As Shirahoshi stepped into the darkness, her vision went pitch-black. Panic rose in her chest and she instinctively wanted to turn back, but just then, a gentle voice reached her ears.
"Don't be afraid. Move forward. Count to three in your heart."
That voice, she instantly recognized it as Arima-sama's. The fear that had been constricting her chest loosened slightly.
'One… two… three!' she counted silently.
The moment the last number left her mind, light suddenly bloomed before her eyes. The suffocating darkness faded away.
To her astonishment, she was no longer inside the Hard-Shell Tower.
Instead, she stood in a dim, silent expanse beneath the sea, an enormous spherical space where seawater couldn't seep in at all.
Shirahoshi looked around curiously. Not far away, she spotted a ghostly ship drifting through the depths, its silhouette flickering in the gloom. The eerie sight made her shriek softly.
"Arima-sama," she stammered, "is… is that a ghost ship? S-so all these years, it was ghosts attacking me after all?"
Her voice trembled; ever since childhood, she had feared tales of spirits and monsters.
Arima shook his head. "That should be a pirate ship," he explained calmly. "The one attacking you is aboard that vessel. He's able to strike from afar because he's eaten a certain Devil Fruit."
Kushina's eyes lit up with fighting spirit. "Arima, let me handle it! I'll bring that bastard back here myself!"
She leapt forward, only to find she couldn't tear open the shimmering membrane enclosing their spherical space.
"Arima, what is this thing? It's so tough!"
Her complaint drew everyone's attention to their surroundings. Even Yuna leaned forward and bit the surface with her tiny tiger teeth in curiosity.
"This is my unique ability," Arima explained. "It allows me to create an independent pocket of time and space."
"But isn't that an ability you've always had?" Kushina pressed, still wide-eyed.
"You've already seen my new power," he replied with a small smile. "Using that axe, I can directly track down the attacker's location."
Tsunade frowned thoughtfully. "So your new ability is… long-range tracking?"
Arima shook his head again, his voice calm but weighty. "I can see the timeline of any existence within a given range."
The words sounded ordinary, but when they sank in, everyone realized how terrifying they truly were.
No secret could ever be hidden from such an eye.
Gasps of awe rippled through the group. Only King Neptune, still smiling cluelessly, failed to grasp the enormity of what he'd just heard.
Kushina's eyes sparkled with admiration. "Arima, doesn't that make you practically a god, omniscient and all-powerful?!"
Tsunade's expression was no less astonished. She had never imagined that one day her beloved elder brother could truly reach the realm of gods.
Yet beneath her amazement, a faint unease began to stir. He's already so far above ordinary people… how could someone like me ever deserve him?
Sensing her subtle change in mood, Arima gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders. His tone softened.
"I rarely use this power. Everyone needs their secrets. If I knew too much, if I kept digging into every truth, I might slowly drift away from all of you.
This ability exists to protect you. You're the ones I cherish most."
Warmth bloomed in Tsunade's chest. She melted into his embrace, clutching him tightly.
For a moment, lingering fear flickered through her heart, a flash of the illusion where she'd lost him forever. Thank the heavens that wasn't real.
Not wanting to linger on heavy emotions, Arima straightened slightly. "Almost forgot, there's still business to finish. Wait here. I'll bring that man back."
Kushina stepped forward again, full of fire. "Let me go, Arima! I want to see which coward dared to bully Shirahoshi!"
"Then be careful," he warned. "The ocean isn't like the land. The pressure alone can crush you to pulp if you're exposed directly."
Kushina nodded obediently, tucking his warning firmly into her heart. She blew a large bubble, jumped lightly, and slipped inside it.
With a gesture, Arima sent Kushina and her protective bubble out into the surrounding sea.
On the Flying Dutchman, Vander Decken IX noticed the disturbance outside and hurried to the deck.
What he saw made his eyes bulge, a massive bubble had appeared in the dark waters, and from it emerged a red-haired woman with a fierce glint in her eyes, charging toward him like an arrow loosed from its string.
Panic seized him. He shouted toward the distant bald-headed sea monster towing the ship.
"You idiot! Someone's attacking the Captain! Get over here, now!"
The giant creature, massive as a small mountain, blinked in confusion, slowly turning its bald head. It took a moment to realize its captain was yelling at him.
When comprehension finally dawned, it dropped the tow rope and began lumbering toward the ship in clumsy, heavy steps.
The sea depths were already murky; Kushina hadn't noticed the colossal figure before.
"So there's a big guy too, huh? Guess this won't be easy!" She rolled up her sleeves and darted toward the monster.
The bald sea giant took one look at her and swung a massive fist without hesitation.
Kushina met him head-on, refusing to yield.
Their fists collided with a thunderous crack, churning up clouds of sand and silt.
In an instant, Kushina's silhouette vanished within the murky water.
Unable to see her, the giant flailed wildly, stirring up even more debris.
Kushina seized the moment. Her hands flew through seals.
"Armament, Adamantine Sealing Chains!"
Five black chains erupted from her back, wrapping tightly around the sea monster's body. It strained, but couldn't move an inch.
"So you're just a big dummy after all." She brushed her hands together, satisfied.
Seeing the tide turn, Vander Decken tried to flee. But ever since eating the Mark-Mark Fruit, he'd lost the ability to swim, and with no training in combat, escape was impossible.
"Got you now, mustache-boy!"
Kushina caught up to him in a few swift steps, grabbing him by the collar. Using Moonwalk, she propelled herself and her captive swiftly through the water, returning to Arima in mere breaths.
"Nice work, Kushina."
Seeing her unharmed, Arima finally relaxed.
"Arima, aside from that dumb sea monster, he's the only one on the ship. Is he really the one who hurt Shirahoshi?"
Arima looked down, his Six-Tomoe Rinnegan spinning slowly.
"Yes. His name is Vander Decken IX. He's the Mark-Mark Fruit user, able to precisely strike anything he's touched before.
Ten years ago, for certain reasons, he made physical contact with Shirahoshi."
Arima bound Vander Decken with seastone shackles and tossed him at Neptune's feet.
"King Neptune, this is the culprit. He's a Mark-Mark Fruit user. Shirahoshi will never have to fear his harassment again."
Tears welled in Neptune's eyes as joy flooded his face. "We are truly in your debt! You and your family will forever be friends of Fish-Man Island!"
"No need for such formality," Arima said with a faint smile. "Friends help each other. Since this matter's settled, let's head back."
His vertical eye narrowed slightly, and in the next instant, space twisted.
When everyone blinked again, they were already standing inside the royal palace.