When Gawain returned to the vicinity of the Dark Bird Ship, he was surprised to find that the Black Ice Terrace members who were watching the ship were with Jinbe, pinning a man with chestnuts on his head and the Masira they had captured that afternoon to the ground.
Besides the two of them, a Shojo was also captured this time...
Noticing Gawain's return, Jinbe smiled and raised his fist.
"Haha, sir, even though I'm at home taking care of two children, I still managed to catch a bunch of scoundrels!"
Just now, they circled our ship and secretly spied on us for a long time!
"I don't!!!"
Jinbe had Jinbe finished speaking than Cricket shouted an explanation to Gawain.
"Saint Gawain, I have seen your photo and I know who you are. How could I dare to have any bad thoughts about you!"
I was simply drawn in by the flyer you gave to the Masira!
Because... because I am a descendant of Noland, my full name is Mont Blanc Cricket, and like my ancestor Noland, I bear the surname Mont Blanc, sir!
After saying that, Cricket slammed his head heavily onto the ground.
Meanwhile, Shirahoshi and Uta, standing beside Cricket, couldn't help but explain on Cricket's behalf.
"Yes, sir, this uncle is very interesting. He told us many stories about North Blue."
They have enormous snails over there, carrying an entire fortress on their backs as they wander the seas!
"Shirahoshi is right. The uncle also told us the complete story of Noland. Combining different stories, I think I already have inspiration for a new song!"
That was truly a person who had been misunderstood by the world for hundreds of years!
Uta responded in agreement, then gently tugged at the sleeve of the Black Ice Terrace member controlling Cricket.
"So let them go! There are so many of us here, we can't let those three do anything!"
"Uta is right, haha, let them go."
Gawain waved his hand gently, and the Black Ice Terrace members retreated to a distance after releasing Cricket.
Although he was freed, Cricket did not get up, and even when the Shojo and Masira beside him tried to get up, he pulled them back down.
Kneeling on the ground, Cricket pulled the two flyers from his pocket and spoke to Gawain.
"Saint Gawain, I don't care about my own safety, I just want to know if what you said on the flyer is true!"
Do you really think my ancestor wasn't exaggerating? Do you really believe he was a true adventurer?
And, have you found any trace of the Golden Bell?
Gawain nodded slightly as he listened to Cricket's question.
As he sat down, Gawain spoke to Cricket.
"You have a lot of questions. Why don't you stand up and ask me one by one?"
I wasn't in a good mood today, but seeing you all has cheered me up quite a bit.
"In that case, I can give you some time to ask questions, buddy."
At this point, Gawain raised his left hand.
"Kaku!"
"I'm here, sir!"
Kaku stepped forward solemnly, and Gawain gave the order in a low voice.
"Let's camp on the beach tonight, get ready."
"Yes, sir."
Kaku nodded, then left to prepare.
After Kaku left, Gawain looked at Cricket, who was slowly getting up, and said...
"The flyer I gave you wasn't a joke. I have evidence that the Golden Bell truly exists. The golden city of Shandora does exist. Noland didn't deceive the world back then, nor did he deceive his king."
"Really... really?!"
Cloudy tears streamed from Cricket's eyes.
"Have you found the Golden Bell yet?!"
"Don't be in such a hurry. If I had already found the Golden Bell, I would have brought it here long ago."
However, the old folks on our ship have already seen that Golden Bell!
Gawain smiled and pointed to old man Rayleigh, who was drinking, and said.
Noticing Gawain's actions, Cricket looked at Rayleigh with a face full of surprise.
"You are... you are the legendary Dark King Rayleigh, the vice-captain of the Pirate King!"
Did you actually go to Sky Island with that Pirate King back then?
"Oh, haha, so you know about the Sky Island, huh, kid!"
Rayleigh smiled and waved to Cricket, which made Cricket jump up excitedly.
"Sky Island, ahahaha, you really did mention the existence of Sky Island! My judgment was correct, hahaha!"
Sure enough, the truth was different from what my ancestors had thought. The lost Golden City of Shandora did not sink into the sea due to tectonic movements, as my ancestors had predicted, but was instead swept into the sky by Knock Up Stream!
At this point, Cricket excitedly pulled out Noland's Diary hidden behind his waist. He opened the diary and pointed out a drawing to Gawain and his group.
"This is the topographical map of Jaya left by our ancestors. As you can see, the entire Jaya should have been shaped like a giant skull!"
But now, Jaya's head has disappeared, leaving only the skull's mouth on the sea!
The story of Liar Noland has been circulating in the North Blue and around the world for four hundred years. If it weren't for the discovery of this diary, even I might not have been willing to believe in my ancestor.
But after finding this diary, I discovered that the lower half of the map of Jaya drawn by my ancestors is exactly the same as the current Jaya!
At the same time, the diaries of our ancestors also recorded countless advanced navigation techniques that can still be used today!
In my opinion, ancestors with excellent nautical knowledge and drafting skills would have been welcomed by every team, even without exaggeration, and would have become among the best navigators of their time.
If that's the case, why would he fabricate his experiences using one unwavering lie after another?
At this point, Cricket clutched Noland's diary and wept uncontrollably. His years of persistent efforts had finally yielded real evidence!
Hearing Cricket's cries, Gawain clapped his hands gently.
"Dude, I understand how you feel, but you'd better try to control yourself."
You look... almost fifty, right? Why are you crying like that?
"Wow, I feel both heartbroken and happy, sir!"
I've been salvaging shipwrecks here for seven whole years! Seven years!
Every day I get laughed at by those guys from that Town of Mockery!
I also have to deal with their harassment all the time. Even though I never attack others first, I've earned a bounty of 25 million just by defending against their attacks!
This is so hard!!!
As he explained, Cricket managed to wipe away his tears, then took his diary and went to Gawain's side.
After handing the diary to Gawain, Cricket stood there and continued speaking to the crowd.
"I found my ancestor's diary nine years ago. Since then, I have studied the diary countless times. Although it records many stories, what I care about most is the lost Golden Country!"
Because my ancestor's reputation was completely ruined by this Golden Country!
At this point, Cricket shook his head sadly.
"I don't know if you've heard of the original Liar Noland's story."
The story says that his grandfather loved to boast since he was a child, and through deception, he became the governor of the expedition team of the Kingdom of Rubenir in the North Sea.
After that, in order to solidify his position in front of the king, the ancestor fabricated the legend of the Golden Country, but when he brought the king and his soldiers to Jaya, the king only saw a forest.
And so, my ancestor was executed by the king, but this diary...!"
Just as Cricket was saying this, Cricket, who had only glanced at the Gawain, took over the conversation.
Gawain was flipping through a book when he spoke.
"However, in this diary, Noland is described as the first legendary adventurer four hundred years ago to set sail from the Four Blues, travel back and forth along the Grand Line, and even venture into the New World!"
Not only that, he was also an excellent soldier, a superb navigator, and a botanist!
At this point, Gawain turned to the Tontatta Kingdom section of his diary and passed it on to everyone.
When the diary reached Gion's hands, Gawain smiled.
"The miniature kingdom described in Noland's Diary should be near Dressrosa, right?"
Therefore, four hundred years ago, Noland was indeed the first person from Four Blues to traverse the Grand Line.
Logically speaking, he should be the pride of North Blue."
That's it!
"I can't believe it," Cricket said excitedly to Gawain.
"Four hundred years ago, our shipbuilding industry was not as developed as it is now, and newspapers had not yet appeared."
At that time, most people in the world could only learn about the world through books and word of mouth among sailors.
But now, with the existence of the World Economic Journal and the introduction of a series of Den Den Mushi), things have changed.
Whether in the New World or the Grand Line, a lot of information is leaking out from the corners!
Two years ago, I heard from the newspaper that some changes had occurred in Dressrosa. In the photos of that day's issue, I saw the figures of two Tontatta Tribe.
As more and more information becomes available for comparison, I'm increasingly convinced of the stories my ancestor told me back then. So many of his stories resonate with what we have today, four hundred years later!
Just as Cricket was speaking, Gion was standing next to her, suddenly frowned and turned to the last page of her diary.
"Noland's experiences are indeed true, but... I disagree with the notion that he was a pure adventurer!"
He's not a real hero, he doesn't deserve it!
As they spoke, Gion showed everyone the passage from Noland's Diary that described Noland leading King Lubniz and his soldiers to land on Jaya!
Then, Gion continued.
"Look carefully, everyone. Noland's diary contains a detailed record of his interactions with the natives of Jaya."
Here, he first cured the Tree Fever on Jaya, and then he became friends with Kalgara, the strongest warrior among the native inhabitants of Jaya.
He then saved the lives on Jaya that were about to be used for sacrifice, leading to the Jaya abandoning its tradition of live sacrifice.
But soon after, he was misunderstood by the people of Jaya Island for cutting down a sacred tree on Jaya that had been contaminated by the plague, and they drove him off the Jaya.
It was at this moment that the great warrior Kalgara made a pact with Noland: the Golden Bell would ring out continuously on this sea, all so that Noland might have the chance to pass by Jaya in the future, would not get lost!
At this point, Gion let out a dissatisfied snort.
"Hmph, what he wrote in his diary about his friendship with Kalgara makes me admire him, but along with that admiration, I feel a little disgusted!"
If he truly considered Jaya and Kalgara as friends, then why did he return to Jaya with the king and the soldiers of the Lvneel Kingdom?
Doesn't he know that such actions will harm the indigenous people of Jaya?
Didn't he realize that the king wanted gold, not confirmation of the story's veracity?
If I were Noland, I would rather be misunderstood by the whole world than reveal to the world that Jaya possesses a huge amount of gold!
"Once this news gets out, Jaya will lose its peace, and his friends will become the target and prey of countless greedy people on the high seas!"
At this point, Gion glanced coldly at Cricket, then continued.
"Perhaps your ancestor Noland was indeed a great navigator and adventurer, but he was by no means a good friend!"
Driven by vanity and a desire to prove his greatness to others, he showed no regard for the safety of the indigenous people of Jaya!
For this reason alone, I won't admire him, humph!
Faced with Gion's accusations, Jinbe nodded heavily.
"Yes, I really didn't think of that before Gion mentioned it."
But now, I always feel there's something strange about this story...
It's not a big deal that he shared his sailing stories, since he was telling the truth, not making up lies.
Telling the truth is necessary under all circumstances!
But his act of bringing the king back to Jaya makes me deeply despise this man!
Jinbe looked at Cricket and gently shook his head.
Seeing Jinbe's questioning look, Cricket quickly explained.
"Wait, everyone, it was all the king who forced them to do it!"
"If my ancestor hadn't led the king to search for the gold, he would have been executed on the spot!"
"So what?"
Jinbe shook his head dismissively.
"Isn't it all caused by his vanity? If he hadn't recounted the events at Golden Country to boast about his adventures, would the king have made such a request of him?"
In other words, when he spoke of the existence of the Golden Country, didn't he consider this consequence? Didn't he realize that his words would arouse greed in everyone who heard them, including the king?
Furthermore, if I were Noland, even if I were to die, I would never lead the king and his soldiers to seek out and deal with my former friends!
Noland couldn't possibly be so naive as to think that the king would lead his soldiers to befriend the Shandia of Jaya, just like he had!
"Wait, Jinbe, you're wrong. There's no Shandora on Sky Island, only Shandora!"
Rayleigh corrected Jinbe.
After hearing Rayleigh's words, Jinbe nodded and continued.
"It doesn't matter anymore, whether it's Shandora or Shandora, they've both been betrayed by Noland!"
If Noland and the King eventually find them, then one of them—they or the King—will have to lie on the ground forever!
As for this, hmph, I would rather be executed by the Ochoku and misunderstood by the whole world than lead the way!
Even if it means death, I don't want to see the disappointed looks in my friends' eyes!
After saying that, Jinbe glanced at Cricket with disdain. At this moment, he no longer longed for the truth about Noland.
And Gawain.
Listening to everyone's thoughts, he gently waved his hand.
"Alright, guys, it's not polite to talk about other people's ancestors in front of them."
Moreover, what we want to prove is only the truth of what happened back then, not to judge what kind of person Noland really was.
Who he is is none of our business. We won't gild him with gold. If it weren't for the existence of gold, we might not even have considered setting foot on the Sky Island!
At this point, Gawain smiled.
"In short, keep training, and then get some rest, everyone."
Once all the Morgans reporters had arrived, we ascended into the sky right before their eyes and in their cameras!
Noland needed a reputation, but don't we?