Gojo looked at the giant ship, Noah, as it plunged toward Fishman Island, taking in the fear on the faces of the people below. Panic had spread across the island like wildfire. Some froze in place, others screamed as they ran, and many could only stare with trembling eyes at the colossal shadow descending from above. Even through the seawater, the atmosphere felt suffocating.
With his Observation Haki, those emotions became even clearer. Fear. Despair. Helplessness. The terror of millions overlapped, reaching him without restraint. Looking like a mountain falling from the sky, Noah continued its descent as ominous creaking noises echoed through the ocean.
Gojo narrowed his eyes slightly, then casually glanced at Luffy. "Want me to help you destroy this giant ship?"
The moment he said this, Shirahoshi—who had been desperately moving to keep Noah targeting her instead of the island—immediately cried out, "No, this ship cannot be destroyed!"
Clear panic filled her voice. Her huge blue eyes widened in alarm; she had seen Gojo's previous attack leave an enormous scar across the vessel. She knew that if he truly attacked seriously, Noah might be completely obliterated. The seawater trembled as she hurriedly moved again, trying to draw the ship's attention.
And perhaps it was this panic... or her desperation acting as the catalyst...
Suddenly, Gojo's expression changed. His relaxed look vanished, and his eyes turned solemn as he sensed something massive approaching from the depths.
The surrounding ocean began to shake. A moment later, gigantic shadows emerged from the darkness. Huge Sea Kings appeared, surrounding Noah. Their colossal bodies moved through the water like living mountains, making even Noah seem small by comparison. The ocean churned violently around them.
Even Gojo remained silent for a brief moment, watching them. Thankfully, their massive bodies avoided colliding with his ship. Otherwise, the vessel would have been in danger if protected only by a normal coating rather than his Limitless. The invisible layer of Limitless distorted the seawater slightly, protecting the ship from the terrifying water currents created by the beasts.
Without Limitless, a single collision with these Sea Kings would have destroyed his ship instantly; their sheer size and weight were absurd, and their movements alone created violent currents. Fortunately, they intentionally avoided him, meaning they didn't anger Gojo. Had they recklessly hit his ship, Gojo would have considered it a provocation—even if Limitless prevented any actual damage—and he would have slaughtered them without hesitation.
Others feared Sea Kings for their ability to toy with ships, but Gojo didn't care. His calm blue eyes observed the creatures through the distorted water. Not only could he fight underwater for prolonged periods, but he was also entirely confident he could take these beasts down.
The Sea Kings seemed to understand that. Guided by pure instinct, they carefully avoided his ship, as if warned not to provoke the white-haired man standing calmly on deck. They slowly surrounded Noah completely, and then, suddenly, Luffy's expression shifted.
Luffy heard the voices of the Sea Kings.
Gojo noticed it immediately. The atmosphere around Luffy changed as if he were listening to something others couldn't hear. Soon after, it became clear that Luffy, Shirahoshi, and the Sea Kings had entered into a silent conversation.
Gojo, however, couldn't hear a thing. His Observation Haki allowed him to sense emotions, presence, and movements with terrifying precision, but the Voice of All Things was entirely different. It was a unique, un-trainable gift. People were simply born with it. And Gojo had never been blessed with it.
So he stood quietly as the water flowed around him, watching them communicate with the ancient guardians of the deep.
Once the conversation ended, the Sea Kings began dragging Noah downward, pulling the massive ship back toward the bottom of the sea toward the Sea Forest. Its heavy chains creaked loudly as the vessel gradually vanished into the ocean darkness.
As for Vander Decken, he was suddenly flung from the deck when the Sea Kings moved Noah. His body tumbled violently through the currents before crashing far away. No longer touching the ship, he lost all control over it. He panicked instantly, but before he could try anything else, he was captured without a fight.
Meanwhile, Gojo calmly steered his ship through the giant bubble of Fishman Island. The environment changed instantly as the seawater vanished, replaced by a breathable atmosphere. Normally, a ship entering the bubble would immediately plummet due to gravity. But Gojo's ship remained suspended in mid-air, completely ignoring gravity under the control of his Limitless before slowly descending toward the surface.
The citizens stared in absolute shock. A flying ship—the scene left many speechless.
Then, loud cheers erupted. The Straw Hats were continuously praised by the surrounding mermaids and fishmen. Gratitude and excitement spread everywhere.
"They saved Fishman Island!" "They stopped Noah!" "The Humans protected us!"
Mermaids with teary eyes smiled brightly while fishmen raised their fists in celebration. The despair that had gripped the island moments ago transformed completely into pure joy.
Gojo stepped off his ship and landed lightly on the ground. The moment straw hats looked at him closely, they noticed a dramatic change. He was sturdier and more tightly built. His physique carried a different kind of weight and presence—not just from visible muscle, but from an aura of terrifying, condensed strength. Even his casual stance made the atmosphere feel heavier.
He wore an open-sleeved white haori that moved slightly with the breeze. Underneath was a tight black t-shirt outlining his well-built physique, paired with loose white baggy pants and black martial arts shoes. His white hair swayed as his calm blue eyes surveyed the area.
Despite his relaxed expression, the Straw Hats instinctively felt the shift. Especially Zoro.
Having trained under Dracule Mihawk, Zoro instantly recognized the overwhelming sharpness hidden within Gojo's presence. His instincts screamed at him: Gojo was far more powerful and dangerous than he was two years ago. Zoro's hand subconsciously twitched near his swords. Spending years around the world's strongest swordsman had sharpened his senses to recognize monstrous strength, and the current Gojo gave off a feeling remarkably similar to standing before Mihawk himself.
The other Straw Hats felt it too. Even without Observation Haki, they knew instinctively. They themselves had grown drastically stronger over the two-year timeskip, and Gojo had isolated himself for the exact same amount of time. There was no way he had spent it doing nothing. If they had grown this much, someone like Gojo must have become truly terrifying.
Robin observed him carefully before speaking. "It seems you are no longer wearing your iconic blindfold."
Hearing this, the Straw Hats looked at his face. His striking blue eyes were fully uncovered—calm, yet strangely overwhelming. Even standing casually with his hands in his pockets, there was an unnatural sharpness in his gaze, as if he could see through everything.
Gojo shook his head lightly with a faint smile. "Because I don't need to anymore. During my training, I finally mastered how to perfectly control the abilities of my Six Eyes."
The island breeze shifted his white hair as the lights from the giant mangroves reflected in his gaze.
"Though even in my normal state my eyesight is pretty abnormal," Gojo added casually. "I can see extremely far away even without activating the Six Eyes to full potential."
Robin nodded thoughtfully, understanding that his abilities had advanced tremendously. Meanwhile, Usopp just stared at him silently, finding the casual claim about seeing extreme distances completely ridiculous.
At that moment, a heavy rustling sound approached from nearby as the massive form of King Neptune slid toward Gojo.
The giant merman stopped before him, his colossal tail settling on the ground while several guards and members of the royal family stood nearby. Despite Neptune's enormous size and imposing appearance, there was clear sincerity in his expression.
"I, King Neptune, thank you for saving Fishman Island from such a disaster," the giant king spoke respectfully. "You helped us in defeating Hody."
Nearby fishmen looked on with deep gratitude, remembering the chaos and destruction a drug-boosted Hody Jones had unleashed. Yet, Gojo looked completely unimpressed.
"He was nothing more than normal trash who boosted his strength with some forbidden drugs, I guess," Gojo replied, his tone entirely indifferent. "He wasn't worth much of my strength anyway."
The casual dismissiveness left several fishmen speechless. To them, Hody was a catastrophic threat; to Gojo, he wasn't even worth fighting seriously.
Neptune wasn't offended. He nodded seriously. "Yes, he used the forbidden Energy Steroids. But even then, he was extremely powerful—not someone we could handle ourselves." He paused, a brief look of solemnity crossing his face before he bowed his head slightly. "So, I thank you very much on behalf of all the fishmen present here."
The surrounding crowd lowered their heads respectfully in response, bringing a brief silence to the plaza. Gojo gave a casual nod.
Then, Neptune broke the tension with a broad smile. "Well, now that the New Fishman Pirates are defeated, how about a grand feast at my palace?"
The word "feast" made Luffy's eyes light up instantly. "Food!!"
Luffy reacted immediately, despite being heavily bandaged, covered in injuries, and suffering from severe blood loss. Somehow, the mere mention of food gave him a sudden burst of energy. Several people smiled awkwardly at the sight, and Gojo glanced over with a dry smile. As expected.
The panic that had gripped the island had fully evaporated, replaced by the anticipation of celebration.
However, the Minister of the Left quietly approached Neptune's massive form, his expression uneasy. Because of the giant king's towering forty-foot height, the Minister had to call up to him in a strained, hushed whisper, trying his best not to let the surrounding crowd hear.
Neptune leaned his massive upper body downward to listen as the Minister spoke carefully.
"Your Majesty... I do not think that would be a good idea."
Neptune blinked, looking down at him.
The Minister subtly glanced toward Gojo before continuing in a low voice. "After all... you know who he is and what he did two years ago. He killed a Celestial Dragon."
The atmosphere suddenly felt heavier. Even two years later, that incident carried terrifying weight.
The Minister swallowed hard, lowering his voice further. "If you invite him to the palace for a feast, it may create problems for you during the Reverie. The World Government will take offense. It could bring unnecessary trouble upon Fishman Island."
Neptune went silent. The concern was entirely valid. The World Government treated the World Nobles as untouchable gods, and Gojo was one of the few men alive who had openly executed one. Simply associating with him was a massive political risk.
But after a short pause, Neptune firmly replied, "Although I understand your concerns, Minister, he is still our benefactor. He saved Fishman Island from destruction. We cannot simply ignore that. We must show our gratitude."
Several nearby fishmen nodded in agreement, choosing moral debt over global politics.
The Minister of the Left still looked hesitant, offering a compromise. "Then... how about we reward him with some of our treasures instead? That should show our gratitude without creating a political nightmare."
Neptune fell into deep thought, visibly conflicted. On one hand lay the safety and political future of his kingdom; on the other lay the honor of properly thanking the man who had just saved them all from total ruin.
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