Chapter 417 - 256

Chapter 257: Shyarly's Prophecy, Neptune's Powerlessness!Outside Fish-Man Island, in a dark trench where light cannot reach.A ghost ship, dilapidated like a skeleton and entwined with decaying seaweed and resentment, floated silently.Inside the cabin, Van der Decken IX was falling into a vortex of madness."Still nothing... not a single reply..."He jerked his head up, his eyes bloodshot under his messy hair, flashing with a morbidly fanatical light."Ah... Shirahoshi! My Shirahoshi!"He opened his arms and roared at the void, his voice echoing in the empty cabin like the cry of an owl,"You are the treasure nurtured by the deep sea! The only light in this dark world! We were meant to be a match made in heaven! Can't you feel the resonance of our souls?!"He clutched his heart in feigned agony, chanting in a distorted tone:"I love you so passionately, every day and every moment! This love is deeper than the ocean abyss, more turbulent than the ocean currents!"Suddenly, his expression changed abruptly; the tenderness vanished, leaving only the ferocity and paranoia forged by a long wait."Ten years! Ten whole years!! And yet you won't even spare me a single word!"His voice became shrill, mixed with resentment and a crazed possessiveness,"I absolutely won't allow it! I won't allow any man to get close to you, to covet you! No one!""A union of mutual love is of course the most beautiful... but if you still refuse to come to my side... if you dare step out of the Hard-Shell Towerand escape my 'protection'...""Then, my dear... there are only two endings for you: become my bride and share this eternal deep sea with me..."His gaze turned completely cold,"Or... die.""This is the final and only 'mercy' and 'love' I give to you, Shirahoshi!"The frantic monologue ended, and he suddenly turned to the shadows of the cabin, hissing an order:"Wadatsumi! Stop dazing around like an idiot! Move, we're going to the noah! It's time!""Yes! Captain Decken!!"In the shadows, a huge, clumsy figure with a very disproportionately large head quickly responded.Seemingly to show his enthusiasm, he turned and punched the innocent lanternfish next to him, which was using the glowing organ on its head for illumination."Hurry up and light the way! You useless glowing sack!"The lanternfish was hit so hard it saw stars, and the small lantern on its head shook violently in fear, but it dared not speak out, only emitting a weak light in grievance to illuminate the murky seawater ahead... Deep within Ryugu Palace, inside the Hard-Shell Tower's sleeping quarters, which were too vast to be called a room.Shirahoshi's massive body leaned forward slightly, her blue eyes as clear as the purest seawater.She looked back and forth between the treasured, somewhat wrinkled bounty poster on the table and the living Luffy before her."It... it really is Lord Luffy!"She finally confirmed, her voice filled with unconcealed joy. The tip of her pink tail wagged unconsciously, splashing a small patch of gentle water,"Although... although the hair in the picture is white, which is different from now!""So, why exactly do you know me?"Luffy scratched the back of his head, still looking confused."Because Father said that Lord Luffy is the great hero of Fish-Man Island, the'savior' who saved everyone!"Shirahoshi's eyes sparkled, filled with pure admiration,"And Megalo, when he went out, he also told me that in many places on the island, you can see Lord Luffy's portraits and statues!"She became happier as she spoke, her huge pink fish tail swaying lightheartedly in mid-air.Her exquisite face was filled with worldly innocence and unreserved admiration for the "hero.""Uh... I see."Luffy was a bit dazed by what he heard, but thinking it sounded about right, he stopped dwelling on the matter.His attention was quickly drawn to the mountain of exquisite food piled in the corner of the room."Then I won't be polite!"He dashed over, grabbed a piece of roasted leg meat from an unknown sea beast, and began to devour it."Gya~ Gya~!!"The shark Megalo, who had been curled up nearby napping, was awakened by the aroma and movement of the food. Seeing it was Luffy, he immediately wagged his tail happily and swam over, affectionately nuzzling him with his nose."Yo, big shark!"Luffy's mouth was stuffed full as he greeted him vaguely, but his arms protectively encircled more food,"Although I'm happy you're greeting me, all of this is mine! No stealing!""Eh?"Shirahoshi was surprised and gently covered her lips with her slender fingers,"Lord Luffy can also understand Megalo's speech?"Her cheeks flushed slightly, seemingly a bit excited to have discovered another special trait of her "idol,""It's the first time I've known a human could converse with marine life like this!"As she spoke, she couldn't help her curiosity and carefully extended a finger, gently poking Luffy's round, balloon-like belly."Puh—"Luffy was poked into a hiccup and rolled his eyes,"Hey! That's rude!""I-I'm sorry!"Shirahoshi quickly withdrew her hand like a child who had done something wrong, but the curiosity and closeness in her eyes only increased.She lowered her head slightly, looking at Luffyexpectantly with her moist blue eyes, and requested softly:"Lord Luffy... can you talk with me for a bit? I'm really boring being here all by myself.""I heard Lord Luffy is a very powerful figure in the outside world, so you must have experienced many, many interesting and thrilling things, right?"Luffy just happened to swallow the last bite of meat and casually wiped his greasy mouth.Looking at the giant princess trapped in the tower with eyes full of longing for the outside world, he patted his solid chest."Alright! Being cooped up alone definitely causes problems!"He readily agreed, his eyes lighting up with the interest of telling a story.When it came to storytelling, besides that bragging king Usopp, he was confident he wouldn't lose to anyone!"That's wonderful!!!"Shirahoshi instantly broke into an incredibly bright smile, as if the entire sleeping chamber had brightened up.She happily reached out her hands and gently cupped Luffy to her chest.For her, who had faced four walls alone for years, the joy of having a partner to talk to and share stories with was simple yet immense.Not to mention, this partner was the "hero" Lord Luffy whom she had admired for a long time!...In the banquet hall of Ryugu Palace, the lingering excitement of the festivities still drifted in the air and among the cups and plates."Hmm? Where did brother Luffy go?"Jinbe put down his wine cup, his gaze sweeping through the noisy crowd, but he didn't see that familiar straw hat."Luffy said he felt a bit dizzy and went out to get some fresh air and sober up."Uta replied softly, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the rim of her wine cup, a ripple unnoticeable to others passing through her purple eyes.On the other side, Yamato was still battling a mountain of roasted Sea King meat. Her massive appetite had once been privately marveled at by Sanji as "a stomach from another dimension, second only to the Captain's."Meanwhile, Zoro was lying flat on the soft coral carpet, snoring evenly, with a transparent bubble even expanding and shrinking at the tip of his nose with each breath.Just then, a slightly hurried commotion came from the entrance of the hall."Let me in!"A cold female voice with an unquestionable tone pierced through the noise of the banquet."Ma-Madam Shyarly, please wait! A state banquet is being held inside, there are important guests..."The guard's voice sounded somewhat flustered and troubled.The obstruction was clearly futile.The door was pushed open by a steady force, and a figure appeared before everyone's eyes.The newcomer was a mature and cold mermaid.A deep purple hooded top wrapped around her well-proportioned figure. The shadow of the hood and her naturally falling short black hair just happened to cover the right half of her face, but it made the clear lines of her exposed left face stand out more. Her skin was the pale color characteristic of deep-sea residents.Her eyes were a sharp icy blue, and her slightly exposed fangs added a touch of mystery to her.She radiated a steadiness from having weathered many storms, along with the profound aura of a fortuneteller who could see into fate."Shyarly?! Why have you come here so suddenly?"King Neptune and Jinbe stood up almost at the same time, their faces filled with surprise.They knew well that this mermaid was no ordinary person; her weight was far heavier than her appearance suggested.She was the fortuneteller known to everyone on Fish-Man Island.Her prophetic ability was so terrifying that it had already surpassed the realm of "accuracy" and was almost like a law.At the age of three, she had seen Neptune's unborn daughter, Shirahoshi, in the mist of her crystal ball, who would become the legendary "Poseidon" capable of commanding Sea Kings;At the age of four, she predicted the surge of the "Great Pirate Era"... So far, all her divinations and prophecies had a suffocating 100% realization rate.Her sudden visit at this moment caused Neptuneand Jinbe's hearts to sink simultaneously, an ominous premonition spreading like a cold ocean current.Madam Shyarly did not respond to their questions. Her icy blue eyes scanned the hall, finally settling on the members of the Straw Hat crew.She took a deep breath, as if to suppress some intense emotion. Her voice was like undersea glaciers rubbing against each other, reaching everyone's ears clearly and coldly:"Just now... my crystal ball showed me a vision."She paused, each word like a heavy lead weight dropping into the hall where silence had suddenly descended:"In the near future... Straw Hat Monkey D. Luffywill personally destroy the entire Fish-Man Island!!!"Dead silence.The music stopped, conversations broke off, and even Yamato's chewing motion froze instantly.The warmth of the banquet was instantly sucked dry by these words, and the air seemed to freeze into solid ice.Uta suddenly turned her head, her purple pupils locking onto Madam Shyarly, with unreadable undercurrents surging in the depths of her eyes.Yamato put down the giant bone in her hand, her originally cheerful expression becoming serious, her gaze burning.Even Zoro, who seemed dead drunk on the floor, quietly opened a thin slit in his right eye."Impossible!"Jinbe's deep voice was the first to break the silence. His broad chest heaved violently, showing the stormy waves within him,"Brother Luffy would never do such a thing!"If anyone else had dared to make such a prophecy, Jinbe would have just scoffed at it.But the one who said this was Madam Shyarly... that 100% prophecy accuracy rate gripped his throat like the pressure of the deepest sea."Your-Your Majesty... this..."The Left Minister's face turned pale as he leaned toward Neptune's ear, asking for instructions in a trembling voice.Neptune's massive body was also stiff from shock.Unlike Jinbe's emotional resistance, based on his absolute recognition of Madam Shyarly's ability, his rationality almost immediately leaned toward believing this terrible prophecy.However, the King's gaze swept over the members of the Straw Hat Pirates in the hall.Their reactions, their power, and the significance they represented... He slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, there was a decision in his eyes.Behind that decision lay a deep-seated fear belonging to the weak, one that he himself was unwilling to admit."Shyarly,"Neptune's voice regained its loudness, but with a deliberately maintained steadiness,"I think this time... your crystal ball must have made a mistake."Without waiting for Madam Shyarly to react from her astonishment, he ordered in a deep voice:"Someone, escort Madam Shyarly back to rest. The banquet continues!"Madam Shyarly looked up in disbelief, Neptune's complex expression reflected in her icy blue eyes.She clearly saw in it... terror.That was completely different from the arrogance Hody Jones had due to ignorance.Neptune was an old man who had witnessed the world-shaking might of Gol D. Roger and Edward Newgate; he deeply understood the vastness and terror of this sea and knew what kind of power those truly at the top possessed.The Straw Hat Pirates were already an existence that Fish-Man Island could not simply question or "deal with."Even with a doomsday prophecy hanging over his head, Neptune didn't dare, nor did he have the confidence, to fall out with an Emperor of the New World.The initiative, from beginning to end, was never in the hands of Fish-Man Island.The powerlessness and chill brought by this realization made this King feel a bone-chilling cold more than any prophecy.