Chapter 41: The True Treasure!
The Going Merry set sail, leaving Gold Island behind.
Lufia danced around Ralph, chattering excitedly as she recounted their astonishing discovery in the mountaintop cabin.
"Ralph! Ralph! You know what?"
Her eyes sparkled with the thrill of sharing a secret,
"Woonan, that legendary Great Gold Pirate, was actually an amaaaazing guy! He returned all the gold he'd stolen!"
Nearby, Nami was counting through a large bag—trophies she'd painstakingly gathered from Eldoraggo's ship.
"He was impressive, but also so foolish... The Golden King's treasure turned out to be a hoax!"
"But these solid treasures in my arms are real. Let's thank Eldoraggo for that!"
Usopp immediately joined as a witness, clearing his throat and striking a pose:
"Nami, you're wrong about that! In his final moments, Woonan achieved true enlightenment! What he sought wasn't cold gold—it was the adventure itself! The freedom and excitement of sailing uncharted waters! His legend is the treasure he left behind!"
Zoro leaned against the ship's rail with his swords, remaining silent but showing some agreement with this story about dreams.
Hopefully that swordsman who wielded his blade for money can rediscover his heart as a swordsman! That's the most precious treasure for any swordsman!
Ralph had already known how this would end.
But when Lufia recounted it, his expression still darkened uncontrollably.
It felt like heaven was deliberately mocking him.
Watching his companions each with their gains, Ralph felt bitterness well up inside. In the end, he still hadn't found the Goe Goe no Mi.
This intense sense of loss made him turn to Lufia beside him and ask a question:
"Lufia, if... I mean if... the ultimate treasure, the legendary One Piece, turns out to be empty like Woonan's treasure, or just some vague symbol... could you accept that?"
However, Lufia just looked at him strangely. "How could the great treasure be empty?"
Thinking she didn't understand his hypothesis, Ralph tried to explain more thoroughly: "I mean, maybe what Roger left behind wasn't mountains of gold and silver, but just an idea, a story waiting to be interpreted, or even..."
"Ralph, you're being so weird today!"
Lufia interrupted him, hands on her hips. Beneath her straw hat's brim, her large eyes were clear and held undeniable determination.
"Pirate King Roger placed the great treasure at the world's end! And we have to defeat many, many powerful enemies, experience countless incredible adventures before we can finally reach there! This entire process, this voyage embarked on for our dreams—isn't that the greatest treasure of all?"
She spread her arms wide, her smile so brilliant it could dispel all shadows, embracing the entire ocean and sky:
"No matter what's inside the box at Laugh Tale, we'll have achieved our dream of sailing around the world, and created unforgettable memories with our comrades! Isn't that the most perfect, most wonderful treasure?"
Ralph was stunned. Looking at Lufia's completely shadow-free smile, he found himself momentarily speechless.
Yeah, I should have thought of that earlier. Asking that question was really unnecessary.
He shook his head to himself, the lingering frustration from losing the Devil Fruit seeming to fade considerably in the face of such pure words.
Does One Piece need to be wealth that rivals nations? Does it need to be power that can destroy the world?
To Lufia, these things don't matter at all. Finding a group of like-minded companions, experiencing one thrilling adventure after another—when the journey reaches its end, the entire process itself is the most perfect treasure.
Just like Woonan, what he ultimately valued as his life wasn't any piece of gold, but that tattered yet incredibly resilient pirate flag symbolizing his friendship with Ganzo.
The truth told by Ganzo restored that heart-stopping moment:
When the two were hanging from a withered tree on the cliff with their lives on the line, it was that pirate flag caught on the branch that caught them.
And to prevent the pirate flag from tearing under their weight, Ganzo chose to let go and fall into the sea.
Perhaps it was from that moment that Woonan truly understood that this friendship, weightier than Jupiter, was the most precious treasure of his life, far surpassing all the gold in the world.
The great adventure on Gold Island thus came to an end.
For Lufia, she gained a perfect expedition full of surprises and emotions, learned the final resting place of a legendary pirate, and was completely satisfied.
For Usopp, he experienced real combat and successfully witnessed a legend, with his courage and bragging rights growing simultaneously.
For Zoro, he engaged in a duel with a lost swordsman, further tempering his own way of the sword.
For Nami, she successfully replenished her tangible little treasury from the villain's ship, bringing her one step closer to her dream of buying back Cocoyasi Village.
Only Ralph, with a wry smile on his face, leaned against the stern railing, watching the receding outline of Gold Island that eventually disappeared below the horizon, still mourning the lost Goe Goe no Mi in his heart.
Just then, Lufia bounced over and pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper from her straw hat.
"Here, Ralph!"
She pressed the paper into his hand as if presenting a treasure. "Uncle Ganzo asked me to give this to you at the end! He said thank you for fighting those vicious pirates to protect Woonan's treasure!"
Ralph was somewhat surprised. Unfolding the paper, he found it densely covered with writing—from the selection of ingredients and the secrets of the broth to the precise control of heat... It was unmistakably the treasured recipe for oden that the old man Ganzo held so dear!
A complex emotion surged in his heart; he actually felt unworthy of it.
Although objectively, he had participated in the battle to protect Woonan's ideals, his core motivation had been to verify that cruel fruit-seizing mechanism.
But it doesn't matter!
Ralph quickly adjusted his mindset, carefully storing the paper that carried both sentiment and deliciousness.
The process isn't important; getting the result is victory! Since it's given to me, it's mine now!
He took a deep breath of the salty sea air, forcibly suppressing the frustration of losing the Devil Fruit, and put a sunny smile back on his face. Addressing all his companions on the deck, he loudly declared:
"Everyone! To celebrate our fruitful adventure, for dinner tonight, I, Ralph, will let the whole ship taste the world's best oden!"
"Wooohoooo—!!!"
Lufia was the first to throw her hands up high, erupting with deafening cheers, the anticipation in her eyes almost tangible.
Although the others hadn't personally experienced Ganzo's culinary skills, the prefix "world's best" was enough to spark boundless imagination, and they all swallowed their saliva in eager anticipation.
In an instant, the Going Merry was enveloped in a joyful atmosphere filled with longing for delicious food.
Meanwhile, at the shore of Gold Island.
Old man Ganzo found his grandson Tobio sitting alone on a reef, staring blankly at the sea.
He walked over and sat down beside his grandson, gazing at the calm sea as he decided to reopen the topic that had once caused disagreement between them.
"Tobio," the old man's voice was gentle yet steady, "Grandpa has thought it through. I won't oppose your dream of becoming a pirate anymore."
Tobio had been absentmindedly chewing on a strange fruit he'd picked from somewhere. At these words, he froze mid-bite, looking up somewhat bewildered.
Ganzo continued, "After meeting the Straw Hat crew, Grandpa understands now that there are good people among pirates too. I shouldn't stand in the way of your dream."
Tobio's heart was wrestling with conflicting emotions.
The desire to set sail and explore the unknown still burned fiercely in his chest, yet Grandpa's dream of passing down oden and comforting people with warm food seemed equally noble and grounded.
As he pondered, he looked down at the fruit in his hand, found it tasted terrible, spat it out with disgust, and threw it far away.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, he looked up and asked, "Grandpa, you... gave that oden recipe to that Ralph, didn't you?"
Ganzo nodded, a relieved and somewhat expectant smile appearing on his face:
"Yes. So, Tobio, you don't need to be bound by Grandpa's oden dream anymore. Perhaps Grandpa's skills can truly spread throughout the world aboard their ship! This might be a wonderful form of inheritance too."
Confirming that the recipe had been given away, Tobio suddenly sprang up from the reef!
"Their goal is to become the Pirate King and conquer the Grand Line! Oden is just a minor diversion for them on their journey!"
The young man's voice trembled with emotion, "I'm Grandpa's own grandson! How can I just stand by and watch an outsider inherit the oden that Grandpa poured his entire life's effort into?!"
He clenched his fists tightly, his face brimming with the stubbornness unique to youth: "But I'll never give up on my pirate dream either!"
Ganzo looked at his grandson, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.
"So, I've decided!"
Tobio took a deep breath, faced the sea, and declared with all his might, "I'm going to establish—the Oden Pirates! I'll sail a pirate ship flying Grandpa's oden flag into the Grand Line! Catch up with those guys! Then, I'll tell them fair and square that I, Tobio, am the true best successor to Grandpa's oden! My oden is the real world's best!!"
Ganzo was stunned, then tears streamed down his aged face!
He had never imagined his grandson would merge their two dreams together in such a perfect way.
"Good! Good! Good!" the old man repeated, his voice choked yet full of strength as he patted Tobio's shoulder firmly, "Grandpa supports you! Grandpa will definitely build you the finest pirate ship! Grandpa will wait for the day when your oden resounds throughout the Grand Line!"
Blessed with unreserved support from his dearest kin, his dreams seemed infused with boundless courage and strength.
Tobio was so exhilarated he could hardly contain himself. Turning toward the vast, endless sea, the surging passion in his chest erupted into a cathartic roar: "Ah——!!"
A miracle, or perhaps something bizarre, occurred at that very moment.
As his powerful shout echoed, a visible, air-distorting transparent shockwave shot straight from his mouth like a cannonball, speeding toward the distant sea!
"Boom——!!!"
A deafening explosion followed, sending a massive water column several meters high into the air. Seawater cascaded down like torrential rain, drenching the grandfather and grandson standing on the reef until they were soaked to the bone.
Tobio and Ganzo stood frozen in place, staring dumbfounded at the gradually calming explosion site before exchanging incredulous looks at each other's drenched, disheveled states. Their faces were etched with utter shock and bewilderment.
"Wh-what... was that just now?" Tobio stammered.
Old Man Ganzo was equally stunned, shaking his head in confusion.
Had Ralph witnessed this scene, his expression would have been truly spectacular.
However, even if he did obtain the Goe Goe no Mi, whether he would personally consume it remained uncertain. The supersonic ability didn't perfectly align with his combat style—selling it might be more practical. Although 100 million Berries was a fortune, this wouldn't be the first time he'd passed up an easily attainable Devil Fruit.
Currently, what troubled Ralph most wasn't the fruit but—oden.
...
In the following days, the Going Merry's kitchen nearly became Ralph's training ground.
He strictly followed the secret recipe, meticulously selecting ingredients, simmering broth, and controlling the heat.
Yet no matter how hard he tried, the final product always lacked that indescribable "soul."
The flavor was passable but never replicated the sublime deliciousness that made Lufia's eyes instantly sparkle and linger with endless aftertaste.
His [Cooking] level remained stagnant.
Could culinary talent really be innate?
I refuse to believe it!
His obsession directly led to a shipwide "oden hell."
Initially, everyone politely indulged him.
Then, some began subtly suggesting alternative dishes.
Eventually, even Lufia—the ultimate foodie—couldn't take it anymore. Clinging to the kitchen doorframe, she blinked her large eyes and pleaded pitifully: "Ralph... the oden is delicious... but... my meat... I want to eat meat..."
Even the captain's "protest" highlighted the severity of the situation.
Nami issued an ultimatum: if she didn't see other dishes soon, she'd freeze his allowance;
Usopp began improvising horror stories about "terrible diseases" caused by long-term single-food diets;
Even Zoro complained that the lingering oden smell in the ship was disrupting his training.
Thus, the plan to win over Lufia's taste buds and increase her favor through oden completely stalled.
The progress bar was stuck hard at 95%, unmoving, leaving Ralph restless and irritable.
He wondered if some foolish Pirate crew appearing now for him to heroically defeat and save the day might make the beauty smile and boost her favor.
One moment, he'd get stuck in a loop, obsessively analyzing some minute detail of the oden—was it the wrong type of bonito flakes? Or had the kelp been simmered a few seconds too long?
He even began entertaining wild fantasies, racking his brains for cold jokes or memes from his past life, wondering if he could use humor to break the ice.
When a person becomes anxious, their thoughts turn to tangled mess.
And when thoughts are tangled, nothing goes right.
The oden made no progress, and his daily mood grew irritable and restless.
Just as he was glaring at the pieces of daikon in the pot that seemed to mock him—
"BOOM—!!!"
A sudden, tremendous explosion violently jolted him out of his chaotic thoughts!
Enemy attack?!
Ralph's eyes sharpened instantly. He burst out of the kitchen and flashed onto the deck.
But the expected tense confrontation didn't happen. Instead, he saw Lufia and Usopp standing near the bow, light smoke curling from the cannon's muzzle. Not far from the ship's side, a small rocky islet serving as a target was smoldering with thin black smoke.
So it was them having a shooting contest.
"Wahahaha! See that, Lufia? That's the shooting skill unparalleled in the East Blue... no, unparalleled in the entire world!" Usopp boasted, his long nose held high. "Said I'd hit the third protruding rock on the left side of the top, and I didn't even graze the second one on the right!"
When it came to shooting, Lufia couldn't match Usopp's seemingly innate talent.
Puffing out her cheeks, though unwilling to admit it, she couldn't deny the miraculous shot Usopp had just made.
"Hmph! Next time, I'll definitely beat you!" Lufia waved her fist angrily.
Just as Usopp was about to further extol his talent to Nami and Ralph, who had gathered upon hearing the noise—
A figure, agile as a leopard, suddenly vaulted over the side of the Going Merry and landed heavily in the center of the deck!
The newcomer wore sunglasses and a blue short coat, with the prominent character for "Sea" tattooed on his face. Gripping a gleaming large cutlass, he scanned everyone on deck with a murderous aura the moment he landed, roaring fiercely:
"Which bastard fired that cannon just now?! Step forward!"
The sudden appearance of this fierce, uninvited guest stunned everyone on deck.
Seeing the hostile intent and the intimidating blade, Usopp's legs turned to jelly, and he instinctively shrank back.
Meanwhile, Lufia, Nami, and Ralph very tacitly turned their gazes toward the attempting-to-hide Usopp.
"Hey! You guys are terrible friends!" Usopp's face paled as he ducked for cover, protesting loudly.
The blue-clad swordsman's fierce gaze locked onto Usopp, but then swept over Ralph, Lufia, and Nami, grinding his teeth as he snarled:
"Not just him! You damn Pirates, none of you are getting away! You killed my comrades! Today, you'll pay in blood!"
Nami reacted swiftly, immediately shrieking:
"There's a strong swordsman on board! Zoro! Come out and defeat him!"
Then, turning to the blue-clad swordsman, she tried to intimidate him, "I warn you, we have an incredibly strong swordsman on this ship! It's not too late to regret this now!"
However, the blue-clad swordsman scoffed at Nami's threat. Swinging his large blade, he said with utter disdain:
"Don't try to scare me with talk of swordsmen! The strongest swordsman in the East Blue is my big brother! No matter who shows up, they're trash compared to him! You killed my comrades! You must pay with your lives!"
Just then, hearing the commotion outside and catching the word "swordsman," Zoro emerged while yawning, his eyes still heavy with sleep.
He carefully examined the other's distinctive sunglasses and the "sea" character tattoo on his face, then called out with a hint of uncertainty:
"Johnny?"
Hearing that familiar voice and seeing Zoro's trademark green hair, muscular build, and the three swords at his waist, the blue-clad swordsman froze as if struck by lightning, instantly petrified.
"...Big Bro Zoro?!!"
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