At the Tree of Knowledge, the many scholars were going about their daily research.
Professor Clover was looking at the Den Den Mushi in his hand, trying to call a number one more time, but no one answered.
The Den Den Mushi belonged to Nico Olvia. She had been out of contact with Professor Clover for some time. This was normal; Professor Clover knew what Olvia was doing, so he also knew the dangers she might encounter on the outside.
Over the years, many scholars had gone out, one after another, and died in their search for the Poneglyphs. It wouldn't have been unusual for Olvia to be in trouble.
But for some reason, Professor Clover had felt a growing sense of unease over the past few days—a feeling of danger. Yet, he couldn't pinpoint where this danger was coming from.
'Could it be Olvia? It shouldn't be.'
"Olvia would never betray us..." Professor Clover murmured softly.
No sooner had he said the words than a little girl rushed into the Tree of Knowledge. The girl was incredibly cute, with long, dark hair and big eyes. She looked very well-behaved and intelligent.
"Robin," Professor Clover said, startled. "What are you doing here?"
"Professor, there are so many warships outside, and they've surrounded the island. I heard people at the port say they might be here to arrest us," Robin said, sounding worried.
"Arrest us?" A flash of worry crossed Professor Clover's eyes, but then he smiled. "Even if they do, they'll only be after us adults. Robin, you have to remember, never tell anyone that you're a scholar, okay?"
"Why not? I already passed the scholar's exam!" Robin asked, pouting.
"Because you're the seed we're leaving behind. You are the hope of Ohara. Robin, the World Government may have truly discovered something this time, and they won't let us off the hook... You're still so young. As long as you don't say anything, no one will know you're a scholar. This way, our will can be passed on," Professor Clover said, squatting down and gently stroking Robin's head with a laugh.
Just then, the main door of the Tree of Knowledge was kicked open. Several CP9 agents carrying guns walked in, acting with extreme rudeness.
Professor Clover stood up, shielding Robin behind him, and said with a grim expression, "Don't be so crude! The knowledge preserved here is a treasure you can't even begin to imagine!"
As soon as Professor Clover finished speaking, another person walked in, dressed in a black suit with a coat draped over his shoulders, and a hyena-like grin on his face.
It was Spandine, the commander of CP9.
"Hahahaha, Professor Clover, I've heard so much about you," Spandine said, walking in with a loud laugh.
He didn't pay any attention to Professor Clover. Instead, he turned to the CP agents behind him and cursed, "What are you standing around for? Did you not hear Vice Admiral Diarmuid's order? Take all the books and knowledge from the Tree of Knowledge and bring them to the warship!"
Professor Clover's face went pale. "Stop! What do you think you're doing?"
On the other side, Spandine kicked one of the CP agents in the backside, yelling angrily, "Handle them with care! Vice Admiral Diarmuid treasures these things. Don't be so rough. If you ruin even one book, I'll have your heads!"
"Yes, Spandine-sama!" the CP agent quickly replied. He knew Spandine would actually kill him.
Only then did Spandine turn back to the furious Professor Clover, smiling. "Professor, your time in Ohara is up. Researching the Poneglyphs is a serious crime..."
"What Poneglyphs?" Professor Clover pretended not to understand.
"Hehehe, no need to pretend. Nico Olvia has confessed everything. You know, for the past six years, we've been hunting for those exploration teams all over the seas, and every time, we'd find a clue related to Ohara, but you always cunningly managed to deceive us. But now, we've finally caught you," Spandine said with a sinister laugh.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Who is Nico Olvia?" Professor Clover said, his heart pounding, but his face remained calm. He simply couldn't believe that someone like Olvia would betray Ohara.
"Did you catch my mom?" Robin suddenly asked, sounding agitated.
Professor Clover was stunned. He looked down at Robin, momentarily at a loss for words. He didn't want to blame Robin; he knew that with the World Government showing up so blatantly, many things were already unavoidable.
Robin's mistake was simply because she was just an eight-year-old child. No matter how smart she was, even smart enough to become a scholar, her mind was not yet mature.
"Hahahaha..." Spandine laughed loudly, looking at Robin. "So you're Olvia's daughter? Come over here!"
"Robin!" Professor Clover shielded Robin and turned to Spandine. "She's just a child."
"I know that better than you!" Spandine retorted without hesitation, then said, "Vice Admiral Diarmuid said that Nico Olvia's confession earned her a reward, and the Marines have agreed to shelter her daughter. I'm actually here to protect this little girl."
Professor Clover was dumbfounded. He had believed that Olvia would never betray Ohara. But seeing how familiar this man was with Robin and Olvia, his conviction wavered slightly.
However, at this point, there was nothing more to think about. If the Marines were willing to shelter Robin, that was the best possible outcome. This way, Robin would be safe. Ohara would have a future.
'Perhaps Olvia did this for the future of Ohara, for now...' Professor Clover thought to himself.
Maybe with no other options, and with the World Government having confirmed Ohara's crimes, Olvia chose to betray Ohara to save her own life, enduring humiliation to carry on the legacy. After all, she didn't know that Robin was already a scholar. If she had been destroyed along with Ohara, everything would have been lost.
Robin still didn't understand the situation and stood hesitantly behind Professor Clover.
After he recovered, Professor Clover raised a hand and said, "Go, Robin."
Just then, several CP agents gathered behind Spandine and reported, "Sir, we found a Poneglyph and related translations under the Tree of Knowledge..."
Professor Clover's expression changed, but he didn't say a word.
Spandine's lips curled into a wicked smile. "The evidence is irrefutable, Professor. You really were studying forbidden history..."
"The past belongs to all of man..." Professor Clover said in a low voice.
"Perhaps," Spandine shrugged nonchalantly, then continued, "But the Void Century is something the World Government has explicitly forbidden from being researched. Yet you people of Ohara always disregard it. Well, no matter. It all ends here..."
As soon as Spandine finished, Professor Clover's expression changed dramatically. "You're going to destroy Ohara...?"
"That's right. All of Ohara will be destroyed. The Marine's Buster Call fleet is waiting outside. Look at this..." Spandine said, taking out the golden Den Den Mushi. "With your knowledge, you should know what this is, right?"
"The Buster Call... a golden Den Den Mushi," Professor Clover said.
"The moment I activate this Den Den Mushi, the entire island of Ohara will disappear from the face of the sea. Wiping out your so-called holy land of archaeology should be enough to show the rest of the world's foolish scholars what happens when you study the Poneglyphs, right?" Spandine said with a malicious grin.
"The knowledge that Ohara possesses..." Professor Clover tried to say something else.
"Don't worry. As I said, Vice Admiral Diarmuid treasures these common treasures of humanity. That's why I'm bothering to talk to you before the books are moved. Otherwise, I would've activated the Buster Call already. All you scholars will die, but the knowledge of Ohara will continue to exist. Don't worry," Spandine interrupted Professor Clover.
Professor Clover watched the CP agents quickly and continuously moving all the books out of the Tree of Knowledge. In the end, he didn't say anything else or ask any more questions.
Seeing this, Spandine stopped his taunting as well. He raised his hand and ordered everyone around him to step back. He was preparing to report the situation to the Gorosei.
But just then, Professor Clover spoke. "Before I die, please let me say a few words to the Gorosei."
Spandine glanced at Professor Clover but didn't say a word. Instead, he went ahead and contacted the Gorosei on his own. In a moment, the call connected, and Spandine quickly reported the news.
"Is that so? Is it truly as you say?"
"Yes. The evidence is irrefutable. The crime is confirmed and deserving of death. We just await your command," Spandine said into the Den Den Mushi.
"That is truly a shame... We cannot simply stand by and watch Ohara trample upon the law," one of the Gorosei said softly.
Just then, Professor Clover suddenly cut in. "Enough, Gorosei. Stop with the official platitudes..."
"Hey! You bastard, is that how you talk to our supreme leaders?" Spandine panicked.
But the Gorosei on the other end of the Den Den Mushi didn't seem to mind the rudeness. Instead, one of them spoke, "Professor Clover of Ohara, the authority on archaeology. I have heard your name. You have contributed greatly to the world's culture, but I never would have thought you would go down such a path."
"The past belongs to all of man. Nobody has the right to try and stop the desire to know the untold history..." Professor Clover said in a deep voice.
"Perhaps," one of the Gorosei responded flatly. After a slight pause, they continued, "However, the Poneglyphs contain information about the Ancient Weapons. Reading and translating these ancient texts could potentially unleash a Pandora's box that could destroy the world... Even if you have no ill intentions, there are others who might use your findings."
"Whatever the past may be, as long as it's history crafted by the hands of mankind, we have the responsibility to accept it all. If one is able to understand this without fear, countermeasures will be possible whatever happens!" Professor Clover said without holding back.
It was clear that the Gorosei were realists, while Professor Clover, being a man of culture, was more of an idealist.
All that talk about "courage" and "no problems that can't be solved."
The Gorosei found these words tiresome. If problems could be so easily solved with so-called "courage," then the world would have been at peace long ago. At once, the Gorosei lost interest in Professor Clover. They didn't want to waste any more words on the old man.
Meanwhile, Professor Clover, thinking his words had shaken the Gorosei, said with a serious tone, "Actually, what you're truly afraid of isn't the Ancient Weapons, is it? What you're afraid of is..."
The Gorosei would have normally heard Professor Clover's hypothesis on the Void Century. But at that moment, they had lost all interest and simply said, "Make him be quiet, Spandine."
"Yes, sir!" Spandine quickly replied. As soon as the words left his mouth, he raised his gun and shot Professor Clover, cutting him off directly.
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