Chapter 329: Shirahoshi's First Glimpse of the Sea
"Brett-niisan, I heard you're taking us out to play!"
Shyarly had been absolutely right—Nana was extremely excited about Brett's decision.
After school, she came to the café and heard about it from Shyarly. She immediately rushed over to Brett, practically bouncing with joy.
"This is great! I've never seen what the world above the sea looks like!!"
The little girl clenched both small fists, so excited she wanted to throw a whole combination of punches right in front of Brett.
"You're just tagging along."
Brett, who was eating, smiled. "You're only coming to look after Princess Shirahoshi."
"What do you mean I'm just tagging along? That's so mean, Brett-niisan!"
The little girl puffed out her cheeks like a pufferfish. But immediately she smiled smugly. "Hmph! You can't fool me! If I was just tagging along, why would you bring me? I'm definitely indispensable!!"
"Sure, sure."
Brett casually ruffled the girl's head. "So I'm counting on you to look after Princess Shirahoshi."
"Yeah!"
Little Nana clenched her fist forcefully. Invisible currents coiled around her slender fist. "I won't let anyone hurt Shirahoshi! She's my most precious friend!"
Well, having that sentiment is already enough.
Brett smiled.
Naturally he couldn't really expect Nana to protect Princess Shirahoshi.
Though she'd mastered Armament Haki, Nana's strength could only be called somewhat advantageous among her peers.
The Amazon Lily training method's drawbacks were greater than imagined.
After all, in the original story, before learning Haki two years prior, Luffy had beaten up Hancock's two sisters who'd mastered advanced Haki.
Though Nana had mastered Armament, her body was still too weak.
"Miss Milian, aren't you worried at all?"
A mermaid waitress couldn't help asking Nana's mother, the café's chef Miss Milian.
"That's the New World! Setting aside human territories, it's also the world's most chaotic waters!"
"What's there to worry about?"
The chef said casually. "Isn't Brett going with them? With him there, there definitely won't be any problems."
"That's true. After all, it's with Brett."
Brett.
On Fish-Man Island, simply saying that name was enough to put anyone at ease.
In any case, this suddenly decided impromptu journey was about to begin.
"Brett, please take good care of Shirahoshi!"
Queen Otohime had also come to see her daughter off.
She knew what kind of power her daughter possessed.
She also knew what this power meant for Fish-Man Island.
"Don't worry."
Brett nodded. "There won't be any problems."
They were a combination of fish-man and mermaid.
Who could possibly catch them on the seas?
As long as they didn't stay in one place too long, even the World Government had no solution.
"Brett-niisan! What are you dawdling for? Let's go already!"
Nana bounced excitedly.
A large pack was strapped to her back—all things her mother had stuffed in before departure.
Princess Shirahoshi stood beside her.
The little princess also carried a pack, her lips pressed together as if somewhat anxious.
But Brett could hear that within the little princess's heart was also a trace of excitement.
Since birth, she'd never left Fish-Man Island and the surrounding deep sea.
She'd never personally seen what the sky looked like, never personally experienced what it felt like to have a breeze blow against her.
Naturally she held some anticipation.
"Then let's depart."
Brett brought the two children away from Fish-Man Island into the deep sea.
"Eh?"
Nana's little tail swished rapidly as she followed close beside Brett. One hand still held Shirahoshi's hand, comforting her somewhat anxious friend.
Nana asked with confusion, "Brett-niisan, where's the ship?! We're not swimming the whole way, are we?"
Though her swimming ability was amazing, that would be way too exhausting!
"Isn't it already here?"
Brett smiled and gestured toward the deep sea ahead.
Nana looked back. The next instant, her mouth dropped open wide, as if her jaw might dislocate.
"Whaaat?!!"
In the deep sea ahead, massive creatures slowly emerged one after another.
Sea Kings—without question, those were Sea Kings!
Growing up on Fish-Man Island, Nana naturally couldn't fail to recognize what these monsters were!
But why were there so many Sea Kings?!
"They—Brett-niisan called them all to take us."
At that moment, Princess Shirahoshi explained in a soft voice.
"Eh?"
Nana looked at Brett with complete bewilderment.
"They're a very special kind of ship, right?"
Brett smiled and waved at the approaching Sea Kings.
Among the Sea Kings, the one with a scorpion-like body and lizard-like head quickly drew near.
"The Alexander is ready! All aboard, passengers!"
The warrior shrimp laughed heartily.
The Sea Kings' most noble king was traveling to the New World, so naturally they couldn't stand idly by.
Large numbers of Sea Kings gathered. They would ensure their king's safe and smooth journey.
"Let's go! Time to depart!"
Brett brought the two little girls to swim onto Alexander's back and settle in.
Then the gathered Sea Kings called out in unison and headed toward the New World.
"S-so amazing!"
Nana wasn't sitting still on Alexander's back either, swimming back and forth to look everywhere.
She couldn't help exclaiming as she watched the Sea Kings escorting them. "This is incredible, Brett-niisan! You can actually control Sea Kings!"
Brett smiled.
Nana was naturally a trustworthy child, but Shirahoshi's ability was too classified. The fewer people who knew, the better.
"Hehehe! Shirahoshi! Come on! Let's go look at these Sea Kings up close!"
The lively Nana pulled Shirahoshi away from Alexander's back. They shuttled back and forth among the Sea King group.
One moment circling around this Sea King, the next swimming loops around that one.
Though Shirahoshi was the king controlling all Sea Kings, she actually knew very little about Sea Kings themselves. She couldn't help playing happily now.
In the deep sea, the two girls' laughter rang out continuously.
Soon, at a certain sea area near the New World's entrance, shadows suddenly emerged beneath the surface.
Three figures rose from the depths, clearly standing atop a pitch-black massive creature hidden below the surface.
"So this is—what the surface looks like!"
Little Nana's eyes widened.
Everything was unprecedented.
The sky. White clouds. The sun.
Sea breezes. Ocean waves. Flying birds.
"It's... it's wonderful..."
The little princess couldn't help murmuring.