"So big…"
All the Marines on the warship looked up in shock.
This was just the tip of the iceberg!
As the colossal tentacle emerged from the depths, an oppressive force locked everyone in place. It was as if they were frogs caught in the gaze of a predator like a Sea King-class Lion Majesty. Their hearts pounded in terror, and their limbs refused to move.
Chi! Chi! Chi!
A cascade of pink cherry blossom petals swept through the seawater, slicing into the massive limb. Deep crimson bloomed in the ocean as wounds appeared along its surface.
However—
Despite the slashes, the tentacle remained unfazed, continuing its approach with relentless determination.
It was simply too massive!
The injuries inflicted by the petals were nothing but shallow cuts compared to its sheer size.
"I don't believe it! I refuse to accept that I can't hurt you!"
A powerful aura exploded from Carl's body.
The floating cherry blossom petals transformed into countless thin blades—each now laced with black lightning-like Armament Haki!
Swoosh—!
The darkened blades accelerated beyond the limits of the naked eye, carving through the water and leaving behind a vacuum.
Chi! Chi! Chi!
Deep, jagged wounds spread across the tentacle's flesh.
Crackle!
Though the injuries were still smaller than the beast's enormous form, black lightning surged within each opening, violently devouring the tentacle from the inside out.
Giiiinnnnchiiiiii!!
A thunderous, ear-piercing screech filled the ocean as the monstrous creature thrashed in agony. Its titanic body convulsed, sending violent currents surging through the depths.
Ka! Ka! Ka!
The warship was dragged off course by the force of the waves!
"Tch, that's why I said these things are troublesome." Carl's face darkened.
He stomped lightly on the deck.
Immediately, a transparent layer of Armament Haki wrapped around the entire warship, stabilizing it amid the chaos.
Carl exhaled slowly. "Why the hell is this thing even here?!"
Sea Kings—true overlords of the ocean—were beings of unimaginable destruction.
To put it into perspective—
A single large Sea King could wipe an island like Loguetown or Foosha Village off the map with minimal effort.
A warship like Carl's wasn't even an appetizer—it was barely a speck of food stuck between its teeth.
Why had it suddenly set its sights on them?
More importantly—
This wasn't a region where large Sea Kings were normally found.
Carl's gaze sharpened.
"…Could it be… Shirahoshi has awakened again?"
That was the only plausible explanation.
Finally, the violent water currents subsided.
A colossal shadow emerged from the depths, revealing its full form.
"Wait… is that an… octopus?" Brett blinked in disbelief.
The Marines aboard the ship were frozen in horror.
Eight sky-covering tentacles writhed within the sea, blotting out the light.
A primal fear gripped their hearts.
Carl, however, remained unfazed. He stepped forward, and a chilling killing intent erupted from his body!
ROAR!!
It wasn't a sound, but rather a force—a blood-colored beast-like presence looming over the warship.
The suffocating pressure instantly relieved the Marines of their fear.
"Tch, if only I had Conqueror's Haki…" Carl clicked his tongue in annoyance.
For creatures like Sea Kings, the simplest solution was an overwhelming burst of Haoshoku Haki—an instant deterrent.
Unfortunately, despite training his Haki for over a decade, he had yet to manifest even the slightest trace of it.
"No matter. I'll just deal with it my way."
Carl raised a single finger.
The floating thin blades morphed into long, gleaming swords.
"Jingoku: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."
Blades upon blades sank into the seawater, neatly aligning themselves like the teeth of a massive carnivorous beast.
The ocean itself split apart under their sheer sharpness.
Escape?
Impossible.
Attempting to outrun a Sea King in its own domain was suicide.
Chant—!!
A deep, guttural growl echoed across the sea.
The behemoth had begun to feel genuine fear.
It hadn't experienced pain like this in ages.
Swish—! Swish—!
One after another, the giant tentacles lashed down like sky-ripping whips!
"Cut!"
Carl stomped down, and the warship instantly sank lower, dodging the descending appendages.
A mountainous current surged above them as the tentacle struck the water, nearly capsizing their ship.
Chi! Chi! Chi! Chi!
Carl's blades sliced relentlessly, leaving crimson streaks on the Sea King's body.
Black lightning surged forth, forming a gigantic, writhing serpent.
It coiled around the beast's flesh—biting, crushing, devouring.
Chant—!!
BOOM!
The ocean itself erupted into a chaotic storm!
Even Fish-Man Island, thousands of meters below, trembled from the force.
Inside the Ryugu Palace, a crowned mermaid stepped outside, her expression grim.
"What's happening…?"
Her gaze swept over the tranquil ocean floor.
No visible disturbances.
Which meant—
The commotion was coming from an extreme distance.
For such a massive force to be felt from so far away…
"There's no doubt about it… Two large Sea Kings must be fighting."
Above—
The Sabaody Archipelago trembled.
A Marine in the streets gasped, "An earthquake?!"
A nearby officer barked orders, "Regardless, begin immediate evacuation procedures! Secure the civilians!"
Back in the ocean—
Carl scowled as he observed the rampaging Sea King.
"This thing is really annoying…"
If it were a mindless beast, he could've easily sealed it away using Tensei Ninjutsu from the [Deva Path] or the [Naraka Path].
But—
Large Sea Kings are different.
Their intelligence rivals that of humans.
On top of that, their natural bodies possess overwhelming spiritual power, making them nearly impossible to control.
Swoosh—!
Another massive tentacle struck.
Carl's expression darkened.
"Hold tight. Things are about to get messy."
The Marines barely had time to react.
Profound Art: "One Thousand Blades, Devouring Bloom."
A forest of long blades erupted within the sea.
Each one transformed into black serpents, their scales crackling with Haki-infused lightning.
The temperature plummeted.
A huge section of the ocean froze solid.
"DIE!!"
Carl's eyes gleamed as he slashed.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Even underwater, a series of sonic booms shattered the silence.
The monstrous octopus howled in agony.
Every tentacle raised to shield itself.
It didn't matter.
Carl's swords pierced straight through its defenses.
The black serpents lunged—tearing chunks of flesh apart.
Shriiieeekk!!
The warship shook violently.
Ka! Ka! Ka!
The protective coating flickered.
Carl frowned.
Just as he prepared another attack—
Swoosh—!!
A thick black cloud engulfed them.
Carl's eyes widened.
"…Ink?!"
The entire ocean turned pitch black.
In the distance—
The colossal shadow vanished.
"…It escaped?"
Carl clicked his tongue.
"Tch. That thing just attacked for no reason and fled after getting beat. Annoying."
He sighed and slumped back into his chair.
"Brett, restart the ship."
"…Aye, Captain."
With that, the warship resumed its journey to Fish-Man Island.
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