An isolated island stood towering amid the surging waves of the sea. Countless elite Marines wore solemn expressions as warships lined the waters.
This was Marine Headquarters—Marineford!
A place feared by countless arrogant pirates across the seas.
And also regarded as the most sacred place in the eyes of innurable civilians.
At this mont, Marineford was engulfed in howling winds and torrential rain. Thunder roared across the sky like ferocious lightning dragons, tearing through the heavens with clawing fury.
The ominous storm clouds only deepened the already heavy atmosphere.
Inside an office located at the very core of Marineford, a group of Marine officers sat in attendance—Vice Admiral Onigumo… Vice Admiral Tsuru… Vice Admiral Momousagi…
A re glance was enough to shock anyone—every Marine present in this office was at least of elite Vice Admiral rank.
Among them, even the Hero of the Marines, Garp, and the three Admirals of Marine Headquarters were all present without exception!
Nearly all high-ranking Marine officers had gathered…
Such a formation had only appeared once before—over a decade ago, during the public execution of Gol D. Roger!
As the assembled officers gradually took their seats, they exchanged glances, each seeing an unmistakable gravity reflected in the others' eyes…
Just what kind of matter…
Could possibly warrant such an urgent summons of all top Marine officials for a highest-level conference?
Seated at the head, Fleet Admiral Sengoku swept his gaze across the gathered officers. His authoritative face was filled with solemnity, and the mont he spoke, the atmosphere in the entire room beca suffocating.
"Everyone…"
"The mysterious stone tablet discovered in the Grand Line a year ago…"
"After relentless, day-and-night deciphering by our researchers, it has finally… yielded results…"
"It contains a piece of information… one that is enough to shake the entire sea!"
The mont Sengoku spoke, every high-ranking Marine in the room had their pupils contract, their hearts trembling.
That mysterious stone tablet…
Discovered a year ago in the Grand Line, it had imdiately drawn the attention of the Five Elders.
The reason being…
Its material and form had been identified by researchers as sothing that originated from—
Four thousand years ago!
Four thousand years!
An era unimaginably distant!
Even the World Governnt itself had only existed for a re eight hundred years!
This stone tablet… predated not just one, but five iterations of the World Governnt!
At that point in ti… a civilization had already existed… one capable of crafting a tablet that would not erode even after four thousand years?
And whatever was recorded on such a relic from that era… was bound to be extraordinary!
For a mont…
Even the ever-lazy Admiral Aokiji straightened slightly, a faint glimr flickering in his eyes.
…
In the first half of the Grand Line, within the desert kingdom of Alabasta—
A dark and gloomy underground world.
Amid crumbling ruins, a massive stone monunt over a hundred ters tall stood in silent solitude.
"The king of the Uruk Empire…"
"Gilgash?"
A voice filled with boundless greed shattered the age-old stillness.
Looking closely…
Beneath the towering stone monunt stood two figures.
One wore a long coat, a vicious scar stretching across the left side of his face. A cigar hung from his lips—
Only to nearly fall to the ground from sheer shock.
The other figure had smooth black hair cascading over her shoulders, her features delicate and stunning, her figure graceful and alluring. At this mont, her expression was slightly dazed.
Clearly…
She too had been shaken by what she had just translated.
"Ha…"
Taking a deep breath, the middle-aged man with a ferocious, greedy expression raised his golden hook, letting it casually sweep near the other figure.
A cruel smile curled at his lips as he spoke coldly:
"Robin… everything written here… is real?"
"You should know… what I hate most… is being deceived."
Robin glanced at the speaker, the fervor in her eyes impossible to conceal as she replied softly:
"Boss… if you don't believe it… you can always find soone else to verify it…"
"Tch…"
Clicking his tongue, Crocodile turned away, tossing his cigar to the ground and crushing it underfoot.
Ever since Ohara had been destroyed by the World Governnt, those across the seas who both dared and possessed the ability to study history had been nearly wiped out…
Robin… was the "Devil Child" he had taken a massive risk to shelter.
If it were truly so easy to find another historian to replace her, he would have long since handed her over to Marine Headquarters in exchange for a fortune.
But…
It had to be said…
Taking that risk to protect Robin had indeed been the right decision…
Just like now—without her, how could he have uncovered this secret from four thousand years ago?
Tap… tap… tap…
Footsteps echoed as he walked across the dark, sandy ground, leaving behind a long trail of footprints.
A sharp gleam flashed in Crocodile's eyes, the curve of his lips growing wider and wider.
"The ruler of an empire from four thousand years ago…"
"Calling him the King of Heroes wouldn't be an exaggeration…"
"The treasure of the King of Heroes…"
"How truly… enticing."
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