Public Playback Access

Vivi stood in front of the stone gate, her hand still pressing on the copper key embedded in the groove.

The small characters on the Sky Screen hung above her head, and golden rays of light pierced down from above the old waterway, falling into the stone chamber half-buried in the sand.

[Historical Node belonging to the Nefertari Royal Family has been detected. Grant Public Playback Access?]

As she looked at the line of text, the answer didn't immediately come to mind.

It was the image of her father standing in the study last night, handing her the key from behind.

It was the sound of the wind rushing into her ears as Pell led her out of the study window.

These are the soldiers and civilians who fell in the streets during the Alabasta civil war.

Footsteps could be heard in the passageway.

Zero Zero One is approaching.

Vivi glanced down at the keys.

"If I agree, the whole world will see this."

The Sky Screen offered no reply.

The system only provided the second line of feedback.

[Current access holder: Nefertari Vivi]

[Once confirmed, the footage from this node will be simultaneously added to the next Sky Screen Review.]

Vivi's fingers tightened on the key.

What if I refuse?

[The node is closed, Public Playback Access are retained until it is reopened.]

Zero Zero One sound came from the entrance of the passage.

"Reject."

Vivi turned her head.

Zero Zero One stood at the entrance of the stone chamber, her mask gleaming white in the light of the Sky Screen.

There was a burn mark on his left sleeve, and a cut on his shoulder from Pell's knife.

But he remained standing firm.

Vivi did not back down.

"What about Sabo and Pell?"

"Still alive."

Zero Zero One took a step forward.

"Temporary."

Vivi's hand did not leave the key.

You want me to refuse.

You don't know what's behind the door.

You know.

Zero Zero One stopped five steps away from her.

"I know part of it."

Vivi looked at him.

"Then what are you afraid of?"

Zero Zero One's mask had no expression.

"I'm not afraid."

"Then why did you rush here?"

"Because some things shouldn't be seen by ordinary people."

Vivi smiled briefly.

I've heard that phrase many times.

Zero Zero One raised his hand.

"This is the last time, hand over the key."

Vivi asked.

"Will Alabasta be safe after I hand it over to you?"

"It depends on the judgment of the Five Elders."

That means no.

Zero Zero One's finger was aimed at her shoulder.

"Your Highness, you have courage, but courage cannot withstand Shigan."

Vivi pressed the key into the groove.

"It can't block out the Sky Screen either."

Zero Zero One has made his move.

His Shigan pointed at Vivi's wrist.

A ball of fire pressed in from the entrance of the passage, brushing against the stone wall and swirling past Zero Zero One's side.

Zero Zero One pulled back and moved to the side.

Sabo burst out of the passage, blood on his shoulder, his hat no longer on his head.

Pell was behind him, his left wing drooping, with several bloodstains on its feathers.

Sabo stood in front of Vivi, his breathing heavier than usual.

"Luckily, I made it in time."

Vivi looked at his shoulder.

You're injured.

"It was lighter than when Ace hit me before."

Pell leaned against the entrance to the stone chamber, the tip of his knife hanging on the ground.

"Your Highness, make the decision."

Zero Zero One looked at the three of them.

"You think that just because it's confirmed to be broadcast publicly, Sky Screen will immediately protect you?"

Sabo's pipes were held horizontally in front of him.

"Have no idea."

Pell raised his knife.

But you have to try at least once.

Vivi looked up at the Sky Screen for a notification.

Her voice echoed through the stone chamber.

"Connection confirmed."

The teeth of the brass key turn inside the door.

The Ancient Script above the stone gate lit up.

The countdown timer next to the Sky Screen appeared simultaneously in the skies around the world.

[The Nefertari Royal Family's Historical Nodes have been integrated]

[The details of this node will be released as supplementary evidence in the next round of reviews.]

[Current Node Protection Protocol enabled]

Zero Zero One's finger stopped at that moment.

His mask was tilted slightly towards the sky.

"Protection Protocol."

A golden light curtain descended from the center of the stone chamber, enveloping Vivi and the stone door within it.

Sabo stood at the edge of the light screen and reached out to touch it.

His fingers were gently pushed back.

Vivi also reached out and touched the inside.

The light barrier did not stop her.

"Pell said."

"Only protects the authorized holder."

Zero Zero One step forward and Shigan at the light screen.

The moment his fingers touched the Golden Light, he was pushed back three steps, his shoes leaving two marks on the stone surface.

Sabo let out a breath.

"It seems the Sky Screen has more authority than your orders."

Zero Zero One ignored him.

He turned to look at the passageway.

"Task changed."

Sabo's expression changed.

He's leaving.

Pell flapped his wings, blocking the entrance.

"I won't let you leave."

Zero Zero One raised her hand, and a small black ball rolled out from her sleeve.

The moment Sabo saw the ball, flames erupted from his palm.

"Pell, retreat."

The black ball released a large amount of white smoke after landing.

It's not toxic smoke.

It's smoke that obscures visibility.

Pell flapped his wings to disperse them, and Zero Zero One had already retreated into the depths of the passage.

Sabo took two steps forward, then stopped.

Vivi called out to him from inside the light screen.

"Sabo."

Sabo turns his head.

Vivi pointed to the stone gate.

The door opened.

There is no passage behind the stone gate.

It was an even smaller, secret room.

In the center of the secret chamber stood a black stone tablet, less than a person's height, covered with Ancient Script.

In front of the stone tablet lies a cracked metal letterbox, its surface engraved with the Nefertari Family's patterns.

Vivi entered the secret room.

Sabo and Pell stood outside the light barrier, unable to enter.

Sabo asked.

Can you take it out?

Vivi reached out and touched the mailbox.

[Node item is bound and cannot be moved]

Vivi looked at the stone tablet.

"I don't understand."

The Sky Screen offered a new clue.

[Insufficient permissions for Ancient Script analysis]

[The next roundup will feature a public analysis by an authorized interpreter.]

Sabo understood immediately.

"Robin."

Vivi nodded.

"Sky Screen wants Robin to decipher this stone tablet."

Pell leaned against the stone chamber door, a hint of relief appearing on his face for the first time.

"Then we'll hold this position for now."

Sabo glanced at the passageway.

"Zero Zero One won't go far."

Vivi asked.

He will come back.

"Meeting."

Sabo hoisted the pipe back onto his shoulder.

"But he couldn't get in this time."

Royal Palace Study.

Long looked at the new notification in the Sky Screen, his hand under his cloak resting on the edge of the windowsill.

Cobra stood up from the chair, swaying slightly, and Chaka steadied him.

Cobra looked at the sky.

She opened it.

"Dragon said."

She made a choice.

Cobra closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again.

"Then I should make a choice too."

The dragon turned to look at him.

Cobra looked at the communications officer.

"Connect to national broadcasting."

Chaka looked at him.

"His Majesty."

Cobra stood up straight, leaning on his cane.

"Tell all cities, all garrisons, and all Ports."

"The Alabasta royal family will publicly respond to the history of the Nefertari Family after the next installment of the Sky Screen retrospective begins."

The communications officer's expression changed.

"Your Majesty, this will cause panic."

"Panic has arrived."

Cobra looked out the window at the desert.

"I'd rather tell people our names themselves than have them hear them from others."

The dragon remained silent.

Chaka lowered his head.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The communications officer turned and ran out of the study.

The countdown to the Sky Screen ends in three hours and fifty-eight minutes.

East Blue, Lin Qi's Tavern.

Lin Qi sat in front of the computer, looking at the notification that suddenly popped up on the system interface.

[Successfully connected to the Nefertari Royal Family's Historical Node]

[Next issue will review improved evidence chain completeness]

[It is suggested that the question setter adjust the difficulty level.]

Lin Qi's beer glass froze in mid-air.

"Alabasta itself provided the evidence."

He put the wine glass on the table and tapped a few times on the keyboard.

A new question editing box pops up on the system interface.

Lin Qi looked at the candidate questions and raised an eyebrow.

[Question 1: Among the twenty kingdoms that created the World Government, which royal family was the only one that refused to become Celestial Dragons?]

[Question 2: Why is the Nefertari Family considered by Imu as the first traitors?]

[Question 3: What Historical Node were secretly recorded by the Nefertari Family eight hundred years ago?]

Lin Qi leaned back in his chair.

"Is there even a choice?"

He had just placed his hand on the confirm button when there was a knock on the Tavern door.

Three short and one long.

Same as this morning.

Lin Qi's fingers stopped.

A line of red text flashed in the upper right corner of the system interface.

[A peripheral unit of the World Government Intelligence System has been detected approaching again.]

Number of people: twelve

[One of them was carrying Tracking Den Den Mushi).]

Lin Qi looked at the line of text.

The voice of the man in the floral shirt came from outside the door.

"Boss, are you still open?"

Lin Qi didn't move.

The countdown timer is still ticking on the computer screen.

Three hours and fifty-seven minutes.