There are no R18 elements this time.
"It looks like you haven't forgotten anything."
"Yes, thank you for everything, Rayleigh."
A few days' stay at Sabaody Archipelago.
The Sunny has finished coating Rayleigh.
Rayleigh came to see off his step-grandson and great-grandson, and Shakuyaku, who seemed to have found out the situation and looked softer than when they first met, came too.
The bubble had already inflated, and Nami was explaining to Luffy how to navigate underwater.
Underwater, the ship moves forward using ocean currents as a substitute for wind, but steering the ship is primarily done by Luffy's abilities.
Therefore, Nami's navigation skills and Luffy's steering skills are more important than the sea.
"...Right."
Ace called out to Rayleigh from a short distance away as he greeted Uta.
Seeing that Uta still seemed wary, hostile, or even disgusted, Oto became a little frightened and hid in Uta's shadow.
"Tell me one thing. Did the Pirate King know what would happen if he had a child?"
"...It was only after his death that the government began eliminating anyone connected to Roger. Even if someone of his bloodline were to appear, I don't know if he foresaw that unrelated people would be dragged into the situation."
"Huh..."
Ace asked Rayleigh if Roger knew that his birth would result in the deaths of many innocent pregnant women and their children.
The blood of an unrelated person was spilled through birth. Even though it was something the government did, all the responsibility, resentment, and guilt was directed at Roger's child.
Ace had heard, seen, and experienced this since he was a child, and he wanted to know what the Pirate King was thinking when he did such a thing, and whether he ever thought it would turn out that way.
But Rayleigh didn't have an answer for that. Of course.
There is no way to answer with certainty whether someone else, especially that person, has sensed what happens after death.
"But the real answer you want is... it would be the same whether I foresaw this coming or not."
"...What does that mean?"
"What Roger wanted wasn't the tragedy of a pregnant woman hunt, or a future where someone else would be caught up in his actions. It was proof that he had loved a woman—a proof that even in death he had fallen in love with that person. Don't you understand that, Uta?"
"...Yeah, that's true. I've never met you, but I wonder if I can understand that feeling?"
In Elegia, the child refused to give up, even when persuaded by Gordon, even if it meant losing his own life.
I have never once regretted my decision to give birth to Oto.
Even through the excruciating pain of giving birth with her young body, through the exhausting lifestyle of raising a baby, and even when they were alone and she shared the little bit of food she had with him and he no longer felt hungry, she had no regrets.
"No matter what happened, I didn't want to give up on Oto. After all...she's my child with Luffy."
"......"
"It's true that your birth resulted in the shedding of much blood, but that's not what Roger or your mother wanted. They just wanted you to be born, that's all."
Hearing this, it seemed to make more sense to him, as he replied bluntly, "I see," and went back.
Soon the ship was ready to depart, and the Sunny began to leave the shore.
"Bye-bye!"
"Thanks!"
"Oh, take care!"
Rayleigh replied to Oto and Adele, and Shakuyaku waved back slightly.
The two watched the Sunny to the end as it lost its buoyancy due to the bubbles and gradually sank.
"...They were good kids."
"Yeah, it's too good for my stupid son."
Although she had a distrust for Shanks, Uta still brought Oto to show up.
When she learned about Rayleigh's relationship with Shakuyaku, she was puzzled as to the difference between her appearance and her actual age and asked, "So, is she my grandmother...my grandmother???"
Shakuyaku, who has not been blessed with children, laughed at Uta's behavior and said, "You don't have to force me, you can call me whatever you like," to which Uta replied, "Hmm, I'm a grandmother, but Shakuyaku is really young..." and was genuinely worried.
She was taken with him, as he was practically the grandchild of her beloved, and who adored her so much.
"Really, throwing away such a good child...that's crazy."
"Hehe... I promised Shanks I'd give him a fist bump when he came. How about you too?"
"Oh, sure. Then bring him to the store. I'll teach him how much of a sin it is to make a woman cry, even if she's just a child."
Shakuyaku seemed to be looking forward to that moment, and even Rayleigh, who was angry at Shanks, had such a beautiful smile that he couldn't help but sympathize with him.
"Beautiful!"
"Amazing...!"
Meanwhile, the Sunny was steadily diving near the Sabaody Archipelago.
The sunlight pouring down from above, the Yarukiman mangrove trees, and the swimming fish.
The natural aquarium was so captivating that even children - and even adults - couldn't help but stare.
"Hey, Camie. Can you show me the way to Fishman Island?"
"Huh? Can't we just go straight?"
Kaya asked, saying that it was supposed to be a guide to Fishman Island, but wouldn't it be better to just rely on it as it was?Recording GuidelinesLog Pose
That would have been the case up until now, but the seabed here is full of obstacles, and the depth is over 10,000 meters.
"There are surface currents and deep currents, and we have to ride them well."
"Surface currents and deep ocean currents...?"
"Simply put, the ocean currents are different in shallow and deep areas, and we use them to dive straight to the depths. But the currents themselves are like a maze, and some lead us towards our destination, Fishman Island, while others lead us away. Rayleigh said we have to figure that out and get there..."
"Yeah, I know the way!"
The reason why 70% of ships heading to Fishman Island are said to sink.
In addition to being wrecked by marine mammals, there are also many ships that fail to determine their route, go missing, and are treated as having sunk.
However, with the guidance of the mermaid Camie, we should be able to proceed safely.
"Even though it's 10,000 meters deep, if you take the route used by mermaids and fishmen, you can get there in half a day, but it will soon get dark. Now is the time to see this view."
"Oh, that's right! Let's have lunch on deck today."
"That's nice, it's rare to get to eat while enjoying a view like this."
"...Umm...Please just listen to me for a little while, okay?"
Pappagu is saying something, but Nojiko and the others, following Makino's suggestion, start moving to bring tables, chairs, and other things onto the deck.
I felt dejected, but no one noticed.
"Finally, Fishman Island...?"
"Do you want to stay on this ship?"
"Shut up, I'm going back to my dad's place."
As they happily prepare lunch, Ace is lost in thought as he watches the girls get excited at the sight of fish passing by.
And whenever Luffy makes a joke, Ace laughs.
His expression seemed to lift a weight from his shoulders, and he must have received some kind of answer in his conversation with Rayleigh before setting sail.
"You're probably relieved to finally get that pesky bomb back, aren't you?"
"Not at all. I'm actually grateful. But you kept Kaya and the others company."fish・people・island・Ma・in・
"...I've had enough of being squeezed like that."
The island where Ace was to be handed over to Whitebeard was Fishman Island.
The condition for the location of the handover is that it be "a place as far away from the Navy's eyes as possible."
On a normal island, no matter how careful you are, there are always people watching and there is also the risk of being followed.
However, on Fishman Island, humans stand out.
What's more, it was also Whitebeard's territory, making it ideal for keeping the Navy out of its sights.
Of course, the government will also be aware of Whitebeard's territory and will be on guard.
However, Fishman Island was the safest of them all.
"Oh, that's right. I almost forgot."
"???"
As if remembering something, Robin - who, as expected, had taken on the form of a woman as they began to leave Sabaody Archipelago - used the arms she had grown with her power to hand the newspapers that were on the table on the deck to Ace in a bucket relay-like fashion.
"This morning's paper."
"Huh? What's that... 'Government blunder, Fire Fist Ace escapes from prison'"
Up until now, they have been able to cover up the truth by manipulating information and covering things up, but the truth is that today is the day Ace will be executed.
After much publicity, it was no longer possible to keep it a secret, and they announced that Ace had escaped from Impel Down.
"Ace of the Fire Fist and Jinbe of the Straits, who were imprisoned in Impel Down, have disappeared at the hands of a mysterious intruder. As no escape from Impel Down could be confirmed, a search was conducted but they were not found, and Warden Magellan officially determined that they had escaped. This marks the second time that the flying pirate, Shiki the Golden Lion, has escaped from prison in 20 years. Magellan and Fleet Admiral Sengoku are responsible for this--"
"Not there, it's underneath."
"'Furthermore, after Fire Fist Ace disappeared, the Shichibukai Marshall D. Teach attacked Impel Down' Huh!?
The pirate Teach was pursuing was known as Blackbeard.
He was a former member of the 2nd Division, who killed the commander of the 4th Division and fled.
Ace pursued him to settle the score, but was killed and imprisoned.
"That bastard Teach... is in Impel Down...?!"
"Not to help you, either."
"Yes, that's simply impossible... 'They've been subdued by Chief Magellan. Teach and all his subordinates have been captured. An investigation into whether there is a connection to Ace's escape has concluded there is no connection. Due to these events, it has been officially announced that Jinbe and Teach have been stripped of their Shichibukai status.'... They've been captured."
Ace never imagined that Teach, whom he had targeted and then killed, would be captured.
While he thought that he got what he deserved, he also had a complicated expression on his face, as if he couldn't accept that he hadn't been able to settle the score with his own hands.
"...I'll tell you, even if you get caught on purpose just to get your head, there won't be a next time."
"I wouldn't do something like that!?"
"Well, he's always been reckless since back then... I mean, he was stopped this time too, but he still went after him anyway, right?"
"Guh"
"Fufu, you hit the nail on the head."
Robin laughs at Ace, who can't say anything back.
However, even an ace who moves forward stubbornly will draw a clear line.
In order to avoid causing any more trouble for Luffy or Whitebeard, he had no choice but to accept it.
"Phew, that was a meal."
"Okay? This is the adult who misbehaves."
"Yes! Thank you for the meal!"
"Thank you for the meal."
"...Thank you for the meal."
After lunch, Ace was lazily patting his stomach when Vivi told him this, and Oto and Adele clasped their hands together and greeted him properly.
Ace then clasped his hands together, looking somewhat embarrassed, and everyone chuckled.
"--Huh?"
"What's wrong...huh?"
"What is this presence..."
It was already dark and visibility was beginning to deteriorate.
He was using his Haki to keep an eye on his surroundings, but then he sensed something.
"what happened"
"...Something is coming this way at high speed."
"What do you mean...?"
"An enemy...!"
Luffy and Ace took their stances as they headed towards the Sunny, clearly with determination, while Tashigi picked up her sword which had been leaning against the deck.
With Makino and the others unable to fight behind him, Mikita concentrated on activating her powers immediately to prevent damage to the ship.
"Here it comes!"
"--You don't need to be so nervous."
It broke through the bubbles on the Sunny and landed on the deck, saying this without any hostility.
Luffy and Ace were startled by the familiar voice.
"you…!"
"Jinbe!"
"I'm so glad you made it this far."
It was Jinbe, who had gone ahead to act as a liaison with Whitebeard.
Mikita, who had seen their faces during the transport from Impel Down, also said, "Don't scare them," and everyone relaxed their guard.
Camie and Pappag, seeing Jinbe for the first time, were surprised and exclaimed, "Whaaaat, Boss Jinbe?!"
"I see, it seems there was no need for me to act as a guide."
"Yeah, but I'm glad we didn't miss each other."
Seeing the mermaid Camie, he realizes why the Sunny has come this far, contrary to his original plan.
Suddenly, he turned his attention to Nami and Nojiko.
Even though Tashigi and Robin had relaxed their stances, the two still seemed somewhat wary.
"...Hey, Adele. Do you want me to help you wash the dishes? It'll be time for dessert when you're done."
"Dessert!"
"do!"
"?"
"What?"
At the word "dessert," the two picked up their plates and headed to the dining room.
Makino followed after them - nodding slightly at Luffy before going back.
This was probably Makino's way of being considerate, to prevent the children from hearing what was about to happen.
Jinbe and Ace tilted their heads in confusion at the change in atmosphere.
"Are you Jinbe?"
"That certainly seems true... but what about you?"
"Nami of Cocoyashi Village"
"It's my sister Nojiko."
"!!"
Jinbe froze in his tracks at the name of the place.
Even Ace, who didn't know the circumstances, sensed that there was some connection between them.
"--I won't make any excuses. It's my fault that I couldn't stop Arlong from going out of control."
"Well, we don't want excuses. We just want to know."
"I've heard stories of the persecution of mermaids and fishmen on the Sabaody Archipelago. But... that makes me even more confused. Why was Arlong Park similar to Sabaody Park?"
Until now, the two of them had thought that the reason Arlong hated humans was because of racial discrimination.
However, they model their base after the very thing they detest: a building that closely resembles an amusement park made by humans.
There was something inconsistent about it, and I wondered if there was some other reason.
"--It's a rather long story from long ago."
From there, Jinbe began to talk about the racial barrier between humans and the monsters that has existed since ancient times.
They long for the real sun and suppress their longing for the earth as a danger.
Queen Otohime tried to change that.
We also heard from Hancock about the great event of the emancipation of slaves.
The formation of the Sun Pirates, the predecessor to Arlong's crew and the Fishman Pirates.
The encounter with a girl he meets and the farewell of his captain, Fisher Tiger.
The truth that Tiger was carrying and the hopes he entrusted to the future.
Aaron refused and sought revenge, which led to his imprisonment.
Meanwhile, he inherited Tiger's will and became one of the Seven Warlords, but since Arlong was a member of the Fishman Pirates, he was worried about being released as part of the amnesty.
"--Aaron is my younger brother. If anything had happened, I would have flown in immediately and stopped him... but he bribed the nearby navy with money, and the information never reached headquarters."
"You mean the branch colonel who goes by the name of Mouse?"
"I only found out about it after Arlong was defeated by the adventurer Monkey D. Luffy."
A short but long story from long ago.
Then Jinbe sat down, clasped his hands, placed them on the deck, and bowed his head.
"The responsibility is mine. I will accept any punishment."
"Stop."
He didn't mind being executed on the spot.
However, Nami interrupted him. Nojiko also looked as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
"We hate Aaron's gang, not you."
"It's true that it's been nine years... it's been tough, but I'm happy now."
With that, Nami and Nojiko stood next to Luffy, who had been listening in silence, and put their arms around him.
Luffy reached out and put his hands around their waists as if to hold them both close.
"I want to marry Luffy and live happily with everyone..."
"My life today isn't all bad."
"So don't apologize for our lives."
"...What...poor words...! ...I'm so grateful...!"
Jinbe must have felt guilty about what happened with Arlong as well.
He cried like a man when he heard the words of forgiveness from Nami and Nojiko, the victims.
Ace was moved to tears by this, and Camie, a mermaid of the same species, also cried, saying "That was great...!"
"What... Silvers Rayleigh...?!"
"He was a nice old man to us."
After that, they chatted about what had happened since they parted ways with Jinbe while drinking tea.
He was surprised to find himself in Moria's territory, but more than anything, he was stunned to hear that the right arm of a famous pirate king had been coated.
On the other hand, Whitebeard was in a slightly tense mood, but he headed to Fishman Island as usual.
"--But it's so dark. If it's this dark, won't we miss Fishman Island?"
"Hmm? Oh, that's nothing to worry about. The waters around Fishman Island are incredibly bright."
"What? It's 10,000 kilometers deep in the ocean?"
Vivi wondered why it was still so bright even though the light had completely stopped reaching them at a distance of several thousand meters.
Just as Jinbe was about to begin to explain, "Well...", Camie, who was watching the deep-sea fish with the children, called out, "Everyone!"
"We're almost at the final downdraft!"
"Hmm?... Oh, you've come this far already."
Jinbe also looked around and was surprised that he had made it this far.
We have fallen through downward plumes several times so far, but the impact is so great that Kaya and Bibi's vestibular canals are damaged and they end up a little knocked down.
The children went to their cabins to avoid being thrown overboard immediately, while the other crew members braced for the impact.
"It's about 10 seconds downstream."
"Everyone, grab it tight!"
Then the Sunny plunged into the final downward current.
The ship was falling—but the surroundings were gradually becoming brighter.
"Light on the ocean floor like this...?!"
"Oh, we've arrived."
10,000 meters below the sea, commonly known as the Deep
With no buoyancy, the Sunny fell to the ocean floor and landed.
Fortunately, no one was injured and when they looked up, the rocking stopped and the children in the cabin came out and were captivated by the sight.
"Right above here are the roots of a tree called the Sun Tree, Eve. This tree grows from the ground and absorbs light, allowing its roots to glow even deep under the sea. Unfortunately, the exact principles and mechanisms behind this have not been fully explained, but it is thanks to this tree that this island is illuminated."
"Oh, ohhhh!"
Two spheres in the light, with marine creatures and sea creatures swimming leisurely around them.
It was a very mysterious place, literally a paradise under the sea.
"We've arrived at our home town - Fishman Island!"
"See you next time!"
"The clams were delicious!"
They entered the entrance to Fishman Island and docked the ship at the harbor.
The tour was over, and from here on out, Camie and Pappag, who were outsiders and had business to attend to with the adventure team, waved goodbye and left.
"So, where will the delivery take place?"
After changing Ace's appearance and Robin's gender, everyone left the ship.
Oto's eyes sparkle as she looks at the town of mermaids and fishmen, and she looks as if she is about to run off, but Uta holds her, saying, "Don't get lost."
"They should be coming to pick me up soon..."
"Pick me up?"
"--Jinbei-sama."
Suddenly, several armed mermaids appeared.
Tashigi instinctively reached for her sword, but Jinbe looked at her and said, "Here he comes."
"Who is it?"
"Don't worry. The Neptune Army... the regular army here will come and pick you up."
"I have received royal orders from King Neptune to provide a courteous tour."
The mermaid at the front who seemed to be the captain said this and saluted.
Then several mermaids moved around the Sunny as if to guard it.
"We'll take care of the boat. Please come this way."
Guided by the Neptune army, they board a ship pulled by a giant oarfish.
The car was spacious enough for everyone to ride in, and Oto was excitedly peeking out the window.
"Jinbe. I said I wanted you to find a place on Fishman Island where no one could see us, but where are you going?"
The plan was to hand it over in an even more secluded location on Fishman Island, where the presence of humans would be conspicuous.
However, since Whitebeard knew more about Fishman Island than Luffy, he left the preparations in his hands, so he did not know its location.
"The Dragon Palace."
"Huh?"
"Dragon Palace?!"
"Is that the one that often appears in fairy tales?"
It's like the royal palace of Fishman Island, which often appears in stories about the sea.
It is also a place where rumors of mermaids and other species reach the eastern seas, and are passed down as various fantasies.
"Even within Ryugu-jo, there is a room that even soldiers cannot approach. The people who came to pick us up are veteran soldiers and highly trusted, but there are also some loose-lipped newcomers in the castle, and only certain soldiers and members of the royal family are allowed to enter that room."
"Could it be a treasure vault?!"
Nami, her eyes turning into berries, must have imagined gold, silver, and treasures.
In response to this exchange, Nojiko made a rare remark, saying, "Stop it, that's indecent," which made Jinbe laugh a little funny, but he also looked uncomfortable.
"Speaking of treasure, it is definitely treasure. That room is called the Crustacean Tower, and it is a room that will not budge even if a cannon is fired at it. It was once used as a treasure house, but now it is used as the room of Princess Shirahoshi."
"The treasure vault in the princess's room...?"
It may be considered overprotective, but it is strange that they would go to the trouble of doing something like that in a room that was previously used as a treasure house.
However, there certainly wouldn't be any soldiers or maids listening in to the royal family's private quarters.
"Mom! Dad! Look! What an amazing castle!"
"Wow...amazing..."
Oto, who was looking outside, urged me to look out the window, and I saw the impressive palace.
I had been inside the Alubarna Palace before, but because Alabasta is a country of sand, the structure was crude, designed to protect it from sandstorms and collect rainwater, but this palace was very delicate and beautifully constructed.
Eventually, we passed through the gate and disembarked, where soldiers were lined up and saluting.
In the center, a mermaid stepped forward.
"Everyone in Luffy's adventure team. I've been waiting for you. I am Prince Fukaboshi of the Ryugu Kingdom."
"I would like to greet you on behalf of the entire team. I am Monkey D. Luffy, captain of the Adventure Squad. I would like to express my gratitude for inviting my squad."
"I heard this story from my father, Neptune. Come this way."
Luffy and his friends proceed through Ryugu-jo Palace with Fukaboshi as their guide.
Deep inside the castle, as the place became less crowded, something strange began to appear.
"What is this?"
"An axe...a spear? That's a knife."
"There are swords too."
A tower with various weapons stuck in it came into view.
"This is the Shell Tower."
"Wait a minute! Isn't the Shell Tower the princess's room?!"
As Nami said, the crustacean tower should be Princess Shirahoshi's room.
Yet the place has an intimidating appearance, more like an air-raid shelter or a fortress.
Luffy also remembered the gloomy look on Jinbe's face when he explained it to him earlier.
"Is that princess being targeted by someone?"
"...Yes. There is a Devil Fruit called the Mato Mato Fruit, which allows any object thrown to follow the person it touches. It seems that the pirate Vander Decken IX, who possesses this ability, had touched the princess somewhere, and for the past eight years, he had been throwing letters and such, which gradually turned into knives, spears, swords, and axes."
"What a bad stalker."
Indeed, it is inevitable that the former treasure house will be used as the princess's room.
However, perhaps because the scoundrels were still running wild, Fukaboshi's grip on his spear had tightened a little.
"Father! I've brought him here!"
"Yes, you can come in!"
The door opens heavily.
When they all went inside, they saw a mermaid bigger than the large Jinbe, and a human about the same size.
There were many men and two mermaids, one of whom was very large.
"Dad...!"
"...Gurarara, you've changed your image quite a bit since I last saw you."
"Ah, [Return]"
When they removed the tag that had been attached, those around him saw that Ace's appearance had changed from a man who looked very similar to Luffy to the person they were familiar with.
The men gasped and exclaimed, "Ace...!" and "Are you safe?", delighted to see him.
"Ace"
"Oya"
"Teeth, grit your teeth."
"Gobow!?"
Whitebeard punched Ace as hard as he could as he walked towards him.
The fist, which should not have been imbued with Haki, hit Ace accurately and crashed into the inner wall of the crustacean tower.
The mermaid and the children screamed in fear, "Ahhh!!" but the adults just watched in silence.
"Huh... I don't have any Haki..."
"Gurarara, you can punch a brat without using your Haki, you idiot."
"Huh!"
Whitebeard stood there, looking down at Ace, who was shocked at the damage.
Ace sat down and looked away, looking a little embarrassed.
Whitebeard stroked his head with his large hand.
"I'm glad you came back, idiot son."
Okay, so that covers the story up to Ace's handover at Fishman Island.
Honestly, I was planning to post a few short stories after Luffy's wedding, but I didn't think rescuing Ace would become a whole chapter...
Rayleigh's remark just before departure was actually supposed to be said when he and Makino had sex, but I cut it out and it ended up here.
To be honest, even though he predicted Ace's danger from his request to Garp, I'm not sure how far he predicted the pregnant women hunt.
Then there's Teach's imprisonment, which was briefly mentioned.
As I mentioned before, Teach's target was the Level 6 criminals, and if Luffy's rioting hadn't been enough to free Shiryu, he would have been taken by Magellan, so he was captured. Then there 's
the reunion with Jinbe.
Regarding this, I thought it was odd that he was waiting for them to leave Fishman Island when he'd promised to show them to Sabaody Archipelago, and I almost missed him.
From there, there's a flashback to a past incident that occurred in the story.
If Jinbe and Nami (and Nojiko) were to encounter each other, I had no choice but to do it.
As explained in the story, Fishman Island was the ideal location for the transfer, as it was "a place that would be hard for the Marines to notice."
Even if it were discovered that the Whitebeard Pirates and Luffy's expedition team were present, there would be no evidence that Ace was handed over there, and the longer we wait to discover it, the less likely it would be possible.
I actually considered doing it in the Sea Forest or somewhere like that, but if we were to create a story with Shirahoshi in the future, we needed a connection point...the details are still undecided.
Now, let me talk about what's to come.
I've given a similar explanation and development before, but circumstances have changed slightly, and the main story will conclude next episode.
The first reason is that this group's fighting power is overwhelmingly insufficient.
Not only is there a small number of fighters, but their training is also significantly inferior to that of the Straw Hat Pirates two years later.
Therefore, I will be switching the order of the next story to [END. Salvation of the Red Light District], which I posted as the ending, with the story ending "ending their journey at Fishman Island and traveling to Elegia."
However, personally, I would also like to create stories set in the New World and the movie.
To that end, I plan to post spinoffs that completely ignore the timeline, developments, and connections between events.
For example, I might cut out all the battle scenes and just write a prologue that reads "The day after they successfully opened up Wano Country." Even though they would never have been able to defeat the Beast Pirates, if they did, I might cut out the entire journey and simply say, "They landed on Whole Cake Island."
Also, the story might unfold in completely different ways, such as "forming an alliance with the Don Quixote Family" and "liberating Dressrosa." Well
, you can think of it as a parallel setting, like the movie.
I plan to post short stories like this from now on.