Chapter 173: The Golden Bell
Upon hearing Rhodes's words, Wyper suddenly wondered if this Blue Sea dweller knew where Shandora was located.
The thought seized him, and he spoke with immense excitement:
"You... you know where it is?"
"Yes."
Rhodes nodded slightly, slowly ascending into the air and gesturing for Enel to follow.
Enel had no choice but to comply.
"Gold! Treasure!"
Nami, Luffy, and the others cried out, but they couldn't fly and could only climb the vines.
Following Rhodes, they scaled the massive vine and headed higher into the island clouds.
As they passed through the cloud layer and reached higher ground, everyone was captivated by the sight before them.
The island cloud wasn't large—only a few dozen meters in radius.
At its center stood a magnificent golden bell.
The patterns and ancient inscriptions on the bell's surface spoke of profound antiquity and timelessness.
Even Rhodes couldn't help but marvel at it.
By this time, Wyper was already trembling, speechless, looking at Rhodes with a pleading gaze.
Rhodes nodded slightly.
Wyper, instantly overcome with emotion, first performed a solemn bow toward Rhodes, then stomped his foot and roared:
"Calgara!!!!"
Finally, he struck the golden bell with a powerful blow.
DONG!
The melodious bell tone rippled outward—a sound that embodied four hundred years of the Shandian people's perseverance and dedication, possessing a soul-cleansing power that moved everyone present.
The other Shandians, already kneeling on the ground, wept openly at the sound.
"Who is Calgara?"
Even Enel was moved. He'd always considered them mere insects that could be eliminated with a single divine judgment, yet now they'd achieved such a feat.
"A great Shandian warrior from four hundred years ago—roughly their spiritual leader."
Rhodes glanced at him.
"You won't kill me, and you won't let me escape. Are you trying to make me your subordinate?"
Enel looked at Rhodes, his tone carrying an indescribable meaning.
After calming down, he'd already sensed Rhodes's intentions.
"More or less."
Rhodes spoke bluntly:
"But your abilities are too troublesome. I won't grant you freedom until I have sufficient means to restrain you."
"Troublesome, huh..."
Enel chuckled bitterly, his heart relaxing. His arrogance and pride stemmed from power—he wasn't opposed to submitting to someone stronger.
Meanwhile, Wyper's fists had become bloodied and swollen. Finally unable to strike anymore, he collapsed to the ground, sobbing.
Gan Fall witnessed this scene with deep emotion. He approached and spoke earnestly for a while. The two leaders signed a peace agreement, ending the four-hundred-year war.
Chopper hurried over to treat Wyper's injuries.
Rhodes brought Robin to the Golden Bell to interpret the Poneglyph embedded within.
"This records... an Ancient Weapon bearing a god's name, the location of Poseidon..."
Robin paused briefly, then heard Rhodes continue:
"It points to the intersection of the Grand Line and the Red Line, to Fish-Man Island, deep beneath the sea."
Hearing Rhodes's words, Robin couldn't help but blink.
She'd paused not from hesitation to speak, but simply because she wasn't deciphering the Poneglyph fast enough.
Unexpectedly, Rhodes had deciphered it before her.
While the phrasing was slightly different, the general meaning remained identical.
Is this really an Ohara survivor?
A strange feeling welled up in Robin as she looked at Rhodes with an inexplicable expression.
Rhodes smiled faintly, then pointed to another inscription and said:
"Look here."
Startled, Robin followed his direction and unconsciously translated:
"I came here, carrying this text to the furthest end... Gol D. Roger!"
Pirate King Roger!
He'd been to Skypiea? Why would he write this...
"Roger? He came here over twenty years ago, if I recall correctly."
Gan Fall immediately spoke upon hearing that familiar name.
Luffy and the others rushed over excitedly, all attracted by the title of Pirate King.
"Ohara's scholars aren't the only ones capable of reading Poneglyphs. All the secrets and answers to the Void Century's mysteries were obtained by Roger and left on the final island, Laugh Tale," Rhodes said calmly.
Luffy and the others listened with rapt attention, visibly excited.
Robin couldn't help but wonder: Could it be that Rhodes has been to Laugh Tale? The thought only made her boss seem even more mysterious.
Rhodes smiled faintly and said no more.
After that, things proceeded smoothly.
The Shandians, their ancestral wish fulfilled, reconciled with the Angel Island residents led by Gan Fall, and all acknowledged Rhodes's authority.
Rhodes led the Straw Hat Pirates to the Golden City of Shandora. After a thorough search, they recovered a vastly greater amount of gold than the Straw Hat Pirates claimed in the original timeline.
According to Nami's estimate, it was worth nearly 10 billion Berry—even accounting for the depreciation of pure gold due to market fluctuations.
Needless to say, 10 billion Berry was an astronomical sum for anyone.
When Doflamingo had targeted Rhodes, the highest bounty offered—causing a sensation throughout the entire underworld—had been a mere 10 billion.
"Rhodes-niisan..."
Nami, after finishing her calculations, seemed completely dazed, her arms swaying continuously, a charming blush spreading across her delicate face.
Rhodes couldn't help but laugh. He wasn't stingy, after all.
It was a windfall, and the Straw Hat Pirates had contributed significantly during the excavation. He gave a small portion of the gold to Nami, who was so delighted she embraced Rhodes with an enthusiastic kiss.
"Boss, you're so generous!"
Robin smiled, though a hint of danger flickered in her beautiful eyes.
He was generous, but in the end, it would be her—the secretary—who'd have to handle the aftermath.
Rhodes's expression remained unchanged as he said casually:
"Skypiea is a vast treasure trove. These special Dials will definitely fetch high prices at auction."
"But have you considered how to transport them? I wouldn't mind if you handled it yourself," Robin said pointedly.
"I've already thought of something."
Despite his secretary's sharp tone, Rhodes didn't directly explain the solution. Instead, he urged Enel to perform hard labor, having him melt all the plundered gold into standardized ingots.
"@#¥%... Blue Sea bastards..."
Enel cursed internally. He was a god, after all! How could he do such menial labor!
Even if he got beaten by this demon today, got a concussion, and was pummeled until he couldn't recognize his own mother, he would never do manual labor!
Then, at Rhodes's single glance, he obediently took up the very promising profession of metalworker.
Watching Enel manipulate lightning to smelt gold, Zoro and Sanji couldn't help but look serious, realizing they'd somewhat underestimated this so-called god.
At the same time, they gained a deeper understanding of Rhodes's overwhelming strength.
The gold was quickly processed and distributed.
The Straw Hat Pirates spent some additional time on Angel Island before bidding farewell to Rhodes and the others, continuing their journey.
Meanwhile, Rhodes began attempting to construct a permanent spatial gate.
(End of Chapter)
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