Chapter 94: The Secret of the Royal Family (Fourth Update, Requesting Subscriptions and Recommendations)

Saul and Robin arrived at the canal. After abandoning the banana crocodile, they found a giant Santola catfish to ride on, heading downstream toward the Juventus.

After successfully reuniting with Brook, the Juventus, guided by Robin, made its way toward the secret port on the Baroque Works canal.

Meanwhile, on Buffon and Cobra's side.

On the way to the ceremonial chamber, Cobra gave Buffon a rough account of the entire Nefertari royal family's history.

Although the Omniscient Emperor Buffon already had a general idea of it, he still listened with great patience.

The Nefertari family was one of the twenty royal houses that, together with the Donquixote family, had founded the World Government's allied nations.

However, because they refused to relocate to the holy land of Mary Geoise, they were now regarded as traitors by the Celestial Dragons.

As blood descendants of the creators, they ultimately joined the political system of the World Government as member states.

The Kingdom of Alabasta, ruled by the Nefertari line, was an ancient kingdom blessed with a highly advanced civilization.

Their purpose in establishing the nation in Alabasta was to safeguard the Poneglyph—which even they themselves could not decipher—that bore clues to the location of Pluton.

At the same time, they also guarded the legendary ancient weapon "Pluton," hidden somewhere unknown within the country.

Arriving at the burial ceremonial chamber located in the royal cemetery west of the palace, they saw a massive rectangular stele of deep blue-black stone standing at the very center of the chamber.

After watching Buffon stare at the Poneglyph for a while, Cobra spoke up.

"Doctor Buffon, can you read the writing on it?"

Though he knew it was a pointless question, he asked it anyway, for he was well aware that apart from Robin, who was wanted by the World Government, all the scholars of Ohara who could decipher the Poneglyphs had perished beneath the Navy's Buster Call.

A moment later, Buffon muttered to himself:

"Year 239 of the Heavenly Calendar, Kassira conquered Alabasta.
Year 260 of the Heavenly Calendar, Teima dominated the Peterin dynasty.
Year 306 of the Heavenly Calendar, Elmar built the Davre Cathedral."

"Year 325 of the Heavenly Calendar, hero Mam of Oluteya..."

The more Cobra heard, the more alarmed he became. Finally, he collapsed helplessly to his knees and looked at Buffon with earnest entreaty. "Doctor Buffon, may I ask you to take Vivi and leave this kingdom?"

This was the question Buffon was truly interested in, yet he still asked calmly, "Why?"

"Because awakening Pluton requires a ship's spirit, and every generation of Nefertari royal blood produces a female who serves as Pluton's ship's spirit.
Without the ship's spirit, even if one obtained Pluton, it could not be used."

"So do the Celestial Dragons know about this?"

Buffon quickly identified the crux of the matter. Only under such circumstances would the Celestial Dragons think of making a move against Vivi.

He was certain the World Government wanted to kill Vivi rather than capture her, because what had transpired at the World Reverie two years later in the original story had already made it perfectly clear.

As for that business of "cleansing the condemned," he considered it nothing more than a high-sounding excuse.

Someone like Vivi, who refused to bow to hegemonic power, would never docilely submit to the Celestial Dragons' manipulation even if captured.

Otherwise, dragging back someone who couldn't even read the Poneglyph would be utterly meaningless to the Celestial Dragons, and would likely provoke protests from other World Government allied nations!

As for Robin—the "only one" who could unravel the mystery—once the exact clues to Pluton's whereabouts were confirmed, the World Government would erase her without mercy.

"I'm not certain about that either. After all, I'm already the twelfth king of Alabasta. Whether my ancestors ever let the other descendants of the creators know of this matter, I cannot say with complete confidence."

Buffon shook his head helplessly. In his view, given the Celestial Dragons' mentality of "rather kill by mistake than let slip," even a mere whisper of possibility would be enough for them to wipe it out.

The destruction of Ohara by Buster Call was a warning from history!

Thus, the likely end result of this affair would be that, once Pluton's location was confirmed, both women and the ancient weapon itself would be eliminated together.

To that end, the World Government might very well let the entire people of Alabasta be buried along with them, and in the end, just as in the original story, pin the whole mess on Crocodile.

To protect their privileged class's absolute dominance, the Celestial Dragons were entirely capable of such deeds.

As for Buffon himself, it would all depend on what the CP0 report said.

"Mr. Buffon, I know you have the strength to take Vivi and escape. Please also take this Poneglyph with you.
As long as Vivi and this clue leave Alabasta, I believe the mastermind behind this battle will no longer keep their eyes fixed on Alabasta!"

Hearing this, Buffon had to offer Cobra some praise. Though Cobra hadn't said it outright, he had clearly grasped the essence of the problem.

But if that were the case, wouldn't Buffon himself become the one being hunted?

Seeing Buffon remain silent, Cobra continued, "If necessary, once the kingdom's rebellion is quelled, I can..."

Buffon raised his hand to stop him from going on. He could guess what followed—nothing more than taking his own life to keep the secret safe. But in Buffon's eyes, there was simply no need.

This wasn't the first time Buffon had done something without anyone being the wiser. If he truly steeled his resolve, he had plenty of ways to let Vivi live on his ship under a different identity.

"We'll talk about Vivi later. As for the Poneglyph, I can promise to take it with me. But the most urgent matter right now is cleaning up the mess Crocodile has made—a chaotic battle of a million people. Even if I exhaust myself to death, it'll take me several days to heal all the wounded!"

Buffon used this half-joking remark to dispel the heaviness in the air. After all, for now, all of this was merely speculation between the two of them. Whether their assumptions were correct, or whether events would actually unfold in that direction, remained entirely uncertain.

Not long after the two stepped out of the ceremonial chamber, a soldier of the royal army came to report that, from the palace's watchtower, they could already see the dust kicked up by the hooves of the rebel army's horses.

This meant that the Juventus and the Straw Hats would likely be arriving soon as well.

If things followed the original story, Vivi would head to the south gate to stop Koza, while the others would split up to deal with Baroque Works' senior agents.

However, the Mr. 4 pair had already been snuffed out by Buffon. As for the remaining Mr. 1 and his partner, Baggio and Reiju were more than enough to handle them—he didn't need to meddle.

Especially Baggio. Encountering Mr. 1, who could technically be considered a swordsman, there was no doubt he'd be in for another round of slaughter. Earlier, in the desert, Baggio had instantly killed him to save time. Now that there was a chance to toy with an opponent, Baggio naturally wouldn't let it pass.

And for Buffon, his target was Mr. 2 Bon Clay, the user of the Mane-Mane Fruit!