RNP Chapter 225 Clues to the Treasure Tree, Roger and His Son's Words Under the Moon
Chapter 225 Clues to the Treasure Tree, Roger and His Son's Words Under the Moon
Chapter 225 Clues to the Treasure Tree, Roger and His Son's Words Under the Moon
After being swept away by a storm originating from the source of death, Water Seven fell into an eerie calm.
The interior of the Frankie House was in a mess, with horrific cut marks on the walls, as if it had been baptized by an invisible scythe.
The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder, dust, and a faint, lingering scent of death.
Chopper, with tears in his eyes, used his trembling little hooves to bandage everyone.
It itself was trembling with fear because of the terrifying pressure that the angel of death had exerted on its soul.
Nami clutched the Weather Stick tightly, her knuckles white, leaning against the wall, panting, her face filled with lingering fear.
Although Robin appeared calm, the fine beads of sweat on her forehead and her slightly rapid breathing revealed that she had also exerted all her strength, using the power of the Flower Flower Fruit to push her companion away at the crucial moment.
Franky's steel body was marked with several deep white marks as he complained with extreme dissatisfaction.
"That bastard Lucci, his Heroic Spirit is acting strangely! We can't stop him at all!"
Ace pulled down his hat brim, the scorching heat still lingering on his fiery fist, his brow furrowed: "Not just his Heroic Spirit, that guy's power—it seems to have gotten stronger too."
Karna stood silently to one side, his golden armor gleaming with an undying radiance in the dim light.
He remained calm, but his grip on the spear never loosened.
Crocodile, a cigar dangling from his lips, his face grim, felt the sand swirling uneasily at his feet. He loathed this uncontrollable, incomprehensible power.
"What was that thing just now?!" Nami asked in a trembling voice, breaking the silence.
Karna spoke, his voice clear and calm: "It is the embodiment of a concept, not life in the usual sense. Its death proclaims power, almost like a law."
Just then.
"Nami—! Chopper—! Is everyone alright?!"
Luffy grabbed the rooftop in the distance with his rubber arm and was the first to launch in like a cannonball, his face showing unprecedented anxiety.
Following closely behind were Zoro, Sanji, and —
A deeper, more ancient aura of death, like silent ripples, instantly covered the remnants left by Azrael as the tall figure stepped in.
Brook led King Hassan into the ruins.
The air inside solidified again.
"Brook! Are you alright?!" Chopper's words were cut short by the presence of King Hassan, and he hid behind Franky again.
Ace's eyes were sharp as an eagle's, fixed intently on King Hassan. "Hey, Brook, this guy—"
He sensed an even more absolute aura of death.
"Wait!" Brooke quickly spread his bony arms and stood in front of King Hassan.
"Everyone, calm down! This is Mr. Sabach, a Heroic Spirit summoned by the power of the Yomi Yomi no Mi in response to your crisis! He's not an enemy! Yohohoho—though he does look a little scary."
Luffy rushed to his crewmates and saw that although they were all in a sorry state, they were all alive, and he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's right, everyone, it was this skeleton uncle who protected us!!"
Ignoring all the wary, fearful, and curious gazes, Wang Hassan slowly turned his skull mask, scanning the traces of the battle inside the room, finally settling on the places corrupted by the power of the Death Angel.
"Lingering stench." He spoke in a low voice, as if from the depths of hell, directly revealing the angel's true name: "The counterfeit who plays with the concept of death."
This statement shocked everyone inside.
For the first time, a glimmer of light flashed in Karna's calm, unwavering eyes as he looked at King Hassan: "Your Excellency, do you know the true name of that Heroic Spirit?"
Wang Hassan did not answer directly, but his silence itself was a form of affirmation.
Ace stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Luffy, and looked at King Hassan: "You said—a fake? You mean, you're the real one?"
"I am Hassan al-Sabah, the Old Man of the Mountain."
"Sever cause and effect, and give sinners the arm of revelation." King Hassan's voice carried an unquestionable authority. "All deaths in this world fall within my domain. His actions are an overreach of authority."
Tescatlipok stepped forward and met King Hassan's gaze.
"This old man who likes to skip work, although his words are a bit difficult to understand, still has a lot of power, which is the kind of power you need right now."
Nami whispered to Robin, "He—he seemed to be saying that the terrifying angel was an imposter? They sound like they're enemies?"
Robin wore the expression of an archaeologist who had discovered a crucial clue.
"It seems to be in the knowledge that the Old Man of the Mountain—Tescatlipoca—taught me."
"The legendary leader of the assassination cult. Some speculate that he might be the human form of the Angel of Death."
Her gaze toward King Hassan was filled with a desire to investigate.
Franky: "Super—! Sounds like a formidable character! Brook, your summoning magic is incredibly powerful!"
Crocodile: "Hmph, whether we let the wolf in or called for reinforcements, it's too early to draw conclusions."
However, the sandstorm surrounding him noticeably subsided.
He deduced that this new skeleton was at least not on the enemy's side.
Tescatlipoca let out a low laugh. "Interesting—a battle between the real thing and the fake? Not bad."
As the crowd softened their tone, they lost their guard against King Hassan.
The Straw Hat crew gathered inside the somewhat messy Franky House, the atmosphere heavy.
Usopp and Brook have rejoined the team. Although the process was full of twists and turns, the bond between the comrades has only become stronger after this crisis.
Usopp lowered his head, feeling ashamed of his previous impulsiveness and weakness, but with Luffy's words of relief at his return and Chopper's caring check-up, his inner turmoil gradually dissipated.
Brooke kept apologizing to everyone, believing that it was all because he had attracted a powerful enemy.
"Oh ho ho ho —————— I'm so sorry everyone, it's all because of my old bones ————" Brooke's voice was choked with sobs.
"Don't say that, Brook," Luffy said, unusually serious.
"You are our partner, protecting our partner is our duty! That World Government bastard and that creepy skull-faced guy dared to touch my partner, I will absolutely beat them to a pulp!"
Zoro, holding his sword, said coldly, "Instead of blaming yourself here, think about how to become stronger. Next time we meet, you won't be so pathetic."
Sanji lit a cigarette and exhaled a smoke ring: "That's right, Brook."
"Moreover, if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have had the chance to witness a battle of that level—although we almost died."
"His last sentence was tinged with lingering fear."
Nami rubbed her temples, trying to recover from her previous shock, and took out the ledger and list again.
"Now is not the time to be discouraged! We've been exposed, and the enemy could return at any time! We must get the money and the Adam Tree as soon as possible, build a new ship, and leave this place!"
Robin sat quietly to the side, holding a cup of hot tea in his hands, but his gaze was somewhat unfocused.
Crocodile's intervention left her with mixed feelings.
She glanced at Crocodile, who stood expressionless in the corner, and Tescatlipoca, who always wore a mysterious smile beside him, and her vigilance grew even stronger.
Franky pounded his steel chest, making a clanging sound that broke the heavy atmosphere.
"SUPER—!!! You're right! Crying and regretting won't change anything! The design of the new ship is basically complete!"
"It's a solar ship that surpasses the Oro Jackson, capable of carrying all your dreams! Now all that's missing are the final materials and funding!"
The spirit of Gol D. Roger, who had been silent all along, laughed heartily: "Good that you have fighting spirit! That's how I got here back in the day!"
"The stronger the enemy, the more interesting it is!"
Karna calmly added, "Acquiring resources is also a battle. A strategy is needed."
Ace walked up to Luffy, put his arm around his shoulder, and ultimately said nothing.
In the shadows, Crocodile exhaled a smoke ring and whispered to Tescatlipoca beside him, "See that? The World Government's mad dogs are mixed up with that stuff."
"The balance of this ocean is collapsing at an alarming rate. I increasingly don't understand why you made me leave Alabasta!"
Tescatlipoca swirled the unidentified drink in his hand and chuckled, "Only through collapse can there be reconstruction; order breeds rigidity, and chaos breeds possibility."
"Isn't this exactly what we'd like to see? Besides, that angel of death seems quite interested in me—"
"Hmph, I have no interest in your perverse sense of humor," Crocodile said coldly.
"However, the Straw Hat crew is indeed an excellent decoy to attract firepower, and it also provides us with a lot of convenience in exploring the Poneglyphs."
"It's more valuable to keep them alive until you find your goal."
His gaze swept over Robin, the meaning of which was self-evident.
Tescatlipoca shrugged. "Whatever you like, gambler. I don't mind playing any role as long as the drama is entertaining enough."
Despite the terrifying moment, the potential shown by the Straw Hat crew and their ability to fight against top-tier fighters, like the best 'GG', actually stimulated the nerves of certain underground forces and opportunists.
Some enthusiastic intermediaries, including some from the revolutionary army or certain kingdoms' secret agents.
With their help, the fundraising process suddenly became much smoother.
Some big businessmen who had previously been observing, secret representatives of certain non-governmental member states, and even some smuggling gangs that were originally affiliated with Doflamingo's remaining forces all came to him with sincerity.
They provided not only Bailey, but also information on channels for various rare resources, and—intelligence about the Treasure Tree Adam.
"Based on information provided by our friends," Nami said to the group, holding up an encrypted letter.
"On an unnamed island about three days' sail east of Water Seven, a secret underground auction was recently held, and among the highlight items, there appears to be a batch of—the timber of the Adam Tree!"
This news cheered everyone up!
"Great! We finally have a clue!" Luffy jumped up excitedly.
"An auction, huh?" Sanji mused. "I'm afraid the competition will be fierce, and it'll be a mixed bag."
Zoro gripped the hilt of his sword tightly: "Anyone who dares to steal it, I'll cut them down."
Franky excitedly struck a pose: "SUPER—!!! Adam Tree! As long as we get it, the main material for the new ship will be solved!"
"All that's left is some auxiliary materials and final assembly!"
However, this will clearly not be an easy path.
The source of information for the auction is unclear and it could very well be a trap.
The competitors will inevitably include the World Government's undercover agents or other powerful pirate forces.
More importantly, the threat from Lucci and the Angel of Death hangs like the Sword of Damocles, ready to fall at any moment.
Nevertheless, everyone was surprisingly in agreement. We'll rest for a day and set off the day after tomorrow morning!
In the busy atmosphere, time flies by.
In the backyard of Frankie's house, shrouded in night, Brooke was not practicing her violin or telling skull jokes as usual.
He sat alone on the edge of the dilapidated Merry, his empty eye sockets staring at the water reflecting the sparse lights, his finger bones unconsciously rubbing the cold cane sword.
The angel of death's icy gaze, which seemed to lock onto the soul, and Lucci's frenzied killing intent lingered like a nightmare.
He was not afraid of death, but rather of dragging his companions, who had given him hope for a new life, into an abyss of no return.
An almost instinctive impulse began to grow in his heart.
He left, facing the approaching death alone, just as he had decades ago when he wandered alone in the Devil's Triangle.
He didn't tell anyone about this determination; he simply buried it deep within his bones.
He stood up and silently disappeared into the shadows, beginning to patrol the dark corners of the city's edge in his own way, wary of any potential threats that might reappear, as if this could make up for the debt in his heart.
Wang Hassan, meanwhile, was silently guarding him from a short distance away, unnoticed by him.
Meanwhile, on the rooftop, Ace rested his hands behind his head, gazing at the starry sky with a furrowed brow.
Lucci's hatred was clearly directed at him.
He wasn't afraid of fighting, but he couldn't tolerate his brother Luffy and the entire Straw Hat crew being put in such danger because of him.
"What's wrong, kid? You're starting to doubt yourself already?" A bold and familiar voice rang out from behind.
Roger appeared there at some point, a carefree smile on his face that seemed to say he knew everything.
Ace stiffened slightly, but didn't turn around, his tone somewhat curt: "—None of your business."
His feelings toward this father were always complex and difficult to understand.
Roger walked over to him, and together they gazed at the starry sky. As if ignoring his protests, Roger continued speaking to himself...
"When I was your age, I also thought I was fearless, but sometimes I would wonder if my existence was causing trouble for my crew."
"Especially—when I knew I was going to die."
Ace suddenly turned his head and looked at Roger.
Roger's smile held a hint of reminiscence and relief: "But, Ace, you must understand."
True partners are never a burden. They choose to walk with you because they trust you, agree with your path, and are willing to share everything with you, whether it be glory or danger.
"You think that shouldering everything alone is protecting them? That's betraying their trust!"
His voice turned serious: "Listen, kid! Your life wasn't just saved by that old bastard Garp, nor was it solely bought with Whitebeard's dignity!"
"It also carries Rouge's hopes, and the bonds of your ship's crew who are willing to go through fire and water for you!"
"Don't easily think of ending it all or facing it alone; that's the greatest folly!"
"A man's romance is about teaming up with trusted partners to beat up all those troublemakers! Gurarara!"
Finally, he let out his usual laugh, almost like a white-bearded man's, and patted Ace hard on the back.
Ace stared blankly at Roger, the legendary Pirate King, his father.
These words didn't sound like profound truths, but they were like a heavy hammer, shattering the barriers he had just built in his heart.
He remembered Luffy's unwavering gaze, Sabo's promise, and everyone in the Spade Pirates and Whitebeard Pirates—
Yes, he is no longer that troubled teenager who longed to prove his worth.
"—Nonsense," Ace muttered under his breath, then lay back down.
But his furrowed brows relaxed considerably, and the confusion in his eyes was replaced by determination.
Some knots in one's heart cannot be completely untied overnight, but at least someone has enlightened him.
Roger looked at Ace's profile, a fleeting, almost imperceptible look of relief and complex emotions flashing in his eyes.
That's all he can do.
The rest of the journey is one that Ace must walk alone.