Everyone knew there were only two ways to reach the New World safely.
The first was to apply to the World Government and pass directly through the Holy Land of Mary Geoise. But that method came with major drawbacks. Not only did you have to abandon your ship, the application process also took time and was full of restrictions.
The second was to have a ship coated at the Sabaody Archipelago using the resin of the Yarukiman Mangroves, then descend ten thousand meters into the deep sea, pass through the enormous hole beneath the Red Line, and reach the New World by way of Fish-Man Island.
That route was extremely dangerous.
Only about thirty percent of those who attempted it ever made it through to the New World alive.
That alone showed just how risky it was.
And the Shinigami Pirates had chosen the second route.
As the ship continued its descent, the Soul Society sank deeper and deeper into the ocean, and the scenery beyond the coating film unfolded in full view.
"It's so beautiful…" Yachiru said, standing on Ren Kuro's shoulder and craning her neck to look everywhere at once. Her clear eyes reflected the breathtaking sights all around them.
"Yachiru, this world is even more interesting than you imagined, isn't it?" Ren Kuro smiled and pinched her cheek lightly.
"Yeah! Back in Soul Society, Ken-chan and I used to get lost in Seireitei all the time. I've never seen anything this amazing before!" Yachiru said sincerely.
"Well, of course you got lost. You were with that directionless idiot." Ren Kuro rolled his eyes. Over the past two years of sailing, Kenpachi had gotten lost in towns more times than Ren Kuro could count.
"Exactly! Ken-chan's a huge lost puppy!" Yachiru turned around and shouted back.
"You idiot, Yachiru, you get lost too!" Kenpachi snorted.
"You're the idiot!" Yachiru stuck out her tongue at him.
"You guys should relax. This is probably your first time seeing something like this," Tiger said with a laugh. "The real surprise is still ahead. Once you reach ten thousand meters below the sea, you'll understand."
Under Ren Kuro's control, the Soul Society sped forward and plunged straight into the descending current.
As the ship was dragged downward, a powerful sensation of falling surged over everyone.
The Soul Society was hurtling through the down-current at terrifying speed.
Not long after, the ship finally stabilized.
At that moment, everyone's eyes widened.
They had arrived at the deep sea—
ten thousand meters below the surface.
"Is that the legendary Sunlight Tree Eve?" Ren Kuro stared ahead. In his view stood a towering tree so enormous that its end could not even be seen.
"That's right," Tiger explained. "That's why Fish-Man Island is known as the paradise of the deep sea."
In truth, the Sunlight Tree Eve did not produce light on its own. It absorbed sunlight from the surface above and released it through its roots at the bottom of the sea, illuminating this entire region.
That was also why Fish-Man Island, despite being so deep underwater, still had a cycle of day and night.
For the people living there, it was called—
the blessing of the sun.
Connected to it, Fish-Man Island had a unique structure. A massive double-layer bubble shield protected the entire island, and between those two layers was a special air pocket.
If ships coated at the Sabaody Archipelago entered along the wrong path, the coating would peel away automatically and fuse with the island's outer shield. Some ships would even fall straight down through the air layer and crash.
Even if someone forced their way through the shield, the seawater inside would simply sweep them away.
To solve that problem, Fish-Man Island had established a special harbor for guiding incoming ships.
Just as the Soul Society was about to head toward that harbor, something suddenly changed.
A huge number of bubbles surged up from beneath the ship, and a massive shadow slowly emerged below them.
"Hm? What's going on?" Ren Kuro frowned. He could sense a violent presence rising from beneath them.
A moment later—
a colossal creature appeared.
A body over a hundred meters long.
Bloodshot eyes.
Rows of sharp, neatly lined fangs.
A giant Sea King.
"There are a lot of Sea Kings in the deep sea, but most of them are actually docile. They don't usually attack humans," Tiger said.
"Well, I don't think 'docile' has anything to do with this one." Ren Kuro stared into those enormous crimson eyes and sensed only savagery and bloodlust.
Clearly, this Sea King was not normal.
"With a body that huge, if it bites us, the Soul Society would probably be crushed instantly. Scary stuff," Gin said, though his face showed no fear at all.
The instant he finished speaking, the rampaging Sea King let out a furious roar and lunged straight toward them with its maw wide open.
Before Tiger could move, an irritated voice came from behind them.
"What's the point of making such a fuss? It's just trash. Crush it with Reiatsu and be done with it."
Kenpachi strode to the edge of the deck, utterly unimpressed.
Then, with a single thought, a vast pillar of Reiatsu erupted from his body.
Under that overwhelming pressure, the deep sea itself seemed to boil. The seawater accelerated into violent currents, and before long a massive whirlpool formed around the Soul Society.
Centered on the ship, the deep sea ten thousand meters below the surface suddenly exploded into turmoil.
The currents surged outward with Kenpachi's Reiatsu, wave after wave, and the sea itself seemed on the verge of erupting.
With Reiatsu alone, Kenpachi had thrown the deep sea into chaos.
The moment that pressure descended, the Sea King froze.
It suddenly realized, in sheer terror, that it had completely lost control of its body.
Then, as the golden Reiatsu crashed down—
its enormous hundred-meter body failed to withstand the pressure and was crushed into pieces.
In only a few seconds, the rampaging Sea King was reduced to a spray of blood, dyeing the surrounding waters red.
"There. Problem solved." After instant-killing the Sea King, Kenpachi shot Tiger a contemptuous glance and casually walked back to where he had been standing.
Tiger stared blankly, swallowing hard.
A giant Sea King… crushed to death by sheer pressure alone?
Wasn't that a little too ridiculous?
Just as everyone thought it was over, several more pairs of crimson eyes lit up in the darkness of the deep sea.
They had been drawn by the smell of blood.
More Sea Kings were coming.
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