The soft, ambient glow of the Ryugu Palace lamps illuminated the grand corridors as Guts and Robin made their way back from the ancient cavern.
Robin's mind still buzzed with the profound revelation of the Poneglyph, the sorrowful echoes of Joy Boy's apology for a promise broken long ago.
It was a weight, a truth that resonated deep within her soul.
As they stepped into the more frequented sections of the palace, a sense of quiet triumph still lingering in the air from the previous night's festivities, Robin suddenly paused.
A feeling.
It was subtle at first, then intensified, enveloping her like a gentle tide.
It was something very familiar, an aura she had felt once before, distinct and profound.
It was the same very warm aura that had enveloped her during the chaos in the plaza, the one that had felt like a mother's embrace, a spiritual solace amidst the terrifying presence of Guts's uncontrolled rage.
It radiated pure, unconditional love.
Her gaze swept around the corridor, searching for the source. And then she saw her.
Peeking cautiously from behind a shimmering coral pillar, a child.
A very big child, even by Fish-Man standards, her enormous, round eyes, the color of sapphire, wide with curiosity and a hint of trepidation.
She looked to be around six years old, her long, flowing pink hair almost obscuring her shy face.
Robin knew instantly who she was.
Neptune's youngest daughter.
Shirahoshi.
A gentle smile touched Robin's lips, a rare, genuine warmth that softened her usually composed features.
She slowly raised a hand and waved at her.
Shirahoshi's huge eyes widened further, and with a startled yelp, she instantly ducked back behind the pillar, vanishing from sight.
Robin chuckled softly, a low, melodic sound.
But just as quickly as she disappeared, the child's immense curiosity won out.
A moment later, curious yet timid eyes reappeared, peeking out again, barely visible.
Robin chuckled again, a warmth spreading through her chest.
"It's alright, come here," she said gently, her voice soft and reassuring, meant to carry without alarming.
"You don't have to be afraid. I'm just a friend of your father's."
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Shirahoshi's sapphire eyes began to turn watery.
Her lower lip trembled, and with a sudden, unexpected burst of speed that belied her usual shyness, the colossal child rushed forward.
She didn't stop, didn't hesitate.
She threw her pudgy arms around Robin, crushing the woman in a desperate, tearful embrace.
Robin, caught completely off guard, stumbled slightly, her face a mask of utter confusion and fluster.
Shirahoshi buried her face in Robin's chest, her shoulders shaking with sobs.
"Mama!" she cried out, her voice muffled, heartbroken, but filled with an overwhelming longing.
"Mama! Mama!"
From the far end of the corridor, King Neptune, who had just emerged from the training grounds, looking for Guts for another round of their bruising spars, froze mid-stride.
He watched the spectacle unfolding before him, his massive jaw slowly dropping in amazement.
His daughter.
His precious, youngest child, Shirahoshi. Since Otohime's passing, and the constant threat from Decken, Shirahoshi had grown incredibly wary of strangers, retreating further into her shell, her shyness almost a phobia.
Yet, here she was, clinging to a woman she had just met, crying "Mama!" with longing. Neptune could only stare, a mixture of bewilderment, shock, and a rising sense of wonder washing over him.
This was... impossible.
Robin, still flustered by the sheer size and unexpected affection of Shirahoshi, instinctively wrapped her arms around the sobbing child, trying to offer comfort.
She gently patted the massive head, caressing her cheek. This child must be missing her mother so much. She thought.
Neptune, watching the tender scene unfold, felt a profound warmth bloom in his own grieving heart.
His beloved Otohime would have cherished such a sight.
The way Robin, so small and delicate compared to his colossal daughter, so effortlessly calmed the crying child, radiating a gentle strength... a profound, soft smile spread across Neptune's face.
Without realizing he was speaking aloud, lost in the unexpected beauty of the moment, Neptune murmured, "Ah, yes... Young lady... You will be a good mother."
The air in the corridor, which had been soft and filled with the gentle sounds of Shirahoshi's sobs, suddenly dropped.
A sinister aura, cold and sharp as a winter gale, erupted from directly beside King Neptune.
He forgot Guts was there, standing silently, watching the interaction with an unreadable expression.
But Guts had heard. Every single word.
A low, guttural growl rumbled deep in Guts's chest.
Black smoke, thick and swirling, began to visibly emanate from his body.
His armor, usually just hard steel, began to warp and shift, the grotesque, skeletal features of the Berserker Armor starting to envelope Guts completely.
The air around him crackled with a palpable, chaotic aura, imbued with malice and a chilling, predatory possessiveness.
The very shadows in the corridor seemed to deepen, twisting into monstrous forms.
Neptune's eyes, wide with sudden, absolute terror, snapped to Guts.
The Berserker Armor was already consuming him, the unholy light beginning to burn in its helm's eyes.
Panic, cold and sharp, seized the King.
He knew what that terrifying transformation meant, he had lived through it once before.
He had provoked it.
"W-wait! Devil Swordsman! Guts!"
Neptune stammered, throwing his massive hands up in a placating gesture, his previous warmth vanished.
"It's a misunderstanding! A complete misunderstanding! What I meant was! When she... when young lady Nico Robin... when she has her own child! In the distant future! Not that I... not that I was aiming for her! Or implying anything untoward! It was just a figure of speech! A hypothetical! Truly!"
His voice rose in a frantic, desperate squeak, the proud King of the Sea reduced to a blubbering mess.
But Guts wasn't listening.
With a terrifyingly silent grace, the monstrous form that was Guts reached out.
His armored gauntlet closed around Neptune's immense wrist.
The King, despite his colossal strength, found himself effortlessly lifted, his giant body utterly helpless.
With a single, powerful jerk, Guts dragged Neptune down the corridor.
Not walking beside him, not leading him.
Dragging him.
The massive Fish-Man King, scrambling on his hands, was pulled unceremoniously towards the familiar dread of the royal training ground.
That evening, as the twin moons cast their ethereal glow upon Fish-Man Island, a new, peculiar sound filled the palace.
It wasn't the joyous revelry of the night before, nor the quiet hum of the currents.
Instead, carried on the water, echoing through the coral walls and across the peaceful kingdom, was the distinct, sorrowful cry of King Neptune, a mournful lament that could be heard by the whole place.
It was going to be a long night for the King.
***
The morning sun, filtered through the grand dome of Fish-Man Island, cast gentle, shifting patterns across the bustling pier.
After a night that had seen King Neptune's sorrowful cries echo through the palace, a new day brought new decisions.
Guts and Robin had chosen to eat their breakfast not in the grand banquet hall, but in a small, cozy restaurant nestled right beside the pier.
From their table, they had a perfect view of the morning's activities: Neptune's soldiers, now moving with a lighter, more purposeful air, were feeding Gargar, tossing massive barrels of luminous plankton, and big chunks of meat into the shark-kraken's waiting maw.
Beyond him, nearby, a small, humble ship – the very vessel Guts and Robin had arrived in – was being meticulously filled with necessities and having its hull carefully coated with a fresh, protective layer of resilient deep-sea resin.
Robin had already made her decision.
The answers on Fish-Man Island, for now, were limited.
Her discovery of Joy Boy's apology had opened more questions than it answered, and the Poneglyph itself hinted at further secrets waiting elsewhere.
Their path was clear: they needed to continue their journey.
They needed to meet Rayleigh again.
He was the key to understanding the next steps in understanding ancient history, a living bridge to the era of the Pirate King.
Robin sighed, pushing a piece of vibrant green kelp salad around her plate with her fork.
A faint pout touched her lips.
Since their arrival on Fish-Man Island, she had been trying hard to avoid eating her greens, a childish aversion that Guts, to her eternal exasperation, seemed to relish enforcing.
"Eat it."
Guts grunted from across the table, his mouth full of what appeared to be some kind of roasted fish-meat. He didn't even look at her, but his tone left no room for argument.
"I promised Jumoi. She said you need your vitamins."
Robin winced. Jumoi, the fierce, pie shop owner, who like a mother figure for her, had apparently extracted a solemn vow from Guts regarding Robin's nutritional intake.
A promise Guts, true to his nature, would uphold no matter how petty.
Her only salvation from the sea-vegetable tyranny was the sight of a glorious, freshly baked apple pie sitting temptingly in the center of the table, radiating a sweet, comforting aroma.
She eyed it wistfully, waiting for Guts to finish his lecture.
As they talked and ate, a sudden flurry of movement caught their attention.
The restaurant door burst open, and someone rushed in, their usually serene demeanor utterly shattered.
It was Madam Shyarly.
Her long, flowing, light-blue hair shimmered around her as she propelled herself forward, her beautiful mermaid tail thrashing with agitated urgency. Her often-calm, almost melancholic eyes, usually obscured by the smoke of her ever-present cigarette, were wide and wild with genuine alarm.
She had abandoned her usual placid composure, her elegant movements replaced by a desperate scramble towards their table.
"You!"
She gasped, her voice hoarse, her graceful hand clutching at her chest.
She pointed a trembling finger at them, her eyes fixed on Guts and Robin, filled with a dire, unspoken dread.
"You cannot go! You must not go!"
Her voice dropped, raw with the weight of a horrific vision.
"If you set foot on that ship... if you venture above now... hell will unleash!"
Her eyes, filled with the terrifying clarity of prophecy, reflected a future steeped in utter chaos.
"A calamity is coming! A disaster unlike any the seas have seen! Do not go!"
The bustling restaurant, which had previously been filled with the cheerful chatter of diners, fell into a stunned silence.
Every eye was on Madam Shyarly, and then on Guts and Robin, the unwitting subjects of her terrifying premonition.
The sweet scent of apple pie was suddenly replaced by the chilling whisper of an uncertain, dangerous future.