20demayo 28: The Golden Wave!
28: The Golden Wave!
Before the smoke of battle could even rise from the bullring, it was pierced by a dazzling golden streak.
Layer upon layer of golden waves surged forth from the bullring!
Oro stood at the crest of a wave formed of gold, with the auction house in complete chaos behind him.
He was holding two small boxes containing magnetic fruits and the Little Garden Permanent Pointer in his right hand.
With his left hand, he pressed down, controlling the massive golden wave beneath him—
Six specially made tanks were placed steadily on top of it, and the mermaids inside were still in shock, amazed by this familiar yet completely different way of moving.
"Auro—"
A powerful and joyful shout pierced the air.
Lingling leaped down from the high ground on the outskirts of Redossa like a pink cannonball, landing precisely in front of the golden wave.
She raised the giant axe in her hand high and swung it with all her might!
"BOOM!!!"
The ground cracked, and rubble shot out!
Lingling's all-out strike actually cleaved a crack in the outer giant rock of Redos Rosa!
This paved a smooth path for Auron's "golden wave".
"Well done, Lingling!"
Auro chuckled, the speed of the waves beneath his feet increased again, and he rushed past Lingling in an instant, skimming along the ground.
Lingling grinned, and with a light leap, she jumped onto the back of the wave, standing shoulder to shoulder with Oro.
She glanced back at the guards who stood dumbfounded outside the arena and made a face.
"Auro! What brings you to surfing? Didn't you say you wanted to keep a low profile?"
"I did something unassuming, so I might as well go all out and be high-profile!"
"Oh! What did you do?"
"A group of people were fighting over a few pages of torn paper, grabbing at them while preventing others from leaving, just to stop them from taking advantage of the chaos!"
"and then?"
"I set the venue on fire."
"I see."
The two, one in front and one behind, carried six enormous water vats, riding the dazzling and domineering golden wave.
Under the watchful eyes of countless astonished onlookers in the city of Dressrosa, he dashed off in the predetermined direction.
This was an absolutely meticulously choreographed and visually stunning performance!
Riku Dold III has safely returned to the palace under the protection of his guards.
He stood on the palace wall, gazing at the shocking "wound" on the massive stone wall, looking into the distance—
The smoke and dust had not yet dissipated, and there seemed to be light on the other side of the crevice.
King Riku looked closely—it was a ship! A huge, luminous ship!
A colossal ship gleaming with golden light under the moonlight!
The sun motif on the sail shone as brightly as the sun on the dark sea!
Gails stood on the ship's railing, her hands resting on the deck, her pale golden braids fluttering in the sea breeze.
Her gaze was fixed on the direction of the town, and when that familiar golden wave came into view, she immediately turned around and grabbed a few oddly colored fluffy pastries from a specially made basket beside her.
"Puff puff puff—"
The pastry was forcefully thrown by Gails behind the golden wave.
They exploded the moment they hit the ground, releasing a large amount of thick, pungent, sweet-smelling purple smoke that quickly spread out, forming a wide barrier.
This is a new type of pastry she developed by combining her ability to eat fruits—Poisonous Gas Pompom Cake.
Inhalation is not fatal, but the strong paralyzing and hallucinogenic effects are enough to render an average person incapacitated for a short period of time.
"Now!"
Gails shouted towards the shore.
The golden wave surged to the sea, its momentum not diminishing but increasing, rising sharply!
Oro waved his hands, manipulating the gold as if it were his own body:
"rise!"
The first thing to be moved was the six tanks containing the mermaids.
Six strands of gold transformed into supple yet powerful giant hands, lifting the water tank and launching it in a precise parabola toward the distant deck of the Golden Dawn.
The water tank traced an arc in the air and landed steadily, without even the water inside shaking violently.
Gails moved swiftly across the deck, using skillful maneuvering to help each water tank land smoothly.
Just because Gails doesn't like fighting and doesn't like to take action doesn't mean she's really bad at it!
She's a giant who trained with Oro and Lingling for seven years!
Six water vats were placed on the ground, followed by Lingling.
"Gays—I'm here!"
Lingling shouted joyfully in the air, her cheerful voice echoing along the coastline.
Gails leaped high into the air, catching Lingling as she hurtled towards her, and then landed steadily back on the deck.
Finally, there's Oro himself.
He grabbed the box containing the fruit and the pointer, and the golden wave beneath his feet suddenly receded and condensed, forming a powerful thrust behind him that propelled him toward the Golden Dawn.
As the thrust exploded, he also retrieved the gold.
Auro turned and peered through the crack at the town of Redosrosa, a smile playing on his lips.
Then he snapped his fingers in the air.
The gold surrounding him transformed again, quickly coalescing into a gigantic hand, which he then waved.
Oro nimbly flipped and landed on the deck of the Golden Dawn, the gold behind him merging into the ship like rivers flowing into the sea.
"Full speed ahead!" he ordered.
No sailors are needed; the gold mechanisms covering the hull respond instantly.
The mainsail and secondary sails were both billowing in the wind, and the sun totem and Elbaf battle patterns inlaid on them shone brightly.
With a slight adjustment of the gold thread, the ship turned, its massive hull cutting through the deep blue waters, leaving a broad white wake as it quickly moved away from the coast of Dressrosa.
......
After the voyage stabilized, Oro arrived at the area where the mermaids were kept.
The six mermaids, still terrified, stared at the tall, blond human and the equally tall, pink-haired girl before them.
Oro tried to keep his gaze level with theirs, speaking calmly: "You're safe now. This is my ship, the Golden Dawn."
"My name is Oro, and these are Lingling and Gals. We won't hurt you."
The blue-haired mermaid named Fisher Taylor, despite her weakened state, bravely raised her head and looked directly at Oro amidst the timid gazes of her companions.
Although fear lingered in her eyes, there was even more resilience.
"Really...why?"
Her voice was a little hoarse, but very clear.
"Why should I save you? Just because I can't stand it."
Oro's answer was simple and direct, as if it were a matter of course.
"I don't approve of this practice of auctioning off intelligent beings as commodities. I encountered it, and I have the ability to do so, so naturally I will intervene."
Taylor was stunned. She had imagined many possible answers: coveting their beauty, wanting to exploit them for profit, or even more terrifying intentions...
But I never imagined it would be so pure, even with a touch of willfulness.
She looked into Oro's calm eyes, then glanced at Lingling, who was curiously observing them, and at Gails, who was handing over a plate of fruit and snacks.
The tension in my heart finally eased at that moment.
Tears silently streamed down Taylor's face as she struggled to prop herself up with her fishtail, then bowed deeply to Oro.
Seeing this, the other mermaids also followed suit and bowed.
"Lord Oro."
Taylor's voice was choked with emotion, yet incredibly solemn: "I am Fisher Taylor, from Fishman Island."
"I will remember your life-saving grace for the rest of my life!"
This promise was made with conviction, and Oro could feel the weight it carried.
"Get some rest."
Oro offered a slight gesture of support.
"You can decide whether to stay or leave once you have recovered your strength."