Chapter 363: Ancient Weapon Pluton! Time-Time Fruit
Wano Country, Hakumai.
As a large region in the northeast direction of the Flower Capital, Hakumai boasts one of the largest ports in all of Wano Country, "Habu Port".
Although it also borders the "Kibi" region where the Beasts Pirates' weapon factories are located, overall it can be considered the freest region in Wano Country.
A little-known fact is that—this is also a secret stronghold of the "Rebellion Army" in Wano Country.
"Hey, have you heard?"
At this moment, inside a hidden stronghold in the massive Habu Port.
A samurai was speaking in a low voice with his companion.
"What is it?"
Hearing this, the companion was also stunned.
"That thing—the rumor recently circulating in the Ringo and Kuri regions, about the 'Day of Liberation'..."
The samurai said in a low voice.
"You mean that, I did hear about it. Didn't the 'Ice Disaster' and 'Beast Disaster' even dispatch troops to investigate it—it's said they didn't find any results in the end."
What they were talking about right now was exactly a rumor widely circulating in Wano Country recently.
It is said that recently, in the major regions of Wano Country, even including the 'Flower Capital', someone had been distributing a specially made flyer, and a rumor had been widely circulating.
Recorded on the flyer was a day named the 'Day of Liberation', and it invited the resisters of this country to liberate this country together. Clearly, such content appearing in Wano Country was enough to trigger massive discussions.
After all, who the 'evil dragon' mentioned in this rumor was, was quite obvious within Wano Country.
And the people of this country had suffered under the 'evil dragon' for so long. Rumors like 'Nine Shadows Cast by the Moon' had been able to circulate in this country for decades without dying out, and to this day many samurai still believed in it, waiting for that destined rebellion to come.
This time, the rumor about the 'Day of Liberation', in the eyes of many, highly likely meant that the former Rebellion Army had already made preparations and was about to start that war.
To this end, the two newly appointed Beasts All-Stars, 'Ice Disaster' and 'Beast Disaster', had successively launched investigations recently.
But as a member of the Rebellion Army, the samurai among them clearly knew—that flyer and rumor had absolutely nothing to do with them.
"Do you think it could be the legendary Lord Momonosuke and the Akazaya Nine..."
At this moment, the samurai guessed in a low voice.
As long as they were members of the Rebellion Army, they actually somewhat knew that rumor—twenty years ago, Lord Momonosuke, the descendant of the 'Kozuki Clan', actually didn't die, but was protected by the Akazaya Nine and went to an unknown location.
It's said that when the time for rebellion arrives, they will return.
"Impossible, Lord Yasuie sent a message a few days ago, and didn't mention anything related—and if it really were Lord Momonosuke and Lord Kin'emon, they would definitely come looking for us directly."
The companion shook his head: "Perhaps it's another resistance organization, or maybe it's news intentionally spread by Kaido's side to probe us. Hm?"
While speaking up to this point, he suddenly let out a soft exclamation of surprise, his expression turning solemn abruptly.
"What's wrong!?"
Suddenly, the samurai's expression also turned solemn, and he immediately placed his hand on the hilt of the katana at his waist.
He turned his head to look, and then his expression froze.
He saw that right now, not far from them—a spark was slowly dimming.
And amidst the scattering sparks, a flyer was slowly falling.
[The next night of the full moon is the 'Day of Liberation']
[At that time, the evil dragon shall plummet from the sky, and Wano Country shall welcome liberation]
[Those who wish to witness the liberators, find an area to bury this flyer]
[Those who wish to liberate this country, come together to the Flower Capital]
Such content was written on the flyer.
The samurai and his companion looked at each other, their eyes full of astonishment.
"Let's go, report this immediately!"
They didn't notice that while they left in wooden clogs.
Just not far from them.
"The guys from The Zodiac have an overly wide intelligence network... to actually even know the strongholds of the Rebellion Army."
Flames were slowly converging into Ace's figure.
"Isn't that normal?"
Beside Ace, was Deuce who came here with him: "Didn't you say it before? The guys from The Zodiac even know the internal situation of the World Government... If you want to make an enemy of the world, not having well-informed intelligence won't do."
He waved the flyer in his hand: "But then again, even thinking about it now it feels absurd—to think there's a mastermind behind the World Government, and Kaido has actually cooperated with him or whatever..."
Although he had already heard the conversation between Rabbit and that Ice Disaster from Ace's mouth, Deuce still felt it somewhat hard to believe at this moment: "Ace, are you really sure what they said is true?"
After hearing Deuce's words, Ace's face was full of complex emotions.
Yes—the things Yamato and Rabbit talked about back then were undoubtedly completely unheard-of matters to him as well.
That wasn't even something an ordinary pirate like him should care about at all.
But, after that discussion ended, he learned the source of this intelligence from Yamato's mouth—the diary of a man named Kozuki Oden.
"He was a crew member of the Pirate King, who followed the Pirate King Roger to Laugh Tale and saw the truth of the world."
Yamato explained to him like this.
To Ace, that held special significance.
"That guy's crew member..."
As Roger's biological son, Ace deeply hated his father.
In his view, it was Roger abandoning his mother to pursue the so-called great treasure that ultimately led to his mother's tragic death. His sinful bloodline triggered the pursuit of the World Government, making Ace rejected by the world since childhood.
People cursed him for starting this chaotic Great Pirate Era, saying he was a demon who brought misfortune to the world.
And Ace, was the "mistake" who inherited that sinful bloodline.
Ace had always believed this.
But from Yamato's mouth, he heard another version of the story.
Although Yamato didn't tell him everything in the diary, Ace could at least understand one thing—Roger might be an irresponsible man seeking freedom, but he had also always been fighting against the 'world'.
His starting the Great Pirate Era was not to bring misfortune to this world.
On the contrary.
"Like Oden, he wanted to bring change and hope to the world—it's just that they both failed!"
That's what Yamato said.
Yes.
The opening of Wano Country, and the arrival of the Great Pirate Era—what Oden wanted to bring to Wano Country, and what Roger wanted to bring to the sea, had always been the same thing.
That was 'change' and 'freedom'.
It is something indispensable in that great war destined to come.
Thinking of this, Ace shook his head.
It was impossible for him to forgive Roger because of these reasons, but...
"It's true."
He already believed those things Yamato and Rabbit said.
And clearly.
Whether it was for his friends in Amigasa Village, or for that thought in his heart—in this matter, he would persevere to the end. "Let's go, to the next target point."
He said in a deep voice.
"Mm."
Although he couldn't completely understand Ace's thoughts, as his good friend, Deuce didn't ask any more questions, merely responding silently, and then looked down at the flyer in his hand.
Looking at the words "Day of Liberation" written on it, a bit of anticipation also seemed to flash in his eyes.
At the same time.
Flower Capital, Mount Fuji.
The so-called Mount Fuji is a massive mountain over a thousand meters above sea level located behind the Flower Capital.
It is the natural defensive barrier of the Flower Capital, and simultaneously the symbol of the Flower Capital—this mountain can be seen from anywhere in the Flower Capital. It is said that in the distant past, this was even the birthplace of Wano Country, so this place is also the ancestral land of the 'Kozuki Clan' that rules Wano Country. Of course today, this saying and rumor had been forgotten by most commoners of Wano Country.
In the years where most commoners found it difficult just to live, naturally they didn't have much time to look at this ancient mountain. But...
"Step!" "Step!"
Right now inside Mount Fuji, the massive doors of a deep, ancient cavern had already been opened.
Rabbit's figure was walking inside the cavern.
Inside the cavern, there was a deep staircase extending downwards, seemingly extending to an infinitely low place.
All around were hard mountain rocks, but after walking deeper, one could see 'observation windows' resembling glass beginning to appear in the mountain rocks. From the observation windows, one could see a massive, grand, ancient city.
That was the [Old Wano Country].
Yes—the ancient legends within Wano Country were not false.
The Wano Country existing today, its original location was exactly at the bottom of this 'Mount Fuji', only moving out in the distant past. The place where Wano Country was originally located was submerged and buried by water, becoming an abandoned part of history.
But now, Rabbit had arrived here.
"Hollowing out the entire inside of the mountain and then pouring in seawater to act as a barrier... the craftsmen of Wano Country are indeed skilled."
He sighed in admiration like this while arriving at the bottom of the entire cavern.
This place seemed to have been artificially sealed shut—but distinctly from the surrounding antiquity, the time this place was sealed shut was clearly not too long ago, at most just a few decades.
"Was it temporarily sealed shut by the Kozuki Clan after Kurozumi Orochi seized power back then?"
Rabbit muttered secretly.
But such insignificant details were not what he cared about.
He looked down at his feet—seemingly able to see the things beneath the giant stone blocking the path through the sealed dead end.
Whoosh!
Flames ignited.
The stone beneath his feet was incinerated in an instant, and Rabbit's body slowly fell downwards.
Until a moment later.
Splash!
He fell into the water.
Ancient seawater surrounded him, but clearly—the seawater couldn't block his path.
His eyes, burning with Phoenix flames and starlight, looked at the grand city below.
It had to be said, that city below was almost identical to the current "Flower Capital" of Wano Country.
Even that massive "Divine Sakura Tree" of the Flower Capital, an identical one could be seen here.
The only difference was.
In the Flower Capital, that Orochi Castle which originally should have belonged to the 'Shogun', was replaced by another thing here.
That was an extremely massive behemoth.
Its entire body was densely covered with fine moss and algae, as well as certain underwater plants emitting fluorescence and bearing fruits—ancient years had sealed it in dust here for eight hundred years.
But even so, Rabbit could still see the cold metallic texture coming from within the moss and algae, even seemingly able to feel the terrifying sense of oppression coming from inside that massive object.
Masts, decks, banners... that was a 'ship'.
A pitch-black, massive, ancient, magnificent giant ship resembling a giant mountain—although not comparable to the Aster, which was comparable to a continent, it was undoubtedly far beyond the level of Giant race ships.
Countless gun barrels extended from every corner of that ship. Especially right in the center of the hull, a massive giant cannon taking up almost half the hull was enough to leave one dumbfounded.
And the metal constructing that giant cannon, its texture was not unfamiliar to most people on the sea today who had seen the Revolutionary Army fight. That was "Pluto Alloy".
[Discovered Lineage Factor Creation]
[Wish; Destruction; Ancient Weapon; Pluton]
"Found it."
Looking at that massive warship, Rabbit wasn't surprised in his heart.
Or rather, what he saw right now was exactly the truth he had known for a long time.
At the bottom of Mount Fuji, in the place where Wano Country existed in the past, the greatest secret kept by the Kozuki Clan was hidden right here.
One of the Ancient Weapons, the worst warship in history, the "Pluton", said to be able to destroy a country with a single strike.
For Roy, who had now successively seen "Poseidon" and "Uranus" and taken them under his command, the surprise was only fleeting. He merely quickly wrapped himself in firelight and arrived in front of that massive ancient warship.
Without paying much attention to Pluton's exterior, he directly and familiarly arrived at a certain place on the deck.
Click!
He gently reached out and pulled, and a small passage hidden in a concealed place on the warship was opened.
The "Pluton Blueprints" obtained from Franky's body back in Water 7 came into play at this moment.
Rabbit knew that what he was opening right now was exactly the passage leading to the 'control room'.
Quickly, he took steps and walked into the passage.
But exactly at the first moment he stepped into the passage, his footsteps paused instantly.
The expression beneath the mask finally showed a hint of surprise at this moment.
Because right now, he clearly saw that on an underwater plant not far away, it was full of fruits emitting fluorescence.
However, compared to these sparkling fruits, Roy's attention steadily fell on another spot.
At the other end of the branch, in an extremely concealed corner, there was a fruit that didn't emit fluorescence, but instead showed spiral-like patterns. Yes.
On this warship that no one had set foot on for hundreds of years.
Unknown when it started, a Devil Fruit had actually grown.
[Discovered Devil Fruit "Time-Time Fruit"]
[Can be parsed after touching]
☆☆☆
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