Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/Veni_V
---------------
If Madam Shyarly no longer practiced divination, how could it be such a coincidence that she immediately wanted to tell Luffy's fortune the moment she saw him? Was it the protagonist's halo at work?
Hikaru extended his right hand, revealing a swirling purple-black lightning mark resembling a question mark. It crackled softly, emitting a faint "hissing" sound. An invisible pressure spread through the air, pressing against Shyarly's chest, making it difficult for her to breathe.
"A one hundred percent accuracy rate in predictions... Haha, that's quite a feat to achieve," Hikaru mused with a smirk.
"Well then, why don't you predict what will happen if you refuse my command… and let this lightning strike down on Fishman Island?"
"Command...?" Shyarly's eyes widened in anger, revealing her sharp fangs. A wave of fury surged within her, fighting against the oppressive force weighing down on her.
But it was useless. Her anger lasted only a moment before she realized she couldn't break free from Hikaru's pressure through sheer will alone.
Left with no choice, she forced herself to speak, her tone cold yet tinged with reluctant obedience.
"Hmph! It's not that I refuse to tell your fortune. My divination only works on events related to me in some way. I can't predict the future of a specific person."
"Oh?" Hikaru studied her carefully. She didn't seem to be lying. Thinking back to her previous prophecies, he realized this was true. After a brief moment of consideration, he settled for the next best thing.
"If that's the case… then predict the future of Fishman Island. If that doesn't work, well… hehe."
"The future of Fishman Island…" Shyarly's lips parted slightly, but she quickly swallowed her words.
She understood the trap she was in. If she predicted a bright future for Fishman Island, Hikaru might destroy it just to prove her wrong. If she foresaw a grim fate, he would take it as confirmation and still bring destruction. Either way, she was cornered.
"Don't worry," Hikaru said smoothly. "As long as you perform the divination and tell me the result, I won't harm you—no matter the outcome."
Of course, that was a lie.
Shyarly sighed. She knew there was no escape. Predicting the future wasn't the true power in this world—strength was.
"Fine. I'll do the divination. I hope you'll keep your word."
Slowly, she turned around and retrieved her crystal ball from the mouth of a large clam behind her.
At this point, everything was out of her control. She decided to give Hikaru some mental preparation before she began.
"Let me make one thing clear," she said. "While I can foresee future events with complete accuracy, I cannot predict the exact time when they will occur."
"I understand," Hikaru replied.
"Good. Now, you can either stay or leave, but you must remain absolutely still. Any noise or movement could interfere with my vision."
Hikaru gave a nod, signaling his readiness.
Shyarly took her place at a table beside him, setting the crystal ball onto a red cushion. Then, she closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to clear her mind.
After a moment of meditation, she spread her hands over the crystal ball, palms facing downward, and entered a trance-like state.
As time passed, the crystal ball flickered to life. Strange symbols and shifting images began to form within. If anyone else had looked into it, they would have seen nothing but a blur, unable to make sense of the vision.
Madam Shyarly concentrated, her mind fully immersed in interpreting the fragments of the future. The more she saw, the more distant her gaze became, until—
Her eyes suddenly turned lifeless.
She had seen it.
In the vision, Fishman Island no longer lay deep beneath the ocean. Instead, it stood high above the sea, floating in the sky.
The once-unified merfolk and fishmen had been divided. The original Fishman Island had been renamed "Mermaid Island" and was now home only to mermaid girls. The fish-men and male mermaids had been relocated to a separate island, which retained the name Fishman Island.
As the vision became clearer, Shyarly understood why.
The island belonged to Hikaru. Under his overwhelming power, Mermaid Island had been lifted from the sea and made to soar through the sky—the very place mermaids had always longed to reach.
It was a paradise, bathed in sunlight and breathtaking scenery. The mermaid girls laughed and played freely, while the fish-men and male mermaids willingly dedicated their strength to Hikaru in gratitude for all he had given them.
"Wait...!? That's me!?"
Shyarly's consciousness jolted as her shark-like eyes widened in shock. She turned her gaze toward a high point on Mermaid Island.
What she saw made her heart stop.
She was lying on top of a man—someone taller than her—with a look of happiness and satisfaction on her face. Behind him stood the shy yet stunning Princess Shirahoshi, surrounded by a group of beautiful mermaids.
Looking closer, Shyarly recognized many of them. They were familiar faces—mermaids from the Mermaid Café. Even Mello and Lulis were there, looking even more beautiful than they did now.
Her breath hitched. She quickly turned her focus to the man holding her.
And that was when she saw—it was Hikaru!
Just as she was reeling from the shocking revelation, the Hikaru in the vision suddenly turned around.
His eyes met hers.
A wave of intense fear surged through her. The vision shattered like broken glass, and her consciousness was violently yanked away.
"Bang!!!"
The next moment, the crystal ball exploded.
Shyarly let out a scream and instinctively stumbled backward.
Hikaru reacted instantly. In a flash, he moved behind her, catching her slender figure in his arms. His hands—small compared to Shyarly's—wrapped around her, steadying her trembling body.
At the same time, the shattered fragments of the crystal ball floated midair, suspended by his control, before slowly returning to their original positions.
"Madam Shyarly, are you alright~?" he asked with a teasing lilt.
But she didn't respond.
Her body was weak against his, her brows furrowed in pain as she clutched her head. She looked as if she was suffering from unbearable torment.
"Madam Shyarly?"
The beautiful fortune teller was holding onto him, but in this moment, there was no room for ambiguous thoughts. Electricity crackled at Hikaru's fingertips as he channeled his power, sending calming pulses through her body.
His technique worked almost instantly.
After a few steady breaths, Shyarly slowly lowered her hands from her forehead. The moment she realized her situation, a tremor ran through her body, and she immediately tried to break free from his arms.
Hikaru, however, firmly guided her back to the bubble seat before finally letting her go.
He leaned in slightly, his gaze sharp.
"What exactly did you see?" he asked. "For it to shock you so badly that even the crystal ball exploded..."
Shyarly remained silent.
Her vacant eyes fixated on the shattered crystal, her mind a tangled mess of thoughts.
The breaking of the crystal ball wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It only meant that she could no longer glimpse beyond the moment she had just witnessed.
And yet...
Her predictions were never wrong. That was an absolute fact—one she had always taken pride in as a fortune teller.
But if her vision was true…
Did that mean she would one day become the "virtuous wife" of the very man who had just threatened her into doing this divination?
Her heart pounded.
Was this truly the future awaiting her?