บท 199: Chapter 188
Before we start the chapter, I'd like to notify that I made one small change in the previous chapter.
[*VROOOOOOOOOOOOM*
Then, everyone felt it.
Imu stopped his words and gazed down with sharpened eyes—something was happening from below.
'Mariejois... no. The whole Red Line... is shaking?' Imu, for the first time, lost his cold expression,
'This is...!']
This context was removed. Honestly, I got no idea why I decided to put this. If you don't recognize it, awesome. No need to remember.
Annnnd, one more thing. Yeah, forget about 3 chapters. Think it's going to take more than that; I'll take it more relaxed just as many of you advised. As always, thank you!
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What's your thoughts in One Piece?
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A step onto the final island of the world. The ground which hasn't been touched upon for years, has finally met someone pressing it from the above: Rowan.
Laugh Tale. That was the name of this island, given by Gol D. Roger.
Looking around, Rowan found himself in amazement once more. The ever-flowing current of water that didn't pour onto the Laugh Tale. The over-grown plants and grass that somehow acquired the necessary nutrients for survival. And... one cave, which lied at the opposite end of the island.
Surely, that cave must be the place that concealed all truths.
"It... feels weird, you know?!" Dan exclaimed, "Are we really in the Laugh Tale? Just 4 years ago, I was stuck in that accursed Sixis!"
"And never have I thought that I would end up becoming a pirate." Alfred added on, "We never know what's going to happen in the future, do we, monsieur Dan?"
One by one, the Grimheart pirates stepped on the grassy plain of Laugh Tale.
"Though it's deep in the water, it's as bright as a day." Carmen said as she shielded her eyes, "Are we right next to the Sunlight Tree Eve?"
"Neigh~!!!!" Farul began to run around the island in joy, to which a pebble followed.
"Farul says, this is amazing!"
Cavendish yelped in surprise, "Ah! I, for a moment, forgot that Farul existed—"
Upon Farul turning his head around and glaring at Cavendish, Cavendish immediately shut his mouth comically, before laughing boisterously,
"Guahahaha! I was joking, Farul! Why would you believe—OW!! You freaking horse!!! You dare to hit me—OW!!!"
Cavendish and Farul engaged themselves in a childish fight, which everyone else ignored.
<Hmph, I think I was cooler than ever!>
From Prominence, a child-like voice was heard.
"You always have been." Rowan replied pleasantly, "Since the very beginning of our journey, you've been with us, haven't you?"
<FAX!!!>
"'Facts,' you mean." Carina smiled, "Hehe, do you remember when you used to be called Lady Luck—"
<Nope, don't hear it!!!>
It felt strange yet pleasant, as if their journey was finally coming to an end.
'What will my future be from here on?' Rowan couldn't help but think, 'A peaceful life? An endless sail? I bet that many will come and pester me on left and right. Bohaha, a family of my own perhaps?'
They were walking toward the end, but also the beginning of something anew.
"Let's go."
With Rowan in the front, the Grimheart pirates advanced to the cave. The path then narrowed.
An irregular path that bent all of a sudden, or widened on some occasions. It was akin to a maze, though there was only one path for them to follow.
"We're descending."
Just as Urouge noted, the path was leading them to the depth. Even in the underwater island, there existed the lower section—which caused Rowan to crack a little.
And here they were. A small room isolated from the rest of the world. It was cold and lifeless. Unlike what Carina hoped for, there was no such thing as a megaton of wealth.
Instead, there was one old table in the middle of the room. And on top of it lied...
a button?
It had the words, 'DO NOT PRESS,' written on it.
"Captain." Cavendish immediately whispered with twinkling eyes, "Can I press that?"
Rowan sweatdropped, "Wait for a second, my guy."
At the side, there was an intact skeleton that lifelessly lied in an open coffin.
"Why is the coffin open...?" Dan questioned with a frown.
Carina pointed it out, "There's no lid in the first place."
"One Piece..." Robin spoke up with an interest all of a sudden, "...is a skeletal remains of a deceased?"
Alfred turned to Robin questioningly, "What the f***, mademoiselle Robin."
On the other hand, Carmen stopped on the other side of the room.
"A map?"
It was the broadest map that they have ever come across—except that the map was unrecognizable.
There was no Red Line. There were no Calm Belts. It was one whole sea without any noteworthy restriction.
It was certainly different from the layout of the current world.
"T-this..." Carmen, who noticed the map as well, couldn't help but drop her jaw in shock, "All Blue?"
*Creak*
At some distance away, Rowan, who found that the table had a drawer under, pulled it open. There lied an old book full of dust.
The title was—
"...Huh?"
—Bink's Sake.
___________
"Hey, Lob,"
One scrawny man with a straw hat whispered to a taller man on his side,
"do you hear that?"
The two of them, along with more sailors, were standing on the deck of the gigantic, extremely gigantic ship that was travelling underwater, within the bubble-like coating.
"Binks-dono, it's Rob! How many times must I remind you?!"
"Yeah yeah, Gob." The man with the straw hat, Binks, replied half-heartedly, for his attention was elsewhere, "But seriously, don't you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"The sound of the heartbeat. It's coming from over there." Binks pointed in the particular direction, where the vast Red Line could be seen.
The other man leaned toward the direction and placed his hand above his ear, trying to catch onto the sound just as Binks claimed. However, it was to no avail.
"You must be hallucinating, Binks-dono! I hear nothing!"
"What?" Binks raised his eyebrow, "You gotta be kidding me! Are you deaf, Wob?"
"...Whatever."
"Nishishishi!!"
In a jovial demeanour, the crew of sailors finally reached their destination: the Fish-Men Island.
"Welcome, all of you! It's good to see you again, Binks! How have you been?"
Although the Fish-Men were wary of the group of humans, their king, Pontus, greeted them warmly.
"Nishishi! You are as big as ever, Ponty!" Binks opened his arms wide and hugged Pontus, though the differences in their sizes made it seem quite comical.
"Anyway, I'm here to propose you something!"
"Which is?"
Binks exclaimed with an excited grin, "The Lunarians from up there, you guys, and all the others around the world! I'm going to host the grand party that involves all of us!"
Pontus's mouth opened in O-shape, founding himself dumbfounded by Bink's comment, "O-oh."
"I even made a song for that! Yohohoho, yohohohohohohohoho!!!! It's called Bink's Sake!"
"Yohohoho!!!!" Pontus laughed upon hearing that, "You used my laugh as the lyrics! Why don't you name it Pontus's Sake instead?"
"HEY! I'm the one who made the song!!!" Binks immediately retorted.
The others watched the hearty interaction between the two with sweatdrops.
"Anyway, in order for all of you to arrive, I've prepared the ship over here!" Binks raised his hand up and pointed at the huge ship that he and his crew used to reach the island, "It's called Noah! I made it after getting permission from Adam, so it's really tough!"
"Uh... we didn't accept yet—"
"I'm busy right now, so will leave now! Remember, Ponty, the date of party is going to be a month after! Bring everyone, got that?!"
The entire Fish-Man race watched Binks and his crew's departure with confusion.
Just like that, the Lunarians and the others from all around the world—Binks travelled throughout the whole sea, sending invites here and there.
"And now, the final location!" Binks said jovially as he looked at the map, "Let's go see Andre and his kingdom!"
"...Really?" The man named Rob deadpanned, "You are going to see your own enemies, whom you fought just a year ago?"
"Nishishishi! No worries, Nob!" Binks chuckled, "And it's already been more than a month since you've come to join me! Man, you've been amusing as always! Oh, but I have one question for you!"
"What is it, Binks-dono?"
"You said that you've come from Wano, right? Your name was, uh..."
"Youchiha. It's Youchiha Rob, Binks-dono. I've come in place of Kozuki-dono, due to him being sick currently."
"Pfffff, what kind of name is that?!" Binks's cheeks expanded as he tried to hold in his laughter.
"Please don't joke with other people's name, Binks-dono!" Rob sighed, before turning his attention to where their next destination, Yggdrasil lied. For some reason, his eyes held nostalgia in it.
"Hm? Why are you sad?" Binks's Observation Haki specialized in reading the others' emotions. Rob's sorrow immediately reached him, and he couldn't help but ask.
"Nothing. It's nothing, Binks-dono."
"Hm... okay! So—huh?!!" Binks had to stop. As the island finally unveiled in front of them, there wasn't the sight of the great tree of Lilith that symbolized the kingdom. Instead, there lied a lifeless plain where the plebeians were living humbly.
"W-where did it go?! The entire kingdom disappeared!!" Binks cried in disbelief.
Upon arriving at the island, they immediately began their search. Binks looked for the man named 'Vasilia Endra,' the old king of Yggdrasil who lost against him a year ago.
"The other twenty kingdoms were just fine! So why here only?!" Binks, at this point, gained a suspicion of some sort, "...Something is going on from the back."
Without any delay, they began their return to the great kingdom governed through democracy. The kingdom that was said to accept anyone who comes by, the kingdom that values freedom above all—the name of this kingdom was 'Dawn.'
It was supposed to be full of liveliness. It was supposed to be filled with people living their daily lives in joy. However, when Binks arrived, there existed nothing but ruins.
"...Who did this?"
There, Rob saw it for the first time. Binks was more furious than he ever has.
"I'll go and check, Binks-dono." Without asking for permission, Rob shot out from the ship and ran into the ruins.
Binks was too occupied with the sight in front of him to stop Rob's suspicious action. The other crew members stood behind Binks, frozen by the sight.
After some time passed by, as everyone gathered around the bonfire in depression,
"...So it reached here as well." Rob slowly closed his eyes while whispering, to which Binks heard.
Immediately turning around, Binks grabbed Rob by the hem of his shirt, "What do you mean by that, Rob?"
Rob let out a hollow laugh, "You did memorize my name, after all."
Turning his head to the sky above, he stated, "Two months ago, the man who claimed himself as Immortal arrived. He said that he has come from the past in order to prevent a disaster that will engulf the world.
With the power that resembles a god himself, no one was able to oppose him. Yggdrasil, whom the other nineteen kingdoms, except Alabasta, were wary of following after the loss against the 'Dawn,' was betrayed. They served the mysterious man as the new king, and Yggdrasil was vanquished within a day, without any sound. After such, the man disappeared. To think he was planning to take down the 'Dawn'..."
Binks let go of Rob. Clenching his hands so tight that his arms shook, Binks growled, "...Who are you?"
Rob sighed.
"I'm Vasilia Madura, the sole son of the final king of the Yggdrasil."
"Why say this now?"
"Because..." Rob made a weak smile, "I've finally finished all the tasks given to me. Even if I were to die, Vasilia will return one day, and Yggdrasil shall stand above all. The kingdom of 'Dawn,' on the other hand, shall exist no more."
At the same time, Rob's face held guilt. He knew that what he was doing was wrong, that he's returned Binks's kindness with betrayal. However, it was final wish of his father, Vasilia Endra.
*SWOOSH*
Therefore, even as his head went flying up in the air, detached from his body, Rob didn't beg a single time. He accepted his death.
"How petty... how selfish...! Was your pride greater than the lives of the thousands?! If you told me ages ago, many lives could've been saved! You, the family of Vasilia..."
Binks gritted his teeth, "You never changed, after all!"
*Thud*
As Rob's head-less body fell down, Binks turned to the remaining members and ordered,
"...We'll have no choice but to postpone the party." He placed his hand on his forehead in a distress, but continued, "Send the Poneglyphs to everyone. To each of you, I'll leave one."
"What about you, Binks?"
"I'm going to track down the mysterious man. Those twenty kingdoms... they were acting when we arrived!" Binks slammed his fist on the ground, unable to contain his anger. He turned his back, about to leave, however,
"B-Binks! Hold on for a second!"
Binks stopped upon hearing a familiar voice.
"...Dell. You were still alive." Binks said in a shaky voice.
"Listen! I've... *Huff*... got the letter from the kingdom of Alabasta!"
"What?!" Binks immediately took the letter from the man named Dell and opened it.
"Man's name is Imu... controls the sea... next target is... Lunarians?!" Binks's eyes widened as he immediately crumbled up the paper.
"Boris. I would need you to carry an additional Poneglyph for me, to Alabasta." Having understood the situation, Binks ordered,
"And Dell, I need you to come with me."
Without further ado, Binks, along with Dell, rode on a boat and began his rapid travel to the top of the Red Line. He had to arrive as fast as he could before the Lunarians suffered the same fate as them.
<The party that involves the whole world!>
Just where did it go wrong? Just a month ago, Binks was sailing across the world, inviting everyone to the most exciting party of all time. Yet, the situation now was more detrimental than ever.
'...Imu.'
That man, who appeared out of nowhere, was the source of the misery. Binks instinctively knew, that he was the only one able to defeat the former.
And finally reaching the top of the Red Line, instead of the Lunar kingdom that should've greeted him just as ever, there instead lied a huge castle that he didn't recognize.
'The Lunarians...'
Binks's expression darkened.
'...I'm sorry. I was late.'
His arm began to expand. Not knowing when to stop, it continued to grow until the fist was as huge as the castle.
"But... this will be the end! No more will suffer—"
"Indeed, this is where everyone ends once and for all." A cold voice interrupted Binks all of a sudden. Binks knew, without a doubt, that this man was Imu.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
Thus began the battle greater than any other—though it was Binks alone against the entire army.
The title of 'sun god' wasn't for a show. Binks's limbs stretched and blasted away everything nearby. His Haki was strong enough to cause the whole atmosphere to tremble.
However, it felt short against Imu.
What was the cause of his loss? His confidence? His lack of strength? Binks didn't know, for it was the first time he ever lost in a battle.
*Ba-Bump*
Then Binks realized. The sound that he heard in the beginning, within the Red Line... was Imu's heartbeat.
'Op Op fruit.'
On the place where Imu's heart was supposed to exist, there was nothing but a hole.
Binks only realized this after his arm went through the gaping hole, while Imu's hand was penetrating through his heart.
"Y-you... hid your own heart within the Red Line. You said that you came from the past. Through the combination of Op Op fruit and the user of Time Time fruit... you hid your own heart in the future," Binks whispered in a realization, "and that's why you came here... to prevent me from destroying it."
It wasn't only the immortal surgery that Imu got. It was far more complex than just that, and by the time Binks found this out, it was too late.
"So you've figured out." Imu said coldly, "But the dead man tells no tales."
Binks, at the final moment of his life, shifted his eyes elsewhere... where Dell was hiding.
'I've leave the rest to you.'
*Thud*
The World Government's reign on top of the Red Line has begun. It was the symbol that they were the summit of the world. The kingdoms that supported Imu, have wiped out every member of 'Dawn' and Vasilia, due to the fear that they felt, and due to Imu's order.
"Yohohoho! Yohohoho..." At the solitary island underwater, one old man said weakly, "It's a good song, Binks."
The man slowly placed himself within the coffin, and lied down peacefully,
"If only I was as strong as you were... I would've blasted away the Red Line immediately. But even if I were to do so, defeating Imu is impossible... a pity.
Nonetheless, I believe. Someday, you will return and light up the world once again. The party that was postponed indefinitely... will finally start then.
Though we've lost, the hope isn't lost. The will of 'Dawn'... never dies."
___________
"Binks always said, 'let's blow up the whole Red Line!'"
Rowan spoke slowly as he read through the journal in his hands,
"Let's connect all seas, whether the underwater, the Grand Line, the Calm Belts, the four seas, or the white sea above! Then, as everyone gathers up together and join the most grand party out of all, I will activate this once again, and showcase the coolest waterwork ever! With a grand view, with all chefs cooking the best dishes possible, let's then sing Binks's Sake altogether!"
Rowan, having reached the end of the page, placed it down slowly.
Then,
"Bohahahaha!!!"
"""Hahahahaha!!!""" Everyone except Robin burst on laughter.
"...One Piece wasn't the skeletal remains of a deceased..." Robin whispered as if shocked by the fact.
Dan muttered in a disbelief, "He... he created a bomb, in order to blow up the whole Red Line? A bomb is the One Piece?!"
"What the..." Cavendish whispered with sparkling eyes, "that's actually incredible!"
"One Piece… is a party tool?!!" Rowan couldn't hold it in. "A bomb capable of destroying the whole Red Line… is made for a party?"
'...Well, it wasn't a nuke at the very least.'
"So, if it's a waterwork," Carina said with narrowed eyes, "the moment that button is pressed…"
"Kaboom!" Cavendish exclaimed with a grin, "The Fish-Man Island, Red Line, Mariejois—everything will be blown up in one go! Guahaha, now that's what we call s, p, a, c, b, u, c, a, l, e, r, spectacular!"
Urouge turned to Cavendish with an evident confusion, "Uh... I don't think that's right."
Carmen raised her hand up in a cold sweat, thinking of the truth that was unveiled just now, "then what about us, who are the closest to this... weapon?"
"We'd have to endure it."
Rowan, after replying to Carmen, turned to Alfred and Urouge, "You two remember how to coat the ship?"
The two of them immediately understood what Rowan was trying to get across. With confident nods, they turned around, about to return to the surface and get Prominence coated.
Many things have been unveiled. In conclusion, Vasilia was trash. Binks's Sake was the song made by Joy Boy himself. The name of the Great Kingdom was 'Dawn,' to which Rowan speculated to be what 'D.' within the names meant. One Piece... was a giant water bomb capable of destroying the whole Red Line.
"...This is too much." Dan scratched the back of his head while jotting down the details on the journal.
Then,
*Tap*
"E-eh?" Carina exclaimed with widened eyes as Farul's pebble landed on top of the button.
"NEIGH~!!!!!" Farul cried in horror as he immediately retracted the soul out of the pebble. However, it was too late.
"FARUL!!!" Cavendish screamed with snot dripping down from his nose and his jaw opened wide.
Alfred and Urouge froze on the spot.
"Ufufu, are we all going to die here?" Robin smiled.
"What... the... f***..." Carmen cursed in a pale face.
Dan cried in panic, "Nonononono, the journal is going to get wet!!!"
Rowan gazed at the scene with a dumbfounded expression, before letting out a chuckle,
"Well, s***."
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
A huge burst of water enveloped all.
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