章 160: Otohime Was Assassinated, Who Is The Real Culprit?

Seeing Yamato deeply engrossed in conversation, Hiyori quietly stood up and approached Arias's table.

"Brother Arias, let me offer you a toast."

Her face was flushed from the wine, and emboldened by the drink, she walked up to Arias with a glass in hand. The closer she got, the faster her heart pounded.

Arias clinked glasses with her, drank his wine, and asked with a smile, "How has life at sea been?"

Hiyori smiled and replied, "It's been good. Yamato takes great care of us, and I've become much stronger."

She had been training rigorously and fighting with determination. Every time there was a battle, she was at the forefront, wielding the Tianyu Yuzhan left to her by her father, Oden, with increasing mastery.

"Brother Arias, I..."

She wanted to express something but found herself at a loss for words, feeling an unfamiliar emotion stirring within her.

"What's the matter?" Arias asked gently, noticing her hesitation. But before she could answer, his expression shifted as he retrieved a ringing phone snail from its pouch.

"Durrulu! Durrulu!" The phone snail rang insistently.

Who could be calling at this hour?

Arias answered the call, and the chatter around him immediately quieted to avoid disturbing his conversation.

"Moshi Moshi?"

"Brother Arias!!!" A panicked voice cried out from the other end. "Brother Arias, my mother is dying! Waaaah!!!"

The voice was unmistakably that of a frantic Shirahoshi. Princess Otohime was on the brink of death.

Arias quickly pieced together the situation, recalling the events he was familiar with. In the original timeline, Princess Otohime was indeed assassinated in Sea Circle Calendar 1512, following an encounter with the Celestial Dragons on Fish-Men Island. However, Hody Jones, the perpetrator, had already been dealt with by Arias.

So why was Princess Otohime still targeted?

As he listened to Shirahoshi's tearful recounting, he realized the Celestial Dragons had still visited the island, and Princess Otohime had, as before, tried to collect signatures for peace. Unfortunately, she was shot by an unknown assailant while doing so.

With the kingdom under martial law, Jinbei had returned to investigate, but Shirahoshi's plea was urgent.

"Is your mother still alive?" Arias asked quickly.

"Barely, but my father says she doesn't have much time left. Brother Arias, can you save her?" Shirahoshi sobbed.

"Don't worry, I'll be there right away. As long as Princess Otohime is still alive, I can save her!" Arias reassured her before hanging up.

Without wasting a moment, he turned to Hancock and the others, briefly explaining the situation before drawing his Sword Control Talisman. In a flash, he mounted his spiritual sword and sped off towards Fish-Men Island.

Upon reaching the outskirts of Ryugu Kingdom, Arias activated a Water-Avoiding Talisman to cut through the water effortlessly, arriving at the palace in no time.

The island was heavily guarded, with soldiers everywhere due to the martial law. However, Arias couldn't afford to be delayed by them.

The spiritual sword sliced through the air, leaving nothing but a faint afterimage as it bypassed the guards, who were left bewildered by the sudden gust of wind.

"What was that just now?" one of the fish-men soldiers asked, bewildered.

"I have no idea," another replied, equally puzzled.

Inside the palace, King Neptune, along with his children, was gathered around the ailing Princess Otohime. She was extremely weak, using the last of her strength to deliver her final words.

"Don't hate humans, Shirahoshi," she whispered. "You have the power to change the world. In the future, someone will come who can help you use it for good. Take care of yourselves, my dear ones."

Shirahoshi, barely holding back her tears, cried out, "Mom, Brother Arias said he can save you. He'll be here soon, so don't leave us!"

The three older brothers—Shark, King, and Prince Star—resorted to various tactics to keep Shirahoshi from crying, fearing she might accidentally summon the Sea Kings in her distress.

Then, just as Shirahoshi seemed about to break down, a familiar voice rang out behind her.

"Shirahoshi, don't worry. Your mother will be fine."

Shirahoshi turned around, her face lighting up with relief as she saw Arias. "Brother Arias! My mother, she's—"

"Everything will be alright," Arias assured her, gently patting her head.

Neptune, surprised by his sudden appearance, asked, "Mr. Arias, can you really save Otohime?"

Arias, wasting no time, stepped forward, his hand glowing with a soft red light, and placed it over Princess Otohime's chest.

The warmth of his healing energy quickly began to mend her wounds. To the astonishment of Neptune and the others, the injury that had seemed fatal was healing before their eyes.

Princess Otohime felt a warm, peaceful energy fill her body, and strength returned to her limbs.

Within minutes, she was not only alive but felt even stronger than before. Her once fragile skin had toughened slightly, a testament to the power of Arias's healing.

"Mr. Arias, your abilities are miraculous," Otohime said in disbelief, touching the spot where the wound had been. She had been certain she was going to die, but now she was fully recovered.

Shirahoshi, overjoyed, hugged Arias tightly, tears of relief streaming down her face. "Thank you, Brother Arias!"

As he comforted Shirahoshi, Arias turned to Neptune. "Have you found the assassin?"

Neptune shook his head. "No, not yet. The Right Minister is leading the investigation, and Jinbei has returned to help. I'm confident we'll find the culprit soon."

Arias, however, doubted the efficiency of their investigation. "There's no need to waste time. Relax, and don't resist. I'll take you to the truth."

Before Neptune could respond, Arias placed a hand on his shoulder, and the two of them were suddenly transported into a realm of chaos.

This was a place beyond space and time, an inner sanctum that only a warlock like Arias could access. Neptune looked around, bewildered.

"Where are we?" Neptune asked, astonished.

"We're in the inner realm of the mind," Arias explained briefly. "See that ball of chaos over there? Ask it who the real murderer is, and you'll get your answer."

Neptune was skeptical but had no other options. He approached the chaotic mass and asked, "Who tried to kill my wife?"

As soon as he spoke, a realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.

"It was him?!"