slowly rose from the ground. Under Shyarly and Shark Star's stunned gaze, it soared straight into the sky.
As the colossal warship disappeared into the vast sea of clouds, Shark Star turned and began walking back toward Fishman District. "Let's go home."
When Shyarly returned to Fishman District, a group of young children ran out to meet her.
"Auntie Shyarly, is there any food?"
"I'm so hungry…"
"I can't even move anymore."
"We haven't eaten in so long. I'm so tired."
"Auntie Shyarly, you'll find something for us, right?"
Looking into their expectant eyes, Shyarly sighed inwardly. Every corner of Fishman Island had already been ransacked. What food could she possibly have left?
Seeing the hungry children's hopeful expressions, Shyarly couldn't bear it. They were so small—most were orphans who had lost their families in the war, now starving and struggling through chaos. It was heartbreaking that such young ones had to endure such suffering.
But even Shyarly was powerless now. Though she wished she could help, she had no food left. What little remained from before had been saved by cutting her own rations.
One little girl, sensing Shyarly's difficulty, came over, hugged her arm, and smiled. "It's okay, Auntie Shyarly. Once the war is over, we'll have food again, right?"
Seeing the skinny girl's bright smile made Shyarly feel even worse.
Then she remembered Kaguya's words:
"If you find yourself in trouble, maybe check the Mermaid Cafe. You might find what you're looking for."
Biting her lip, Shyarly decided that even if it was a long shot, it was better than nothing. She had no other options.
She gathered the children and led them to the Mermaid Cafe. Once there, they stopped.
Before them stood a dilapidated building. The once-elegant environment was in ruins—shattered windows, broken doors, walls marred with marks from blades and bullets. Glass shards and debris littered the ground, and dark red bloodstains still lingered.
"So it's here…" a young boy muttered in disappointment. "We searched this place before. There wasn't anything left."
A little girl shouted at him, her eyebrows raised. "Shut up! Say that again and I'll smack you!"
Frightened, the boy fell silent.
Shyarly's face remained calm, but she felt disappointed. If the children had already searched the place, there was likely nothing left.
Just as she turned to leave, a chorus of surprised shouts came from the children who had entered the cafe.
"Wow! So much food—amazing!"
"Cake! Chocolate ice cream! Strawberry sundaes!"
"My favorite—caramel cream puffs!"
"There's so much, everywhere!"
Shyarly froze. What was going on?
She rushed inside and was stunned.
Inside was nothing like the ruined exterior—it looked like a fairytale world. Desserts and cakes were stacked in vibrant, colorful displays. The air was filled with the sweet scent of pastries, making mouths water uncontrollably.
"Thank you, Auntie Shyarly!" The little girl from earlier ran over, holding a coconut sago cake, beaming with joy.
Other children quickly followed:
"Thank you, Auntie Shyarly!"
"You're the best!"
"We won't be hungry anymore!"
"Yay!"
Shyarly finally came to her senses. She stared at the exquisite food, and a figure appeared in her mind. Could it be…
Yes—it was all left by Kaguya.
These desserts had been taken from Whole Cake Island when Kaguya fought Big Mom. She'd grabbed them on a whim and stored them away. Seeing the children in need, she released them. What surprised her, though, was that the cakes hadn't spoiled after all this time. How many preservatives had Big Mom used?!
Meanwhile, far across the ocean, cannon fire roared and gunshots rang. Smoke and flames filled the air as two fleets clashed violently. Judging from the pirate flags, it was a battle between pirate crews.
"Kill—!!"
The sounds of battle thundered. Screams echoed as cannonballs soared, splintering ships with fire and smoke. One side was clearly losing—scattered, fleeing in panic. The victors gave chase, mercilessly hunting down the survivors.
"Hahahaha—!!" Blackbeard laughed on deck. His sharp eyes gleamed. "Trying to run? Naive!" He raised a muscular arm and clenched his fist. A shockwave formed.
Crack—!
The sound of glass shattering pierced the air as fractures appeared. Shockwaves rippled outward in concentric waves.
Boom—!
The distant sea surged skyward. A tsunami over 100 meters high formed and crashed toward the fleeing pirate ships!
"Aaaaaah!"
BOOM!
The tidal wave slammed into the ships, splintering them into pieces. The pirates were dragged into the depths before they could even scream.
"Ahahahahaha!" Blackbeard roared with laughter, his jagged teeth glaringly obvious. "That's what happens when you defy me—pitiful fools, choosing the one enemy they should never cross!"
Lafitte approached, opened a box, and revealed three Devil Fruits with strange shapes and complex markings.
"Looted from the enemy ships," he said, adjusting his hat.
"Hmm? Only three?" Blackbeard asked, turning around.
"Devil Fruits are getting rarer," Lafitte said. "Most have already been taken by that person. Getting this many is already lucky."
Blackbeard rubbed the ring on his finger. "That's not good. That person doesn't like waiting."
"Boss, you're not seriously planning to stay under her forever, are you?" Lafitte asked. "You'll never become Pirate King that way."
"Of course not," Blackbeard grinned. "I'm just biding my time, gathering strength. So what if she's the strongest in the world? She's just a relic of the old era." He clenched his fist, eyes sharp and cold. "One day, I will stand at the top of the world!"
But no sooner had he spoken than shouts erupted from the crew.
"Look—what is that?!"
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