"Did you see anything?" Nami asked.
"Nothing unusual."
With his Sharingan activated, Jin swept his gaze across the surroundings, yet he found no sign of any cave or similar structure.
Could it be that they had come to the wrong place?
"Eh?!"
Brook stared at Jin in shock. "Mr. Jin, how are you able to see anything? It's pitch black here!"
Although Shark Submerge III had lights, their range was extremely limited, making visibility very poor.
"The Sharingan has night vision," Jin said, pointing at his eyes. "Didn't I mention that before?"
"Not at all!!"
Jin: ...
Come to think of it, he really hadn't told them about it.
"Ahahaha, that's amazing, Jin!" Luffy said excitedly. "Can I get eyes like that too?"
If he had those eyes, he wouldn't even need lights!
That way… when sneaking into the kitchen at night to grab meat, Sanji wouldn't catch him!
At that thought, Luffy's eyes began to sparkle.
"No. These eyes are mine alone," Jin replied, glancing back at him. "Unless I gouge them out and give them to you."
Luffy: ...
"Then forget it."
He would never harm a companion.
"Mr. Jin, how can you say something so terrifying so calmly…" Brook shuddered. "Those are eyes…"
What kind of statement was "gouge them out"? That was horrifying!
Jin blinked. Was that really so scary?
Where he came from, people losing their eyes was not uncommon.
"Jin is just as scary as Robin…" Usopp muttered.
Robin merely smiled faintly, saying nothing.
"Jin, Shark Submerge III can only dive to 5,000 meters. Be careful," Franky reminded.
These three better not get too carried away and forget that limit.
Glancing at the instruments, Jin nodded. "Got it."
"Eh?!"
"What was that just now?" Brook pointed ahead. "Mr. Jin, look! I think the light just hit something!"
Hearing him, Jin turned to look into the water—but saw nothing unusual…
"Hm?!"
Through the side window, Jin suddenly spotted a massive sea creature!
"This is… a Sea King?"
In his vision, a Sea King with a rabbit-like head floated not far from Shark Submerge III, staring at them intently.
As if sensing his gaze, its eyes flashed with a terrifying light, and it suddenly charged straight toward them.
At that moment, even Brook and Luffy—who lacked night vision—noticed those dreadful eyes.
"A… a Sea King!" Brook cried out.
"Meat!"
Luffy, on the other hand, looked thrilled, as if he weren't seeing a giant sea monster but a massive chunk of meat.
Jin: ...
Glancing at Luffy's excited face, Jin sighed. "You really never forget about food, do you?"
"Mr. Jin, now's not the time for that—run!" Brook panicked.
They were 5,000 meters under the sea! If Shark Submerge III got crushed… only Jin, a ninja skilled in Water Release, might survive. Luffy and Brook would be doomed!
"Hey, what's going on? Sea King?!" Nami's anxious voice came through. "What's happening down there?!"
"It's nothing. Just a Sea King trying to eat us," Jin grinned.
Nami: ...
Was smiling really appropriate right now?
"Hmph. Underwater isn't just your territory, big guy."
Facing the approaching Sea King, Jin formed hand seals without hesitation.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
"BOOM!!"
Under the influence of chakra, the seawater began to churn violently, spiraling around Shark Submerge III and gradually taking the shape of a dragon.
However, the violent currents caused by the technique destabilized the surrounding waters, making Shark Submerge III shake uncontrollably—and begin to sink!
"Creak…"
Hearing the ominous sounds from the vessel, Jin's expression changed. He immediately cut off his chakra and forcibly stopped the jutsu.
He realized the problem instantly.
Using ninjutsu like this would damage Shark Submerge III.
He himself wasn't afraid—he could likely survive with the Swimming Technique—but Luffy and Brook were vulnerable to seawater!
"Mr. Jin…" Brook said, trembling. "Was this also part of your plan?"
"Ahahaha, this is fun!" Luffy laughed, clearly unaware of the danger.
"Obviously not," Jin replied. "And… we're still descending."
Brook: ???
"Ahhh!!!"
Realizing the situation, Brook screamed and accidentally knocked over the Den Den Mushi.
At the same time, Luffy slipped due to the current and crushed the receiver underfoot.
"Crack…"
"What happened?!" Nami called out.
But this time, there was no reply.
"The Den Den Mushi got cut off…" Usopp said grimly.
Had something happened to Jin and the others?
That shouldn't be possible. With someone like Jin, a master of Water Release, how could an accident occur?
"What do we do?"
"Don't worry," Robin said calmly. "Jin is proficient in Water Release. Even if something happens, he can bring Luffy and the others back."
"But that's 5,000 meters…"
"Trust him."
Nami hesitated, then nodded.
There was no other choice.
…
Meanwhile, underwater—
Due to the turbulent currents, Shark Submerge III sank another hundred meters. But thanks to Jin quickly adjusting the controls, the vessel finally stabilized.
"W-we're saved…"
"Mr. Jin, how did you stay steady?" Brook asked in disbelief.
From the beginning, Jin had remained seated without moving at all.
Meanwhile, he and Luffy had been tossed around like ragdolls.
"A ninja's specialty," Jin replied, glancing at the vessel's inner wall.
It hadn't started leaking yet, but the strange creaking persisted. If this continued, it would definitely fail.
With that in mind, Jin immediately adjusted course and sped toward the surface at full throttle.
This action caught the Sea King's attention.
Previously, it had paused due to the violent currents, but now that everything had stabilized, it wouldn't let its prey escape.
With a roar, it gave chase.
"Not good! It's coming after us!" Brook cried, looking through the rear window. "Mr. Jin, faster—faster!"
"I'm already going full speed!"
Glancing back at the Sea King, Jin frowned. "Just wait until we reach the surface."
Today, he was definitely eating this thing.
Soon, Shark Submerge III burst out of the sea at full speed.
"Whoosh—!"
"BOOM!!"
Hearing the commotion, the others rushed over. Seeing that the vessel wasn't damaged, they sighed in relief.
"Looks like it's fine," Franky said.
As long as the sub wasn't destroyed, the people inside were safe.
"Bang!"
Jin threw open the hatch and rushed out, immediately stepping onto the surface of the sea.
"Hm?"
"What's Jin doing?" Merry asked in confusion.
"Yohohoho, Mr. Jin is probably going to settle the score with that sea beast," Brook said as he came out.
"Sea beast…"
The next moment, a massive Sea King erupted from the water—so large it was even bigger than the Thousand Sunny!
"BOOM!"
The Sea King roared as soon as it surfaced, immediately noticing the Sunny.
"ROAR!!"
"Why does it feel like it's not that big?" Usopp said.
"Probably because we saw Jin fight Oars before."
"Yeah, makes sense."
They nodded in agreement.
"Hey, big guy!" Jin called out. "You were pretty arrogant just now."
Sea King: ???
Hearing him, the Sea King instinctively looked down and spotted a tiny figure standing on the water.
…Standing on water?
Its eyes widened.
But the next second, it grew furious.
A mere speck dared to challenge it?
"ROAR!!"
It lunged forward, jaws wide open, ready to devour Jin.
"You still dare act arrogant after coming to the surface?!"
With a snort, Jin vanished.
Sea King: ???
Where did he go?
The next instant, Jin appeared before it and threw a punch.
"BANG!!"
The impact struck its abdomen with tremendous force, making its eyes bulge.
"GRAAAH!"
The Sea King screamed, blood spraying from its mouth like a fountain.
"BOOM!"
Its massive body crashed into the sea, sending waves soaring.
That single punch nearly knocked it unconscious.
But its survival instincts kicked in, forcing it to stay awake as it turned to flee into the depths.
"Hm? Still trying to run?"
Jin smirked.
"Water Style: Swimming Technique!"
"Whoosh—!"
Like a fish, Jin dove into the water, pursuing it.
Sensing the killing intent behind it, the Sea King glanced back—and nearly lost its soul.
The human who had nearly killed it with one punch was now moving faster than it in the water.
It knew.
It was finished.
The next moment, Jin vanished again.
'Water Release: Body Flicker Technique!'
'Acceleration: Monster Strength Punch!!'
"BANG!!"
The crushing blow smashed into the Sea King's skull, shattering it completely.
Its eyes rolled back as it lost consciousness. Blood poured from the wound, dyeing the surrounding seawater red.
'They say Sea King meat is delicious. No way I'm missing this chance.'
Grinning, Jin grabbed its body and shot toward the surface.
"BOOM!!"
He burst out of the water, splashing waves everywhere and drawing everyone's attention.
"Ah!"
"Jin's back!"
"He actually killed a Sea King…"
Brook stared in shock.
This wasn't hunting a Sea King on the surface.
This was in the deep sea—their home ground.
Mr. Jin's strength… was terrifying.
"Hey, Sanji, how do we deal with this thing?" Jin asked.
Killing it was easy—but handling something this big?
No response.
"Huh? Sanji?"
He remembered Sanji being on deck.
"That guy probably can't hear anything right now…" Nami said, glancing at Sanji lying on the ground, unwilling to get up.
He'd been knocked over earlier by a mermaid girl and hadn't moved since.
Maybe… he'd entered his own world?
Jin: ???
Just then, Jin noticed a starfish by the ship.
"Wow, you actually defeated a sea beast?!" Papagu exclaimed. "Amazing!"
"The starfish… talked?!"
Jin stared in shock.
"Hey… you defeated a sea beast, yet you're shocked by a talking starfish…?" Papagu said.
"…That's different," Jin replied.
He'd deal with that later.
Turning back to the Sea King, Jin examined its body thoughtfully.
"It's still basically a fish… so the tasty parts should be the same."
With that, he used a jutsu.
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
"Buzz—!"
A sharp, high-pressure stream sliced off a massive chunk of meat.
Papagu was dumbfounded.
Not only could this guy kill a sea beast—he could spit water like that?!
Was he a fish-man?!
"Yeah, that should be enough," Jin nodded.
Even Luffy couldn't finish that much.
At that moment, the sea trembled again.
A massive wolf-shaped Sea King emerged—drawn by the scent of blood.
"ROAR!"
But the instant it roared, a terrifying killing intent locked onto it.
Cold sweat poured down its body as it looked toward the source.
"Get lost," Jin said coldly.
Sea King: ...
Without hesitation, it turned and dove back into the sea.
"Y-you scared off a Sea King?!" Camie exclaimed in disbelief.
Just a single sentence—and it fled?
What kind of monster was this man?!
"My prey isn't for you to eat."
Jin snorted.
If it had lingered even a second longer, he would've taken its head too.
"How terrifying…"
Papagu swallowed hard.
What kind of people had saved them…?
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on P@treon if you're interested:
patreon.com/ZoroTL442