Four hundred years.
Generation after generation had held firm.
Even when they became a laughingstock known throughout the world.
Even when the whole world treated their ancestor with malice.
They had never doubted him.
Yet at this moment, his defenses finally crumbled.
As if he meant to release all the hurt endured by generations over those four hundred years, he cried on and on.
The soldiers around him looked somber.
They could all hear the immense hurt and helplessness in his sobs.
Words could not express it. All they could do was wait quietly.
At last, the boy cried himself out.
He rubbed his eyes and looked at the somber soldiers around him.
Then, somewhat embarrassed, he said:
"S-sorry..."
"I... sob... I..."
"You don't need to apologize. You haven't done anything wrong."
Sakazuki lifted his large hand from the boy's head, then asked:
"I still don't know your name."
"I... my name is... Mont Blanc Cricket."
"Would you like to tell us more about your ancestor?"
"Y-yes!!!"
All the soldiers gathered around Cricket, listening intently.
Cricket was excited, too. This was the first time he had told his ancestor's story to so many people.
And they were listening without laughing at him!
As Cricket told the tale, a very different figure from the notorious liar of rumor took shape.
A bold, straightforward, powerful warrior emerged in their minds, along with Noland's thrilling adventures.
This time, no one thought any of it was a lie...
Evening came.
More than half a day had passed, and the boy and his listeners still wanted more when the aroma of meat drifting from the dining hall interrupted them.
Only then did they realize the sun had already sunk halfway below the horizon.
"All right, tidy up and get ready to eat."
At Sakazuki's signal, the adjutant called out.
He organized the soldiers into ranks and led them into the dining hall for dinner, while Sakazuki and the boy remained on deck.
As Cricket watched the soldiers march in neat ranks, their steps perfectly in sync, a flicker of longing crossed his eyes.
It vanished a moment later, leaving him looking downcast.
Seeing this, Sakazuki smiled.
"Do you want to join the Navy?"
Cricket grew excited at the question, but then his spirits sank again as he said:
"No. I still have to prove to the world that my ancestor didn't lie. He wasn't a fraud."
Rustle!
Sakazuki smiled and did not press him further.
Instead, he took out a nautical chart, laid it before Cricket, and pointed to Jaya.
"What part of the human body do you think Jaya looks like?"
"Hmm... teeth?"
"That's right."
"Then what's this?"
"That's the Knock Up Stream."
"When you were telling us the story earlier, Noland said this, didn't he?"
"I saw gold in the skull's right eye."
"Y-yes."
Cricket seemed to catch a fleeting spark of inspiration, but no matter how hard he thought, he could not grasp it.
Then Sakazuki took out a pen and added a few strokes to the chart. Cricket froze.
"What does it look like now?"
"A s-skull!!!!"
"This!"
"This!!!!"
Looking at the stunned Cricket, Sakazuki sighed inwardly.
Had he not known the story, no one would ever have imagined that the vanished city of gold was in the sky. Four hundred years...
"If an unprecedented Knock Up Stream erupted here..."
Sakazuki pointed to a spot as he spoke, then covered the strokes he had just drawn with his hand, leaving only the part that was present-day Jaya visible.
"Then what would it look like?"
Cricket stared at the chart in shock, as though he had been struck by lightning.
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