Mandrill

Standing to Kuina's left, Robin brushed the hair from her face, raised a hand to shield her forehead, and squinted up at the sky.

Excitement lit her face too.

"The legendary Sky Island must have so much fascinating history and so many stories!"

She could hardly wait.

Kuina tilted her head and gazed at Kuta tenderly, letting her bangs dance in the wind.

Kuta lowered his hand and met her gaze. His lips curved into a gentle smile.

He reached out to smooth the hair across her forehead.

Just then, he stopped. He and Kuina turned together to look

toward the left side of the Freedom.

Beneath the sea to the left of the Freedom, an enormous shadow was racing toward the ship.

In an instant, the once-calm surface bulged upward.

A monstrous creature burst from the water, its head alone as large as the entire Freedom. It lowered that head, opened its bloody maw, and lunged without hesitation at everyone standing on the bow.

It happened in a flash.

Boom!

A sudden thunderclap drowned out the endless rumble overhead.

Kuta looked up into the beast's eyes. Nebulae swirled in his pupils as they contracted, and his gaze sharpened.

"Get lost!"

The beast froze, as though it had seen something terrifying.

While it stood rigid, the Freedom shot beneath its open jaws with a whoosh.

Everyone looked up at the huge, gleaming teeth without a flicker of alarm. Then they went right back to their excitement.

As for the beast's arrival,

Ahua did not even turn around. His eyes had stayed on the Sky Road ahead from start to finish.

Kuta looked away from the beast. After smoothing Kuina's hair, he lowered his hand, smiled at her, and took a long drink from his Wine Gourd.

*Sea Kings this size