Chapter 94 Underground Ruins

“It’s so hot~”

“Kaguya, there’s a shadow from a huge rock ahead. Let’s go over there and rest for a bit.”

Tashigi wiped her sweat-soaked bangs and pointed forward as she spoke.

The camel left a trail of deep hoofprints on the scorching sand, finally arriving beneath that massive weathered rock.

The shadow cast by the rock was like an oasis in the desert, and the group couldn’t wait to unload their gear.

After drinking a pot of fresh water, Tashigi let out a long sigh of relief and leaned against the rock to rest.

“How much longer until we arrive?”

“At our current speed, we should be there by evening.”

Vivi gave a rough estimate.

“Quack~”

“Karoo, don’t play with the sand!”

Vivi had just finished scolding Karoo when she saw it suddenly disappear into a sand pit.

“Karoo!”

Everyone was startled and hurriedly gathered around.

Karoo’s panicked cries came from beneath the sand pit, echoing in the darkness.

“Quack!”

Karoo’s response came from below the sand pit.

The sand at the edge of the pit kept sliding down, revealing a deep, dark entrance.

Vivi jumped down without hesitation, and Kaguya and the others followed closely behind.

Using the faint light coming through the entrance, they found themselves in an ancient stone chamber, the surrounding walls covered in mysterious hieroglyphs.

“Is this… an ancient ruin?”

Tashigi looked around in surprise, her fingers gently brushing over the carvings on the wall.

“The Kingdom of Alabasta has a long history. Many cities once existed on this land, many of which were buried by the yellow sands, so it’s not surprising for ruins to appear.”

Vivi explained while holding the still-shaken Karoo.

“Kaguya, what are you looking at?”

Seeing Kaguya standing motionless in front of a massive black stone tablet, Nojiko couldn’t help but ask curiously.

The stone tablet was pitch black with a metallic sheen on its surface, looking exceptionally mysterious in the dim ruins.

Kaguya’s fingers gently traced the surface of the stone tablet, feeling the uneven carvings.

“This is… a poneglyph.”

Kaguya’s tone carried a hint of surprise.

He knew a poneglyph existed in Alabasta, but he hadn’t expected to encounter it here so coincidentally.

Fate is always so wonderful.

“What’s written on this?”

The three girls all gathered around curiously.

“I can’t read it; I don’t recognize a single word…”

“…”

“Then why are you looking at it so seriously?”

Nojiko couldn’t help but retort, reaching out to knock on the hard surface of the stone tablet, which produced a dull metallic sound.

Kaguya didn’t answer, his gaze remaining fixed on those ancient characters.

This information, carved by ancient scholars, recorded secrets capable of overturning the world.

Although he couldn’t decipher it now, a beautiful figure wearing a cowboy hat already surfaced in his mind.

“Let’s take it with us. I know someone who can decipher it.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Kaguya transformed into his Torch Dragon form and appeared in the ruins.

“Everyone, get on!”

The Torch Dragon’s massive body looked exceptionally shocking in the narrow ruins, its scales shimmering with a dark red luster in the dim light.

The three girls climbed onto the dragon’s back while holding Karoo. Kaguya wrapped his tail around the poneglyph tablet and then exerted sudden force, pulling the tablet out from the yellow sand.

With a loud crash, yellow sand flew everywhere as the Torch Dragon’s massive figure soared into the sky.

“Quack! Quack! Quack!”

Karoo looked down with a face full of terror.

The four camels were so scared they scattered and fled, but Kaguya didn’t bother with them.

“Which way is Rainbase?”

Kaguya had originally wanted to head there low-key, but if he didn’t take this poneglyph now, it would be difficult to find it again in this vast desert.

Now, in order to take this poneglyph away, Kaguya could only head to Rainbase in this form.

“Over there!”

Vivi looked at the map for a moment and pointed the way for Kaguya.

“Hold on tight!”

Kaguya’s deep voice echoed in the wind.

The three girls tightly gripped the protruding scales on the dragon’s back, while Karoo bit down hard on the hem of Vivi’s clothes.

With a swing of the dragon’s body, Kaguya carried everyone over sand dunes, and the silhouette of Rainbase in the distance was already faintly visible.

“Boom!”

With a loud crash, Kaguya smashed the poneglyph down in front of the entrance to Rain Dinners.

The three girls jumped down from Kaguya, and Kaguya also returned to his human form.

The massive commotion startled the guests and guards inside Rain Dinners.

Nico Robin walked out with several Billions from Baroque Works.

Tanned-skin Robin

The moment she saw the poneglyph, Nico Robin’s pupils suddenly contracted.

“Robin, follow me from now on.”

“I’ll take you to find the poneglyphs.”

“This is a meeting gift.”

Kaguya invited her very directly.

Nojiko and the other two girls looked at Kaguya with strange expressions, then looked at the dark-skinned woman in front of them.

“Miss All Sunday…”

Vivi murmured to herself while looking at Robin.

Hearing Kaguya call out her name directly, Nico Robin instinctively wanted to step back, but she was pinned in place by Kaguya’s deep gaze.

Her slender fingers unconsciously brushed over the cold surface of the poneglyph, those familiar characters dancing in her eyes.

“You… how do you know my name?”

Robin’s voice carried a hint of trembling; twenty years of life as a fugitive had made her instinctively wary.

Kaguya stepped forward slowly, the sand making faint rustling sounds under his feet.

“I know more than you imagine. Follow me and you won’t have to hide anymore. I will also take you to find the poneglyphs. Isn’t that better than hiding under Crocodile’s command?”

“Under him, you have to worry about being abandoned once you lose your value. That won’t happen with me.”

Nico Robin suppressed the shock in her heart and regained her calm demeanor.

“Although I don’t know why you know so much, don’t you know that this is Crocodile’s base?”

As soon as Robin finished speaking, a swirl of yellow sand eerily spiraled up on the street, gradually condensing into Crocodile’s tall figure.

“Crocodile!”

The moment Vivi saw Crocodile appear, she wanted to rush forward, but fortunately, Nojiko stopped her in time.

Crocodile glanced coldly at Vivi, then turned his gaze back to Kaguya.

“Quite lively, making such a big scene on my territory without permission.”

Crocodile narrowed his eyes, his gaze shifting between the poneglyph and Kaguya.

“Kid, who are you?”

Crocodile’s voice was low and dangerous, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze due to his presence.

Kaguya just smiled slightly, showing no signs of tension.

“Someone who will be a lot of trouble for you.”

Kaguya looked directly at Crocodile, his tone indifferent yet carrying an unquestionable confidence.

“Oh?”

Crocodile exhaled a puff of smoke, his golden hook lightly tapping the surface of the poneglyph.

“Bringing a poneglyph and wanting to spirit away my Vice President… you’ve got quite the nerve.”

“Vice President?”

Kaguya raised an eyebrow.

“She won’t be for long.”

…

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