"By the way, let's catch up properly later. The king has prepared a banquet in the palace to welcome your arrival. But before that—"
Loki turned and pushed open the door of the building.
"Let's go, Ian. The person you want to see is waiting for you."
Aokiji took a deep breath all of a sudden.
Finally, are they going to meet again?
Led by Loki, everyone stepped inside the building.
Once inside, they realized it was a massive library, filled with row after row of towering bookshelves.
On those shelves were countless books, packed tightly together.
At first glance, you couldn't see the end of the shelves—it was like an ocean of books.
"Hm?"
Hancock immediately noticed something was off.
"Why are there so many human books here?"
She wasn't surprised that the Giant Kingdom had books, but these clearly weren't meant for giants.
This is the size of the books circulating in the human world.
Why are there so many? This obviously isn't normal, right?
Aokiji sighed softly.
Of course, he knew why.
Vegapunk had told him the origin of these books.
Back during the Ohara incident, the scholars of that country, faced with the Buster Call, didn't choose to save themselves. Instead, they threw all the materials stored in the Tree of Knowledge into the surrounding lake.
Not long after, a group of giants came to that destroyed island. They salvaged all the remaining books and took them back to Elbaf.
Vegapunk had even come to Elbaf to borrow those books.
These books were the lifelong efforts of generations of Ohara's archaeologists.
When Aokiji saw them, his feelings were complicated.
After all, he too had a part in the Buster Call back then.
At that moment, from deep within the bookshelf, a massive figure slowly approached.
"Alright, hehehe! The guests have finally arrived?"
The familiar laughter grew closer, and the huge silhouette gradually revealed its true form under the dim light.
Of course, it was a giant — but one wrapped entirely in bandages, his face completely hidden.
Only his large and sturdy build stood out among the many giants.
"Ara ara."
Aokiji smirked.
"Is this the time to say 'long time no see'?"
"Hehehehe! Yes, indeed!"
The bandaged giant stood firmly before everyone, lowering his head to look down at Aokiji.
"I knew it. With my strength, there was no way I could have easily broken free from your ice. It must be that you showed mercy, Kuzan."
"You're just lucky."
Aokiji raised his head, looking at his old friend whom he hadn't seen in years.
"Surviving the Buster Call's bombardment isn't thanks to mercy from me."
"Hehehehe! That's right, Kuzan!"
The bandaged giant, former Marine Vice Admiral Jaguar D. Saul, laughed heartily.
"Maybe this is fate's guidance! Let me survive so Ohara's legacy could be preserved!"
"Wait, you actually know each other?"
Brogy clicked his tongue.
One is a Marine Admiral, and the other is a giant who doesn't even dare to show his face—are these two really friends?
"Then, where has fate led you?"
Ian smiled and said, "And for whom was the legacy of Ohara left?"
Saul paused slightly and looked at Ian.
"Ian the Skyfire! Even though I've been hiding here all this time, your name is thunderous to me!"
He spoke seriously. "Everyone says you are now the man closest to the title of Pirate King."
"Without a doubt, you'll be one of the people to lead this rising tide!"
"So, can you tell me?"
Ian asked calmly, "How far have Ohara's scholars gotten in researching the Void Century?"
Saul paused again, then burst out laughing, "Alright, hehehe! Are you sure you want to know? Ian! Peeking into the secrets of the Void Century will bring the World Government's merciless extermination!"
Ian smiled slightly. "Are you saying that after everything, I should still fear the World Government?"
"Hehe, you're right! If you feared them, you wouldn't have come this far!"
Saul laughed, "Since you want to know, there's nothing I can hide from you."
He was straightforward!
Exactly what Ian expected from a giant.
"Wait! What about me?"
Aokiji raised his hand. "If I were to learn these things, what would happen to my career afterward?"
Even as a Marine Admiral, if he knew the secrets of the Void Century, the World Government would never spare him.
Aokiji understood this very well.
"Hehe, what are you saying, Kuzan!"
Saul laughed heartily. "You've come all the way here, found me already, and now you're hesitating?"
"I've already felt your confusion. I understand your purpose! Perhaps through this history, you might learn something!"
Aokiji fell silent.
Then, Saul began to recount the history he knew.
Or rather, the fragment of the Void Century that Ohara's scholars had risked their lives to uncover.
Aokiji listened intently.
But Ian seemed somewhat uninterested.
It was basically the same content Vegapunk talked about in his broadcast.
Eight hundred years ago, twenty kings united to defeat an ancient kingdom led by a man named Joy Boy, who possessed an advanced civilization.
That war caused the sea levels to rise dramatically, submerging many of the ancient lands. The great islands we see now are merely remnants of the world that once was.
The ancient weapons responsible for all this devastation still exist somewhere in the world. One day, they may rise again.
That's roughly the situation.
It's truly disappointing.
After all, the scholars of Ohara never found many pieces of the historical texts. The information they could gather was very limited.
Perhaps Vegapunk knows more—after all, he not only inherited Ohara's legacy but continues to search for the true history himself.
But if we want to uncover the real truth behind the Void Century, we probably still need to go to Laugh Tale.
Saul finished his explanation.
There was a moment of silence in the room.
For those hearing this information for the first time—everyone except Ian—it was quite a shock.
"Is the war… still not over?"
Kuzan muttered to himself.
"Of course it's not over!"
Saul shouted. "This is an eight-hundred-year-old dream and will of those who came before! As long as the World Nobles still rule this world, those who pursue freedom will never stop moving forward!"
"Kuzan! This world once had a brighter future! But the World Government blocked it all!!"
"I don't regret a single thing I did back then to save Olvia and Ohara. From the start, I knew I made the right choice! And after learning part of the truth, I'm even more grateful for that decision!"
"Kuzan, it seems the time has come for you to make a choice as well! Amidst this raging tide of history, we all must choose! If we don't want to drift with the current, but instead want to do something!"
Kuzan remained silent.
A brighter future, huh?
He sighed.
Maybe it really is time to make a choice.
Then, he heard Ian's voice.
"Apart from historical documents," Ian said, "there should be quite a bit of related ancient technology information here as well, right?"
Vegapunk's advancements came from inheriting and building upon these ancient technologies.
"That's right."
Prince Loki replied. "So, Ian, you're interested?"
"I am, indeed."
Ian chuckled lightly. "Could you make me a copy of it?"
Uncle Queen and Judge would probably be very happy.
"All right, hehehe! Of course, no problem!"
Saul was as generous as ever. "We're all friends! Reviving the lost ancient technology is also Ohara's wish."
Generous indeed!
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