Morning light from the surface filtered slowly down into Fishman Island.
On the second floor of Mermaid Café, Shyarly forced herself awake as she helped straighten White Ghost's clothes.
Once she smoothed out the last wrinkle, an arm slipped around her waist from behind.
After what had happened yesterday, Shyarly no longer struggled. She just let out a quiet breath and leaned back slightly into his chest.
"Come with me," White Ghost murmured, chin resting on her shoulder. "Let's travel the world together."
Shyarly looked up at him—the man who was now undeniably part of her life—and shook her head.
"No. I'll wait for you here on Fishman Island," she said softly. "A man like you… you're going to attract plenty of women. I won't add to your burdens."
She smiled faintly.
"When you head for the New World later, I'll join you then. I'll open a Mermaid Café on your territory."
"Burden? How?" White Ghost pulled her a little closer. "I wouldn't abandon you."
Shyarly still shook her head.
"I know," she said. "And that's enough for me."
"You really won't come?" he pressed.
"No." Shyarly rose slightly on her bubble, pressing her forehead lightly against his. "I'll be waiting here."
White Ghost's breathing grew heavier for a moment. She immediately stepped back and shot him a sharp glare.
"Don't even start," she said. "If you keep pushing me like yesterday, I really will collapse."
White Ghost burst out laughing.
There were few things more satisfying to a man than hearing that.
He leaned down and brushed a quick kiss against her cheek.
"I'm off."
Shyarly watched from the window as his figure disappeared into the distance, her expression unreadable.
She didn't even notice Ishilly coming up behind her.
"Manager… why didn't you go with him?" Ishilly asked. "You obviously wanted to."
Shyarly blinked, then flicked the younger mermaid lightly on the forehead.
"You're still young," she said. "Learn to support your man without causing extra trouble. Knowing he won't abandon you—that's enough."
"Ohhh…" The mermaids nearby all nodded as if enlightenment had dawned.
Shyarly's cheeks flushed.
"Alright, that's enough staring," she said briskly. "We open soon—go get ready. Or what are we serving customers with?"
The girls giggled and scattered.
Shyarly leaned against the counter and lit a cigarette.
"…So tired," she muttered. "So sleepy. A short nap won't kill me."
Downstairs, Ishilly whispered to the others:
"Should we stop calling her 'Manager'?"
"Then what?" another mermaid asked.
Ishilly grinned.
"Obviously—Lady Shyarly."
"Ah—right!"
—
White Ghost walked toward the harbor with his hands behind his head, humming cheerfully:
"Sister sits at the bow,
Brother walks on the shore,
Sweet, sweet love,
Sway, sway, sway—"
Jinbe spotted him approaching, smiling like a fool and humming a tune nobody had ever heard before.
"…Did he eat something strange?" Jinbe muttered, scratching his head.
"White-dono, are you leaving already?" he finally asked.
"Mm. Got what I came for," White Ghost said. "The Marines still have loose ends. I should tie them up."
Looking at that ridiculous, content expression, Jinbe couldn't help thinking:
Why does he look exactly like those human traffickers who just caught their first mermaid…?
"Well then, have a safe trip," Jinbe said politely.
White Ghost patted his shoulder.
"Train Fishman Island's fighters well," he said. "Maybe one day you won't need anyone's protection. You'll walk your own path."
"I'll do everything I can," Jinbe said. "But… we'll still be counting on you, White-dono."
White Ghost waved casually, then stepped off the pier—straight into the sea.
A heartbeat later—
FWOOOM—
A golden dragon shot forward underwater, weaving through the deep currents as easily as any sea creature.
Jinbe's jaw dropped.
He had prepared a ship.
Now, his plans—and his understanding of the world—were both in shambles.
A Devil Fruit user, freely swimming in seawater.
He checked his surroundings in a hurry.
Nobody else had seen it.
Good.
He absolutely couldn't let this get out.
He'd already believed Fishman Island's full strength wasn't enough to stop White Ghost.
But this…?
Even in the ocean, the man was unstoppable.
"…No sense thinking about it," Jinbe muttered, turning away. "There's too much work to do—for Fishman Island's future on land."
—
White Ghost drifted lazily along the deep-sea currents.
No rush.
Then—his Observation Haki twitched.
He turned and swam toward the disturbance.
On the ocean floor, a massive, lumbering creature—something like an enormous, bald giant—was trudging along, rope in hand. The rope led up to a coated pirate ship above him.
At the very front of the ship's coating, a glowing anglerfish lantern swayed, lighting the way.
"Captain!" the bald giant bellowed up at the ship. "We're nearly at Fishman Island!"
"Bah-hahahahaha!"
A figure strutted out onto the deck—a tiger shark fishman with broad vertical stripes, a small top hat, a curled beard, and a clutter of necklaces. He had four legs and absolutely no shame.
"Shirahoshi! I'm almost there!" he crowed. "Don't worry, my bride—I'll marry you soon!"
Vander Decken IX.
Captain of the Flying Pirates.
Descendant of the first Vander Decken.
A tiger shark fishman who claimed to be cursed with the "Mark-Mark curse."
In truth, he'd eaten the Target-Target Fruit, losing the fishmen's natural gift for swimming and needing a special coating solution just to survive underwater.
The "giant anglerfish" hauling the ship was no fish at all, but a sea giant.
Wadatsumi.
Wadatsumi scratched his bald head.
"Captain… you look kinda stupid when you laugh like that…"
"Silence, Wadatsumi! I am not stupid! You're the stupid one!" Decken yelled, stomping all four legs on the deck until his temper eased.
He jabbed a finger down at the giant.
"Just remember—once we reach Fishman Island, don't scare anyone! We're here to propose to Princess Shirahoshi. Don't ruin the mood!"
"Yes, Captain!" Wadatsumi nodded vigorously. Then muttered under his breath, "But captain's face is the scariest…"
"I HEARD THAT!"
"Sorry, Captain!"
"Whatever. Keep moving!" Decken snapped.
Wadatsumi obediently resumed his slow, trudging pace.
"Bah-hahahaha! Queen Otohime, King Neptune—you'd better not ruin my wedding to Shirahoshi," Decken cackled. "If you try to stop me, I'll make you regret it!"
His gaze slid to the piles of treasure stacked on the deck.
"All this gold, all these jewels—I took them from surface pirates myself! Those stupid humans… they can't even swim. Bah-hahahaha!"
His expression softened suddenly as he reached for a small wooden box.
"This—this is the real treasure," he murmured. "With this, they have to agree to my marriage with Shirahoshi…"
He giggled to himself, lost in his delusion.
—
Deep in the shadows of the current, a golden dragon coiled quietly, watching.
White Ghost's eyes narrowed.
"Perfect," he murmured.
"Looks like trouble arrived right on schedule."
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