Deep beneath the sea at ten thousand meters, the sapphire-like Fish-Man Island.
Inside the luxurious Ryugu Palace, the Fish-Man King, Neptune the Knight of the Sea, paced anxiously, his massive tail sweeping all the dust clean from the floor.
Thump, thump, thump.
A series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door, and soon he saw his three sons, followed by a blue-skinned giant.
"King Neptune, what's happened?"
Who else could it be but Jinbei?
Since returning to Fish-Man Island, he had been working to reform the Fish-Man District.
That place was once the birthplace of all Fish-Men, and in the eyes of some stubborn Fish-Men, the Fish-Man District was equivalent to the Ryugu Palace.
It was precisely by stirring up the emotions of the common Fish-Men in the Fish-Man District that Hody Jones had once managed to incite a rebellion of a hundred thousand Fish-Men.
At any time, those living in hardship are more likely to stir waves of rebellion than the wealthy.
Although the Fish-Man District, abandoned by Neptune, saw some improvement during the Straw Hat crew's rescue of Fish-Man Island, the generational gap and prejudice between its inhabitants and the royal family remained unavoidable.
Thus, Jinbei—once the boss of Fish-Man District and now the powerful captain of the Ryugu Palace guard—became the bridge connecting both sides.
He had just been busy helping the starfish Pappag resolve a dispute at his shop when Prince Fukaboshi found him, saying King Neptune urgently needed him.
As soon as Jinbe entered the main hall, he saw the anxiety on King Neptune's face.
Neptune directly reached out with his large hand and grabbed Jinbe.
"It's bad, Jinbei. Shirahoshi is having another episode. And it's much worse than last time. Come quickly and see."
As he spoke, Neptune strode swiftly toward Shirahoshi's residence.
A moment later, the group arrived at Shirahoshi's dwelling.
In the room, Shirahoshi, with her beautiful pink tail, wore an expression of intense pain.
She was clutching her forehead, trying to bang her head against the wall.
Fortunately, her pet shark was protecting her, using its soft belly to block the impact.
The shark was knocked cross-eyed by Shirahoshi's head, thudding loudly against the wall.
"Shirahoshi! My precious daughter!"
Neptune's tears immediately poured down like a waterfall upon seeing this.
Fukaboshi and Shirahoshi's other brothers rushed to her bedside, watching their suffering sister with tense expressions.
"Sister, what's wrong?"
Jinbei frowned deeply, watching Shirahoshi's condition and recalling what Rayleigh and the others had discussed during their last visit.
Just the thought that Shirahoshi's illness might be connected to that monster made Jinbei's heart twist painfully.
Shirahoshi let out a weak moan and slowly opened her large, crystal-like eyes.
Her beautiful, translucent eyes were filled with mist and tears, her pitiful and delicate appearance evoking a strong desire to protect her.
"Father, brothers, the voice in my head is growing louder and clearer. I can feel it calling to me."
Shirahoshi's words caused Jinbei's expression to change drastically.
It reminded him of what Rayleigh and Gaban had discussed last time.
When Shirahoshi's condition improved and the unknown voice in her head weakened, it meant the being connected to her was moving farther away.
But once her condition worsened and the voice grew stronger, it indicated that the other party was getting closer!
According to Rayleigh and Gaban's speculation, the being connected to Shirahoshi was highly likely to be Caesar!
Just as Jinbei was about to share his suspicions with Neptune, Shirahoshi suddenly sat up, her massive body even knocking her brothers flying.
"Shirahoshi!" Neptune exclaimed in shock.
But his precious daughter's eyes were vacant, and her seemingly delicate body now radiated an unfamiliar, imposing majesty!
Shirahoshi swung her large pink tail and charged straight out of the room, swimming away!
"Sister!" Prince Fukaboshi and the others hurriedly chased after Shirahoshi.
But after a short pursuit, their faces gradually filled with horror.
Neptune was equally horrified.
Because they realized Shirahoshi's speed was unprecedentedly swift!
Among the few, only Jinbei could barely keep up from afar, taking large strides as he chased after Shirahoshi's rapidly receding figure!
"I sense an unprecedented majesty emanating from Shirahoshi! That aura feels just like when I saw those super-giant sea kings before—vast and boundless as the ocean!"
While picking up a Den Den Mushi to notify the military forces across Fish-Man Island, Neptune recalled the greatest monarch in Fish-Man history.
The underwater sovereign who, according to legend, once ruled over vast territories on land eight hundred years ago.
Poseidon!
And according to the Fish-Man Island's Poneglyphs, Sea King Poseidon had made some promise with the liberation warrior Joy Boy.
Actually, Neptune hadn't voiced his suspicions to Rayleigh last time.
He believed the mysterious giant voice echoing in Shirahoshi's mind might be the drumming of Joy Boy's Liberation Drum, not necessarily what Rayleigh and the others speculated—something related to Caesar.
But none of that mattered now.
Because Shirahoshi had already charged out, and without needing deep thought, Neptune knew she was definitely heading toward the source of that summoning voice!
"Whether it's Joy Boy or some Beast God Caesar, we'll find out soon enough."
Immediately, Neptune learned the direction Shirahoshi was heading through the guard forces outside Fish-Man Island.
That was... the direction where those super-giant sea kings had dragged the massive ship Noah away!
Suddenly, the entire Fish-Man Island darkened. The sunlight shining down from the sea surface above disappeared, as if blocked by dark clouds.
"What's happening? Did night fall?"
Fish-Men across Fish-Man Island emerged from their homes one after another, looking up at the now gloomy, pitch-black sky above.
When their gazes reached upward, an icy chill seeped from their very bones, flooding everyone's hearts!
"What... what is that? Could it be the Noah?"
The takoyaki in Hatchan's hands fell to the ground with a splat as he stared dumbfounded, his mouth agape at the sky above.
The mermaid Caimi was so frightened she immediately hid in Hatchan's embrace, burying her head against his chest and trembling.
"If Noah crashes down, Fish-Man Island will be destroyed! Hatchan, let's run away!"
Hatchan's gaze was dazed, his pupils gradually reflecting an immense black shadow—so vast it seemed like an entire continent, with no visible edges in length or width.
The volume of that shadow was countless times larger than the massive Noah, completely surpassing Fish-Man Island's size by immeasurable degrees!
When the oppressive, wall-like black shadow descended over Fish-Man Island, illuminated by the island's pearl-like glow, everyone collapsed to the ground, their minds roaring, rendered completely speechless!
"That's not Noah at all!"
"That's... a sea king!"