Chapter 172: Leaving Skypiea
"I have arrived here and guided this text to its final destination! Pirate, Gol D. Roger!"
"Pirate King? Gol D. Roger? He also came here? How could he read the ancient text? And why did he inscribe this passage?" Robin contemplated the meaning of the words Roger had left behind.
"Text... guide... final destination... Could it be..." Robin's brilliant mind raced, quickly grasping the key.
Connecting all the information within the world's historical texts would likely reveal the missing one hundred years of history, and Roger had probably known this, leaving all the information on the final island, Laugh Tale!
The giant slug didn't understand these matters but only sensed the enormous golden bell and remarked, "This bell is truly massive."
"Yes, it's the 'light' of Shandora."
Despite being overgrown with moss and vines, the resplendent golden bell still retained its former glory.
The presence of the golden bell attested to Shandora's past splendor.
However, the ruins of Shandora saddened Robin deeply. The once glorious city had turned to ashes under Enel's attack, a fate she found regrettable as she despised those who destroyed historical artifacts.
"Legend has it that the sound of this golden bell can pierce through storms and guide people, how I wish to hear that sound." Robin mused.
However, there was no one here to ring the bell, and Robin lacked the strength. The giant slug couldn't either, and with Rodney still in a deep slumber, it seemed impossible.
"No, perhaps it can be done this way. Cuatro Manos: Hold!"
Countless palms emerged from the ground, forming a massive hand that struck the surface of the golden bell.
"Dong... Dong... Dong..."
The magnificent toll resounded through the sky, sonorous and beautiful, as if it could cleanse the darkness from one's heart, resonating with the soul and leaving one entranced, unable to wake from the enchantment.
The sound of the bell continued for a long time, its echoes lingering for three days.
"What a wonderful sound," the giant slug praised.
Robin nodded, smiling, "Truly deserving of being Shandora's light, its reputation is well-deserved! This time, not only did we find the historical text, but we also heard such a melodious bell; it was worth the journey."
"Indeed. Lord Rodney might need some time to recover. My contract is close to expiring. Robin, I entrust Lord Rodney to you."
The giant slug carefully lowered Rodney from her back. Maintaining the contract had become difficult due to Rodney's unconscious state, and she had already done an admirable job lasting this long.
"Then farewell, Lady Slug."
"Goodbye, Miss Robin," the giant slug nodded and instantly turned into a white mist, vanishing.
Robin settled Rodney beneath the base of the golden bell and found a relatively flat spot to lie down, tending to him.
A day later, Rodney woke up, feeling weak all over, his eyes sore and uncomfortable. He had no strength left, but seeing that Robin was safe, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Captain, you're awake?"
"Yeah, I really overdid it this time." Rodney noticed Robin hadn't rested in the past day.
"Robin, how long have I been out?"
"About a day."
"You haven't rested in this entire day?"
"No, I took a short break. Captain, is your body alright?"
"It's manageable. Let's prepare to leave this place. Feed me this," Rodney instructed, pulling a dark red fruit about the size of lychee from his pouch.
"What's this?" Robin picked it up and asked.
"It's a Chakra Fruit, but it has a short duration. It'll support me in summoning Hast to take us down."
"I see. Captain, are you sure your body is okay?"
"It's fine. Excessive use of chakra caused exhaustion; this Chakra Fruit will help with my recovery."
While the explosive Chakra Fruit had a time limit, it would fully restore him during that time, returning him to his peak condition.
Robin thought for a moment, then picked up the Chakra Fruit and fed it to Rodney.
The Chakra Fruit slid down his throat, immediately converting into pure chakra that flowed through his limbs and core. His sense of weakness vanished, primarily due to using Susanoo extensively for the first time. However, he couldn't afford to misuse it like that again.
He had underestimated Enel, thinking that mastering Haki and Sage Jutsu would make him invincible. His arrogance came with a price.
As Fullmetal Alchemist mentioned, "It gives humans proper despair, so that they do not become boastful!"
Indeed, pride came before a fall.
Although Enel couldn't use Armament Haki, his mastery of his Rumble-Rumble Fruit was nothing to scoff at. If it weren't for his early appearance in the story without access to Armament Haki, he might have learned it, given his talent.
This time, Enel would pay the price for his overconfidence.
"Tsk! Mangekyou Sharingan, huh?" Rodney thought, unintentionally touching his eye sockets, then quickly averting his gaze, calling Hast. "Let's go, Hast. We can see even in the dark, right?"
Hast nodded, and with a flap of its wings, it took off, carrying Rodney and Robin. The flight was slightly slow to reduce the risk of breaking the contract, but Hast's excellent vision made up for it.
They soon spotted a ship sailing in the distance. The first rays of golden sunlight bathed the ship. At the bow, a fluffy sheep looked adorable, and above, a skull with a straw hat adorned the mast. On the ship's deck, several orange trees thrived.
Hast's vision was excellent, and Rodney also recognized the significance of the orange trees; it meant that Nami was most likely part of the Straw Hat crew. After all, who else could navigate them through the Grand Line?
"Is Nami here? The one with the sword, you're Roronoa Zoro, right? Is Nami on board?"
Rodney immediately realized the world's correcting influence had led Nami to join the Straw Hat crew.
"If you're looking for breakfast, you've come to the right place?" Zoro, the swordsman of the Three-Sword Style, woke up and saw Hast flying toward them.
"Anyone there?" He noticed Robin and Rodney on Hast's back.
But soon, he regarded them as potential enemies.
"Are you here to rob us, or are you enemies? It doesn't matter; I'll cut you down first!"
His thought process was simple: if they were enemies, he would defeat them first.
"Wait! We're not enemies! We just need a place to rest, and my captain is injured," Robin called out.
Rodney chuckled, "Robin, you have an incredible knack for finding places. In a vast sea like this, who would have thought we'd encounter this group?"
"Is Nami here? Roronoa Zoro, right?" Rodney inquired, recognizing the orange trees on board as a clear sign of Nami's presence.
"Perhaps we'll reach Laugh Tale tomorrow."