One Piece: Investing In Whitebeard At The Start.

Being only thirteen years old, she looked much younger and smaller than the Shirahoshi in Vane's memories. Even so, she was still larger than her three brothers.

Poseidon—the ancient weapon—was a mermaid who could command all Sea Kings. If she ever fully mastered that power, she could rule the world. But Shirahoshi had no such ambition. Vane believed she could likely only command the Neptune class of Sea Kings. Still, he wondered—what was her actual strength? Did her identity as Poseidon enhance her physical power too? Could she, for example, level an island with a punch?

Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside. King Neptune had come to greet them, with Shirahoshi's three brothers walking ahead of her.

"So many people…"

Shirahoshi shrank back timidly from the crowd cheering her arrival. Despite her massive size—easily the largest mermaid present—she was still a thirteen-year-old girl who had spent years locked away in the Hard-Shell Tower. Neptune had forbidden her from leaving for her own safety. Since the age of six, she had barely interacted with the outside world, making her even more shy and reclusive.

"Princess Shirahoshi is so beautiful!"

"She just looked at me!"

"She saw me too! She actually saw me!"

The citizens lining the streets couldn't contain their excitement. To them, it was as if a goddess had descended from the heavens.

"Hello…"

Shirahoshi, overwhelmed by so many strangers, nervously tapped her chin. The gesture made the hearts of the crowd melt. The residents of Fish-Man Island—men and women alike—were captivated by her innocence and beauty. Her mere greeting made them feel honored. For them, the Dragon Palace and its royal family had always felt so distant.

But today was different.

For the first time, King Neptune had opened the gates of the palace to ordinary citizens. He'd even allowed the royal family to appear in public, further closing the gap between them and the people.

At the same time, the once-chaotic Fishman District had been brought under control. Neptune had taken decisive action the night before, and the changes were already showing. The king planned to abolish old traditions—such as segregating fishmen and mermaids—aiming for a united future.

But governing a population of five million wasn't easy.

"Brother, where is that man named Vane?"

Shirahoshi asked suddenly. She had heard many stories about him over the past two days. They said he punished three evil Celestial Dragons. They said he stopped the man who used to throw knives at her tower just to scare her. According to her brother, Vane was a good man who punished villains. Of course, her brother spared her the bloodier details.

To her, Vane was a hero.

"He's in the main hall. You'll see him soon."

Her brother was clearly in high spirits. Nothing made him happier than seeing his sister finally free.

"Really?"

Shirahoshi's eyes sparkled. According to her brother, Vane was a good-looking man who fought evil. She'd been curious about him ever since she first heard his name yesterday. Now, she was about to meet him—and her heart fluttered with nervous excitement.

"Of course. But Shirahoshi, you have to be polite and don't cry, okay? Otherwise, that big brother might not like you."

"Okay! I won't cry!"

She turned toward the gates of the palace, ignoring the noise of the crowd. Her thoughts were consumed by one question:

What kind of person was Vane?

Was he truly someone who punished the wicked, like her brother had said? She remembered the time a Celestial Dragon tried to shoot her mother, Queen Otohime. Was that the kind of evil Vane punished? The kind who wore glass hoods and acted like gods?

"My sweet Shirahoshi, Father's been waiting for you!"

King Neptune appeared, beaming, followed by his guards.

"Dad!"

Shirahoshi lit up with joy. Even though she lived in the palace, she rarely saw her father—he was always busy.

"My precious daughter," Neptune said, embracing her. "Quickly, go into the main hall. Our benefactor is waiting."

Inside the main hall, Vane was eating a fruit. Today, all eyes were on him—and on Shirahoshi.

"Is that Shirahoshi?" Kalifa asked, watching the mermaid enter. Her eyes widened at the sight of her massive form. "She's… beautiful. But... really big."

"Besides her looks, is there anything special about her?" she asked Vane quietly.

"What do you think of someone who has the power to save millions—or destroy the entire world?"

Kalifa blinked. "Seriously? She's just a mermaid. Pretty, sure, but… how could she be that dangerous?"

Vane didn't answer.

He knew the truth. Shirahoshi was Poseidon, one of the three Ancient Weapons. With a single command, she could control the Sea Kings—a force greater than any army. The collective power of those creatures easily surpassed all of humanity's strength. That's why she was said to possess the power to destroy the world.

"I'll tell you later," Vane said.

Kalifa wanted to press the question, but just then, Shirahoshi entered with her brothers and father.

"Your Excellency Vane," Neptune said, "this is my daughter, Shirahoshi."

"Shirahoshi, this is the man who saved you. He is not only our benefactor—he is your benefactor."

"Vane-sama… I am Shirahoshi," she said quietly. Her voice was soft and childlike, but full of sincerity.

"Hello," Vane replied, rising and bowing politely. "I'm Vane."

" Vane-sama, are you really someone who punishes evil people?" she asked, eyes wide.

"That's what I do."

She brightened. "Can I call you Brother Vane?"

"If you want."

"Are all humans as beautiful as you?"

"Maybe."

Her innocent questions and Vane's calm replies made everyone in the hall laugh. To them, Shirahoshi was simply adorable.

Vane didn't say much, but that was enough. Shirahoshi now had a good impression of him. His mission on Fish-Man Island was complete.

If Whitebeard died in the future, Vane planned to take over Fish-Man Island. But he was still undecided—after all, he now knew the flow of history. Maybe it would be enough to simply kill Blackbeard.

The banquet lasted two hours. Shirahoshi barely left Vane's side, eager to keep talking. He was the first outsider she had ever truly spoken to. She was happier than she'd ever been.

Later, Neptune and his sons gave Vane and Kalifa a tour of Fish-Man Island. With a population of five million, the island had a large territory. Known as the paradise beneath the sea, it was even more beautiful than Sabaody.

This was Vane's first stop in the New World.

"Your Excellency Vane, must you leave tonight?" Neptune asked, hoping to persuade him. "Why not stay a few more days?"

"I'm leaving tonight."

Vane looked serious. "Neptune, I know I'm an outsider, but I want to give you some advice: this world is only fit for the strong."

"Only the strong survive…" Neptune repeated, digesting the words.

"Your island is too weak. People like Hody Jones and Vander Decken were free to do as they pleased. What will you do when something even worse arrives?"

"You're right. I'll strengthen our defenses," Neptune promised.

"Five million people live here. That's more than many countries. If you unite them—arm them—you can stop your people from becoming slaves. The problem isn't that the pirates are too powerful. It's that you're too weak."

"I understand. Thank you, Vane."

It was the first time someone had spoken to him so directly—and with such concern for Fish-Man Island. Neptune was deeply moved.

"Brother Vane, what are you talking about?" Shirahoshi asked, poking her head into the conversation.

"Nothing."

She was adorable, Vane thought, but lacked the mature edge of Kalifa. Between them, he trusted Kalifa more.

As night fell, Vane and his group boarded the King and departed Fish-Man Island, with Neptune, Shirahoshi, and the rest of the royal family seeing them off.

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[PS: No more chapters on Fish-Man Island—it's time to enter the New World and begin the true struggle for pirate supremacy!]

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I went to check if we hit 100 Powerstones (so I could drop some bonus chapters)… and got hit with a shock instead,

So yeah… no bonus chapter for now (⁠-⁠_⁠-⁠;⁠)