Chapter 10: The Sea of Secrets
The island was a remote, jungle-covered place, a silent, mysterious thing that hummed with a strange, ancient energy. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and rotting leaves. The crew, now a little more somber after the battle, stepped onto the land. They found a clearing, a silent, peaceful place with a series of massive, ancient Poneglyphs. The stones, which were covered in moss and ancient symbols, hummed with a strange, ethereal energy.
"They're… so hungry. They want me to eat them. To remember."
Prince said, his voice a strange, hollow echo. He was drawn to one of the stones, his hands reaching out to touch it, a strange, yearning look on his face. Sanji, with a confused look, looked at him.
"Prince… what are you talking about? They're just stones."
He's not crazy. He's not crazy at all. He's connected to them. To the memories. To the past. His Gomu Gomu no Mi… it's not just a fighting ability. It's a key. A key to the past. He's a bridge between the present and the past. And I'm going to use that to my advantage.
Prince attempted to eat a piece of a Poneglyph, but he ended up just biting his own hand, with a look of pure shock on his face. The crew, despite the seriousness of the situation, let out a round of quiet chuckles.
[SYSTEM: LORE INSIGHT - PONEGLYPHS ARE SENTIENT. SUGGEST USING GEAS TO COMMUNICATE.]
The Poneglyphs, sensing Prince's presence, began to whisper, a strange, hollow sound that echoed in the clearing. A series of riddles appeared on the stones, a challenge to the crew.
The riddles were not logical puzzles. They were emotional ones. A riddle of pain, a riddle of loss, a riddle of a past that had been forgotten. The crew, who were more suited to a fight than a riddle, were at a loss. Kuro, who was standing in the shadows, watched them with a patient, knowing look. He had to use his strategic mind. He had to use his shadows. He had to use his vows.
"To remember the past is to live with the pain. Do you accept this vow?"
A voice from the Poneglyphs, a chorus of echoes, asked. It was a test. A test of their resolve. A test of their hearts.
"We do. We won't run from the truth. We will carry it."
Kuro said, his voice firm and resolute. He used a Vow Activation to propose a vow to the Poneglyphs: "We will remember what you tell us and not forget." He was not just a strategist. He was a keeper of memories. He was a living Poneglyph. He was a testament to the past.
This is it. This is not just a game. This is a mission. A mission to remember. A mission to fight. A mission to save the world. I'm not just a transmigrator. I'm a hero. I'm a protagonist. And I'm going to fulfill my role.
The Poneglyphs accepted the vow, and a wave of memories and knowledge washed over Prince, who, to everyone's surprise, began to speak of the Great Kingdom.
The clearing, once a place of secrets, was now a place of revelation. Prince, his voice full of a strange, ancient sadness, spoke of the ancient Great Kingdom and its fall. He spoke of a kingdom of joy. A kingdom of freedom. And he spoke of the 20 Kings, and their leader, a shadow named Imu.
"It was a kingdom of joy. A kingdom of freedom. And they took it all away."
Prince said, his voice full of sadness. He spoke of Imu, a powerful Witch fruit user, a shadow that sought to destroy the very idea of joy. Kuro, his eyes narrowed in thought, looked at the Poneglyphs. He was a man of shadows. He was a master of darkness. And now, he had a purpose.
"So… our enemy is not a king. It's a witch. A shadow that seeks to destroy the very idea of joy."
He said, his eyes narrowed in thought. He had found his purpose. He had found his enemy. He had found his war. He was ready.
[SYSTEM: PROGRESSION - LEVEL 7, 64 VOWS. ABILITY: ALLIANCE FORGE UNLOCKED.]
With the new knowledge, the crew set their course for a new island, a place where they could find allies to fight against the 20 Kings.