The blow didn't kill the lantern fish, but it did trigger its ferocity. This time, it ignored the warship and turned to attack Vergo. At a depth of three thousand meters, the battle began. However, due to the speed difference, Vergo kept hitting the Sea King. Every bite from the lantern fish was successfully avoided, and every counter-attack from Vergo landed on an underwater mountain.
Boom-boom! Rumbling!
Coating his right leg in pitch-black Armament Haki, Vergo once again kicked the lantern fish into an underwater mountain. As a result of the repeated collisions, the mountain finally collapsed into rubble, triggering an eruption of sediment. Seeing the falling rocks, Vergo immediately waved, gesturing to the soldiers on the warship to pull him back. They quickly turned the pulley, reeling in the rope.
However, the number of falling rocks was too dense, and Vergo was slightly overwhelmed. The gravel pelted his diving suit. The bubble layer couldn't withstand the impact and burst.
Damn it! This enormous water pressure will crush me to death! he thought, horror flashing in his eyes. In a desperate moment, he coated his entire body with Armament Haki to strengthen his defense. In that moment of life and death, he pushed his strength to the extreme.
Plop!
The powerful water pressure squeezed Vergo's entire body. Traces of blood came out from his tightly clenched teeth. Fortunately, before he lost consciousness, the soldiers on the warship managed to pull him inside.
Glug!
Soaked, Vergo immediately collapsed onto the ship's deck. His dark Haki dissipated. He coughed a few times, spitting out blood, before finally regaining consciousness. His physical strength had indeed reached the level of a Superhuman Marine, but when faced with the terrifying water pressure at a depth of three thousand meters, he was still helpless.
"Vergo, well done! For your outstanding performance, I officially promote you from recruit to Corporal! After we return to the Marine Base, I will grant you the title officially!" Sephiroth smiled, patting his shoulder, without offering to heal his wounds.
"Thank you for your guidance, Brigadier General Sephiroth! You gave me the opportunity to perform a meritorious service!" Vergo endured the pain in his body and gave a standard salute.
"Amazing, Vergo!" the other soldiers praised. "Yeah! Vergo! That guy's incredible!"
"Brigadier General Sephiroth is truly accurate in judging people!"
The warship set sail again. They saw a massive deep-sea waterfall, where all the swift currents were sucked into a giant trench.
"Everyone, prepare, don't panic! Next, we're heading into the deep-sea trench. Listen to my instructions!"
The warship was swept away by the waterfall and dove at an incredibly high speed. The feeling was like riding an air lift at an amusement park, but without safety harnesses.
"Turn the rudder thirty degrees!"
"Sail!"
"There are reefs ahead, be careful to avoid them..."
Under Sephiroth's instructions, the soldiers controlled the warship in an orderly fashion, avoiding sudden dangers. They felt relieved when the ship finally dove as deep as ten thousand meters, its speed slowing, and they reached the bottom.
"An underwater volcanic area has appeared ahead, adjust the ship, and turn to the left!"
Deep in the dark seabed, the warship continued to sink, moving forward with the bright light from its searchlights. Although Fish-Man Island was said to be at a depth of ten thousand meters, that was just a rough estimate. The actual depth could be more than that.
Fish-Man Island was located under the deep sea, a place where sunlight could not penetrate. However, due to a rare tree called the "Yang Eve" tree, the island could be bathed in light. The tree absorbed sunlight through its crown and delivered it to its roots, emitting a powerful light like sunlight at the bottom of the deep sea.
Slowly, the soldiers on the ship saw a vast expanse of dazzling white light. Fish-Man Island, enveloped by a huge bubble, was visible in the distance. The bottom part was filled with seawater, the top part with land. At its peak, a smaller bubble enveloped the royal palace of the Ryugu Kingdom.
"Soldiers, immediately contact the Ryugu Kingdom," Sephiroth ordered a soldier. "In the name of Marine Headquarters, we have a very important matter that requires us to enter Fish-Man Island. Ask them to open the gate and grant us access for our warship!"
Even though the warship could force its way in, they represented Marine Headquarters, not uncivilized pirates. They had to follow procedures. Pirates who entered illegally would be considered uninvited guests and would be arrested.
After contacting the soldiers, their warship arrived outside the Fish-Man Island bubble, near a large, round gate at the border port. The heavy metal gate rumbled open, seawater flowed in, and the warship sailed inside. Once they were in, the metal gate behind them closed. With the sound of mechanical gears turning, the water inside the channel began to drain until the warship could dock at the pier.
As soon as the ship docked, Sephiroth and the soldiers saw twenty Fish-Men wearing military uniforms and carrying weapons. Among them, a blue-skinned whale shark man, who was very "flat," stood gallantly as the commander of the king's forces in the Ryugu Kingdom.