"I can sense the kindness in your heart."
Queen Otohime smiled gently. "Since you are Tiger's friends, you are guests of the Ryugu Kingdom. Come—let's talk inside the palace."
Ren Kuro gave a slight nod, and under her lead, the group entered the grand hall.
The moment he stepped inside, his attention was drawn to the massive figure seated upon the throne.
A towering body.
Thick, flowing orange hair and beard.
Flame-like tattoos stretched across his arms.
Dense body hair, and in his hand—a finely crafted trident.
The King of the Ryugu Kingdom—
Knight of the Sea, King Neptune.
"Tiger! You're back! I thought I'd never see you again!" Neptune burst into hearty laughter as he looked at the familiar figure before him.
"It's thanks to him." Tiger glanced at Ren Kuro with a bitter smile. "Otherwise, I'd probably be rotting away in Impel Down by now."
"Oh? Sounds like you've had quite the past two years," Neptune said, before shifting his gaze toward Ren Kuro. "So you're the captain of the infamous Shinigami Pirates… I didn't expect you to be Tiger's ally."
There was a trace of wariness in Neptune's eyes.
Not long ago, the newspapers had published the latest bounties of the Shinigami Pirates—
Ren Kuro (Shinigami) — 500,000,000 BerriesGin Ichimaru — 500,000,000 BerriesByakuya Kuchiki (Cherry Blossom) — 550,000,000 BerriesTōshirō Hitsugaya (Ice Dragon) — 700,000,000 BerriesKenpachi Zaraki — 1,000,000,000 Berries
Hitsugaya had earned a 700 million bounty after capturing Admiral Aokiji in single combat.
Kenpachi, who fought four opponents alone, was now worth a staggering 1 billion.
Even Ren Kuro, who hadn't personally fought in that battle, had his bounty rise to 500 million as the captain.
A crew like this—
Even in the New World, only forces like Whitebeard or Big Mom could stand on equal footing.
"King Neptune," Ren Kuro said calmly, "saving Tiger was just a matter of convenience. We won't be staying long. But there's something you need to know."
Neptune frowned slightly. "What is it?"
"It's about the E.S. drug." Ren Kuro's gaze sharpened. "Has it been leaked?"
"…Leaked?" Neptune's expression changed instantly. He shook his head. "Impossible. Years ago, I sealed away all information about it. The storage vault is tightly secured and guarded at all times."
"Then that's strange," Tiger cut in, his tone heavy. "On our way here, we were attacked by a swarm of Sea Kings. I'm certain they had taken the drug."
"…So it has leaked after all." Neptune's heart sank. "Someone is targeting Fish-Man Island… Could it be those damned Celestial Dragons?"
"King Neptune," Ren Kuro said evenly, "for Tiger's sake, I suggest you resolve this quickly. If rampaging Sea Kings collide with the island's protective bubble, Fish-Man Island could sink."
Neptune sighed, his expression grave. "I will do everything I can."
Every time the E.S. drug surfaced in the past, disaster followed.
He could only hope this time would be different.
Sensing the tension, Queen Otohime stepped forward with a warm smile.
"Shinigami, why don't you and your companions stay on Fish-Man Island for a few days? We'll arrange the finest accommodations."
"No problem," Ren Kuro agreed.
With that, they were led away by the palace guards.
Three Days Later
With the arrival of the Shinigami Pirates, Fish-Man Island had grown unusually quiet.
Other pirate crews still passed through—but none dared linger.
No one wanted to provoke such a terrifying force.
Residence
"Wow… is that the Mermaid Princess? She's huge!" Yachiru stood beside Ren Kuro, staring curiously at the figure ahead.
A young mermaid with flowing pink hair, bright blue eyes, and a delicate, doll-like face.
The Mermaid Princess—
Shirahoshi.
Though only three years old, her size far exceeded that of ordinary Fish-Men. Compared to Yachiru's tiny frame, the contrast was striking.
At that moment, Shirahoshi and Yachiru stared at each other—wide eyes meeting wide eyes.
The scene was oddly adorable.
"M-Mother… who are they?" Shirahoshi hid behind Otohime, peeking out timidly at Ren Kuro and Yachiru. Having lived her entire life within the palace, she had never truly interacted with outsiders.
"Don't be afraid, Shirahoshi," Otohime said gently. "They are guests of Fish-Man Island… and our friends."
For some reason—
Ren Kuro gave her a sense of reassurance.
"Friends…?" Shirahoshi looked at him carefully. Even though it was their first meeting, she could clearly feel that he carried no malice.
"Ren Kuro, she seems scared of us," Yachiru whispered, puffing her cheeks slightly.
"Don't mind it. That's just how she is," Ren Kuro chuckled softly.
But behind that calm smile—
he already understood.
Shirahoshi was not just a princess.
She was—
Poseidon.
The one who could command the Sea Kings.
Suddenly—
A deafening explosion echoed from above.
The entire Fish-Man Island shook violently.
"What's going on?!" Ren Kuro's eyes snapped upward, a bad feeling rising in his chest.
The tremors slowly subsided.
Then—
from the deepest part of the ocean—
a terrifying roar rang out.
Even across such a vast distance, the sound was unmistakably clear.
And what followed—
was worse.
After a brief moment of silence—
countless savage roars erupted one after another.
From all directions.
Because surrounding Fish-Man Island—
the Sea Kings had returned.
◇ I'll drop one bonus chapter for every 10 reviews (leave a review/comment!)
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon: patreon.com/KageNaruto