White Ghost laughed and reined his aura back in.
"So in the end, you just want a stronger backer," he said bluntly. "Why take such a roundabout way to say it?"
Otohime's cheeks flushed. Neptune's did too. Put simply, yes—that was exactly what they wanted.
Whitebeard's flag already flew over Fishman Island… yet human traffickers still came in waves. If they hadn't followed White Ghost's advice and reformed the island, who knew how many more fishmen would have ended up in chains.
"So… what exactly do you mean by that, Mr. White?" Otohime asked carefully.
"I stand by what I said earlier. Fishman Island is too weak right now." White Ghost turned to Jinbe. "While I'm sailing around the world, teach as many of your people as you can—Fishman Karate, Fishman Jujutsu, Haki, all of it.
"When I carve out territory in the New World, I'll make space for the people of Fishman Island—so long as you don't stab me in the back, I won't abandon you.
"If you do stab me in the back…"
He left the sentence hanging.
He didn't need to finish it.
"Of course we wouldn't betray you, Mr. White!" Otohime said, eyes misting.
At last… after hundreds of years, the chance for fishmen and humans to share the surface was right in front of her.
"I'll train our people properly," Jinbe said solemnly. "I won't let you down."
White Ghost reached into his bracelet, pulled out a worn booklet, and tossed it to him.
"This is the training method for Marine Rokushiki—you know how valuable it is.
"If Sengoku asks questions, just say you bought it on the black market."
Jinbe's eyes widened for an instant, then he nodded heavily.
There were plenty of Marine deserters in the world. Techniques like that absolutely circulated underground. Claiming he'd bought it wasn't far-fetched at all.
With the important things said, White Ghost didn't bother lecturing further.
He leaned his dragon body against the coral floor, idly rolling Shyarly's crystal ball between his claws while his other hand kept picking up food.
"Mm?"
He paused, frowning at the orb.
This thing isn't hiding some kind of Prophecy Fruit, is it? A "Future-Future Fruit"?
He didn't have any seastone on him right now—otherwise he'd have tested it properly. His bracelet couldn't store the stuff, which was why he'd hauled several bags of it all the way back from Wano by hand.
He focused his Observation Haki, letting it brush over the crystal ball, trying to sense something—anything.
Nothing.
He pushed his Observation outward instead.
Expand.
Keep expanding.
From Ryugu Palace… outward.
Across the upper dome.
Across the streets.
Farther—
At that moment, the crystal ball suddenly reacted, giving off a faint, subtle aura that intertwined with his Haki.
"…Huh?"
Noticing this, White Ghost pushed harder, forcing his Observation to spread even wider.
Gradually, his field of perception enveloped all of Fishman Island.
"That's… a bit much," he muttered.
His pupils flashed red.
Bzzzt—
Within his sphere of perception, he "saw" the harbor. A fishman guard there, dozing on his feet… suddenly tipped and fell over.
A heartbeat later, in the real world, that exact guard actually toppled.
"What the…?"
White Ghost stared in disbelief.
Did I just… see that ahead of time? Future sight?
On impulse, he focused on Shirahoshi leaning against his side. His pupils flashed again.
In his mind's eye, she shifted, rolling over in her sleep.
A moment later, Shirahoshi herself turned, snuggling into a more comfortable position, face peaceful and innocent.
Jinbe shivered.
He could feel it—the quality of White Ghost's Observation Haki had changed.
"Future sight…" he whispered. "His Observation… broke through."
White Ghost drew his Haki back and examined the crystal ball again.
Its glow had dimmed noticeably, as though some of its essence had been drained.
"Here," he said, tossing it back to Shyarly. "Handy tool. Helped push my Observation up to seeing the future."
Shyarly looked down at the orb, on the verge of tears.
It was clearly duller than before.
She forced a small smile anyway.
"As long as it helped you, that's fine," she said. "It'll… recover. Eventually."
"Observation Haki that can glimpse the future…" Jinbe murmured, jaw slack.
He opened his mouth to say more—and found a chunk of meat shoved into it.
He blinked and looked up to see White Ghost watching him with a faintly amused smile.
Jinbe chewed, swallowed, then said, "I believe you now. But… your crystal ball had that kind of function?"
"I'm guessing it'll be a while before anyone can use it like that again," White Ghost said, nodding at the orb. "That little trick pretty much wrung it dry.
"For what it's worth, what I did was expand my Observation nonstop until it covered the whole island. That's when the thing resonated with me."
"The entire island?" Otohime gasped.
Fishman Island wasn't huge compared to the Red Line… but it was far from small.
Neptune stiffened.
This was a man known across the world as the "Strongest Creature." And he'd spent the whole time glaring at him like an upstart thug.
If he gets offended…
Neptune didn't dare follow the thought through. He stole a glance at White Ghost, then quickly lowered his head.
White Ghost noticed, but didn't bother responding.
Otohime noticed too and frowned slightly, but she let it pass—for now.
"Thank you very much, Mr. White," Jinbe said, bowing deeply.
To hand over training methods just like that… either White Ghost was ridiculously open-handed, or his confidence in his own strength was absolute.
"Once it recovers, if you need it, you can come use it again," Shyarly added, taking a drag on her pipe. "If it strengthens the island, it's worth it."
An opportunity like that was only a blessing.
"First, you'll need to raise your Observation to a certain level," White Ghost said. "Otherwise it probably won't respond."
Jinbe nodded without argument.
They talked a while longer—about training, about territory, about the future. Shyarly kept sneaking odd looks at White Ghost, as if turning over a thousand questions in her mind.
Eventually, White Ghost yawned, long and lazily.
"Looks like Mr. White is tired," Otohime said warmly. "Please, rest. We'll leave you in peace."
White Ghost glanced at her, then down at Shirahoshi still hugging his side.
You think I don't want to move? Every time I come here, your daughter treats me like a pillow.
Otohime felt his gaze and looked away, a little embarrassed. She remembered how, last time, she'd tried to move Shirahoshi and simply… couldn't. No matter what they did, the girl wouldn't budge.
"Then rest well, Mr. White," she said, giving a small bow before leaving with the others.
Before long, several palace maids swam into the hall—graceful mermaids with gentle expressions.
They glanced at their princess, fast asleep against a golden dragon, then at their guest. Complicated emotions flickered across their faces, but they said nothing, quietly taking up positions to keep watch.
White Ghost looked at Shirahoshi, then at the maids, and decided not to overthink it.
He shut his eyes, coiled his tail loosely around himself and the dragon-scale blanket he'd half-folded over them, and let sleep take him.
Outside the hall, Otohime turned to her husband.
"I know you look down on his background," she said quietly. "You see him as nothing more than a brute with strength and no pedigree."
"But Neptune… look clearly at Fishman Island's situation. If we lose that man's protection, what do you think will happen to our people?"
"I… understand, Otohime," Neptune said, head bowed.
The others stayed silent. He was, after all, their king.
To be honest, they all thought that marine's temper was remarkably good. Their king had been glaring at him with obvious prejudice since the very beginning… and White Ghost had simply let it slide.
Otohime went on, voice steady.
"Think about what he just said. With his strength, seizing territory in the New World is not a problem.
"This is the chance we've waited centuries for. We already know the World Government can't be trusted—how many more times do you need to see that?"
She looked him straight in the eye.
"These last few days, every human trafficker who reached the island fought hard. Jinbe said it himself—they use Rokushiki. And they're very skilled.
"You still don't see what that means?"
Neptune clenched his fists.
"…I understand," he said finally. "I'll change. From now on."
Otohime watched him for a long moment.
There was apology in his words.
Not much in his eyes.
She let out a long sigh.
"Neptune… if you really want our people to keep living like before—losing children one day, parents the next—then by all means. Stay just as you are."
With that, she turned and swam off alone.
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