One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 156: Robin—On a Whim, I Stole the Poneglyph

Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Robin—On a Whim, I Stole the Poneglyph

After spending several days on Fish-Man Island, Claudius and his party successfully concluded their mission for the World Government. Whitebeard's flag could no longer be raised, and Neptune and the others understood the stakes.

If the Fish-Man Island royals dared to defy this arrangement, the consequences would be catastrophic. Not only would the Five Elders lose their patience, but Claudius himself would not tolerate being made a fool of.

If such a situation arose again, Claudius jokingly thought to himself that he might destroy the entire Fish-Man Island in retaliation. He could even uproot Eve itself to use its wood for shipbuilding.

Of course, this was just an exaggerated thought. Neptune and Princess Otohime were certainly not foolish enough to push things that far.

During their stay, Claudius finally saw Shirahoshi. Though she was just a newborn, her immense size was astonishing. Shirahoshi was absolutely adorable, to the point of being overwhelmingly charming.

In the future, two individuals would be widely regarded as the most beautiful women in the world. One of them was Boa Hancock, whose beauty captivated countless hearts. However, despite her fame, Hancock's beauty would only be acknowledged unofficially, revered among pirates and civilians alike but never formally recognized.

The other was Shirahoshi, who was considered the world's most beautiful woman with official recognition.

When comparing the two, Claudius leaned toward Hancock. While Shirahoshi was indeed stunning, her appeal leaned more toward innocence and cuteness, with her status as the Mermaid Princess adding significant weight to her reputation.

Hancock, on the other hand, relied solely on her extraordinary looks to command attention. If beauty alone could determine rank, Hancock's presence was on par with that of a Marine Fleet Admiral.

As the Prometheus descended from Fish-Man Island back to the sea's surface, Claudius found himself marveling at the beauty of the deep-sea landscape. Unlike the trip down, which had been occupied with conversations with Sengoku, this time Claudius took the opportunity to appreciate the underwater world.

Both Lenny and Mero remained behind on Fish-Man Island. Claudius ensured they were well-funded, leaving behind significant resources to support their new life. He even spoke with Neptune, requesting the king to look after the two women.

For Neptune, this was an opportunity to gather more insight into Claudius. Were the rumors of his goodwill genuine? Was this Celestial Dragon someone they could trust? With these questions in mind, Neptune readily agreed to Claudius's request.

On Sengoku's side, plans were already underway. Upon his return to Marineford, he would begin preparations to station Marines on Fish-Man Island, further cementing the new arrangement.

As the Prometheus moved through the depths, Hancock leaned against the railing, her eyes wide with excitement as she spotted a massive, glowing anglerfish in the distance. "What is that? It's so big!" she exclaimed.

Claudius smiled at her enthusiasm. "That's a lantern fish. They're huge, and I've heard they even prey on Sea Kings. But... well, they are pretty ugly, aren't they?"

Hancock nodded quickly. "Yes, it's so ugly! It looks like it's from some horror story!"

Robin, standing quietly nearby, commented in a calm tone, "I think it's kind of... charming."

Claudius turned toward her, amused. Over time, he'd realized that Robin's unusual aesthetic preferences weren't born from trauma or hardship but were simply an intrinsic part of her personality.

It was the same Robin who had adopted Saul's odd "chuck-he-he" laugh back when she was a child. Even as Claudius reflected on her quirks, he couldn't help but wonder about Saul. The giant Vice Admiral with such a promising future—wasn't he locked away in Impel Down?

Shaking the thought from his mind, Claudius asked Robin, "Did you find anything interesting on Fish-Man Island? Something that caught your attention?"

Robin turned to him, her gaze thoughtful. "Yes, I found it fascinating. The culture there is so distinct from the surface world. I also bought a lot of books."

Hearing this, Claudius smiled warmly. "Books, huh? That sounds like you, Robin. Did you spend a fortune?"

Robin hesitated for a moment before admitting, "I might have gone a little overboard... It cost quite a bit."

Claudius chuckled. "How much could books possibly cost? Don't worry about it. How much did you spend?"

Robin hesitated again before sheepishly responding, "About... a billion berries."

Claudius froze, nearly falling over the railing. "What?! A billion berries? You spent that much on books? Did you buy a library or something? Or was it... was it the Poneglyph?!"

Robin flinched at his outburst, her face filled with embarrassment. "Many of the books were original manuscripts, some of them centuries old. Others were rare editions thought to have been lost to time. Knowledge is priceless, isn't it? You always say that, Your Highness. Books are the ladder of human progress, and knowledge is the most valuable treasure."

Hearing her justification, Claudius laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, fine. I suppose I did say that."

Robin sighed in relief, her tension easing as she smiled. "I've already placed them in the ship's library, but it still feels so empty. Your library is too big."

Claudius nodded, a spark of pride lighting his eyes. "One day, Robin, we'll fill that library together. Every book will represent a journey, an adventure. The Prometheus will truly live up to its name—the ship of wisdom."

Robin didn't reply right away. Instead, she gazed at him for a moment before asking, "The ship of wisdom?"

"Yes," Claudius replied confidently. "The Prometheus isn't just a ship; it's a vessel of knowledge, discovery, and understanding."

Robin hesitated, then added, "While we were on Fish-Man Island... I visited the Sea Forest."

Claudius raised an eyebrow. "The Sea Forest? That's the place with the Poneglyph, isn't it?"

Robin nodded, her expression suddenly uncertain. "I had someone move the Poneglyph to the ship's library."

"What?!" Claudius nearly choked on his words. "You moved the Poneglyph?! The Fish-Men didn't try to stop you?"

Robin frowned thoughtfully before replying, "No, I don't think they saw it as anything important. It was just lying there in the Sea Forest, like an abandoned relic. No one seemed to care."

Claudius groaned and rubbed his forehead, but he couldn't find it in himself to be angry. Ultimately, it was a Poneglyph, a priceless artifact that couldn't be read by just anyone. Its presence aboard the Prometheus was both a risk and an opportunity.

"Well, what's done is done," Claudius said with a shrug. "No one can read it anyway, so I doubt it'll cause much trouble."

Robin glanced at him, conflicted. She had considered revealing her ability to read the Poneglyphs but decided against it. "Not yet," she thought to herself. "I'll tell him when the time is right."

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