Chương 22: Onward to Fishman Island (3)
As the Thousand Sunny sailed closer to the Downward Plume, an awe-inspiring undersea waterfall that plunged deeper into the ocean's depths, volcanic eruptions rumbled in the distance, sending tremors through the sea. They were amid the current that plunged deep near the waterfall.
Nami shouted for everyone to brace themselves as the powerful currents around the Plume began pulling them in. Steam and bubbles clouded the already murky waters.
Suddenly, a massive figure emerged—The Kraken, its monstrous tentacles thrashing wildly, menacing the Thousand Sunny. Caribou's ship, returning to get his captain, got crushed by one of the Kraken's tentacles, bursting the bubble and fracturing the boat in two in a macabre display. The sea beast crushed the vessel as if it were nothing, forcing the Straw Hats to prepare for battle.
Turning his attention back to the straw hats, it tried to do the same thing to them. With the intervention of Franky, who rocketed missiles from his shoulder, Chopper's peculiar transformation, who tanked one of the tentacles damage, and Robin materialized huge hands to avoid being crushed in the sea bed, Blake witnessed all these actions. He was ready to intervene if things went awry.
Through Caribou's advice (partly because he didn't want to die pointlessly by them bursting the bubble), Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji wasted no time donning their special diving suits, ready for combat. They left the Thousand Sunny's bubble safety, removing the cord that Usopp had equipped them around their torsos.
Blake was amused seeing this, wanting to see how they'd tackle this immediate threat.
Their movements were swift and decisive, sharpened by their two years of intense training. Sanji darted toward the Kraken with blinding speed, his Diable Jambe: Grill Shot igniting the water around him as he burned through one of the Kraken's tentacles. Not far behind, Zoro unleashed his Santoryu (three-sword style), cutting through another tentacle with precision.
Luffy, with his eyes locked on the creature, activated Gear Third and sent a massive Gomu Gomu no Elephant Gun into the Kraken's face. The impact rippled through the sea, pushing the creature back. But their current intensified and dragged the beast, the trio, and the Thousand Sunny into a swirling vortex, pulling everyone more deeply into the ocean.
Blake hovered above the fray, his body glowing faintly as he observed the chaos with a calm expression. He had foreseen this through his Future Sight but chose to let the crew handle the situation. He watched Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji disappear into the vortex before casually lowering himself back to the deck. He stabilized the ship's direction so they did not crash on the walls surrounding the downward Plume.
They arrived at the end of the pressure wave current, and the ship ventured deeper into the ocean. The water surrounding the ship grew darker and colder. Blake glanced ahead in a particular direction and reassured the others.
"They're fine," he said casually. "They're near the Kraken, safe for now."
The crew was stunned by his calmness but trusted his words, especially since he could see what was happening with his glowing eyes, they assumed.
Suddenly, several Sea Kings began to circle the ship, their massive forms casting dark, menacing forms over the Thousand Sunny. Their sheer size and intimidating presence sent a chill through the crew. Before Franky could even think about using the Coup de Burst to escape, Blake calmly stepped forward. His sharp eyes glowed intensely, activating his Gaze Intimidation.
The moment Blake's eyes locked onto the Sea Kings, an invisible but powerful wave of energy radiated from him, sending a warning to the creatures. One by one, the enormous beasts hesitated, sensing the overwhelming pressure from Blake's aura. They quickly turned away, leaving the ship's surroundings, vanishing into the depths without a fight. This happened more than once as other creatures approached, but none dared to challenge the aura Blake emitted.
In awe of Blake's intervention, the crew stared at him in disbelief.
"That's amazing…" Nami muttered, her voice filled with awe, while Usopp and Chopper stood wide-eyed.
Robin, however, remained quietly intrigued. She had noticed Blake's unique eyes glowing whenever he used that strange ability. There was something familiar about them. "I've read about people like that… in an ancient book," she thought to herself. It spoke of those with special eye powers, wielders of extraordinary abilities. Her curiosity about Blake only deepened.
Then, a ghostly ship materialized in the distance—The Flying Dutchman, captained by Vander Decken IX, sailed out of the shadows, its eerie glow cutting through the murk. Alongside the ship was the massive sea giant, Wadatsumi, who quickly moved in for an attack. His massive hand reached out to crush the Sunny, but before it could, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji reappeared, riding on the now-tamed Kraken, whom Luffy had named Surume.
Surume sent a punch to the sea giant, making it stop his attack at the Thousand Sunny, sending him flying away a bit.
Standing at the bow, Blake narrowed his glowing eyes at the Flying Dutchman, focusing on one particular Fishman. For a brief moment, something strange happened. A sudden vision overtook him—a disorienting but vivid image played in his mind. Blake witnessed this ugly Fishman standing on top of a giant ship, with his hands pressed against the ship's wooden hull as his powers took effect. The massive ship seemed to make its descent towards a beautiful island encased in a big bubble. The ship, an enormous ark-like ship, was menacing to destroy it, being close to the same size. If the ship collides with the island, it promises a significant level of destruction and a threat to the island's future.
In the vision, a beautiful giant mermaid fled from the island, trying to lure the colossal ship away to protect her home. Blake saw the fear and the determination in her eyes as the ship weirdly followed her. It was a devastating moment of terror that carried a grim weight.
Suddenly, Blake snapped out of the vision, his system flashing a notification in his mind:
System Notification: Heimdall Card has leveled up to 30. New skill unlocked: Prophecy Sight.
Card: Heimdall (Norse Mythology)
Tier: 4
Character Description: Heimdall, the all-seeing and all-hearing guardian of the Bifrost in Asgard, is renowned for his extraordinary senses. His unmatched vigilance allows him to see and hear across the realms, making him a powerful protector. Known for his loyalty and strength, Heimdall possesses unparalleled perception, making him a formidable opponent.
Skill 1 (Level 0) – Enhanced Vision: Sharpen visual perception, allowing you to see minute details, rapid movements, and subtle changes in your environment with exceptional clarity.
Evolved: See Through(Level 15): You can now see through solid objects, obstacles, and environmental barriers for up to 10 miles.
Status: Unlocked.
Skill 2 (Level 0) – Gaze Intimidation: Exert a powerful, fear-inducing aura through direct eye contact, weakening the resolve of those who meet your gaze.
Status: Unlocked.
Skill 3 (Level 10) – Future Sight: See up to two seconds into the future, gaining the ability to anticipate movements and actions just before they happen.
Resonance (special): Due to the Aetherian eyes, this ability is enhanced, extending the future sight up to five seconds, allowing for broader foresight in combat and strategy.
Status: Unlocked.
Skill 4 (Level 30) – Prophecy Sight: Upon seeing a person for the first time, you may randomly trigger a vision of either a significant past or future event in their life. This ability can reveal key moments tied to the individual's fate or history.
Status: Unlocked (Level 30).
Blake blinked and refocused, still processing what he had just seen. The crew hadn't noticed anything unusual yet, but Robin, ever perceptive, had caught a glimpse of his eyes glowing with an unnatural intensity.
Blake, still processing the vivid vision he had just witnessed, knew one thing for certain—it was a future event that needed to be prevented. He recalled the terrifying image of Noah, the giant ark, relentlessly chasing the mermaid princess Shirahoshi, with Luffy following in pursuit. Beside her was a tall, buffed, mean-looking fishman with long white hair. Blake narrowed his eyes at Vander Decken IX, the source of this chaos.
Without hesitation, and moving with a speed that seemed almost like teleportation, Blake vanished from the deck of the Thousand Sunny and reappeared behind Vander Decken in a blur. The Flying Dutchman crew barely had time to react before Blake swiftly struck the back of Vander Decken's neck, knocking him out cold.
"Sleep tight, Fishman," Blake said with a smirk.
Before the rest of the Flying Dutchman crew could comprehend what had just happened, Blake smirked and patted one of the dazed crewmates on the back. "Well, looks like your boss is out of commission. Good luck with that," he quipped before disappearing again, effortlessly returning to the Sunny without breaking a sweat, taking the unconscious fish man with him.
The crew stared in utter confusion back on the Sunny. Luffy scratched his head. "Oi, Blake, what was that all about? Why'd you knock him out?"
Before Blake could answer, his gaze shifted toward the ship's interior. "Before I explain… Caribou, come out from hiding. I know you're sneaking around," he called out, his voice echoing through the Thousand Sunny.
The crew exchanged surprised glances, and after a tense moment, Caribou sheepishly emerged from a chamber near the kitchen, having used the previous chaos to slip away unnoticed. He looked smug for a moment, clearly thinking he had escaped detection. But that smirk quickly faded as Blake approached him, his eyes narrowing with amused annoyance.
Blake retrieved the sea-stone shackles he had initially used to restrain Caribou. "You've had your fun. These belong to someone else now." Without another word, Blake shackled the unconscious Vander Decken IX, securing the dangerous fishman to prevent any further mischief.
Turning back to Caribou, Blake said, "Since you've been behaving so poorly, I think it's time we found you a new place to stay." He glanced at Franky. "Franky, give me an empty barrel."
Franky, though still confused, complied, handing over a large, sturdy barrel. Blake grabbed Caribou and, despite his protests, placed him inside the barrel, filling it with seawater just enough to suppress Caribou's Devil Fruit powers.
"Franky, lock this up tight. Let's keep him contained for now," Blake added. Franky smirked and happily enclosed the barrel, securing it tightly, leaving only Caribou's head sticking out. Caribou whimpered inside, unable to escape.
The crew gathered around Blake, clearly confused about his earlier actions. Zoro raised an eyebrow, his hand resting on his sword. "What's the deal, Blake? Why knock out that fishman?"
Blake crossed his arms, keeping his expression calm and casual. "I don't know exactly who he is, but he looks like trouble. From what I'm guessing, he must've been causing chaos around here, and a guy like that probably has a bounty on his head. Figured capturing him might win us some points with the locals on Fishman Island. Since we're pirates, gestures like that could smooth things over when we get there. Better to stay on their good side, right?"
Blake shrugged nonchalantly, leaving out any mention of his Prophecy Sight.
Nami's eyes gleamed with Berries. "A wanted criminal, huh? Maybe there's a reward!"
Blake chuckled. "I'm not doing it for the reward… entirely," he said with a wink, though he purposefully omitted any mention of his vision of the future. He didn't need to reveal that particular card just yet.
Robin, however, wasn't convinced by the surface explanation. She studied Blake carefully, her mind still on his glowing eyes. "Interesting," she murmured to herself. She knew there was more to Blake than he was letting on, but she kept her suspicions to herself for the time being.
Just as the Straw Hats began to celebrate their victory, the ocean trembled violently beneath them. Without warning, the underwater volcano erupted with a deafening roar, sending torrents of steam and molten rock surging toward them. The pressure from the explosion sent shockwaves through the water, and the temperature spiked dangerously.
Nami immediately shouted for action, but Surume, the Kraken, reacted instinctively before anyone could suggest a plan. Wrapping two of his massive tentacles around the Thousand Sunny, he unelegantly bolted away from the eruption, propelling them at incredible speed through the depths. The ship lurched as Surume frantically fled from the looming magma, his sheer size barely keeping them ahead of the heat.
As the crew held on for dear life, Surume, in his panic, unknowingly stumbled upon a massive undersea precipice. Unable to stop himself, he plunged over the edge, and Sunny and the crew followed right behind. Rocks and debris from the volcano tumbled down with them, and one large rock struck Surume on the head, knocking the Kraken out cold mid-fall. The Thousand Sunny, still secure in his tentacles, fell along with him, crashing into the abyss.
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