Chiyu and his crew followed behind Jinbe and the others, heading straight for Ryugu Palace.
The legendary palace lived up to the hype—grand, majestic, and almost too massive to believe.
But no one had time to admire the view.
They didn't get far before guards blocked their path.
Jinbe quickly stepped forward. "Let them through."
"Yes, Jinbe-sama!"
He glanced at Chiyu. "I've already admitted defeat. Why haven't you left yet?"
Hina spoke up, "We heard something happened here, so we came to see what was going on."
"Relax—we're not here to cause trouble."
Prince Fukaboshi frowned. "And why should we believe you?"
Jinbe shook his head. "Prince, if they wanted to cause harm, they would've done it already. Uchiha Chiyu may have a reputation as a killer, but he's never taken an innocent life."
"I trust him. Completely."
Hearing that, Fukaboshi nodded reluctantly and rushed ahead, visibly tense.
"The noise is coming from Hard Shell Tower—where my sister is!"
Jinbe nodded. "That's right."
Everyone picked up the pace.
Soon, they arrived at a massive, fortress-like tower—solidly built, heavily guarded. But what really drew attention were the countless weapons—spears, swords, axes—jammed into its outer shell. The sight was disturbing.
Nami frowned. "What is this place?"
Jinbe sighed. "This is where Princess Shirahoshi lives."
"In a tower? Why?"
"She's being targeted by a vile creep. The tower was built to keep her safe."
"A creep?" Nami narrowed her eyes. "With your strength as one of the former Warlords, you couldn't deal with him?"
Jinbe shook his head, embarrassed.
"His Devil Fruit power is… unique. If he touches a target even once, he can launch anything at them—from anywhere, anytime. Whatever he throws will hit with perfect accuracy. And there's no way to stop it…"
Hina's eyes widened. "Wait—is that the Mark-Mark Fruit?"
Jinbe nodded. "Exactly. His name is Vander Decken IX. He saw Princess Shirahoshi once when she was little—was completely obsessed—and ever since, he's been trying to claim her for himself."
"To protect her, King Neptune had this tower built."
Hina and Nami stared at the shell of the tower, realizing the weapons were Decken's twisted way of sending threats.
"This guy's disgusting!"
"Trying to force a princess into marriage with attacks like this? Trash."
"If I see him, I'm punching his face in," Nami growled.
They kept moving toward the tower.
That's when they noticed the far side of the tower had just been hit by a massive warship. It didn't collapse, but deep cracks had formed. It looked terrifying.
Nami's eyes widened. "Wait—is that warship something Decken launched with the Mark-Mark Fruit too?!"
"That's insane!"
Jinbe sighed again. "That's how the fruit works. Once a target's set, anything can be weaponized. And he can launch from any distance—tracking him is a nightmare."
At that moment, Prince Fukaboshi spotted his father.
"Father! Is Shirahoshi okay?!"
King Neptune turned around, gave a slow shake of his head, and sighed.
"She's safe. Just frightened."
Through the massive cracks, everyone caught a glimpse of Princess Shirahoshi.
She was enormous—almost too much so—but still breathtakingly beautiful. Ethereal. Stunning. So flawless it made everyone feel self-conscious just looking at her.
Nami and Hina exchanged glances. That guy's a creep, sure… but when someone looks like that? Yeah, you could see why he got obsessed.
"She's gorgeous…"
"No wonder they call her the most beautiful mermaid princess," Nami whispered, genuinely in awe.
Inside, Shirahoshi was trembling, wiping away tears.
"Father… I… I'm so scared…"
Neptune looked at the tower's cracks and barked a command.
"Seal every crack—now! If we don't, her life could be in real danger next time!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Don't worry, Shirahoshi. As long as I'm here, no one will hurt you."
She nodded quietly but was still visibly shaken. She was kind, gentle… but timid.
Even though she longed to explore the outside world, she couldn't bring herself to step out of the tower.
Then Neptune spotted Jinbe—and the man behind him. His eyes narrowed.
"You… You're—"
Jinbe nodded. "This is Uchiha Chiyu, Your Majesty. Don't worry. He's not our enemy. I'd stake my life on it."
Hearing that, Neptune relaxed a bit. He looked Chiyu over thoughtfully—then, without warning, dropped to his knees.
The entire palace froze in shock. One by one, all the fish-men and merfolk knelt too.
Even Nami and Hina gasped and took a step back.
But Chiyu understood.
"Chiyu-sama," Neptune said, voice trembling, "your name is known across the seas—you fight for justice, protect the weak, and destroy evil."
"As King of Ryugu Palace… no, as a father—I beg you…"
"Please save my daughter."
Jinbe let out a heavy sigh and knelt beside him.
"He's right. I've failed. I couldn't stop that bastard. Please, help us."
Shirahoshi, crying and overwhelmed, looked at Chiyu with awe and hope, silently praying.
She'd grown up hearing stories of Uchiha Chiyu—the marine hero. And now, she saw him as her only salvation.
Everyone looked at him.
Even Franky was bawling.
"A king… getting on his knees for his daughter?! Damn it, I'm not crying—this is just saltwater!"
Chiyu said nothing. He calmly stepped forward and touched one of the weapons stuck in the shell.
"No power can be used without leaving a trace."
When it came to perception, no one could rival Chiyu.
Even the Mark-Mark Fruit—despite its silent, long-range nature—left behind subtle trails.
And Chiyu could see them all.
He immediately turned and began tracking.
Everyone followed.
Jinbe frowned. "Chiyu-sama, what if that bastard's on the other side of the world? How can we find him?"
Chiyu responded coolly, "He's not far."
"He's been hiding near Fish-Man Island all along."
That revelation hit everyone like a thunderbolt.
"What?!"
"That warship he launched—it's probably from a sunken ship nearby. And the direction it came from…"
He pointed northeast.
Jinbe narrowed his eyes. "That's…"
"The Sea Forest."
"Yeah. Tons of wrecks end up there—strong currents drag ships down. People call it the Ship Graveyard."
"You're saying Vander Decken's been hiding in the Sea Forest this whole time?!"
Chiyu didn't answer. He just kept walking.
Neptune's face turned grim. He and his sons, along with the palace guards, followed Chiyu without hesitation.
When they arrived, the Sea Forest was exactly as expected—full of broken ships.
But… no sign of Decken.
"Chiyu-sama, I—"
"We're not done yet."
No one said another word. They just kept walking—until something colossal came into view.
A ship. Bigger than anything they'd ever seen.
"There."
Chiyu's voice was steady.
Neptune's face changed instantly.
"That's… Noah?!"
Hina and Nami were stunned.
"That thing's enormous!"
"It's almost as big as Fish-Man Island itself!"
Jinbe nodded grimly.
"Noah's Ark—the legendary vessel of Fish-Man Island. Some call it the Ship of Oaths."
"But it's been at the bottom of the sea for centuries… falling apart."
"And yet, Vander Decken dared to use it as his hideout."
Furious, Jinbe shouted into the depths.
"Vander Decken! Come out and face justice!"
His voice became a shockwave, shaking the ocean.
Inside Noah, Decken heard it and stepped out, grinning.
"Well, well. King Neptune. Jinbe. I didn't think you'd actually find me."
Jinbe gritted his teeth.
"It wasn't us. It was Uchiha Chiyu-sama."
Decken's face fell.
"What? Uchiha Chiyu?!"
Of course he'd heard the name. The Grim Reaper of the Marines.
He sneered, trying to stay cool.
"Hmph. Doesn't matter. Neptune, if you won't hand over Shirahoshi, even bringing in Chiyu won't save you!"
"You still don't get it?" Neptune roared. "It's over!"
But Decken just laughed.
"You're right—I can't beat you. Not Chiyu, not Jinbe, maybe not even your guards."
"But don't forget… I'm cursed with the Mark-Mark Fruit."
"You want to stop me? Think about what happens to the princess."
He laid his hand on Noah's hull.
"One move against me… and I'll launch the entire ark straight at her."
"She'll die. Ryugu Palace will fall. And Fish-Man Island—"
"Will be completely wiped off the map!"