"Found you."
Namur dashed forward.
At that moment, Vander Decken IX was mumbling to himself:
"Shirahoshi, my dear Shirahoshi… if I can't have you, I'll destroy you. You must've felt my love by now, right? When will you answer me?" he muttered with twisted excitement.
The original Vander Decken had once come to Fish-Man Island as the leader of the Flying Pirates and discovered its secret, Poseidon.
The legendary power that can command sea kings.
Years ago, Shirahoshi had once unconsciously demonstrated this ability, which confirmed for Vander Decken IX that she was Poseidon, the power the Flying Pirates had coveted for nine generations.
When his love was rejected, Decken's obsession twisted.
First, letters.
Then, gifts.
Now, weapons.
Vander Decken IX didn't dare enter Fish-Man Island, so he lingered just outside, hurling weapons as threats.
"What's that?"
He spotted a fast-moving dot racing toward him, closing in rapidly.
"Not good…"
Once he saw who it was, Vander Decken IX's soul nearly left his body in terror.
"Finally got you," Namur snarled.
"WADATSUMI!!!"
Vander Decken IX cried out in panic.
"Huh?!"
A voice responded from behind him. A massive fishman turned its head, a creature even larger than a giant.
"Boss, did you call me?"
"We've got an enemy. Kill him!" Vander Decken IX shouted desperately.
"Enemy?"The giant tiger blowfish Wadatsumi looked over and spotted the incoming figure.
"GURURURU!"
The target was moving way too fast. Before Wadatsumi could react, Namur was already in front of them.
"DIE!"
Namur gathered water currents in both hands, forming twin whirlpools.
"Fish-Man Karate: Twin Flowing Current Impact!"
Two spiraling currents shot out forward. Vander Decken IX barely dodged in time, but Wadatsumi took the full brunt. The massive creature was hurled backward, spinning helplessly in the raging currents.
"GYAAAAAH!!!" His screams echoed through the ocean as he was flung away.
"Namur… Eighth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates… W-What did I do to you?!" Vander Decken IX shouted in terror.
"You attacked Princess Shirahoshi. Ruined Big Bro's drinking mood. That's enough reason to kill you." Namur surged forward, water swirling around his fists.
On land, his strength was limited.
But in the ocean? The Fish-Men reigned supreme, unless you had powers like Kuzan or Daifuku that could influence the sea itself, the Fish-Men were practically invincible underwater.
"N-No! Please!"
Vander Decken IX was mediocre at best in strength, while Namur, a division commander under Whitebeard, was a serious powerhouse. His combat strength was easily Warlord-tier beneath the waves.
"Fish-Man Karate: 8000 Tile True Punch!"
Boom!
His punch landed square in Vander Decken IX's gut. The current blasted out of his back, and blood spurted from his mouth. The protective bubble around him shattered, and as soon as his body touched seawater, his Devil Fruit powers were nullified.
"Hmph."
Namur snorted, grabbed him by the hair, and dragged his unconscious body away.
"Brother Namur!"
The three princes arrived, only to see that the fight was already over.
"You've got him. Should we kill him now?"
"Amazing! You actually caught him!" Manboshi danced with joy.
"Finally! This creep won't bother Shirahoshi anymore!" Ryuboshi said happily.
"Don't kill him yet. Let's take him back and hand him over to Father," Fukaboshi said.
"Alright."
The four of them returned to Ryugu Palace and threw Vander Decken IX down before Neptune.
"Big bro, I've brought him back," Namur said.
"Kill him," Roy said flatly.
"Yes!"
Namur raised his hand, water dripping from his palm, preparing to use a water-jet strike to pierce Vander Decken IX's head.
"W-Wait!"
A soft voice cut through.
"Huh?!"
Everyone turned to her. She gathered her courage and whispered,
"Let's not kill anyone… please?"
"Well, if little Shirahoshi says so, then forget it," Roy said, waving it off. "Neptune, he's yours."
"No problem. Fukaboshi, lock him up," Neptune ordered.
"Yes, Father."
Vander Decken IX was dragged away.
"Thank you, Mr. Roy!" Shirahoshi mustered her courage and thanked him.
"No need to thank me. You've got a kind heart," Roy said with a smile.
Watching from the side, Kuzan grew curious. 'He's being… a little too nice to the Princess.'
A couple of days passed on Fish-Man Island. Roy paid a visit to Madam Shyarly.
"Shyarly, get me a cup of coffee."
"Oh my, Lord Roy. And here I thought you didn't like seeing me." Shyarly swam out.
"Just keep your drooling under control, that's all I ask," Roy grumbled.
"It's normal for men to have multiple wives. I'll be thirty in just over two years. Why not marry me then?"
"No."
"Geez, rejected again…" Shyarly took a puff from her cigarette, looking lonely.
"You've met Roger, for crying out loud. Why are you so obsessed with me?" Roy said, annoyed.
"Ever since I was a child, there was always one man in my visions, a handsome, radiant man. I saw him again and again, and eventually, I fell in love," she said dreamily.
"Cut the crap. You just dreamt about me. Got any new prophecies?" Roy asked.
"I foresaw you… leaving this world."
"Dead? When did I die?"
"Not dead, just that you leave this world."
"What does that even mean?"
"There's a bigger world out there. You'll leave this one and go far, far away."
"Okay, sure, to space then."
"Exactly."
"You serious?"
"Completely."
"How many years from now?"
"Maybe ten… a little more."
"Pffft, that's still far off. You're predicting stuff that long out? So boring. Give me something more recent."
"No more readings! Not unless you say you love me!"
"Bye. I don't love you."
Roy turned and walked away.
"You jerk! Get back here!" Shyarly fumed.
Because of Shyarly's obsession, Roy had often gotten scolded by Whitey Bay back in the day.
At the start of the Great Pirate Era, Fish-Man Island was in chaos until the Whitebeard Pirates showed up and stabilized everything. Since then, Fish-Man Island became Whitebeard's territory.
Back then, Shyarly was just nine years old.
A little mermaid girl came up to the crew, saying she wanted to marry Roy. Everyone was stunned, and Roy, who was already with Whitey Bay, got beaten up for it.
Shyarly had the ability to divine the future and constantly saw Roy in her visions. Over time, she fell for him.
That's why Roy avoided her every time he visited Fish-Man Island. Unknowingly, Shyarly had grown up, almost thirty now, and at her most beautiful.
"I've seen your future... you're going to die…"
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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