Tsukuyomi = VR

Inside the dimly lit, Hard-Shell Tower, a long-dormant tremor caused a figure peek out from under the covers.

"Mekaro, the sounds seem to have stopped today..."

"Waaah, why are people still approaching here? Father, Brother Shirahoshi, Brother Fukaboshi, and the Left Minister and Right Minister..."

Squeak!

The door, which used to be opened for only a few minutes before being closed again, was opened again, and slivers of sunlight pierced the darkness, never dissipating.

"Father... if the door isn't closed, those things will..."

"I'm sorry, your father has temporarily left the space to me. Nice to meet you, Mermaid Princess, Shirahoshi."

Gentle words rang in her ears, and Shirahoshi, who was hiding under the covers, peeked out cautiously, revealing her true face.

Her flowing pink curls cascaded over her fair arms, and her bright blue eyes were misty, as if tears might well flow from them at any moment.

"You... you are a human?"

Upon seeing the figure before her, Shirahoshi, who was curled up in the blanket, instinctively jumped up and blinked hard.

"A human? A real human? No tail, but hands and feet, a real human!"

Even when Shirahoshi jumped off the ship, Huayue couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. This was indeed... much bigger than expected!

With her ample bust and a pink fishtail in varying shades, Shirahoshi was at least four meters taller than Black Maria.

It's unbelievable that the Black Maria's surging waves could bury him; such grandeur is truly unimaginable.

"Human Lord..."

"No, my name is Uchiha Huayue. You can just call me Huayue."

Her gentle smile gradually calmed Shirahoshi, who was still in shock.

"Huayue... Lady Huayue, you've been to the outside world, haven't you? The sky is blue, and there are trees and grass. Mom said the real sun is beautiful, like a bright red tomato..."

After saying that, her bright, watery eyes sparkled as if they were shining.

"No..."

Her words seemed to possess a magical power, causing the excited Shirahoshi to subconsciously straighten her back, much like a primary school student facing a teacher.

"The sky is colorless; it doesn't deceive everyone. It's just that people's eyes deceive themselves. Do you want to see the scenery of the land?"

A glint of light flashed in her exquisite and intricate azure eyes. When Shirahoshi opened her eyes again, the sight before her made her cover her mouth and gasp in amazement.

"How beautiful! Is this land? Is this the sky?"

The azure sky and the Blue Sea merge into one in the distance, and the neon lights on the isolated island nestled between the sky and the sea are dazzling.

An elegant and passionate melody drifted on the wind, and the sunlight embedded in the sapphire dispelled the gloom, bringing warmth and comfort.

"This is the former Music Kingdom of Elegia. Before the accident, such beautiful scenery was everywhere..."

Shirahoshi, her eyes shining, snapped out of her daze and looked at Uchiha Huayue, who was standing behind her with a smile. She tilted her head and pondered for a moment.

"But... Huayue, weren't we still Ryugu Palace? How did we suddenly find ourselves on land?"

"Hmm... You can think of this place as a real dream, with real sunlight, real trees and flowers, real air and sky. Do you understand?"

At this moment, Shirahoshi nodded vigorously, her eyes blinking rapidly.

"Hmm! I've seen it in my dreams before, but it's never felt so real... Huayue, may I... may I touch it?"

With her teeth clenched tightly, as if she had mustered immense courage, Shirahoshi asked in a tearful voice, her willow-leaf eyebrows curving downwards, as if she would burst into tears the moment she was rejected.

"Great! This is a dream world, so anything is possible. Go and feel the freshness of the flowers, plants, and trees. Isn't that wonderful?"

With a snap of their fingers, two white clouds drifted down from the sky, carrying the two of them as they cruised freely in Elegia.

In reality, when Shirahoshi opened her eyes, she immediately lay on the bed like a salted fish, feeling lazy.

"Shake, shark!"

"How beautiful, Mekaro! The color of the sea, the color of the sky, and all those flowers, trees, and plants... I really wish I could live freely under the sky and on the land..."

The shark beside him looked concerned, while Shirahoshi murmured softly and closed her eyes wearily.

"Oh dear, he's still just a kid after all. Excessive play can always leave one feeling physically and mentally exhausted, especially when experiencing the 100% realistic Tsukuyomi VR..."

"Immortal Technique: Palm Mystical Palm Technique".

A vibrant, life-giving light filled the room, and the previously wary little shark Mekaro, instinctively moved closer, breathing deeply into this invigorating source of life.

"It feels so good, like being next to my mother... Huayue... Was everything just now a dream?"

"No, is there anywhere you want to go? Shirahoshi, staying here too long will make you feel restless..."

A gentle smile, like moonlight, pierced through the dark clouds and fell into Shirahoshi's eyes. After a long, long silence, Shirahoshi nodded emphatically.

"I... I want to go to the Sea Forest, but... but... those weapons outside..."

"Go if you want to. With me by your side, nothing can get close. You want to stay by my side, right, Shirahoshi?"

At this moment, an unprecedented sense of security surrounded her. Shirahoshi leaned closer, her eyes, which were filled with tears, shining brightly.

"R-really? Huayue, you really can let me stay by your side, and you can protect me..."

"On this planet, encompassing all the seas and lands, wherever the sun and moon shine, no one can harm you before me..."

"So, shall we leave?"

At this moment, facing the outstretched palm, Shirahoshi hesitated for a moment, then silently extended her little finger, and the two touched.

Two flowers bloom, each representing a different branch.

Ryugu Palace, King Neptune looked worried and sighed unconsciously.

"Oh, my Shirahoshi, my precious daughter, she wouldn't really have gone with that human, would she..."

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened! Your Majesty! There's no one in the Hard-Shell Tower Hard-Shell Tower! That human... that human has kidnapped Shirahoshi!"

Bang, crack.

King Neptune, who nearly fell off his throne with a jolt of his back pain, burst into tears.

"Waaaaah, my Shirahoshi, you really were tricked by that human..."

"Hey, that's very rude of you, King Neptune."

A familiar voice suddenly rang out, and King Neptune looked up to find that Huayue had appeared in the banquet hall at some point.

"Shirahoshi only went to the Sea Forest with her main body. It seems that due to some reason, she missed her mother's funeral six years ago..."