Chapter 190: The Great Kingdom

As a benefactor to both Wano Country and Zou, Robin faced no resistance in her pursuit of historical texts. This wasn't a major issue for them.

Frankly, Luo Ning held little interest in such things, not even the Void History Poneglyphs. He left Robin to her research while he explored the elephant's back himself. The sheer size of Zunesha piqued his curiosity, and he attempted to establish communication.

The elephant's voice was audible only to a select few. Observation Haki wasn't a factor, as evidenced by Momonosuke's inability to hear it despite possessing Observation Haki. It seemed to be a bloodline-related ability, allowing both Luffy and Momonosuke to perceive Zunesha's voice.

It was likely connected to the D family in some way. With that in mind, Luo Ning reached out to Zunesha directly, using a soul-based connection.

"Zunesha, can you hear me?"

Upon establishing contact with Zunesha's soul, Luo Ning sent his voice across. He instantly felt a tremor course through Zunesha's massive body, a vibration that resonated through the entire kingdom built upon its back.

"Who are you? How can you speak with me?!"

A tremendous roar boomed from Zunesha, a sound detectable only by those with a specific ability. While incredibly loud, Zunesha's voice wasn't a problem for Luo Ning. His spirit far surpassed Luffy and Momonosuke's. Although the roar was deafening, it reached Luo Ning's ears muted.

"I'm on your back," Luo Ning replied. "My name is Luo Ning. Zunesha, where did you originate? Did you come from that Great Kingdom?"

Curiosity gnawed at Luo Ning. The elephant's identity was shrouded in mystery. Its immense size, the kingdom it carried, and the historical text all begged for answers.

"How do you know?" Zunesha rumbled back, a hint of bewilderment in its voice. It did indeed hail from the Great Kingdom, but how could Luo Ning possess such knowledge? Human lifespans were fleeting compared to Zunesha's own. The Great Kingdom had long crumbled into dust by now.

"I gleaned some information from murals," Luo Ning explained. "However, the details are hazy. I'd love to hear about that Great Kingdom from your perspective. What was it like? What transpired back then?"

Having established communication with Zunesha, Luo Ning was eager to unravel the mysteries. Simply talking to the colossal elephant wasn't enough; he craved knowledge.

"You wish to know? Very well, I shall tell you!"

The opportunity to converse with someone who understood its voice was rare. Zunesha obliged, ready to share its memories of the Great Kingdom with Luo Ning.

The Great Kingdom, the highest authority before the World Government, was a terrifying force. The giant elephant, naturally, was one of them. Though unaware of the reason, the elephant owner was born immensely large.

It had always lived within the Great Kingdom, a member itself, and was seen as a guardian beast of sorts. However, a turning point arrived. The Great Kingdom, at its peak, housed many races and ambitious individuals.

The kingdom itself delved into research on extraordinary things, including two known as Pluton and Uranus. Pluton, a colossal ship capable of obliterating an island in a single blast, was deemed so powerful that its production ceased after the first one was built.

As for Uranus, Zunesha described it as an utterly terrifying weapon. Research on it was immediately halted and sealed away. Zunesha's knowledge of its nature was limited, only knowing its immense danger. Every use, it seemed, demanded a heavy price (the nature of which remains unclear), prompting the Great Kingdom to outright block its use.

Then, disaster struck the Great Kingdom. The catalyst for change came from within - twenty dignitaries, dissatisfied with their power and believing they deserved to rule, waged war.

They seized and unleashed Uranus, its power obliterating Pluton in the process. Though the royal family resisted, they were no match for Uranus' might. Such was its power that even Pluton fell before it. Ultimately, these twenty kingdom brought about the Great Kingdom's downfall.

The death toll remains unknown. Zunesha, following the last emperor's orders, departed the fallen kingdom and slowly evolved into its current form.

"Uranus, created by the Great Kingdom, was sealed due to its exorbitant use cost. But what exactly is this cost?"

Luo Ning burned with curiosity. Why would the World Government go to such lengths to erase history? What transpired in the past century? Why, after eight hundred years, do they still seek to suppress research into their past?

Frankly, Luo Ning's curiosity was well and truly piqued. He yearned to understand the events that transpired within the Great Kingdom, what instilled such fear in the World Government even today. What was the true cost of unleashing Uranus? Even Pluton, according to Zunesha, wasn't sealed away entirely; only its construction methods were restricted to prevent mass production.

Uranus, however, remained a complete mystery. What were the activation conditions? Why was it sealed so definitively?

Zunesha, despite being a member of the Great Kingdom, couldn't answer these questions. Its immense size did not grant it access to such knowledge. Its loyalty lay solely with the Great Kingdom, hence guarding the Mink Tribe on its back after their departure. The Mink Tribe, in turn, safeguarded the so-called "coordinates."

The connection between Wano Country and the Mink Tribe seemed to suggest a high standing for the Wano people within the Great Kingdom. Zunesha, in its early days, received significant aid from them, fostering a sense of obedience towards those in Wano with a special power – the ability to hear its voice. Unfortunately, as the text mentions, meeting Momonosuke was a stroke of misfortune. Finding reliable leadership in Wano appears to be a genuine challenge.