Chapter 54: O'Hara and the Tree of Knowledge!
This time, the giant pirate ship truly set sail, leaving behind the breathtaking scenery of the Flower Kingdom.
Roy stood on deck, using his camera Den Den Mushi to capture as many photos of the landscape as he could.
That night, Roy lay in his hammock while Amatsuki Toki slept peacefully beside him. He reached out, gently playing with her soft green hair, the faint fragrance of her presence drifting through the cabin.
Then, he opened the interface of his talent cards. His intimacy with Toki had reached 240—enough for an upgrade.
"Upgrade [Superb Appearance (Purple) 90%] once," Roy murmured.
A faint glow appeared before him, and the purple card shimmered as the effect rose to 100%.
Although intimacy influenced the rate of improvement, the upgrade's boost was permanent. Roy smirked, admiring the results.
"Stop fidgeting and go to sleep," Toki mumbled drowsily, hugging him without opening her eyes. "We have kendo practice tomorrow."
"Oh~," Roy answered, closing his eyes. Soon, the ship's rocking lulled them both to sleep.
---
Morning arrived bright and calm. After a session of sword training, Roy and Toki sat under a large parasol, lounging on deck chairs as the sea breeze cooled them.
Toki held a small stack of photos in her hand—all taken by Roy. There were pictures of giants laughing in the village of Elbaf, the children running around the Sheep's House, cooking together, and the places they'd explored along the way.
"You like to record everything, don't you?" Toki said softly, smiling as she flipped through the images.
"Of course. Whether it's beautiful or strange, it's worth remembering." Roy smiled back, then mischievously raised the camera and snapped a photo of her.
"That's a good idea—to preserve beauty," she chuckled, standing up and walking over to him.
"What are you doing?" Roy blinked curiously.
"A beautiful record," she said with a playful grin.
Toki leaned down and wrapped her arms around him. The camera Den Den Mushi clicked again, freezing that moment forever—
under the shade of the parasol, a red-haired boy and a green-haired girl, smiling in quiet happiness.
---
Long ago, a single seed called the Knowledge Tree fell upon the land of O'Hara. Over the centuries, it took root, growing into an enormous tree whose vast trunk and branches became home to the world's greatest collection of books.
The Tree of Knowledge was not only the largest library in the world—it was the gathering place of its most brilliant scholars.
As dusk fell, the giants' ship arrived off O'Hara's coast and dropped anchor. The three sea serpents towing it slithered up the sand to rest.
"Pirates!"
"The pirates are coming!"
On the beach, a man with a most peculiar hairstyle—blond bun on top, round fans of hair on both sides, and a matching fan-shaped beard—panicked at the sight of the massive vessel. Clutching a book to his chest, he bolted inland.
Roy watched him run, bemused. The man looked to be in his thirties—likely a scholar. Roy didn't bother chasing him.
It was normal for ordinary people to fear pirates; no one would believe they were friendly anyway.
"They're so scared of us," Toki said with a gentle laugh, covering her mouth.
"Of course we're still going. I want to see the Tree of Knowledge." Roy grinned.
"Then let's take a look tomorrow."
"Deal."
---
At dawn, they landed on the island and walked toward the legendary tree.
They passed through quiet streets where children played, following a cobblestone path until the immense trunk of the Tree of Knowledge loomed before them.
A young scholar, wearing a black shirt and holding an open book, walked ahead, muttering as he scribbled notes. "I see… so the chronological gap could be…" He paused, wrote in his notebook, and looked up—only to freeze at the sight before him.
Two figures stood on the path: a red-haired boy and a beautiful green-haired woman.
"Y-you!" the scholar blurted, pointing his book like a weapon. It was the same pair he'd seen the previous evening when the pirate ship docked.
He sprinted to the front door of the great library, blocking their path with his arms spread wide. "You're pirates, aren't you?! What are you doing here? You're not planning to harm the Tree of Knowledge, are you?"
Roy stared blankly at him, then gave a polite smile. "Hello. You're one of the scholars here, right?"
"I—well, yes, but that's not the point!" the man stammered, glaring at them. "Pirates don't belong in a sacred place like this!"
Roy said nothing, only looked around calmly. The scholar could feel no malice from either of them.
Roy looked young, with striking red hair and clear eyes. Toki, elegant and gentle, radiated warmth—her presence softening even the scholar's suspicion.
He frowned, confused. "Strange… no other pirates?"
Of course not. What kind of pirate crew would send just a child and a graceful woman to raid O'Hara?
"We just came to see the legendary Tree of Knowledge," Roy said with a smile. "After that, we'll leave."
The scholar followed Roy's gaze upward. The tree's trunk rose endlessly, its vast canopy spreading like a green ocean. Massive roots twisted through the earth, and countless windows dotted the trunk at every height.
Inside, countless books filled the hollowed chambers. The knowledge stored within this single tree surpassed any other archive in the world.
What a tragedy it would be, Roy thought, if this treasure of wisdom were to be burned by the World Government someday.
"'Look'? Hmph!" The scholar snorted. "You two little brats… do you think you're worthy to stand before such sacred knowledge?"
Roy tilted his head, smiling. "How about a bet then—on knowledge?"
"Oh?" The scholar's lip curled. "A pirate dares to challenge an O'Hara scholar? Let's hear it."
Roy's eyes glinted. He looked past the man toward a nearby desk—where a woman with soft brown hair anxiously flipped through an ancient manuscript. The page she studied contained words Roy recognized all too well.
[TL: Check out my new fanfic, Soul Land: Thunder Dragon God (Douluo Dalu).
Join Yu Tianlin of the Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan on his rise to the top no system, no shortcuts, just pure talent and hard earned power.
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