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Chapter 29 - Chapter 29

At Ryugu Palace, the eldest prince, Fukaboshi, pointed at the five huge ships of the Whitebeard Pirates slowly passing over Fish-Man Island. "Father, the Whitebeard Pirates... they actually left!" he exclaimed in disbelief.

The ministers and soldiers behind him trembled in fear and panic. "Your Majesty, will Whitebeard blame Fish-Man Island later?" one minister asked. "Yes, Your Majesty, should we send someone to follow them and explain?" another chimed in.

Neptune, however, was in a state of deep shock. The Whitebeard Pirates hadn't landed. That meant that in his confrontation with Whitebeard, Adrian... had actually won?! Neptune felt his mind was shutting down. He couldn't believe it. This was Whitebeard, the strongest man in the world! Adrian had managed to send the entire crew away with just a single person? It was beyond incredible.

As the Whitebeard Pirates' ships slowly disappeared, Neptune's anxiety finally subsided. His eyes fell on little Shirahoshi, who was craning her neck to watch Adrian. He felt a surge of joy. It seemed he had made the right bet. For Adrian to have the strength to challenge Whitebeard at such a young age, meant his future was limitless. With Fish-Man Island now closely linked to Adrian through Shirahoshi, it was bound to rise.

Soon, mermen would finally gain equal status with humans and be able to live freely on the surface. This was the dream Neptune's ancestors had pursued for 800 years without success. Thinking of this, tears welled up in his eyes.

"Lord Adrian is back!" Princess Shirahoshi, who had been standing in the front, was the first to notice him and happily ran toward a spot where no one was. Neptune and the others looked on blankly. It was only half a minute later, when Adrian suddenly appeared from the sky above Fish-Man Island, that they reacted.

"The child has truly inherited her mother's Observation Haki," Neptune exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Princess Otohime had a very special Observation Haki. She could not only feel others' thoughts and emotions but also transmit her own consciousness and influence their minds and values. This was considered the most advanced form of Observation Haki, a thousand times rarer than Conqueror's Haki. In all of the One Piece world, only Princess Otohime had awakened it. And Princess Shirahoshi had inherited this rare ability in the womb.

The power to summon all Sea Kings (Poseidon) and the power to influence others' will with Observation Haki—two of the most powerful abilities in the world—belonged to Princess Shirahoshi. Even Adrian truly believed that, "No matter when or where, 99% of hard work will never beat that 1% of pure talent."

The day of the execution quickly arrived.

At midnight, as the world was shrouded in darkness, a massive black shadow rose from the bottom of the Red Line.

Boom!

Fish-Man Island, wrapped in a double bubble coating, ascended rapidly into the night, coming to a halt one kilometer above the sea of clouds over Marineford. The entire island was silent. Five million people had gathered at the edge, facing east, waiting patiently for the sunrise, the blue sky, and the white clouds their ancestors hadn't seen in 800 years.

Time passed slowly. Not even the youngest child showed a hint of fatigue.

Finally, the first ray of sun pierced the darkness and slowly rose from the sea. All of the residents of Fish-Man Island burst into tears. They had heard countless stories about the sun, but nothing compared to this unforgettable sight.

At the top of a coral tower in Ryugu Palace, Adrian sat beside Shirahoshi, quietly enjoying the moving scene.

"It's so big... so hot... so powerful... Lord Adrian, is that the sun?!" Shirahoshi's beautiful, dewy eyes shone with joy. "Lord Adrian, the sun is so dazzling... The sky is so high, it has no end... The sea is so vast, and the sun makes it sparkle..."

Adrian responded softly, "Yes, this scenery is truly beautiful."

"The world on the surface is so beautiful... do we mermen really have the right to live in such a world?" This was not just Shirahoshi's question. It was the voice of all five million residents. Shirahoshi, without her knowledge, had silently awakened her advanced Observation Haki, which transmitted her conversation with Adrian into everyone's hearts.

Everyone, including Neptune, turned their gaze toward Adrian and Shirahoshi. They were waiting for an answer from the man who seemed like a god to them. It was he who had helped Fish-Man Island fulfill a dream that had been stagnant for 800 years. They believed that if he just nodded, their extravagant hope would come true.

Adrian looked at Shirahoshi's beautiful and innocent face, nodded solemnly, and said, "From now on, this is your home!"

After a moment of silence, cheers erupted, echoing through the sky.

"We... can finally live on the surface!"

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