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First, Ace searched everywhere for the God-Emperor Hikaru, but his efforts were in vain. With no other choice, he returned to the Whitebeard Pirates.
Not long after, tragedy struck. During a clash with another pirate crew, Marshall D. Teach committed the unthinkable—he killed Thatch, the captain of the 4th Division, just to steal a Devil Fruit.
After fleeing from the Whitebeard Pirates, Teach began calling himself "Blackbeard," a name that was nothing short of a direct challenge to Whitebeard himself.
Among the Whitebeard Pirates, there's only one absolute rule: never kill your crewmates.
Teach had crossed a line that could never be forgiven.
When Ace learned the truth, he ignored Whitebeard's warnings and set out to hunt Blackbeard down.
But what worries him most now is this—between him and Blackbeard, who is truly the hunter, and who is the prey?
Namur's death came without warning. Ace had sensed it the moment his life card began to burn… but by then, it was already too late.
He didn't know if Jinbe, who had been traveling with Namur, was aware of what had happened. He needed to find out.
…
Fish-Man Island – Coral Hill.
The night was beautiful, but the mermaids' playful whispers were even more intoxicating.
Hikaru and Shirahoshi returned to Madam Shyarly's private manor. The moment they stepped inside, they were warmly "welcomed" by the likes of Shiki, Sera, and Mero—charming mermaids with bright smiles.
This royal treatment reminded Hikaru of being back at the Sky Island Shrine, embraced by Nami, Robin, Perona, and the other goddesses.
After a round of cheerful laughter, they all gathered in the grand hall on the first floor to continue their fun.
When the mermaids heard that Shyarly had told Hikaru about the mermaid tribe back at the Mermaid Café, they eagerly urged her to share more.
Unable to resist their pleading eyes, Shyarly reluctantly opened her box and passed its contents to them.
Hikaru lay comfortably against Shirahoshi, listening with great interest. Meanwhile, Shirahoshi's expression was full of shock—as if everything she once believed had just been turned upside down.
They all learned some surprising facts. For example, mermaids are part of the human species and are mammals—they give birth to live young. Which means… Hikaru could have children with these beautiful mermaids.
Their children could be human boys, fish-men boys, human girls, or mermaid girls—but not mermen. Mermen can only be born from unions between fish-men and other races.
They even learned about mermaid biology—not just how they function, but their entire body structure.
While their upper bodies are just like humans, their lower halves are completely different. On their graceful fish tails lies a realm of… indescribable knowledge.
To put it simply—Hikaru could father their children even before their fish tails transformed into legs~
Of course, after turning 30, mermaids naturally gain the ability to switch between legs and tails at will. It's a trait Granny Kokoro once used to help the Straw Hat crew escape danger.
Hikaru, now armed with all this knowledge, suddenly had a daring thought… Could humans transform into mermaids using Devil Fruits, bloodline factors, or some other means?
Huh? You think that wasn't the bold idea he had? How could that be! Don't jump to conclusions~
But as a god with noble character, he quickly brushed away the thought with a calm smile.
He took one last look at the wide-eyed Shirahoshi, her face flushed with embarrassment and helplessness. With a soft chuckle, he let his mind drift, falling into sweet dreams.
…
The next morning, Hikaru felt a tickling sensation on his nose. He wrinkled it, but the itch only grew stronger. Frowning, he slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was Mero's soft fishtail and her pretty, mischievous face. Well done, Mero! Playing tricks on me this early in the morning?
As he sat up, he realized the mermaids had all gathered around him, giggling and playfully wrestling with one another. Shirahoshi stood nearby with her head lowered, sneaking glances at him with eager eyes, while Shyarly calmly sipped fragrant hot tea from a distance.
"Lord Hikaru, His Majesty King Neptune will soon summon the people. It's time to get up and have breakfast~" Shiki's gentle, noble voice lifted Hikaru's spirits.
He nodded, bounced off the trampoline, and leapt onto the dining table in the center of the hall—prompting a surprised squeal from Shirahoshi.
Before he could say a word, the mermaids excitedly surrounded him, offering him all sorts of exquisite cakes and treats.
Sera and Sora, being closest to the table, took their seats on either side of him with proud, smug expressions—much to the annoyance of the other mermaids, who pouted and rolled their eyes.
After enjoying a hearty meal and some tea, the mermaids dressed Hikaru in a pristine white dragon robe embroidered with golden threads and fish-scale patterns—replacing the one damaged in the previous battle.
Floating up to Shirahoshi's rosy face, Hikaru smiled softly. "Shirahoshi, just stay here and play with your mermaid sisters. I'll be back soon."
"Yes! My dear husband!" she answered, blushing furiously the moment the words left her mouth.
Since returning the day before, Shirahoshi had barely spoken, worried that the other mermaids would laugh at her for calling Hikaru "my dear husband."
As expected, the mermaid sisters looked at her with teasing expressions—or at least, that's how Shirahoshi imagined it. Ugh~ I really want to crawl back into bed and hide~
Hikaru didn't pry into her thoughts. Even if he had sensed them, he wouldn't have said a word. One must learn to grow a thick skin and not be swayed by others' opinions.
He smiled knowingly, leaned in, and gently kissed Shirahoshi on the forehead. Then, he turned and walked toward Shyarly. To his surprise, Shirahoshi's face turned even redder—steam practically rising from her cheeks.
She awkwardly swished her tail and mumbled to herself, "When will I be able to stay calm like my husband in front of so many people~"
"Let's go, Lady Shyarly. As a great prophet, it's time for you to share the future of Fish-Man Island with its people." Hikaru extended his right hand, inviting her to come with him.
Shyarly nodded gently and, under the watchful eyes of the mermaids, hooked her arm around his.
Hikaru didn't mind her reserved demeanor. With a graceful movement, he took her outside the manor. A flying carpet appeared, and the two soared toward Concorde Plaza.
As they flew, Hikaru extended his Observation Haki, sweeping across the island.
Jinbe and the Sun Pirates hadn't left. They, too, had come to Concorde Plaza to await his arrival. It seemed Hikaru had made the right decision after all.
But something caught his eye—Jinbe was carrying a sword on his back. Odd. He had never seen Jinbe use a sword in One Piece…
[After a long night, Jinbe and the Sun Pirates had wiped out all the invading pirates on Fish-Man Island.]
While flying, Hikaru gently stroked Shyarly's shark tail, his thoughts drifting to the mermaids and their love for him.
This kind of warmth—pure affection that transcends race and form—was intoxicating and deeply moving.