As Fish-Man Island, an edifice that had remained fixed for centuries, began to slowly stir, the seafloor was rocked by a frenzied tremor. Countless corals fractured and broke apart.
Such a colossal landmass was actually in motion!
BOOM!
A tremendous roar ripped through the water. The entire island shuddered violently, causing buildings to collapse and kicking up clouds of dust and debris from the ground. A deep sense of unease began to spread among the inhabitants of Fish-Man Island.
"It's moving! Fish-Man Island is moving!"
"We're rising!"
"What kind of power is this, to be able to move the entire island?!"
A cacophony of voices rose from every corner.
"Calm down! This is all part of the plan! There is no need to panic!" As the king of Fish-Man Island, Neptune's voice once again boomed across the land, offering what little reassurance he could.
"What a miraculous power! This is the true strength of a Paramecia-type conceptual Devil Fruit," Ryuuto remarked with genuine awe as he watched the scene unfold from above.
The user of the Mark-Mark Fruit could touch any living or non-living thing, marking it as their "target." Afterward, any object the user threw into the air, regardless of its size, weight, or type, would automatically alter its trajectory, ignoring all obstacles and distance to fly in a perfect arc toward the marked objective.
The most terrifying core of the Mark-Mark Fruit's ability was its absolute infallibility.
As long as the thrown object itself was not destroyed or intercepted mid-flight, it was guaranteed to hit its target.
Therefore, Fish-Man Island, now classified as the "thrown object," was ignoring its own immense weight and heading straight for the target: Vander Decken IX.
To keep the island as stable as possible and minimize harm to its residents, Ryuuto remained suspended in mid-air, holding Vander Decken IX completely still.
"Shirahoshi, get ready!" Seeing the first step of the island's migration proceed smoothly, Nami sprang into action. She shouted to Princess Shirahoshi while simultaneously ordering Jean Bart, Prince Fukaboshi, and the others to help the injured residents.
"Help us! We need your help!" Shirahoshi pleaded, clasping her hands together as she sent out a heartfelt request to the colossal Sea Kings.
ROAR! ROOOAR!
Sensing the entreaty from their queen, the eight giant Sea Kings immediately bit down on the thick iron chains attached to the Noah and began carefully dragging the massive ark into position.
"Come on! Just a little higher!" Shirahoshi prayed, watching their progress anxiously.
Fish-Man Island was slowly ascending, but a worrying problem had emerged: the island was shaking violently throughout the process. Meanwhile, towed by the giant Sea Kings, the Noah drew closer to the seabed, moving directly beneath Fish-Man Island.
"Just as I thought. Moving the island with the Mark-Mark Fruit offers no comfort at all. The destruction is just too great!" Ryuuto mused, stroking his chin. At that moment, the entire island had already begun to tilt at a slight angle. "Thankfully, I went with the other plan," he sighed, relieved.
"Lord World, you're up next!" A scientist aboard the Noah watched the proceedings, his voice trembling with excitement.
"World, you can put me down now," Byojack said softly.
"Sebastian, you and the others protect Byojack," World ordered as he carefully lifted Byojack from his shoulder and placed him in Sebastian's arms.
"Alright, the time is right!" Hancock called out, seeing that the Noah was almost directly under Fish-Man Island.
"Fuffuffuffuffu..." World chuckled, clutching a green syringe in his left hand, his expression one of pure exhilaration. He let out a booming laugh before striding to the bow of the Noah.
BOOM!
Finally, with the combined effort of the eight giant Sea Kings, a deafening impact echoed as the Noah settled firmly onto the seabed, directly beneath Fish-Man Island.
"I wonder how things are going?" Neptune thought worriedly, feeling the island's tilt growing more severe.
In the plaza, the citizens had all fallen to their knees, praying. "It has to succeed!" was the single, simple thought that filled their hearts. Only Shirahoshi, sensing the message from the Sea Kings, knew that they had succeeded.
"Now!" Hancock looked up at the island looming above them and let out a sharp cry. Hearing her voice, Byojack and the others turned their nervous gazes toward World at the bow.
Although Fish-Man Island now blocked the light filtering down from the roots of the Sunlight Tree Eve, the yearning for a better life and the desperate will to succeed could not be extinguished by the darkness.
"Watch me! Tenfold Giant!" World roared, slamming both hands onto the deck of the Noah. In an instant, a massive wave of blue energy enveloped the entire ark.
VMMMMMM...
A continuous, deep vibration followed as the Noah, empowered by World's More-More Fruit, began to grow at an astonishing rate. In moments, Hancock and the others felt themselves shrink into insignificance.
"It's working!" Hancock exclaimed joyfully, looking up. They were now less than a few dozen meters from the bottom of Fish-Man Island.
"I did it!" World shouted in triumph. Although enlarging the Noah tenfold had consumed a vast amount of his stamina, the feeling of accomplishment was unparalleled.
Nami, Neptune, and the others, floating in the water with their coating bubbles, could now see the gargantuan Noah positioned beneath them.
"Now for the next step," Nami thought to herself. Shirahoshi's face was beaming with growing happiness. The plan Ryuuto had outlined was becoming a reality, step by step.
"Vander Decken, release your ability," Ryuuto said, a faint smile playing on his lips as he looked down at the enlarged Noah. He addressed the man he was holding captive.
Vander Decken IX was utterly shocked. Though his mind was reeling with questions, he had no choice but to obey. He made a series of gestures with his hands, muttering an incantation before striking himself.
The moment the Mark-Mark Fruit's ability was dispelled...
Instantly, Fish-Man Island lost its upward momentum and began to plummet toward the seafloor.
WHOOSH!
Due to inertia, the residents of the island were momentarily lifted into the air.
"Ahh! What's happening?!" countless people screamed in terror.
Fortunately, the island was only a few dozen meters above the Noah. Before their cries could fade, Fish-Man Island crashed heavily onto the ark's deck.
"Quick, spread out!" Hancock yelled at Byojack and the others as the island fell from above. She moved in a flash, speeding toward the edge of the deck. Sebastian, Gairam, and the others were already prepared, scattering in an instant.
BOOM!
As the coating bubble of Fish-Man Island merged with that of the Noah, the impact produced a sound that reverberated throughout the deep sea. A powerful shockwave swept outward, nearly messing up the unique hairstyles of the giant Sea Kings.
"You're mad! All of you are completely insane!" Vander Decken IX shrieked from above, watching the scene below like a man possessed.
"It seems you've lost your value," Ryuuto said with a dismissive glance, before knocking him unconscious once more.
"We're safe!" On the island, everyone landed safely back on solid ground. The fact that Fish-Man Island was finally stationary gave them a profound sense of security.
WHOOSH!
With a rush of air, Ryuuto appeared beside Princess Shirahoshi, tossing the unconscious Vander Decken to the ground. "Shirahoshi," he said softly, "have the Sea Kings begin. The Fish-Man Island migration plan officially begins now."
"Mhm!" Shirahoshi nodded eagerly and once again began communicating with the giant Sea Kings.
"Neptune, get everyone moving!" After speaking with Shirahoshi, Ryuuto turned to give his next order.
"Right!" Neptune nodded firmly, then raised a Den Den Mushi to his mouth. "Bubble supplement plan! Begin now!" All around the island, members of the Neptune Army flew into the space between the two massive coating bubbles, took out Bubble Corals, and began blowing with all their might.
ROAR! ROAR!
The eight giant Sea Kings began to move. With their terrifying strength, they started to pull the ten-times-enlarged Noah, which moved with surprising stability. For the first time, it felt as if Fish-Man Island was a passenger on a great ship, sailing toward the surface.
"Hahahahahaha... Just like that! Straight for the surface!" Ryuuto flew high in the air, a wave of heroic passion surging through him as he watched the grand spectacle.
"Ryuuto, it's all up to World now," Hancock said, having returned to the island to stand by his side.
"I have faith in him," Ryuuto replied with a light laugh.
"We're... we're actually sailing through the ocean! It's incredible!"
"The surface! Here we come!"
"We did it! Real sunlight, here we come!"
The residents of Fish-Man Island shouted with excitement as they watched the underwater scenery glide past them. They truly believed it now—Ryuuto could lead them back to the world above. At the same time, thanks to the continuous efforts of the Neptune Army, the outermost bubble enveloping the island was slowly but surely expanding.
"Captain Ryuuto, thank you!" Neptune approached Ryuuto, his expression filled with sincere gratitude.
"King Neptune, we only did what was right. In this world, everyone is equal. Everyone has an equal right to enjoy the sun," Ryuuto declared, his powerful voice amplified by his lightning ability, reaching every corner of the island. As he spoke, his reputation value began to skyrocket. After all, Fish-Man Island had a population of five million.
"Captain Ryuuto..." Princess Shirahoshi whispered, gazing up at him in the sky. Speckles of light danced around him, making him appear tall and mysterious.
The journey would take several hours. After getting everything settled on the island, Ryuuto flew down to the Noah.
"World, you holding up?" Ryuuto asked softly, seeing the man still straining. "Do you want a couple more of these stamina potions? I've tested them; the limit is three at once."
"Fuffuffuffuffu! This is nothing! I'm not feeling any pressure at all!" World laughed boisterously, his bald head reflecting a glint of light.
Ryuuto glanced at the increasing beads of sweat on World's forehead and placed two more stamina potions beside him anyway. Maintaining the Noah's colossal size was undoubtedly a massive drain on one's stamina.
As Fish-Man Island continued its ascent, the roots of the Sunlight Tree Eve were a constant sight along the way.
Ten thousand meters.
Nine thousand meters.
Six thousand meters.
Three thousand meters.
Two thousand meters.
One thousand meters.
As time ticked by, Fish-Man Island drew ever closer to the surface, and the anticipation felt by Neptune and the others grew more intense with each passing moment.
Five hundred meters.
Two hundred meters.
The people of Fish-Man Island could now see the light from the world above.
"It's sunlight!"
"Real sunlight!"
Seeing this, countless residents burst into tears. This was the genuine sunlight they had longed for, the sunlight they had dreamed of for generations.
"Otohime, we did it," Neptune whispered, his eyes growing moist and his voice choked with emotion.
Hancock, Nami, and Vivi stood beside Ryuuto, their hearts pounding with excitement. Today, they would be the ones to break the fated future of Fish-Man Island.
World had already injected all three stamina potions. He was panting heavily, clearly reaching his absolute limit. "But... we're almost there," he thought, looking up with a gratified smile. It was all worth it.
The outermost bubble surrounding the island had expanded significantly, and the vast amount of air trapped inside now provided substantial buoyancy. Under its effect, Fish-Man Island had begun to float slightly above the deck of the Noah.
Meanwhile, on the Red Line, within the Room of Flowers in the Holy Land Mary Geoise...
"What is this? Why is my heart suddenly beating so fast?" Imu pressed a hand to their chest, feeling a slight discomfort. They paused for a moment amidst the flowers before turning and disappearing down a narrow path.
One hundred meters.
Fifty meters.
Above the waves, the brilliant sun shone down, its rays piercing through the clear water and finally falling upon Fish-Man Island. After centuries, the island was once again bathed in true sunlight.
ROAR! ROOOOAR!
The eight giant Sea Kings, still clenching the thick iron chains in their mouths, let out a mighty roar. With a powerful flick of their massive tails, they burst through the surface of the ocean. The sunlight reflected brilliantly off their massive bodies.
Following them was the Noah, an ark larger than an island itself.
Zero meters!
BOOM!
The surface of the sea was violently broken as the Noah, carrying Fish-Man Island, surged into the open air.
"It's the sky! And the sun!"
"We did it!"
Feeling the warmth of the sun on their skin and breathing in the air of freedom, the residents of Fish-Man Island began to weep with joy.