Deep in the ocean, the water vibrated with tension.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
"Incoming data…"
A large‑eared Catfish Fish‑Man, his ears comically oversized, flapped them as he tuned into the tapping signals sent from a distant Clam Fish‑Man scout.
"Captain's orders! We must stop this Marine Admiral's warship!"
He shot a malicious grin toward the warship, then turned to the gathered Fish‑Men with a sneer.
"Go! Block their path! Stop them! Inferior humans entering the deep sea — what if one of them is a Marine Admiral? They'll all become nothing but our prisoners!"
"Oh oh oh oh!!"
"Kill the inferior humans!!"
The Fish‑Men cheered, gripping long spears and harpoons as they surged forward with grins that were anything but friendly.
Onboard the Thunder Serpent Warship
"Admiral Cero, there are Fish‑Men approaching us. Should we issue a warning?"
A Marine observer frowned slightly as he relayed the situation to Admiral Silver Cero, who was leisurely resting on a deck chair.
"Ha, ignore them. I'm tired. I'll just take a short nap."
Silver Cero yawned lazily, stretching out as if the approaching enemies were nothing more than a nuisance.
"Uh… yes, Admiral!"
The Marine subordinate hesitated, unsettled, but trusted the Admiral's judgment and walked away respectfully.
"Are you not concerned those Fish‑Men might tear through our warship's coating? Intelligence reports say the New Fish‑Man Pirates have been ambushing and threatening all ships near Fish‑Man Island."
The question came from Vice Admiral Dore, who reclined beside Silver Cero in an elegant bikini, concern flickering in her tone.
"The New Fish‑Man Pirates?" she asked uncertainly. "How could they possibly threaten us?"
Silver Cero stretched, brushing off her worry with a tone of disdainful nonchalance.
"They're like frogs in a well! They've never seen the wider world's truths. They don't just misunderstand their own race's place in history, they actively silence those trying to enlighten them."
"They turned what could have been a hopeful tide into the ugly chaos they relish. When it comes to the real atrocities committed by the World Nobles, the threat they pretend to hate — they bury their heads and choose ignorance. It's absurd!"
Dore furrowed her brow slightly, lowering her voice.
"But this is the deep sea. If the coating is breached, even you cannot withstand that immense pressure."
Silver Cero chuckled lightly, dismissing the concern.
"They won't even live long enough to reach us. Electricity isn't restricted in seawater just because they're underwater."
Silver Cero's form pulsed with silver‑white lightning, and a confident smile spread across his face.
"Just wait. The show is about to begin. Oh, and Dore‑san, do you like grilled fish?"
Dore rolled her eyes dramatically.
"I do not!"
Silver Cero grinned back.
"Then let's electrocute them all."
He extended a hand, casually releasing an arc of lightning toward the coating. The jagged bolt passed through the coating and sparked into the seawater beyond.
Deep Sea Outside the Warship
"Huh? Is this guy a Devil Fruit user?"
The Fish‑Men watched Silver Cero's lightning flash into the water with initial surprise. Then they exchanged mocking glances, laughter rippling through their ranks.
"Doesn't this idiotic human realize that seawater dampens his powers? Devil Fruit ability or Haki alike — it's severely weakened underwater!"
"As expected of genetically inferior humans, under deep‑sea conditions, we Fish‑Men don't fear the powers of surface dwellers!"
"Hehe, let's just wait here and see how you, a lowly human, think you can harm us through water!"
Another Fish‑Man added with a leering grin, "Gurgle… look at the woman next to that man. If we break through later, she's mine!"
The mocking and bravado grew louder as they joked about dividing spoils after seizing the warship.
Suddenly, a hush fell as a figure aboard the Thunder Serpent slightly opened his mouth, a wicked smile curving at the edge of his lips as he addressed the Fish‑Men across the water.
"Farewell…"
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
A long arc of silver‑white lightning shot out from Silver Cero's hand, slicing cleanly through the water toward the mocking Fish‑Men. The glow was so intense it distorted the water around it, sending bright tendrils of energy streaking through the deep sea.
The Fish‑Men's laughter turned to startled silence, their mockery cut abruptly short by the sheer potency of Silver Cero's attack as it clove through the ocean like a blade.