9. Blessing or curse - 1

Immediately afterwards, the scene before everyone no longer resembled the original forest.

"Your Majesty, there's a road ahead!" Daiki shouted excitedly, his voice was filled with enthusiasm.

After all, they had searched this area many times without ever finding a road. However, as the massive tree slowly toppled, the surrounding scenery seemed to transform entirely.

Anos noticed the change immediately. He glanced at the road ahead and then back at the enormous tree still falling.

As the giant tree descended, countless others snapped under its weight. The moment it crashed to the ground, a tremendous noise echoed, and even the earth began to tremble.

Daiki quickly ran to Anos, gazing at the fallen tree. He couldn't understand why all their previous problems had suddenly been resolved by the tree's fall.

"Your Majesty, what exactly is happening?" Daiki asked respectfully, his curiosity evident.

Anos was unsure himself. He had observed the massive tree before but never expected its fall to dissolve the barrier that had perplexed them.

"I'm not entirely sure. It seems this treasure holds more mysteries than we anticipated. If we can claim it, our Kingdom of Tru will prosper," Anos said with a smile.

"Indeed, Your Majesty. Now that the barrier is lifted, we should reach our destination before nightfall," Daiki replied.

"Then let's move quickly. We can investigate the details later," Anos said, patting Daiki on the shoulder.

None of them could explain the sudden changes and the area remained difficult to comprehend. It felt as though the land had shifted on its own.

A path, nearly two meters wide, had appeared before them, but no one knew where it led. According to the treasure map: "Open the barrier, and the treasure will reveal itself."

This confirmed that the path likely led to the treasure, though it was uncertain what dangers were hidden ahead.

Anos sheathed his demon sword, Muramasa, running his hand along the scabbard before securing it at his waist, ready to move forward.

"Your Majesty, please allow me to lead. We don't know what dangers might await," Daiki urged, concerned.

"Don't worry, Daiki. Both our lives are valuable, but with my strength, I should go ahead." Anos smiled.

"Your Majesty, you always think of us..."

"Whatever you command, I will follow without hesitation."

"A king like you is truly worthy of our loyalty!" The soldiers behind him, moved by Anos' words, praised him wholeheartedly.

As they pressed onward, none of them noticed that the felled tree behind them was slowly disappearing, vanishing in silence as they moved farther away.

"Your Majesty, you've been working hard. Would you like to rest?" Daiki asked after they had been walking for nearly an hour.

"No need. Let's finish this quickly. This level of exertion is nothing for us," Anos replied calmly.

Daiki smiled and continued following Anos. They had been walking for an hour, yet the trail showed no end. The towering trees on either side added to the unease they all felt.

Despite Baterilla Island's vastness, it felt odd that at their speed, they hadn't reached the summit after an hour of walking.

Although they had been ascending steadily, it seemed as if they were walking in circles.

After ten more minutes, Anos finally sensed something was amiss. The situation felt similar to what they had encountered earlier the surroundings were disorienting, making it impossible to determine the direction.

"Daiki, use Geppo to get a view from the sky. See what's going on," Anos commanded, his voice serious.

What was supposed to be a simple treasure hunt now felt like a labyrinth.

Upon hearing the order, Daiki leapt into the air, using Geppo to ascend. From above, everything seemed normal. Yet, strangely, despite walking for an hour, they had only covered a few miles.

After landing, Daiki reported, "Your Majesty, according to the treasure map, we're close to the location, but despite walking for nearly an hour, we've only covered five miles. The road ahead doesn't add up."

"We can't waste any more time. Let the others wait here. You and I will proceed by air. I want to see what's keeping us trapped in this loop." Anos' voice, now tinged with frustration, betrayed his earlier calm.

This place, part of their kingdom, had remained a mystery for so long. How had no one ventured this far before? The treasure, passed down from an unknown era of kings, had remained untouched.

And the most baffling question: why had the Pirate King placed his wife here? He must have known something crucial about this place.

Anos and Daiki left the soldiers behind and took to the skies, flying directly toward the mountaintop.

Upon reaching the summit, they saw nothing but rocks no trees, no vegetation, just barren stone.

"The treasure trove is supposed to be here, but I don't see anything," Daiki said after surveying the area.

"Father wouldn't have protected something insignificant. If the map points here, the treasure must be somewhere," Anos said, trying to reassure himself, though doubts were creeping in. The summit was barren, and no hiding place seemed apparent.

The two of them began searching again. Within moments, they had scoured the entire mountaintop, but there was still no sign of treasure.

"Could this be some sort of trap? There's nothing here at all!" Anos cursed inwardly. This place was far from what he had imagined.

"Your Majesty, is it possible the treasure map itself is flawed?" Daiki wondered aloud.

"Who knows? When my father gave it to me, we didn't ask for more details," Anos said, shaking his head.

"So, what should we do now?"

"What else? Let's head back," Anos sighed.

Resigned, Anos sat on a rock, contemplating their return. But sometimes, fortune comes unexpectedly.

As soon as he sat, Anos felt the stone beneath him shift. The entire rock lowered slightly as if suspended.

Daiki noticed too. The two exchanged glances, and joy spread across their faces.

"It looks like the treasure is beneath this rock. Let's move it aside," Anos said with a grin.

Daiki lifted the rock easily. Beneath it, they discovered that the entire mountain was hollow stones suspended in midair, creating an illusion of solidity.

"Your Majesty, let me go down first to investigate."

"No need. There shouldn't be any danger. Let's go down together," Anos decided, jumping into the darkness below.

As they ventured deeper into the hollow, a shiver ran through the air, the shadows growing thicker with each step. Looking down, it appeared almost bottomless, and it was very dark inside. No one knew what was hidden beneath.

However, there was no need to overthink it. The only certainty was that something valuable was down there.

When the two of them jumped into the hole, some unknown force caused them to be suspended in mid-air, halting their descent simultaneously.

"Daiki, lean against the side of the mountain and descend slowly. Make sure to be cautious," Anos called out seriously.

"Yes, Your Majesty..."

Neither of them had any idea what was inside. They could only rely on this method and begin their slow descent. What exactly was hidden beneath the mountain? No one truly knew.

However, based on the current situation, it was clear there were certainly unusual items below.

From Anos' perspective, nothing in the world of One Piece was surprising. After all, strange events were commonplace here.

As they continued to descend along the rocky edge, it remained pitch black, but they could vaguely sense unusual movements below.

Upon reaching the bottom, the scene before them completely shattered Anos' expectations.

Even Daiki was stunned. The so-called treasure was unlike anything they had imagined.

"Your Majesty, what... what is this?" Daiki asked, unable to contain his confusion, and looked directly at Anos.

At that moment, Anos was running his hands over the massive, dark structure, the shock in his eyes undeniable.

There was no need for further words; he already knew exactly what the enormous object beneath their feet was.

A massive structure that filled the entire mountain. But it wasn't treasure or gold. It was the kind of weapon that people across the world of One Piece dreamed of...

"Daiki, it seems we've struck it rich this time. But whether this is a blessing or a curse, we cannot yet say. Once we leave, we must make sure that no one finds out about what's hidden here. If word gets out, the entire Kingdom of Tru could be engulfed in the flames of war!" Anos spoke with a grave expression, his voice devoid of emotion.

He already understood the gravity of the situation. How had the kings who ruled for generations managed to hide such a massive weapon inside this mountain?

"Your Majesty, what exactly is this?" Daiki asked again, unable to hold back his curiosity.

As they descended into the hollow, the treasure slowly revealed itself. What was hidden beneath their feet was not gold or riches but something far more valuable something that could change the fate of the Kingdom of Tru forever.

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