Wano.
There was an island called Onigashima, standing alone upon the sea.
The island seemed like a corner forgotten by time itself, filled with an ancient and eerie atmosphere.
All around it, raging waves beat endlessly against the coastal reefs, producing dull, lingering sounds as if telling secrets from a forgotten past.
Night fell.
Dim candlelight flickered unsteadily inside a hidden chamber.
The yellow glow clearly cast Ron's extremely solemn face against the ancient stone walls, which were covered in moss and mottled marks.
His gaze was fixed tightly on the red Road Poneglyph before him, which gave off a faint glow. Focus and persistence filled his eyes as he tried to extract meaning from those ancient lines of text.
Every subtle movement of light and shadow seemed to stir ripples deep in his heart.
Beside him, Robin stood with elegant grace.
Her fingertips moved like nimble butterflies, lightly brushing across the final obscure symbol carved into the stone tablet.
That symbol was like a key, hiding a path toward an unknown world.
The moment her finger touched it, a trace of unconcealable shock flashed through her eyes. It was the complex feeling of surprise and joy mingling together as the truth gradually surfaced.
"So that's how it is…"
Robin nodded slightly, her voice gentle yet carrying undeniable certainty, as if she were having a silent conversation with wisdom that had crossed time itself.
"Even so, we are still missing the most crucial piece. It seems all the clues point to the final Road Poneglyph."
She frowned faintly, a trace of regret and anticipation appearing in her eyes.
Hearing this, Ron slowly straightened.
His movement was steady, and his gaze also fell upon the massive Poneglyph before them.
Across the long span of eight hundred years, countless wise men and brave souls had tried to unravel this mystery, only to fail without exception.
Now, they were only one step away from the truth.
Yet that one step still seemed as distant as a thousand mountains and rivers.
The final Road Poneglyph, the last crucial piece, was now lying quietly on the legendary land of Elbaf, loyally guarded by the Pirate King's crewmate, "Copper" Gaban.
It was like the missing core piece of a puzzle. Without it, the full picture could never be completed.
"Now is not the time to search for the final Poneglyph."
Ron's voice was low and deep, echoing through the vast, quiet chamber.
Every syllable carried tremendous weight, revealing the caution and calculation in his heart.
He knew that acting rashly could bring consequences no one could predict. They had to be fully prepared.
Outside the window, the once-bright moonlight was now mercilessly covered by dark clouds.
The heavy clouds were like an enormous black curtain, shrouding the entire sky. That dim scene resembled the worry in Ron's heart at this moment.
In other words, he had already become the target of every arrow, the focus of the entire sea.
The World Government was like a tightly woven net, locking him firmly within it. Its sharp gaze remained fixed on his every movement, not daring to relax in the slightest.
As long as he showed even the faintest sign of appearing, especially if he appeared in the mysterious and solemn land of Elbaf, the God's Knights would arrive like ghosts, instantly crossing the barriers of space and time to descend upon Elbaf and capture him with overwhelming force.
In the quiet room, Robin slowly closed the notebook in her hand, which recorded a great deal of confidential information.
She lifted her head slightly, worry and seriousness showing in her eyes, and said softly,
"Elbaf is the sacred land the giants have guarded for generations. It carries countless honors and immense power.
"Once you show yourself there, it will be like dropping a boulder into a calm lake. The God's Knights will undoubtedly come out in full force and descend at all costs. They will never let such an opportunity pass."
Ron walked steadily to the window.
His figure looked especially firm beneath the faint light filtering in through the glass.
He stood there quietly, his gaze deep and distant as he looked out at the raging, ceaseless sea.
The waves struck the reefs again and again, splashing high into the air, as if speaking of the world's unpredictability and cruelty.
He could clearly feel it.
The invisible gears of fate were turning faster and faster at an unstoppable pace.
Beneath the seemingly calm surface, dark currents surged.
The all-out war between the Marines and the Four Emperors was already on the verge of erupting. Both sides were making intense preparations, and the conflict about to break out was like a volcano ready to explode, containing enough power to destroy everything.
The Revolutionary Army was also moving quietly in the shadows, like hunters hidden in darkness, waiting for the perfect moment to deliver a fatal blow to their enemies.
And the underground world had fallen into a frenzy of speculation, with various forces competing against one another for profit, making the entire situation even more chaotic and complicated.
The whole world was caught in the silence before the storm.
The oppressive atmosphere made it difficult to breathe.
"We need an opportunity."
Ron slowly turned around.
An unshakable flame burned in his eyes, one that seemed capable of piercing all darkness and illuminating the path ahead.
"When everyone's gaze is drawn by an even greater storm, when all of their attention is focused elsewhere, that will be the best time for us to go to Elbaf.
"When that moment comes, we will have a chance to break through these layers of shackles and achieve our goal."
...
The next day.
The first light of dawn pierced through the dark clouds that had hung over Wano for hundreds of years and fell upon the walls of the Flower Capital.
The entire country seemed to awaken from a long sleep.
The streets were packed with people craning their necks in anticipation, and even the air was filled with restless energy.
Ron stood at the highest point of the castle tower.
Behind him, the red-star flag of the Eternal Divine Kingdom snapped loudly in the morning wind.
He took a deep breath, and his voice spread across the entire Flower Capital.
"Today, Wano will reopen its borders!"
Ron's voice exploded like thunder, echoing for a long time above the Flower Capital.
In an instant, the entire country seemed to be infused with boiling life.
Yamato stood on the upturned eaves of the castle tower, her kanabo, Takeru, smashing heavily through the roof tiles.
She looked up at the sky, which had finally cleared, and tears spilled uncontrollably from her eyes.
The sea wind lifted her snow-white hair.
For the first time in twenty years, she felt the true air of "freedom."
Momonosuke tightly gripped the Kozuki family crest, his young shoulders trembling faintly.
As the newly appointed Shogun, he understood the weight of this decision better than anyone.
"Father… Mother…"
He looked toward the streets of the Flower Capital, then suddenly straightened his back.