After Hody Jones finished speaking, Shirahoshi could no longer hold back. Her tears burst forth as she screamed:
"I forbid you from speaking about Mother like that! She was clearly a great person!"
Her voice carried a strange resonance—like a signal echoing through the deep sea.
Not long after, nine colossal figures emerged above Fish-Man Island: Sea Kings, each over five thousand meters long and vastly different in appearance. They encircled the island, which floated inside its protective bubble like a fragile marble before giants.
Their eyes turned toward the crying Shirahoshi, gazing gently, as if waiting for her to settle.
Silence fell over the plaza. People stood frozen, overwhelmed by the sight. Some, overcome by fear and shock, collapsed where they stood.
King Neptune and Jinbe exchanged grave looks. They recognized the signs—these Sea Kings had answered Shirahoshi's cry, just as they had once before when she was a child.
Kalifa and Ain recovered quickly from their initial shock. With Chiga present, no creature—even those titanic Sea Kings—posed a real threat.
Chiga looked up, slightly impressed by the sheer scale of the Sea Kings. Their numbers were one more than those that appeared in the original events, likely stirred by the stronger surge of emotions Shirahoshi felt this time.
After a moment of observation, Chiga lowered his gaze. With a thought, the ghostly image of the King of Hell formed behind him—silent and menacing.
Now that his goal had been achieved, Hody Jones had no further value.
Chiga dispelled the genjutsu.
Hody collapsed instantly, his body limp like a sack of flesh. Blood pooled beneath him, soaking into the platform stone. That he had survived this long was a testament to his physical resilience.
Gazing up at the Sea Kings in the sky, Hody weakly muttered:
"It's this again… Shirahoshi…"
His voice grew fainter with every word.
But Chiga wasn't ready to let him die just yet.
He knelt and pressed his hand to Hody's chest, channeling the Mystical Palm Technique to momentarily stop the bleeding. It wasn't mercy—only preparation.
Hody was stunned, but he wasn't foolish enough to believe it meant Chiga was sparing him. His instinct was correct.
A massive spectral face materialized behind Chiga—eyes glowing with the same pattern as his own.
This was the King of Hell, summoned through the Naraka Path.
As it opened its enormous, pitch-black mouth, Chiga hoisted Hody like trash and tossed him in.
Hody screamed in horror as the King of Hell's jaw slammed shut. Chewing followed—loud, grotesque, and merciless.
The plaza fell silent. Only the sound of bone crunching and the screams of a dying man echoed.
Even the Sea Kings high above turned their attention to Chiga.
Down below, Shirahoshi's sobs softened. She looked toward the platform, startled to see that Hody was gone.
Then, in the blink of an eye, Chiga appeared before her.
Floating gently, he reached out and wiped away the tears still clinging to her cheeks. His voice softened:
"Don't cry, Shirahoshi. Your mother has been avenged."
"Lord Chiga!"
Shirahoshi's tears surged once more. She threw her arms around Chiga, burying her face in his chest as she sobbed.
"You've carried this pain for so long. Queen Otohime's wish to protect you from hatred might have also been a burden. I hope what I've done today brings you some peace."
Shirahoshi didn't speak. She simply cried harder, letting go of years of grief in Chiga's arms.
Not far off, King Neptune watched silently, a tear escaping his eye. From Chiga's words, he realized that Shirahoshi had known the truth about her mother's death all this time—and had kept it hidden to honor Otohime's final wish.
Reflecting on her struggles, he, too, could no longer hold back his emotions.
Meanwhile, the nine Sea Kings hovered awkwardly above. Their presence now felt… unnecessary.
They hadn't even spoken with their "King" this time. To leave without saying a word felt improper.
One, resembling a massive pufferfish, finally let out a deep, rumbling sound—a form of speech in their ancient tongue.
"King, do you still require us?"
Shirahoshi's ears twitched. She raised her head and looked at Chiga, confused.
"Lord Chiga… did you hear something?"
Chiga paused. He had sensed the Sea King's vocal vibration, but not the meaning.
"Just a sound. I don't understand it."
Shirahoshi looked up at the Sea Kings. Despite their fearsome size, she showed no fear. Instead, she seemed serene—as if they were longtime companions.
The Sea Kings stared back—not at Shirahoshi this time, but at Chiga.
The man in their King's embrace.
Their attention sharpened.
When they saw his Rinnegan, every one of their massive faces contorted with unmistakable horror.
They trembled, whispering in ancient tones:
"These… these are the same eyes… as that person!"
(Anyone else wondering who 'That person' is?)
Chiga didn't understand, but the expressions on their faces told him everything.
"Shirahoshi, what are they saying?"
"They said… your eyes are the same as 'that person.'"
"That person? Ask them who."
"Okay."
She turned and asked. The reply she received made her eyes widen in surprise.
"King, it is not yet time for you to know about that person. But we must warn you: stay away from the human you hold… He will bring destruction to the world."
Shirahoshi's expression hardened. She shouted up at them:
"What nonsense! Lord Chiga isn't like that—he's a good person!"
Chiga raised an eyebrow at the sudden "good person" label but said nothing.
Then Shirahoshi told him what the Sea Kings had warned her about.
His expression darkened.
He looked up at the Sea Kings and said coldly:
"You're just a few oversized beasts. Don't overstep."
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