"Just as I thought."
Lott, holding Miku in his arms again, revealed a satisfied smile.
'Sure enough, even though Big Mom was dead, the Homies' power remained.'
This was like a newbie getting a max-level account.
While they couldn't pull off pro-level maneuvers, bullying minor mobs was no problem at all.
"Th-That... Boss... I-I'll be going now..."
Blackbeard said with a dry laugh.
He was in a hurry to chase down Katakuri and the others.
He couldn't let those top-tier Devil Fruits slip away!
"Wait, extract this guy's Devil Fruit too."
Lott pointed at Streusen, who was lying unconscious at Lafitte's feet.
Paramecia Type: Kuku Kuku no Mi.
Lott felt it is very suitable for Erina or Alice.
These two sisters were practically his personal chefs already. Bringing them back to become ability users would make it convenient for them to cook for him anytime.
After all, if he was training deep in the mountains or somewhere, he couldn't exactly carry dozens of pounds of food with him, could he?
"Sure, sure, sure~"
Blackbeard quickly extracted the [Devil's Soul] of the Kuku Kuku no Mi from Streusen's body and infused it into an apple.
It turned into a new Kuku Kuku no Mi. After handing it to Lott, he hurriedly ran off with Lafitte.
'Damn, I came all this way for nothing!'
'Wait, not exactly for nothing.'
'At least Big Mom was dead, so he could move without restraint.'
As for the remaining members of the Big Mom Pirates, Teach didn't give a damn about them.
"Alright, let's head back to Planet Terra."
Lott turned his head and said to Hancock and the others.
The Planet Pirate would probably enter a new era of turmoil afterward.
But that was all irrelevant now.
He had lost all interest in this planet.
Hancock and the others had no objections.
They had planned to follow Lott from the start.
Nami, however, looked conflicted as she glanced at her big sister figure, Robin.
'Leave this planet?'
Robin nodded slightly, conveying her meaning to Nami.
They could only see this path through to the end now.
"Lott-sama, please wait!"
Just as Lott's group was about to return to Boros's spaceship and leave, a blue fat man suddenly leaped out of the sea.
…
A few hours later.
Located 10,000 meters under the sea.
A giant island encased within a double-layered bubble shield came into view through the spaceship's window for Lott's group.
It was also broadcast live for all the spectators across the universe to see.
It was the former necessary passage from Paradise to the New World… Fish-Man Island.
Well, since the Red Line no longer existed, it naturally became a thing of the past.
"What an incredible planet."
Erina at Totsuki Academy murmured in a daze.
"That Miku is so lucky!"
Nino pouted so hard you could hang a kettle from her lips.
While the other three sisters' emotions weren't as exaggerated as Nino's-
They couldn't help but feel equally envious.
"Lott-sama, your ship cannot pass through Fish-Man Island's entrance. Would you like me to prepare a bubble coating?"
Jinbei inquired.
The bubble coating he mentioned was the same kind used by ships on the Planet Pirate to traverse the deep sea.
It could be applied not only to ships but also to people, allowing temporary movement underwater.
"No need."
Lott raised his palm, and a light blue, semi-transparent spherical energy shield enveloped himself, Miku, and the other women.
When the audience saw Lott control this energy ball and fly into Fish-Man Island with the women, many viewers' eyes lit up.
'This thing is so convenient!'
But a minority noticed another question, 'Could this energy shield provide oxygen inside?'
Vegeta, secretly lurking and watching the stream, furrowed his brows.
'This technique... seemed like it could allow Saiyans to overcome their weakness of being unable to survive in space.'
'Did this Lott invent it himself?'
Passing through Fish-Man Island's metal, circular entrance channel-
They arrived at the Mermaid Cove docks.
The burly, densely furred King of Fish-Man Island, Neptune, had already gathered the entire fish-man race and was waiting respectfully.
"King Neptune of the Fish-men, along with all members of our race, thanks Lott-sama for your great kindness and virtue."
When Lott landed, Neptune and the tens of thousands of fish-men behind him bowed deeply in unison.
The scene was so breathtaking that many were momentarily stunned.
Even characters like Kazuma and Gintoki, who had been busy ogling mermaids just moments before, couldn't help but feel the sentiment: "A true man should be like this!"
After all, what man with functioning equipment wouldn't want to be a hero at least once?
"Hmm? What did I do to earn your gratitude... Oh, right, there is something."
Lott suddenly remembered something.
The Fish-men had always wanted to live on land.
But they could never gain recognition from the World Government, and mermaid women were priceless, high-end commodities in the slave trade market.
Now that the World Government was gone, the Fish-men no longer had to live in constant fear as before.
"Oh... Never mind that. Did you come all the way to 10,000 meters underwater just to thank me?"
Lott asked again after processing the situation.
"Of course not. If that were the case, I wouldn't dare disturb you, sir."
Neptune hurriedly explained, then shot a look at his left and right ministers.
The ministers quickly dialed a Den Den Mushi, though it was unclear who they were contacting.
"Lott-sama, please wait a moment. Sit, please sit."
Neptune gestured toward a pre-prepared coral chair.
Lott was also eager to return, so he sat down and made small talk with Neptune.
For ten minutes, Neptune continuously expressed his gratitude to Lott.
Saying things like how the mermaids wouldn't have to fear being kidnapped anymore, blah blah blah.
When Lott heard this, he immediately retorted, "Then why did you pay so much Heavenly Tribute tax to the World Government every year?"
That left Neptune utterly speechless.
Thinking about it carefully, the Ryugu Kingdom was truly bizarre.
Located 10,000 meters underwater, yet still a member nation of the World Government.
The problem was, you paid all that money every year, yet whenever pirates caused trouble on your island, the Marines couldn't come to help immediately.
You still had to rely on Whitebeard's flag to deter pirates.
You paid the World Government money for nothing every year, and they still wouldn't let you live on land.
Total suckers!
"Wow-"
Just then, the members of the Kuja Pirates let out a collective gasp.
Countless viewers in front of their screens widened their eyes even further.
Under the escort of Neptune's three sons, Fukaboshi, Ryuboshi, and Manboshi-
A giant mermaid, over ten meters tall, appeared. Her exquisitely beautiful face wore a nervous expression.
Her small hands were clasped over her chest, covered by a blue silk garment, yet even that couldn't conceal her flawless figure.
"F-Father... is it r-really alright for me to come out like this?"
Shirahoshi asked Neptune with a frightened expression.
"It's fine, Shirahoshi. Lott-sama will protect you."
Neptune nodded confidently and gestured for his daughter to greet Lott.
"Lott-sama..."
Shirahoshi looked at Lott curiously, her pink tail swaying back and forth behind her due to her curiosity.
"King... what is this?"
Lott glanced sideways.
"Hehe, sir,"
Neptune pulled his daughter closer to Lott, ingratiatingly saying:
"I wonder if my daughter is to your liking, Lott-sama?"
The hearts of countless men with functioning equipment shattered in front of their screens.
They had just laid eyes on a peerless beauty, and in the next second, she was going to belong to someone else?
Hancock and Miku, who were present on the scene, immediately flared up with anger.
'Wh-Why another one!?'
Meanwhile, Chika back on Planet Terra puffed her cheeks out in anger.
"F-Father... isn't this t-too sudden?"
Even the simple-minded Shirahoshi herself was startled.
'Th-This is too fast, isn't it?'
'I had just met this Lott-sama!'
"Parents' orders, matchmaker's words. Besides, feelings can be nurtured over time. Starting today, Shirahoshi, you will go to Planet Terra with Lott-sama. After all, girls live with their husband's family after marriage."
Neptune deliberately put on a stern face, making Shirahoshi too afraid to argue.
Lott raised his hand to signal Shirahoshi not to be afraid and cut straight to the point:
"Your Majesty, let's be direct. You just want me to protect her, right?"
Neptune's stern expression instantly turned awkward. "Uh... Lott-sama, y-you already know..."
"I've heard a little. It's not exactly a secret on Fish-Man Island, is it?"
The moment Neptune suggested having Shirahoshi follow him to Planet Terra, Lott had guessed the old fish-man's scheme.
Aside from sending his daughter away from this planet, Neptune simply couldn't find any other way to deal with Vander Decken IX.
No matter how far the distance, his thrown weapons could always hit their previously touched target.
For nine years, his daughter had suffered harassment from that bastard Vander Decken IX.
Even Jinbei couldn't resolve the situation.
Left with no choice, he could only build a hard-shell tower castle for his daughter, where Shirahoshi had lived for a full nine years.
And after learning about Lott's exploits, Neptune suddenly had a flash of inspiration and thought of a new solution-
Let Shirahoshi live on Planet Terra!
So Vander Decken IX's thrown weapons can track their target, huh?'
Alright then, let's see if you have what it takes to chase her across the galaxy!