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Disclaimer: One piece and all of its characters belong to Eiichiro Oda.
Chapter 44: Sacred Tablet
Luffy explained his plan to get gold out of the giant snake's stomach without alerting anyone before leaving.
"We still need to repair the ship, we cannot go down like that" Commented Usopp.
"I would like to take a look at the Golden Bell. I have a good idea of where it's been." Robin explained her suspicion about the bell being at the top of the beanstalk.
ºThe bell was supposed to come down during Luffy's fight with Enel, but that didn't happen this time.º Vivi thought.
"Why don't you go with the Captain and try to bring the bell down? I'm sure the people of Skypiea, and especially the Shandians will be very grateful for that." Suggested Vivi.
"The rest of us can go secure the gold." Said Nami.
Once the planning was over, they jumped into action.
Usopp went with Pagaya and many volunteers to prepare the Going Merry for its trip down.
Luffy went with Robin to look for the Golden Bell and the rest of the crew ventured inside the Giant Snake, who was now sleeping peacefully and tried to bring as much gold as they could
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"Wow...." Chopper exclaimed at seeing all of the gold artifacts inside the giant creature.
"How did it manage to eat soo many pieces of rock without getting sick?" Wondered Sanji.
"There are more over there! hurry boys!" Nami commanded Zoro and Sanji who were carrying some enormous sacks on their backs.
"Why are we the ones who have to carry all of this?" Mumbled Zoro with indignation.
"Because we are men! If Nami asked me, I would carry this entire snake." Sanji declared.
"Wait, let me help too!" Chopper transformed and went to carry more gold.
Once the three of them wore sacks bigger than themselves filled with gold, Vivi decided to call it a day.
"We have enough. Let's leave this place."
"What? but there is still more over there!" Nami was indignant.
"Are you trying to sink our ship with the weight? Besides, if the snake wakes up, we are going to be in a lot of trouble. Let's not test our luck."
Nami sighed and nodded. "Fine...."
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Once outside, they left the gold inside the Going Merry and went to look for Luffy and Robin while Usopp finished the preparations.
They arrived in time to witness the citizens of Skypiea pulling out the Golden Bell from the sea.
Luffy seemed to have chosen the method of knocking it out into the sea and by looking at Robins's angry expression, she did not approve of this.
"Hurray!"
"We got it!"
They all celebrated.
"It looks even more majestic up close."
"Yeah. Too bad one of the pillars broke off."
Robin gave Luffy another look and this one laughed.
"Come on Robin, we didn't have all day to get it down."
"Hey, look!" One of the Shandian warriors pointed at the back part of the bell.
"This must be the historical text. It's the tablet that our ancestors sacrificed everything to protect." An Elder member of the tripe explained.
"Chief, do you know what it says?" One of them asked.
The Chief shook his head. "I'm afraid that knowledge has been lost, or maybe-"
"Before the hearth of truth, there is no need for words, we are the recorders of history. Existing in harmony with the sound of the Great Bell." Robin said those words, surprising everyone.
The Chief was the most shocked of them all. "You can read the sacred text?
Robin nodded and continued to look at the writings.
"The ancient weapon with the power so strong that it was named after the God Poseidon" Robin stopped reading there.
"Ancient weapon? we have something like that here?" Some of the Shandiands wondered in confusion.
Robin looked disappointed. "This is not what I'm looking for…" She turned around to leave but was stopped by the Chief.
"Wait!, there are some more words written at the bottom." He pointed out.
"We came here, found the text, and follow its guidance….Gold D. Roger" Robin read out loud.
"What?, did you say Gold D. Roger?" That was the only part that called for Luffy's attention.
"The King of the Pirates was here?" Commented Zoro.
"And He also knew how to read that strange language that only Robin knows." Sanji pointed out.
"Roger you said?" Asked Gan Fall, who had been observing the proceedings.
"Did you meet him, old man?, was He here?" Asked Luffy with excitement.
"mmmm. I think it was twenty years ago. We did have a guest with that name. He said that He was a pirate of the blue sea." Said Gan Fall.
"There are supposed to be two types of tablets like these. The tablets of clues and the tablets of truths. This one is one of clues…and if they follow its guidance…" Robin seemed to have realized something.
"Chief, I believe this tablet has already served its purpose."
"Served its purpose?" The Chief asked.
"There are many of these tablets around the world. They are called poneglyphs. One must link them together to get the records of the 'Lost History'. The truth historical text is the combined result of these 'tablets of truth' that the 'tablets of clue' refer to. I am sure the Pirate King had acquired the tablet of truth that the tablet of clue right here is referring to. That's why its purpose has been served."
"So…we don't need to fight anymore to protect it?..." The Chief seemed to be very relieved.
"The wishes of our ancestors have been fulfilled?"
"Is this what you have been doing over the years, Robin." Asked Sanji.
Robin seemed a bit reluctant to answer but nodded.
"You are trying to find the truth of the 'Void Century'. That would make you a lot of enemies with the World Government." Vivi whispered after getting close to Robin, she didn't want the others to hear.
"I'm an archeologist, I'm just trying to find the truth of the world, nothing more." Said Robin softly.
"Did you read the one in Arabasta? I have never seen it myself but I know there is one there" Vivi asked.
Robin nodded. "Your father was kind enough to let me read it after I saved your life."
Robin did not mention the contents of that Poneglyph but Vivi didn't ask, she already knew them.