Heinous Crimes

In the ruins of the City of Gold, Shandora, the land had been baptized by Myriad Lightning. The weathered broken walls and ruins had been swept clean, leaving behind only vast stretches of charred blackness.

An air door opened outward, and Duke emerged carrying the heavily injured, unconscious Enel. He dragged Enel to a corner and set him down, briefly tending to his wounds before drawing his blade and beginning to write and draw on the wall.

Enel’s injuries were extremely severe. In Duke’s previous life, it would have been nearly impossible to save him, but people in the Pirate World could not be measured by common sense. Even ordinary people possessed extraordinarily powerful physiques. Just look at the great Usopp, who had suffered full-body comminuted fractures time and again, yet always came back at full health three panels later.

Enel’s body was strengthened by lightning every day, making him countless times stronger than Usopp. No matter how outrageous his injuries were, he only needed two days of rest to recover.

"God of Skypiea, I’ll be waiting for you on the sea. Retreat will only make you grow old; cowardice will surely bring death… Forget your fear, and move forward!"

"PS: You’d better come. Don’t make me look down on you!"

After writing this, Duke put away his blade with satisfaction. He activated his Observation Haki to search for Robin, who had been out of contact for five chapters. After walking for quite some time and passing through a dark tunnel, Duke finally found her.

Robin was crouching before a stone wall, carefully brushing away the dust. Holding a magnifying glass, she patiently searched for clues, occasionally scratching down long, obscure passages in her notebook.

So immersed was she in archaeology that she never noticed someone had appeared behind her. Only when Duke’s shadow blocked the stone wall in front of her did she frown and turn around.

"Eh, Captain, did you… fight someone?" Robin asked in surprise, covering her mouth.

Armament Haki was not omnipotent. Enel’s final move had made Duke suffer quite a bit, and his hands and feet were still trembling slightly. His white suit had been scorched black by electricity, becoming a genuine beggar’s outfit. His face was covered in soot, and his hair stood up like a bird’s nest, giving off a burnt smell.

If Robin had not been familiar with her captain, she might have mistaken him for a Skypiean refugee.

"I just ran into the Thunder God of Skypiea and fought him…" Duke’s face darkened. "There was thunder rumbling, dark clouds overhead, and Myriad Lightning falling all around. You didn’t notice any of it?"

Robin looked at the notebook in her hands and blinked blankly. "Was there?"

Duke covered his face, speechless. "I always thought you were black on the inside. Who would’ve thought you had a natural airheaded side too? I have to say, when you’re airheaded, you’re not cute at all!"

Robin curled her lips and did not dwell on whether she was cute. "Anyone who could leave you in such a sorry state, Captain, must be incredibly strong. The God of Skypiea truly lives up to his reputation as a Rumble-Rumble Fruit user!"

"You’re not going to ask whether I won or lost?"

Robin smiled brightly. "Impossible. You’re the strongest in my heart, Captain!"

Duke was very satisfied with Robin’s answer. As a crew member, she ought to have blind faith in her captain. He accepted the flattery without the slightest shame, wrapped an arm around Robin’s slender waist, and used Geppo to fly toward the enormous vine in the distance.

"Wait, Captain, the archaeological work in the ruins isn’t finished yet." Shielding herself from the fierce wind with one hand, Robin spoke into Duke’s ear.

"Let’s finish reading the Poneglyph first. That’s the top priority! You must have noticed it too—the ruins were looted and destroyed, and very little information remains."

Robin nodded with a dim look in her eyes. Based on the limited clues, she had deduced that Shandora had once been renowned as the "City of Splendor." The city had been built entirely from gold. Every brick and tile—even the walls—had been coated in gold paint.

Yet now, after carefully searching several important architectural ruins, she had not found even the tiniest bit of gold. The magnificent City of Gold had been reduced to weathered ruins and bare earthen stone walls. It was clear that this place had suffered savage, destructive excavation.

"A group of sinners corrupted by greed. They destroyed history!" Robin said coldly, her face frosty.

"I’ve already taught the chief culprit a lesson for you."

Breaking through a vast sea of white clouds, Duke brought Robin to the very top of the enormous vine. With his exceptional eyesight, he quickly found the target of their journey amid a cluster of white clouds: Shandora’s pride, the Golden Bell that symbolized noble friendship.

The massive bell, forged from gold, possessed a deep and wondrous chime. Like a light in the darkness, it could guide fleets sailing through storms and illuminate hope. Thus, it was also known as the Light of Shandora.

The enormous Golden Bell was constructed entirely from gold and gleamed brilliantly under the sunlight. Even the layer of green moss covering its surface could not conceal its beauty. Four hundred years ago, it had been carried into the skies by the sea current. After enduring countless storms, this treasure still shone with dazzling splendor!

Seeing the magnificent golden bell with his own eyes, Duke could not help muttering, "What a spectacular sight… It’s too dazzling!"

Robin stared in a daze, her eyes unfocused. "So beautiful…"

The urge to ring the Golden Bell rose within Duke, igniting his blood. The pent-up feeling in his chest had to be released. He leaped into the air, his jet-black fist smashing fiercely into the enormous bell.

"Dong—Dong—Dong—"

The wondrous chime rippled across the sky, its deep and melodious sound scattering the white clouds as it spread downward. Even grandeur and magnificence could not describe one ten-thousandth of it. The bell seemed to ring within the deepest part of one’s heart, stirring resonance in the soul and washing away all worries and filth.

Its beautiful tones purified the spirit, leaving people deeply intoxicated and unwilling to awaken. The bell rang across the Heavenly Island, making one sigh at the arrangements of fate. It was as if even the gods believed its chime ought to echo through the clouds, a wondrous sound capable of cleansing the human soul.

The bell continued to ring, only gradually fading after a long while. The lingering sound seemed to remain for three days without ceasing. Duke finally understood the meaning of that saying. The clear, ethereal sound rang deep within his heart, making even his soul resonate.

"The Light of Shandora truly lives up to its name!" Robin sighed sincerely. Catching sight of the Poneglyph beneath the bell, she immediately smiled again. "Such a beautiful chime alone has made this journey worthwhile. And now there’s a new Poneglyph as well. We’re truly fortunate."

The enormous historical stone tablet was embedded in the base of the Golden Bell. Robin quickly scanned it and translated the ancient writing. "Bury the truth within your heart and remain silent. Along with the chime of the bell tower, we are the ones who record and write history…"

By the end, Robin’s expression darkened. "The location of the Ancient Weapon bearing the name of a god, ‘Poseidon,’ is…"

"Fish-Man Island!" Duke finished for her.

"Eh!?" Robin turned her head in surprise. "Captain, how do you know?"

"When we first met, do you remember?"

Robin nodded. "I remember very clearly. Captain, you even stabbed me with Flower Continent back then."

"That’s not what I mean!" Duke silently thought she was really holding a grudge. It had been so long, yet she still remembered it. "I told you then that I knew about Pluton and Poseidon. Don’t tell me you forgot!"

"What is the true form of Poseidon?" Robin asked impatiently. Although she had no interest in Ancient Weapons, history was right before her eyes, and it felt as if a kitten were scratching at her heart. She could not help asking.

"The princess of Fish-Man Island is Poseidon! She possesses the ability to communicate with Sea Kings, a power capable of overturning the seas… But she hasn’t awakened yet."

"That’s truly astonishing!" Robin wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. On the sea, whether pirates or Marines, what they feared most were Sea Kings. The Calm Belt, known as a forbidden zone for life, was the best proof.

Even though humanity already possessed ships capable of crossing the Calm Belt, they would rather take a detour than choose that route, all to avoid Sea Kings. On the sea, they were the true rulers…

"Oh, right! Look at this. This is the real key!" Duke pointed to a corner beside the historical stone tablet, where two lines of smaller text had also been written in the ancient language.

"I came here and brought history to the end of the world!" Robin’s eyes widened as she cried out, "Gol D. Roger! Why could he write this language too?"

Duke shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he heard the voice of all things and learned the ancient language! Or maybe one of his crew members understood Poneglyphs!"

"Who?"

"The father of a brat! What matters isn’t him, but that brat…" Duke’s gaze swept strangely across Robin’s chest, making goosebumps rise all over her body. Only then did he sigh. "One Piece can have a terrible ending, but that brat must be burned to death!"

Robin had no idea which of her captain’s wires had crossed again. She asked in confusion, "Captain, who is that brat? What terrible crime did he commit?"

"An unforgivable crime!"

Thanks to readers "Elegant Cabbage," "Panxi," "Aibieli," "Collecting 16 to 25 Year Old Beautiful Girls," "qingyinss," and "Flowers Fall on the Mountain Peak" for their donations!