radicalducati Chapter 268 Strange Runes, Ark's Blessing
Chapter 268 Strange Runes, Ark's Blessing
Chapter 268 Strange Runes, Ark's Blessing
"Luffy! Luffy!! Wake up!" Chopper's cries were already hoarse.
Suddenly, inside the medical bay, a soft yet non-glaring golden light burst forth from Luffy's body!
The light possessed a sacred aura that instantly dispelled the hazy atmosphere of the surrounding space and illuminated the astonished faces of the crowd.
Before everyone's incredulous eyes, the hideous purple poison mark on Luffy's chest disappeared without a trace at a speed visible to the naked eye!
His ashen face instantly regained its color, and his faint heartbeat rang out again as strong as a drumbeat!
"?!" Chopper's crying stopped abruptly, and he stared in disbelief.
Immediately afterward, Luffy suddenly opened his eyes, sprang to his feet, and shouted energetically:
Meat!! I'm so hungry!!!
Everyone: "————"
After a brief silence came immense ecstasy and a sense of relief!
"Luffy! You're alright!" Brook cried tears of joy.
"Damn it! You scared us to death!" Sanji wiped his face, laughed, and lit a cigarette.
Zoro's lips curled into a smile as he loosened his grip on the hilt of his sword.
Jinbe exhaled deeply, his huge hand pressed against his chest, feeling his heart finally settle back into his stomach.
A hint of surprise and understanding flashed in Kojiro's eyes.
Brooke looked at King Hassan, whose hood seemed to move almost imperceptibly, as if sensing the aura contained within the golden light.
Luffy jumped out, wildly swinging his fists, clutching his rumbling stomach, looking excited.
"I just saw Noah! He's a really easy-going guy! He said I like helping people just like him! He even gave me this!"
He pointed to his chest, where a golden, boat-shaped light seemed to flash and disappear.
"Lord Noah—" Shirahoshi, inside the bubble, seemed to sense something and shed tears of joy.
He responded—
Just then, the changing light and shadow around them began to fade, revealing the true scene below.
They were standing on a flat deck that emitted a soft white light.
Not far ahead, the deep Abyss of the Covenant remained dark, but the vast will had receded, leaving only clear directional guidance and a faint sense of protection.
Noah did not meet him in person, but he gave the most important response and help.
"Luffy, what exactly did you see? Did Lord Noah offer any further revelation?" Jinbe asked eagerly.
Luffy scratched the back of his head, trying hard to remember: "He said a lot of things I didn't understand—something about stirring up fate, Blackbeard looking for something, and that I felt the same way as him—oh right!"
He said the key was already in his heart, the ark hadn't gone far, and it was up to us to steer it ourselves!
Robin immediately grasped the key point: "The key is in our hearts—does that refer to Princess Shirahoshi's will, or to the determination of all of us?"
"The Ark has never gone far—does this mean that Noah's protective power has always existed, but will not directly interfere?"
She looked at the fading mark on Luffy's chest: "He gave you protection; perhaps this is proof of his approval."
"No matter what!" Luffy clenched his fist, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.
"I'm alright! Those masked bastards, and that black-bearded guy, I'm going to beat them all to a pulp!"
"Protect Fishman Island, and throw a grand feast!"
Sensing Luffy's renewed energy, everyone's spirits were greatly lifted.
Although they did not get to see Noah in person, the most important goal has been achieved.
Luffy is saved and receives some support from the saint.
"Return to Fishman Island immediately!" Jinbe exclaimed with heroic spirit.
"Unite our forces, find the remaining assassins, and prepare for Blackbeard's next attack! With Lord Noah's protection and guidance, we have a better chance of winning!"
The group did not linger and, following the clear guidance left by Noah's will, quickly rose to the surface.
The journey home was much smoother than the journey there.
Perhaps it was Noah's blessing that worked, or perhaps it was the lingering power of King Hassan's annihilation of dozens of Hassan clones, but the enormous ancient sea kings ignored them, and the dark deep-sea passage seemed exceptionally calm.
But no one felt any relief.
Luffy, full of energy, stood at the front, but Sanji kicked him back to the middle of the group, ordering him not to run around since he had just recovered.
Chopper clung to Luffy like a little pendant, repeatedly examining him with various instruments, his little face a mix of tears and silly grins.
"I'm completely healed! Not a single toxin remains! My vitality is even stronger than before! It's amazing!"
"Noah—from what you've described, he seems like a very gentle young man, but saints are usually old men, aren't they?"
Sanji, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, recalled Luffy's description of Noah. He felt that Noah's image differed somewhat from the legendary saint, but the pure compassion in Noah's image was undeniable.
Robin, meanwhile, was deep in thought about Luffy's retelling of Noah's words.
She looked at Jinbe: "Mr. Jinbe, when Lord Noah descended and repelled the Knights of God, did he mention anything similar?"
As Jinbe rapidly ascended, he recalled, "The situation was critical at the time. After Lord Noah stabilized the barrier with his great power, he left only the words 'Follow your heart and wait for dawn' before sinking into the Abyss of Promise."
"Looking back now, perhaps he had already sensed the unusual fluctuations in the maritime trend and was waiting for a certain opportunity—"
"And this opportunity may very well be the successive appearances of heroic spirits like you, Brother Luffy."
Zoro snorted: "Whatever variables or opportunities, we'll deal with whatever comes our way."
"Luffy's alright now, let's go back and clean up the remaining rats on the island!"
Kojiro, who had been swimming silently nearby, suddenly spoke up: "Lord Noah mentioned that Blackbeard might be investigating the secrets of David Jones."
"Some scattered intelligence gathered by the Cross Society indicates that Blackbeard is not only active in the first half of the Grand Line, but his ships have also been recorded appearing in some extremely dangerous waters of the New World."
"Especially—deep-sea routes near submarine volcanic eruption zones and areas where known historical texts may exist."
"An underwater volcano? Historical texts?" Nami immediately became alert.
"This guy already possesses such immense power, yet he still wants to sink to the depths of the sea—ancient weapon intelligence?"
"That possibility cannot be ruled out." Robin's expression was grave.
"If his target is indeed the oldest taboo, then Fishman Island, as a hub connecting the deep sea, with many relics of lost eras buried beneath it, is very likely one of his targets."
This speculation cast an even deeper shadow over everyone's hearts.
"Brook," Luffy suddenly turned to look at the skeleton musician.
"The old skeleton grandpa, is he with those masked men? But they don't seem to get along?"
Brooke nodded, his bones cracking softly. "Yo ho ho ho, based on the information occasionally revealed by the Old Man of the Mountain and what I gleaned from my dreams."
"The Lord Hassan I have summoned is the founder and embodiment of the commandments of the Order, representing the oldest One and the precise warning of death."
"Their relationship is somewhat complicated, but overall they have helped us."
"So, those assassins were King Hassan's descendants?" Sanji concluded.
"What complicated family conflicts!"
Wang Hassan remained completely unresponsive to the discussion, like a true shadow.
When the group broke through the sea and returned to the Fishman Island port area, the scene before them took them by surprise.
The atmosphere at the port remained tense, but the hostility directed at them had dissipated considerably.
Instead, a complex and indescribable emotion arose.
Shame, lingering fear, gratitude, and even deeper anxiety.
Many fish-men and mermaids watched them return from afar, and when they saw Luffy looking energetic, they whispered among themselves, and some even bowed silently in respect.
The guards of Ryugu Castle quickly approached, their manner respectful: "Lord Jinbe! Lord Straw Hat! Everyone!"
"His Majesty the King has ordered that once you return, you must immediately proceed to the Dragon Palace for a meeting! There is an emergency!"
"An emergency?" Jinbe's heart sank. "What happened now?"
"It's about the navy, and there's been more suspicious activity on the island, but this time it's not an assassination attempt, it's about spying and traces of some kind of ritual."
The guards lowered their voices.
The group exchanged glances and immediately realized that the operation in the shadows had not stopped.
The council chamber of the Dragon Palace.
King Neptune looked more tired than before, but there was a newfound determination in his eyes.
The three princes and their ministers were also present, as were two other somewhat unexpected figures.
Diamante of the Cross Society and the phantom image of Doflamingo projected by the image Den Den Mushi.
"Straw Hat Luffy!" Seeing Luffy come in all lively and energetic, King Neptune's eyes flashed with excitement and relief.
"Seeing that you are unharmed, I—no, I personally—can finally feel a little less guilty."
"Uncle! I'm fine!" Luffy waved with a grin. "Noah treated me to a good meal!"
King Neptune nodded and turned to Jinbe: "Shirahoshi has already conveyed a portion of your experiences at the Abyss of the Promised Land to me through her abilities."
"Lord Noah's guidance and recognition are more important than anything else."
He looked at the now-disappeared mark on Luffy's chest, his expression becoming even more solemn.
"No need for formalities, let's just go for it."
Doflamingo's phantom emitted his signature laugh, interrupting the heartwarming moment.
"King of Fishman Island, we have exercised restraint as agreed, and even helped to clear out some suspicious individuals who were spreading rumors in the port area."
"Now, it's time to share some useful information, isn't it? Those guys in the Navy, and those stinking rats hiding on the island, won't wait for you to finish your emotional pep talk."
Diamanti chimed in, "While our men were on guard around the perimeter, they discovered several inconspicuous corners with strange symbols drawn in blood. There were also faint traces of magic around the symbols, but they quickly dissipated."
"It's like some kind of short-term magic circle or—a positioning beacon."
Robin immediately asked, "Can you describe the symbolic patterns?"
Diamanti gestured to his men to unfold several copies of the drawings.
The pattern is distorted and bizarre, resembling a simplified combination of countless eyes and tentacles, with a symbol resembling an inverted cross in the center.
Robin's gaze sharpened.
"This is—" Robin's voice was slightly low.
"Tescatlipoca seems to have told me about this kind of thing, some kind of ancient, chaotic sacrificial symbol."
""
"There are scattered records of this in some taboo documents about the worship of deep-sea evil gods. Perhaps it is related to Davy Jones."
"Fufufu, it seems there's more than one group of friends lurking in the shadows," Doflamingo said with amusement.
"Blackbeard's men are truly a treasure trove of talent, with assassination cult members and evil god priests among them?"
"What about the navy?" Jinbe was more concerned about external threats.
Prince Shark replied, "Vice Admiral Storoberry's fleet remains at the outer edge of the bubble, without forcibly entering, but has issued an ultimatum."
"We demand that you hand over Straw Hat Luffy and his associates within 24 hours, who are suspected of instigating the Fishman Island riots and colluding with dangerous Heroic Spirits."
"Otherwise, necessary measures will be taken. They also mentioned the control of the remnants of the Holy Grail War."
"That same excuse again!" Nami stomped her foot in anger.
"The Navy's attitude is firm, and they seem to believe that we are the source of the chaos."
The Left Minister was deeply worried. "They may have received some kind of intelligence, or—they may have been misled as well."
Zoro, holding his sword, sneered, "Then let's fight our way out."
"No, it's not wise to have a full-scale conflict with the Navy right now," Jinbe shook his head.
"Fishman Island cannot afford to fight on two fronts. We must resolve the internal problems as soon as possible, while proving our innocence and ability to maintain order on the island to the Navy."
Luffy, picking his nose, suddenly said, "Aren't those guys who draw those weird symbols the same masked man who tried to assassinate the old man and poison me?"
His question was direct, yet it hit the nail on the head.
Robin analyzed: "Their styles of doing things are completely different."
"The Hassans are skilled in stealth, assassination, poisoning, and spreading fear; they are precise and efficient assassins."
"These actions, however, carry a certain religious and mystical aura—"
"Since Blackbeard can summon and command Assassins, he might also be able to recruit or control heretical heroes or sorcerers from other systems."
"The two forces may have different goals, but at this moment they are both serving Blackbeard's overall objective," Kojiro concluded.
Silence fell over the council chamber. The enemy situation was more complex than anticipated.
"We need to take action." Luffy stood up, his eyes serious.
"We can't wait for them to pull some tricks. Doesn't the Navy need evidence? Let's go find those guys who're drawing graffiti and hiding! Beating them up will prove we're not the bad guys, won't it?"
"That sounds nice, but how am I supposed to find it?" Usopp muttered to himself.
Luffy grinned and pointed to his nose: "I feel it!"
Everyone: "???"
Luffy himself couldn't quite explain it: "The blessing Noah gave me just now... it seems to have given me a... um... a very warm feeling towards this sea, especially around Fishman Island?"
"But some places feel chilly or dirty!"
"I think I had a similar feeling back in that abyss, but it wasn't as clear as it is now!"
Noah's blessing!
Everyone suddenly realized.
That pure protective power originating from the Ark and the Covenant may have given Luffy an extraordinary ability to sense opposing auras!
Especially on Fishman Island, a region shrouded in and conceptually protected by Noah's power!
"Can you roughly sense the location?" Jinbe asked urgently.
Luffy closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. After a moment, he pointed in several directions.
"Over there—deep in the old town of Fishman Street, it's a bit cold—and over there, near the edge of the eastern coral forest, it feels dirty—oh, there's another spot over in the port area, very faint, but it's unsettling—"
Some of the locations he pointed out matched the places where Diamanti found the symbols, while others were new!
"Without further ado, let's split up and act immediately!" Jinbe made the decision.
"Guided by Luffy's senses, we'll split into three groups and simultaneously wipe them out!"
"The guards of the Dragon Palace and the brothers of Fishman Street are responsible for coordinating, sealing off the area, and protecting civilians!"
He looked at the image of Doflamingo: "Crusaders—"
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, we'll do our part too," Doflamingo laughed.
"Diamanti will take a group of people and head to the port area in the direction Straw Hat Boy pointed. Kojiro, it's up to you."
Kojiro nodded slightly to Hawkeye, who had remained silent in the video, and then said, "I wish to go to the old town of Fishman Street."
He had a vague feeling that the residual sword energy was most pronounced there.
"Leave the edge of the Coral Forest to us!" Zoro said immediately, sensing the impending challenge.
"Sanji, Chopper, Brook, and I followed Luffy to the port area."
Nami assigned that the situation in the port area was probably the most complicated and that more manpower would be needed.
Robin and Franky stayed behind to assist Jinbe with overall coordination and to utilize the communication advantages that the Noah's Mark might offer.
Roger also stayed behind to oversee the operation, his experience and commanding presence providing valuable insights into the overall coordination.
King Hassan naturally followed Brooke.
"Remember," Jinbe solemnly said before setting off.
"The primary objective is arrest and expulsion, minimizing the impact on civilians, while simultaneously gathering evidence!"
"If we encounter a powerful enemy, our priority should be self-preservation and intelligence gathering! We have Lord Noah's protection and King Hassan's presence, but we must not be careless!"