บท 103: Chapter 103: Historical Text!
Coral Hill
The bustling port town of the Ryugu Kingdom was alive with activity. Bars, hotels, and specialty shops lined the streets, filled with the lively chatter of residents and travelers alike.
Mermaid Cafe!
It was a laid-back and easygoing place, where the atmosphere was as calm as the afternoon sun. Beautiful mermaid waitresses moved gracefully between tables, their presence offering guests a delightful experience that went beyond just the taste of their coffee.
Sitting comfortably in a chair was Shyarly, the owner of the Mermaid Cafe. Her long, light blue tail shimmered as she basked in the afternoon sunlight. She had short black hair, striking blue eyes, and skin as pale as moonlight. Her nails were painted a deep purple, a striking contrast against her light skin.
Shyarly was much larger than the average mermaid, with a tail that ended in a crescent shape, and her dorsal fin was surrounded by delicate air bubbles. Shyarly was known far and wide as the greatest fortune-teller on Fish-Men Island.
At just four years old, she had already predicted the coming of the Great Pirate Era. Though she couldn't foresee the exact timing, her predictions had an uncanny accuracy of 100%. Many visitors came to her seeking insight into their future, but the weight of seeing so much misfortune took its toll on her spirit.
Using the earnings from her predictions, she opened the Mermaid Cafe, finding joy in the simple smiles of her customers.
"Hey, Shyarly, did you hear about that?" called out one of the mermaid waitresses who had just finished her shift.
"What is it?" Shyarly asked, raising her gaze slightly.
"It's about Leno and your..."
Shyarly took a slow drag from her pipe, exhaling thoughtfully, and gave a slight nod. She wasn't deaf to the buzz around the town. Nearly everyone who came into the cafe today had been talking about the latest events in Ryugu Palace.
Jinbe was defeated! And by none other than Leno, the strong man whose reputations has now become one of the New World's Four Emperors. He was being given a hero's welcome at Ryugu Palace. The news was spreading like wildfire, along with talks of the demise of the Arlong Pirates and Leno's discussion with Queen Otohime about the possibility of mermen migrating to the surface world.
"Have you done any divination about this?" the waitress asked curiously.
"No, not yet," Shyarly replied, her gaze distant.
Once the waitress moved away, Shyarly's brow furrowed slightly. Though she and Arlong were siblings, they had never been particularly close, sharing little in the way of a true brother-sister bond. But she had seen a vision for Arlong once—a vision of chains and imprisonment, not of death. This was the first time her predictions seemed to have faltered.
The door of the cafe creaked open, drawing everyone's attention. A tall fish-man with long, wavy blue hair entered, his presence commanding respect. The customers and mermaid waitresses quickly stood aside, bowing in reverence.
"Your Highness, Fukaboshi!" they murmured in unison.
Shyarly also rose from her seat.
"There's no need to be so formal," Fukaboshi said with a calm expression, his golden trident gleaming.
"Shyarly, my father has asked for your presence at the palace."
Shyarly gave a slight nod. "Alright, I'll prepare myself."
This wasn't the first time King Neptune had summoned Shyarly, the most revered fortune-teller on Fish-Men Island.
The Royal Palace
As Shyarly followed Fukaboshi into the grand hall, she sensed the tense atmosphere that filled the room. Besides King Neptune on the throne, there were also the left and right ministers, as well as Prince Fukaboshi and Prince Ryuboshi, along with Jinbe.
The palace doors were shut tightly, sealing them in. From the serious expressions on their faces, Shyarly realized that whatever divination she was about to perform, it was something of great importance.
"Ms. Shyarly," King Neptune began, "we have called upon you because we require your assistance with a grave matter."
"I will do my best, Your Majesty," Shyarly replied.
After hearing the explanation, Shyarly hesitated for a moment before she began her divination. As the vision unfolded, Shyarly's eyes widened in disbelief.
"This is...impossible. How can a living person be absent from fate?" she said, stunned.
The room was silent as Shyarly's words echoed. Even she seemed to doubt her own prediction.
"Everything related to Leno has become a void, as if fate itself has been severed."
Prince Fukaboshi said calmly, "Are you saying that you cannot foresee how these events will impact Fish-Men Island?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying," Shyarly nodded, turning to King Neptune. "Your Majesty, I'm afraid I cannot be of more help. But remember, relying on divination alone to rule is not the mark of a great leader. I trust that you will make the right decisions for your people."
Fish-Men District
Fish-Men District, once meant as a refuge for orphaned fish-men and mermaids, had devolved into a breeding ground for criminal activities due to neglect and poor management. It had become a place where hatred and resentment festered, a place that gave rise to figures like Fisher Tiger, Jinbe, Arlong, and Hody Jones.
As the Great Pirate Era dawned, the influx of Marines and pirates alike turned Fish-Men Island into a battleground for survival, with mermen and mermaids often becoming victims of human greed. This grim reality only deepened the anger in the hearts of its inhabitants.
A drunken swordsman wandered through the streets, his steps unsteady, a meat skewer in one hand and a jug of sake in the other.
"Hey! Have you heard?" someone called out.
"Hody and his crew are dead!" another voice chimed in. "Killed by humans!"
"And Ryugu Palace just let it slide, welcoming that human Leno as if he's some hero!" the crowd grumbled.
"We're planning a protest, are you coming?"
Fish-man opened his bleary eyes and mumbled, "Do they have money?"
Forest of Fish-Men
The Forest of Fish-Men, a mysterious underwater grove located northeast of Fish-Men District, was where Leno and Queen Otohime were engaged in a serious conversation.
"Mr. Leno, do you truly believe Fish-Men Island should remain apart from human society?" Queen Otohime asked earnestly.
Leno looked out at the wreckage of abandoned ships that filled the forest.
"For a few, perhaps integration is possible. But as long as there are fundamental differences between us, humans will never fully accept fish-men as equals," he replied.
Queen Otohime listened intently, scribbling down Leno's words in her notebook. She treated him as if he were a sage—a visionary capable of changing the fate of her people.
The abandoned ships, carried here by the tides, had turned the Forest of Fish-Men into what was known as "The Ship Graveyard," a place where the remnants of countless voyages had come to rest.
So many beautiful corals grew here, vibrant and full of life. Schools of fish and even whales foraged in the colorful underwater landscape.
Leno, alongside Queen Otohime and the Ryugu Palace guards, made their way to this place, searching for the Poneglyph—a stele engraved with the ancient text of history.
These Poneglyphs, nearly indestructible, were originally crafted by the ancestors of the Kouzuki Family of Wanokuni during the Void Century. There are two main types of these historical texts.
One type is the set of four red Road Poneglyphs, which contain the information necessary to locate Raftel, the last island in the Grand Line. Each red Poneglyph marks a specific location, and once you connect the four points on a map, Raftel's position becomes clear. However, Leno couldn't help but think that three points might be enough to roughly pinpoint its location. Maybe math just wasn't his strong suit.
The other type includes twenty-six Poneglyphs that chronicle the history of the Void Century. Together, these Poneglyphs reveal a narrative that holds the truth about that forgotten era—the complete, unabridged history.
After they were created, these historical records were scattered across the world. The World Government, fearful of the knowledge they contained, deemed the study of these Poneglyphs a crime. Only the Kozuki Clan, who originally carved them, and the scholars of Ohara could decipher the ancient script.
Unfortunately, much of this knowledge was lost over time. The Kouzuki Family's method of reading the Poneglyphs vanished during the generation of Momonosuke's father. And with the destruction of Ohara, only a few people like Robin could still interpret the ancient script.
Leno recalled that on Fish-Man Island, there was a Road Poneglyph alongside Joy Boy's apology. Knowing that Leno intended to offer a sanctuary for the fish-men, Queen Otohime placed her complete trust in him.
As they made their way through the dense Forest of Seaweed towards the Poneglyph's location, a sudden cry pierced the air:
"Help! Someone, please!"
"Where do you think you're going?!"
"Ha-ha-ha! Pretty mermaid, get into the net! You'll fetch us a fortune—50 million Belly at least!"
Laughter echoed menacingly in the undersea forest.
"It's a slave hunter!" gasped one of the Ryugu Palace guards, their faces darkening in horror.
"Let's move!" Otohime urged them in desperation.
They rushed to the scene, where Leno emerged to find a group of slave hunters, their eyes filled with greed as they trapped a stone bream mermaid in a net. The mermaid, with a beautiful human upper body and a fish-like lower half, struggled desperately.
"Stop!" Leno's voice rang out, steady and commanding. "What do you think you're doing?"
The leader of the group turned and grinned wickedly when he saw Princess Otohime.
"Well, well, what do we have here? Another mermaid, huh? Today must be our lucky day!"
Leno's gaze turned steely. "You there, are you with the Marines?"
The men flinched, eyes wide in shock. "How'd you know?" one of them stammered, only to be silenced by a slap from their leader.
"Idiot! You let it slip!" the leader barked, although he, too, was unmistakably wearing a Marine cap.
"Since you've figured us out," the leader sneered, "it looks like we'll have to get rid of you all!"
He turned to his henchmen.
"Kill them! Leave no one alive except the mermaid!"
The goons drew their swords, advancing menacingly.
Leno remained calm, raising his hand. "Shigan!"
His fingers shot forward like bullets, each strike landing with pinpoint accuracy. The air around them crackled as sharp bursts resounded. In mere moments, every enemy was downed, their lifeless bodies crumpling to the ground.
Only the leader remained, trembling in disbelief.
"W-Who are you?" he gasped, gripping his sword in a futile attempt to steady his shaking hands.
Leno stepped forward, his voice icy.
"Remember the name. I am Leno."
The leader's eyes widened in horror. "Leno? You... you defeated Kaido?"
Leno smirked, patting the man on the shoulder.
"I know you're working for someone else. So, here's the deal—I want control of Fish-Man Island."
The leader nodded frantically, too terrified to do otherwise.
Soon after, in the distance, a slave ship erupted into flames. Confusion spread among the fish-men who had gathered to protest. They watched as a figure tore through the enemy fleet, demolishing Marine battleships with raw, unimaginable power.
"Who is that?" one fish-man whispered, watching in awe.
"That's Leno," another replied, his voice filled with a mix of fear and admiration. "The one who defeated Kaido!"
With each blow, Leno sent shockwaves through the sea, freeing captive fish-men and dismantling the ships of the slave hunters. His declaration echoed in the waters:
"Fish-Man Island is now under my protection, allied with the Hunter's Guild! Any slave hunting here will face the same fate as this scum!"
With a swift motion, Leno beheaded the slave ship leader, his stern gaze sweeping over the onlookers.
"Who else dares to have an opinion?" he challenged.
Silence followed—no one was foolish enough to speak out.
Just then, a sinister voice from the shadows muttered,
"I do."
Leno's Observation Haki instantly locked onto the source, a powerful presence lurking in the dark.
"Good," he said with a cold smile. "Let's talk."
With lethal precision, he dispatched another group of slave hunters, his actions a stark warning to anyone who dared to defy him.
When the carnage finally ceased, Leno returned to the Forest, as calm as ever, a cup of coffee in hand. The Ryugu Palace guards busied themselves with tending to the rescued mermaids.
Otohime wiped her tears, trying to remain composed despite the horrifying scene she'd just witnessed. This was her first time experiencing such violence up close, and it shook her deeply.
One of the rescued mermaids approached Leno, gratitude shining in her eyes.
"Thank you for saving me! I'm Ishili," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
Trying to lighten the mood, Leno asked with a teasing grin, "So, Miss Mermaid, how do you mermaids have children anyway?"
He shot a playful glance at Otohime, whose cheeks flushed at his bold question, trying to mask her surprise with a weak smile.
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