Royal Palace, Library.
Rows of enormous bookshelves lined the room. A man with long brown hair strolled to the window, glanced outside, and said, "What a lively world! What do you think?"
Aizen turned around, his azure doll-like eyes, like a cross, silently gazing at the doorway. "It's been a long time, in your time."
Shiraishi pushed open the library door. If he had to name the most likely place where Aizen was, he thought this was the most probable location. However, once he actually stepped into the library, he realized that his assumptions were slightly wrong.
Aizen himself is not here.
"Are you a clone? Or a projection?" Shiraishi asked.
Aizen the book, a smile on his face, and said, "It would be more accurate to call it a clone. Have you heard about how I crushed anyone who came near me? Life would lose a great deal of fun if I couldn't talk to people. To avoid that situation and to confuse you, I deliberately split myself into two."
The exact number is something you'll have to discover for yourselves. In short, if you're hoping to find my true form by following me, you're likely to be disappointed.
Shiraishi narrowed his eyes slightly. He didn't make a move, Retsu Unohana suddenly appeared from the side and coldly swung her sword.
Aizen didn't resist, spreading his arms to let the blades tear his body apart, his expression somewhat regretful. "It's a pity I couldn't finish reading this travelogue. I'm still quite curious about Sky Island."
When a person collapses, the Reiatsu simply vanishes.
Shiraishi stepped forward, but didn't detect anything leaving. What kind of connection existed between the clone and the original?
Retsu Unohana said, "Send the body back to Soul Society and have Kisuke Urahara examine it."
" Mayuri Kurotsuchi might be better at this, well, it doesn't matter." Shiraishi said, using the function of his glasses to teleport the corpse back to Soul Society.
Retsu Unohana walked to the window and looked out of the palace. " Luffy, can he beat Crocodile? There's a huge difference in their strength."
"Don't underestimate Luffy. He's the kind of man who can do anything he sets his mind to," Shiraishi replied confidently.
" Luffy." The blue-haired princess sobbed uncontrollably, hugging Luffy tightly.
Crocodile's brow furrowed, veins bulging on his forehead, as he shouted angrily, " Straw Hat!"
Luffy smiled and said, "Phew, I finally made it."
Vivi found solace and choked out, " Luffy, please save this country!"
"Of course!" Luffy shouted back. He wasn't intimidated by being instantly defeated. On the contrary, he deliberately carried a large water bucket, wanting to fight Crocodile again.
Pell landed safely and turned to Luffy, saying, " Luffy, be careful."
Luffy looked up at the Seven Warlords of the Sea standing on the city wall, a broad smile on his face, and said, "I've eaten a lot of meat, and I'm full of energy now. I won't lose again."
Crocodile coldly looked down at him, "How did you manage to crawl out of the quicksand with such severe injuries?"
"Ahhh!! Luffy's still alive!" Chopper rushed over and, upon seeing the living Luffy, his expression instantly turned to emotion.
"I told you, I knew it all along!" Usopp cried out. Luffy really was going to be the Pirate King; he wouldn't die so easily.
"Is that a 'you already knew' look on your face?"
Sanji retorted.
" Usopp, Sanji, and..." Vivi hadn't finished speaking.
Nami appeared, immediately wielding her Clima-Tact and striking Usopp on the head, angrily shouting, " Usopp!!"
Vivi looked at everyone, her eyes welling up with tears. " Nami... Mr. Shido... everyone's safe and sound."
Nami stopped pretending to be injured, stood casually in front of Usopp, and angrily said, "Who told you to be my toy at the party?"
Zoro was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening and roared, "You can stand up, can't you?"
How could they have the nerve to make him, a critically injured man, carry them all the way?
Zoro's blood was boiling.
Usopp, bruised and battered, retorted, "I still have a few moves that can come in handy."
"You'll be sentenced to death later."
The Straw Hat Pirates chattered away, becoming as noisy as ever, showing no sign of the impending battle.
Watching everyone argue, Vivi felt a warm glow in her heart and a deep sense of peace.
Luffy bowed and face dark, said, "I'm sorry, everyone, I lost to that guy once, so I can't afford to lose again this time."
Usopp shouted, "If even you can't win, then who can?!"
Zoro looked at Luffy and said, "Go quickly and come back quickly..."
Everyone else looked at Luffy with smiles, a testament to their trust in Luffy.
"It's almost over, all of it."
Luffy's face was serious. He stretched out his arm and grabbed the city wall, then charged upwards.
Crocodile, looking down at him, said, "No matter how many times we fight, it will be the same; you still won't be able to hit me."
As he spoke, his body began to turn into sand.
Luffy suddenly punched Crocodile hard in the face.
The cigar flew out of his mouth, Crocodile looked completely bewildered, still not back to his senses. Years of ease had made him forget how deadly it was to be distracted in battle.
Two hands suddenly grabbed his shoulders, Luffy suddenly spun around, his arms twisting into taut circles.
" Buzz Saw!"
Whoosh whoosh whoosh.
Luffy suddenly spun around at high speed Luffy kicked out.
Bang!
Crocodile barely managed to avoid a fatal kick to the chin and was sent flying.
Luffy didn't give him a chance to catch his breath, and lunged forward at the same time. The properties of rubber allowed him to deliver dozens of Riot Games per second, and countless fist shadows surged towards Crocodile as he flew backward like a dense barrage of cannonballs.
" Gum-Gatling!"
Crocodile was instantly engulfed by a barrage of punches.
Robin looked surprised, then shook her head. The boy was very clever; he knew who the Sand Crocodile's weakness was and had deliberately carried a large bucket of water.
However, it would be too naive to think that such a small amount of water could defeat this man.
"Hahaha!" Crocodile laughed, slowly rising to his feet. He didn't stand up, choosing to remain seated, his icy gaze fixed on the Straw Hat before him. "You want to defeat me?"
"Yes!" Luffy replied decisively.
"You were able to see through my weakness in such a critical situation; that deserves praise."
Crocodile's eyes narrowed with disdain as he said, "However, if you think we're evenly matched because of this, you're sorely mistaken. I am Seven Warlords of the Sea!"
So what?
Luffy retorted, then declared confidently, "Then I am one of the Eight Warlords of the Sea!"
An awkward atmosphere ensued.
Crocodile wondered if he had lost his mind, actually playing a game with an idiot.
Luffy, very serious, stretched out his hand sharply, " Gum-Gum, gun!"
A long Riot Games suddenly shot towards Crocodile.
The route was monotonous, making it impossible for him to hit the target if he was prepared.
As he abruptly tilted his head to dodge, his already prepared, deadly right hand snapped into Luffy's arm.
"In the blink of an eye, I can drain you dry."
"Oh no, I almost forgot he had this ability."
Luffy quickly pulled his arm back and sucked in a mouthful of water to restore his dried arm.
Cobra watched Luffy and Crocodile fight, his face full of surprise.
Robin realized this was no longer a safe place. "King Cobra, time's over. Take me to the location of the Poneglyph."
Robin led Cobra away from the palace, intending to go to the place where the Poneglyph were hidden.
Tashigi, along with the navy, blocked her path.
Robin looked at the Marines, unpleasant memories flooding her mind, and her face turned grim. "Get out of the way, I'm in a hurry."
Tashigi drew her sword, her face radiating righteous indignation, and said, "Delusion! I know everything. You are enemies of the World Government. Do you know who you've kidnapped?"
"I don't care who they are, I hate government officials the most. If you don't make way, I'll have no choice but to go on a killing spree."
Robin threatened with a dark expression, saying that her long-cherished wish was about to be fulfilled, and no one could stand in her way at this moment.
"You marines go and help Vivi evacuate the royal troops from the square; there's a bomb there that can destroy an area of five kilometers in radius."
Cobra shouted, not wanting the young naval soldier to die here.
Besides, no matter how old a daughter is, in her father's eyes she is still that little girl who needs help.
He feared that Vivi alone could not command the hundreds of thousands of royal troops.
"What did you say?" Tashigi asked, her face filled with shock.
" Treinta Fleur."
Robin lost her patience and attacked directly, defeating all the Marine soldiers, even easily twisting Tashigi down. "Don't waste my time here any longer."
The burial hall to the west of the palace is the royal tomb.
Following Cobra's instructions, Robin successfully opened the hidden underground passage staircase.
"A hidden staircase..." she said, her voice tinged with excitement.
" The Poneglyph are hidden deep underground; ordinary people have no way of knowing about their existence. How do you know?"
Cobra looked at Robin with a puzzled expression, wanting to resolve his inner doubts before he died.
Robin smiled slightly and replied, "There are no secrets in this world. Any secret can be uncovered."
"So what if you find it? Can you even read the Poneglyph?"
Cobra asked another question.
"Of course, Crocodile partnered with me for that very reason, so he can't kill me."
Robin replied with a smile, slowly walking down the ground, saying as he went, "So, the fault isn't yours, because you probably don't know that there are people in this world who understand this kind of writing."
Perhaps the whereabouts of Pluton are even recorded in this Poneglyph, isn't that right?
"I don't know. The kings of Alabasta have a long-standing obligation to protect it. That's all we can do!"
Cobra replied with a somber expression that his ancestors left behind the Poneglyph of this country, but not the knowledge of how to decipher ancient scripts.
No one could understand it; all they knew was that they needed to protect this stone.
"Protect? That's hilarious."
Robin's face was full of mockery, her eyes filled with gloom. It was this kind of thinking that led Ohara into a desperate situation of destruction.
She didn't say anything more, and silently walked down the narrow staircase, where the view suddenly opened up before her.
In the middle is a spacious passageway, with statues of sea cats, the sacred creatures of Alabasta, placed on both sides.
The walls are covered with various murals, and there are several stone pillars supporting the dome.
Looking ahead, there is a circular archway with images of jackals and falcons holding spears standing on either side, and at the very top is a mural that appears to depict the sun.
"What a hidden gem!" Robin looked around, his mood brightening.
"The thing is inside the door ahead."
Cobra pointed, already prepared to be buried along with the place.
Robin stepped forward, pushed open the door, and stared at the huge Poneglyph before rushing over to examine it.
"Nothing else? These are all the secrets this country is hiding..."
Robin's face darkened; he hadn't found the information he was looking for.
Cobra replied, "Aren't you satisfied? I've done exactly as you told me to."
"Haha, this is so enjoyable! Can you understand the text above?"
Crocodile wore a smug expression, having dealt with the Straw Hat and now taking down Pluton; everything seemed perfect.
"Um!"
"Then read it to me quickly, don't miss a single word."
Crocodile urged, his expression showing some impatience.
" Kashira conquered Alabasta! That was in the year 239 of the Heavenly Calendar... In 260, Teima ruled the Bitein Dynasty... In 306, Eruma built the Tafuru Cathedral."
In 325 AD, the hero Mam of Orutea...
"Hey, wait a minute, is this all we want to know?"
Crocodile interrupted Robin's narration, his face contorted with rage, and said, "I have absolutely no interest in the history of this country. Where is the most evil weapon in the world hidden in this country? Tell me now!!"
Robin looked at Crocodile innocently and said, "It's not recorded here; it only records the history of the nation."
Her hand traced the Poneglyph etched on the Poneglyphs, as if she had returned to the island of Ohara, "Not a single word about Pluton was mentioned."
Crocodile was silent for a moment, then let out a soft sigh. From Cobra's reaction, he knew that Pluton must be in this country.
It may take some time, but you'll eventually find it.
"What a pity. Although you are an excellent partner, I am going to kill you here."
Crocodile's face was filled with murderous intent.
"You can try," Robin said, though he was already contemplating suicide.
She had been searching for the blank history, but after so many years of searching, she found Poneglyph apart from ordinary historical articles, there was not a single piece of history that recorded the Void Century.
And Alabasta, this Poneglyph civilization, is one of the original twenty nations of this World Government.
This is arguably Robin's last hope. If even this place doesn't exist, she doesn't know where else she might find the Poneglyph recording the Void Century of history.
However, the fact is that it didn't happen.
This is fate.
A resolute glint flashed in Robin's eyes as he prepared to commit his final betrayal.