In the silent, dim underwater forest, the gentle water waves swayed silently. The weak light filtered through the seawater, and the air was filled with a moist coolness.
Evan looked down at Arlong, who was kneeling at his feet and pressed his head onto the cold, rocky ground with his foot, making his ugly face stick firmly to the surface.
For someone with such a despicable character, bullying the weak and fearing the strong, different treatment was warranted.
“Where is Queen Otohime being kept?” Evan squatted down and asked sternly.
Arlong, fearing Evan might crush his head in dissatisfaction, confessed everything in a panic.
“You say Queen Otohime is hidden in the deep sea region by Hody, and you don’t know the exact location?” Evan frowned, applying more pressure with his foot.
Arlong howled in pain but insisted this was the truth. His resigned demeanor made it seem credible.
“I’ll believe you this time. You’d better hope I return with Queen Otohime, or you’ll turn to ashes,” Evan snorted, flicking his foot to lift Arlong. Snow grabbed him, holding him like prey.
“Snow, stay here and watch him. I’ll go retrieve Queen Otohime.”
“Leader, we could call the Fish-Men to search the deep sea region.”
“No need, there won’t be any surprises.”
After giving instructions, Evan took out a piece of oxygen coral, forming a bubble around himself, and dove into the deep sea region Arlong had indicated.
Significant resistance existed in the seawater. Fortunately, Evan’s physique was strong, and the bubble isolated him from direct contact with the water, allowing him to swim deeper almost unhindered.
In the deep sea region, the sunlight was so diluted that it barely provided any visibility. Evan expanded his ROOM, using the freestyle swimming motion to search.
Normally, the ROOM had a diameter of 500 meters, but in the seawater, it shrank to less than 50 meters, greatly weakened. The shadows in the deep sea region were indistinct, making it hard to identify whether they were rocks or sunken ships until he was very close.
“This place is a graveyard for ships.”
Evan was amazed. In just one corner he explored, there were over a dozen sunken ships, including merchant ships, pirate ships, and even navy warships. Most of the ship hulls were severely damaged and decayed from prolonged immersion in seawater. The reasons for their demise here were untraceable.
He had no interest in searching for treasure; Arlong and his crew had likely already scoured the area for anything valuable.
The numerous shipwrecks made Evan’s search more challenging.
He patiently searched each one, trying not to miss anything. The weakened state of his spatial abilities in the water made him feel almost powerless.
“Hmm?”
Evan’s perception detected a massive shadow ahead, another large sunken ship. He considered bypassing it but then thought—could Arlong have hidden Queen Otohime in one of these sunken ships?
It’s possible. Queen Otohime, being pregnant and weak, could only survive long-term in a sunken ship here.
With this in mind, Evan approached the sunken ship. When he was within tens of meters, he stopped. Something felt off; the outline of this ship didn’t quite look like a ship…
As he thought, the massive sunken ship suddenly lit up with two bulb-like eyes, shining brightly with green pupils that rotated and focused on Evan.
“It’s a giant Sea King,” Evan chuckled bitterly.
The giant Sea King lunged, stirring up a storm of mud and sand, causing the seawater to boil. Its fish-snake-like body, as massive as a small mountain, charged at him, jaws wide enough to swallow medium-sized merchant ships.
Unfazed, Evan drew his sword, Snowfall. He sidestepped, evading the Sea King’s massive jaws. The monster’s speed was astonishing despite its bulk. Evan’s quick movement allowed him to narrowly escape its bite, teleporting just a few meters away from its snapping teeth.
Stepping on the Sea King’s grotesque face, Evan slashed down, his attack imbued with Haki, slicing through the seawater and striking the beast’s enormous right eye.
Roar!!!
The Sea King roared in pain, blood gushing from its eye, staining the surrounding water red. It thrashed wildly, turning the sea around them into chaos.
Evan leapt off its face, the turbulent currents pushing him away in his bubble.
“Serves you right for messing with me.”
Evan muttered, ready to continue his search elsewhere, when he noticed the Sea King approaching again, its remaining eye filled with hatred and madness.
“You still want more? Bring it on.”
He expanded his ROOM with one hand, gripping Snowfall with the other, ready to confront the beast. But he paused, sensing something in the nearby shipwreck.
“This sensation… Could it be?”
Evan’s expression turned peculiar. He turned and rushed into the shipwreck, breaking through the decayed doors. Inside, a bubble maintained part of the cabin, where a pale Queen Otohime lay half-reclined, her luxurious gold-red dress strikingly visible in the dim light.
Queen Otohime’s face lit up with joy upon recognizing Evan.
“Queen Otohime, now isn’t the time for formalities,” Evan said with a wry smile, sheathing Snowfall. He hurriedly lifted the queen, saying, “Hold on tight.”
As he spoke, the ship’s planks began to crack. The wreckage shattered as the Sea King crashed into it, swallowing the remains.
Evan, holding Queen Otohime, teleported away at the last moment, appearing above the Sea King. He kicked off the bubble, his right foot coated in Haki, and stomped down on the Sea King’s broad forehead.
Despite the massive size difference, the Sea King was driven downwards, smashing through more wreckage, while Evan was propelled upwards.
Queen Otohime, held in a princess carry, frowned. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat, and her delicate fingers clutched Evan’s arm tightly.
Evan glanced at her, seeing her face contorted in pain, enduring some immense agony.
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