Neptune frowned at the unfolding scene.
Shirahoshi was an Ancient Weapon, and now Rolan had given her some kind of pill. Could it be a mind-control pill?
No. Shirahoshi didn't need one. She already followed Rolan's commands completely.
Then what kind of pill was it?
The Shark Stars didn't know Shirahoshi's true status as an Ancient Weapon, but they trusted Rolan fully. They believed he would never do anything harmful to her. At most, they assumed the pill allowed Shirahoshi to take on human form.
Curiosity and anticipation gripped everyone as they watched. Even Rolan's mind wandered for a moment. If she can truly become human… would she resemble the giants of the world? How could we even have fun at that size?
He quickly scolded himself mentally: Bah! She's still young. What am I thinking?
Under everyone's astonished gaze, Shirahoshi's figure began to shrink. Rolan gently set her down from his palm as he observed the transformation.
"Growing larger and smaller?" he muttered, slightly bewildered.
The purple light didn't fade. Shirahoshi continued to shrink until she became almost invisible.
"Nani?!"
"Where is Shirahoshi?"
Neptune and the others stared in disbelief. But Rolan, pointing to a tiny speck on the ground, said calmly, "She's shrunk."
Everyone leaned closer, and as the dot expanded, they saw Shirahoshi, now no larger than an ant, and they were stunned.
"This… what is happening?" Neptune murmured, dumbfounded. How could the mighty Mermaid Princess shrink so drastically?
Even from her tiny form, Shirahoshi was recognizable. It appeared she had shrunk proportionally. The three Shark Star Princes shared a shocked glance. What kind of pill could do this?
Concern immediately followed their astonishment. Could this harm Shirahoshi?
"Lord Rolan, is she all right? Will this hurt her?" Neptune asked, worry etched on his face.
Rolan shook his head. "She's fine. This seems to be a controlled ability of the pill."
He crouched down and studied the minuscule Shirahoshi, his expression filled with astonishment. He had expected a human transformation, but this… this was something far stranger. Even normal life could be complicated at this size, let alone building emotional bonds. Mishandling it could strain Fish-Man Island relations.
He gently held her in his palm, observing every detail. Despite her diminutive form, Shirahoshi's cuteness was undeniable.
"Shirahoshi, can you hear me? Are you comfortable?" he asked.
Neptune and the Shark Stars called out as well. "Shirahoshi, can you respond?"
"Are you all right, sister?"
"Famiredo~ Can you hear us?"
Shirahoshi, however, felt perfectly fine. She spun joyfully in Rolan's palm, examining her tiny body curiously.
"I can hear you, Rolan," she said clearly, her voice unchanged.
Neptune and the others breathed a mixture of relief and lingering concern — relief that Shirahoshi's voice was unchanged, concern that she might not return to her original size.
Rolan, still unsure, asked, "Shirahoshi, can you try to return to your original size?"
Shirahoshi tilted her head, considered for a moment, and replied, "I think I can control my size."
With that, she leapt from Rolan's hand to the ground. A soft purple light enveloped her again.
Gradually, she grew — one meter, two meters, five meters — until she reached twelve meters, her original height from two years later, even slightly taller than before taking the pill.
Everyone finally exhaled the second half of their relief.
"I can continue to grow even larger," Shirahoshi added, her voice calm.
She expanded further — twenty meters, fifty meters, one hundred meters — stopping at five hundred meters. Rolan's eyes widened in astonishment. This was the colossal size of a medium-to-large Sea King. Looking up at her massive white rabbit-like figure, he swallowed hard.
Then her words stunned everyone further. "If the palace's restrictions weren't in place, I could grow even bigger."
"Nani?!" Rolan and the others shouted in disbelief.
Rolan realized something. He had thought this pill was simply a Grow-Grow Devil Fruit in effect. But this power exceeded even that, and without any Devil Fruit side effects.
He recalled how, in legend, massive Sea Kings had carried Noah's Ark, each over a thousand meters long. Shirahoshi was a Sea King herself — destined to stand at the pinnacle of her kind. Her desire for such a form was not unnatural.
Neptune and the Shark Stars were too shocked to speak.
"Lord Rolan, is this… a Devil Fruit?" Neptune asked cautiously.
Rolan shook his head. "No. It's not a Devil Fruit, and it has no associated drawbacks."
Relief washed over Neptune. For merfolk, their natural swimming speed was unmatched, and a Devil Fruit could be catastrophic in the sea.
Rolan then instructed, "Shirahoshi, return to normal size."
"Okay, Rolan," she replied. The purple glow surrounded her again.
Gradually, she shrank back to her mermaid form, about 1.7 meters tall.
Her small face turned red as she added, "I think this size suits you better, Rolan."
Rolan smiled slightly, though a flicker of concern crossed his face. "Shirahoshi, is this comfortable?"
She tilted her head. "Yes. No matter my size, my body feels fine."
"Then… can you take human form?"
Rolan swallowed hard. Shirahoshi closed her eyes, thinking carefully, and shook her head.
"Rolan, I think I can only control my size. I cannot transform into other species."
Rolan clenched his fists in frustration. Damn it, System, do you really have to screw the host like this?
____
Send your Powerstones, now !!
Pretty please (´ε｀ )