[~1400 Words]
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"Hold on tight~" James said, his voice warm and steady, carrying both comfort and command.
"Alright, Husband!" Shirahoshi replied, her tone bright and full of trust.
The flying carpet surged forward like a streak of light, bursting through the Hard Shell Tower's great coral gates. It soared past the merfolk below, gliding gracefully through the transparent tunnels that connected to Fish-Man Island. None of the Sea King Army dared to stop them; they simply watched in awe as divine lightning passed through their waters.
The Right Minister—who had guarded Shirahoshi for more than a decade—stood by the tower's entrance, silently wiping away tears. His voice trembled as he murmured, "Princess… go and enjoy your precious freedom."
Perhaps, even for a man of unwavering loyalty, tears were only fitting at such a moment.
Sea Forest — Northeast of Fish-Man District
The sea here shimmered like an underwater dreamscape. Coral reefs of every hue spread across the seabed, glowing faintly under the filtered sunlight. Schools of tropical fish swam past, their scales reflecting light like scattered jewels.
James and Shirahoshi traveled side by side, their laughter echoing softly through the water. Ever since leaving the tower, Shirahoshi had grown deeply attached to him.
Whenever she spotted a peculiar fish or a new coral formation, she would exclaim in delight and eagerly show it to James—sometimes even lifting him in her palms to make sure he could "see it properly."
Her innocence was disarming. She had spent her life locked away from the world, her heart still untainted by darkness or deceit. To someone like her, every gentle word from James, every smile, every act of kindness was magnified into something precious.
To Shirahoshi, James was everything—a protector, a miracle, and the only light in her lonely world.
Their journey was smooth and uninterrupted. Guided by Neptune's words and James's Observation Haki, they soon reached the Sea Forest, where Queen Otohime rested.
The moment Shirahoshi saw the coral-covered grave, her cheerful expression melted into quiet sorrow. She bent down, her long pink hair drifting gently in the water as she wept softly.
"Mother… I've missed you so much…"
Her voice trembled with years of suppressed emotion.
She stayed there for a long while, recounting her life since that tragic day—how she had waited, endured, and finally met James. When she finished, she introduced him to Queen Otohime's grave and showed the earrings he had given her.
A faint current swept through the water, stirring Shirahoshi's curls as if a gentle hand was brushing through them. The sea itself seemed to whisper blessings—Queen Otohime's spirit, perhaps, smiling upon her daughter and her chosen protector.
After a long silence, Shirahoshi finally wiped her tears and rose. She turned and embraced James tenderly, her enormous eyes shimmering like pearls.
"Husband, thank you for bringing me here. This… this was what I've wanted most. I never thought today would bring so many miracles…"
James smiled softly. "You deserve it, Shirahoshi."
"Mm! Then… what should we do next?"
He looked at her—so innocent, so pure—and couldn't help but smile fondly.
If Nami or Robin had asked that, he thought amusedly, I'd know exactly what they meant they would all be in the sheets tangled together.
But Shirahoshi's question was as innocent as her heart.
"Next," he said after a pause, "we'll head deeper into the Sea Forest. There's something there that one of your future elder sisters is very interested in."
"Okay~" she said cheerfully, completely trusting him. For her, just being beside him—free, under the soft sunlight—was enough.
James guided the flying carpet forward, and before long, they arrived before a massive stone monolith: the Poneglyph.
He summoned a Den Den Mushi, snapping several photos of the inscriptions while sitting comfortably in Shirahoshi's hand. The two of them continued talking and laughing—new lovers who seemed to have endless things to share.
But suddenly, James's eyes flashed red with heightened focus. His Observation Haki flared—he sensed danger.
A massive axe hurtled toward them from the distance, spinning violently through the water. With a flick of his wrist, a bolt of lightning shot out, shattering it into fragments before it could come close.
Vander Decken…
Shirahoshi flinched at the sound, her body trembling. Before she could turn to see, James fired another bolt of blue lightning, disintegrating the weapon completely before it could frighten her again.
"Husband, what's wrong?" she asked, her eyes wide and glistening.
"Nothing, Shirahoshi," he said calmly, his voice gentle. "I just remembered something… Come. Let's go deal with the culprit who kept you locked away all these years."
"The culprit…?" she whispered. But instead of pressing further, she nodded and gathered him close as she climbed back onto the carpet.
The Journey to Noah
The carpet spun upward, piercing through the layers of water above. They passed through the double bubble membrane that encased Fish-Man Island, and the ocean opened before them like an endless blue sky.
James's Float-Float Power parted the sea itself, forming a tunnel of empty space that led directly toward their destination.
"So amazing~ Husband! The water—it's moving away from us!"
James smiled but said nothing, only accelerating smoothly. The faster they went, the more Shirahoshi giggled in awe, clapping her hands like an excited child.
Before long, the colossal shadow of a creature appeared in the distance—a grotesque, oversized head attached to a Fish-Man's body.
Wadatsumi.
James's expression cooled.
The giant was still loyal to Vander Decken, though the fool had long betrayed him. Pity.
Floating free from Shirahoshi's hand, James raised one arm. Lightning began to coil around him, first blue, then deep violet, finally turning black as ink. The pressure it emitted distorted the water itself.
After several breaths, the energy reached its peak.
"Door–Door: Open Gate!"
A black rift opened behind him, expanding like an eye of the abyss.
"⚡Heavenly Lightning of the Night!⚡"
The black lightning vanished into the portal—then erupted behind Wadatsumi, forming a searing black hole of destruction.
In the blink of an eye, the back of the giant's head was annihilated. The surrounding seawater vaporized from the heat before rushing back in to fill the void.
Wadatsumi never even realized what happened. His massive form convulsed, then exploded silently into fragments that drifted away—devoured almost instantly by the smaller fish lurking nearby.
The water carried no scent of blood, no trace of burning. The dark sea swallowed everything.
When James and Shirahoshi arrived moments later, only scraps of flesh remained, scattered like debris—a grim testament to the power of divine lightning.
James glanced up, his gaze settling on the colossal ship floating ahead. "So this is the Ark of Promise—Noah. Incredible. It's nearly half the size of Fish-Man Island. Was it built by the Giants… or perhaps by Joy Boy himself?"
"This is… Noah?" Shirahoshi whispered. "Husband, why did we come here?"
James looked thoughtful, his tone casual yet amused. "I was considering what to do with it. Technically, it belongs to me now. But honestly… it's too big to be of much use."
He chuckled. "I don't need to sail the sea, after all—I travel far above it."
Still, his eyes lingered on the massive ark, reflecting faint lightning. Five million passengers… it'd be a shame to leave it here unused, he thought, a sly grin tugging at his lips.
Now then… what could I use this for?
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