On the sea, the still-smoking wreckage of the pirate ship drifted silently. Other pirates watched from their own vessels, their eyes filled with terror and awe.
They swallowed nervously, almost able to feel death's presence looming around them.
For a moment, the entire sea fell into dead silence as everyone obediently maintained order.
After all, nobody wanted to be the next target of "Divine Punishment"—especially when this particular "Deity" was a money-grubbing thief who would confiscate every Belly they had before killing them.
He had stolen all the previous victim's transaction money!
...
In the afternoon.
The setting sun's afterglow painted the sea in brilliant shades of gold and crimson.
Amid this dreamlike scenery, a giant ship pulled by a massive sea king slowly approached the waters of the Eternal Kingdom.
The Mermaid Princess, Shirahoshi, leaned quietly against the ship's rail.
Her massive pink tail swayed like a blooming flower, gently tapping against the waves.
Each movement sent sparkling droplets flying into the air, shimmering with rainbow colors under the sunlight.
Her pale pink hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall, smooth and silky.
King Neptune stood beside her, his trident in hand, vigilantly scanning their surroundings.
The sea around them was densely packed with pirate ships.
These vessels crowded together like a pack of greedy wolves, watching the royalty with predatory intensity.
"Father... it's so lively here..."
Shirahoshi spoke timidly, her enormous eyes sparkling with curiosity and excitement.
Her slender fingers unconsciously twisted together, while her pearl-like scales shimmered with a soft glow under the setting sun.
Just then, a pirate ship flying a blood-red skull flag suddenly accelerated and closed in.
The flag flapped noisily in the wind.
On the bow stood a one-eyed pirate with a scarred face, holding a telescope. His single eye gleamed with greed, firmly fixed on Shirahoshi.
A ferocious grin spread across his face, revealing a set of uneven, yellow teeth.
"Hahaha! Brothers, look! It's the Mermaid Princess!" he roared excitedly, spittle flying everywhere.
"She's huge! We'll strike it rich if we capture her!"
He brandished his cutlass, his eyes blazing with fanaticism.
At the captain's command, dozens of pirates immediately grabbed their weapons.
Some even leaped directly into the sea, swimming toward Shirahoshi's carriage like a pack of hungry sharks drawn to the scent of blood.
King Neptune flew into a rage. Gripping his trident tightly, he slammed it forcefully onto the deck.
"How dare you!"
But before the King could act, the sky suddenly darkened.
The once-clear sky was instantly shrouded in storm clouds, as if doomsday had arrived.
Then—BOOM!!!
A pillar of lightning over ten meters in diameter descended from the heavens.
The blinding blue-white light illuminated the entire sea as bright as day.
The radiance was so intense it was impossible to keep one's eyes open, as if a second sun had exploded.
The pirate ship was instantly shattered into splinters, with charred debris scattering in all directions.
The wreckage fell into the sea like raindrops, sending huge splashes soaring.
The pirates in the water didn't even have time to scream before they were charred to crisps by the high-voltage current, white smoke rising from the boiling sea surface.
Enel's figure slowly materialized within the residual lightning.
He floated mid-air, resting his cheek on one hand, his golden staff casually slung over his shoulder.
"Yahaha... Did this God not warn you?"
Enel lazily scanned the terrified pirates around him, his tone nonchalant.
Yet, each word struck the pirates' fragile hearts like a heavy hammer.
"This is the consequence of causing trouble in the territory of the Eternal Kingdom."
Shirahoshi stood to the side, hurriedly covering her mouth in fright.
Her eyes widened, filled with terror, and glistening tears welled up in them, threatening to spill over at any moment.
Seeing this, King Neptune quickly patted her shoulder reassuringly while casting a shocked gaze toward the still-smoking wreckage.
That was an entire hundred-man pirate crew! In the face of such overwhelming power, they were annihilated like insignificant ants.
"What a fearsome fellow…" Neptune muttered.
Enel cleared his throat. His voice was instantly transmitted across the entire sea through electromagnetic waves.
"By decree of the Eternal Kingdom's Master—a Hundred-Mile Restricted Zone!"
"The meaning is simple. Within a hundred-mile radius of the Eternal Kingdom—whether on sea, land, or air—all conflict is forbidden!"
At this point, his staff suddenly blazed with brilliant lightning. The electric energy, like an enraged dragon, roared forth along the gold, illuminating his face.
Amid the flashing lightning, Enel's voice grew colder and more resolute.
"Violators shall be utterly destroyed, body and soul!"
The entire sea fell into dead silence, as if time itself had frozen.
The previously restless groups of pirates now felt their scalps tingle.
They immediately retreated into their ship cabins, their faces filled with terror and panic.
The arrogant and domineering aura from moments ago had completely vanished.
A middle-aged pirate captain, forehead covered in cold sweat, trembled as he leaned close to his first mate.
"Quick... quickly hide all the alcohol on our ship. We mustn't cause any trouble..."
The scene instantly fell into silence, becoming orderly and calm.
Enel looked satisfied at the deterrent effect he had created, then turned to face Shirahoshi and her group.
"Beautiful Mermaid Princess, please feel at ease to disembark. In the Eternal Kingdom, your safety will be personally guaranteed by me."
As he spoke, he gracefully made an inviting gesture.
King Neptune bowed with complicated emotions, while Shirahoshi's tears turned to laughter, her cheeks blushing with an adorable pink hue.
"Th-thank you, Lord Thunder God..."
In the distance on the shore, Izo stood quietly observing everything.
He couldn't help but sigh helplessly and massage his forehead, thinking to himself, 'This show-off...'
Yet the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl upward.
Indeed, under Enel's deterrence, no pirates dared to act recklessly in these waters anymore.
After all, no one wanted to become the next charred remains under "Divine Punishment."
Just as the last rays of the setting sun were about to fade, the entire sky was dyed in shades of orange and red, resembling a magnificent painting.
Suddenly, a clear dragon's roar echoed from the horizon.
Everyone looked up to see a Pink Dragon cutting through the clouds, elegantly spiraling downward like a brilliant rainbow.
The dragon scales shimmered with a pearlescent glow in the twilight, each scale gleaming with mysterious light.
The long dragon whiskers floated in the wind like lively silk ribbons.
The Dragon slowly descended onto the port.
Under everyone's astonished gazes, its body gradually began to transform.
The pink glow slowly faded away, shrinking down to reveal a figure with short orange hair appearing before the crowd.
It was Nami!