Tap, tap, tap!
On the dim and gloomy corridor, clear footsteps sounded from top to bottom. As time passed, the faint blue light from above, like a ray of hope devouring the darkness, slowly consumed the darkness of the long-undisturbed underground passage, inch by inch.
The blue light continued downwards, and the crowd stopped in front of a heavy stone door.
Gazing at the exquisite Wano Country exclusive carvings on the door, everyone knew that what they were looking for should be behind this door.
Holding the night-luminescent pearl, Robin stepped forward and reached out to push the stone door.
Boom—!
The stone door trembled, and then, under Robin's hands, it slowly opened.
The stone door looked sturdy and large, but Robin pushed it open with little effort. It seemed that the person who built this place never expected anyone to find it, as there was no basic defense, and the gate wasn't even locked.
Looking at the door, which was as dark as the entrance to hell, Robin held the night-luminescent pearl and covered her nose and mouth with her left hand. Only after the air in the room circulated after the stone door opened did she release her mouth and nose, fanned the air in front of her, and stepped inside.
The faint light of the night-luminescent pearl could not illuminate the entire stone chamber. However, the moment they entered, everyone's gaze fell on the large, square, dark shadow on the right side of the stone chamber, surrounded by a stone shelf, as if being worshipped.
“It really is a Poneglyph of the Red Line.”
When the blue light of the night-luminescent pearl shone on the dark shadow, Robin quickly stepped forward, leaned on the railing, and observed it carefully.
“Now, as long as we find the last piece, we can reach Laugh Tale. Perhaps there we will find the true history of this world, the record of the true blank hundred years of history.”
Turning around, Robin looked at Kong Tai with excitement.
Joining Kong Tai’s crew in Alabasta was the most correct decision she had ever made. She never expected that in just a few short months, they would achieve what all the pirates in this world had not.
She was not interested in the One Piece treasure on Laugh Tale, but perhaps there lay the truth of this world, which was her dream and her persistence!
Therefore, among everyone on the ship, she was probably the most enthusiastic and excited about the Poneglyphs of the Red Line.
Looking at Robin’s excited expression, a trace of inexplicable emotion flashed in Kong Tai’s eyes.
Although he didn’t know the specific situation of Laugh Tale, he knew more than many people in this world.
As far as he knew, Laugh Tale might disappoint Robin. Besides the prophecy left by Joy Boy and a joke that made Roger and others laugh heartily, there seemed to be nothing else.
As for whether there was that blank hundred years of history, judging from Roger and others’ departure and Kozuki Sukiyaki's reaction, there probably wasn’t.
He withdrew his gaze and looked around the underground stone chamber, which resembled a shrine. He saw no extra items.
As far as he knew, the ancient weapon "Pluton," one of the three Ancient Weapons, was located beneath this stone chamber.
Pluton was huge. In the original work, Kozuki Sukiyaki said that the outer walls would have to be dismantled for Pluton to emerge. From this, it could be inferred that ancient Wano Country was built on Pluton’s body. Perhaps this island, this mountain, was actually the entire Pluton.
Kong Tai did not mention these things, nor was it necessary.
None of them were interested in the Ancient Weapons.
After all, although these things had world-destroying power, they were just inanimate objects, and even more so, inanimate objects buried underground. They had more time to pay attention to this than to take their companions to the moon for a romantic trip.
The group searched the basement for a while, finding nothing else. After copying the text on the Poneglyph, they retreated and returned along the same path up the stairs.
Passing through the passage where the original Wano Country could be seen again, Kong Tai couldn’t help but stop and sigh.
Even the most prosperous kingdom would eventually decline under the passage of time. Birth, aging, sickness, death, the cycle of seasons – it was the same for humans, nature, kingdoms, and even the world.
This was probably why, in the eyes of those who lived for an eternity, life was no different from the stones and soil in this world!
They lived too long and had witnessed too many cycles of change. If they could maintain human emotions at first, under the erosion of time, they gradually became like cold machines.
Was Im also like this?
He didn’t know.
He could only go to the Holy Land Marie Geoise and see Im’s true form to make a judgment.
And why had those ancient gods, whom he suspected, become disconnected from this world?
From the space deep within the spatial collapse created by the Door-Door Fruit, he felt a door, and the presence behind the door, desperately wanting to come out and descend upon this world through him, told him that this world was probably not as simple as it seemed.
If there was nothing that made the being “behind the door” salivate, why would that being be so eager for this world?
There was also one very strange thing.
The Grand Line, which everyone in this world feared yet yearned for, seemed to be a trial path deliberately constructed by someone.
Was it a god?
Or a devil?
Was it selecting something?
He also did not know.
Or was all of this just his speculation, his overthinking?
But what about the devil that Queen had turned into?
What about the unknown power within the Seven Star Swords encountered on the ancient island where he drifted after Sakazuki was injured?
What about the three massive dark shadows that perpetually hung in the sky above the Magical Triangle Zone?
As he understood more about this world, the questions seemed to multiply.
“Kong Tai, what are you thinking about? Hurry up and catch up.”
Ahead.
Kuina turned around and shouted loudly at Kong Tai.
Her clear voice instantly brought Kong Tai back to his senses.
He shook his head, withdrew his gaze, raised his head, and walked forward with a smile.
“Nothing, just some reflections upon seeing the ruins of the original Wano Country.”
He didn’t know what the future world would be like. Even if the being behind the door found its way, even if the ancient gods he speculated about reconnected with this world, all of it would depend on whether he agreed.
Whether devil or god, if they behaved themselves after coming to this world, that was fine. But if they harmed the world, they would all be buried…
Buried in the depths of time and space.
In the dim corridor, behind Kong Tai’s smile, there was endless coldness.
He didn’t want to be the ruler of the world, but he regarded this world as his home, his second home.
Here were his cherished family, lover, friends, and companions.
Therefore…
He would not allow anyone, anything, to harm this world.
Although his strength had not yet reached its true peak, judging solely from the changes in his body, he could predict how powerful he would be in the future.
Even if he couldn’t reach the level of the terrifying being behind the giant eye that sent shivers down his spine just thinking about it, he could still become someone that those who could only hide in the depths of space could only look up to.