170 Fishman Island: A series of bizarre events

Above, it felt like every moment was spent wrestling with the hearty and dangerous waves. Down here though, an entirely different scene played out. The silence was oppressive all around, yet somehow still feeling comforting. Even the devil fruit users on board, did not feel as alienated with the coral depths as they had thought.

The bubble around the ship waved serenely as we moved along, a small wave of sea floor current carrying us forward amidst a small stream of moving sand.

We were making progress, and though the towering structure that was the Red Line did frighten us somewhat, the tiny hole at its centre brought those that had been slightly sceptical of the plan the last bit of closure that they would need.

The cave itself was deep, a faint light gleaming from its interior. That was the reason that could still exist in such an inhospitable environment as this one. It was the light from the Sunlight Tree Eve, sister trees with the rather well known Adam that any sea faring soldier would kill to have making their vessel.

The soft light caressed softly against us, illuminating the surface of the soapy bubble around.

"Captain..." Terrick gulped, as he looked forward, glaring down at the gap between the base of the ship and that of the cave with a look of mortification.

"Quite!" I murmured to him, indicating with as much force as I could how precarious conversation was in a time where oxygen was as restrictive as it was.

He acquiesced shortly with a nod before indicating to the stuff that he had just seen. He wanted me to see whatever he had.

Sorren looked over his shoulder curiously, yelping softly as he scurried back.

Now, the situation caught my attention. With a quick faint step, I moved to the edge of deck, leaning over with a small smile on my face.

Instantly, a look of pure wonder and terror appeared on my face. If it was anybody else, I was sure I would have laughed at the bizarre amalgam of emotions that appeared on my face.

The cave floor jutted outward with small spikes, each one looking like something that had been forcefully erected over natural construction.

Around each of these spikes lay a tiny depression, and though it took a little squinting, I was barely able to make out the faint gleam of scales that coiled around these jutting rocks.

It was a sea king, and not just one either, it was a whole minor colony. Most of the creatures basked in the darkness. Their gaping maws opened and closed at random times as they snorted out a collection of bubbles from their noses.

Most of them were asleep with the few at the periphery of the cave entrance sometimes leaving and coming back in. Quickly it became apparent to us that this colony was comprised of mostly juvenile creatures.

They were not young enough to be a safe member of the colonies in the calm belt but were too fragile to hunt alone in the open seas, so they came here hoping, I was sure, to catch pirate ships off guard whenever they crossed this precipice.

I let slip a small wave of conqueror's Haki as I crossed them. They did not seem too keen on the hunt at the moment, but I was not privy to their thoughts, that could change at any time. It was better to be safe than sorry.

As we began to finally dip into deeper water, a small draft rose off the ground. It was a cove. The cove, more like, for below us laid a wide-open gateway, taking us slightly deeper into what resembled a deep valley. We could barely see the exterior from where we were, and that too was only because of the use of Observation.

The valley was crested with a gleaming double bubble that towered over our ship. Around the bubble, the occasional gleam could be seen dispersing light from within to the outside.

As we neared the bubble, a smaller frigate pried itself out from the double-layered pocket, a black flag on its mast top.

It was a pirate flag, of that I was sure. Weather they were antagonistic or not was yet to be seen.

As the frigate neared us I could see the silhouette of a figure on its stern staring at us. It was a fish man.

"Leave!" the shrill voice sounded out, as the frigate drew close enough for us to see who was speaking.

It was a short whiskered man with a brown cap on his head. His features reminded me of a obese rat, while his flag was that of a skull with rat teeth.

"Surrender or Die! I am Rock-Wrecker Nezumi, either pledge fealty to me, or leave this place!" He announced imperiously.

I was confused.

From what Marco told me, this was Whitebeard's territory. Then, why did was it that the man in front of us acted with such sincerity. It felt almost like I was being accosted by a police officer for tax evasion!

Moreover, the man had a name that I could not even recall to have ever read. From behind the frigate, a low rumble could be heard, startling both parties. A third ship had made its way out of the bubble in the time that Nezumi had been confusing me. This ship looked more regal, royal colours on its side as it waved the majestic flag of the Ryuga family.

A imperious looking man stood at the ship's head. A small drum sat behind him with two of his men banging it on either side, this was the object that had been making the dull rumble.

Without as much as a word, he motioned to his men. Within minutes the joker before us had been terminated, there had been times where he had attempted to fire off cannon balls, but they had either failed or only been rocketed back to his own ship under the springy influence of the bubble around it.

After the man and his nameless crew had been well and truly detained, (and by detained I mean smacked atop the head with what looked like a stick made from the reef around) he turned to us. His baritone voice finally rumbling out as the beating drum ceased.

"Who are you, and what intention do you have with the underwater kingdom? I suggest that you not try anything funny, we have the right to use extreme violence if necessary."