Boom!
Crash!
Dust billowed as a massive boulder, several meters high, suddenly shattered into countless fist-sized fragments.
"The entrance!"
Gazing at the dark cavern opening now revealed, Aeridar smirked and peered down.
Before him lay a long, gloomy tunnel with bluestone steps descending into the depths. The bottom was nowhere in sight, and a faint, chilly breeze brushed against his face.
Lifting off the ground, Aeridar floated downward. He kept his feet suspended in the air; this way, even if there were hidden traps or mechanisms, he wouldn't trigger them as long as he didn't touch the floor.
The passage was over a hundred meters long, but Aeridar flew quickly and soon reached the end. The view before him suddenly brightened and expanded into a spacious area resembling a grotto. It appeared a hollow had been carved out within the Whale Tree, illuminated by numerous flickering candles.
"Is this... a Poneglyph?"
Aeridar stood frozen, his gaze fixed forward in a daze.
A square, crimson-red monolith sat within the tree hollow. In shape, it was identical to an ordinary Poneglyph, but the color was strikingly different. It, too, was covered in the same indecipherable ancient script.
Regaining his composure, Aeridar noticed a dark blue circular emblem high on the wooden wall behind the red stone. It depicted a stylized bird, resembling the legendary Yatagarasu.
"The crest of the Kozuki Family from Kuri, Wano Country!" Aeridar mused for a moment before recognizing the symbol's origin.
A spark of realization hit him. Aeridar rested his chin in his hand, piecing the clues together.
Duke Inuarashi and Master Nekomamushi were once retainers of the late Kozuki Oden, the Daimyo of Kuri and head of the Kozuki Clan. Connecting that history with the presence of the family crest here, one could deduce that the Kozuki Clan and the Mink Tribe shared deep, ancient ties. Taking the theory a step further, perhaps this unique crimson Poneglyph was inextricably linked to the Kozuki Family itself.
Aeridar stepped forward and stroked the red stone, feeling a slight chill seep into his palm.
Regarding Poneglyphs, his first thought was that the ancient text was unreadable; his second was that the stone was indestructible, utterly impenetrable.
To carve text onto such an indestructible material... Aeridar knew that no one in the Chris Pirates, whether through raw strength or advanced technology, was capable of such a feat.
This piqued his curiosity. Such craftsmanship was "black technology" on the same level as the Ancient Weapons!
I have to take this unique Poneglyph back with me!
The urge was overwhelming. A powerful desire for a new addition to his collection surged within him; he wanted to house this crimson Poneglyph in his personal treasure vault. It was a rare prize indeed!
Step, step, step, step...
Suddenly, the sound of many footsteps echoed from outside. Aeridar turned his head and saw Duke Inuarashi and Master Nekomamushi leading a small army of Mink warriors into the chamber.
Since their opponent was a powerhouse of Aeridar's caliber, they hadn't just brought the elite of the Musketeer Squad, but also the finest of the Guardians under Master Nekomamushi. Altogether, dozens of warriors swarmed the area in a formidable display.
Seeing that Aeridar was still there, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi breathed a slight sigh of relief, though they remained on high alert.
"Aeridar-dono, this Poneglyph is a sacred relic of the Mink Tribe. Forgive me, but I cannot hand it over to you!" Inuarashi gripped his longsword, pausing before continuing, "If you leave now, we can act as though none of this ever happened!"
Master Nekomamushi glanced at Inuarashi and puffed out a series of smoke rings without a word, though the Mink warriors behind them were growing restless.
"A sacred relic of your Mink Tribe?" Aeridar raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Tell me the purpose of this Poneglyph. I'm sure the difference isn't just in the content; it must have some other significance."
"You can read the ancient script?"
Both Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were momentarily stunned, clearly misinterpreting Aeridar's words.
"Never mind that!" Aeridar snapped impatiently. "I've never seen a Poneglyph of this color before; it clearly has a special meaning. Tell me, now!"
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi exchanged a glance, then turned back to Aeridar. Inuarashi said in a low, heavy voice, "The world has never lacked for fools, nor for the clever. Do not blame us for joining forces against you!"
"I told you all that talk was a waste of time!" Nekomamushi added dismissively.
Crackle—Snap—
In the next instant, visible arcs of intense electricity erupted from the bodies of both Inuarashi and Nekomamushi. Following their lead, the dozens of Mink warriors behind them also burst with the same powerful current.
"This is—"
Aeridar's pupils constricted. He realized immediately that this wasn't a Devil Fruit power, but the innate talent of the Mink Tribe: Electro.
"Though it may be dishonorable to outnumber you, we must do what is necessary against one of the world's premier pirates! Attack!" Inuarashi barked, swinging his longsword as he charged.
"Nyaa!"
Nekomamushi let out a strange cry, spinning his double-headed spear and lunging forward.
"Charge!"
"Take down the intruder who defiled our sacred land!"
The elite Mink warriors surged forward in a unified wave.
"Hmph... numbers mean nothing to me! Impact Wave!!!"
Aeridar watched the charging Minks and cold-bloodedly pressed his palm forward.
Rumble!
A terrifying force applied massive pressure to the air within the hollow, creating a visible, ring-shaped shockwave. A blinding white halo erupted as the ground shattered inch by inch, instantly engulfing half the area of the tree hollow.
"Oh no, a shockwave!"
The Minks were horrified. It was too close and the range was too vast, there was no time to dodge!
Just as Aeridar had been unfamiliar with the Minks' abilities, the isolated Minks knew little of Aeridar's true power.
In the blink of an eye, before the warriors could react, they were swallowed by the massive shockwave.
Instantly, while Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, and a handful of the strongest warriors struggled to stay upright within the blast, the rest were sent flying, slammed violently against the wooden walls of the tree.
As the dust settled and the shockwave dissipated, the hollow was a scene of wreckage. In a single move, Aeridar had wiped out more than half of the Mink forces.
"That shockwave was even more powerful than the last... and the range has expanded significantly!" Nekomamushi spat out a mouthful of blood, his expression grim.
He had warned the others about the enemy's ability to generate shockwaves, but in their haste to protect the sacred site, they had charged in blindly. He hadn't expected the opponent to cover half the battlefield in a single strike, leaving them nowhere to hide and cutting their numbers in half in an instant.
———————
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over here ——— pa-tre-on.c-om/AlexandrusTL [remove the hyphen for normal access]