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The sandstorm subsided, and the crisis was officially over.
Cobra and Vivi stepped out of the [4-Dimensional Apartment]. As the rain began to fall, the residents of Alabasta emerged from their homes, bringing out containers to catch the water, singing and dancing in the downpour.
Vivi watched the scene, feeling as if a lifetime had passed. Tears streamed down her face like the rain around her.
"Father, our country has finally returned to its peaceful days..."
Standing beside her, Cobra was equally moved.
"Yes... how long has it been..."
Since the drought began and the riots started, how long had it been since he had seen such genuine smiles on his people's faces?
Cobra turned to look at Chrollo, who was surrounded by the members of the Phantom Troupe.
It was just as Vivi had said. No... it was even more incredible than she had described.
This man had defeated a Warlord of the Sea without sacrificing a single soldier, crushed Crocodile's conspiracy, and given this country the one thing it needed most... hope.
Cobra led Vivi past the others and slowly approached Chrollo.
The next second, the dignified ruler of a nation bent his waist and went down on one knee, bowing deeply before him.
Chrollo quickly reached out to help Cobra up. "What are you doing? Your people are watching."
"No, Mr. Chrollo. You are Alabasta's benefactor. You are my benefactor. You deserve this bow!"
Cobra's expression was filled with shame. "I apologize deeply for doubting you before. If not for your arrival, I fear my country would have already collapsed under Crocodile's schemes!"
"You have brought unprecedented light and hope to the people of Alabasta!"
"Your arrival brought liberation and smiles!"
"Are you..." Cobra asked, his eyes shining with sincerity, "Are you... of the Clan of D?"
?
Seriously, man? You're making that connection?
Does he think I'm the successor to Joyboy—the Warrior of Liberation?
"No, there is no 'D' in my name," Chrollo replied, retreating a step to advance the conversation.
Cobra looked unbelieving. Then, adopting a 'message received' expression, he leaned in and whispered into Chrollo's ear, "I understand. The existence of the Will of D is a taboo to the Celestial Dragons. Don't worry, I will keep your secret."
Chrollo narrowed his eyes. It seems this Cobra knows quite a bit...
"Follow me..."
Cobra turned and walked slowly toward the ruins behind the palace. Chrollo and the others followed curiously.
Robin observed them. Seeing that Chrollo had no intention of dealing with her, she thought for a moment, her expression clearing up, and openly followed at the back of the group.
"Hey, Chrollo. That woman is following us," Bonney trotted up to Chrollo's side and whispered.
"You think I need you to tell me? I saw her," Chrollo said casually, resting his hands behind his head. "Let her follow."
"But this old guy is obviously trying to thank us by taking us to his treasure stash. Is it really okay to let her tag along?"
"The treasure is real enough, but... it only becomes a treasure if someone who can read it is looking at it," Chrollo said, speaking in a riddle she couldn't quite grasp.
"What? You're just talking in riddles to sound mysterious!" Bonney pouted.
After walking for a while, Cobra spoke to Chrollo, a look of nostalgia appearing in his eyes. "So many years have passed. I didn't expect the Will of D to truly reappear..."
"Your arrival confirms that what my ancestor spoke of is true. The Warrior of Liberation has finally returned to the mortal world."
"Your ancestor? You mean one of the First Twenty—Nefertari D. Lily?" Chrollo asked.
"Correct," Cobra nodded.
"What secret exactly did she leave for you to pass down through the generations?" Chrollo asked, feigning curiosity.
In the original story, when Crocodile interrogated Cobra, it was mentioned that the Alabasta royal family held a secret passed down for generations. It contained not only clues about the location of Pluton but also secrets capable of shaking the very structure of the world.
Cobra shook his head. "We call it a secret, but it is merely a prophecy."
"A prophecy?"
Cobra nodded and solemnly conveyed the message to Chrollo: "When the Drums of Liberation resound once more upon the seas, the one who inherits the Will of D shall gather the Poneglyphs, unveil the truth of the Void Century, and let the seeds of liberation sprout and bear fruit, bringing hope and laughter to the people."
Cobra's eyes burned bright as he looked at Chrollo. "I am certain you are the inheritor of the Will of D, precisely because you have brought unprecedented hope and laughter to Alabasta."
The Void Century...
Chrollo glanced back at Robin at the tail end of the group.
The scholars of Ohara were wiped from the map by the World Government's Buster Call precisely because they had discovered part of the truth about the Void Century while researching the ancient texts.
Robin... was the sole survivor of the Ohara incident.
She was the only remaining seed of the historians left in this world.
"In other words, only by gathering all the Poneglyphs can one understand the full picture of this world and thereby liberate it..."
Cobra nodded. "You are absolutely correct."
Chrollo sighed inwardly. The prophecy poem hadn't been wrong; to clear this world's "game," a historian was an indispensable party member.
Cobra continued, "There are thirty Poneglyphs in total. This includes four red Road Poneglyphs and twenty-six Historical Poneglyphs."
"The red Road Poneglyphs record the coordinates of the Grand Line's final destination, Laugh Tale—the location of the legendary One Piece."
"And when those twenty-six Historical Poneglyphs are pieced together..."
Cobra's expression turned grave. "They form the complete record of the Void Century. Among them, nine specific Poneglyphs record the most critical intelligence."
"Legend has it... that these nine stones record..."
"The Ultimate Truth of the World!!!"
Everyone was stunned into silence. The Ultimate Truth of the World... that meant it contained every secret this world held.
The world of pirates had far too many unsolved mysteries. The Void Century? Where did Devil Fruits come from? Were they a curse or a gift? Why was Imu immortal? What exactly was the World Government trying to cover up?
And... the ancient, massive kingdom that existed 800 years ago.
Chrollo's gaze drifted into the distance.
The Ultimate Truth of the World...
As far as Chrollo knew, up until now, only one person had ever collected the contents of those nine Poneglyphs.
That man was the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.
He said he left everything at One Piece.
That "Ultimate Truth" that made Roger laugh out loud after seeing it...
What exactly is it?