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The so-called "Return" must meet three conditions.
The returner, the rightful owner of the item, and the item itself...
But there is another little-known requirement—the "Path of Return."
The bridge in East Blue, under construction for 800 years without end, exists for this very purpose.
According to the top-secret oral traditions of the Celestial Dragons, the location of the "God of All Spirits" is not one that can be reached by conventional means. It exists in an independent space beyond the grasp of ordinary travel.
For the Celestial Dragons to return the national treasure hidden deep within the Room of Flowers to the "God of All Spirits," they must follow a specific "ritualistic" method. Only through this process can they reach the place where their so-called god resides— a place known as the "Heavenly Palace."
And the purpose?
"To return the god's possession and ascend as nobles of the heavens... is that it?"
Rowen rubbed his temples with an exasperated sigh. "Sounds exactly like something the Celestial Dragons would do."
Gods are real.
The Celestial Dragons aspire to become true nobles of the heavens, living eternally in the sky as divine beings— true descendants of their so-called god.
It sounds absurd. If anyone else had said it, Rowen would have laughed them off.
But this information came straight from the Celestial Dragons themselves. And judging by Doflamingo's crazed demeanor, it was unlikely to be a lie.
"No wonder the Gorōsei were so wary of my plan to unify the Four Seas. If the existence of the Tequila Wolf were exposed to the world... tsk, tsk!"
Would it be a complete upheaval in the world's power structure?
No, it will be far more than that.
It would drive the entire world into madness!
"The Gorōsei wanting to silence him definitely had a reason. With someone like Doflamingo knowing such a dangerous secret, it's no wonder they were desperate."
Rowen exhaled as he picked up his water glass, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
"But I must admit... I'm very curious about this so-called god."
This secret had only ever been passed down among the highest-ranking Celestial Dragon families. The fate of any outsider who learned of it was obvious. To keep the secret, the Celestial Dragons wouldn't hesitate to wage internal wars.
But—
"I'm not an outsider, Doflamingo."
"At least in Imu's eyes, I'm not."
So, if someone's going to hell for this, it won't be me.
Setting down the water glass, Rowen tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought.
"Now that the Celestial Dragons are teetering on the brink of extinction, the Gorōsei must be struggling with whether to proceed with their plan... Given that they allowed me to control the Four Seas, it seems that the path to the heavens still requires time— and a stable foundation."
"Moreover, the so-called Path of Return is probably not so easy to complete. There must be a... horrifying, existential cost."
"Otherwise, how else could one explain the Nefertari family's withdrawal? Or Saint Homing's unwavering decision?"
[We have always been human!]
That was what Donquixote Saint Homing had declared before leaving the Holy Land.
"Could something horrific have happened at Laugh Tale all those centuries ago? Based on what we know, during the Void Century, twenty royal families united to form the World Government, bringing an end to the chaos that had gripped the world for over 900 years."
"And then, the Celestial Dragons— who know the truth— became deluded enough to think they could repeat history?"
Suddenly, Rowen's eyes flickered with realization.
"That's right! There's also the 'D' Clan!"
"Laugh Tale— the once-mighty kingdom... Why did the twenty royal families join forces? Only the weak form alliances. Individually, they weren't strong enough to challenge Laugh Tale, the most powerful force of that era!"
"Then, does that mean the 'God of All Spirits' existed long before the Celestial Dragons ever rose to power?"
"There's no written record of it, but Devil Fruits— according to existing records—only became widely known around the time of the Void Century."
"If Laugh Tale had been some benevolent kingdom, why would they gather the Ancient Weapons? Those aren't tools for peace— they are instruments of destruction! What could they possibly have needed them for?"
"No... That means Laugh Tale's rulers weren't benevolent at all."
As he pieced together the fragments of history, a grand and terrifying vision began to take shape in Rowen's mind.
Roughly 900 years ago, an event occurred— an event that changed the world forever.
It was during this unknown period that something arrived in Laugh Tale. Something that introduced Devil Fruits to the world. Something that brought forth a "God."
And that god... made a promise.
It promised the people of Laugh Tale power, eternal life, and nobility in the heavens.
But in return... the cost may very well have been the destruction of the entire world.
Driven by the original sin of greed, Laugh Tale recklessly pushed forward with its plan, ultimately becoming the source of all evil.
At that moment, twenty royal families rose up. To prevent the world's destruction, they united in a crusade against the great threat. After a brutal war, they successfully eradicated the looming catastrophe.
Because Laugh Tale had been arrogant and had not concealed its actions, the twenty royal families quickly uncovered everything. And then…
Temptation took hold.
The remaining survivors of Laugh Tale, drowning in despair, watched as the so-called "Dragon Slayers" became the very monsters they had fought against. Powerless, they recorded everything in stone, hoping future generations would one day uncover the truth.
These survivors were the ancestors of the "D" clan!
At that moment, the roles reversed. The once noble warriors who wielded justice turned into the new tyrants, while those once branded as villains became the torchbearers of truth.
Thus, the World Government sought to bury the past, for they knew that, just as they had once risen against Laugh Tale, others would inevitably stand up to challenge them.
Moreover…
That so-called god was not invincible.
Something had to exist that could oppose it!
Otherwise, how had the twenty royal families managed to prevail?
Rowen's thoughts raced as he recalled a past conversation with Vegapunk.
"Seastone… Devil Fruits!"
"Seastone, Ancient Weapons— these things have existed in the world for ages. Yet Devil Fruits and that malevolent god only appeared later."
"Perhaps there is more than one god!"
"One is a native deity, the other an invader. Neither will tolerate the other, and they battle for control of this world!"
"The fusion traits of Paramecia and Logia Devil Fruits might exist for this very reason— to wrestle dominance over the world! Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) is able to touch Logia users precisely because of their fundamental incompatibility!"
Knowing the gods' weakness, the "D" clan became known as the "natural enemies of the gods"—not just the enemies of the Celestial Dragons, but the enemies of the deity they worshiped.
"But…"
"If that's the case, then all Devil Fruit users are naturally aligned with the malevolent god. The only reason they seem independent now is that the current World Government lacks the means to fully control them."
"That's… troubling."
Rowen looked down at his own hands, a heavy realization dawning upon him.
"No wonder Imu treats me differently. I thought it was because of something I did… but this is the real reason?"
An undeniable truth: just as Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) is ranked, Devil Fruit awakenings also have varying levels of power.
Unlike others, Rowen, upon awakening, had instantly reached a high-level fusion— breaking the established rules entirely.
If his theory was correct, then Imu had every reason to take notice of him.
Because he was the strongest warrior of the invading god.
"I really hope I'm wrong about this…"
Narrowing his eyes, Rowen exhaled slowly, setting his thoughts aside and allowing his overheated mind to cool down.
"Heh, Doflamingo's words got to me. I started overthinking things."
He hadn't even reached the heart of the mystery, yet he was already contemplating a war between deities.
"Ha…!"
At that moment, drowsiness washed over him. Rowen yawned, rubbed his eyes, and leaned back against the sofa. "I'll take a nap… I'll think clearer once I wake up."
The setting sun cast a warm glow through the window, illuminating half the room. The other half remained cloaked in shadow.
Upon closer inspection, a dark mass in the unlit corner began shifting, slowly forming into something vaguely humanoid. It hovered near Rowen, hesitating as if contemplating something.
Minutes passed. Then, cautiously, the dark figure extended an inky limb toward the sleeping young man.
Zī zī!!!
A blinding burst of electricity crackled in the air, sending a sharp, acrid scent throughout the room.
The shadow figure recoiled violently, its form melting away like wax under a roaring flame. A faint, eerie wail echoed through the room.
Rowen's eyes snapped open.
"Ugh… I really need to sleep in an actual bed. This posture is murder on my neck."
Yawning, he ran a hand through his hair and stretched before heading to his bedroom.
The lighting in his room was dimmer than the living area, but that ominous shadow never appeared again.
Understanding dawned in his mind, but it was not yet time to act.
For now, sleep called to him once more.
(End of Chapter)