Chapter 234: Prophecy
"Let's go explore the island."
After resting on the beach for a while, Rhodes and the others headed toward the interior of Fish-Man Island.
Rhodes had come here to attempt subduing Fish-Man Island, and also to meet one of the Ancient Weapons, Poseidon—the mermaid princess Shirahoshi!
Of the three Ancient Weapons, Rhodes undoubtedly knew Poseidon best. It was a power that could communicate with and command Sea Kings.
In this world, if asked which race was the strongest, humans, Minks, and even giants would all have to step aside before the Sea Kings.
There was Zunesha carrying Zou—an elephant capable of demolishing Jack the Drought and his entire fleet with a single swing of its trunk. And there were more than a few Sea Kings comparable in size to Zunesha itself.
These colossal Sea Kings might not be able to deal with agile Marine Admirals or the Four Emperors in direct combat, but destroying entire islands would be incredibly easy for them.
The so-called "world destruction" didn't refer to invincible individual power, but rather the capacity to annihilate civilization itself.
If Shirahoshi were to command the Sea Kings to destroy every island in the world, even if the Four Emperors and the Admirals tried to stop them, it would still cause catastrophic damage to the global ecosystem.
This was what true "world-destroying power" meant.
Whether it was Uranus, Pluton, or Poseidon, they were all equivalent to nuclear weapons from his previous life.
Without sufficient strength to protect them, Rhodes wouldn't allow these powers to surface.
But once he had enough power, these forces would become weapons in his arsenal to overawe the world.
As they proceeded, Law and Bepo split off, leaving only Rhodes and Robin walking through streets populated by fish-men and merfolk.
Rhodes wasn't in a hurry to meet Shirahoshi. Instead, he casually sampled the local seafood specialties of Fish-Man Island at various street stalls.
For example, takoyaki prepared by octopus fish-men...
"It seems these fish-men are quite cold toward us humans," Robin observed, taking a bite of takoyaki skewer and narrowing her eyes thoughtfully.
Rhodes nodded. He had noticed the same thing while making purchases.
These fish-men weren't exactly hostile toward them, but they certainly weren't friendly either.
"However, these female mermaids seem quite taken with you."
Robin glanced at several exquisitely beautiful, fair-skinned mermaids in the distance, her tone somewhat peculiar.
She admitted that her boss was indeed extraordinarily handsome—sometimes even she found herself momentarily captivated—but this seemed excessive, didn't it?
"Being this handsome is unavoidable."
Rhodes shook his head and sighed with an expression that suggested he was "bearing a burden of handsomeness beyond his years."
In reality, it was because Rhodes' life essence had undergone transformation, acquiring a trace of divinity that unconsciously attracted those around him. The more they looked, the more captivating he became.
The weaker someone's willpower, the more easily they were influenced by this divine aura.
A short while later,
the two arrived before a particular establishment.
"Mermaid Café?"
Looking at the sign, Rhodes was momentarily taken aback. He pondered briefly, then remembered there was supposedly a fortune-telling mermaid who worked here.
Prophecy—the power of fate itself.
Intrigued, he led Robin through the door.
Upon entering the café, a beautiful mermaid immediately approached to greet them.
This mermaid had a pale pink tail with bubble rings around it, allowing her to move freely despite being on land.
"Welcome to Mermaid Café! What can I get for you?"
Rhodes glanced around at the shop's décor and found the atmosphere quite pleasant, though not crowded. Besides him and Robin, only a young mermaid couple sat leisurely in a corner, enjoying their time together.
"Just bring us some local specialties, please."
Food came first, after all. Rhodes wasn't in a hurry to find the prophetic mermaid—he decided to sample the cuisine first.
A moment later, a mermaid waitress brought some special desserts and fruits to their table, but upon seeing Rhodes clearly, she exclaimed in surprise:
"It's you...!"
Before she could finish, she gasped, nearly dropping the tray she was holding.
Fortunately, Rhodes reacted quickly, catching the tray and placing it safely on the table.
"You know me?"
Looking at the green-haired mermaid before him, Rhodes showed a hint of surprise.
"Camie! It's me, Camie, sir! You may not remember me, but I recognize you! You saved my savior Luffy and his crew!"
Camie said excitedly.
After being rescued by Luffy, she had been following news about him and his crew closely, so of course she recognized Rhodes, the Dragon Slayer Swordsman.
"Camie..."
Rhodes did remember now—there had indeed been such a young mermaid at Sabaody.
And considering her scatter-brained personality, this reaction made perfect sense.
"You're Luffy's benefactor, which makes you my benefactor too! Let me show you around Fish-Man Island!" Camie offered enthusiastically, wanting to repay the debt. Without waiting for Rhodes' response, she dashed off to ask Madam Shirley, the shop owner, for time off.
"The boss really does have a way with women wherever he goes," Robin teased.
"..."
Rhodes casually picked up a small piece of dessert and popped it into Robin's mouth to silence her.
However, Camie returned with unexpected news—Madam Shirley wanted to see them personally.
"Let's go."
Rhodes smiled faintly.
Robin couldn't help but show curiosity. It seemed Rhodes had come specifically to meet Madam Shirley.
Could it be that the boss had changed his preferences and now favored mermaids?
Robin wondered silently to herself.
Following Camie, Rhodes soon met Madam Shirley.
She was an elegant and beautiful mermaid, lounging casually on a sofa with a long kiseru pipe in her hand.
"Dragon Slayer Swordsman... quite the rare guest indeed," Madam Shirley said calmly, looking at Rhodes as if she wasn't worried about what he might do.
There seemed to be something in this woman's eyes that saw through everything.
Rhodes felt his heart tighten slightly. So-called prophecy must involve the power of fate—an undoubtedly frightening ability.
"Did you call me here to perform a divination?"
"It's not that I want to divine your future—it's that you want me to."
Madam Shirley's expression remained serene. She seemed to have already foreseen Rhodes' intentions.
"The things I divine are usually quite unfortunate. Are you certain you still want to proceed?"
"Let's try it. I'm quite interested in your prophetic abilities."
After saying this, Rhodes casually found a place to sit and added,
"Don't you want to know the source of your power?"
"You know?"
Madam Shirley sat up straight upon hearing this.
"I'm not certain, but I have a theory. Do you know Princess Shirahoshi? You might be a special existence like her, only with different abilities manifesting."
Mermaids were a very unique race, naturally attuned to the ocean and even capable of communicating with some sea creatures. There must be profound mysteries involved.
Madam Shirley frowned slightly at this. She only had a vague understanding of the mermaid princess Shirahoshi, so she didn't quite grasp Rhodes' meaning.
But she was an intelligent woman, and she understood that Rhodes had no obligation whatsoever to reveal Shirahoshi's special abilities to her.
She took a drag from her pipe, pondered for a moment, then suddenly gestured for Camie to fetch her crystal ball.
"In that case, I'll perform a divination for you."
She held up the crystal ball and directed it toward Rhodes.
(End of Chapter)
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