"Ian-sama!"
Numerous high-ranking officials of Wano knelt neatly outside the Tenshukaku, awaiting Ian's arrival.
In truth, these officials hadn't seen Ian in a very long time.
Strictly speaking, Ian had become the king of Wano at the age of eight, and fifteen years had passed since then.
Over those fifteen years, he had barely stayed in this Tenshukaku at all, and the officials responsible for governing the country had rarely been granted the chance to meet him in person.
Ian had always governed Wano remotely.
With Fukurokuju and his ninja corps overseeing and monitoring all officials, there was no need to worry about anyone harboring hidden agendas.
At this moment, many of the officials kneeling here were seeing Ian for the first time in their lives.
Shanks smiled faintly.
This was the first time he truly realized the extent of the power Ian held.
That power did not merely cover Wano.
It enveloped the entire New World.
Ian did not pay the officials any attention. Instead, he led Shanks straight into the hidden passage beneath the Tenshukaku, heading downward without hesitation.
"There's a place like this too?"
Shanks looked out through the windows embedded in the wall along the descending staircase, his expression filled with curiosity.
Beyond the glass was the deep sea.
Looking toward the ocean floor, one could vaguely see buildings buried beneath the water.
"Wano from over eight hundred years ago didn't look like this," Ian said casually.
"Joy Boy built towering walls around Wano, blocking the outflow of mountain rivers. In the end, an inland sea was formed, submerging Wano's original land."
"So the current territory was newly developed later on?"
Shanks said in amazement.
"And what we're seeing now, drowned beneath the sea, are the towns of Wano from eight hundred years ago?"
"The so-called opening of Wano," Ian said calmly, "means destroying those walls, allowing the country to reconnect with the outside world, while also revealing Wano's true form."
"Then…"
Shanks's expression grew serious.
"Why exactly are we here now?"
"Originally, to dig out that thing, Wano would need to be opened first," Ian replied.
"And we would also need the help of that giant elephant."
"But I think Wano's current state is just fine. There's no need to force sudden change."
"And I don't have the ability to control that elephant, so…"
"I could only come here myself and find another way."
That thing?
Which thing?
Shanks's expression suddenly froze.
"Ian…"
He couldn't quite understand.
"We're here."
At the deepest point of the hidden passage, Ian stopped.
The Road Poneglyph of Wano was placed here.
However, this was still not Ian's final destination.
They needed to go even deeper.
"So it was here all along?"
Yamato opened her mouth slightly. This was something she truly hadn't expected.
"I was surprised when I first learned about it too," Ian said.
He stomped his foot lightly.
"But it's definitely right below here."
Who could have imagined it?
Not only was a Road Poneglyph hidden here, but the ancient weapon Pluton was also directly beneath this place.
"..."
Shanks didn't speak.
He had more or less realized what Ian had come here for.
So it was in Wano after all?
"Then how do we take it out?"
Yamato blinked.
"Should we bring Bullet back to help?"
"It's very simple,"
Ian said calmly.
"Yamato, freeze the sea below."
"Easy."
Yamato didn't hesitate at all.
She immediately entered her hybrid form and pulled out the kanabo from her back.
The snow-white, crystal-like club was raised high as Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki surged into the iron weapon at the same time.
In the next instant, Yamato smashed the club down toward the ground below with all her strength.
"Extreme Ice Bagua!"
The ground below shattered instantly, revealing a massive hole.
Before the seawater could even rush in through the opening, it was frozen solid in an instant.
"All done!"
Yamato rubbed her nose proudly.
"This goes straight to the seabed. All the seawater has been frozen!"
Ian had no doubts about it at all.
With Yamato's current strength already surpassing Aokiji, accomplishing something like this was only natural.
"Then, follow me."
Ian casually tugged at his shoulder.
Surtur, who had been lying there disguised as a doll, immediately changed form, turning into a gigantic crimson giant.
Ian leapt lightly and landed on the flame giant's shoulder.
Surtur then stepped forward and stood on the ice beneath the massive hole.
After that, his body dropped straight down.
The ice formed from the frozen seawater couldn't stop his descent at all.
It was as if it were air, allowing him to pass straight through, leaving behind a wide passage.
Not even a trace of steam remained.
Everything in his path was completely destroyed.
"What a terrifying ability…"
Shanks couldn't help but sigh from the bottom of his heart.
He still remembered the time Ian had fought the Golden Lion Shiki. Even back then, Ian's red flames were already so fierce that even the Golden Lion could barely withstand them.
"Wait for me! Ian!"
Yamato laughed and leapt forward, diving straight into the massive passage that Ian had carved out.
The Flame Giant landed directly on the seabed below. The ocean floor, softened over years of being soaked in seawater, instantly hardened under the intense heat of his fall.
But that hardness only lasted for a moment. The instant Surtur's feet hit the ground, the seabed was shattered.
Another passage opened up, and Ian fell again, following Surtur downward.
Downward, downward, ever downward.
Ian's Observation Haki had already penetrated the layers of the earth, sensing deep into the subterranean depths.
He had detected a massive space far below.
Of course, there was no proper path leading there, but Ian, finding it too troublesome, simply carved his own way.
After a while, the darkness ahead vanished, and Ian realized he had fallen into a vast chamber.
A dark red glow emanated from below.
Surtur reverted to his golden giant form, spreading his hands wide.
"Yaho!"
Yamato cheerfully fell from above, landing on the giant's left hand, then bounced off to land beside Ian.
The girl held onto Ian's arm, peering down in awe.
"Another sea, huh."
Below them stretched a sea of molten lava.
An unbearably scorching heat rose upward, as if trying to evaporate everything in its path.
"So hot!"
As her red hair brushed against the Flame Giant's arm, sweat poured down her body. "Maybe I shouldn't have come down here?"
"Don't you want to see the legendary ancient weapon right away?"
Ian lowered his head, his Observation Haki already locking onto the enormous object buried beneath the lava.
"Really?"
Shanks marveled.
It truly was Pluton.
"Go, Surtur. Go and fetch that thing."
**********
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