Chapter 229Otohime and Uta
The tense and exciting audition finally reached its conclusion. All competition zones had determined their final victors.
Giants, Tontatta, Longarms, Longlegs, Snakenecks, Minks—plus Fish-Man Island and humans. Eight different races, eight victors who finally emerged after fierce competition.
These eight people would form this world's first pure idol group.
Moreover, they would hold their first group performance in Dressrosa one week later.
"Don't say I'm not taking care of you, Brett," Tesoro said when he called. "This performance will probably attract far more audience members than last time. Having them go to Fish-Man Island wouldn't be safe."
For both parties.
The route to Fish-Man Island wasn't safe.
Fish-Man Island also worried they'd bring danger.
"I don't mind," Brett answered him. "But you'd better be careful not to cause any trouble. The New World has as many madmen as you could want."
What if some audacious pirate ran to Dressrosa wanting to kidnap the newly formed stars?
This wasn't impossible.
Though everyone now knew the Heptagonal Alliance was a colossus that could make the entire world tremble, people died for wealth and birds for food—the world never lacked bastards who feared nothing.
"Don't worry," Tesoro's voice suddenly turned cold. "Any bastard who dares interrupt my business, I absolutely won't let them see the next day's sun!"
"Besides, isn't the great Emperor of the Deep there?" Tesoro returned to his grinning mode, chuckling. "Fish-Man Island definitely wouldn't feel comfortable letting your queen come over just like that, right?"
Brett had snorted at the time. "Jinbei will escort Queen Otohime over."
"Jinbei? That's enough too."
Of course it was enough.
The current Jinbei's strength could no longer be compared to the Knight of the Sea Jinbei from the original story.
Though he lacked Conqueror's Haki and couldn't master Conqueror's coating techniques, his Armament Haki had already completely evolved. Except for a few monsters, with Jinbei's strength he could already rampage freely through the New World.
Moreover, those who might cause trouble would at most be the New World's small-time pirates.
The real monsters weren't that bored.
Jinbei didn't even need to go—Tesoro alone was already completely sufficient.
He was also an expert whose ability had awakened. Not many people in the entire world could defeat him.
Soon, Jinbei departed with Queen Otohime. Though several days remained until the performance and Dressrosa was quite close to Fish-Man Island, they still needed to leave sufficient time for team bonding and rehearsal, right?
They would indeed be a group in the future, but these eight members hadn't even met yet.
"Leave everything to me!" As she boarded the large ship docked at the port, Queen Otohime waved tearfully at the family and friends who came to see her off. "I'll let the entire world hear the singing voice from our Fish-Man Island!"
Brett was also part of the send-off party. He felt Tesoro's greatest contribution from this audition was selecting Queen Otohime.
She could finally put her passionate enthusiasm to proper use.
Rather than thinking every day about how to move Fish-Man Island to the sea surface, how to peacefully coexist with humans.
Wasn't this also good?
Go become Fish-Man Island's cultural calling card to the world, introducing Fish-Man Island's appearance to people worldwide who didn't understand it.
People always loved everything about what they loved. If they loved Otohime, they would naturally also feel favorably toward Fish-Man Island.
And coincidentally, Fish-Man Island was truly a place that was hard not to like once you understood it.
She could make considerable contributions.
"Mother! Safe travels!" At the port, Princess Shirahoshi, who'd specially taken leave today to see her mother off, had tears in her eyes.
Having spent a considerable period at school, the once crybaby little princess had become somewhat more cheerful, even frequently visiting the Mermaid Cafe with little Nana to play.
But ultimately she was still just an eight-year-old child. Watching her mother who'd always cared for her depart, her heart felt reluctant.
"Shirahoshi!" Queen Otohime's eyes were equally teary. "Make sure to take good care of yourself!"
"Yes!" The little princess nodded firmly. "I will!"
I've already grown up!
I don't need Mother to worry anymore!
The little princess wanted to prove this to her mother.
Queen Otohime departed.
Before her, the other victors from places more distant from Dressrosa had set out early. Of course, the Tontatta champion was an exception.
The Tontatta lived right next to Dressrosa. The two nations had been neighbors for generations. For her to go to Tesoro's company headquarters was like taking a stroll.
The ship escorting Queen Otohime quickly arrived at Dressrosa. Tesoro warmly welcomed her arrival.
"Welcome to Dressrosa, Queen Otohime! You're the sixth to arrive."
"There's no need to call me Queen anymore," Queen Otohime waved her hand cheerfully. "From now on, please take good care of me, Tesoro-kun."
Though theoretically his position was Queen Otohime's boss, being addressed as "-kun" didn't particularly bother Tesoro. The group members' identities meant he couldn't truly treat them as subordinates.
Even the girl Uta, originally thought to be a pure amateur, had remarkable origins.
Tesoro nodded in acknowledgment to Jinbei, who guarded behind Queen Otohime. Jinbei also nodded at him. With Brett as their connection, they were already quite familiar.
"How about it? Want to meet your colleagues?" Tesoro said with a smile.
"Of course!" Queen Otohime nodded repeatedly. "Everyone will be performing together from now on, right? We need to understand each other well first."
So Tesoro brought Queen Otohime to meet her future colleagues.
In a spacious lounge, Queen Otohime, full of anticipation, got her wish.
Five people were in the room.
Three men and two women.
The males were respectively Longarm, Longlegs, and Snakeneck—could only say extremely coincidental.
As for the females, one was abnormally petite, about twenty centimeters tall, a Tontatta girl with flowing brilliant golden hair.
The other—
"Oh! You're Uta, right?" Queen Otohime's eyes practically shone as she looked at the girl.
The girl's name had spread across the seas during this period. Though she hadn't officially debuted, she was already a world-famous songstress.
"Your singing voice is so wonderful! Every time I hear you sing, I'm moved to tears!"
Queen Otohime said tearfully.
You're tearing up right now! The young songstress frowned. Even snot is coming out—so disgusting!
"Just thinking about singing on stage with you from now on makes me feel so much pressure!" Her tears came quickly and left just as fast. She immediately grinned again. "But I won't give up! Singing is my weapon. I want the whole world to hear my voice!"
What's with this woman?
Why is she acting so familiar and getting close?
And who does she think she is! Making the whole world hear her voice?
The team's spotlight will definitely be mine!
The young songstress curled her lip disdainfully.
She'd watched this old woman's competition. Her evaluation: if someone wasn't rigging things, there'd be no reason for her to appear here at all.
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