"Kael!"
Robin's soft voice echoed in Kaelen Tsukishiro's ears.
Kaelen opened his eyes. "What is it?"
Brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear from the sea breeze, Robin replied quietly, "We've reached the diving zone. Ready to start."
Kaelen raised an eyebrow with a chuckle. "So soon? Let's get started."
He stood and opened a transparent protective barrier, instantly enveloping the entire ship in a shimmering, colorful bubble — like something straight out of a fairy tale.
Under Kaelen's control, the sailboat slowly descended into the sea, diving deep contrary to normal physics.
The science of the pirate world was strange and chaotic. While advanced technologies like artificial humans, laser weapons, and robots flourished here, basic civilian industries like shipping and agriculture lagged far behind.
In short, Newton's laws didn't govern this world, and coffin boards often went unpressed.
---
As the boat sank, the underwater scene unfolded beautifully: vibrant coral reefs swayed, aquatic plants drifted gracefully, and schools of colorful fish darted about.
It was like entering a mythical realm — a true fairy tale.
Kaelen pulled out his camera and began snapping photos from every angle, eager to capture this underwater wonder.
"Hey, Robin, pose!"
"No."
"Come on, don't be difficult."
"…"
Despite her protest, Robin struck a few elegant poses, cooperating reluctantly.
Kaelen smiled, pleased with the shots — many captured moments of the two of them side by side, relaxed and taking in the marvels beneath the waves.
"That fish is adorable," Robin suddenly said.
Kaelen glanced where she was looking and couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
Big lips, tiny eyes, a huge head on a small body — from Kaelen's thunderous aesthetic perspective, there was no way this fish was cute.
He recalled that Robin's taste in aesthetics had always been a bit unusual... no, downright strange.
Still, seeing her happy expression, Kaelen reluctantly nodded.
"Fine, it's cute."
He narrowed his eyes and unleashed a pulse of [Conqueror's Haki] energy at the oddly shaped fish, scaring it off immediately.
"It ran away!"
"Probably scared. It's never seen a sailboat before."
"Yeah."
Kaelen babbled casually. Robin paid no mind, and the two enjoyed a rare moment of quiet companionship.
---
Five kilometers, six kilometers, seven kilometers down...
The light faded as they went deeper, revealing fish of astonishing sizes and bizarre forms.
Most were fierce and aggressive, sometimes attacking the boat.
But with Kaelen's [Conqueror's Haki] shielding them, no danger reached the sailboat.
After a while, a glow appeared ahead, and their view expanded dramatically.
They saw an island enclosed within a massive bubble — magical and otherworldly.
That was their destination: Fish-Man Island.
---
"Is there really a historical record here?"
"Nonsense. I don't lie to you."
"Huh! Some people never lie to women."
"Eh…"
Kaelen stared at Robin in surprise. That line sounded exactly like something he'd said to Violet back in Dressrosa.
He hadn't expected Robin to know it.
Seems every woman loves gossip.
Yet Robin's expression suggested something more subtle — a hint of something untold, but her face revealed nothing.
Kaelen found it hard to read her. Since Dressrosa, their relationship seemed to have changed — yet nothing.
He shook his head, deciding not to think too much.
---
As they spoke, Fish-Man Island drew near. Several Fish-Man soldiers armed and alert guarded the entrance.
After a thorough inspection and a stern warning not to cause trouble, they were allowed entry.
Their boat was towed to a designated mooring spot for foreign vessels.
Unlike the loose docking shown in the anime, here every ship was closely monitored, guarded day and night.
Fish-Men have long harbored suspicion and resentment toward humans, often bordering on hatred.
To prevent conflict, King Neptune of the Ryugu Kingdom keeps a vigilant eye.
Whenever pirates or outsiders arrive, the alarm is sounded immediately.
Few who reach Fish-Man Island are weak, and any provocation could spark disaster.
A clash with powerful sea thieves could threaten the entire island.
In this harsh world, strength demands respect. Without it, one must stay low and avoid provoking those who cannot be challenged.
---
Inside a room in Ryugu City, bounty posters covered the walls.
From top to bottom, the lowest bounty was 100 million Berries.
At the very top, a smiling face with the name "Grim Reaper" was displayed prominently.
It was marked as [Extremely Dangerous].
---
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