With Enel and Wiper providing the destructive force, Bege's external space created a containment field, ensuring all the shattered gold-laced rock fell within its range for easy collection.
Just like that, a medium-sized underwater gold mine was completely excavated in half a day. After it was refined and processed, it would become market-ready gold bullion.
Having exhausted Vander Decken IX's knowledge of other underwater deposits, Bege and his crew wasted no more time and headed straight back to Fish-Man Island.
When they arrived, Jinbe and the Neptune Army were waiting for them at the port. Fukaboshi had already returned to Ryugu Palace to deliver the good news of Vander Decken's capture to Neptune and the others.
As Bege walked back into the palace, he was greeted by the sound of Shirahoshi's cheerful, bell-like laughter. She was running and jumping all around the palace, touching this and that, reacquainting herself with the place where she was born and had once played freely.
The moment Bege entered, Neptune rushed over, his face overcome with emotion, tears welling in his eyes.
"Lord Demon Dragon, thank you! Thank you! Thank you for saving my daughter! I truly don't know how I can ever repay you."
He was a king, but he was also a father. Ever since Shirahoshi had been confined to the Hard-Shell Tower, he had been consumed by guilt. Every time he peeked through the door and saw her talking to herself, all alone, he hated his own powerlessness that had caused her so much suffering. For a father, there was no pain more piercing than watching his child suffer while being unable to do anything about it.
Now, Shirahoshi was free. Seeing the angelic smile on his daughter's face, the guilt and pain in his own heart were finally released. At this moment, all he could offer was an endless, inexpressible gratitude.
Shirahoshi trotted over as well. "Thank you, Lord Demon Dragon," she said shyly, "for giving Shirahoshi her freedom back."
A warm smile spread across Bege's face. Ignoring Neptune for a moment, he spoke gently to the little princess. "Little Shirahoshi, I defeated the bad man who was bullying you. Are you willing to become my protégée?"
"Protégée? Ah, I know!" Shirahoshi tilted her head, not quite understanding the word. But then she saw Jessica pointing to herself, and her eyes lit up as she nodded eagerly.
"I want to be your protégée, just like Jessica and Viola!"
Bege laughed heartily. "Good, good, good! Then from now on, you must call me Godfather, just like them. Understand?"
"Mhm, mhm! Godfather! Godfather!" Shirahoshi nodded her large head happily.
"Hahahaha! Neptune, bring the sake! We celebrate today! No one goes home sober!" Overcome with joy, Bege clapped his hands and laughed.
"Of course! There will be more than enough fine sake!" Neptune was equally ecstatic. This sealed an even tighter bond between Fish-Man Island and the Fire Tank Pirates. He immediately ordered the kitchens to prepare the most lavish feast and bring out the best wines.
The group drank in the banquet hall until every last one of them had passed out.
The next morning, Bege was shaken awake. He opened his eyes to find three faces surrounding him, three pairs of bright, clear eyes staring at him with curiosity.
Startled, he focused and saw it was Shirahoshi and the other two girls.
Shirahoshi giggled. "Godfather, Godfather, good children aren't allowed to sleep in."
Jessica, sitting beside her, added eagerly, "Godfather, Shirahoshi says there are lots of fun places on Fish-Man Island. Will you take us to play?"
Viola, being the big sister, didn't plead, but her expressive eyes clearly said she wanted to go too.
"Alright, alright. Godfather will take you to play," Bege said with a helpless sigh.
"Yay!"
The three little girls jumped for joy. Bege got up, dressed, and led them out of Ryugu Palace. Neptune was still sleeping off his hangover, but the palace guards immediately moved to follow. Bege waved them back; it wouldn't be any fun with them tagging along.
Although Shirahoshi had been in the Hard-Shell Tower for nearly a year, she hadn't forgotten her home. Relying on her memory, she led them to Fish-Man Island's most popular amusement park. The unique water park and its various attractions were completely different from anything on the sky islands or the surface, which thrilled Jessica and Viola.
The three girls had the time of their lives. During their fun, Shirahoshi was recognized by the commoners, who greeted her with incredible warmth and affection. Before long, a large crowd had gathered around her, forcing them to pause their activities.
Afterward, Bege took the three girls to the Sea Forest. They followed him, laughing and chatting along the way. Shirahoshi, in particular, was lively and energetic, constantly darting off to chase strange creatures in the forest.
They reached the depths of the Sea Forest, and Bege expanded his Observation Haki, searching for what he had come to find.
"Finally found you. You were hidden quite deep," he smiled, leading the girls into a dense grove where a massive stone monument stood.
A Poneglyph.
Indeed, one of Bege's objectives in coming to Fish-Man Island was this very stone.
"Shirahoshi, Viola, Jessica, go play by yourselves for a while. Just don't wander too far, alright?" Bege said to them with a smile.
The girls nodded eagerly and then dashed off into the nearby forest, chasing colorful sea butterflies. Still a bit worried, Bege had a squad of his Freaks emerge from his castle to protect them.
He stood before the Poneglyph, studying it. This particular stone was, in fact, an apology letter from a man from the surface named Joy Boy, written eight hundred years ago. It was an apology to the Mermaid Princess of that era for being unable to fulfill a promise.
Joy Boy, the great ark Noah, the Mermaid Princess from eight hundred years ago, and the great incident that led to the hundred-year blank in history—all of it was undoubtedly connected to the truth of the Void Century.
However, without more clues, it was impossible to know the full story.
Bege's serious expression suddenly vanished, and he shook his head with a wry laugh. "The truth of the Void Century... what do I care what secrets it holds? I'm not a historian. There's no need for me to go digging it up. All I need is this Poneglyph itself."
"You all stand guard," Bege ordered the Freaks around him.
"Understood, Captain." The Freaks immediately dispersed, setting up a tight perimeter.
Bege sat cross-legged before the Poneglyph. His external space suddenly expanded, enveloping the stone.
"Come now, my second Poneglyph. Fuse with me."
The massive stone lifted from the ground, pulled by an invisible force into his internal castle. Inside, it began to melt, flowing like a grayish-brown liquid and being absorbed by the castle. A deep brown, hardened layer appeared on Bege's skin—his Castle Skin—and it glowed with an unusual luster.
He was absorbing the Poneglyph.
For the past six months, he had discovered a new direction for the development of his Castle-Castle Fruit: strengthening the hardness of his internal castle by consuming and fusing with metal objects.