Fish-Man Island.
Outside Ryugu Palace.
At first, there was nothing there but a darkness so deep that its end could not be seen.
Until the Sea King at the very front slowly swam aside, its enormous body clearing their view.
Farther away.
A massive shadow, so huge it nearly blended into the seafloor, gradually revealed itself.
It was a ship—an ancient vessel of absurd proportions.
Its hull was covered in thick seabed sediment, and its broken masts jutted crookedly into the deep sea. Even the portion exposed outside dwarfed any warship.
It lay there in silent slumber, as though it had remained unmoving since countless years ago.
Jinbe's expression shifted slightly.
"Noah..."
Rock raised his eyes.
Of course he knew this ship.
Legends about Noah had always circulated on Fish-Man Island.
But what it was actually meant for, and why it had stopped near Fish-Man Island, were things even the Neptune royal family knew little about.
Just then.
Shirahoshi suddenly covered her ears lightly.
More and more Sea Kings around them began making sounds that she could understand.
"It's not time yet..."
Shirahoshi repeated the words instinctively, and Rock immediately turned his head.
"What did they say?"
Shirahoshi stared blankly at Noah.
"They said..."
"It's not time yet."
"The promise has not been fulfilled. Noah cannot move yet."
A promise?
Rock's gaze sharpened slightly as he looked once more at the ancient ship sleeping on the seafloor.
"They know Noah?"
Shirahoshi hesitated.
"I think they do."
"But I don't know why either."
She closed her eyes and listened intently for a while longer.
"They only said that Noah still has to wait."
Jinbe frowned.
"I've lived on Fish-Man Island for so many years, and all I know is that Noah is important to the royal family."
"As for why it