*One Piece: A Side Story – The Forgotten Isle (Part 36)*

The Thousand Sunny sailed smoothly away from the collapsing island, the rumbling and explosions growing faint as the island sunk beneath the waves. The crew stood at the edge of the ship, looking back at the ruins they had narrowly escaped. The horizon was already darkening, signaling the approach of night. The chaos of the island's destruction still lingered in their minds, but the crew had learned to push forward, no matter the cost.

Luffy stretched his arms, grinning widely. "That was intense! But we made it out!" He laughed, his usual exuberance returning.

Sanji, still panting from the escape, wiped the sweat off his brow and kicked back against the railing. "Yeah, and we almost didn't make it thanks to that damn creature! What was that thing?"

Robin, her hand still holding the cracked artifact, was quieter than usual. She had been deep in thought ever since they had left the island. "The creature… It was born from the artifact's energy. But it wasn't just a guardian. It was a manifestation of the artifact's true power, a force designed to protect the island's ultimate secret."

Zoro, sharpening his swords as he always did after a battle, glanced at Robin. "What secret?"

Robin looked up at the sky, her expression serious. "The artifact was a key, a key to something even greater. That island wasn't just a place of ancient ruins. It was the last stronghold of a civilization that tried to harness unimaginable power… power that was far beyond what we can comprehend. And we may have just unleashed a portion of it."

The crew fell silent as they processed her words. The weight of their encounter with the island was beginning to sink in.

"We've been after the One Piece, sure," Nami said, her brow furrowed, "but could this artifact have something to do with the bigger picture? What if it was all connected to the Void Century?"

"I'm not sure," Robin replied, shaking her head. "But the island's history… it's a piece of a puzzle. If the world government ever finds out about what's truly hidden beneath the surface of that island…"

Luffy, ever optimistic and determined, clapped his hands together. "But that's why we're here! We'll find out what it all means. It's our job to explore and learn!"

"Yeah!" Usopp chimed in, his usual bravado returning. "And we'll be the ones to uncover all the mysteries of the world!"

But despite their enthusiasm, there was an unease in the air. The adventure had only just begun, and they had already stumbled upon something far greater than they had expected.

Franky, who had been silently monitoring the ship's course, turned around, adjusting his sunglasses. "We're heading toward a new island, but I suggest we stay on guard. That whole ordeal might not be over just because we left the island behind. Who knows what kind of enemies are now aware of what we've discovered?"

"Yeah," Zoro added, sheathing his swords, "this isn't the end of it. Something tells me there are more people after whatever that artifact contained."

"Right," Sanji said, lighting a cigarette. "We don't know who or what else might be interested in that power."

Robin, still holding the artifact, looked out over the water. "The truth is, there are many who would do anything to control that kind of power. And the artifact is only a part of something much larger."

"Whatever it is, we're in it now," Luffy said, his grin never fading. "But that's fine! We'll just keep moving forward, and we'll beat anyone who gets in our way."

The rest of the crew nodded in agreement. No matter how dangerous the road ahead, they would face it together.

As night fell, the Thousand Sunny sailed into the darkening horizon, the crew ready for whatever awaited them. The mysteries of the Forgotten Isle and the ancient artifact were far from over. There were still many islands to visit, many people to meet, and many adventures to come.

But for now, they could only look ahead, knowing that their journey was about to take them into even more uncharted waters. They had survived one of the island's greatest threats, but they couldn't shake the feeling that the true danger was yet to come.

The world was vast, and the path to the One Piece was still long. But one thing was certain—the Straw Hat Pirates would face whatever lay ahead, together.

To be continued…