"..."
Robin remained silent. So she was still alone after all…
"To be honest, your current situation is far from safe."
Wright ran his hand over the intricate ancient script inscribed on the Poneglyph.
"In Paradise, it's not as much of an issue—there aren't many who even know about the Poneglyphs. But once you enter the latter half of the Grand Line, the New World..."
"There are plenty of people there who want to decipher the Poneglyphs. You could very well become a 'key' they fight over."
"That's why, until you have the strength to protect yourself—or companions who can protect you—I strongly advise against continuing your search for the Poneglyphs."
"Because…"
Wright turned to Robin. "The 'key' to reaching Laugh Tale lies in four very special Poneglyphs—the Road Poneglyphs."
"Road… Poneglyphs?"
Robin's expression turned serious. "I only know that Poneglyphs contain records—some of great historical significance, others more ordinary information."
"From what the Pirate King said, I suspect that he managed to gather all the Poneglyphs and piece together a complete account, uncovering the secrets of the Void Century along with the path to Laugh Tale…"
"But what exactly are the Road Poneglyphs?"
"You're not wrong. Roger must have obtained all of the historical Poneglyphs. They learned the truth of the Void Century, which is why they were feared by the World Government."
Wright nodded. Roger had achieved this largely thanks to his ability to "hear the Voice of All Things"—like a Dragon Radar of sorts. In other words, without that innate gift, collecting all the Poneglyphs would be extremely difficult.
"Many influential figures in the New World know about the Road Poneglyphs."
"Unlike regular Poneglyphs, the Road Poneglyphs are red, and there are four of them."
"Each one records a location."
"When all four Road Poneglyphs are collected and their locations are plotted on a map, the intersection point marks the location of the 'Final Island'—Laugh Tale."
Cold sweat trickled down Robin's face. If this was the true purpose of the Road Poneglyphs, then the dangers she faced in the New World became even more apparent.
"So… collecting all four Road Poneglyphs is the prerequisite to becoming the Pirate King!"
"And deciphering the ancient script is the key to unlocking that path!"
Seeing Robin tremble slightly, Wright sighed.
"Now do you understand why I advise against continuing your search? In your current state, setting foot in the New World would only make you a prime target."
"As a Marine, I can't—and won't be able to—protect you under such circumstances."
"That's why, until you find strong allies willing to help you achieve your dream, you need to wait patiently."
"Do you really think… that day will come?"
Robin murmured. She had waited for over a decade. Would there really be such a group of people?
"Yes. Waiting won't be in vain…"
Wright hesitated for a moment before taking out a small box and handing it to Robin.
"This will help you. At the very least, if you come across young people who possess the same thing, you'll know they're trustworthy—and so are the companions they trust."
"If you meet them here, on Skypiea, you can judge them for yourself…"
"Perhaps they are the ones you've been waiting for."
"If, at that time, you decide to follow them, I won't stop you. If it's them… I can't make any promises about anything else, but when it comes to protecting their comrades, they'll give it everything they've got."
"..."
Robin opened the box. Inside was a pendant crafted from a radiant, golden gemstone.
"Admiral Wright… I never expected you to have such knowledge of the Poneglyphs. As expected of a Marine Admiral…"
After a brief silence, Robin put on the pendant. Even though the Lightforged Beacon remained a classified secret to the outside world, given Wright's status, there was no way he would give her an ordinary trinket.
This golden glow—it was unmistakably created using Wright's ability. It resembled… a Lightforged Crystal.
"And yet, you don't seem particularly interested in the contents of this Poneglyph?"
Robin found it odd. Wright had shown more interest in Roger's message than the historical record itself.
"Well then, why don't you tell me what it says?"
Robin smirked mischievously, as if hoping to surprise him.
"This… records the location of the ancient weapon, Poseidon!"
"Oh…"
Wright dragged out the sound, and Robin's smile froze. Judging by his reaction…
Could he already know what Poseidon is?
Given Admiral Wright's ties to Fish-Man Island…
"No way…"
A realization struck Robin, and she could only offer a wry smile.
"It seems you already knew."
Wright nodded calmly.
"Poseidon—the Sea King—appears once every several hundred years. The sovereign of all Sea Kings."
"The Mermaid Princess of Fish-Man Island."
"..."
"You… really do know!"
Robin studied Wright closely.
"One of your most renowned feats was saving Queen Otohime's life back then. So does that mean…"
"Ah, back then, an uncontrolled 'Sea King' almost revealed itself to the world."
Wright shook his head and turned to leave.
"When you reach Fish-Man Island, you will find another Poneglyph."
"But until then, be patient. This is the extent of the protection I can offer you. Right now, even I can only do so much."
"Whether or not the Void Century is deciphered is of little consequence to me. What I need to do—Laugh Tale is just a footnote to that."
"So don't let me influence your decisions. Choose your own path."
...
Ten thousand meters below the surface, Fish-Man Island.
"Otohime, the Reverie is approaching once again this year."
Seated upon his throne, Neptune spoke in a solemn tone.
"This time, our dream… it can finally come true, right?"
"Yes, I believe so!"
Queen Otohime radiated confidence.
"After four years of preparation, all conditions are in place."
"We've found a suitable island for relocation, and with Admiral Wright's support, we can coordinate with Marine Headquarters. Even the World Government will back our migration!"
"That's true… But there remains one issue we cannot avoid."
Neptune sighed. After four years of effort, thanks to Fish-Man Island's collaboration with the Marines, the necessary personnel and external conditions were prepared. Once the proposal was officially approved at the Reverie, they could begin an orderly relocation.
But there was one lingering dilemma.
"Newgate…"
Neptune was not a man to forget kindness. On the contrary, he firmly believed in repaying debts of gratitude.
Many Fish-Men and Merfolk shared the same sentiment.
Edward Newgate—Whitebeard—had protected Fish-Man Island for over a decade, ensuring its peace.
Now, how was Fish-Man Island to balance its allegiance between the Marines, Admiral Wright… and Whitebeard?
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