Everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates stared at the slowly closing space gate, their expressions dark and conflicted. The thrill of defeating the Blackbeard Pirates earlier had all but vanished.
None of them had expected the gap between themselves and the world's true strongest to be so vast. Even Luffy—awakened, confident, and stronger than ever—hadn't lasted more than a single flick.
If they were ever forced to face someone like that in a real battle… There might be no chance at all. Even after 2 years, it seems they were once in the same position as they were when they faced Kizaru on Sabaody Islands.
A heavy silence fell. A bit of relief, too, perhaps, that Buggy was their old friend. But unease lingered. Had he been an enemy, things would've ended very differently.
Suddenly, Buggy's head popped halfway back through the still-closing portal, grinning as if he'd remembered something trivial.
"Oh, right! I forgot to mention this earlier."
His eyes locked on Zoro.
"Zoro. You've got Conqueror's potential. Don't waste it. Nurture that strength. Develop it properly. Remember the punch I gave Luffy? That wasn't just a blow—it was a message. That's your key to breaking into the world's top ranks. Comprehend it well."
And with that, the portal closed for good.
Zoro stood frozen, Buggy's words echoing in his head. The rest of the crew turned to him with surprise plastered across their faces.
"What the hell!? Since when did you have that kind of power, Mosshead?" Sanji snapped, eyes narrowed with barely-concealed jealousy."I've never seen you use anything like that!"
"Don't look at me," Zoro muttered, scratching the back of his head. "I haven't seen it either."
"That guy wouldn't joke about this," Usopp said, inching closer with a mix of awe and curiosity. "Mihawk is the rival of Shanks, and I heard Shanks got very strong from Conqueror's Haki."
"Exactly." Zoro nodded, more serious now. "He must've sensed it when we clashed earlier. If that's the case… I need to reevaluate everything."
He paused, casting a smug side glance at Sanji.
"Too bad someone doesn't have it."
"What did you say, you damn seaweed!?"
Sanji exploded, fists clenched. "It's only 'cause I didn't fight him! If I had, he'd have seen my potential, too! I've just got... a more subtle power! You'll see! I'll awaken it myself, you hear me!?"
Off to the side, Brook glanced down at Chopper, who was bent over Luffy with a stethoscope in one hand and concern in the other.
"Chopper, how's Captain?"
Chopper exhaled a sigh of relief. "He's fine. Just knocked out cold. His vitals are steady."
He looked up, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I just didn't expect Buggy to be that strong. One punch… and Luffy went down like that. Is that the height of power in this world? It's terrifying."
Brook nodded solemnly, and even Blueno, watching silently nearby, muttered a rare agreement. "Indeed."
—
Meanwhile, in the New World — Raftel.
"Oh my god…"
Robin had just stepped out of the portal and froze in place, her breath caught in her throat.
Before her, tucked inside a golden cavern, were hundreds of glowing, ocean-blue Poneglyphs.
Her mind blanked. Logic broke. Eyes wide with disbelief.
"This… this many historical texts…? How is this possible!?"
She turned to Buggy, unable to comprehend what she was seeing.
"What the hell is this place…?"
"No doubt about it," Buggy said with a low chuckle, hands in his coat pockets. "These are all authentic Poneglyphs."
He stepped forward, the weight of history practically humming in the air around them.
"I brought you here for a reason, Robin. I want you to help translate every last word carved on these stones."
Robin's eyes widened further. "You're saying… this place is—?"
Buggy grinned. "Yup. This is Raftel."
He extended his arms theatrically.
"The final island. The resting place of the world's buried history… and gold. As you can see, I've already claimed the greatest treasure."
Robin, who had been visibly stunned moments ago, slowly composed herself after hearing the news. Her gaze lingered on Buggy—measured, unreadable—and then shifted briefly to the others in the room before a quiet, enigmatic smile curved her lips.
"As expected of you, Buggy. So… you're the current Pirate King, aren't you?"
Buggy chuckled, his tone as casual as ever. "Well, you can think of it that way. I don't mind." He waved it off with a grin. "But titles don't matter to me. What I do need is your help deciphering the Poneglyphs."
"Gladly," Robin said with a nod.
She turned toward the towering wall of ancient script. Her hands came together at her chest, fingers folding in a practiced motion. Her voice dropped into a whisper, yet carried like a chant.
"Petal Cascade: Clone Bloom."
Petals burst from her body in a gentle swirl, falling like violet snow. Then, in the next breath, twenty identical Robins bloomed into existence, all standing in formation before Buggy and the rest of the crew.
"Angel Wings."
All twenty spoke in unison. In a sweep of sound and motion, wings of light unfurled from their backs. The clones lifted into the air, rising toward the rows of historical texts that lined the cavern walls like ancient sentinels.
Buggy whistled, impressed, and gave a thumbs-up.
"Damn impressive, Robin. Even I didn't imagine you'd develop your ability this way."
She chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I got the idea from your clone techniques—and from Vegapunk's clones. It's been… useful."
With a final smile, she turned and floated off with her copies. "Well then, I'll start translating."
Buggy nodded once. "We'll be waiting."
Half a day later.
Buggy and his crew escorted Robin back to the Pluto. The moment she saw the massive ship, her eyes widened with recognition.
It was unmistakably Pluton.
She wasn't surprised, not exactly—she'd known Buggy had discovered the ancient weapon hidden beneath Wano. But the scale of it… the sleek design and intricate hull—she hadn't expected this.
Inside the first floor's grand hall, the group gathered in the entertainment lounge. They were more than eager to hear what Robin had uncovered. After all, her expressions throughout the day had shifted from awe to disbelief more than once.
Once seated, Robin set aside the notes she'd been scribbling and raised her head.
"I'll begin with the origins of a forgotten power—an ancient empire established 1000 years ago… the Kingdom of the Sun."
A collective hush fell over the room.
Fifteen hundred years? Sun God Kingdom?
Even Buggy leaned forward slightly, brows raised. That wasn't just history—it was legend.
Without missing a beat, he tapped a tone dial and signaled Pluto to begin recording.
He didn't speak again.
Robin continued. "Before the Sun Kingdom rose, the world was fractured. The seas ruled everything. Too many islands. Too little connection. Entire cultures formed in isolation. As a result, conflict was constant—tribes, nations, factions—always at war.
There were no pirates as we know them today, but there were warlords and raiders. Chaos, in every form.
Then, one day, a man appeared—one strong enough to challenge the world.
A warrior who came to be known only by a title: Joy Boy.
He gathered allies, crushed the greatest empires of the era, and unified the seas under a single banner."
Robin paused, letting the words settle.
"The Sun Kingdom was born. But what stood out most was one of his companions. A man with the powers of the Door-Door Fruit."
Everyone's eyes shifted to Blueno.
The former CP9 agent blinked, stunned. "…what?"
Robin smiled faintly.
"His mastery of the fruit far surpassed anything we've seen. He used it to construct a vast network of permanent portals—gateways embedded in the Red Line itself, linking islands across every sea."
Blueno leaned forward, eyes wide.
"Permanent… portals? How?"
"It's said," Robin continued, "that as long as the user remains alive for a hundred years, the portals will persist. They could also be destroyed, of course… which is why they're lost to us now. Otherwise, the entire world would be interconnected, even today."
A long silence followed.
"…That's insane," Blueno finally muttered. "To connect the world itself…"
He trailed off, eyes distant.
Robin nodded slowly. "Yes. It was possible, once."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Buggy furrowed his brow. "The Red Line you just mentioned?"
At those words, the crew froze. It was only then that they recalled Luo Bao's earlier mention of the Red Line, the very place where the Celestial Dragons now reside.
"That's right!" Robin's lips twisted into a smirk. "The man who claimed to be the 'Sun God'—he was a member of the Lunarian tribe. It was the Lunarian clan that he led to conquer the world. They were the race once revered as 'Gods'—and nearly wiped out by the Celestial Dragons."
Buggy raised an eyebrow, intrigued, and continued to listen closely.
Robin's expression grew slightly darker as she continued. "The Lunarian lived on the Red Line, and their inherent strength far surpassed that of ordinary humans. They were born with the ability to fly, making them even more unreachable. Their kingdom was once called the 'Kingdom of Gods,' and it's not hard to understand why the Celestial Dragons hunted them down, fearing that another man, a 'Joy Boy,' might arise."
She paused, glancing at Buggy, who now glinted with interest in his eyes. "Could this 'emperor of this kingdom' you speak of be like... Luffy? The one who ate the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan: Nika?"
At that, everyone in the Buggy Pirates stared at Dragon in shock, as if expecting him to reveal some kind of hidden truth. Dragon, for his part, was completely baffled, caught off guard by the unexpected question.
"Uh, I… don't know anything about that," Dragon muttered, clearly confused by the sudden attention.
Robin smiled knowingly. "Well, you've probably heard of the Nika Fruit by now. The Nika Fruit is the same fruit that the leader of the great kingdom once ate. It's said to be a fruit that can bring freedom and joy to the world, much like the sun itself, which is why he was called the 'Sun God.'"
Dragon, now fully invested, leaned forward. "That's the fruit Luffy ate?"
"Yes," Robin confirmed with a nod. "That fruit is said to give the user the ability to bring joy and freedom to the world. It's no wonder that Luffy, with his boundless energy and ideals, shares the same title. The Sun God Kingdom, under the rule of the Lunarian, connected the entire world. And when that happened, the Red Line became the political, economic, and cultural center of the world."
Robin paused for a moment, allowing the weight of her words to settle in.
"Imagine this: all the people of the world coming together in one place, a united civilization, advancing rapidly. And that's exactly what happened in the Sun God Kingdom. In just a few decades, the kingdom's technology developed at an incredible pace, surpassing anything we have today."
Buggy and the crew exchanged stunned glances.
"Like what?" Buggy asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"Well," Robin began, "there were ships that could sail without sails or coal. Airships that could soar through the sky. Weapons of unimaginable power. Technology so advanced, it sounds like something from a fantasy world. I've seen traces of it in the historical texts, and I can't even fully comprehend how it worked."
Robin's tone shifted to something more reflective. "The Sun Kingdom's technological prowess more than 1,500 years ago was far beyond anything we have now. It's not unlike Egghead Island—Dr. Vegapunk's research island. The Sun Kingdom was a hub of futuristic technology, just like Egghead today."
"What?!" Crocodile and the crew exclaimed in shock. "Egghead Island? The same as the Sun Kingdom?"
Even Vegapunk looked stunned, his curiosity piqued.
"Wait a minute," he said, frowning. "Are you referring just to the Red Line from 1,500 years ago, or was this technological advancement spread across every island in the world at that time?"
"Well..." Robin paused, understanding exactly what Vegapunk meant. After a moment of thought, she continued, "To be more precise, the most advanced technology was located on the Red Line, but some of the major countries at the time also had impressive tech. This is because the rulers of these countries were all Lunarian. When they came to power, they brought their advanced technology with them."
She looked around the room, ensuring everyone was following. "Joy Boy didn't keep his kingdom's knowledge to themselves. They shared it, spreading technology across the world. The historical texts make it clear that they weren't stingy with their advancements—they were intent on advancing the entire world."
Vegapunk fell silent at these words. His expression shifted to one of deep solemnity, and even Buggy could sense that something significant had clicked for the brilliant scientist. But Vegapunk didn't speak right away. He simply closed his eyes, lost in thought.
Robin, surprised by his silence, continued, "After this, the Sun Kingdom entered a period of rapid development. During this time, they created many incredible technologies." She paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts. "For example, the invention of the 'ship'—a vehicle that could travel fast across the air. This innovation was a game-changer, fueling further development in the kingdom."
Buggy raised his hand, signaling for her to stop. "Wait, hold on. Did the historical records mention what kind of energy these ships used? And what powered those ships you mentioned earlier? Any specifics?"
Robin nodded. "Yes, of course. The texts go into great detail, almost as if they were documenting everything about the kingdom. The energy source for the ships you asked about is called 'electricity.' It's similar to the generators Vegapunk created for the Crimson Empire."
Buggy's crew listened intently as Robin went on. Electricity-powered lights, boats, airships, and ships. The emergence of this energy source propelled the kingdom into a period of incredible growth. It was a time of peace that lasted for quite some time."
She paused, her voice lowering slightly. "But what caught my attention is that the records don't mention how the twenty Celestial Dragons overthrew the kingdom. Instead, they focus on technological advancements. The rapid progress in science and technology even led people in the kingdom to begin researching the sky, dreaming of reaching beyond it."
At this revelation, both Buggy and Vegapunk visibly shuddered, clearly shocked by what Robin was saying. Yet Vegapunk remained silent, his brow furrowed in thought.
Buggy, however, couldn't hold back. "Beyond the sky? Are you talking about outer space?"
Robin gave him a surprised look, then nodded. "Yes. The people of the Sun Kingdom had invented a telescope capable of observing the universe, and they discovered that the world they lived in was merely a sphere orbiting the sun. But that wasn't all—they also observed other spheres, other planets. They wondered if other life forms existed on those planets."
She smiled as she continued. "They began to dream of reaching those distant spheres, to meet and communicate with other civilizations. This research went on for three hundred years, and under the rule of the Sun Kingdom, despite some struggles, the world eventually found peace once again."
Buggy was listening intently now, his eyes narrowing as he pieced things together. Robin's words lingered in the air.
"One day, after more than three centuries of research," Robin said, her voice almost a whisper, "the scientists of the Sun God Kingdom finally received information from other civilizations outside the universe."
Buggy's lips curled into a twitching grin as a strange, familiar feeling washed over him.
Robin leaned back slightly, showing a knowing smile. "And here's the most interesting part: the scientist leading this research was a member of the Celestial Dragons' royal family—a branch of the twenty families. Their name was the Nerona family."
Buggy's eyes sharpened, and he fixed his gaze on Dragon. "So, people from the Nerona family were the first to contact an alien civilization?"
Robin nodded, her expression unreadable. "Exactly."
Buggy fell into deep thought, his mind racing. The implications of everything he'd just heard were beginning to sink in. There was far more at play in this world than he'd ever realized.
---
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