Chapter 235: Sleeping in the Ancient Town
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The wind howled, lightning flashed, thunder roared, and the rain poured down with such force it seemed intent on drowning the world.
Crash!
A sloop broke through the storm, cutting through the relentless downpour.
"Hah! We finally made it out," Robin said with a relieved smile. "The ship was almost destroyed, and we barely made it!"
Aoki responded calmly, "Even if the boat breaks apart, even if it shatters into pieces, no one is going to die."
As they spoke, the sloop emerged from the dark, cloud-covered skies. Bright sunlight broke through, spilling over them and warming their chilled bodies.
"I wonder how far we've drifted," Robin mused.
Aoki raised his wrist, ready to check whether they had veered off course, but suddenly he froze mid-motion.
Robin yelled excitedly, "Aoki, there's an island down there!"
"I see it," Aoki replied.
"Is this the place?"
"It should be," Aoki confirmed.
As the boat hovered above the island, it came to a slow stop.
Robin glanced around and noted, "It's a bit different from what the ship owner described. This place isn't deserted at all."
Indeed, Shuigu Town bore clear signs of human activity.
Aoki nodded, unfazed. "The ship owner must have been here years ago. A large island like this, with existing infrastructure, would naturally attract people over time.
"Let's go down and take a look."
The boat vanished beneath them as the two figures flashed to the shoreline, walking side by side into the island's interior.
Robin's eyes darted around, taking in the overgrown path and scattered ruins. She examined the surroundings with interest.
"These ruins must be at least a hundred years old!" she exclaimed.
Aoki said, "Shuigu Town does have a very long history."
Robin suddenly hurried ahead, crouching down in front of a half-buried stone tablet. She carefully wiped away the dirt and grime coating its surface.
Aoki walked over and glanced down at the tablet.
As the dust cleared, faint inscriptions emerged.
He asked in surprise, "Is this part of the Poneglyph?"
Robin studied the tablet intently for a while before shaking her head.
"No. While it bears some resemblance, this isn't the true historical text. This is written in the language of the Great Kingdom, which was destroyed about four hundred years ago.
"Records of the Great Kingdom are nearly nonexistent now. I only came across a brief mention of it in a book. I never expected to see its script here."
As she spoke, Robin pulled a notebook from her backpack and began jotting down notes quickly.
Aoki observed her for a moment, then looked away. He couldn't understand the inscriptions, nor could he appreciate their significance as she did.
Just then, his expression shifted as he glanced down the path ahead.
Two men, armed with spears, approached slowly. Their faces tensed as their eyes fell on Aoki and Robin.
"Who are you?" one of the men demanded.
Robin barely glanced at them before returning her focus to the tablet.
Aoki stepped forward to explain. "She's an archaeologist from West Blue. We heard there are historical relics here, so we came to explore.
"We also heard that Shuigu Town was abandoned long ago. Where are you from?"
The two men exchanged nervous glances.
"How did you get here?" one of them asked.
"We arrived by boat," Aoki answered.
"Is your boat still on the shore?"
Aoki shook his head.
The man with a prominent forehead quickly ran toward the coastline. Moments later, he returned, his face clouded with disappointment.
"You've made a grave mistake," he said grimly. "It's easy to arrive here, but leaving is another matter entirely."
"Why?" Aoki asked. "What's happening here?"
The man didn't answer and instead turned to Robin. "What is she doing?"
"This tablet is related to the ancient Great Kingdom ," Aoki explained. "She's documenting the information."
The high-foreheaded man stood in awe, his gaze lingering on the stone tablet.
Meanwhile, Robin tucked her notebook away and stood up.
"Did you record everything?" Aoki asked.
Robin shook her head, a hint of regret crossing her face. "It was too damaged. I couldn't gather any valuable information. I can only keep it as a reference for my collection."
Aoki offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. If there's one thing this island seems to have in abundance, it's historical relics."
At that moment, the high-foreheaded man spoke up. "Please, come with us!"
Under their guidance, Aoki and Robin entered Shuigu Town.
Though the town showed clear signs of abandonment, it was evident that the current inhabitants hadn't lived here long.
After a brief announcement, the man led them into a small yard where several others were gathered, their gazes fixed on the newcomers.
Aoki's attention was drawn to a woman sitting at the head of the group.
She had long red hair cascading down her back, a delicate face, a slender waist, and an impressive figure. However, there was no hint of allure or enchantment about her. Instead, she exuded an air of unyielding strength, her demeanor reminiscent of a seasoned general who had fought her way through a sea of blood and corpses.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Alice," the red-haired woman said, extending a hand.
"My name is Aoki, and this is Robin," Aoki replied, shaking her hand.
He had chosen to use his real name. While the title of Dragon King had spread worldwide thanks to the World Economic News, the name "Aoki" remained largely unknown.
As for Robin, though her reputation carried some weight, it was mostly limited to the West Blue. Beyond that, few people would recognize her name. Furthermore, Robin had disguised herself using the Thousand Illusions Mask, giving her an older, more mature appearance. Even those who might have heard of her name would be unlikely to connect it to her true identity.
Alice's gaze shifted between them. "I heard from Adlet that you're archaeologists?"
"Only Robin is," Aoki clarified.
"An archaeologist... fascinating work. What exactly does it entail?"
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Alice's expression turned serious.
"I have some bad news for you," she said solemnly. "Soon, a group of pirates will attack this place."
Aoki raised an eyebrow. "How do you know this will happen?"
Alice didn't hesitate. "Because those pirates are coming for us."
She continued, her tone steady. "We fled here to recover, but our movements were already being tracked. While we were scouting ashore, the enemy ambushed us, destroying all our ships.
"Although we managed to kill some of them, a few escaped. They'll definitely return with reinforcements."
Aoki nodded slightly. The situation wasn't particularly complicated.
Alice added, "But don't worry. Since the pirates were drawn here because of us, we'll do everything we can to ensure your safety.
"We're also working on building a new ship. If it's finished before the pirates arrive, we'll make sure you can leave first."
"Thank you very much, General," Aoki said with a polite nod.
Alice's response was practical and reasonable, leaving little room for doubt or suspicion. Aoki had no intention of prying into her secrets, and with their conversation concluded, he and Robin excused themselves.
The two of them stood atop a nearby slope, gazing down at the remnants of Shuigu Town.
"Now, let's focus on what's most important," Aoki said, his tone decisive.
Their priority was clear: they needed to locate the mythical zoan devil fruit rumored to be on the island as soon as possible.
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