After turning Vander Decken into ashes with a bolt of lightning, Chiga clapped his hands and said casually,
"Alright, the creep's gone. Shirahoshi, you're free to go out whenever you like now."
Shirahoshi, overjoyed at the words, immediately lunged forward and hugged Chiga tightly, burying his head in a sea of white waves.
Completely unaware of what she was doing, she closed her eyes and whispered,
"Thank you, Chiga-sama!"
Neptune and Jinbe stood nearby, watching the scene. Neptune was about to intervene, concerned that Shirahoshi might be hugging Chiga too tightly, but Jinbe stopped him with a look.
Jinbe knew Chiga's personality well—especially after witnessing how openly he embraced women in front of the Seven Warlords at Marineford.
In short, this Admiral Chiga wasn't the type to shy away from affectionate girls.
Although Jinbe didn't quite understand Chiga's tastes, he now found himself wanting to accommodate the Admiral's preferences as much as possible.
He even jokingly thought that if he were a beautiful mermaid lady, perhaps he could secure more benefits for both the Fish-Man and Mermaid races.
Ironically, Chiga could've granted that wish. He still had a stockpile of female transformation hormones stored within his horns, and could easily turn Jinbe into a female Fish-Man.
Though judging by Jinbe's physique… the result might be a little on the spicy side.
After clinging to him and pouring out her feelings for a while, Shirahoshi finally let go.
Chiga, slightly overwhelmed, reached up and wiped the tears from his hair, muttering to himself about how Shirahoshi could cry at the drop of a hat.
He patted her soft, pink fishtail and said with a teasing tone,
"Cut it out. If you keep crying like this, you won't be Shirahoshi anymore—you'll be Crybaby-hoshi."
"Waaah… Chiga-sama, I'm just so happy—I can't help it!"
Shirahoshi frantically wiped the tears from her face. She didn't want to be known as Crybaby-hoshi—she wanted to be a strong mermaid princess!
Once she calmed down, Neptune stepped forward and said respectfully,
"Admiral Kirin, thank you very much for your help."
Chiga waved dismissively.
"Don't mention it. Just a small favor."
"No, no, this isn't just about Shirahoshi. What you've done is a blessing to all of Fish-Man Island. Please, allow me to invite you to Ryugu Palace. We've prepared everything for your arrival."
"Of course. Lead the way."
Chiga gave a polite smile and followed Neptune toward Ryugu Palace.
Behind them, Shirahoshi cried out in a panic,
"Eh? Wait for me, Chiga-sama! Father!"
…
At Ryugu Palace, Kalifa and Ain had already been waiting. The moment they saw Chiga, they flanked him on either side.
After giving a brief account of what happened at the Hard-Shell Tower, Chiga joined Neptune on a guided tour of the palace.
As the royal seat of the Mermaid Kingdom, Ryugu Palace was lavish in both design and scale. But to Chiga—who had already been to Mariejois—it just felt mildly exotic.
Noticing Chiga's lack of enthusiasm, Neptune quickly clapped his hands. At once, a group of beautiful mermaids entered, carrying elegant platters of exotic dishes.
Shirahoshi, who hadn't returned home in a long time, stared at the food wide-eyed and instinctively wiped the corner of her mouth.
Seeing this, Chiga chuckled and said kindly,
"Are you hungry? Go on—eat as much as you want."
With his permission, Shirahoshi's face lit up. Just as she took a step forward, Neptune shot her a glare, making her freeze and hide behind Chiga's smaller frame.
Chiga gave an exasperated smile but didn't move, quietly becoming her human shield.
Neptune had intended to scold her, but seeing this, the words got stuck in his throat.
There wasn't much he could say. The man his daughter was hiding behind now had far more power than he, the king, ever could. He simply couldn't afford to offend him.
Kalifa and Ain exchanged strange glances at the sight of Shirahoshi clinging to Chiga.
It felt like Chiga had brought back a daughter from his mission—though one that was, admittedly, quite large.
Chiga, however, remained unaware of their expressions. Noticing Shirahoshi's eyes still fixed on the food, he turned to Neptune and said,
"Your Majesty Neptune, I'm a bit hungry too. Why don't we begin the meal?"
Since Chiga had spoken, Neptune quickly signaled the start of the banquet.
When they entered the grand dining hall, Chiga noticed someone already seated.
It was a mermaid with pale skin, a deep blue tail, and a mysterious, almost ethereal beauty. She wore a purple hood and held a smoking pipe, exuding the aura of a sea witch.
The moment she saw Chiga, her eyes lit up faintly. She brought the pipe to her lips, took a puff, then rose and walked toward him.
Chiga immediately recognized her—Shyarly. Known as "Madam Shyarly" in the future, though now still young, so "Miss Shyarly" seemed more fitting.
He had a bit of history with her. Shyarly was Arlong's half-sister—and Arlong had already been killed by him. In fact, Chiga still had the man's nose tucked away in his Door-Door Space.
Thinking about it, Chiga mused that he was becoming quite the "brother killer." Even Kozuki Hiyori's brother, Momonosuke, had died by his hand.
Though to be fair, Momonosuke hadn't been worth sparing. Turning him to ashes had been merciful.
If he ever got another chance, he might just toss the brat into the mouth of Enma for a good chewing.
Now standing face to face with Shyarly, Chiga couldn't quite tell what she wanted.
Was she here to pick a fight over Arlong? That guy had been compost for a while now.
But Shyarly wasn't here for Arlong. Their relationship had never been close—Arlong hated humans, while Shyarly was fascinated by them.
She had approached Chiga for one reason only: to see this man with her own eyes. More specifically—his deep purple Rinnegan.
Because in her crystal ball, she had seen something that shook her to her core.
She'd seen warm sunlight breaking through the depths of the sea and shining down on Fish-Man Island. Fish-Men and Merfolk alike gazed upward with awe and reverence.
And in the sky stood a lone figure.
But when she tried to focus on the figure's face, it suddenly turned—toward her.
The moment it did, her crystal ball shattered.
And the last thing she saw…
…was those same Rinnegan eyes.
---
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(We on chapter 280 on pat btw)