"Father, my brothers..."
Learning the news of Vander Decken IX's demise.
The three Neptune brothers, who were managing the affairs of the Ryugu Kingdom, and Jinbe, who had gone to get the Fish-Man Karate scrolls, all came with Neptune to the outside of the Hard-Shell Tower, to welcome the sister and princess they had been unable to leave the tower and had difficulty seeing for six years.
The door, over ten meters high, opened, and a teary-eyed Shirahoshi walked out from inside.
Seeing her father and brothers, Shirahoshi immediately cried out with tears of joy.
"Shirahoshi, welcome back!"
"Shirahoshi, you've suffered these past few years."
"Shirahoshi..."
Looking at their grown-up little sister, the three Neptune brothers couldn't help but tear up.
The last time they were all together was six years ago.
At that time, their mother was still alive.
Unknowingly, that six-year-old little sister had grown bigger than them.
The three Neptune brothers, who originally wanted to hug their sister, could only wipe their tears and look up at Shirahoshi with smiles.
The twelve-meter-tall Neptune, however, hugged his daughter tightly, also shedding silent tears.
Watching the family reunion, Jinbe also teared up and bowed deeply to Karl, saying, "Lord Karl, thank you so very much!"
"You're welcome. It was my promise," Karl shook his head and smiled.
"...Lord Karl, here are the Fish-Man Karate scrolls you wanted."
Hearing this, Jinbe took a deep breath, then took out a book from his person and handed it to Karl with both hands.
"Thanks, Jinbe."
Karl's eyes lit up.
After taking the scrolls, Karl didn't rush to read them. He looked at Jinbe and said, "Jinbe, could you demonstrate all the moves in these scrolls for me?"
"Now?" Jinbe was slightly taken aback.
"Yes!"
Karl glanced at the reunited family of five and nodded at Jinbe.
"In that case, let's find another place."
Jinbe did not refuse and quietly led Karl away.
By the time Karl and Jinbe returned.
Neptune's family was no longer at the entrance of the Hard-Shell Tower but were laughing and talking in a large hall.
"Boss Jinbe, Lord Dragon Knight, you're back!"
After Karl and Jinbe followed the presence and found them, the eldest of the Neptune brothers, Fukaboshi, immediately walked over and said, "Father is preparing another banquet to celebrate Shirahoshi's return. This time, can I go down and invite Lord Dragon Knight's crew members to attend?"
"You can. I'll have to trouble you to send someone to pick them up."
Karl, knowing Fukaboshi was asking him, did not refuse this time and nodded.
"Alright, I'll lead the team now!"
To show the utmost respect to Karl's group, Fukaboshi said quickly.
"I'll go too!"
Almost as soon as Fukaboshi's words fell, the other two Neptune brothers also chimed in.
And so, the three Neptune brothers rode giant flounders and left Ryugu Palace.
Night.
To welcome Karl and celebrate Shirahoshi's return, a banquet, while not grand, was very lively, was held in Ryugu Palace.
Looking at the five merfolk, the smallest of whom were several meters tall and the largest reaching twelve meters.
The girls, seeing large merfolk for the first time, except for Yamato, were all dumbfounded.
Soon, they were stunned again by Shirahoshi's beauty.
Like Boa Hancock's charm, Shirahoshi's charm was at a level that captivated men and women, young and old.
The legendary Mermaid Princess truly lived up to her name!
At the banquet, Neptune and his three sons, the four of them, continuously expressed their gratitude to Karl.
Shirahoshi, on the other hand, timidly observed Nami and the other girls.
Feeling Shirahoshi's gaze, except for Yamato who was feasting, Nami and the other girls all sent her friendly looks and smiles.
Seeing this made Shirahoshi's heart flutter with excitement.
If it weren't for the wrong occasion, she would have wanted to become friends with these older sisters before her.
Little did she know, Nami and the others, who saw her as a person, had already come to regard her as family.
After the banquet, Karl's group was invited to stay and rest in Ryugu Palace.
The next day...
It was unknown what Neptune had talked about with his precious daughter last night.
In the early morning, just as Karl's group had woken up and finished washing, Neptune personally came to find Karl, requesting that his group take Shirahoshi to the Sea Forest.
Upon hearing this, Karl immediately nodded with a smile.
Clearly, Neptune had tacitly approved Karl's request to take Shirahoshi to the world above the sea.
And so...
After Shirahoshi was ready, Karl's group controlled the large three-masted galleon to fly up, directly using the ship to transport her to the Sea Forest.
Having regained her freedom, Shirahoshi could no longer dress as casually as she did when she was in the Hard-Shell Tower.
Today, over her scallop-shell bra, she wore a sky-blue shirt and a white short skirt, shedding a bit of her childishness and becoming even more beautiful and moving.
On the way to the Sea Forest, Shirahoshi leaned over the ship's rail, looking down at Fish-Man Island below, her eyes sparkling with a dazzling light, just like Yamato's when she first set out on her adventure.
Besides the most excited Shirahoshi, Yamato, who hadn't explored all of Fish-Man Island, and Robin, who had guessed from Karl's words that there was a Poneglyph at their destination, also had looks of anticipation.
"Karl, you're really something..."
Looking at the three girls leaning over the rail, Nami imitated Carina's move, quietly giving Karl's knight armor an elbow jab, and teased, "It hasn't even been a full day, and you've already abducted the legendary Mermaid Princess... Is your next target the one known as the world's most beautiful woman, the Pirate Empress?"
"Not necessarily. That depends on fate..."
Karl pinched his chin, putting on a look of serious contemplation, "After all, the place where the Pirate Empress is, Amazon Lily, is even more legendary than the underwater paradise. Unless I run into her on my journey, I definitely won't go looking for her myself."
"Pfft... As expected of you!"
Seeing Karl's playful expression, Nami couldn't help but laugh.
Little did she know, Karl was actually answering seriously.
Just as Karl said, among the three peerless beauties from the original story's setting, he wasn't interested in Kozuki Hiyori, but he greatly coveted the other two.
But for one of them, coveting was useless.
So, the one he truly coveted was actually just one.
If he were to meet Boa Hancock by fate, Karl, being a lecher, would naturally not let the opportunity pass.
Because she was the world's most beautiful woman, and he possessed the condition to gain her favor—the title of "God-Slayer."
With a little effort, he could win her affections.
Only a fool wouldn't do it.
Of course...
If there was no fate, Karl wouldn't proactively seek out Boa Hancock.
Lust was one thing, but his male pride couldn't be abandoned
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