The Oro Jackson cut through the deep blue, descending toward the darkness below. Bubbles shimmered around the ship's coated hull as the sunlight faded, giving way to the shifting glow of the deep. Fish of impossible colors swam past, and the pressure thickened like a living weight.
Inside the coated deck, the Nyx Pirates watched the descent in silence.
Mihawk stood near the observation pane, his arms crossed. "A kingdom beneath the sea… hard to believe something like this exists."
Enel's eyes were wide, awe replacing his usual curiosity. "It's… beautiful," he said quietly, pressing a hand to the glass as schools of glowing fish swirled by.
Bullet leaned back against a barrel, arms folded. "Tch. So this is the infamous Fishman Island. Never thought I'd see it with my own eyes."
Ada stood at the bow, her red dress flowing faintly with the ship's movement. Her gaze was fixed ahead — sharp, unwavering.
"Fishman Island," she murmured. "The gate between two seas… and one of the last places Roger and I visited."
Fisher Tiger, standing slightly behind her, clenched his fists as the domed city of coral and light came into view. "Home," he said softly, though his voice carried a tinge of pain.
———————
When the ship passed through the grand coral archway. The Oro Jackson eased into the water gate, greeted by the wide eyes of guards who couldn't quite believe what they were seeing.
"The Nyx Pirates?! Here?!"
"That's Nyx D. Ada— the woman who cut down a Celestial Dragon!"
"That ship—! No way…!"
The panic rippled fast through the ranks. Some guards dropped to one knee out of reflex; others froze, unsure whether to salute or flee.
Ada ignored them entirely. "Dock the ship," she said simply.
————————-
The sight that met them beyond the gates was both magnificent and grotesque.
The city that awaited beyond the gates was breathtaking — coral spires that shimmered in every shade of blue, streets made of pearl, and glowing lanterns that floated gently in the currents. But beneath that beauty was something darker.
Screams. Chains clinking. The sound of cruel laughter echoing from a distant market.
Mihawk's gaze sharpened. "That doesn't sound like paradise."
They followed the noise — and what they found turned even Bullet's smirk into a scowl.
A group of human pirates were dragging nets filled with terrified mermaids toward a ship anchored by the docks. The pirates jeered, one of them holding a whip.
"Stop crying! You'll fetch a fine price once we reach Sabaody!"
Ada's steps slowed as she saw a group of human pirates dragging a net filled with terrified mermaids toward their ship. The pirates wore cruel grins, the kind born from greed unchecked.
Ada's voice cut through the water like a blade.
"Let them go."
The pirates turned — and froze. The sight of her sent shivers through even the boldest.
"The hell—? That's—"
"Nyx D. Ada?!"
"What's she doing here?!"
The air grew heavy.
Before a single one of them could move, Mihawk's sword flashed — a single stroke that sliced through every chain, scattering fragments like glass in water.
Bullet stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "Go on. Try something."
One pirate screamed and fired his pistol — the bullet never landed. Bullet caught it mid-air between two fingers and flicked it back, the man crumpling instantly.
"Pathetic," Bullet muttered.
Mihawk's voice was cold. "You call yourselves pirates? You're just parasites."
The street was silent within seconds — broken chains and unconscious slavers scattered like debris.
Fisher Tiger moved past them, helping untangle the nets. His large hands, once trembling from rage, now moved gently as he freed the captives. The mermaids clung to him, crying in relief.
Ada watched silently. "You've seen what humans do, Tiger," she said softly. "So have I."
He looked up at her, eyes fierce. "And you're different. Why?"
"Because the sea doesn't belong to one race," Ada replied. "It belongs to all who survive it."
For a moment, even Mihawk paused — that quiet conviction carried more weight than any grand speech.
Fisher Tiger's fists trembled. He looked down at the freed mermaids, at their tears and fear, and his jaw tightened. "This… this is why I left," he growled.
Ada's gaze softened faintly. "Then start making it right," she said.
He looked up — and for the first time, there was something in his eyes that wasn't just anger. It was faith.
—————-
The water around them shivered — faint at first, then stronger, like the pulse of something ancient and powerful.
Then came a voice that rolled through the depths, deep and booming, almost shaking the coral towers.
"Gurarararara… I heard the rumors were true."
A shadow loomed in the distance — a colossal ship carved like the jaw of a whale. The Moby Dick.
Gasps echoed through the city.
"Whitebeard…! The strongest man in the world!"
"What's he doing here?!"
The two legendary ships faced each other beneath the waves — Oro Jackson and Moby Dick.
On the upper deck stood Edward Newgate — not yet called an Emperor, but already a man whose very presence could bend the sea. His bisento rested casually against his shoulder, and his grin was wide and thunderous. Around him, his commanders watched in silent awe — Marco, Jozu, Vista.
Ada stepped forward, unflinching, as the Oro Jackson and the Moby Dick faced one another amid the shimmering depths.
"Never thought I'd see Roger's ship again," he said, his voice carrying easily through the water. "And look who's standing at its helm."
Ada stepped forward. "Newgate."
Whitebeard's grin deepened. "You still carry that same fire in your eyes, Ada. I thought you'd sunk with your captain."
Her lips curved faintly. "You should know better. The sea doesn't drown its own."
The tension in the water grew sharp enough to taste. Whitebeard's aura rolled outward — a pressure so immense that nearby coral cracked under it. Ada's Haki flared in response, smooth and cold like moonlight cutting through storm clouds.
The clash of wills sent ripples across the city. Fishmen stumbled back, guards dropped to their knees, and even Mihawk's hand went instinctively to his sword.
Then — the two moved.
Whitebeard swung his bisento, the water itself splitting under the sheer force. Ada met it with a single draw of her blade, the impact roaring through the depths like thunder.
The impact alone cracked coral towers and sent tremors across Fishman Island.
Even Mihawk was forced to brace himself, eyes narrowing with interest. "So this is the level of the legends…"
The shockwave shattered coral pillars and tore the ground beneath their feet.
When the water finally stilled, both remained standing, eyes locked.
Then — Whitebeard laughed. "Gurarararara! You've gotten stronger!"
Ada's blade hummed faintly. "And you've gotten louder."
The clash ended as quickly as it began — two monsters testing each other's strength.
Whitebeard laughed, the sound booming through the water. "You've grown, Ada! Even the sea trembles for you."
Ada smirked faintly, sheathing her blade. "And you still shake the world."
They both smiled — the kind of smile that only old rivals shared.
———————-
As the currents settled. The people of Fishman Island gathered in awe and fear. Then, from behind them, a familiar presence emerged — a towering merman with flowing orange hair and a trident in hand. Neptune and his guards arrived — hurried and wide-eyed.
"Ada…?"
It was King Neptune, flanked by his royal guard. His deep voice carried surprise, warmth, and wariness all at once.
Ada inclined her head. "Neptune. I didn't expect to see you still ruling so firmly."
The King of the Seas smiled wearily. "And I didn't expect to see you again, after all these years."
Whitebeard's deep chuckle rolled through the current. "So you two know each other."
Ada nodded. "Roger's crew stopped here long ago. Neptune helped us then. I haven't forgotten."
She stepped forward, her gaze steady on both Neptune and Whitebeard. "That's why I'm here. I want Fishman Island under my protection."
The surrounding pirates gasped. Even Neptune blinked in surprise.
The crowd erupted in shock.
"What—?!"
"Is she declaring war on the world?!"
"Doesn't she already have enough enemies?!"
Even Whitebeard raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that, girl? You're not just painting a bigger target on your back?"
Ada's gaze was steady. "I'm not doing it to rule. I'm doing it to protect. Slavers are crawling these waters, hunting your people for profit. The Government turns a blind eye. And if I don't stake a claim, someone else will — someone worse."
Whitebeard studied her for a long moment, then laughed again, his deep voice echoing through the water.
"Gurarararara! You've got Roger's guts, that's for sure." He leaned his bisento on his shoulder. "Then protect it well. Neptune's a good man — and I've no reason to challenge you for it."
Ada nodded once. "You have my word. Fishman Island is under my protection from this day forward."
The murmurs of the crowd still echoed through the coral streets — a mixture of awe, fear, and disbelief.
Neptune stood before Ada, trident lowered but eyes sharp, the faint glow of the ocean light dancing across his scales.
"You mean to claim this island… under your name?" he asked quietly, not with anger, but the weight of responsibility.
Ada reached into her coat and drew something from within — a folded piece of deep-black silk. The fabric shimmered faintly with silver stitching, forming the crescent moon emblem of the Nyx Pirates.
She unfurled it slowly. The flag caught the undersea current, rippling like a shadowed flame. The moon emblem seemed alive under the bioluminescent light — stark, unyielding, and beautiful.
"The world government protects no one but themselves," Ada said evenly. "Their ships pass by while your people are taken in chains. Their laws end where their profits begin."
Her gaze lifted to Neptune. "If you fly this flag, they'll think twice before sending another slaver here."
The silence was heavy. Even the water seemed to still.
One of Neptune's guards whispered, trembling, "That symbol… that's the mark of the Nyx Pirates…"
Another murmured, "If we raise it… it'll mean defiance."
Neptune's trident touched the coral floor with a dull thud. "And protection," he said at last.
Ada nodded once, slow and deliberate. "Protection comes at a price. But not gold. Not tribute. Just faith."
She extended the flag toward him — both hands open, her posture formal yet calm. "This sea doesn't need kings or gods. It needs people who still remember what freedom feels like."
For a long moment, Neptune stared at her — at the woman the world had called outlaw, at the one who now stood offering sanctuary instead of conquest.
Then, with quiet reverence, he took the flag.
"I'll raise it above the palace," Neptune said. His deep voice carried through the hall, firm and proud. "So that every soul in these waters knows who stands watch over them now."
Ada's eyes softened slightly — not quite a smile, but close.
"Then may it never fall."
Fisher Tiger bowed his head, emotion thick in his voice. "A pirate protecting Fishman Island… never thought I'd see the day."
Whitebeard let out a booming laugh behind them. "Gurarararara! The seas really have changed."
As Neptune and his guards raised the flag outside, the moon emblem unfurled in the undersea currents — a new mark over the coral towers, glowing faintly in the filtered light.
The people below watched in silence. Then, one by one, they began to cheer.
"The Nyx Pirates!"
"Lady Ada!"
"She's protecting us!"
For the first time in decades, Fishman Island didn't just feel safe — it felt seen.
Fisher Tiger bowed his head. "Then I'll make sure the people remember who stood for them when no one else did."
Ada's eyes softened. "Good. The seas will need more men like you."
————————
The cheers of Fishman Island still echoed through the coral halls when Ada found Fisher Tiger standing at the edge of the plaza.
The light from the raised Nyx flag shimmered in his eyes — proud, conflicted, and a little lost.
He didn't turn when Ada approached. The tide whispered against the coral floor, quiet between them.
"You're not celebrating," she said softly.
Fisher Tiger crossed his arms, gaze still lifted toward the flag.
"Your crew saved this place. You freed the slaves. You even faced Whitebeard without flinchin'."
He glanced at her finally — a faint smile, but weighed down by thought.
"Hard to tell if you're savin' the world or startin' a storm."
Ada tilted her head slightly. "Maybe both."
That earned a low chuckle from him. "You talk like someone who already decided what side she's on."
"I did," Ada said simply. "Now I'm asking if you have."
Fisher Tiger frowned. "What do you mean?"
Ada stepped closer, the faint shimmer of her coat trailing in the undersea current.
"I'm not here to give orders. You've got people here — brothers, sisters. You could stay and help Neptune rebuild. They'd follow you."
She paused, studying him — her tone softer now.
"But if you come with me… you'll see how deep this world's darkness runs. Slavery isn't just here. It's everywhere the nobles breathe."
Her eyes hardened slightly. "And I plan to make them choke on it."
Fisher Tiger went quiet, staring at her — at the fire in her words, the calm fury that reminded him of every lash and every chain he'd ever seen.
He looked away, toward the ocean expanse beyond the coral arches.
"When I was in chains," he murmured, "I swore I'd never let anyone live like that again. I thought comin' home would be enough — savin' just my kind."
He shook his head. "But you're right. The rot's bigger than one island."
Ada said nothing. She didn't push — she waited.
Fisher Tiger finally exhaled and turned to her, his hand clenching into a fist.
"If I stay here, I'll always be lookin' up — wonderin' if the sun's still burnin' without me. But if I come with you…"
He grinned, fierce and proud.
"Then maybe I can make sure no one else ever lives in chains again."
Ada's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. "Then welcome aboard, Fisher Tiger of the Nyx Pirates."
She extended her hand. He took it — a firm, heavy handshake that sent ripples through the water around them.
From the distance, Mihawk and Bullet watched with faint amusement.
"Another stray?" Mihawk drawled.
"More like another monster," Bullet said with a smirk. "I like him."
Enel peered over the railing of the Oro Jackson's underwater hull, curious. "He's loud," he muttered.
"Good," Ada replied lightly. "The sea could use more voices that refuse to stay quiet."
Fisher Tiger laughed, the sound echoing through the coral streets.
"When do we leave?"
Ada turned toward the currents above, where the light from the surface bled faintly into the deep.
"Soon," she said. "Next stop — the New World."
——————-
As the Moby Dick turned to leave, Whitebeard called out one last time.
"Oi, Ada!"
She looked up.
Whitebeard's grin was wide. "Don't let the world drag you under. If it does — you'd better tear it apart from below!"
Ada smirked. "You'd miss me if I didn't."
Their laughter — hers quiet, his booming — echoed through the depths as their ships drifted apart.
When the meeting ended, Whitebeard and his crew departed, the Moby Dick vanishing slowly into the far blue.
The city below was alive again — but this time, with hope. Fisher Tiger watched the freed mermaids being tended to by the royal guard, his shoulders relaxing for the first time.
Ada stood beside him. "You'll see worse as we go deeper into the New World," she said quietly.
Tiger nodded. "Then I'll fight harder. For them."
She smiled faintly. "That's all I ask."
————————
Later, as the Oro Jackson ascended toward the surface, the city below shimmered like a memory.
Fisher Tiger stood at the rail, watching his home fade into the blue. His voice was low. "They'll never forget this day."
Ada stood beside him. "Good. Let it be the first step toward freedom."
Mihawk crossed his arms. "You've made another claim, another enemy, and another ripple in the world. You never do anything halfway, do you?"
Ada's lips curved faintly. "Half-measures don't change tides."
Fisher Tiger stood beside Ada on the deck, watching as the island grew smaller behind them.
"You really think one crew can change the world?" he asked quietly.
Ada's gaze remained fixed on the light above.
"One crew won't," she said. "But the right one will start the wave that does."
Enel — still youthful, still in awe — asked softly, "So where do we go now?"
Ada's gaze drifted toward the horizon, her eyes reflecting the faint light above.
"To the New World," she said. "It's time the world learned what comes after the age of Roger."
The Oro Jackson pierced through the water's surface in a burst of spray, the moonlight glinting off its sails — the words NYX D. ADA shining faintly as the ship vanished into the horizon.
And beneath the waves, whispers began to spread — of a woman who defied gods, kings, and dragons… and now claimed the sea itself.