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Sky Island, at the highest point of the giant beanstalk.
"I didn't expect to find a poneglyph here," Robin followed Ikki excitedly.
Before them stood the magnificent Golden City and the poneglyph stored beneath the Golden Bell.
"Although it is a poneglyph, it might not be what you're looking for," Ikki said with a wave of his hand.
"Not what I want?" Robin looked at his back in confusion.
"That's right. After all, this poneglyph also describes an Ancient Weapon. Having seen the one buried deep beneath Alabasta Palace, you should understand what I mean," Ikki glanced at the stone, then looked at the massive golden bell. With a smile, he leaped up and struck it with his fist.
Now that they were here, Ikki didn't mind letting the golden bell's sound ring throughout Sky Island and even reach the Blue Sea below.
When the Shandians rushing toward them heard the bell, they stopped in disbelief, looking toward its source.
At the same time, a giant python that had been sleeping like a hill suddenly raised its head at the sound. After shaking excitedly, it began slithering quickly toward the golden bell.
"Ancient Weapon... Poseidon!" Robin shook her head as Ikki landed beside her. "You were right, Ikki."
Though the bell's sound was beautiful, it couldn't hide her disappointment. A poneglyph recording information about an Ancient Weapon wasn't what she had hoped to find.
"Don't be so disappointed. Look at this," Ikki patted Robin's shoulder and pointed to a golden platform to the right of the poneglyph.
"This is... ancient writing?" Robin gasped in surprise at the golden characters inscribed on the platform.
"Gol D. Roger has been here," Ikki said with a smile, leaning against the golden platform. "He left directions to their final destination."
Robin's eyes quickly scanned the ancient characters, her expression growing more amazed.
"Could it be... directions to the final island, Laugh Tale? So as long as we reach the final island, we can learn about the Void Century? But why did Gol D. Roger use the ancient script?"
"He didn't carve it himself," Ikki explained. "One of his crewmates did—a warrior from Wano who knew the ancient writing. After all, his people were among those who created the poneglyphs."
"Ikki... how do you know so many details?" Robin turned to stare intently into his eyes. "Just knowing the monument's location is surprising enough. How do you know about Gol D. Roger's message and that he had a samurai who could write in the ancient language? Did you sail with Roger?"
"Do I look old enough to have sailed with Roger?" Ikki chuckled.
"Indeed, you're too young to have been part of Roger's crew. Are you perhaps related to Roger? His son?"
"Stop guessing. My name isn't Gol D. Ikki. As for how I know these things, let's just say my intelligence network is ridiculously good."
Ikki looked ahead where the giant python had arrived. It ignored Ikki and Robin, throwing itself down before the still-ringing golden bell and making low rumbling sounds.
Robin glanced at the giant python without much concern, then walked back to Ikki.
"So, Ikki, will you go to Laugh Tale?" she asked.
"Laugh Tale? Of course I want to go," Ikki replied, noticing Robin's quiet, expectant expression. "After all, who am I to refuse when I have a partner so curious about ancient history?"
Hearing this, Robin's lips curved upward slightly.
"Thank you, Ikki."
"If you really want to thank me, you could..."
"Wear a nurse's uniform next time and let you sketch me?" Robin teased.
"That's not what I meant. I was going to say you should train hard for the battles ahead." Ikki said.
"I'll train, of course, but the uniform... aren't you interested?" Robin smiled.
"Ahem, that would be fine too," Ikki coughed, shaking his head as he walked toward the giant python known as the Master of the Sky.
"Hey, python, let us inside your belly," Ikki said, patting its massive body. "I need the gold inside you. Consider it payment for letting you hear the bell you love so much. What do you say?"
"Ikki, does it understand what you're saying?" Robin asked curiously. "And how do you know there's gold in its stomach? Can your Observation Haki detect gold?"
With Ikki beside her, she wasn't worried about any threat the python might pose.
"Transparent World lets me see through bodies directly to what's inside," Ikki explained, turning to Robin with unusually bright eyes, clearly using the ability at that moment. "My eyes can see the large amount of gold in its belly."
He wasn't lying—he had used Transparent World to confirm the gold inside the python before asking to enter its body.
"Transparent World? So you can see through my clothes too?" Robin laughed.
Having read the "Demon Slayer" material Ikki had shared, she knew what Transparent World was. She was teasing him, knowing the ability could see skeletons but not necessarily complete bodies beneath clothing.
"Well, you do have a good figure, Robin," Ikki replied with a smirk and a thumbs up.
"I should charge you Berries for that comment, according to Nami's rules."
"You care about that too?"
Ikki shook his head, looking up at the Master of the Sky as traces of Conqueror's Haki began flowing from him.
The giant python lowered its head and stared at Robin and Ikki, as if considering something. But after feeling Ikki's increasingly powerful Conqueror's Haki, it obediently bent down and opened its mouth.
Ikki, of course, stepped inside.
"I don't care about the Berries. You've already paid me enough," Robin said, following Ikki with a smile. Her heart was beating faster as she placed a hand on her chest.
In just a few days, she had seen three poneglyphs, including one with a message from Gol D. Roger himself. That was more than enough to make her grateful to Ikki.
"So, Ikki, how do we pack up all this gold and take it away? There seems to be too much treasure here."
"I'll open the gym door and store it all there," Ikki replied.
"Using the gym as a storage space? That's quite convenient."
As Ikki opened the door to the gym, Robin crossed her arms and used her Flower-Flower Fruit ability, sprouting multiple arms inside the python's belly to help collect the gold.
Meanwhile, at Mock Town...
A massive Marine warship docked at the coast.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru, please stay on the ship. I'll gather information about Ikki," Admiral Aokiji said, nodding to Tsuru before jumping onto the dock.
He walked toward the center of Mock Town, followed by several Marine soldiers who spread out in different directions to investigate Ikki's activities.