Vander Decken's blood spread across the deck, staining the worn planks of the ancient ship. The Flying Dutchman had finally lost its master.
Aether flicked the blood from his blade and turned his gaze toward Shirahoshi. Noticing the unusual look on her face, he spoke evenly.
"If it makes you uncomfortable, you can look away."
He assud that witnessing the death of a fellow Fish-Man might be too much for soone like her.
However, Shirahoshi shook her head and forced herself to keep her eyes open.
"No, Brother Aether did this for . I couldn't do anything to help, so at the very least, I want to see it properly."
These past two days had changed her. She was no longer the girl who hid away in fear.
A faint smile appeared on Aether's face.
"Then it seems you've grown."
At that mont, Wadatsumi, who had been wandering near the ship, finally noticed Shirahoshi. His sluggish expression turned tense as he realized sothing had happened to his master. His enormous body surged forward, aiming to drag Shirahoshi away.
The seawater suddenly trembled.
An invisible pressure spread outward from the ship, distorting the water itself.
Aether released his Conqueror's Haki.
The overwhelming force crashed down on Wadatsumi, forcing the massive giant to one knee. His body trembled as he struggled to breathe, his small eyes filled with fear.
"This… what is this…"
Aether stood at the bow, blade in hand, his gaze cold and unwavering as it locked onto Wadatsumi. The pressure only grew heavier, suffocating and absolute.
Fear finally broke the giant's will. Wadatsumi turned and tried to flee.
Aether moved instantly.
Using the flow of water, he appeared above Wadatsumi in a flash and drove a punch coated in Armant Haki straight into his skull.
A dull impact echoed through the sea.
Wadatsumi froze, his massive body swaying as if he would collapse at any mont.
Aether stood atop his head, looking down.
"Submit, or die."
The nearly unconscious giant struggled to think. His simple mind could not withstand such pressure. Faced with Aether's overwhelming strength, he chose submission.
Not long after, an enormous figure could be seen dragging the Flying Dutchman through the deep sea with a thick rope. Oddly enough, serving soone he feared brought Wadatsumi a strange sense of relief.
On the ship, Aether sat cross-legged, eating the food Vander Decken had stored.
If not for the treasure on board, and the difficulty of navigating the dark seabed, he would have killed Wadatsumi without hesitation.
Years of plunder had left behind a massive fortune. Aether roughly estimated it at around 1.5 billion Berries.
As he ate, Shirahoshi occasionally reached out and poked his cheeks, watching them bulge with food. She smiled brightly, clearly amused, even if she did not realize she was interrupting him.
Aether stopped eating and looked at her.
"What is it, Shirahoshi? Did sothing make you that happy?"
Shirahoshi hesitated before speaking.
"Brother Aether… can I join your crew?"
Aether choked and nearly spat out his food.
The princess of Fish-Man Island wanting to beco a pirate was not sothing he expected.
Over the past two days, he had told her stories about the Pirate King, and it seed those tales had left a deeper impression than he thought.
"Why would you want to beco a pirate? The sea is dangerous. Aren't you afraid?"
Shirahoshi shook her head without hesitation.
"I'm not afraid. I believe Brother Aether will protect , and I will beco stronger too. Isn't that okay?"
Aether paused.
Her expression made it difficult to refuse outright, but he could not agree either.
This was not a small decision. It involved her family, her responsibilities, and her future. More importantly, her current resolve might simply be driven by excitent.
Aether stepped forward using Moonwalk and gently patted her head. Her long pink hair felt soft beneath his hand.
"If you truly want to join my crew, then I would welco you. But you can't decide sothing like this on impulse. Go back and talk to your family. When you turn sixteen, if you still feel the sa way, I'll co for you. That will be our promise."
Shirahoshi hesitated, then nodded firmly.
"Okay, Brother Aether. I promise."
[SSS-rank character has developed strong positive emotions toward the host. Reward: 800,000 EXP.]
[Level Up: Level 91 (376,321 / 2,500,000)]
Aether felt a slight improvent in his body, but the rising EXP requirent dampened his mood. After level 90, each level demanded significantly more EXP. Reaching level 100 would require an enormous amount.
Major events like the Marineford War only provided limited gains in comparison. If he wanted to progress faster, he would need to find other thods.
As he considered this, a Den Den Mushi in his pocket suddenly rang.
He picked it up. The snail's face quickly transford into that of Charlotte Linlin.
"It took her long enough," Aether muttered.
He answered the call.
"Who are you? What have you done with my children?"
Her voice was low and heavy, like a volcano on the verge of erupting.
Aether replied without hesitation.
"They're alive. If you want them back, Linlin, you'll have to pay."
There was a brief silence.
Then her voice turned colder.
"Roger… you bastard. You dare touch my children? Are you trying to start a war?"
Her furious roar echoed through the Den Den Mushi, forcing Aether to pull it away slightly.
Beside him, Shirahoshi flinched and instinctively moved back, clearly frightened by the overwhelming voice.
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