However, the confusion didn't last long. Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed from the Calm Belt ahead!
The sea began to churn violently, massive waves radiating out from the center of the Calm Belt. Towering swells and huge whirlpools, each over ten meters wide, spun fiercely. It was as if some terrifying sea beast was tearing apart the ocean, flipping the entire sea upside down. Among the chaos, they could hear Abis's panicked cries!
"Something's wrong! Abis is in danger!"
"Moonlight!"
"This is bad!"
On the Merry, Luffy and the others shouted in alarm.
"Have we disturbed the Sea Kings?" Nelson's face darkened. Was the Millennium Dragon devoured by a Sea King? As a seasoned admiral, he knew better than anyone how terrifying the Sea Kings could be, especially with the dangerous waves threatening to overturn their ships. Reluctantly, he had no choice but to order a retreat. Despite his desire for immortality, survival came first.
"Damn it!" Erik cursed bitterly. Despite his obsession with the Millennium Dragon and the promise of immortality, even he didn't have the courage to continue under these circumstances.
"Abis!"
"Moonlight!"
Luffy and the crew yelled, ready to steer the Merry toward the chaos to rescue their friends. They wouldn't give up so easily. But what they saw next left everyone in shock.
Emerging from the Calm Belt were more than a dozen towering creatures, each over ten meters tall. The sea raged around them, their monstrous forms cutting through the waves. They were Sea Kings—giant, fearsome sea monsters—and they were heading straight for everyone.
"Oh no, the Sea Kings are on the rampage!" Nelson, now more terrified than ever, ordered an immediate retreat. Erik, too, wished he had more legs to run faster.
"They're huge! So these are the Sea Kings?" Nami and Usopp trembled as they stared at the colossal creatures in fear.
"Damn it!" Sanji and Zoro were full of fighting spirit, but even they knew this was beyond them. One or two Sea Kings were manageable, but facing so many? That was a death sentence.
"Look!" Luffy, undeterred by the danger, was about to rush in when he suddenly noticed something. His eyes widened as he saw Moonlight standing calmly on one of the Sea Kings, sword in hand. Next to him, Abis was waving at the crew with a big smile, and behind the Sea Kings, they were dragging Dragon Grandpa along.
"What?!"
"No way!"
"You've got to be kidding me!"
"That's Moonlight?"
"What's going on?"
Hearing Luffy's shout, Sanji and the others looked over in disbelief. They were utterly stunned by the sight before them. The Sea Kings were… pulling the Millennium Dragon? And Moonlight and Abis were calmly standing on top of them as if they were completely safe. It looked like the Sea Kings were obeying their every command!
"How could this be possible?" Nelson, who had already begun retreating, was frozen in place, dumbfounded by what he was witnessing.
All the Navy soldiers gasped in shock, unable to believe what they were seeing. Was this real? How could this be happening?
"Oh my god…" Erik, too, stopped in his tracks, his mouth hanging open in shock, big enough to fit a whole egg. He was utterly floored by the sight before him, unable to comprehend what was happening.
"Thank you so much, Moonlight, for saving me!" Abis said gratefully, looking at Moonlight with admiration. She had thought it was over when they entered the Calm Belt and disturbed the monstrous Sea Kings. She and Dragon Grandpa were surely going to be eaten. But then Moonlight had appeared, and with a single glance, all the terrifying Sea Kings were trembling in fear, as though they had lost all their dignity.
Moonlight had suggested she communicate with the Sea Kings, using her Whisper-Whisper Fruit powers. Her ability allowed her to connect with the hearts of all creatures, just as she had done with Dragon Grandpa. She was surprised when the Sea Kings responded, revealing their deep fear of Moonlight. After hearing her and Dragon Grandpa's story, the Sea Kings agreed to help them!
"It's nothing. So, Dragon Grandpa has remembered everything?" Moonlight replied calmly.
"Yes, Dragon Grandpa remembers everything now. The truth is, the 'Dragon Island' is actually the 'Warship Island.' They're the same place," Abis confirmed with a nod, explaining that the great shock had brought back Dragon Grandpa's memories.
"I see. Tell the Sea Kings to deal with the Navy. We'll take Dragon Grandpa and head to Dragon Island," Moonlight instructed.
Abis nodded and communicated with the Sea Kings, who roared in unison before charging toward the Navy ships.
"What's going on? Why are the Sea Kings heading for us?"
"What did that girl say to them?"
The Navy soldiers were terrified as the colossal Sea Kings closed in. No one wanted to face these sea monsters!
"Retreat! Turn the ships around!" Nelson, realizing the danger, ordered a full retreat. Immortality was tempting, but not if it meant dying right now.
All the Navy ships began to flee.
"Abis, Moonlight!" Luffy and the crew cheered as they pulled the two back aboard the Merry.
"What happened? Why did the Sea Kings suddenly start attacking the Navy?" Usopp asked in shock. The rest of the crew shared his curiosity, eager for an explanation.
Abis looked to Moonlight, and then explained everything in detail.
"So that's it! Your power came in handy!" Luffy nodded, understanding the situation now.
"Moonlight scared the Sea Kings? Even those giant monsters fear him?"
"Sometimes I wonder if Moonlight is secretly the King of the Sea Kings reincarnated!"
"This guy!" Sanji and the others were astonished, while Usopp's imagination ran wild, already spinning tales about Moonlight's true identity.
"Dragon Grandpa, we've arrived at Warship Island!" Moonlight said, turning to Dragon Grandpa.
The old dragon, now standing tall with its wings spread wide, let out a thunderous roar that echoed across the sea. It seemed that regaining his memories had restored his energy as well.
"What's he doing?" Luffy asked, puzzled.
"He says he's found Dragon Island, and he's calling out to his companions," Abis translated.
"Companions?"
"So this really is Dragon Island?"
"More Millennium Dragons, huh? That means we're about to see a whole group of them, right?"