Kuro's other spoils of war—Krili, the Leopard-Fruit user.
His body dragged weakly behind him as he stared blankly through the gaps in the railing toward the distance.
What he saw was a vast, endless sea of black heads surging like waves, rising and falling in unison, all chanting something in sync.
A grand, orderly voice filled the air, carrying with it a sacred and inviolable aura.
Krili felt as if his brain were vibrating with each syllable that echoed in the air, and he muttered in a trembling voice,
"What... is this?"
"This is His Majesty Doflamingo's projection!"
Buffalo's voice came, tinged with fanaticism.
Kuro turned and saw Buffalo flying over from the passage they had just walked through, carrying someone.
On his back, using facial recognition, Yamato had already recognized Kuro and waved excitedly.
"Long time no see, Kuro!"
"Long time no see, Yamato. Buffalo."
Kuro gave a slight bow. Though this overgrown child's status was quite different, he still showed her the respect she deserved.
Kuro asked,
"Where's Weevil?"
Recalling how Buffalo had once dragged Weevil around Fishman Island, Yamato burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Weevil's too heavy. Buffalo couldn't carry him. So we came back first. Doffy's gone to pick them up."
...
Surrounding waters near Mock Town.
The calm surface of the sea suddenly surged high, immediately drawing the attention of the pirates gathered near the port.
"Oi, oi, oi! What the hell is that?!"
"Is it a Sea King? Might not be a good day to set sail!"
"..."
As the water splashed away, outlines of ships began to take form.
Light refracted through the bubbles into a rainbow of colors, painting the ships in a fantastical glow.
The treasures aboard the ships quickly caught the pirates' greedy eyes.
One by one, beautiful women of various figures and styles stood on deck.
They blinked with wide, curious, and innocent eyes, taking in the surroundings.
But below their waists... were elegantly shaped, diverse mermaid tails.
In every pirate's eyes, flames of lust and greed lit up. They rushed to grab the ship wheels floating in the sea.
"M-Mermaids!!"
"They're real! Real mermaids!!!"
"Oooooh!"
"Charge! Catch them and sell them at Sabaody! We'll never have to rob those broke bastards again!"
"..."
With their exceptional vision, the Fishmen and mermaids easily spotted the pirates' twisted, excited expressions.
The mermaids who hailed from royal courts whispered among themselves.
"So these are humans? Terrifying!"
"What... are they trying to do?"
"..."
The young Fishmen from Fishman District were already seething with rage, clenching their bony fists until their knuckles cracked.
They'd seen those kinds of looks before—when their homes were destroyed and families slaughtered.
Tiger frowned slightly as he looked toward another ship's figurehead where Senor Pink stood unfazed, trying to decide their next move.
Nearby, ocean currents began to swirl unnaturally around Jinbei's arms as if drawn to him with a will of their own.
Otohime felt the rising fear and anger of her people and bit her lip, turning to the side to ask,
"Senor Pink-san! You..."
"Don't worry," Senor Pink said calmly. "To ordinary humans, pirates are just as terrifying. They're creatures enslaved by base desires."
He looked up toward the sky—where two figures, one pink and one blue, plummeted at high speed, making a deafening boom as they tore through the air.
"And besides... the Boss is already here."
"Heavenly Yaksha... Doflamingo?"
Otohime, Tiger, and Jinbei all looked up.
A figure covered in crackling lightning was descending rapidly, wielding visible bolts of electricity in his hands, and wearing a manic, cathartic smile.
"Judgment of God!!"
The next instant, blinding light consumed their vision.
"BOOOOOOOM!!!"
High-voltage currents ripped through the sky. The heat from the electric arcs caused the very air to erupt in chain explosions.
Even though Tiger, Jinbei, and Otohime weren't the targets of the attack, their bodies stiffened involuntarily.
As for the weaker Fishmen and mermaids—
Their sight was instantly erased, their minds frozen in shock.
When the light faded and silence returned—
The first sense to come back was smell.
The aroma of scorched meat, burnt fabric, wood, and melting plastic all blended into one nauseating stench.
Someone instantly gagged and retched.
"Urrgh—"
Jinbei and Tiger, who recovered their sight first, both narrowed their eyes sharply.
Over twenty pirate ships that had just set sail toward them—
Had been reduced to scattered remnants smoldering atop the water.
"What kind of attack... was that?"
Young Jinbei looked up blankly at Enel, whose body crackled with electricity in the air, and stared at the water swirling around his own hand.
Against such a powerful being—could they even resist?
"That's a Logia-type power. The most powerful one. The Rumble-Rumble Fruit."
Tiger's tone grew heavier.
But that wasn't the thing that truly disturbed him.
Tiger's gaze locked on the figure in the sky, a man with wings like a shadow eclipsing the sun.
And then—crimson eyes locked onto his own.
Tiger's heart shuddered, and he instinctively lowered his head.
Only upon facing him directly did Tiger finally understand how overwhelming Doflamingo's pressure really was.
He was the kind of terrifying force that could utterly destroy Fishman Island on a whim.
If even Tiger felt this way, there was no hope for the others, who had never experienced such horrors.
The Fishmen and mermaids huddled together, trembling, seeking warmth in fear.
"Fufufufufu~ Trash always floats to the surface of the sea. Welcome, everyone."
Doflamingo took a moment to admire their pathetic states and nodded in satisfaction.
A gentle smile curled on his lips as his gaze swept over Otohime's body with veiled greed.
But inwardly—he was even more delighted.
"My Sea Cloud generator... you've finally arrived."
"Thank you for stepping in, Your Majesty Doflamingo."
"Thank you for stepping in, Your Majesty Doflamingo."
Seeing the smile on his face, Otohime's unease surged like a flood breaking through a dam.
A scream echoed in her heart.
"Why... why can't I sense his emotions?!"
Doflamingo could feel her Observation Haki brushing against him—and his smile only deepened.
Even with the same Observation Haki, hers and his were leagues apart.
Trying to read his feelings? What a joke.
Looking at the Fishmen who still hadn't recovered, Doflamingo continued,
"Apologies for the fright, honored guests! Now, let's head to your new home."
At his side, Smoothie nodded in understanding and began flickering between ships with graceful steps.
The power of the Float-Float Fruit cloaked her figure.
Otohime and the others didn't even have time to respond before the scenery around them began dropping at a dizzying speed.
The intense sense of weightlessness pinned every mermaid and Fishman to the deck.
They were rising—fast.
Tiger's eyes suddenly widened.
He was a well-traveled adventurer. He recognized this power immediately.
It was the Float-Float Fruit—once wielded by the Sky King, Shiki.
The Heavenly Yaksha... could steal others' Devil Fruit powers!!
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Fanfic is finished 527 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg