"Near at Hand": The Final Island!

"Oh... wow!"

Yamato was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise.

"So this is the Red Oden —cough! Kozuki Oden described in his nautical log, pointing to the Laugh Tale, Raftel Red Poneglyph?"

As someone who had thoroughly read Kozuki Oden's nautical logs, Yamato surpassed that of most people on the high seas.

Even her own father, Beasts Kaido, might not be as knowledgeable in this area as she is.

"Benefactor!"

Storm Yamato excitement.

"Do you also possess the ability to read Ancient Script, like Kozuki Oden?"

Yamato remembers it very clearly.

Kozuki Oden was valued by the Pirate King Roger because of his ability to read Ancient Script, which allowed him to switch from the Whitebeard Pirates to the Roger Pirates, following Roger all the way and dominating the Grand Line.

No, I can't.

Storm shook his head and offered a casual explanation.

"The Kozuki Clan possesses the knowledge of ancient history, which is why they are able to decipher the Ancient Script characters inscribed on the Poneglyph texts."

"I'm just an ordinary person; I don't possess such amazing abilities."

Strictly speaking...

The Kozuki Clan possesses more than just "knowledge inheritance".

Eight hundred years ago, the Kozuki Clan was responsible for creating the Ancient Poneglyph!

This is something that no ordinary force could accomplish.

Perhaps that's why.

Only the Kozuki Clan can "possess" this Road Poneglyph.

According to the information Storm knew.

The original owners of each Road Poneglyph were all extraordinary individuals.

Four red stones.

One located on Fish-Man Island.

That dreamlike island hidden deep beneath the sea is the territory of the Mermaid Princess.

That is, the territory of Poseidon, one of the Ancient Weapon!

Next to the Red Poneglyph on Fish-Man Island, there is also a black Poneglyph.

On that ordinary Poneglyph, there was a special record of an apology letter written by Joey Boy to the Mermaid Princess.

One located in Zou.

Zou is a country on the back of Zunesha, and its entire population consists of the Mink Tribe.

Eight hundred years ago, Zunesha was also an important partner of Joy Boy.

Judging from the Zunesha's size alone, this elephant, which has lived for over a thousand years, may not be inferior in strength to Ancient Weapon!

(Yes, Zunesha was born in the New World more than a thousand years ago, and only became Joy Boy's partner eight hundred years ago, when Zunesha was at least two hundred years old.)

A piece located in Wano Country.

Eight hundred years ago, the Kozuki Clan was a "stonemason family" responsible for crafting the Ancient Poneglyph.

It is precisely because of the special technology of the Kozuki Clan that these indestructible Poneglyph have been passed down to this day, providing them to future generations and helping them understand the history of eight hundred years ago.

Fish-Man Island, Zunesha, Wano Country...

Every faction possessing the Red Poneglyph has an extremely deep connection with Joey Boy.

Not only that.

Each ordinary Poneglyph that records information about Ancient Weapon and their whereabouts is placed in a location and controlled by a powerful entity, and this location is also closely related to Joey Boy.

The Poneglyph recording information about [Pluton, the god of the Pluton] are located in Alabasta.

The Poneglyph that records information about [Poseidon] is located in the golden city of Shandora.

The whereabouts of the Poneglyph recording information about [Uranus Uranus] are currently unknown.

Cough cough.

The only exception.

It probably lies in that Red Poneglyph on the Whole Cake Island.

This refers to the Road Poneglyph that were collected by Big Mom.

That is also the only piece among the many core Poneglyph that is owned by pirate forces.

Based on the information Storm had previously gathered, this is possible.

Charlotte Linlin's Red Poneglyph comes from the Rocks Pirates decades ago.

It was also because of this Red Poneglyph that the God Valley Incident occurred, indirectly destroying the Rocks Pirates.

As for where the Rocks Pirates obtained this Red Poneglyph...

Storm, that remains unknown.

According to Buckingham Stussy, the Red Poneglyph possessed by the Rocks Pirates was Rocks D. Xebec's prized possession.

Because the Celestial Dragons stole the Red Poneglyph from Hachinosu Island, the Rocks Pirates pursued them all the way to God Valley in the West Blue, thus triggering the God Valley Incident.

During the God Valley Incident, Charlotte Linlin stole the Red Poneglyph amidst the chaos and kept it until... before being killed by Storm.

Unfortunately, Charlotte Linlin herself could not read Ancient Script, and she did not have such a special talent under her command.

Even though this piece of Red Poneglyph has been possessed for decades.

Charlotte Linlin was unaware of the information recorded on the Road Poneglyph.

BIG MOM does not produce Poneglyph; it merely acts as a Poneglyph.

"Oh, Yamato."

Storm suppressed his somewhat chaotic thoughts and looked at Yamato beside him.

"Has Beasts Kaido ever explained anything about the Rocks Pirates to you?"

Storm was still somewhat interested in the origins of the Red Poneglyph of the Rocks Pirates.

But Yamato just stared blankly at Storm.

"Which Rocks Pirates? This is the first time I've ever heard of this crew."

Yamato was born in the year 1496 of the Grand Line Era. (For more trivia, see the author's note.)

That year.

Beasts Kaido has just settled in Wano Country.

It has been exactly ten years since the God Valley Incident.

Yamato indeed knew nothing about the Rocks Pirates.

"A pirate crew from the past has vanished into history."

Storm offered a brief explanation.

"Your father was an apprentice in the Rocks Pirates back in the day."

Intern?

Beasts Kaido?

Yamato's emotions were so strange that they were hard to describe.

How are these two words connected?

Storm naturally noticed Yamato's expression and couldn't help but smile.

If he really wanted to ask this question, he could have asked Beasts Kaido.

The Rocks Pirates have indeed disappeared from history.

Even Rocks D. Xebec himself has been dead for decades.

However, remnants of the Rocks Pirates are still active on the seas.

Storm did manage to eliminate several remnants of the gang.

Ochoku of Hachinosu Island, Charlotte Linlin of Whole Cake Island, and Beasts Kaido of Wano Country.

The first two are already dead.

But Beasts Kaido still alive.

However.

Storm ultimately did not release Beasts Kaido.

Because he actually had a vague guess about the question he had just asked.

Fish-Man Island.

Zunesha.

The Wano Country.

These three forces each possess a Road Poneglyph.

The last faction to possess Road Poneglyph must also be a powerful faction with close ties to Joey Boyle.

Just think carefully about the forces connected to Joey Boy...

With the placement of the last Road Poneglyph, the answer becomes clear.

'Elbaf, the Giant Kingdom...'

The name of the World's Number One nation flashed through Storm's mind.

In other parts of the sea, even those who worship the Sun God Nika would do so discreetly.

If you're not careful, the World Government will come knocking on your door and force you to disappear.

Look at Elbaf.

Elbaf's faith in the Sun God Nika is completely undisguised!

Elbaf even has a special festival – the "Winter Solstice Festival".

Every year at the end of the year, the entire Elbaf spends more than ten days holding the "Winter Solstice Festival" to express their gratitude to the sun.

Charlotte Linlin's destruction of the Sheep's House, her rampage through the Giants' Village, and her slaughter of the Giant Elder all occurred during the Winter Solstice Festival.

All in all.

The connection between Elbaf and Joey Boy is absolutely profound.

In this case.

It makes perfect sense that Elbaf is responsible for protecting the last piece of Road Poneglyph.

Storm even suspects that the island where Elbaf is located is the same island where the Great Kingdom was located eight hundred years ago!

The Great Kingdom is very likely the predecessor of Elbaf!

However, these are all just speculations.

The Red Poneglyph, possessed by Rocks Pirates and Charlotte Linlin, but where did it actually come from...?

Storm's desire to explore wasn't as strong as one might imagine.

Because this Red Poneglyph, is now in his hands!

Including the one in front of us.

Storm has already collected two Road Poneglyph.

There are two pieces left.

Storm will then be able to find the exact coordinates of the Laugh Tale, Raftel!

And just so happens.

Storm was very clear about the location of the last two Red Poneglyph.

Fish-Man Island, Sea Forest.

Zunesha, Forest of Whales.

'Later, I'll find an opportunity to get my hands on those two pieces of Red Poneglyph!'

Storm thought to himself.

' Zunesha and the Kingdom of Zou are secondary; Fish-Man Island and the Mermaid Princess are indeed very important...'

Even though Uranus Pluton Uranus both possess terrifying power Pluton destroy islands.

But on this vast and boundless sea, the power of [Poseidon, the Sea King] is the most astonishing!

Humans are the masters of the land.

But in the ocean, Sea King are still stronger.

Otherwise.

The Calm Belt zone for humans.

Of course.

The strong can ignore the threat of the Calm Belt and forcibly cross Calm Belt.

But what if an ordinary person tried it?

If we consider it from a holistic perspective...

Of the three Ancient Weapons, Storm still thinks [Poseidon] is the most powerful.

Shirahoshi is also very powerful.

It's so powerful that just by showing its face, it can completely render a curly-browed "One Piece Pirate King" powerless.

Storm exhaled a breath of stale air, stretched out his right hand, and put the Road Poneglyph in front of him into his "Treasure of the King".

"Yamato, you can leave now."

Yamato blinked. "Oh, okay."

Storm: "Come back to the Totto Land with me first. I'll find someone to show you around the ocean."

Yamato: "My benefactor! I am deeply grateful!"

"Don't call me 'benefactor,' call me 'Captain'!"

"Oh! No problem, Captain!"

"Also, I can introduce you to a partner... who's also the kind of idiot who has a really bad impression of his own father."

"Huh? So there are fathers as bastards as Beasts Kaido?"

"In fact, there are far more scumbag fathers on the sea than you imagine. Beasts Kaido is actually quite good to you."

"How could this be! Beasts Kaido put explosive slave shackles on me! I will never forgive him!"

"Yes, I know someone who used his own children for human experiments, turning them into monsters without normal emotions."

"Forehead..."

"To add to that, he used his wife as a human subject for experiments, meaning she was an experimental subject from the time she was pregnant."

"Scum! Degenerate! Captain, that 'idiot' you just mentioned, is his father really this awful?"

"No, that's not true... His father was just an ordinary pirate who abandoned his wife and children."

"That sounds rubbish too..."

"Indeed. However, his father is far stronger than your father, Beasts Kaido."

"How is that possible! Could his father be Whitebeard?"

"... No, that's not it."

Who is that?

"Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King."

"Uh-huh!?"

Fun fact #1: Yamato and Kozuki Momonosuke were born in the same year!

Fun fact #2: Jack the Drought was also born in that year!

Fun fact #3: Doc Q, the Blackbeard Pirates' ship's doctor, was also born in the year 1496 of the Grand Line Era!

The most outrageous one is Doc Q, but his Vivre Card shows that he is indeed 28 years old.

--

Two updates are provided.

Goodnight everyone.