The raging seawater instantly destroyed the remaining Gold Bubbles, directly enveloping the entire ship.
Naomi was slammed against the gunwale by the force of the water, then flung back onto the deck.
But even though she was battered and dizzy, she still clearly remembered Kalifa's last words before the sea engulfed them.
That long tail she had once disliked had now become the last hope of survival for the three people on board.
No matter how painful the relentless tossing was, she never loosened her grip coiled around the two of them.
'Cannot... give up!'
'No!'
Within the terrifying waterspout, both the Emeralda and the other pirate ships were like insignificant toys, cruelly toyed with by the sea, that 'malicious child'.
Some of the fully wooden ships lasted only a dozen seconds before being completely torn apart by the current.
Even the Emeralda, under that terrifying force, was twisted and deformed in various ways.
Especially the crack that had already appeared in the stern… it now became the last straw that broke the camel's back.
The Emeralda was indeed very resilient, having survived unscathed even within the stomach acid of the Great Lantern Fish.
But it was still only a medium-sized warship. In the face of this 'cataclysm', the Emeralda was no different from an ordinary small boat.
Here, one must truly thank Orochimaru for his generously provided human modification project.
Even within the turbulent current, Naomi could remain conscious.
The air stored in her body could last a long time, and moreover, even after falling into the seawater, the characteristics of a 'sea snake' allowed her to breathe slowly through her skin.
Kalifa had now completely fallen unconscious, and Cavendish was useless. Naomi could only struggle on with difficulty.
However, that horrible waterspout showed no signs of diminishing… instead, it grew larger with each passing moment.
'I can't hold on much longer!'
Even though her snake transformation had greatly enhanced Naomi's physical resilience and strength, she was still far too insignificant compared to the ocean current.
Naomi felt her tail growing numb, gradually losing its strength.
So, with a resolute heart, she manually tied her tail into a knot.
'This... should buy a little more time...'
Bam!
Just as Naomi thought this, a gigantic steel object, appearing from who knows where, directly collided with the three of them.
Naomi lost consciousness instantly.
And that steel object that struck them was none other than the super submarine produced on Egghead Island, boasting technology leading the world by five hundred years.
The submarine's hull was not cast from ordinary steel alone… it was alloyed with various special metals.
Because of the material's hardness, even under this impact force, it only sustained a shallow dent.
One could say that Vegapunk had put considerable effort into this submarine, even equipping it with many microscopic robots invisible to the naked eye.
For instance, now those microscopic robots appeared at the location of the dent and began actively repairing it.
Even within the raging, violent current, the submarine remained perfectly stable.
The impact sound quickly attracted the attention of others inside the submarine.
"What is it, Medusa?"
Stussy, holding the just-fallen-asleep Adam, walked into the cockpit.
The submarine was even equipped with an independent gravity generation device, ensuring that those inside would not lose their balance due to external forces at any time.
"Based on the flag analysis of the surrounding ships, they appear to be pirates who fell into the sea, Stussy-sama."
Medusa glanced at the display screen and then reported to Stussy.
"They are lodged in a dent on the submarine's surface—"
Medusa's words were abruptly interrupted by Stussy.
"Bring them in."
Stussy looked at a familiar face among the three, her gaze shifting slightly, before finally issuing the command.
"Stussy-sama? Opening the hatch in these conditions could pose a danger to you and the Lord... and to Adam-sama."
Medusa had instinctively wanted to call Adam 'Lord', but considering the command of Mother Stussy, she changed her address.
"Go ahead and do it... I will protect Adam. Rescue them, Medusa."
"Yes!"
Ultimately, orders took precedence. Although Medusa did not want Adam to face this risk, she still chose to obey Stussy's words.
A pair of specially designed mechanical arms extended from the submarine's side, forcefully enduring the current's impact to reach Naomi and the other two.
Then, the giant claws on the mechanical arms gripped and secured the three, pulling them back.
As the hatch opened, raging seawater rushed inward in a torrent.
Fortunately, Dr. Vegapunk had apparently considered such a scenario and specially built a double-door system.
After sealing the outer door, the seawater between the two doors was drained, and only then was the inner door opened.
The three lay weakly on the cold metal floor like fish hauled ashore.
"Long time no see... Kalifa."
Stussy, holding her son, crouched down and gently brushed the wet hair from Kalifa's forehead, looking at the familiar face and sighing emotionally.
Since parting ways just before the Summit War, this was the first time she had seen her former colleague.
"Medusa, take them to the medical room."
"Yes, Stussy-sama."
The small Medusa possessed strength far exceeding that of an ordinary person. Dragging Naomi by the tail with one hand, she simply hauled the three into the submarine's specially equipped medical room.
After throwing them all onto the treatment beds, Medusa paid them no further attention.
None of the three had obvious external injuries; at most, they had suffered from the impact and drowning. Such minor issues would be handled by the treatment bed's automatic machinery.
Stussy's gaze swept over the three, lingering back and forth between Cavendish and Kalifa.
"Kalifa, the matters that dragged you into this... and this New World's Pirate Prince..."
She murmured to herself.
Originally, this submarine had been cruising smoothly in the deep sea. Unexpectedly, it was pulled up from the seabed by the waterspout.
Encountering such extreme weather in the New World wasn't impossible… they had just been somewhat unlucky.
At first, Stussy had been nervous too, but then Medusa explained the parameters of this special submarine, alleviating her concerns.
Something designed as Vegapunk's escape card couldn't possibly be of poor quality.
"Medusa, how much longer is the waterspout estimated to last?"
"Approximately another thirty-two hours."
"Longer than initially estimated... So, this vortex is definitely man-made, right?"
Hearing Medusa's response, Stussy's eyebrows furrowed.
If this were merely a natural disaster, given the submarine's capabilities, they would most likely survive unscathed.
But if this cataclysm originated from some powerful individual on the sea...
Stussy's motion of rocking Adam unconsciously slowed, her heart gradually sinking.
She didn't know whether that unknown powerful individual was friend or foe.
Her arms tightened slightly, holding Adam closer, as if only this could dispel the unease in Stussy's heart.