At this moment,
Luffy, having fully restored his mental strength, led the gathered members of the Starry Sky crew to the edge of the island—right where the Pluton awaited.
Step…
Once more, their boots pressed onto the deck of the Pluton, stirring a mixture of emotions among the crew.
Since the grueling battle days ago, the atmosphere among the Starry Sky crew had grown subdued.
It had been a long time since they had been as lively as before.
The overwhelming power of the D clan ancestor had completely shattered their confidence.
Including Luffy.
The Starry Sky Pirates, who had thought themselves free to act boldly across the seas, had been shaken to their very core by this incident.
Yet…
Life had to go on.
Determined not to let their own low spirits affect the others, each crew member buried their negative emotions deep inside, keeping their worries unspoken.
Still, in these past few days, their words had grown noticeably fewer.
Now, standing on the ship's deck, not one dared break the silence.
After a long pause,
"We… should go…"
Luffy finally spoke, his voice calm yet grave, his gaze stern, as he strode toward the interior of the Pluton's vessel.
The crew's subdued state stemmed largely from Luffy himself.
The captain's mood set the tone for the entire pirate crew.
...
The massive door, violently pushed open by the ancestor long ago, still bore shards of ice left from Brook's earlier chilling attack.
The crew crossed into the dark interior.
Perhaps due to years without sunlight, the ship's interior remained dim despite its open doors.
The scent of decay lingered, unchanged even after all these days.
Whoosh…
Sanji, following behind Luffy, suddenly burst with golden light, illuminating the entire dark cabin.
What surprised them most was the sight of the Pluton's massive warship interior: a maze of intertwined pipes and mysterious control platforms.
It was clear this vessel had been designed purely for war!
There was not a hint of space suitable for human habitation.
As they advanced toward the heart of the ship,
a compacted system of machinery came into view, fully exposed in the center.
Luffy surveyed the room and said in a low tone,
"Split up. See if there's any useful information."
"Got it…"
The crew responded quickly, scattering to search.
But Luffy remained in place, his gaze fixed on the unknown device before him, lost in thought.
Eight hundred years ago…
What could have happened that even such a tremendous force could not resolve?
According to Crocodile, the Nefertari clan betrayed the D clan ancestor, allowing the enemy of the D clan to prevail.
But who could this enemy be, strong enough that the Nefertari ancestor risked betraying such a powerful being to join them…?
There was usually only one answer.
The D clan's enemy must have been stronger.
Strong enough that the Nefertari ancestor believed victory was impossible.
At this thought, Luffy clenched his fists tightly, a hint of self-reproach flashing in his eyes.
He was still too weak.
...
"Luffy~"
A gentle voice called from behind.
Deep in thought, Luffy hadn't noticed Robin lingering instead of joining the search.
At her soft voice, he unclenched his fists, his eyes returning to their usual calm warmth, and turned to ask curiously,
"Robin… what is it?"
"Luffy…"
Robin murmured, stepping forward to take his hand. Bowing her head, her mature, intelligent voice said,
"Luffy, this isn't your fault."
Luffy lowered his head, silent.
Robin remained quiet, standing beside him.
"Robin!"
After a long pause, Luffy asked,
"If in the future, I lead you into battles against enemies so strong that we might despair…
what should I…
do…"
"Luffy…"
Robin whispered again but offered no answer, for even she did not know.
Ha~
Luffy lifted his head, smiling brightly, like the sun itself, and said,
"That's why I'll keep getting stronger! Stronger than anyone else!
Trust me, Robin!
I absolutely will! Absolutely!
Never let you face danger again!"
With that, he turned and strode into the darkness of the Pluton's ship.
Robin remained, watching his back intently.
Having known him so well, she could see through the smile he forced.
Yet…
...
Behind a pipe,
Zoro leaned back against the cold metal, listening carefully to Luffy's conversation with Robin.
His three swords hummed faintly—not to comfort him, but to remind him: We can still get stronger!
Chopper, obedient as always, had not participated in the battle and had no other thoughts.
Following Luffy's instructions, he carefully searched the ship's complex interior.
Until, in front of a massive control panel, Chopper discovered an old but intact parchment book.
"Luffy~! Zoro~! Sanji~! …"
Chopper called out excitedly.
Moments later, the crew gathered around him.
Luffy picked up the parchment and opened it to the middle—but he could not read a single character.
Considering the ship's identity, he turned to Robin and asked,
"Robin…
is this written in ancient script?"
Robin, having been observing Luffy, paused at the question before hurrying over.
Taking the parchment with her delicate, jade-like hands, she carefully opened the first page, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
Seeing Robin lost in thought, the crew fell silent, giving her the space to read.
In the vast, empty cabin, only the sound of their breathing and the turning pages remained.
As Robin turned each page, her eyes revealed a complex mix of emotions—joy one moment, sorrow the next—immersed in the unfolding story.
She held the parchment for a long, long time, as if transported into the past.
Finally, after a while, Robin snapped the book shut with a thump, tilting her head back, eyes closed, unable to forget what she had read.