"Excellent!"
With Grimm's permission granted, Mannoroth roared in delight and reached out with one massive hand toward Hatchan. His mind was filled with twisted curiosity.
"I'm going to tear you open and see exactly how you are built inside!"
Back in Azeroth, he had never been able to figure out the difference between fish‑men and Naga — were they mammals or something else entirely? And these mermen and mermaids were even stranger!
Though covered in the bubble coating, the resin from the Sabaody mangroves was far tougher than it looked.
It could withstand even violent combat without breaking — so this simple movement posed no risk to it at all.
"Hatchan, run!!"
The other fish‑men shouted, yet as Mannoroth's colossal hand descended, they stood frozen in terror, their legs too weak to move.
SWISH!
At that very moment, a dark shadow darted out, knocking Hatchan and the others aside just in time — landing barely half a meter outside Mannoroth's reach. It was a narrow escape indeed.
Grimm's eyes narrowed in appreciation. "Excellent use of Observation Haki."
"Who was that?" Hancock frowned slightly.
Lying on top of Hatchan was a golden‑haired goldfish‑man with a long face. The moment they saw her, Hatchan and the others cried out in panic.
"P‑Princess Otohime! Are you unharmed?!"
"Princess Otohime! Are you alright?!"
The residents who had hidden indoors earlier all rushed out, calling her name. It was clear how deeply loved and respected she was by her people.
"W‑wait… I… ahh…"
Princess Otohime clutched her lower back, struggling desperately but unable to straighten up. Her face twisted in pain.
"My back… I think I've broken my spine!"
"So fragile…"
The Kuja pirates murmured in unison, whispering among themselves. "She just tackled someone and broke her back?"
One girl who always carried a notebook quickly jotted down notes: "Mermaids suffer fractures very easily…"
"Otohime! Are you hurt?!"
King Neptune arrived, riding a giant orca and wielding his trident.
Behind him came the crew of the Sun Pirates, along with his and Otohime's three sons — and Princess Shirahoshi, who was only four years old but already nearly four meters tall.
"GRRR!"
Mannoroth pounded his chest with both fists in frustration. "Damn it! Why does someone always get in my way?!"
He completely forgot Grimm's earlier order not to harm anyone except members of the Sun Pirates. He reached out again — and this time, his target was Princess Otohime.
"Princess Otohime, look out!"
"OTOHIME!"
"MOTHER!"
Tiger, the princes, Neptune, and the townspeople screamed in alarm — but none were fast enough to stop him.
Four‑year‑old Shirahoshi saw the giant hand reaching toward her mother.
Suddenly, a terrifying power erupted from within her, and she wailed at the top of her lungs.
"WAAAAAAHHHH! MOMMY!!"
BOOM!
As Shirahoshi cried, the very ocean trembled.
Mannoroth's outstretched hand froze mid‑air. Instinctively, he sensed a deadly danger rising from the waters behind him.
He turned his head to the left — and saw more than ten Sea Kings staring right at him with predatory intensity. Every single one was even larger than he was!
Silence fell over the entire scene. Even Old Granny and Hancock stood wide‑eyed, unsure what to say as they stared at the monsters looming in the water.
"WAAAAAAHHHH… WAAAAAAHHHH…"
Only the sound of Shirahoshi's loud sobbing broke the silence.
"Shirahoshi… could it be… you are…"
Otohime turned to look at her weeping daughter. She remembered an ancient legend she had heard long ago and swallowed hard in fear.
Seeing the Sea Kings ready to attack, Mannoroth recalled the painful beating he had taken from them in the Calm Belt.
Rage and killing intent surged through him. The Sea Kings sensed his hostility and rumbled deep in their throats — a battle seemed seconds away from erupting.
"This is bad…" Fisher Tiger gritted his teeth. If monsters like these start fighting here, Fish‑Man Island will be completely destroyed…
Mannoroth raised his hand to strike — when Grimm's voice rang out from below.
"STOP! Have you forgotten what I told you?!"
"Master… why?! These wretches keep disturbing the great Mannoroth…" he protested loudly.
"SILENCE!"
It was just one word, but it carried infinite authority and menace. Mannoroth froze, his anger vanishing instantly. Slowly, he lowered his fist.
"AND YOU LOT TOO!"
Grimm turned his gaze toward the dozen Sea Kings facing off against Mannoroth.
His expression remained calm, yet to the Sea Kings, it felt as if they were staring into the eyes of a primordial beast.
After one last look at the crying Princess Shirahoshi, they retreated, sinking back into the deep sea.
"Not only did he make that violent beast obey… but he also terrified the Sea Kings into submission…"
Old Granny tapped her snake‑staff against the ground twice, still trembling. "A Great Emperor of the New World… his reputation is truly well earned…"
"Ahhh… as expected of Lord Grimm… he is so different from all other men…"
Hancock covered her face with her hands, completely enchanted, twisting her curvy body in pure infatuation.
"Hancock… stop that," Grimm said, gently patting her head — which only made her sigh with bliss and delight.
Her imagination was running wild, much to the silent embarrassment of Sandersonia and Marigold standing nearby.
"Sigh…"
Tiger let out a long breath, speaking quietly. "Finally… the worst‑case scenario has been averted."
Meanwhile, comforted by her older brothers, Shirahoshi gradually stopped crying. She sniffled a few times, her eyelids grew heavy, and eventually, she fell fast asleep.
"What… exactly was that power just now?"
Jinbe wiped cold sweat from his forehead. He glanced first at Grimm, then at Shirahoshi, who was now being carried into the royal carriage.
Grimm — having just stopped a war between Mannoroth and the Sea Kings — glanced casually toward the carriage, a faint smirk forming on his lips.
"So… this is the greatest power of Fish‑Man Island…"
Inside the Ryugu Palace, Grimm, the three Boa sisters, and Old Granny sat facing King Neptune, Princess Otohime, Fisher Tiger, Jinbe, and the others.
"This is impossible!" Tiger roared in fury. "If you wanted to kill me, you could have done it at any moment!"
Jinbe had to grab Tiger's arm to hold him back from exploding into rage. Even so, Jinbe's own eyes burned with anger — though he had better control over his temper.
The reason for the fury of the Sun Pirates' captain and first mate was simple: Grimm had just spoken a single sentence — a demand.
He said he would spare the Sun Pirates — those who called themselves "sons" of Whitebeard — but only on one condition:
They must hand over the little princess, Shirahoshi, to him.
__________________
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