After their conversation with Enrod and Galan, the White Mane Pirates officially became a subordinate crew of the Chris Pirates.
No one from either side objected, in fact, they threw a grand banquet that evening. Even Jinbe, Neptune, and the three royal princes of Ryugu Kingdom joined the festivities.
The Aeridar crew spent the next two days enjoying themselves on Fish-Man Island.
Of course, they also met Princess Shirahoshi, the "Mermaid Princess" known as the Sea King.
Still just a little girl, her adorable presence nearly melted the hearts of the Chris Pirates' senior officers. Arlan even joked about becoming her sworn guardian knight and never leaving Fish-Man Island for the rest of his life.
And when they learned that Vander Decken IX had been threatening Shirahoshi with the powers of the Mark-Mark Fruit, the officers' blood boiled, they wanted nothing more than to find the creep and rip him to shreds.
Unfortunately, Vander Decken IX had gone into hiding. Try as they might, no one could track him down, and they were forced to let the matter drop for now.
But there was one truth that Aeridar kept to himself: that Shirahoshi was none other than Poseidon, one of the Three Ancient Weapons.
He didn't knowledge with Jinbe or Neptune.
Right now, Shirahoshi was too young, too unready to wield her power. It was better to pretend ignorance, build a good relationship, and wait.
When the day came that the power of Poseidon was truly needed, the Chris Pirates wouldn't find themselves turned away.
And so, during their stay, Aeridar and his officers accompanied Shirahoshi on excursions across the island, visiting all the famous sights of Fish-Man Island. They even made a rubbing of the Poneglyph in the Sea Forest and took it with them.
With the protection of the Chris Pirates, Vander Decken's attacks posed no threat, any object hurled their way was effortlessly intercepted.
It was a pity they couldn't take Shirahoshi with them. Neptune and Jinbe would never agree, and truthfully, Shirahoshi herself wouldn't want to leave either.
After two days of laughter and exploration, the time finally came for them to leave.
Before departing, the officers piled Shirahoshi with gifts, a literal mountain of presents. The little princess's cheerful giggles echoed through the palace.
But when the moment of farewell arrived, Shirahoshi burst into tears, loud, heart-wrenching sobs that tugged at everyone's hearts. Even Aeridar and his seasoned officers nearly turned back right then and there.
But in the end, they set sail. The White Mane Pirates, now their allies, left with them, heading together into the New World.
The calm sea suddenly began to churn. Schools of fish scattered in panic as enormous black shapes stirred beneath the surface. Something huge was rising from the ocean depths.
One after another, massive coated ships broke the surface, water cascading from their hulls as they emerged. The towering fleet exuded overwhelming pressure.
Each ship flew the same jolly roger, skull and crossbones with a unique emblem.
"Ha ha ha—! We've finally made it to the New World!" Aeridar stood on the wolf-head prow, wind whipping through his coat as he looked up at the endless blue sky and rolling clouds.
"The domain of the Four Emperors... the sea where the greatest pirates roam... this is where our legend begins." Arlan's handsome face twisted into a feral grin.
"They call it the 'Strongest Sea'... there must be countless swordsmen worth crossing blades with." Oliver, usually so languid, now stood sharp-eyed, a fierce aura of sword intent radiating from his body, enough to make skin crawl.
"The strongest ingredients in the Strongest Sea... I wonder if All Blue lies somewhere here." Gorbo's eyes burned with passion, ready to hunt for culinary legends.
All around the ship, the crew buzzed with excitement. Officers and sailors stood at the rails, scanning the horizon, shouting out their dreams to the sea. Others wondered what truly set the New World apart from the seas they had already conquered.
A few nautical miles away...
A massive Marine warship sat on the surface, unmoved by the tide. Waves lapped at its hull, the ship rising and falling gently with the current.
In the crow's nest, a Marine lookout scanned the distance through a telescope. Suddenly, his eyes widened in alarm.
"Pirates... pirate fleet spotted at 9 o'clock!"
His voice rang out from the loudspeaker beneath the mast, shrill with tension.
Immediately, the entire ship snapped to action. Sailors dashed across the deck, some grabbing rifles, others uncovering the cannons. But there was no chaos, everyone knew their role.
This was the New World Navy. No surprise they were different, these weren't rookies. They were hardened veterans, seasoned by a thousand battles.
And that made sense. After all, this was the New World, called the "Strongest Sea" for a reason.
The Four Emperors ruled this territory, and below them roamed a swarm of infamous pirates, the so-called silver-tier giants of the sea. It was a place crawling with monsters.
If a Marine unit was stationed here, it had to be top-tier.
Otherwise, how would they survive against the sheer brutality of these pirate crews?
For a new recruit in the New World, there were only three paths: rise to become elite, die trying, or lose your mind and get sent back. There weren't many other options.
"Oi! Get me visual, what pirate crew is that?" barked a middle-aged Marine officer in a gray suit, justice coat draped over his shoulders. His voice snapped through the den-den mushi line, sharp and commanding.
The call went to the lookout tower. Moments later, the observer responded, "Rear Admiral, sir! It's the Chris Pirates. Part of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, under Aeridar-sama."
The Rear Admiral exhaled slowly in relief. "Good. At least it's one of ours."
He was familiar with Warlord vessels. Lately, ships from the Donquixote Pirates had been passing by frequently. Word was that Donquixote Doflamingo had become king of Dressrosa and was pouring resources into nation-building.
But then, another call came through.
"Wait—sir! There's another ship!"
The Rear Admiral's body stiffened again. "Nani? What's going on now?"
"We've identified the flag... It's the White Mane Pirates! They were part of that pirate alliance defeated not long ago by the Garfield Pirates!"
"The White Mane Pirates, huh...?" The Rear Admiral furrowed his brow, then nodded with a sigh. "Most likely they've become a subordinate crew. That would explain it."
There were no sounds of cannon fire, no battle stations being called, and that told him enough. Still, he didn't let his guard down.
"Maintain Second-Level Combat Readiness across the fleet," he ordered. "And relay word of the Chris Pirates' arrival in the New World to both the Grand Expeditionary Fleet and Marine HQ."
Pirates were still pirates, even if they held the title of Warlord. Who could predict what one of those eccentric, volatile captains would do when spotting a Navy ship?
Precaution was the only wise course.
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