The canyon in Alabasta, carved out by a single sword strike, was filled with crystals and glass-like materials of various colors.
"Which means..." Robin said, looking upward. "The battle must have moved to the Red Line, or rather, Mary Geoise."
Issho's expression was no longer relaxed, instead, it had become incredibly grave.
Even though his eyes couldn't see, the blind swordsman knew the current might of the World Government, and he was well aware of the consequences that attacking the Holy Land could trigger.
Frowning in thought, Issho looked toward Robin.
"It's time to move."
Robin nodded in agreement, as although she had great faith in Cyrus, the possibility that the battlefield had moved to Mary Geoise made her feel uncertain.
...
The blocked passages quickly changed the atmosphere throughout Fish-Man Island.
Jinbei had already recounted what happened during the rescue at the Sabaody Archipelago.
"The Pirate Hunter, Cyrus?" King Neptune asked, his expression solemn.
"When I left, the battle hadn't spread to the surface!" Jinbei said seriously, pointing upwards.
"A major incident!" Neptune declared, his expression grave.
"But this situation isn't without its benefits," Jinbei reminded him, noticing the King was lost in thought.
"You mean...?" Neptune was taken aback before a look of realization dawned on him.
"The routes to Fish-Man Island are blocked," Jinbei said with a sigh, his expression earnest.
As one of the gateways to the New World, the vast majority of pirates heading there would pass through Fish-Man Island, and most of these pirates would inevitably cause trouble, not to mention the slave traders hiding among them.
If the passages remained closed, would the island cease to be a thoroughfare?
"But it won't last long. This debris can't stop those with great power."
The two fell silent, exchanging a meaningful look without speaking further.
"Your Majesty!" a mermaid guard called out, entering the room quickly. "The ship you asked us to watch has departed, and it seems to be heading for the New World."
Neptune glanced at Jinbei upon hearing this.
"That Cyrus's ship?"
As Cyrus's vessel, the ship had been featured in the newspapers several times during his clash with Rayleigh, and with such a unique appearance, it was naturally easy to recognize.
"Do not obstruct them. Just keep an eye on them," Neptune ordered before looking back at Jinbei.
"It seems this debris can't block their path."
Jinbei nodded in agreement.
"Just forget about the matter with Arlong. He is now an existence that Fish-Man Island must look up to."
Neptune knew about Arlong and that Cyrus was the one who killed him.
In truth, even if the King hadn't said anything, Jinbei wouldn't have retaliated, simply because he couldn't.
...
Enveloped in a bubble, the Dunn Rose Hunter Ship left Fish-Man Island and followed the great undersea passage.
"Hm?"
Standing on the deck, Issho's expression faltered as he turned to face a certain direction and raised his cane sword.
Clang!
An axe was effortlessly parried by the blade. Robin looked at the swordsman with a guarded expression.
"An enemy?"
"It's a Fish-Man!" Issho's face turned serious.
Through his Observation Haki, he could perceive a disheveled Fish-Man staring at them from a distance.
Several more axes were suddenly thrown, and they didn't slow down in the water at all as they headed straight for the bubble-coated ship.
"Is this guy trying to break the ship's coating?" Issho asked, his white eyes narrow and his expression stern.
Issho and Robin didn't know why the stranger was attacking them, as since arriving at Fish-Man Island, the two had rarely interacted with the locals, yet now they were under sudden assault.
"He must be a Devil Fruit user!" Issho's hand tightened slightly on the hilt of his sword, and the blade slid from its sheath.
Vwoom!
A wave of gravity shot straight through the seawater toward the attacker.
...
It was natural that the two of them couldn't figure out the motive.
Their attacker was Vander Decken IX, the very Fish-Man who knew of Princess Shirahoshi's power to summon Sea Kings and wanted to marry her to claim that ability for himself.
'Such a beautiful ship. If I use it as a betrothal gift, that old geezer Neptune definitely won't stand in my way anymore,' Decken thought.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a deep hum echoed, and the water around him suddenly became incredibly heavy as currents pressed in from all directions.
As a Devil Fruit user, he naturally couldn't touch the seawater, moving through the ocean entirely thanks to a protective bubble coating his body.
Under the crushing pressure of Issho's gravity, the coating ruptured instantly, and the Fish-Man's body began to distort.
'Bastard!'
A trace of true fear appeared in Vander Decken IX's eyes as another wave of immense pressure descended.
Bang!
Deep inside the spherical space of seawater, the Fish-Man was completely crushed by the sheer gravitational force.
The Dunn Rose Hunter Ship continued onward, with Issho's blade already returned to its sheath.
Boom!
Sometime later, the debris blocking the entrance to the New World was blasted open by a powerful force, creating a clear passage through which Issho and Robin sailed.
Robin looked through the water at the debris blocking the massive hole below, then glanced upward.
"It's probably over." She assumed this because nothing was falling from above anymore, but a large area of the seabed was now completely covered with the crystal and obsidian-like materials.
Under the various glowing lights of the deep sea, the scattered rocks shimmered with all sorts of colors.
"Mm," Issho nodded.
He couldn't guess Cyrus's current situation, but based on his understanding of his captain, the young man should have had a secure way to escape after making his move, especially considering how immense Cyrus's power truly was.
As for Cyrus completely destroying Mary Geoise? Issho didn't think that was possible.
After all, the World Government had existed for centuries, meaning they surely had many hidden powerhouses, not to mention the full military might of the Marines, while Cyrus was only one person.
With various thoughts running through their minds, Robin and Issho slowly ascended in their ship.
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