The hypnotic aroma of the captivating heroine lulled the once-frightened inhabitants of Lemuria to a deep slumber, leaving them unconscious and vulnerable around the group of humans who did not feel comfortable attacking their hosts.

"Stop! We don't want to fight, and neither do you!" Koda commanded, hoping his ability to communicate with animals would deter the agitated Minks. Unfortunately, it proved futile, as the Minks remained hostile.

Desperation coursed through the gentle hero as he struggled to establish a connection with the agitated creatures.

Koda rushed to his injured teacher, who bled profusely from his wounds; aiding Present Mic with the help of Cellophane who used his Quirk to create tight bandages around the injured areas, staunching the flow of blood.

Momo saw their surroundings and noticed the Fish-men fins moving swiftly across the bay.

"Everyone, stay away from the water!" The vice-president warned.

She created several shields from her torso, ready to protect them from a potential onslaught of lethal water-based attacks.

Deku's heart raced as he realized the terrifying power of their adversaries. During their former moment of fun, he witnessed how they could effortlessly manipulate the water; translated into battle it could form a devastating wave that would leave the heroes vulnerable in the depths.

"Earphone Jack, we need you to keep track on the Fish-men movements." Deku spoke in a hushed but urgent tone, directing his request to the heroine with.

Deku's eyes were fixed toward the two remaining races, unaware if they possessed any unique abilities that might pose a threat.

His emerald eyes widened in fright as he witnessed the Minks' palms generating small, electric shocks that coursed through their bodies. Simultaneously, the feline Minks extended razor-sharp retractable claws from their fingertips, reminiscent of hooks designed to effortlessly tear through even the thickest of skins.

The water that had flooded the area parted, forming various dry temporal pathways created by the tiny creatures running at incredible speed. In a blink of an eye, the sleeping bodies of mermaids, tritons, and Minks vanished, leaving only the heroes.

"We have the hostages!" The Tontattas yelled, carrying the unconscious Merfolk and Minks in small groups.

"They're fast!"

"HOSTAGES?!" Iida couldn't comprehend how this situation had escalated to hostages when their initial intent was to avoid a violent confrontation.

"No! You're misunderstanding; we didn't hold them hostage. We just didn't want them to harm us." Ochako explained earnestly, awaiting a response, but she was interrupted by one of the Tontattas.

"Keep your distance! The drunk woman can make anyone within her range faint!" The dwarf in charge of the rescue party warned.

"We're not looking for trouble!" Ochako clasped her hands, closed her eyes, and shouted with sincerity, hoping to convey the message to her playmates. "We don't belong to the Straw Hat fleet, but we are their friends!" She added with her hand on her heart, trying to capture their attention.

"Friends... We were playing with them just moments ago." The lilac-haired mermaid spoke apologetically.

"Are they allies?" A squirrel-like Mink inquired, filled with doubt.

"Lakona! If they are allies from the surface..." An octopus merman attempted to reason with the imposing bull shark Fish-man.

"BULLSHIT!"

"Wait, maybe it's true. Why else would they be travelling the Straw Hats?" A young Mako Merman shark chimed in, striving to introduce reason to the situation.

"HOW CAN YOU BELIEVE THEM? THEY'RE FROM THE SURFACE! HOW DO WE KNOW THEY DON'T WANT TO FINISH THE JOB?" The deep voice quivered with fear, casting a shadow of doubt upon his comrades, who began to question the group's true intentions.

"LAKONA, THAT'S ENOUGH! THIS ISN'T THE IDEOLOGY WE'VE BEEN RAISED WITH!" The squirrel Mink rushed over to the Bull Fish-man, grasping his arms in a desperate bid to get through to him.

"YOU HEARD THEM! THEY REFERRED TO THE STRAW HATS AS VILLAINS. THEY ARE ENEMIES!" The loud screams pained the delicate ears of the young girl, who cowered in fear at her companion's hostile outburst.

"Stay away, Hazel. This problem doesn't concern you."

As the residents of Lemuria continued to argue, tensions escalated, causing a rift between the different races. The humans observed the unfolding conflict with growing concern, reluctant to intervene and further complicate the situation. They were left with no choice but to wait for the voices of their 'friends' to reach the other residents.

"They're coming." Jiro whispered to her group, who huddled together to keep her Quirk use discreet.

The punk's warning alerted her companions, and they began to take notice of the movements around them, watching alarmed as the stubborn Fish-man sealed the Mink in a bubble, keeping her out of harm's way.

"AFTER ATTACKING, WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO WITH THEM? HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT, YOU IDIOT?" The Mink's shouts barely reached the Fish-man, who only snorted in annoyance, choosing to ignore her pleas.

"Lakona..."

"We'll interrogate them until they tell the truth, or we'll keep them here to prevent them from meeting their leaders. Your arrival with the Straw Hats shows that you can't find your way here on your own!" The Fish-man signaled his friends, who promptly disappeared beneath the surface, submerging their dorsal fins. A massive wave began to form, ready to sweep everything in its path.

"Underwater, the Devil Fruit users are useless!" Lakona celebrated, extending his arms triumphantly and hiding within the enormous wave that passed over him.

The Minks, who had been defensive near the pools, vanished from the heroes' sight as they leaped to great heights, evading the approaching tsunami.

"These fools are going to destroy their own city!"

"URAVITY!"

"Yes!" All the classmates gathered their palms near the heroine, who activated her Quirk. They all shot upwards, except for Deku, who remained steadfast, ready to face the colossal wave.

"DELAWARE SMASH!" Midoriya harnessed the tension in his thumb and middle finger to create a powerful shockwave that shattered the wave and continued to break through the water's surface. The collision of both attacks ended in a light rain, leaving everyone present soaked.

The Fish-men, Tontattas, and Minks stood in awe of the incredible power they had witnessed, realizing the formidable threat posed by the human.

"WE'RE NOT HERE TO FIGHT! WHATEVER CONFLICT YOU HAVE IS NOT OURS TO FIGHT!"

The residents hesitated fearfully at the young hero's words, torn between their skepticism and the undeniable demonstration of power. Why would they send a reconnaissance team with abilities?

As the Fish-men observed the vulnerable heroes floating above, they seized the opportunity to form powerful waterspouts with their hands, launching them straight at the group. Deku reacted swiftly, generating several whips from his arms to grab his classmates, meanwhile Cellophane and Froppy took on the rest, skillfully maneuvering their movements to avoid the waterspouts.

A series of blue lasers ripped through the water currents, soaking their comrades and allowing the group to descend safely to the ground.

"Are you okay, Aoyama?" Mina asked, concerned as her partner vomited from exerting his Quirk for an extended period.

"Beware, this is not over yet!" Nerumi, who held Mic in her arms instructed while continued applying pressure to his wound, knowing that they couldn't afford to rest just yet.

A dazzling glow could be seen in the heights, realizing that it did not belong to the crystals that illuminated the continent, but from the Minks who had formed a circular pattern to create an electric circuit through a coordinated attack.

"DEACTIVATE YOUR QUIRK!" Iida ordered to Uravity who immediately complied.

"NO WAIT, EVERYTHING IS WET!" Momo's warning came too late. Some of them had already made contact with the wet ground, expecting an electric attack.

The Fish-men saw the assault the Minks had prepared, fleeing from the wet surfaces creating floating bubbles with their corals, on which they climbed atop them to avoid the electric attack.

"YOU HAVE TO STOP!" The squirrel Mink shouted as she emerged from her bubble and landing near the heroes, desperately hoping her intervention would cease the fruitless conflict.

The entire environment lit up as the lightning crackled, with the young Mink running towards the humans in an attempt to stop the futile battle. Tapes wrapped around her waist, pulling her back to the hero's group where she was shielded by Cellophanes body.

Creatie positioned her hands on the surface, taking advantage of the fact that she was only wearing her bathing suit barely covering her body to create thick rubber panels that emerged from her back being taken by her classmates to avoid direct contact with the water.

The electric hero positioned himself at the center of his friends, anticipating the incoming shock, which he welcomed with a proud and radiant smile.

Kaminari absorbed most of the attack, and the heroes breathed a sigh of relief as they saw that no one had been hurt. However, they noticed that the water's surface was now electrified. Although Denki absorbed most of the attack, some stray sparks still crackled through the surroundings.

The nervous Fish-men watched as the humans captured one of their friends, and in their desperation, they dipped their hands into the water, hurling lethal droplets in an attempt to injure them in order to go after the Mink.

"STOP! YOU'RE GOING TO HURT HAZEL!" the Tontattas and Minks chorused filled with concern.

"STOP FIGHTING! THEY DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF THIS!" The lilac-haired mermaid's plea came too late for the Fish-men already launched their attack.

A pink figure moved acrobatically, leaping between the rubber platforms and reaching the one closest to the water. The antlered girl generated a thick layer of acid from her skin and hurled it forward, creating a massive barrier. Upon impact with the water, it reacted violently forming a toxic gas that was instantly evaporated.

The group continued to defend themselves as the Mink watched in awe, grateful that their teamwork had saved her from harm; feeling secure in the arms of Cellophane and surrounded by the group of humans.

"Hazel, close your eyes," the tape hero calmly requested, and the young girl didn't hesitate to comply, finding comfort in his presence.

"REFRACTION!"

Toru bent the light through his invisible body creating a screen that blinded his enemies instantly.

"What just happened?" The Fish-men wondered, disoriented by the sudden brightness.

"Let's go!" Momo commanded.

"But we have nowhere to hide," Tsuyu pointed out.

"Don't do it!" the Mink pleaded, gripping the hero's arms. "Running away will only make you look guilty!"

"They already see us as villains!" Denki exclaimed.

"Not everyone... This goes back millennia. Please don't run away; we can make a change!" The squirrel Mink looked determined.

"It's easy for you to say… They don't want to kill you!" Mineta shouted in exasperation with his eyes bulging with fear.

A second burst of droplets headed towards the humans, being Deku the one who landed in front of the group, ready to deflect the water-bullets. However, his instincts sensed a strange movement… A group of auras sped towards them from several directions; Strangely, the sensation these beings emanated did not seem hostile; managing to perceive the intentions of those around them he stopped his defense trusting his instinct.

Powerful impacts struck the ground, opening the surface and breaking several pieces of coral, forming a protective barrier around the group... Amid the dust and debris, small beings with plush tails emerged, giving complicit looks to the humans.

"WHAT THE HECK, HOW STRONG ARE THE DWARVES?" Denki and Mineta were astounded as they watched these tiny creatures effortlessly shatter the floor with a single blow.

A small group of herbivorous Minks approached the heroes from behind the barrier created by the Tontattas. Strangely, none of their faces looked familiar to the students.

"DON'T! WAIT!" The dwarves warned.

"Electro!" The trio of Minks generated static electricity with their furry hands, creating a powerful electric that combined with the water distributed by the wave electrocuted all the heroes and accomplices. Kaminari witnessed how his friends and allies suffered before the strong discharge, wishing to act offensively to save them.

A lump lodged in Kaminari's throat, making it difficult for him to swallow his own saliva. For a moment, he held his breath, his eyes scanned each of his fallen friends until finally his gaze focused on the young punk, who had tumbled into one of the pools after the tremor caused by the Tontattas' defensive blow that created the coral barrier. The blond temperature rose as he witnessed Jiro's condition, her body was writhing uncontrollably from the electric shocks she endured.

His Quirk was useless as the electricity had already surged through everyone. Kaminari had no choice but to go after the assailants who had now ceased their attack, while his friends laid on the ground, salivating excessively, and some were bleeding from their mouths after accidentally biting their tongues.

He sprinted toward the three Minks, as without his support items, he couldn't direct his electrical attacks without risking harming his friends further. This time, he was limited to a direct frontal attack.

"DON'T HURT THEM, CHARGEBOLT!" Jiro managed to shout with great difficulty.

"WE MUST NOT RESPOND TO THEIR ATTACKS!" shouted the class representative, barely managing to stay on his feet.

The peaceful attitude of the humans only confused the Lemurians who did not know whether to continue or give up, since their enemies did not put up any resistance.

Amid the hesitant Fish-men, a mermaid with shiny ear-shells, a Dumbo-octopus Fish-man, Tontattas, and the electrified squirrel Mink interposed themselves between the locals and the outsiders.

"Before we plunge into a war, we should listen to what they have to say," the mermaid implored, clutching the gills of the Shark Fish-man.

"Isn't this exactly what we've been trying to avoid?" Dumbo octopus joined in.

"DIDN'T YOU THINK THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR ALL ALONG?!" the squirrel Mink limped into a free space, awaiting an audience, effectively silencing everyone and signaling the humans to speak.

"IT'S ALL A MISUNDERSTANDING! WE DON'T KNOW THE REASONS FOR YOUR REJECTION TOWARDS US!" the class representative declared.

"YOU WANTED TO CONFIRM IF WE STILL EXISTED!" the aggressors screamed sounding frightened, which left the heroes puzzled.

"Notre Professeur traveled to the past and accidentally brought someone back, we just want to bring her back along with the pirates to their era!" Aoyama confessed in agony, coughing blood.

"We didn't even know you existed. Just a few days ago, we thought they were just fairytales," Nerumi, who was carrying her badly wounded comrade, explained through great difficulty.

The Minks eased their aggressive postures, followed by the Fish-men, while the mermaids who had previously hidden in the depths out of fear, came forward to mediate and persuade them to cease their hostile behavior, emphasizing that their threat was born of fear, ignorance, and misunderstanding.

"Do they truly come from the outside and know nothing?" Lakona, the leader of the attackers, lowered his arms, clenching her teeth in frustration at his own actions.

"We don't know the history of your nation," explained the class vice-president, panting.

Before Lakona could respond to her words, his mouth began to froth as so did several others in the area, including the fearful heroes who were losing consciousness. Only those with exceptional willpower and determination managed to remain upright.

"What just happened?" Iida asked, struggling to make sense of why their aggressors were now collapsing.

"Hey," he tried to ask for answers from the nervous Lemurians, "What's going on?"

"Conqueror's Haki," Deku was the only one who recognized the ability, as everyone else, including their teachers, had lost consciousness when exposed to the overwhelming power unleashed.

"LUFFY-SAN!" Midoriya called out, frantically searching for the pirate captain amidst the disorienting chaos.

A colossal column of water began to take shape from the heights, followed by several thinner ones that stretched around it. From these, small shadows descended, making way for a massive figure that stood at an impressive 30 meters in height. This immense entity remained motionless in front of all those present, casting an air of tension over the scene.

"What is that?" Asked Nerumi as she could feel the unease mounting among her allies.

Residents of Lemuria, regardless of their respective races, began to bow in reverence before this colossal being. The humans, uncertain about the nature and intentions of this imposing figure, chose to follow suit, bowing their heads as Jinbei had advised.

The immense column of water revealed the head of a gigantic Merman, adorned with a mint-green beard, thick eyebrows, almost pale white skin, piercing orange eyes, and a tail featuring enormous emerald-green lateral fins.

On both sides inside the slender columns, Lionnel and Malakat followed, accompanied by dozens of manta rays riding the vertical currents that reached the shore where the conflict was taking place, carrying on their backs the unconscious Fish-men.

"It's King Poseidon." Deku whispered

"Oh, Really? What gave it away? His size crown, entourage, or the fact that we're all kneeling?" Kaminari couldn't help but comment with a touch of humor.

"Kaminari, this is serious... Behave yourself." Nerumi scolded.

The King expression remained stoic as he surveyed his surroundings, his gaze finally lowering to make contact with the bay, sending shivers through the conscious residents.

"The King touched our waters..." whispered one of the onlookers, prompting a collective gulp from those who were aware of the significance of his presence.

Everyone present, except for a few curious humans and a weakened blond individual who was heavily bleeding, lowered their foreheads to the ground in deep reverence to the king.

The monarch's discerning eyes fell on the wounded humans and some of his subjects who had suffered mild burns from electrical attacks, swiftly deducing what had transpired. With a calm yet commanding tone, he issued instructions.

"LIONNEL... PREPARE IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION AND TRANSPORT THE WOUNDED FOR TREATMENT."

"Yes, my King."

"AND LIONNEL... NO MATTER THEIR RACE, MAKE SURE THEY RECEIVE THE EQUAL ATTENTION."

"Yes your majesty." He obeyed the command without protest, loading the unconscious into the stingrays, and instructing the young heroes to board the loins to take them to the palace infirmary.

The giant Merman turned to the minister of the right without showing any expression.

"GENERAL MALAKAT" He said severely with great authority. "CONTACT THE RULERS OF THE FOUR KINGDOMS."

"Four kingdoms? What about Valhalla and Yomi-no-Kuni?"

"THERE IS NO TIME"

"King Poseidon, what about the impostors? They can call reinf..." A guard who was assisting the fainted asked, but got suddenly interrupted by the mad King.

"GUESTS!" He corrected abruptly. "THEY WILL REFER AS GUESTS UNTIL WE DISCOVER THE NATURE OF THEIR INTENTIONS... IS THAT CLEAR?"

"YES YOUR MAJESTY!" The guards agreed in unison, maintaining their firm stance.

"DEAL WITH THE OFFENDERS" bellowed the colossal Merman, his command instantly heeded by his guards who apprehended the assailants responsible for initiating the conflict.

"You are hereby detained under the authority of King Poseidon the Third, on charges of violating the Conflict Resolution Law, aggravated assault, incitement of hatred, hate crime, and inciting a racial brawl," declared the guards as they enumerated the offenses, hoisting the compliant culprits.

"But it was a misunderstanding..."

"Ochako-chan..." Froppy tried to halt her friend, who had separated from the group, forsaking formalities and reverences.

"We understand that their actions were born out of fear… Though it was not the right way to express it; it's a reaction stemming from the fear they harbor towards us because of the… The past!" she expressed crestfallen with a heavy heart, pressing her wrist against her chest.

The King extended his pale hand, gently resting it against a piece of coral, offering an invitation to the courageous heroine who raised her voice.

Ochako hesitated, her gaze shifting between the Merpeople who expressed their doubts through their looks, and her classmates who silently urged caution. However, she realized the importance of following the Monarch's guidance while in his territory. Thus, with a sense of responsibility, she accepted the King's invitation.

The colossal Merman lifted Ochako up until she was in front of him; his penetrating orange eyes examined her curiously as he began to speak with his deep voice echoing through the surroundings.

"YOUNG LADY, YOU ALONE JUSTIFIED THE MOTIVES OF THE APPREHENSION WITH TWO SIMPLE WORDS... THE PAST." The King's gaze remained focused on the brave heroine as he continued, "WHAT HAPPENED WAS AN UNJUSTIFIED DEEP-ROOTED GRUDGE. REGARDLESS OF THE PAST, YOU ARE NOT REPRESENTATIVES OF YOUR SPECIES AND THEIR ACTIONS. YOU ARE ONLY INDIVIDUALS WHO CARRY A WEIGHT THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU."

Ochako felt understood the King's words, but her trembling reflected her fear and uncertainty. For a moment, she contemplated being honest with him, unsure if she was dealing with a wise and understanding monarch or if another misunderstanding awaited her.

"No..." Ochako finally found the courage to speak, her voice was barely audible; Her eyes remained closed, and her body trembled with fear as she confessed, "WE ARE NOT PART OF THE STRAW HAT CREW! WE ARE HEROES OF THE SURFACE!" Her declaration echoed through the bay.

"URARAKA!" The class screamed in terror at the confession of the trembling girl, fearing the King's reaction.

The merman's eyesight blurred for a few seconds that seemed like hours, creating a suspenseful pause, but for everyone's surprise, King Poseidon burst into laughter.

"SHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! MALAKAT, IT SEEMS YOUR SUSPICIONS WERE RIGHT!" Remarked out loud. "Not even the slightest detail escapes this sardine," he whispered to Ochako, proudly referring to his commander.

Poseidon stand tall and addressed the everyone, "THE HEROES OF THE SURFACE ARE STRONGER THAN THEY PROVED..." His gaze fixed on the conscious group of heroes. "YOU COULD HAVE DEFEATED YOUR ATTACKERS IF YOU HAD WISHED. SO, WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMPASSION IN NOT RESPONDING TO THEIR ATTACKS... WE WILL LISTEN TO WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY"

"Heh... You followed the rules of the kingdom without even knowing them... It is strictly forbidden to have conflicts without a mediator." Malakat said with a hint of amusement, for then giving the command to the stringrays to continue their way to the palace.

"DID MALAKAT JUST SMILE?" The unusual reaction of the Fish-man surprised the humans.

The heroes mounted the backs of the stingrays, carrying their unconscious partners to care for them during the journey.

Nerumi found herself caught between relief and fear, uncertain of the outcome of her decision to bring the heroes before King Poseidon. As the group journeyed with their unconscious companions on the backs of the stingrays toward the palace, she couldn't help but worry about their fellow heroes, Eraserhead and All Might.

"I hope Shouta and the boys are okay," she thought with a deep sense of concern. Running her fingers through her injured partner's hair, as she recalled the small piece of paper that had provided information about the blond's condition.

However, when Midnight attempted to retrieve the Vibre Card from her pocket, she encountered a strange change in temperature and a tiny ember that she couldn't identify, in a desperate act to find it, she ended flipping her pocket completely and coming out of it was a tiny piece of paper that was about to be completely consumed by the embers.

Her heart raced, and her skin bristled as she felt a deep shiver run down her spine. But just as she was about to delve into her thoughts, a massive shadow loomed from the depths of the water, drawing her attention.

A massive dark entity moved through the waters and approached Otohime. Emerging from the bay, the largest deep-sea mermaid, Queen of the Deep appeared displaying her anger at the destruction of the common area.

"It is the mermaid that wanted to overturn us." Sero whispered, seeing how everyone present, including the king, bowed to her.

"Apnea-sama, your majesty," the guards greeted her in unison, showing their deference.

"I WARNED YOU IT WAS A DISASTROUS IDEA TO WELCOME THEM INTO THE KINGDOM! WE SHOULD EXPEL THIS INFRACTORS IMMEDIATELY AND LET THEM BE FED TO THE SEA KINGS!" Her words were laced with anger and a sense of impending doom as she approached the King, showing no fear in displaying her sharp teeth.

"THEY ARE IN MY TERRITORY, AND I WILL DECIDE WHAT TO DO," King Poseidon responded calmly, covering Ochakowith his other hand to shield her from harm.

"THE INHABITANTS OF THE SURFACE WILL RETURN THEIR LAND AND SPREAD EVERYTHING THEY SAW... DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCEPTION OF THE DISASTER THEY COULD BRING UPON US?"

"APNEA, I HONOR YOUR CONCERNS FOR THE FUTURE, BUT MY CURIOSITY ABOUT THE SURFACE CANNOT BE CONTAINED. I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS GROUP OF 'GUESTS'... THESE HUMANS SEEM COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF OUR LONG-STANDING CONFLICT, AS EVIDENT BY THEIR IGNORANCE OF OUR HISTORY." He spoke firmly to the queen that couldn't be appeased. "WE WILL EXPLAIN THE THOUSAND YEARS WAR TO THEM IN COURT, AND WE WILL LISTEN TO THEIR VERSION OF THE FACTS... ONLY THEN WILL WE DECIDE HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM."

The heroes couldn't help but feel a sense of impending doom, recalling the grim stories recounted by Makelä and Tuna and their own experiences with discrimination on the surface. "So, this is it"


Sundancer here:
I originally planned to publish two chapters this week, but natural disasters happened and I just got internet and electricity today, so before it goes away again, I will let this chap.