Shirahoshi's Salvation!

As the Big Mom Pirates' ship hastily set sail, Charlotte Oven, supported by his subordinates, collapsed onto the deck, unconscious and covered in blood.

The atmosphere at the Harbor finally returned to calm.

Luo leaned closer to Roy and asked in a low voice, "Are we just going to let them go like that?"

Roy stood with his hands in his pockets, gazing calmly at the departing Pirate ship, his tone placid yet meaningful. "In the New World right now, Pirates are constantly fighting amongst themselves; there's no need to attract hatred for the time being."

"As long as civilians aren't involved, let them fight it out; it's just dogs biting dogs."

Luo Wei was taken aback for a moment, then understood and nodded without saying a word.

Neptune and Jinbe, standing to the side, were utterly shocked.

Jinbe muttered under his breath, "Couldn't he have said that a little quieter...?"

Neptune's forehead twitched. "Talking about 'entrapment' to our faces?!"

Roy ignored their reactions, his eyes still following the direction in which the Pirate ship had disappeared.

But another thought secretly surfaced in his mind: the Heat-Heat Fruit... what if Ace and the Flame-Flame Fruit were used together...

"A combined Awakening of Paramecia and Logia... Hmm, that sounds pretty promising. I'll memorize that fan-shaped hairstyle first."

Just then, as if finally making up his mind, Neptune exhaled heavily and looked firmly at Roy: "Vice Admiral Roy, please come with me."

Fish-Man Island Hard-Shell Tower

Led by his guards, Neptune led Roy, Law, and Jinbe through the back hall of the Dragon Palace to the Hard-Shell Tower, the most fortified defensive structure on Fish-Man Island.

This place is like a fortress built of coral rock, incredibly sturdy, with the entrance sealed off by a heavy spiral door, and heavily guarded on all sides.

Neptune's face was grave as he slowly said, "My daughter... Shirahoshi, is hiding here."

Before the words had even finished --

"Call out--!"

A flash of cold light pierced the air, and a flying axe with a spiraling force suddenly came from afar!

"Um?"

Luo's eyes narrowed, and he instantly opened his mouth wide!

"Cut off!"

"Click--!"

The flying axe was instantly disintegrated by the spatial Cut force, turning into fragments that scattered and flew to the ground.

Luo frowned and looked into the distance, his tone filled with doubt and vigilance. "... An enemy attack?"

Neptune roared through gritted teeth, his mustache bristling. "Vander Decken IX!!"

"It's him again..."

Jinbe's expression turned grim. "That bastard, still not giving up?!"

Neptune explained in a deep voice, "That guy has the Mark-Mark Fruit. As long as he locks onto a target by touch, he can hit it with every throw, no matter what he throws."

"He's set his sights on my daughter, Shirahoshi, and keeps pressuring her to marry him!"

"When Shirahoshi refused, he kept trying to 'pursue' her with various weapons..."

"For this reason, she was forced to hide inside the Hard-Shell Tower year-round, never seeing the light of day..."

"You bastard...!"

Luo's eyes were icy, his hand already gripping the hilt of his knife, his tone revealing a hint of murderous intent. "Disgusting mangy dog."

At that moment, the heavy, Hard-Shell Tower door creaked open slowly.

A massive yet delicate figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

She was a beautiful mermaid girl with a huge body, her pink hair cascading down her back, her arms tightly wrapped around herself, hiding behind a giant conch shell bed.

Eleven-year-old Shirahoshi looked up, saw Neptune at once, and called out in a trembling voice, "Father... Father King..."

Neptune strode forward. "Don't be afraid, Shirahoshi."

Princess Shirahoshi raised her timid eyes, caught sight of Roy and Law standing at the door, and instinctively shrank back, her voice trembling:

"Who are those two... strangers..."

Neptune quickly reassured him softly, "It's alright, they won't hurt you."

"This is Vice Admiral Roy, one of the most trusted men in the Marine Headquarters."

"They've come to help us."

Shirahoshi slightly widened her eyes, timidly gazing at the unfamiliar Marine Vice Admiral before her.

Her voice was barely audible. "H-Hello..."

Roy nodded, his expression softening, but his gaze had already passed over Shirahoshi and was fixed on the view outside the window.

"Tsk, they really do look like Nezumi..."

His tone was calm, but with a slight movement of his eyes, he gently pointed in a direction towards Luo.

Luo immediately understood, his eyes turning cold.

"ROOM."

Flash of blue light, and the figure vanished from the spot in an instant.

Shirahoshi remained huddled in the corner, hugging her knees, looking like a frightened sea hare.

Roy's eyes softened, his voice low yet firm. "Don't worry."

"From today onwards, you no longer need to hide here."

Shirahoshi froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Really... really...?"

Her voice was almost inaudible, like a faint bubble on the shore, carrying the instinctive fear left by her long imprisonment.

"I assure you."

Roy simply looked at her and nodded slowly.

At that moment, the calm aura emanating from him was like a warm current in the deep sea, making Shirahoshi feel inexplicably at ease, and her eyes involuntarily reddened.

Shirahoshi stared blankly at him, realizing for the first time that besides her father and brother, there was someone else who could give her such a sense of security.

"He has such a gentle aura about him..."

"Unlike those vicious Pirates..."

Neptune, seeing the rare calm on his daughter's face, said softly, "Shirahoshi... Vice Admiral Roy keeps his word."

You no longer need to be afraid.

Meanwhile, the trench surrounding Fish-Man Island

A dilapidated "ghost ship" is drifting in the murky ocean current.

On deck, Vander Decken IX, his eyes bloodshot and face contorted with madness, brandished a large axe, roaring furiously, "Shirahoshi!! You can't escape!!"

"You are my destined bride!! Haha--!"

"Bang--!"

The axe was driven deep into the mast, but he didn't care and continued to dance wildly in place.

However, the next second--

"ROOM!"

Without any warning, a figure appeared out of thin air and stood silently in front of him.

"Um?"

Vander Decken's eyes widened. "Who... who are you?!"

Luo looked at him coldly, said nothing, and simply raised his hand—

"ROOM: Shambles"

"Click--click--click!!"

Several Spatial Slashes descended with the Cut of hunting knives. Before Vander Decken could even react, he was struck down by the slashes, rolling and crawling on the deck, screaming in agony!

"Ughhh--!"

"Holy crap! Who are you?!"

"Bang."

Luo kicked him over, then grabbed him by the collar, causing the space to fluctuate again.

"Creak--"

The doors of the Hard-Shell Tower were pushed open, and Luo dragged the unconscious Vander Decken IX inside.

"Bang!"

He casually tossed Vander Decken to the ground and said coldly, "It's done."

Shirahoshi, Neptune, and Jinbe widened their eyes simultaneously!

"Van, Vander Decken...?!" Shirahoshi covered her mouth, her voice trembling.

Neptune stared in shock at the mangled body of Vander Decken on the ground, then looked at Roy: "Vice Admiral Roy... this..."

Roy said calmly, "From today onwards, he will no longer harass Princess Shirahoshi."

Shirahoshi stared blankly at Roy, the fear in her eyes gradually replaced by hope.

"Really... I don't need to hide anymore? Can I go out now?"

Her tears flowed uncontrollably, but this time...

They were tears of joy.