"Iris authentication? Are you kidding me?" Buggy muttered, squinting at the glowing glyphs before him.
This was getting out of hand. A warship from eight centuries ago was asking for iris authentication. Buggy was still used to ships made of wood and cannons powered by gunpowder, not tech straight out of science fiction.
Still... this was Pluton. It wasn't supposed to belong to this era. It never had.
No ordinary ship could lie dormant beneath the ocean for centuries, only to rise in perfect condition the moment it was disturbed. No creaking timbers. No rusted chains. Just precision—refined, enduring, and terrifyingly advanced.
Even with doubts gnawing at the back of his mind, Buggy stepped forward and said clearly, "Start authentication."
Zzzzt.
A column of pale blue light shot from the upper cabin, scanning down across him. The crew turned sharply, weapons half-raised, instincts flaring—until they realized what it was.
They'd seen this kind of tech before.
"Holographic projection...?" Buggy murmured, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Vegapunk's eyes widened in sudden realization. "Impossible," he breathed, almost to himself. "That's... my holographic tech. But—no—this is older. More refined."
He pressed a hand to his chin, his mind whirring with possibilities. "Could it be...? This kind of technology existed over eight hundred years ago?"
A deep breath escaped him as he processed the enormity of the revelation. "If the Ancient Kingdom had this kind of power, how could they have lost it? How could they fall to the Twenty Kingdoms, no matter how many kings allied themselves with the Celestial Dragons?"
Ding-dong!
"Iris authentication complete. Welcome, Commander of [Pluton—Pluto]."
Ding-dong!
"You may now issue vocal commands or assign subordinate permissions. Would you like a full tour of the vessel?"
"Artificial intelligence..." Vegapunk muttered under his breath, his voice barely a whisper. The rest of his clones—Caesar, Pythagoras, and the others—repeated the words in unison, their expressions somewhere between reverence and terror.
"The Ancient Kingdom's science was this advanced?" Pythagoras asked, his usually analytical tone now laced with awe, his hands trembling ever so slightly as he adjusted his glasses.
"Incredible..." Vegapunk whispered again, his gaze fixated on the projection, the scientific marvel in front of him. His mind was racing, trying to absorb the magnitude of what he was witnessing.
"But then… why did it vanish?" Caesar chimed in, crossing his arms and pacing as he always did when deep in thought. His normally sarcastic attitude was replaced with genuine concern, a rare sight for the usually dismissive scientist. "What could possibly erase such brilliance from the world stage?"
A heavy silence settled over the room, broken only by the hum of the technology. Each of the clones, except Lilith, exchanged uneasy glances.
"Unless..." Vegapunk murmured, his voice dropping to an almost conspiratorial whisper. "Someone wanted it erased."
The tension was palpable. The idea was so shocking, so sinister, that it lingered in the air like a suffocating fog. Buggy's crew exchanged nervous glances. They had never seen Vegapunk so shaken—this was a man whose very existence seemed to be defined by unwavering confidence.
"Wait... this kind of tech was around eight hundred years ago?" Enel asked, their voice filled with disbelief.
"Yes," Vegapunk responded, now fully immersed in his thoughts. His gaze was distant, his usual flair for explanation replaced with quiet awe. "If this is indeed a holographic projection, then this... this was no mere ship or machine. This was something far beyond what we can imagine."
"You saw it scan Buggy-sama's eye!" Kalifa exclaimed. "That thing talked!"
"A talking ship?" Gabban raised an eyebrow, incredulity evident in his voice. "Is it a ship spirit?"
"Idiot," Caesar interrupted with a roll of his eyes, his voice sharp despite the gravity of the situation. "It's not a spirit. It's more likely the kind of artificial intelligence I've been rambling about for years."
Pythagoras nodded in agreement, adding, "Exactly. This technology... it would be far too sophisticated for a mere 'spirit.'"
"Either way…" Gabban's voice dropped, now filled with a sense of dread. "This changes everything. We're seeing just the tip of what the Ancient Kingdom was capable of."
The crew stood in stunned silence for a moment, each of them processing the enormity of what they were facing.
"Yeah..." Doringo muttered, his eyes wide as he looked at the golden light. "It makes you wonder… what kind of monster could destroy a place that built this?"
Vegapunk stood still, lost in thought. His mind was reeling, but his expression remained unreadable. "Whatever it was," he finally said, his voice tinged with a mix of dread and fascination, "it was powerful enough to erase the history of a civilization that could do this."
As murmurs and excitement swept through the crew, Buggy remained still, absorbing it all. Artificial intelligence... In his past life, A.I. was just beginning to become useful. But even the best systems then couldn't compare to this.
He folded his arms, looking up at the sleek interior with something he rarely felt: humility.
"Alright, Pluto," he said at last, voice calm but commanding. "Show us around."
"Affirmative."
The voice echoed through the speaker system.
And then the entire ship stirred.
Panels slid open. Lights are activated in perfect synchronicity. The inner walls glided apart with quiet, precise movements, revealing hidden corridors and chambers. What lay within wasn't built like a ship—it was designed like a floating city. Every surface gleamed with unnatural smoothness, every corner guided by logic far beyond modern naval architecture.
The crew stared in stunned silence.
And for once, even Buggy couldn't come up with a punchline.
Zzzila!
A sudden beam of blue light shot down from above, shimmering in midair before forming into a fully projected figure.
Buggy blinked. "Wait… what the hell am I looking at?"
Standing before them was a girl—no, a hologram—dressed in a black and white maid uniform. She had soft, off-white hair with two neat green streaks on either side of her face. Perched atop her head was a cat-eared headdress, absurdly cute and equally bizarre for something associated with a legendary warship.
But the real kicker? The voice that had echoed across the ship earlier—elegant, mature, refined—had now been replaced by a younger, cheerful tone.
Buggy squinted. "I… I thought you were some kind of goddess of destruction, not a walking, talking… maid mascot?"
The holographic girl tilted her head, then gave a crisp curtsy. "Yes, Captain Buggy. That was me. My current form is simply my chosen visual interface. I can adopt others if you'd prefer a different aesthetic."
Behind Buggy, his crew was losing their collective minds.
Hancock smirked, a gleam of unexpected affection in her eyes. "She's adorable!" she said with a soft laugh, her usual pride giving way to a rare, gentle side as she observed the small holographic figure. "I thought Pluton would be something much more intimidating... but this, it's... strangely charming."
S. Snake folded her arms, eyes narrowing slightly as she observed the situation. "Is this really Pluton?" she asked, skepticism in her voice. "I expected something far more terrifying, not... this thing that's so... harmless." There was a touch of disdain in her tone, as if she wasn't fully impressed.
Shirahoshi, ever the innocent and kind-hearted princess, gasped in wonder, her large eyes sparkling with awe. "I was sure it was going to be some scary ship spirit thing—not... this!" she exclaimed, her voice full of surprise and gentle disbelief. "She's so... sweet and gentle! This is nothing like what I imagined."
The girl nodded politely to the gathered pirates. "Greetings, all. I am [Pluton—Pluto], the primary intelligence core of this vessel. It was Master Buggy's planetary-level energy spike that reactivated my core systems. I look forward to serving you."
"P-Planetary-level… what now?" Buggy blinked again, his face twitching. "You sure you've got the right guy?"
She floated gently to his side, continuing cheerfully. "You were the first to board the vessel after the activation threshold was reached. Your energy signature exceeded command-level requirements. Thus, you are recognized as my Master."
Buggy puffed up slightly. "Huh. Well, of course I am."
He leaned sideways and muttered under his breath, "Still wish you looked a bit more intimidating. Kinda hard to look cool when my ancient superweapon is a moe maid."
But for now, he let it slide. There were more important things to focus on, like what this ship was.
Pluto gestured toward the hallway. "Allow me to give you all a guided tour."
The pirates followed with slack jaws and wide eyes as the AI glided ahead. She narrated as they walked, her tone informative and gentle.
"The first level contains most of the ship's entertainment and civilian amenities. You'll find restaurants, relaxation chambers, shower and bathing rooms, game halls, and a heated swimming pool—complete with a retractable skylight."
Doringo raised an eyebrow. "A pool?!"
Crocodile smirked. "Does it come with cocktails?"
Scopper Gaban grinned. "More importantly, is the food good?!"
Pluto smiled. "Nutritional synthesis chambers are currently inactive, but the kitchen facilities are fully operational. I trust your crew's culinary staff can manage."
They continued up a set of stairs—or, more accurately, rode a rising platform embedded in the floor.
"There's an elevator?" Buggy gawked.
"This ship predates modern elevator systems by at least eight hundred years," Vegapunk muttered from behind, eyes wide with scientific awe. "And it's still superior in design..."
Pluto continued without pause. "The second level contains the primary control center. At the fore is the command bridge for navigation and battle coordination. The midsection includes rest areas for the operators, and the rear holds strategic planning chambers and crew bunking quarters."
"And the top?" Buggy asked, tapping the platform rail as they ascended.
"The third level is the captain's quarters. Spacious. Secure. Includes a personal library, an observation deck, and several auxiliary rooms for private storage or guests."
Buggy smirked. "Now that's what I'm talkin' about."
The tour wasn't done yet.
A faint ding sounded, and the platform began to descend instead.
"Wait… you've got a basement too?"
"Indeed," Pluto replied. "Pluton's lower decks are reinforced for engineering and storage functions. There are multiple armament bays, maintenance corridors, and a cryo-stasis vault that remains sealed."
"Cryo what?"
"You need not worry for now. We can initiate diagnostics once the core systems are fully operational."
Buggy scratched his head, grinning in disbelief. "This just keeps getting better. I don't know how this thing was buried under the sea for eight centuries—but I'm glad I found it."
Behind him, the crew cheered, their laughter echoing off the polished walls.
No one knew what kind of future Pluton would bring. But one thing was clear—
The age of pirates just got a whole lot more interesting.
The negative deck—as Pluto called it—was the armament layer.
It housed an array of cutting-edge energy weapons, most of which ran on a baffling yet brilliant system: seawater intake conversion. This single technology powered multiple ship functions—converting seawater into energy, purifying it into fresh water, and even weaponizing it into devastating hydraulic cannons capable of punching holes through steel hulls.
Vegapunk, ever the mad scientist, was practically vibrating with excitement. His eyes darted between the weapon panels, control nodes, and reactor vents like a child set loose in a forbidden candy store.
"Amazing…! Converting ionic salinity into a kinetic charge grid... this shouldn't be possible! And yet—!" he whispered, more to himself than anyone else.
In stark contrast, the rest of the Buggy Pirates were completely overwhelmed.
"Oh crap. Which button doesn't destroy an island?" Kalifa muttered, sweating bullets.
Buggy just stared, equal parts horrified and amazed. "It's like putting a hand grenade in a clown's dressing room... and giving it a personality."
Still, after nearly two hours of exploring the vast ship, Buggy found himself grinning. This wasn't just a vessel—it was a statement. A ship worthy of the new Pirate King.
"Now this," he said proudly, hands on his hips, "is what real pirate royalty sails on!"
Operation-wise, Pluto had made everything idiot-proof—fortunately, a necessity for the crew.
Even without advanced training, Buggy only needed to issue simple verbal commands. For more complex navigation, Pluto would handle it all herself. Autonomous sailing, cooking, maintenance, even battle management—Pluto was a fully self-contained marvel of ancient design.
And for once, Buggy was thoroughly satisfied. "Finally," he muttered, "something that listens to me."
After a short rest, the crew departed the Crimson Empire at precisely four o'clock the next morning, charting a course straight for their final destination: Raftel.
As the sea voyage began, Pluto stunned them once more. Her cruising speed left Marine battleships in the dust—dozens of times faster than the world's fastest naval vessels.
No sails. No manpower. No wind is required.
Bullet scowled, "Just the infinite, ever-churning power of the ocean turned into raw propulsion."
Doringo chuckled, "Do we even need a crew?"
Crocodile smirked. "Hey! Watch it!"
Sunbell grinned, "Speak for yourself! Pluto cooks, remember?!"
For the rest of the day, the Buggy Pirates were giddy with joy, poking around every corridor, every chamber, and occasionally pressing buttons they definitely shouldn't be touching.
They sailed through the day and night, crossing miles of ocean in record time.
And then, finally, they arrived.
The sea ahead matched the coordinates on the four Road Poneglyphs. Pluto's systems confirmed it with a gentle chime.
Everyone gathered on the main deck, hearts pounding, eyes wide.
Buggy stood at the prow, hands shielding his eyes as he scanned the waters.
Nothing.
Just an endless stretch of calm blue, sparkling gently beneath the morning sun.
No cliffs. No islands. No telltale landmarks. Just water.
Lucci raised an eyebrow, his usual stoic demeanor giving way to mild curiosity. "Huh. This is the legendary Raftel? Not what I expected."
Kaku scratched his head in confusion. "Kinda expected more bang for the final island. Maybe a giant gate or some massive sea king looming in the distance."
Blueno, ever the calm one, looked around. "No skull-shaped rock? No ominous fog? This is just... empty."
Kalifa, adjusting her glasses, gave them all a bemused look. "Perhaps it's just a test. Knowing the Pirate King's personality, there's bound to be something hidden here."
Buggy furrowed his brow. "Tch. Told ya. You can't just see Raftel. It's hidden. Cloaked. Maybe even submerged."
Sure enough, the map said they were exactly where they were supposed to be—yet there was nothing but open sea.
Still, there was a strange quietness to the place. The sunlight shimmered like gold coins scattered across the surface, and an eerie, reverent stillness hung in the air. It didn't feel empty—it felt… expectant.
Buggy raised a hand. "Alright. Back to the lobby. Pluto—prepare for submersion."
"Understood, Captain," Pluto's voice rang out, calm and cheerful.
The crew filed back into the ship. Once everyone was inside, the lobby lights dimmed slightly.
Zzzzt!
From above, panels of dark, obsidian-like material slid down over every window, sealing them with a soft hiss. The doors followed suit.
The crew flinched—until they realized something strange.
Despite being surrounded by solid black glass, they could still see the ocean outside perfectly. The tint didn't obscure their view—it enhanced it.
Shirahoshi's eyes widened as she peered through the protective barrier. "Woah…" she whispered, her voice full of awe, the enormity of the technology overwhelming her.
S-Snake hissed softly, her eyes narrowing in curiosity. "Can they see us from outside?" she asked, clearly unnerved by the thought.
"Nope," Vegapunk murmured, eyes gleaming with interest. "One-way photonic lamination… This tech predates anything the World Government ever developed."
Buggy whistled low, arms crossed as he stared out into the deepening blue.
"All right, Raftel," he said under his breath. "Let's see what secrets you've been hiding."
And with that, Pluto began her descent—quiet as a shadow, steady as destiny.
For the past two days, Vegapunk had been buried in Pluto's technological systems, obsessively dissecting its inner workings almost without sleep.
He moved from panel to core, from energy conduits to internal AI, muttering like a man possessed. Finally, on the morning of the third day, he stepped back with a manic grin and declared:
"If I unravel all of Pluton's technology, I swear my head might expand twelve more times!"
He cackled, rubbing his temples, which already felt too heavy with ideas. Fortunately, he wasn't too concerned about that anymore. After all, what safer place in the world existed now than Onigashima, stronghold of the Buggy Pirates?
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
A low rumble pulsed through the ship's hull.
Inside the control chamber, the screens flickered to life. Everyone gathered as the massive black silhouette of Pluton began to descend into the ocean, each vibration accompanied by the gentle hum of submersion engines. In just under a minute, they were completely beneath the waves.
The black-glass windows of the command lobby, now acting as advanced optical lenses, adjusted seamlessly to the new pressure and light. And then—like a curtain rising—the underwater world unveiled itself before them.
Bioluminescent sea flora drifted lazily across coral ridges, and bizarre fish darted through the beams of Pluton's ambient lights. It was otherworldly. Beautiful. Untouched.
Buggy stepped forward toward the central screen. His face, usually so animated with clownish bravado, was now set with a rare seriousness. His Observation Haki pulsed outward. Something below had caught his attention.
"There," he said, pointing toward a deep, jagged trench ahead.
Everyone turned.
A faint but unmistakable golden glow was seeping upward from the depths of that trench—brilliant against the cold blue sea.
"Pluto, head for that trench," Buggy ordered without hesitation.
"Understood," the ship replied with her usual, cheerful tone.
The hull shifted with mechanical grace, altering course. The great battleship angled downward and surged toward the light.
Gabban, Bullet, Doringo, and Sunbell—veterans of the sea, legends in their own right—finally exhaled. They hadn't said much until now.
Buggy looked over and chuckled. "What's wrong? Nervous about visiting the old neighborhood?"
Gabban gave a rueful smile. "Not exactly. It's just... back then, we made a promise to Captain Roger. Once we leave this place, we'd never reveal Raftel's location—not unless someone managed to find it on their own."
Buggy nodded with a small smile of his own. "Yeah. I figured. That's why I never asked."
He looked toward Gabban, eyes gleaming with a rare glimmer of respect.
"With your skill in navigation, even visiting once would've been enough to chart a return course. If I had asked, you could've drawn a perfect route. But I didn't."
Gabban blinked in surprise—then laughed. "Hah! You're sharper than you let on, Buggy. Thanks for that. If you had asked me... I honestly don't know what I would've done."
Doringo shrugged and added, "I always knew Buggy wasn't the kind of guy to put his friends in that kind of spot. I wasn't worried."
He gazed out at the trench as it grew closer.
"Still, being here again… it feels strange. Everything's changed. The world, the seas… but this place—it hasn't."
Sunbell nodded solemnly. "There's no right or wrong out here. Just choices. And we chose to keep a secret."
Bullet said nothing, but the clenched fists at his sides spoke volumes. He, too, was feeling something he couldn't quite put into words as he stared at the glowing light.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Pluton picked up speed, cutting through the dark water like a blade. As they neared the trench, the source of the golden glow came into view.
A vast crevice stretched nearly two or three kilometers across. Its sheer size was staggering. But what caught their attention most was the mountain nestled within it—jet-black and immense.
And beneath that mountain—tucked into its base like a secret—was the light.
A golden radiance poured from a massive opening carved into the rock. It wasn't natural.
The shape, the symmetry, the structure—it was unmistakably artificial. A port. A shipyard. A gateway.
"There…" Buggy whispered.
Everyone stood in stunned silence.
What they were looking at wasn't just the entrance to an underwater cavern.
It was the threshold of legend.
And behind it… was Raftel.
Buggy raised his hand, pointing toward the golden-lit cavern ahead.
"Pluton, take us inside!"
"Aye aye, captain!" came the bright, cheerful voice of the ship's AI.
With a low rumble, Pluton's hull vibrated as the colossal vessel advanced toward the glowing entrance. The sheer size of the opening could easily swallow a Marine battleship whole. The moment Pluton crossed the threshold, the interior revealed itself—ancient, hauntingly still, and far more surreal than any of them expected.
Everyone crowded near the observation windows, gazing out at the illuminated walls of the passage. Though the structure was forged of ancient stone, it had been meticulously lined with luminescent night pearls. They bathed the corridor in a soft, white glow that reflected off the gilded inlays along the walls—thick veins of high-purity gold embedded with purpose and precision.
But that wasn't what caught their breath.
It was the light.
The radiant, golden shimmer that danced along the corridor wasn't just from reflected metal. No—somehow, the very gold itself shimmered with a protective energy. Buggy narrowed his eyes and muttered, "This isn't just a shine… It's some kind of barrier."
He wasn't wrong. The golden gleam acted as a shield, keeping seawater from flooding into the cavern despite its depth. It was like a divine film—a membrane of gold light separating them from the crushing pressure of the sea.
Once Pluton settled into the dock, the outer hatch creaked open. Everyone emerged, enclosed in protective bubbles as standard underwater protocol dictated. But the second they stepped out…
They stopped in their tracks.
There was no seawater. No crushing pressure. No dim, deep-sea gloom. Instead, the world around them was bathed in warm light. Golden light. As if the sun had risen beneath the ocean floor.
Gold. As far as the eye could see.
Columns, pathways, arches—every inch of the massive subterranean port shimmered with the sheen of untouched treasure. The mooring area alone stretched two kilometers, its walls stacked with neatly cut gold blocks the size of cannonballs. Forward of the dock, the entire infrastructure of what could only be described as a royal harbor was crafted from the highest grade of gold they'd ever seen.
Even Buggy, who'd once hoarded an entire mountain of gold in his treasure vault, stood frozen.
He let out a long breath, awe blooming across his painted face.
"…Now I get it."
Gabban glanced over. "Get what?"
Buggy smiled slowly, eyes fixed on the radiant path ahead. "Why do they say One Piece is the treasure that could buy the whole world. This… this is that."
A beat of silence passed through the group. Even hardened pirates like Doringo and Sunbell were speechless.
Bullet crossed his arms, staring ahead with quiet intensity. "This isn't just wealth," he said. "It's forgotten history."
"And it's only the entrance," Buggy added.
He stepped forward, leading the crew deeper into the cavern. The golden hall narrowed, and soon they entered an even larger chamber. The air inside seemed charged with something ancient—something sacred.
And then they saw it.
The walls.
All four of them.
Embedded in the shimmering gold were thousands of stone tablets. Massive, deep-blue blocks etched in a language only a handful alive could read—Poneglyphs.
Densely packed. Perfectly arranged. Undisturbed.
Gabban inhaled sharply. "They're all here…"
Buggy's voice was barely a whisper. "The entire history of the world…"
They hadn't just stumbled into the world's greatest treasure trove.
They had entered the final archive of the Void Century itself.
Raftel.
---
Enjoyed the chapter?
Dive into the Climax of the One Piece World 8 chapters ahead and gain exclusive access to even more thrilling content at P*treon.c*m/Marioni! With over 128 chapters of exclusive material, there's a vast world waiting for you to explore!