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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 208: Noah and Call
On the morning of the twenty-first, Xiaqiu wandered through Fishman Island, wrapped in bubbles. Its massive form instilled panic among the Fishmen and mermaids. As soon as Xiaqiu appeared, the residents of Fishman Island hurriedly hid, memories of yesterday's events fresh in their minds.
"Single-handedly annihilated the Rebels."
"Eradicated the New Fish-Man Pirates and the Flying Pirate Crew."
"A single roar knocked out over two thousand people."
Everyone who saw Xiaqiu was filled with fear and awe.
"This place isn't bad."
Xiaqiu surveyed Fishman Island, truly a beautiful location.
In Mermaid Bay, many lovely mermaids were frolicking in the water. Upon seeing Xiaqiu, they immediately hid but peeked out from behind cover, curiously watching.
In the air, there were water roads—large transparent tubes that allowed the residents of Fishman Island to travel to various locations.
Additionally, there was Marin Shopping Center, Fishermen's Cultural Center, and Fishman Island Resort.
The entire bubble that encompassed Fishman Island was half filled with air, while below lay the ocean and the land.
One could reside in the water, on land, or even fly through the air.
This place was quite suitable for living.
Xiaqiu was very satisfied with this place; the scenery was beautiful, and most of the residents could live in the sea, barely qualifying as peers.
Perhaps in the future, this could be treated as a resort.
As Xiaqiu thought about this, he circled around and returned to his residence, immediately spotting a figure floating there. Upon seeing Xiaqiu, Shirahoshi angrily swam over.
"Mr. Xia, where have you been?" Shirahoshi said, puffing up in frustration.
Xiaqiu looked at her and asked, "I just took a stroll around Fishman Island. What's wrong?"
"Weren't we supposed to go to Sea Forest together?"
Shirahoshi glared at Xiaqiu and continued, "I came to find you, but you went off wandering. I waited for a long time."
"You didn't have to wait."
Xiaqiu yawned and replied, "I could have gone by myself."
"But we made a promise," Shirahoshi said, sounding aggrieved.
"Alright, alright."
Xiaqiu sighed and said, "Let's go to Sea Forest."
"Let's go."
Shirahoshi immediately swam off into the distance, followed by a group of Fish Soldiers. Xiaqiu closely followed her as they headed further away.
The two of them left the bubble and entered the ocean. Shirahoshi's gills immediately opened on her shoulders, allowing her to live comfortably in the water.
Xiaqiu also breathed through gills, moving freely beneath the waves.
Even at a depth of ten thousand meters, they felt no overwhelming pressure; it was bearable at least.
"It seems to be this way."
Shirahoshi suddenly paused and swam in a certain direction.
"Seems? Don't you know where it is?" Xiaqiu replied irritably.
"I haven't been here in ten years," Shirahoshi said sadly. "Not since my mother passed away."
"Alright then."
Xiaqiu nodded. "Now is a good time."
Shirahoshi led Xiaqiu onward until they reached the Sea Forest. The ground was covered with corals and trees, and many creatures lived here.
Giant whales, menacing squids, and some uniquely shaped fish swam about.
These fish were non-aggressive; they didn't even flinch as the two approached.
"This is the Sea Forest."
"Although it's different from the scenery on the surface, this is the most beautiful place nearby," Shirahoshi said joyfully.
"Is that so?"
Xiaqiu looked around and spotted a massive shadow in the distance, barely visible.
Could that be Noah?
The entire ship was enormous, rivaling an island in size.
Noah was not within the Sea Forest but in another direction.
"Shirahoshi."
Xiaqiu swam over to Shirahoshi, who was searching for something, and asked, "What is that?"
"Is that Noah's Ark?"
Shirahoshi replied, "That is the vessel crafted by the human Joey Boy and the mermaid princess eight hundred years ago. When the promised day arrives, it will lead us to the surface."
"Can I go take a look?" Xiaqiu asked lightly.
"Of course! I'll wait here for you, Mr. Xia," Shirahoshi immediately responded.
"I'll be back soon."
Xiaqiu quickly turned and swam straight toward Noah's Ark, propelling himself with six legs and darting forward ten meters, eager to reach Noah's Ark.
As Xiaqiu approached, many Fishmen hurriedly left the area.
This was Fish-Man Street, home to numerous Fishmen. Due to the harsh living conditions, most of them were quite fierce.
Upon seeing Xiaqiu, these individuals had already heard the words of others and immediately made their exit.
"That's huge."
Xiaqiu paid them no mind and moved closer to Noah, gazing at the massive ark with a look of astonishment.
Just how long was Noah's Ark?
It was at least over three thousand meters long, resembling a floating island, with countless rows of windows densely packed together.
Xiaqiu quickly swam up and reached the deck, slowly descending.
So spacious.
Looking around, Xiaqiu realized it was far too vast; he could move freely up there. The deck alone was larger than Second Island where he had been.
This ship was magnificent, the second largest he had ever seen.
He had always wanted a ship, but no Sea Vessel had ever been able to accommodate him.
The Terror Three-Masted Ship could, being even larger than Noah, and it was a round, floating type of Sea Vessel. In terms of surface area on the sea, its deck was several times larger than that of Noah.
But at that time, the Terror Three-Masted Ship was unattainable; he had to let it go.
Noah was equally massive, allowing him to move freely atop it.
But it was too large.
The entire Noah lay submerged at the bottom of the sea, making it difficult to float. To get such a ship to rise, especially with water filling its interior, was nearly impossible.
If bubbles were used to expel the water, the bubbles themselves could alleviate pressure from all sides. Thus, Noah's own weight would be countered by the bubbles, making it significantly lighter. However, the buoyancy would also be negated, preventing it from rising on its own.
At that moment, additional power was needed, namely the so-called Giant Sea King.
In other words, to utilize Noah, one must possess the abilities of a Sea King.
What a trouble.
It would be better to simply seize the Terror Three-Masted Ship from the Navy; it was larger and easier to maneuver.
Xiaqiu shook his head, intending to return. But just then, he suddenly heard a cry.
"Help! No!"
Shirahoshi's voice echoed in his mind, suddenly surfacing in his heart.
"Is she nearby?"
Upon hearing Shirahoshi's call, Xiaqiu immediately spread his Observation Haki around him but found no trace of her; she was nowhere near him.
Where could she be?
Xiaqiu was somewhat surprised and immediately swam toward the distance, eager to get closer.
"Don't! Let me go! Help!"
The voice echoed continuously in Xiaqiu's heart, urging him forward and filling him with the desire to reach her.
It felt just like how he had felt when he saw her yesterday.
It was strange.
It compelled him to pay attention to her, to save her.
He tried to suppress it, but the impulse from deep within was perplexing.
I should check it out.
Xiaqiu quickly swam toward the source of the voice, racing back to where they had originally parted. There, many Fish Soldiers lay scattered, and Shirahoshi was nowhere to be found.
"What happened?"
Xiaqiu looked at the Fish Soldiers, his expression filled with confusion.
"We were ambushed! Please, Mr. Xia, save Princess Shirahoshi!" one of the Fish Soldiers shouted.
"In which direction?"
Xiaqiu immediately asked.
"Over there."
A Fish Soldier pointed into the distance, and Xiaqiu immediately activated his Observation Haki. A thousand meters away, he spotted Shirahoshi.
At that moment, Shirahoshi was being forced toward a Sea Vessel, which was surrounded by several other presences.
"Very good."
Xiaqiu quickly made his way toward that direction. As he approached, Shirahoshi's Call grew stronger.
Whoosh.
Xiaqiu soon arrived at a distance from the Sea Vessel and saw a bubble-encased Sea Vessel not far away. Several Fishmen were coercing Shirahoshi, one of whom had a black-and-white appearance.
"Princess Shirahoshi, I didn't expect to find you here. I'm going to take revenge for Hody Jones," the Fishman said smugly.
"Hurry up."
On the Sea Vessel, a Human Pirate stood proudly and shouted, "I've captured several mermaids. If we can take Princess Shirahoshi out of here, we'll make a fortune."
But at that moment, a Human Pirate shouted, "Captain Carib, look over there! What is that?"
"Huh?"
Carib stood at the bow of the ship and saw Xiaqiu, his face filled with terror. "It's that giant beast! We're doomed! Quick, inflate the sails! We need to get out of here."
"What?"
The Black and White Striped Fishman also sensed something in the water and saw Xiaqiu, his expression turning to one of terror. "It's him! We're doomed, what should we do?"
"Mr. Xia, please save me!" Shirahoshi shouted loudly, but her mouth was covered.
"Is that Jiao and Carib? How did they end up together?"
As Xiaqiu got closer, he recognized one of the Fishmen and the figure on the Pirate Ship.
The Fishman was Jiao, the Japanese Hammerhead Shark Man, a member of the New Fish-Man Pirates.
He had the ability to change his body color to blend in with other objects, allowing him to hide his form.
Aside from this ability, he wasn't very strong and was quite comical. When someone stepped on his head, he claimed he was using his head to bump into their foot.
During the battle between himself and the New Fish-Man Pirates, Jiao had not appeared. He had killed Hody Jones along with Dorsen, Icarus, and Daruma, and later hunted down Daken before killing Leopard Zang and Hammond.
However, Jiao had never shown up; as an Officer, he held a rank slightly higher than Hammond.
It seemed he had used his abilities to slip away unnoticed at that time.
The other was Carib, a user of the Swamp Fruit ability. It was unexpected to find him here.
Not only was he present, but Carib was also with him.
The Straw Hat Pirates had disappeared from the New World two years ago, with no sightings of them since. Therefore, Carib and Jiao had not separated.
It was surprising that Jiao and Carib were together and had captured Shirahoshi.
"Don't come any closer."
Upon seeing Xiaqiu, Jiao immediately gripped the knife in his hand and held it against Shirahoshi's neck. "If you take another step, I'll kill her."
"Mr. Xia."
Shirahoshi cried, her tears flowing like rain, filled with sorrow. The more she cried, the stronger a peculiar attraction emanated from her.
Is this the ability of the Sea King?
Xiaqiu felt intrigued as this inexplicable sensation suddenly arose, compelling him to protect her. If nothing unexpected happened, it should indeed be the power of the Sea King.
But it wasn't coercive; it didn't demand complete loyalty to her. He could choose to do what she asked or not.
It was a transmission of emotion; he could feel her sadness and a desire to free her from her plight.
He could resist it, yet he still felt her pain and the urge to save her.
So that's how it is.
"Stop."
Jiao looked at the unmoving Xiaqiu and let out a breath. Just as he was about to say something, Xiaqiu vanished, and a suffocating aura enveloped the space.
Boom.
Jiao and several Fishmen found themselves shrouded in an inexplicable pressure, their spirits seemingly gripped by a giant hand.
Conqueror's Haki.
The Fishmen fell one by one, frothing at the mouth before collapsing to the ground.
However, although Jiao was not particularly strong, he was not overwhelmed by Conqueror's Haki and remained conscious.
"Since they have disappeared, I will make Shirahoshi accompany them in death."
Jiao intended to use the knife in his hand to harm Shirahoshi, but the momentary pause caused by Conqueror's Haki left him powerless as he watched Xiaqiu charge toward him.
Boom.
He was struck directly by a Tentacle, spitting blood as he was sent flying.
But before he could fly far, Xiaqiu bit down on him, and then crashed into Carib's ship.
Boom!
The bubbles of Carib's ship shattered, and the vessel exploded. The people on board spat blood, while Carib remained unharmed.
Yet the former was exposed to the water, his body weak and sinking continuously, while the latter swam away toward the distant Fishman Island.
Being able to swim meant he was not a Devil Fruit Ability user; possessing a bounty of one hundred ninety million Berries indicated that his strength could not be underestimated.
Whoosh.
In an instant, Xiaqiu appeared behind Carib, opening its mouth wide to bite him.
"Die for me."
Carib swung his large blade, turning to strike directly at Xiaqiu's head.
Clang.
The teeth of the long knife shattered upon impact, but the immense force caused Xiaqiu's downward bite to falter slightly, allowing him to escape in a panic.
Not bad strength.
Although he hadn't used his full power, it was enough to block him; the strength was considerable.
However, with a bounty of one hundred ninety million, ranking seventh among the New Generation Eleven, that was already quite impressive.
"But nothing more than this."
Xiaqiu snorted coldly and moved in closer. Carib raised his fist to strike again, but it was futile.
Crunch.
Xiaqiu bit into Carib's abdomen and swallowed him whole before turning away.
"It seems there are still a few Fishmen around."
Xiaqiu turned his head to look into the distance, but just as he did, a figure rushed up and hugged him. "Thank you, Mr. Xia! If it weren't for you, I would have been captured by now. Wow, Shirahoshi was so scared just now."
"What a coward."
Xiaqiu helplessly shook her head, raising her tentacles to pat her shoulder and said, "Alright, it's all over now."
However, Shirahoshi did not respond and continued to cry loudly.
"Such trouble."
Xiaqiu sighed; this crying and timid ghost was quite annoying.
Yet she was still the Sea King.
As Xiaqiu pondered, she suddenly felt the churning sea water gradually calm down, and a shadow loomed over her.
"Hmm?"
Xiaqiu looked up, only to be stunned in place the next moment.
Surrounding her and Shirahoshi were several Giant Sea Kings, gazing down at them.
"Is he bullying the princess?"
"What is this ugly creature?"
"Look, his tentacles are wrapped around the princess; it must be him."
"We can't let him get away with this."
"Then let's kill it."
"Heart Point, do not harm the princess."
Listening to the voices rising and falling around her, Xiaqiu was filled with anger. Who among you is ugly?
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