Shirahoshi was more distracted by the guests than the food in front of her.
She kept glancing at Kronos and his companions. Her large eyes were filled with curiosity, but also with shyness and hesitation.
She wanted to ask them what the surface world was like.
Had they seen the sun before? What did it look like?
Were there stars in the sky at night?
Were there all kinds of furry animals and blooming flowers on land?
She had so many questions bottled up inside her.
But in the end… Shirahoshi didn't dare to speak.
"Shirahoshi?"
Just then, as she sat lost in thought, Shark Star leaned toward her with concern in his voice.
Snapping out of her daze, Shirahoshi looked at her brother in panic.
"B-Brother?"
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Shark Star asked gently.
At his words, King Star, Rollover Star, and Neptune also turned to look at her with concern.
Shirahoshi quickly shook her head and waved her hands.
"No, no, I'm fine."
"Are you sure? If you're not feeling well, you must let us know," Shark Star reminded her.
Sitting directly across from her, Kronos looked up slightly, casting a glance in her direction.
He had already noticed her frequent gaze. Of course he knew she was watching him.
He could more or less guess what was on her mind.
But he didn't say anything.
After a quick glance, Kronos resumed eating his hearty breakfast.
The Kamui Pirates seated around him didn't pay much attention to Shirahoshi's behavior either.
Suddenly, a sharp sound broke the silence.
Shhuh!
The dull sound of something slicing through the air came from outside the hall.
The noise grew rapidly from faint to loud—fast approaching.
In the blink of an eye—
An axe with a rose pattern flew in through the open hall doors.
Heading straight for Shirahoshi!
Shhh!!
The moment caught everyone off guard.
Neptune, Shark Star, King Star, and Rollover Star all shouted in panic.
"Shirahoshi! Look out!"
Shark Star leapt forward.
But the axe was too fast!
By the time he reached her—
The axe had already closed in!
Too late!
Shark Star clenched his teeth, filled with dread and regret.
Everyone froze in place, overwhelmed by the sudden attack.
Then—
Clang!!
A sharp, metallic sound rang throughout the hall.
The axe stopped in mid-air.
Just before it reached Shirahoshi, Kronos calmly raised his right hand—without even turning around—and caught the spinning axe between two fingers.
Silence fell over the entire room.
So quiet, a pin drop could be heard. The atmosphere was unnaturally still.
Shark Star and the others stared in disbelief.
'He… he blocked it?!'
'That easily?!'
'He didn't even turn around—just raised his hand and stopped it?!'
The three mermaid princes looked at Kronos in stunned amazement.
Neptune, meanwhile, was the first to notice the rose pattern on the axe.
His expression darkened in an instant—he knew who the attacker was.
Fury rose in his chest.
But before Neptune could speak—
BOOM!!
Albedo slammed the table with such force that the massive dining table collapsed under the impact.
BOOM!!!
Before Neptune could even react, Albedo's voice exploded across the hall.
"WHO DARES?!"
The moment her voice echoed—
Gojo Satoru, Uchiha Madara, Bang (Banggu), Artoria, and the rest of the Kamui crew stood up abruptly.
BOOM!!
Crack! Crack…!
A terrifying murderous aura filled the air.
The sheer force of it crushed everything around them.
Even the stone floor cracked and shattered under the pressure, splitting like a web of spider cracks.
RUMBLE!!!
Neptune and the others staggered under the pressure, their knees buckling.
It felt like mountains had been dropped onto their backs.
They could hardly breathe.
The blood drained from their faces in an instant.
They were on the verge of fainting when—
Kronos extended his hand once again and dispelled the overwhelming aura with a simple gesture.
He shielded them from the crushing force released by Albedo, Gojo, Madara, and the others.
"You dare attack Lord Kronos…?!"
"Unforgivable! Unforgivable!! UNFORGIVABLE!!"
"I'LL KILL HIM!!" Albedo roared.
Artoria and the others looked equally furious, their expressions dark as storms.
Under Kronos' protection, Neptune and the princes could only watch in shock.
Their bodies were drenched in cold sweat. Their faces pale.
They were shaking—shaking not just in body, but to the depths of their souls.
"This… This is the strength of the Fifth Emperor's crew?!"
"What terrifying power…"
"The moment their presence leaked out, we almost passed out!"
"Even the floor couldn't withstand the pressure!"
"Are they… even human?!"
Shark Star and the others murmured in utter fear.
The scene unfolding before them had left their hearts in utter chaos.
Their hands trembled, their eyes widened.
They slowly turned their gaze to Kronos…
To the man they now recognized as the true Emperor of the Sea.
If not for him… they would have been crushed long ago.
To command such terrifying monsters as his crew—
Just how powerful was this man?
And how much charisma must he have… to make these monsters follow him so faithfully?
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