The Winged Dragon sailed quietly to the shore of the island, and Ian was the first to leap down from the bow, landing lightly on the sand.
He exhaled slowly.
He wasn't tired at all, yet in that moment, a long breath escaped him.
They had finally arrived.
Behind him, one figure after another jumped down in quick succession. Everyone wore bright smiles. Everyone was bursting with excitement.
"So this is Laugh Tale?"
Yamato looked around curiously. "Where's the great treasure supposed to be?"
The legendary treasure that Roger claimed held all the power and wealth in the world—where exactly on this island was it hidden?
Shanks felt a deeper emotion than anyone else.
Back then, he should have followed Captain Roger to this island.
Fate really did play tricks on people.
"Twenty years ago…?"
Ian suddenly spoke.
"Twenty years?" Hancock blinked in surprise. "What do you mean, twenty years ago?"
Shanks chuckled. "Yeah. Around this very time… twenty years ago, Captain Roger and the others reached this place."
It had already been twenty years.
Shanks couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
The Roger Pirates found the great treasure, then disbanded…
Somehow, all of that had already happened so long ago.
"Exactly twenty years, huh?"
Kaido laughed loudly. "That's one hell of a coincidence!"
"Come on. Let's see what Roger and his crew saw here twenty years ago."
Ian stepped forward toward the interior of the island, and everyone quickly followed behind him.
Almost the instant Ian crossed into the city, the steel metropolis began to tremble.
It wasn't a violent quake, but the tremor was unmistakably clear.
It didn't last long. The next second, the entire city seemed to awaken.
Not in the literal sense—but arcs of electricity flickered along the pipes and conduits throughout the city, as if energy was flowing back into its limbs.
Lights flickered on one after another.
The city that had only moments ago been revealed by Queen's solar dandelion beam now finally shone with a light of its own.
"Oh!!"
Queen gasped in awe. "Even after eight hundred years, the energy system is still functioning? Incredible!"
"Looks like they're welcoming us." Law chuckled. "Too bad they didn't prepare a few greeters."
"Hmph."
Enel snorted lightly. "They're already here."
From around the corner of the street came the faint sound of footsteps.
"Someone?"
Aunt Linlin immediately tensed.
That bastard Roger hadn't mentioned there were still guards on Laugh Tale.
"Not a person."
Ian spoke calmly.
He could sense it very clearly—whatever was approaching carried no trace of a living being.
Tap. Tap.
With crisp, mechanical steps, a small figure emerged from behind the tall building and entered everyone's view.
"A robot!!"
Yamato's eyes lit up instantly.
The small figure stood around one meter twenty to one meter thirty tall. A tiny body, a large head, and a military helmet perched on top.
Its small body was bluish-green, reflecting a faint metallic sheen. The large eyes looked like twin cameras, now scanning Ian and the others.
Oh?
Ian raised a brow slightly.
This design was strikingly similar to the robots Enel encountered on the moon in the manga cover stories.
Well, it made sense. If nothing unexpected happened, the Great Kingdom's heritage likely came from Birka on the moon. Their robot designs would naturally share the same lineage.
"It's still watching us."
Black Maria spoke in amazement. "Incredible. Technology from eight hundred years ago could already reach this level?"
"Welcome… to all of you…"
A slightly distorted voice came from the robot's mouth. "Please follow me. I will take you to the items Lord Joy Boy left behind."
As it finished speaking, it turned and headed deeper into the city.
"Let's go."
Ian smiled as he followed. "Since Joy Boy already prepared everything, we might as well see where this leads."
Yamato hurried forward, quickly catching up to the robot and leaning down beside it with curiosity.
"Hello, beautiful lady."
The robot noticed her, tilted its body politely, and bowed.
"Eh?!"
Yamato's eyes went wide in shock. "It just greeted me!"
"Don't tell me this thing actually has its own intelligence?"
Quinn, the Beast Pirates' chief scientist, couldn't sit still anymore. He stomped forward with heavy steps. "Hey, little guy, what exactly are you?"
"I am a guardian-type robot produced by Birka's armory. Model MK-2."
The robot answered honestly. "Lord Joy Boy and Lady Lily instructed us to wait here for those who would come after them."
"Birka?"
Enel's eyebrow lifted instantly.
He knew it.
These were things left behind by his ancestors.
Mk-2?
Ian let out a soft laugh.
"A good name."
"Lily," he said after thinking for a moment, "does that refer to the queen of Alabasta from eight hundred years ago… Nefertari D. Lily?"
"Lady Lily is simply Lady Lily," the robot replied blankly.
"What exactly did Joy Boy leave behind on this island?" Kaido asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
"Lord Joy Boy stored all of Birka's legacy here," the robot said.
"Birka's legacy?" Hancock asked with interest. "What kind of things are included in that?"
"I'm not completely sure," the robot answered. "Once you see what Lord Joy Boy left behind, you should understand."
Oh?
It truly had a degree of intelligence.
There were plenty of children its size who couldn't think this clearly.
"So, what is the real origin of this island?" Aunt Linlin asked. "Why is there a whole city hidden deep inside a mountain?"
"This is the final base Lord Joy Boy constructed," the robot replied. "At the time, the situation was already dire. To avoid being discovered by the enemy, Lord Joy Boy built this base here. After their total defeat, this became the last place to safeguard their remaining legacy."
"Joy Boy's enemy was the World Government, right?" Law rubbed his chin. "If that's the case, he wasn't nearly as impressive as people make him sound."
He scoffed. Even now, the Beasts Pirates had the World Government completely helpless.
Yet eight hundred years ago, the legendary Joy Boy—praised endlessly by the world—lost ground again and again when the World Government attacked.
Suddenly, the so-called One Piece treasure didn't seem as incredible as it was made out to be.
How impressive could a treasure left by a force that might not even match the Beasts Pirates really be?
Law couldn't help but think that.
**********
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