The moon was bright, and the stars were few.
On the surface of the sea, only layer upon layer of white waves could be seen sweeping past, their crashing roar drowning out the howling sea wind.
Shirahoshi poked her head above the surface, her tail fin swaying beneath the water.
The Sea Kings seemed to have been waiting especially for her. They swam at an unhurried pace, but once Shirahoshi drew near the group, they all began to whimper.
The group started gathering around their queen.
Shirahoshi didn't need to swim much. The currents created by the Sea Kings' swaying bodies were enough to carry her forward.
The Sea Kings rose a little, too, revealing their dorsal fins or tails above the surface. Their skins came in all sorts of colors and textures.
Some were bright and distinct like carp, their scales reflecting light whenever they broke the surface.
Others were like eels, covered in a slick membrane that let them swim with incredible speed.
Buggy's feet dangled over Shirahoshi's head while his body floated in the air. He was full of curiosity at the extraordinary sight.
Neither the memories of the college student nor those of Red Nose contained anything like this.
Had something like it happened eight hundred years ago?
Roger had once concluded, based on the Poneglyph on Sky Island and King Neptune's account, that Shirahoshi, who had yet to be born, and the Mermaid Princess from eight hundred years ago were both Poseidon, the Sea King.
A kind of inheritance?
And the ceremony before them, which looked like a funeral.
They weren't just ordinary beasts...
Buggy recalled a detail he had once seen in his memories... The Sea Kings had extraordinarily long lifespans and great intelligence, almost on par with humans.
Their home was the Calm