Chương 19: Ohara
Chapter 19. Ohara
The first thing I do upon arriving at an unfamiliar beach is check on my clones. They're all there, all 102 of them. The dimensional space that holds them, along with my house, has moved with me, just as the description of my [Gamer's Abode] promised.
Good, that gives me a complete sense of safety.
"Are we really in another world?" Iris mutters, frowning as she looks around.
I start to reassure her, but she suddenly stops, her breath catching as she stares ahead.
Following her gaze, I find myself awestruck by what I see.
We stand on the shore of an island, the sound of splashing waves behind us, and the scent of salty sea air enveloping us. In the distance, likely at the island's centre, stands a colossal tree, unlike anything I've ever seen, dominating the entire landscape. It's too far away to gauge its exact size, but it could easily be as tall as a twenty-storey building. While the height itself is impressive, it's the sheer width that is truly mind-boggling.
"That's a giant tree," I hear Iris whisper.
I chuckle at the understatement and signal her to follow me. "Come on, let's see what it is."
We plunge into the woods, wand ready in our hands. Only minutes later, the forest opens up, and we find ourselves standing on a paved road. The road leads to a town nearby. From here, we can see everything. Most of the island is flat, grassy plain, with hills dotting the perimeter. There are also peculiar trees sprinkled in between. These trees have trunks wide enough to swallow a small home, though none are as expansive as the one at the island's centre.
It's really a small island, barely a mile across. The population must be only in the hundreds. The houses in the town are squat, cylindrical stone towers, rising multiple storeys high.
I order Iris to holster her wand as we follow the paved road; there's no need to appear overly aggressive. A man strolls towards us from the direction of the town, dressed in a shirt and shorts. He is human. So at least we aren't on some strange planet populated by nonhuman lifeforms.
We're not the only ones intrigued—he slows his pace and regards us curiously. Before he can shrug and continue on his way, I decide to approach him.
"Can you tell us where we are? Our boat capsized, and we managed to swim to the nearest island—this island," I say, carefully injecting the right amount of distress in my voice.
He quickly loses his wariness and tells us everything we need to know.
The island is called Ohara, known for the Tree of Knowledge—the colossal tree which shocked us earlier. Apparently, this ancient tree is five thousand years old, and it is hollow from the inside, housing hundreds of thousands of books, making it the most extensive library here. It serves as a hub of learning, attracting archeologists from all over the world to research history and culture.
I couldn't ask more without appearing too ignorant, so I let him go after that tidbit.
"Did you hear that? This place was made for us. A five-thousand-year-old library filled with countless books. So much to read. A perfect date."
I expected her to get excited, but she just stares at me dubiously. "What language was that?"
"What language?"
"The one you just used to talk to that man."
I pause, my eyes widening. I was speaking in another language? But—
Ah. Wait. The system. It must be my gamer system. It seems to allow me to instinctively use any language to communicate, which, in hindsight, is necessary. I can't be expected to learn a new language every time I visit a world that isn't Earth or Earth-like in geography and history.
Realising I still haven't answered her, I nod. "It looks like I have the ability to talk to anyone in any language. We'll need to find a way to give you the same ability."
"Translation charm?" She offers uncertainly. "But I guess it wouldn't work for a language that's alien to our world."
That's true. The charm wasn't designed with otherworldly languages in mind. Still, I know how that charm was created, so I can modify it for us. Although I'll need to see the alphabets of this new language first. I need to know how they sound, how they're written, and the grammar too. Normally, that might be a problem, but there's a millennia-old library right in front of us. If they don't have a textbook on alphabets for kids, I'd be massively disappointed.
~xXxXx~
"Yes, you may indeed access all the books here," Professor Clover, the man tasked with overseeing the Tree of Knowledge, says with a gentle smile. "This is a library. Knowledge is meant to be shared, not hoarded. I'm heartened to see a young man like yourself taking an interest in history. In these times, when so many young ones dream of becoming a pirate or marine, it's refreshing to encounter someone who seeks the truths of the past."
Professor Clover is an old man with a weird hairstyle. And looking at him from the front, his green hair and beard actually make the shape of a clover somehow. Yes, people in this world have strange hair colours and even stranger body proportions. While most look normal, there are more than a few who look… wonky.
"Thanks. And what do you mean by 'pirate'? Why would people my age want to become criminals?" I ask, fishing for more information. Sixteen-year-olds hardly think reaving and murdering is cool; they're way past that age.
Professor Clover furrows his brow, placing his elbows on the table as he leans forward to peer at me more closely. "Where are you from, Harry?"
I can't tell him the truth, obviously, so I decide to go with a lie. A fun lie. "I'm from the west—far west—from a remote country called Valinor."
"So, you're from the West Blue. Interesting... Ohara is in the West Blue as well." He hums thoughtfully, eyeing me with growing suspicion. "But I've never heard of Valinor, and I'm familiar with all the countries, even those unaffiliated with the World Government."
Uh-oh. I forgot that this man is reputed to be the foremost historian and archeologist of this world, or so the townspeople say. I should've been more careful with my lie.
"It's a hidden country due to our inherent differences," I say smoothly. "Valinor is a realm of mages, a kingdom of magic. We prefer to maintain peace by concealing our existence."
It's not a complete lie, nor is it the full truth. This should pique his curiosity and provide me with more insights about this world.
I expected him to be shocked, but instead, he merely gives me an indulgent smile. "I see. Can you prove it?"
He doesn't believe me.
I wave my hand, and a ball of pale light hovers between us, casting a soothing glow on our faces as our shadows elongate behind us. "I reckon your people can't do this, can they?"
"Actually, we can," he replies with a raspy chuckle, staring at the light, not taking me too seriously. "We also have Devil Fruits, you know."
There, I just learned something new. Not everyone in this world is mundane. Some possess supernatural powers due to these 'Devil Fruits', whatever they might be.
I make the ball of light vanish and lean back in the chair. "That's inconvenient. Is there anything I can do to prove that I'm telling the truth and can use magic?"
"Show me your magic again," he instructs, propping his unusually bearded chin on his fist. "But don't use light this time. Devil Fruits grant only one specific power. While you can adapt and refine that power to be more versatile, you cannot make it do something entirely different."
Smiling, I conjure fire in one hand and water in the other, pushing them forward as a proof. Most ordinary wizards and witches would struggle to cast two spells simultaneously, but I haven't been ordinary for a while.
This time, Professor Clover gasps, his eyes shining behind his glasses with wonder and excitement. "By any chance was it your country that left behind the Poneglyphs?"
"What is a Poneglyph?"
His excitement doesn't wane, but he deflates slightly. "I suppose not. Poneglyphs are indestructible stone tablets inscribed with texts from 800 years ago, written in a long-forgotten language. Regardless, I believe you now. Would you mind sharing more about your country? I'd like to write a book about your culture so that your people aren't forgotten. You can withhold whatever that can threaten your homeland, but history shouldn't be concealed. Cultures should not go extinct without someone to remember them—to mourn them."
I'm taken aback by the passion in his voice. After a brief hesitation, I shrug. "Sure."
While my information won't be entirely false, it won't be useful either. What can he do with the history of the Wizarding World that lies far away in the multiverse? In the end he will only get a record of a culture that is not native to this world.
"Thank you," he says, bowing—a bit awkwardly while seated.
This man is a true history nerd.
"I want something in return for this effort." I dispel the water and fire, then rub my hands together. "As you must have realised, I know nothing about the outside world. I'm as knowledgeable as a toddler. I'll be grateful if you could point me to books on basic history. I also need books on your language. The only reason I'm able to talk with you is because of magic. I'd like to learn the language myself."
"Of course," Professor Clover replies, nodding. "Follow me."
He leads me out of his office and into the vast chamber filled with hundreds of shelves.
I was wrong in my estimate. The Tree of Knowledge is even larger than I thought. If I hadn't known already, I couldn't have guessed we were inside a tree. The space here is twice the size of Hogwarts' Great Hall. And it's only the ground floor. There are multiple levels rising upwards.
Once Professor Clover hands me a couple of tomes, we part ways, and I head towards a table near the entrance, positioned under a window that looks out over the town.
Iris sits alone, trying to mask her nervousness as various archeologists scuttle around. Her reaction is understandable; I would be nervous too if I were in a crowd where I didn't know their language. For someone like Iris, who loves books, it must be strange to be in such a vast library and be unable to read, like a thirsty person with their mouth sewn shut before a river.
I settle down into the chair opposite her, spreading the books out on the table between us. "Professor Clover said we can use the library as much as we wish."
"I'd be ecstatic if I weren't illiterate," she sighs, picking up a book from the pile and flipping it open to stare at the incomprehensible characters. Then she snaps it shut and drops her chin onto it, glaring at me through the red curls that have fallen across her forehead.
"Just give me a day to modify the translation charm," I say, rolling my eyes. "Why don't you go out and explore a bit? This island is quite idyllic. Make the most of it."
She looks at me with a deadpan expression. "Really? You're telling me to go out when I don't even know the local language?"
"Not like you're going to talk to anyone even if you did," I scoff, opening a book. "Just walk around and enjoy the scenery. You don't have to sit here and watch me. We are in a whole another world. Go take advantage of it."
Frowning, she stands up. "Fine."
As she walks out, I get to work. By evening, I want Iris to be able to read the books in this library.
~xXxXx~
I stretch my arms and close the book. Finally, it's done. The modified translation charm is complete.
It was a gruelling chore, but I'm glad I did it. My date with Iris would be a disaster if she spent the entire time pouting at me.
Checking my watch, I realise I've been here for nearly six hours. I didn't just work, though; I took small breaks and read some history. Now, I feel like I know a little more about this world.
Unlike Earth, this planet has only one continent: the Red Line. It's a thin strip of mountain range that encircles the globe from north to south, splitting the world into two halves. It is intersected by the Grand Line, a perilous and unpredictable sea belt that circles the planet. While the Red Line runs longitudinally, the Grand Line spans the globe horizontally. This intersection divides the world into four major oceans: East Blue, West Blue, North Blue, and South Blue.
Ohara is located in the West Blue, as Professor Clover mentioned earlier.
What's fascinating is that the sole continent, the Red Line, is scarcely inhabited. Most people live on islands scattered across the four oceans. There are hundreds of countries, each with its own administration, and the majority have allied with the World Government, the planet's highest ruling body.
The World Government was established over 800 years ago when twenty kings came together to form a unified global authority. This historic moment marked the end of the Void Century, a period that remains shrouded in secrecy and is deliberately erased from historical records by the World Government itself. The descendants of the original twenty kings are now known as Celestial Dragons, and they reside in Mary Geoise and wield significant power.
It's sort of like the ICW but not. Unlike the ICW back at home, the World Government possesses the most powerful military: the Marines. And these Marines report directly to the Five Elders, the highest authority within the World Government, who oversee their operations and ensure their loyalty. This centralization of military power grants the World Government unparalleled control over the entire world.
There's more to it, but I'm exhausted, I have stared at texts for far too long. My eyes need rest. I'll read the other books later.
Where's Iris, anyway? If I didn't have a way to track her or if she weren't practically immortal, I might have panicked. But I know she's fine. I'd have known if she weren't.
Just as I slide out of the chair and stand on my numb legs to go search for her, she enters the Tree of Knowledge, followed by a small, black-haired girl.
"I take it you enjoyed your stroll, considering you took six hours," I say, sagging back into the chair and shaking my legs under the table.
She beams as she drops into the seat across from me, her mood clearly lifted. "You won't believe it—I talked to a giant. A literal giant. And he was as intelligent as any human!"
"Before I ask how you 'talked' to him, given the language barrier, could you introduce your new friend?" I ask, nodding towards the kid sitting beside her.
"Of course. This is Robin," Iris says, gesturing to the girl, who shyly averts her gaze. Then Iris turns to me and slowly enunciates my name for Robin's benefit. "Harry."
"Nice to meet you, Robin." I smile, enjoying the look of surprise on her face. She must have assumed I didn't understand her language either.
"Hello," she mumbles, not meeting my eyes.
An introvert, huh? No wonder she hit it off with Iris.
Iris ruffles Robin's hair, making her smile. "She has a very unique power. Ask her to use it."
Robin looks at me, tilting her head, waiting for me to translate.
"She's saying that... wait—" I pause, pulling out my wand and pointing it at my sister. This is the perfect time to test the translation charm. And while I can apply it wandlessly, doing it this way makes it look more traditionally magical.
A beam of light strikes Iris, and her face lights up, understanding what I just did.
"Go on, ask her yourself."
Iris turns to the spooked girl and gently pats her head. "Hello, Robin. My name is Iris, and this is my brother, Harry."
Robin only seems more startled by this, making me chuckle at their interaction. I then begin to repeat what I told Professor Clover: that we're mages from the far west, from the country of Valinor.
Iris cracks an amused grin at the mention of 'Valinor' but doesn't call me out on the lie, acknowledging the need for deception.
The few resident archeologists, who work under Professor Clover, gather around us, having been attracted by the show of light and our conversation. But that's fine. It's all bullcrap anyway. And it will give us the freedom to use magic whenever we want.
We perform some more magic to their amazement. And Robin is enthralled, pestering Iris to keep going, to keep doing new tricks.
"Fine, but you do that first," Iris bargains, crossing her arms, demanding something from Robin that I'm not aware of.
Robin squirms under Iris's expectant gaze, then she squares her shoulders. Suddenly, extra arms keep sprouting from her original ones, extending outward like an endless chain. And she has perfect control over it, moving them precisely.
Iris claps Robin on the back while I watch curiously. This must be the Devil Fruit power. Interesting. I hadn't imagined it could grant the ability to summon extra hands. I'll need to read more about it; there must be a book here on that subject.
After the crowd disperses, Robin pulls Iris away to share her favourite books, leaving me alone once again.
~xXxXx~
When night falls and we bid Robin good night, Iris asks me the most important question: "Where will we stay?"
I smile and open my palm, and a key materialises in it—a key with a button. I press the button, and a door appears in the air before us. I twist the doorknob and push it open. "Welcome to Evans Mansion."
Yes, I'm finally sharing this secret with her.
I grab her hand and guide her inside. With the clones still around, I'll need to keep instructing them to move away or become invisible whenever we're near, but that's doable. It's certainly better than sleeping in some inn.
It takes half an hour to show her everything, and by the end, she is speechless. Then, she's a bit annoyed with me for keeping it a secret until now.
Apologies and kisses win her over, and when we retire to bed, we make out. It's not long before I'm on top of her, both of us stark naked, my hands on her small, perky breasts. But when I ask her if she wants to do it, she hesitates and shakes her head. "Not tonight. I'm tired. We'll do it tomorrow, I promise."
Instead of getting upset, I nod and lie down beside her, spooning her from behind. "Good night, Iris."
~xXxXx~
"This is like the Great Library of Alexandria, isn't it?" Iris says, her tone reverent after we finish exploring the Tree of Knowledge.
It's the second day of our stay, and as soon as we had breakfast, Iris dragged me here. Now that she can read, I'm afraid we might spend the entire week cooped up in this place.
"Yes. Let's hope it doesn't get burnt down, accidentally or otherwise," I quip as we descend the spiral stairs, stacks of books weighing down my hands.
She grimaces, nearly stumbling. "Don't even joke about that. Anyone moronic enough to set this on fire deserves to be flayed alive."
I chuckle, unsurprised by her extreme reaction. "Where's your best friend?"
"Robin is not my best friend," she denies and rolls her eyes, blushing. "She's probably with Saul—the giant."
"Ah, yes, the giant with whom you 'talked'." We reach the ground floor and move towards our table near the entrance. "Tell me about it."
"It was less talking and more… gesticulating," she explains, sitting down beside me and taking half of the books from the stack. "He washed up on the shore a few days ago, and Robin's been providing him with food and keeping him company."
"I see. Maybe I should go take a look. I've never seen a giant before, not counting Hagrid."
She shakes her head. "Don't. We're supposed to keep him a secret. I don't think he'll appreciate us telling others about him."
"That sounds suspicious. You sure he isn't dangerous?"
"I'm sure. He's making a raft to leave the island. Let him be. Maybe I should've helped him with magic. But I wasn't sure if we were going to keep our magic secret. And then you went ahead with this whole 'Valinor' thing."
I grin. "I should've told them my name is Gandalf."
She snorts, hiding her giggles behind her hand. "What about me? Radagast?"
"Galadriel," I announce confidently, nudging her leg under the table. "You're beautiful enough for that role."
She rolls her eyes, but her bashful smile reveals her true feelings. "How long are we going to stay here?"
I allow her to change the subject. "You already know that I'll be able to open the portal back home in seven days. So we have that long. Do you want to stay on Ohara until we leave, or would you like to explore other islands as well?"
She drums her fingers on the open page, thinking. "While I'd like to see more of this world, seven days is too short. I'd rather stay here until we have to leave."
Not surprising. With a near-limitless collection of books and a new friend here, Iris is perfectly content. Where others might want to explore this exotic world, she's satisfied with just books and some amiable company.
"Alright."
We spend the entire day in the library.
~xXxXx~
Iris Evans
She is nervous.
As the day progresses, as the sun reaches its peak and descends in the west, she feels her anxiety mounting. Today is the day where she'll have sex. And while there is a hint of excitement, it's drowned by apprehension.
By this point, she and Harry have done everything that can be done with each other's bodies, except any sort of penetration. And yet, even though she's familiar with every inch of his skin, even though she is completely comfortable with him, she can only dread the upcoming coupling.
Iris has this weird relationship with anything sexual. While she can enjoy the acts, while she loves the pleasure in the moment, she never feels the need to initiate it—to seek it. She does it because of Harry. If someone came and said that she isn't allowed to do anything sexual ever again, she would just shrug and accept.
Sex was always uninteresting to her. She can never understand why people go crazy over it. She cannot comprehend why Harry is so obsessed with it.
Still, she wouldn't disappoint him. She wouldn't drag it out any further. And while she knows she will love it in the moment, she cannot bring herself to look forward to it. But she will do it.
It's time. The day has ended. Night is here.
She smiles at her brother's eagerness, as he clasps her hand and leads her out of the Tree of Knowledge.
"You ready?" He turns around to face her, her hand still in his.
'No.' "Yes."
He must've felt her reluctance—he always does—because he drops her hand and steps closer to cup her cheeks, his warm palms framing her face. "It will be fun. I have something special planned for you."
"Okay."
He pecks her on the lips. "Hold onto me. We are flying."
Her uneasiness is buried under surprise and curiosity. She lets him pull her tight against him. A blissful sigh escapes her as she burrows her face in his chest. She can feel his heartbeat as she coils her arms around his back.
His body heat is calming. His scent is soothing.
She smiles when his own arms close around her waist.
Then she hears him unfurling his wings, then she feels the flap of his wings. And they streak into the sky.
Cold winds rush in and she tightens her hold. She senses him flying higher and higher. And the chill worsens the more they rise. And then it's gone. Abruptly. He must've used a warming charm on them.
"Harry?" she mumbles, opening her eyes as their ascent suddenly turns into a descent.
She clings onto him as he rolls through the sky, as he weaves effortlessly between the clouds. His laughter echoes in the wind. Her grip tightens with each twist and turn, but she can't help the exhilaration that bubbles up inside her, mingling with the fear, pacifying it. The world below becomes a blur of colours and shapes, lost in the thrill of their flight.
Then they are suddenly over a lonely stretch of calm sea.
Harry stops in the mid-air, his wings disappearing, and yet they hover effortlessly, as if they were in space. He must've used another spell.
Her breath gets stuck in her throat as she looks down.
It's the sea of stars. Black nothingness with pinpricks of glowing silver. Some are fiercely bright, while others are dim. And yet, every single one of them twinkles. They glow like candles in the dark. When she looks up, she's met with the same scene. It's the sea of stars.
She doesn't know what is up and down. She is swimming between two seas, or perhaps flying between two skies. She cannot be sure.
It's fantastical. It is tranquil.
She wears her brightest smile and simply swims between the lights. She giggles when Harry collides against her, throwing his arms around her. He spins her, his own lips curved up in a grin.
Then he is drawing her closer. Then he is kissing her. Then he is yanking off her clothes.
A gust of desire inflames her lust. She feels the flames of his passion. She feels his hands on her skin, each touch leaving a burn through her soul, touching something deep within.
She moans as he vanishes his clothes and clutches her against his bare chest. Their skins flush together. Hot and smooth. Increasingly pleasurable. His member wedges between her thighs, grazing her nether lips. She jolts in his embrace and when their green eyes meet, she nods.
He takes her there, in the middle of sky, between the seas of stars, in the darkness of the light.
She feels him deep inside her, shaping her insides, feeding her more heat. He moves, first slow and gentle, and then rough and fast. His thrusts make her ache. The slap of their flesh is the only sound in the sky. Even the wind is dead. Only they are alive.
Her eyes shut close, her hands circle around his neck as he grips her hips and pounds away.
Her orgasm is slow and steady, rising bit by bit, and then it floods her senses, overwhelming her with pleasure. She shakes and trembles, pressing into him as he continues ramming against her. And then he comes too. His orgasm is sudden and frenetic, a spear of stimuli that not only affects him but her too. It spears through her. She cries his name, she bites on his shoulder as he sinks in deep and finishes inside her.
She lay against him bonelessly, not knowing if she wants another round or if she desires rest.
Not that it matters. She has given the reins to him. And as the door materialises between the two seas of stars, as he pushes her into one of the many bedrooms of Evans Mansion, she knows it's not the end.
She readily spreads her legs as she lies down in the bed. And he is there instantly, grabbing her thighs, shoving himself back in.
A moan tears out of her throat, and she arches her back, pushing against his push, pulling down his head, kissing him hotly.
It will be a long night.
~xXxXx~
Skill Obtained: [Masseur] (Rarity: Common)
— Grants the user the abilities of a skilled masseur.
I can't complain. This can work wonders paired with 'Touch' and 'Orgasm Control'. Why, it's practically overpowered with them.
Using the last point, I roll the wheel again.
Skill Obtained: [Cock Editor] (Rarity: Common)
— Grants the user total mastery over his own cock. You can now increase or decrease the length or girth, and do many other things. Say goodbye to your tiny pecker, chump.
I scowl at the wasted point. My cock is just fine, thank you. Though I guess I can use it to make it just a little girthier.
Shaking my head, I focus.
It's late in the morning, and I'm sitting in the bed, beside Iris, who is snoring cutely, exhausted after last night.
Iris Evans
Level: 17
Beauty Tier: A
Seduction: 100%
Points Available: 0
Kinks: None
I caress her hair and place a kiss on her cheek. "Time to be up."
She blinks awake and yawns. "I'm sleeping in. You can return to Ohara if you want. I don't plan on leaving this room before tomorrow."
I'll have to inform my clones to be extra careful. I don't believe she can stay here for the whole day. She's sure to explore the mansion once she gets bored of lounging in the bed.
"Alright. I'll leave your food in the kitchen. And you can contact me if you want to go out."
"Hm." She has already closed her eyes, drifting back to sleep.
Placing one last peck on her lips, getting a lazy smile, I head to the ensuite for a thorough bath. Once done with that, I click the button on my key, and a door materialises in front of me. Stepping through, I'm back on the island. And I quickly realise that something is wrong.
The people in the town are rushing towards the beach in panic.
I waylay one of the townspeople. "What's going on?"
"The World Government is here. We have to go to the evacuation ship on the west seashore. They are going to punish the scholars for trying to destroy the world. Run."
I watch him sprint away, baffled. Destroy the world? What the fuck is going on?
I freeze when I see smoke coming from the Tree of Knowledge.
I repeat, what the fuck is going on?
~xXxXx~
All the archeologists of Ohara have been forced outside the Tree of Knowledge, surrounded by men in black and white suits armed with rifles. They are being detained in a circle. Robin stands beside Professor Clover, frightened, but unwilling to leave, which she can since the agents don't know that she's an archeologist too.
A small distance away stands Spandine, the chief of CP9, the one sent to confirm the guilt of the archeologists. Beside him are two of his most powerful CP9 agents, and lying between the archeologists and Spandine is a battered white-haired woman—Olvia Nico, Robin's mother. Not that the girl is aware of that.
Just then, the Den Den Mushi rings, and Spandine picks up the call.
"Hello, is this the chief?"
"Yeah, it's me," answers Spandine.
"We've found it! There's a secret room in the basement, and in there, we found a huge stone that's probably a Poneglyph and research documents clearly discussing the texts!"
"Alright, well done."
Spandine glares at the gathered archeologists and laughs. "Well, scholars of Ohara, your death sentence has now been decided. It's indeed regrettable that the world's best archeologists lose their lives together today. The only thing I have left to do is report this to the Five Elders."
"Professor! Are they really going to kill all of you? That's a lie, right?" Robin babbles fearfully, clutching his arm. "Why would they do that just because you read the ancient texts?"
Spandine groans and snaps at her. "Idiot! The purpose of their research is to revive a powerful weapon and commit mass murder!"
"That's not true. They aren't thinking about anything like that!" she yells back.
Professor Clover finally speaks up, patting her head. "Robin, stop it. It's pointless to discuss the matter with an errand boy like him."
Spandine grits his teeth, taking a threatening step forward. "What did you say?"
"Is it really the weapon itself that the Government is afraid of?" Professor Clover muses.
One of the two agents interrupts them, handing the Den Den Mushi to Spandine. "It's connected, chief."
"Okay."
"This is good timing." Professor Clover rises to his feet, trying to talk again. "Let me speak to the Five Elders before I die. We, the scholars of Ohara, have continued our research for a long time, and although the research isn't completed yet, we have formed a hypothesis about the 'Void Century'. So I'd like to report it to them."
Spandine goes to shoot down his proposal before another voice joins them.
"Is that so? Is this Ohara's Professor Clover, the authority of archeology? I know your name well, since you've contributed to the world's culture. To think that someone of your caliber would take the wrong path." A grave voice transmits through the Den Den Mushi.
The Five Elders have joined the conversation.
"The past belongs to all mankind," Professor Clover says stubbornly. "No one has the right to stop one from wanting to know our unspoken history."
"Reading Poneglyphs makes it possible to revive the ancient weapon, which puts the world in danger. Even if your research has the best of intentions, all it takes is for someone to come along and use your research," comes the condescending retort.
"No matter what happened in the past, if we humans created that history, we should accept it all. If we don't succumb to fear and learn all of history, we can take countermeasures no matter what happens."
"That's an idealistic argument."
"Is that so? Isn't that reasoning just a convenient excuse? What interests us most are the Poneglyphs and why they were inscribed. Why did the ancient people go to the effort of carving these texts into unbreakable stones instead of writing them on paper or in books? It suggests they feared their message would be destroyed otherwise. In other words, it proves that those who created the Poneglyphs must have had an enemy."
"What're you trying to say, Professor Clover?"
"If we assume they were defeated by an enemy and vanished, that enemy must have continued to exist. Coincidentally, the World Government was founded right after the 'Void Century' ended 800 years ago. If the current World Government was the 'enemy' of those who disappeared, it suggests the Void Century is an inconvenient history that was hushed up by the World Government. Ancient documents and Poneglyphs reveal the existence of a powerful kingdom, whose history has been meticulously erased. They likely foresaw their defeat by the future World Government and carved the truth into stones to preserve it. These stones are the Poneglyphs that endure today."
"I see. That's a bold hypothesis."
"It's true that the ancient weapon would threaten the world. However, isn't it actually that the World Government is more threatened by people becoming aware of that kingdom's existence and ideology? We still have to analyse what this threat is, but the name of this once-prosperous kingdom that holds the key to everything is—"
"Eliminate him!"
And without a moment of hesitation, Spandine fires at him.
~xXxXx~
The sound of a gunshot makes me hasten my steps. I can see them now. A group of people have congregated outside the burning tree.
I quickly apparate and pop near the distressed Robin and injured Professor Clover.
Everyone pauses at my sudden arrival. The scholars, Robin, even the men in black, especially the man holding a gun in Professor Clover's direction.
Quest Alert!
— Protect Ohara.
Rewards!
— 10 Minor Love-Passes
— 5 Major Love-Passes
— 1 Epic Love-Pass
— XP points
I've been waiting for this. I almost thought the system forgot about it.
The man flanked by two intimidating agents glares at me, turning his gun towards me. "Who are yo—"
I don't let him talk and simply attack.
Small motes of blue light, tiny enough to be dismissed as fireflies, appear, buzzing around me as if insects.
With a single thought, I send them careening into the enemies.
"What is th—AAAAAGH!"
The single spark is enough to light up a man like a blue bonfire. Wandlessly, I paralyse every single agent, not wanting to risk the unquenchable flames spreading everywhere.
They stay rooted in their places even as they die. Tortured screams shatter the air as my [Blessing of Incineration] burns them swiftly, devouring them whole.
I dodge a surprise kick and jump away. That was fast, but I have trained with Rose, who can freeze time. I square up against the attackers. Apparently, these two were able to evade the motes of blue sparks. These were the same blokes flanking the 'boss man', who is now nothing more than a heap of ash. Yes, the fire has gone out, the screams have stopped now that there is no flesh to fuel the flames.
No problem. Can they dodge this?
"FUS RO DAH!" I shout, wrecking the land before me. The very air cracks, the ground uproots in the direction of my voice. It tears at my attackers, launching them with a sudden force that breaks their necks and limbs, killing them before they even fall to the ground.
I whirl around to continue my quest, but no one is left. The agents of the World Government are dead, reduced to mounds of ash where they were once paralyzed.
Yet, I don't feel the ping for the completion of the quest.
"Harry." Robin sobs, holding Professor Clover's head in her tiny lap. There's a concerning amount of blood spreading through his shirt. He must've been the one who got shot. The other archeologists are looking at me with awe and more than a healthy amount of fear as I approach them.
I wave my hand, using [Heal] on him. His wounded body is enshrouded in golden lights, and when the glow fades, he is unharmed.
Professor Clover sits up, clutching his chest, gasping. "How did you do that?"
Before I can answer, a cannon ball comes barrelling towards the Tree of Knowledge, striking through the window and exacerbating the fire.
"Books! Go save the books." Professor Clover yells, not waiting for my answer, running towards the Tree of Knowledge.
The rest of the archeologists rush after him.
I unfurl my wings and shoot up in the air. There must be more enemies. That must be the reason why the quest isn't marked complete.
Once I reach the height from where I can see the entirety of the island, I stop.
…
…
There are ten warships on the three sides of the island, their cannons aimed at the Tree of the Knowledge.
The World Government is not holding back; they're going to sink Ohara.
This seems like the best time to test how much power I can squeeze through the [Bolt] skill. I'm a level 144 gamer, the strongest wizard of my world, most probably. I want to know what kind of devastating blow I can bring when I don't hold back.
I will one of the warships to rise out of the sea. Usually, it would be impossible to use a silent and wandless 'Wingardium Leviosa' on such a large and heavy object. But once you have enough power, improbable becomes probable.
The marines on the ship yell and run around like headless chickens, and before any of them can think of jumping from the ship, I strike. I point my palm at that warship and send a blinding bolt of crackling lightning.
Everyone on the ship is electrocuted to death as the massive ship explodes. Scorched corpses and splinters rain down in the sea, the once mighty vessel now nothing but wreckage.
As I prepare to do the same to the rest of the warships, a man cloaked in flame jumps towards me from one of the ships.
I'm surprised that he can leap so high, but I'm on a mission. I don't have time to marvel at his skills.
Just as I did before, I use [Blessings of Incineration] and summon blue motes of light. As he punches the air, sending a wave of fire rushing towards me, I apparate and reappear behind him with a loud crack. I don't give him time to turn around, and the blue sparks burn through his red cloak of fire and set him alight.
He screeches in pain, convulsing as he drops from the sky.
"FUS RO DAH!" The force of my shout sends him tumbling down like a meteor.
It's not the crash that kills him. It's my undying fire. He's fluttering ash before he makes contact with the surface.
Brimming with adrenaline, I turn my eyes towards the retreating warships.
Where do they think they are going?
Quest Completion Alert!
— Protect Ohara.
Rewards!
— 10 Minor Love-Passes
— 5 Major Love-Passes
— 1 Epic Love-Pass
— XP points
I stop myself from pursuing them as the system considers the quest completed.
I never thought it would be so difficult to not kill. But as I flap my wings to stay in the air and watch the marines scurry away, I have to pinch myself to break through the haze of this adrenaline rush. My excited mind wants to kill them all.
Taking a calming breath I fly down. I need to save the Tree of Knowledge.
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