"The Dawn Blade, Knower's Eye, and Eye of the Sky—the three keys have opened Truth's Door," Ace said at last. "What we saw will completely change our understanding of this world."
Whitebeard set down his wine jug and fell into a long silence. The captain's cabin was so quiet that they could hear the wooden ship creaking as it swayed with the waves. Everyone watched the old captain, waiting for his reaction.
After a long while, Whitebeard finally spoke, his voice heavier than usual. "Roger told me some things, but I never imagined the truth would be so... complicated."
The commanders exchanged astonished glances—this was the first time Whitebeard had voluntarily mentioned his private conversation with Roger.
"Back when Roger was gravely ill, he came to see me alone." Whitebeard's gaze grew distant, as though he had returned to that era. "He told me he had circumnavigated the world not to find any treasure, but to uncover a truth buried for eight hundred years. 'D,' the letter etched into our bones, carries a mission far greater than we ever imagined."
Whitebeard rose and walked toward an ancient safe at the far end of the room. He entered the password and took out an ordinary-looking wooden box. Inside was a strange transparent glass plate engraved with indecipherable ancient writing.
"Roger gave this to me and told me to hand it to the true successor at the proper time." Whitebeard placed the glass plate on the table. "For decades, I never understood what these words meant, but now... Marco, give it a try."
Marco was the most learned man aboard the ship. He carefully picked up the glass plate and examined it under the lamplight. As he changed its angle, the writing on the plate suddenly became three-dimensional, producing a holographic effect.