Ryugu Castle
After a full day of exhaustion and hunger, Rin finally returned to Ryugu Palace following the destruction of the strange enchantment and promptly devoured a hearty feast fit for a king.
"Brother Rin, was that man really defeated by you?" Princess Shirahoshi asked softly, her large eyes sparkling with cautious joy. She had been terrified of Van der Decken IX for years, the man who relentlessly hurled weapons at her and had crazily declared he would marry her.
"Mm, don't worry he's gone for good." Rin said firmly to Shirahoshi, his tone leaving no room for doubt. He knew that Van der Decken IX's soul had already been completely devoured by Uncle Bone Erosion. What remained was just an empty shell no mind, no malice, no chance of haunting Shirahoshi again.
"But... who was that person really? Why did I have to marry him?" Shirahoshi asked, tilting her head in confusion. That day, when she had left midway to help Rin, Van der Decken had intercepted her, demanding marriage. Was there something about her power the mysterious Poseidon ability she carried that had drawn him? Or had he simply wanted Fishman Island's royal wealth and authority?
"Princess, it's better not to dwell on it now that he's gone." Rin said casually, mouth full of grilled sea beast meat. Right now, his biggest wish wasn't solving mysteries, it was eating enough to collapse blissfully afterward.
"Alright..." Princess Shirahoshi nodded obediently, though in her heart she already knew. The moment Uncle Bone Erosion had consumed Van der Decken's soul, the heavy, invisible feeling of being constantly targeted the sensation of unseen threats lurking had completely vanished. It was the first time in years that she had felt truly free.
"This time, I must deeply thank Lord Rin for eliminating such a threat to my daughter. You have done so much for Fishman Island how could we ever repay you?" Queen Otohime said warmly from nearby. Her gentle nature and heartfelt sincerity filled the grand hall, and everyone present knew she meant every word. Rin had saved her, driven off three Sea Kings, and now freed Shirahoshi from her lifelong fear.
"Yes! If Lord Rin ever needs anything from us here on Fishman Island, you need only ask! We will give our all to assist you!" King Neptune added solemnly, his deep voice echoing off the coral walls. His gratitude was carved into every word Fishman Island owed Rin far more than they could repay.
"It's nothing, it's been my pleasure. Besides, we've been treated so well living at Ryugu Castle these past few days." Rin replied humbly, wiping his mouth and smiling. Although he acted relaxed, he truly appreciated the warm welcome they had received.
"So, Lord Rin, it's true you've decided to leave tomorrow?" King Neptune asked, a touch of sadness hidden in his thick voice. He had hoped Rin might stay longer—perhaps even ally himself with Fishman Island in the coming era of great upheavals.
"Yes. We'll depart tomorrow. We can't afford to linger any longer." Rin answered decisively. Time was slipping away, and they needed to reach the surface and beyond to the New World without further delay.
---
The Next Day
After gathering their supplies and preparing the ship, Rin and his crew were ready to set sail departing from the great port nestled within the colorful coral reef of Fishman Island.
"Lord Rin, just keep sailing straight ahead.you'll reach the current leading up to the New World." King Neptune personally came to see them off, pointing the way through the vibrant waters that separated Fishman Island from the upper seas.
"Got it. Thanks for everything." Rin replied, giving a short wave.
"Sister Artoria... when will you come back to visit me again?" Princess Shirahoshi asked tearfully, clutching Artoria's hand with both of hers. She had grown deeply attached to Artoria, the noble knight who had played with her, protected her, and shared stories about the world above something few on Fishman Island had ever done.
"Don't worry, I'll come back to visit when I can but you have to behave yourself, or else those scary monsters might come looking for you again!" Artoria said with a teasing grin, deliberately trying to frighten Princess Shirahoshi a little.
"Mm! White Star will definitely be obedient Artoria, you must also be careful, alright? You told me before that the world outside is very dangerous." Princess Shirahoshi said earnestly, her eyes slightly reddened. The last time Artoria had explained the dangers of the surface world pirates, Marines, the Yonkō Shirahoshi had become truly frightened. Now she couldn't help but worry that something terrible might happen to her dear sisterly friend, and if anything did happen, there would be no one left willing to play with her or tell her stories about the sky.
"Don't worry, I'll be careful too." Artoria replied with a gentle smile, reaching out to pat Shirahoshi's silky hair.
"Enel, is the ship ready?" Rin turned his head and asked casually.
"Casa already went ahead to get it ready we can leave anytime." Enel replied, his voice carrying an odd tone of lazy responsibility, almost like a housekeeper keeping everything in order aboard the Pandora Pirates' ship.
"Good. Then let's head out." Rin said crisply, addressing Enel and Artoria.
"Princess Shirahoshi, it's time for me to go. Goodbye for now." Artoria added softly. In truth, she also felt a deep reluctance to part from the naive and adorable princess but there was no choice. Her loyalty was first to Rin, her captain and comrade, not even to a princess of the sea.
"Mm... Sister Artoria, I'll be obedient! So please... come back soon!" Shirahoshi said, trying hard to suppress the tears that welled up in her eyes.
At that moment, the pirate ship of the Pandora Pirates, bearing their new flag of adventure, slowly sailed into view, gliding through the colorful coral harbor. It was Casa at the helm, expertly maneuvering the vessel through the watery streets of Fishman Island.
After exchanging a few final goodbyes, Rin, Enel, and Artoria boarded the ship. As soon as everyone was aboard, Casa gradually increased the speed of the ship, the sails catching the underwater currents. The ship steadily gained distance—slowly but surely growing smaller and smaller against the dazzling backdrop of Fishman Island's undersea sun.
"Sister Artoria, Brother Rin... Good luck to both of you." Princess Shirahoshi whispered silently in her heart, clasping her hands together as if in prayer.
---
Aboard the ship, Rin sat cross-legged in his cabin, eagerly preparing to open the special reward packages that he had accumulated over the past eventful days.
"System, check how many gift packs I've collected while we were on Fishman Island." Rin asked, his fingers itching in anticipation.
"There are 8 daily packs, 1 weekly pack, and 1 monthly pack." the system responded mechanically, its voice as cold and emotionless as ever.
"Whoa, I actually racked up a monthly package already! I wonder if there'll be something amazing this time." Rin said to himself excitedly. He knew from experience that the monthly gift packs usually produced truly valuable treasures rarely would they contain trash.
"Alright, start by opening the 8 daily packs." Rin ordered without hesitation.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining 1000 Berries."
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a vase recovered from a sunken ship."
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining 1000 Berries."
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a beautiful silver ring."
...
After a short while, Rin stared blankly at the messy pile of loot in front of him. Aside from the modest piles of Berries, the rest of the items seemed like random junk collected from the seafloor—trinkets, cracked vases, forgotten jewelry.
"What the heck is all this stuff?" Rin muttered helplessly, scratching his head as he surveyed the random collection before him, unsure what practical use any of it might have.
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