Chapter 511: The Special Treasure Tree, Sun Tree
Ryuunosuke froze for a moment when he heard Katakuri's answer.
Why did Katakuri sound this nervous?
Was his tone just now too sharp?
Or was there another reason?
"It is nothing troublesome," Ryuunosuke said calmly. "I just wanted to confirm something."
"Tell me the situation there in detail."
On the other end, Katakuri fell silent for a moment, then began to speak.
Since his mother was openly acting in the name of the Dragon Hunter Pirates, there was no need to hide anything from Ryuunosuke.
Once the giants of this land set sail, the Dragon Hunter Pirates would learn about it sooner or later.
There was no point trying to cover it up.
"I see."
Ryuunosuke fell quiet after listening to Katakuri's full report.
"Thank you. You have brought the Dragon Hunter Pirates quite a harvest this time."
"When we meet again, I will thank you properly."
"Oh, and pass along my regards to Miss Charlotte Linlin."
With that, he hung up the Den Den Mushi.
Katakuri stared at the snail in his hand, feeling that something was wrong.
But no matter how he replayed the conversation in his head, he could not find a problem.
Ryuunosuke, meanwhile, let a small, confident smile appear on his face.
Charlotte Linlin definitely had plans of her own.
From Katakuri's description, she had presented herself as standing on the same side as the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
Everything she had done in Morbig was supposedly for the sake of future cooperation with Ryuunosuke.
No matter what happened, she could say, I acted under the banner of the Dragon Hunter Pirates. The giants will not be a problem.
"Charlotte Linlin… what exactly are you trying to do?"
What troubled Ryuunosuke even more was another point.
Adam.
The legendary Treasure Tree Adam was actually rooted in Morbig.
According to Big, the Adam found in the West Blue was nothing more than a cutting from the true tree.
That thought continued to gnaw at Ryuunosuke's mind.
After receiving the name Joy Boy, his first contact with the other Joy Boys had been at the roots of Sun Tree Eve.
There was no way that Treasure Tree Adam was ordinary.
It definitely hid some secret of its own.
What that secret was, he still did not know.
With that on his mind, Ryuunosuke left the cabin and stepped out onto the deck.
Everyone was still training and fighting as usual.
Roy watched the chaos with great interest from the side.
The fighting style of the Dragon Hunter Pirates and the raw intensity of their battles were very eye catching.
Even the Red Hair crew, who were still on board as guests, had been dragged into the brawls.
Very quickly, they had ended up clashing with Kaido.
Other fighters who stood with Ryuunosuke, like Tatsumi, were also locked in their own duels.
The combat culture aboard the Eternal Ark had already become a kind of creed.
Anyone who stayed on the ship long enough ended up swept into this storm of fists and Haki.
"Captain Ryuunosuke, finished with your business already?"
Roy walked over as soon as he noticed him.
As a former high ranking member of the Guardians, his position was a little awkward right now.
Especially with Cynthia and the others being used as living sandbags during training.
And with Sevian, who had chosen to remain with the Dragon Hunter Pirates, fighting side by side with them.
Roy had no right at all to accuse Sevian of betrayal.
So for now he simply watched, without interfering.
Imu stood quietly at Roy's side, also not participating in any of the skirmishes.
But Imu's attention was clearly caught by someone aboard the ship.
Nojiko.
Imu could sense a primal power within Nojiko that was very similar to her own.
"Yes, more or less," Ryuunosuke replied. "Roy, there is something I want to ask you."
"How much do you know about Sunlight Tree Eve and Treasure Tree Adam?"
"The Treasure Tree Adam, and Sunlight Tree Eve?"
Roy's eyes flickered with surprise.
"Why is Captain Ryuunosuke suddenly interested in those two?"
"I just suddenly felt curious," Ryuunosuke said with a light smile.
"Such legendary trees must have some special qualities, right?"
"After all, I have heard many pirates dream of building a ship out of Adam wood."
The implication was obvious.
He was a pirate too. He would naturally have similar thoughts.
"I see."
Roy nodded slowly.
"In truth, they are not as special as you make them sound."
"Your ship has swallowed Pluton already, Captain Ryuunosuke. It is hardly lacking in anything."
"On top of that, both the Treasure Tree Adam and Sunlight Tree are extremely difficult to obtain."
"Using their wood to build something is even harder."
His tone held a touch of helplessness.
He knew a great deal about them, yet he had never been able to truly make use of that knowledge.
"I understand."
Ryuunosuke's smile did not change.
"If these two trees are connected in any way to the plan we are working on together, I hope you will not hide that from me."
Leaving those words behind, he turned and walked away.
"Captain Ryuunosuke's instincts really are as sharp as ever," Roy murmured with a bitter smile as he watched his back.
He had just lied.
He had deliberately hidden certain things about the two trees.
Ryuunosuke had immediately sensed that and left him a warning before walking off.
But even so, the situation was what it was.
For now, they had to prioritize their current mission. Everything else could only be dealt with later.
"Are you sure this will not cause trouble?"
"If Captain Ryuunosuke discovers what you are hiding and chooses to end the cooperation…"
"Wouldn't that be a complete loss?"
Imu frowned slightly.
Based on Ryuunosuke's character, it was entirely possible he would make such a decision.
"It will not come to that," Roy said softly.
"This time, our enemy is Lilith. Not Adam and Eve."
"Do not worry about it."
He cut off the topic with a quiet sigh.
What he did not know was that Ryuunosuke had already heard every word through Gaino.
As expected, Roy knew the full truth.
He was simply choosing to keep parts of it buried, because those secrets clashed with the terms of their cooperation.
Ryuunosuke did not intend to press the issue for now.
Everyone had things they were unwilling to speak about.
He and Roy were only partners working toward a common goal, nothing more.
He had no right to demand that Roy lay his entire past bare.
…
At that very moment, on the island of Morbig.
Charlotte Linlin had arrived at the base of Treasure Tree Adam.
"Treasure Tree Adam."
"I finally get to see you for myself."
She raised her head to stare at the colossal trunk, feeling the overwhelming pressure of the life force radiating from the ancient wood.
"Such a powerful aura. Let me touch you…"
She reached a hand out toward the bark.
Boom.
The instant her fingertips brushed against the surface, a violent force erupted from the tree.
Charlotte Linlin was blasted away, sent tumbling through the air without the slightest chance to resist.
Even with the power she now possessed, she had been swatted aside with ease.
That alone spoke volumes about what this tree was.
"Truly a Treasure Tree."
She steadied herself in midair, eyes glittering.
"But now that I am here, it is already too late for you to reject me."
"Give me your power."
Her figure flickered as she shot forward again.
This time, a vast wave of soul power surged out from her body, wrapping around the immense trunk like invisible chains.
Slowly, irresistibly, a tremendous vitality began to flow into her.
Charlotte Linlin, already restored to a stunning beauty, grew even more radiant as the power poured in.
Her skin became even smoother and more luminous, every line and texture as clear as if carved by hand.
It was the unmistakable mark of youth reclaimed.
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