After arranging the interview location with Morgans, Luffy ended the call.
Looking once again toward the inside of the iceberg, they could see mountains of gold, silver, and countless treasures piled within.
Nami's eyes practically turned into berry symbols. She punched the ice while nearly crying in frustration.
The treasure was right there... but they couldn't take any of it.
Luffy laughed.
"You already have thousands of tons of gold at home. Why are you so obsessed with this?"
"It's different! Completely different, Luffy! Do something about it!"
Nami desperately grabbed his arm.
Not even the powers of the Goro Goro no Mi could melt that ice.
Robin smiled faintly and explained:
"This is a crystallization of the Moon people's technology. It's the result of their research into Devil Fruits. Ordinary Devil Fruit powers can't melt this kind of ice. It was only supposed to disappear at the predetermined time... in 1522, two years from now."
Usopp touched his chin and commented:
"So Roger couldn't open it either..."
At that moment, Perona separated her soul from her body and tried to pass through the iceberg in her spiritual form.
But she was immediately repelled.
"It doesn't work! This ice is even stranger than Kairouseki!" she muttered.
Even seawater couldn't completely stop her spiritual form, but this ice was different.
Luffy then placed his hand on the iceberg.
"I can open this."
The next instant, he entered his Nika form.
Soon after, the rigid ice began to gain rubber-like properties.
A few seconds later, it completely melted and turned into water.
Everyone stared in shock.
Nami's eyes sparkled brightly. She hugged Luffy and gave him an excited kiss.
"You're amazing, Luffy!"
Vivi covered her mouth while laughing before asking curiously:
"But why can Nika's fruit affect this?"
Robin immediately answered:
"I understand now... Since this was a gift left by Lily for Joy Boy eight hundred years in the future, the Nika fruit is the key to unlocking it. This ice was specifically designed for Nika's power."
"Exactly."
Luffy nodded.
When Roger arrived there, he had probably been completely speechless.
After all, the "great secret treasure" had practically been reserved for Joy Boy.
Without eating the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika and awakening as the Sun God Nika, no one could open the gift Lily had left behind.
At that moment, Law walked over.
"Straw Hat... I've never said this before, but my full name is Trafalgar D. Water Law."
The "D." wasn't the issue.
The real secret was "Water."
Law spoke emotionally:
"If I hadn't come here today, I might never have understood why my father always said the name 'Water' had to remain hidden, even if I died."
People with "D." in their names were known as the D. Clan.
Also called the "natural enemies of the gods."
Although the World Government feared those carrying the "D.", they didn't immediately exterminate anyone bearing the initial.
But "Water" was different.
It was a forbidden name inherited from a specific ancestor.
Law had always believed that if the World Government discovered it, he would immediately be hunted down.
Luffy smiled.
"You don't have to hide it anymore. When we meet Morgans, you can tell the whole world."
Law looked surprised before smiling as well.
"So you really intend to reveal the truth about the D. Clan?"
"Of course."
Now Luffy finally understood why Roger had laughed upon arriving at Laugh Tale.
And why he had said he wished he had lived in the same era as Joy Boy.
Joy Boy had been the world's first liberator.
Thinking about it, Luffy looked at everyone and said:
"The iceberg's already melted. You can all explore freely. Franky, look for an energy source. Pluton probably needs it to recharge."
Franky pounded his chest confidently.
"Leave it to me! SUPER!"
After that, everyone began spreading out through the ruins.
Luffy used the powers of the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi to control Laugh Tale and return to Elegia.
The trip to the island had taken a week.
The return trip only took half a day.
When he returned to Elegia Castle, Monet immediately came to greet him.
"Welcome back, Luffy! Morgans is already waiting in the hall."
"I see. Law, Ace, Vivi, and Robin, come too. Anyone else who wants to watch can join."
Luffy nodded and led everyone into the main room.
Morgans was sitting on a sofa, nervously shaking his leg.
The moment he saw Luffy enter, he immediately stood up and greeted him with exaggerated elegance.
"You've returned, Pirate King! I've been waiting for a long time! So... can we begin the interview?!"
"Sit down."
Luffy smiled and sat on the sofa.
Morgans tried to suppress his excitement before sitting again.
"It seems your journey went smoothly."
"Not exactly smooth... but it worked out. Monet, bring some coffee."
"I'll do it! I'll do it!"
Uta immediately raised her hand, wanting to prepare everything herself.
A few minutes later, the coffee was served.
Luffy took a sip before looking at Morgans.
"Alright. Start. What do you want to ask?"
Morgans immediately opened his notebook.
"The great treasure, One Piece... does it really exist?"
"It does."
"What exactly is it? An unimaginable fortune? A legendary Devil Fruit capable of granting absolute power? Or an Ancient Weapon capable of ruling the world?"
"A gigantic fortune is there too."
Luffy nodded. The mountains of gold and silver were real. Now that the iceberg had melted, those treasures could be taken at any time.
"But the true meaning of the great secret treasure goes beyond wealth. Most importantly, it reveals the truth of the Void Century."
Morgans was utterly shocked.
"So you really discovered the truth about the Void Century?! What happened back then? Why did the World Government erase that period of history?!"
Luffy smiled slightly.
"That doesn't even need to be asked. As the rulers of the world, it's obvious why they'd hide the truth."
Of course... it was to maintain their own control over the world.
Morgans nodded.
"I can imagine that, but I want the specific story."
Luffy looked at Robin.
Robin smiled softly.
"Leave it to me."
"Nico Robin! The survivor of Ohara!"
"Yes... it all begins on the Moon."
After that, Robin explained in detail how the Moon people came to Earth and established a massive kingdom.
"But what does that have to do with the World Government wanting to cover up history?"
After hearing that much, Morgans had an expression of admiration on his face, but quickly frowned.
"On the contrary, the World Government's original purpose seemed to be resisting that massive kingdom. Following that logic, the ideology they promoted after its creation should've been 'equality.' Looking at it that way, wouldn't the World Government seem like the righteous side? But the Moon people from that enormous kingdom also seem benevolent."
"So... why did the war happen?"
"Because of slaves."
Vivi took over and spoke gently:
"In the world eight hundred years ago, slavery was even more rampant than it is today."
"For example, in Dressrosa there was the small Tontatta Tribe. Eight hundred years ago, they were slaves of the Donquixote Family."
"And among the twenty kings who founded the World Government, nearly all of their countries were supported through slave labor."
Naturally, there were exceptions.
Like the Nefertari Family.
"A war started because of slavery?" Morgans asked in complete surprise.
"Yes."
Vivi nodded.
"The enormous kingdom wanted to spread the idea of freedom throughout the world and completely abolish slavery. So under the leadership of a king named Imu, twenty kings joined forces and defeated the enormous kingdom."
Slavery was the root of everything.
That could also be seen in the behavior of today's Celestial Dragons.
As descendants of those ancient kings, they inherited the mindset of their ancestors and continued exploiting others without limits.
"Back then, a slave rose up. He was a warrior of the giant race called Joy Boy. Inspired by the ideals of the Moon people, Joy Boy added the letter D. to his name."
"D represented the freedom of dreams."
"Many slaves answered his call and changed their own names. After that, more and more people—even people who had never been slaves—joined the war."
"It became a war that spread across most of the world."
"Fish-Man Island, Wano, Dressrosa, Alabasta, and countless other nations became involved."
"In the end, as everyone knows, the World Government won."
"And on the ruins of that enormous kingdom, present-day Mariejois was built."
"To prevent future rebellions and stop the world from uniting again, they used weapons left behind by that kingdom to reshape the planet."
"They artificially created the Grand Line and divided the world."
"They used weapons to destroy countless islands, creating enormous tsunamis throughout the world."
"Wano had to raise massive walls around the country specifically to protect one of those weapons."
"Queen Nefertari Lily of Alabasta had originally been one of the twenty rulers. However, she had been deceived."
"To atone for her sins, she refused to move to the Holy Land Mariejois and, at the last moment, used various methods to spread the Poneglyphs created by the Kozuki Family throughout the world."
"After that, the name Celestial Dragons emerged."
"Those kings who believed they had defeated the Moon invaders came to see themselves as gods."
"And the D. Clan, which had nearly been exterminated, became the natural enemy of the gods."
When she finished, Vivi quietly picked up her cup and took a sip.
Nefertari Lily was her ancestor.
She had not joined Imu's side because of slavery.
She had simply been deceived.
Imu had gathered people under the banner of resistance, claiming that the Moon people intended to enslave the entire world.
"So... this is the true history...?"
After hearing that long explanation, Morgans stood completely stunned.
No wonder that period of history had been erased.
The World Government's actions were utterly disgraceful.
Just like a conqueror erasing the history of the defeated—otherwise rebellions would endlessly arise.
Luffy smiled.
"A lot more happened, actually. I'm only telling the main points. As for how you spread this information, that's up to you."
"But be prepared."
"If you publish all of this, the World Government will do everything they can to kill you."
"Hahaha!"
Morgans' blood boiled with excitement.
"Perfect! I am Big News Morgans!"
He didn't even care whether everything was entirely true.
What mattered was the impact of the story.
"So... the D. Clan originally consisted of slaves? Inspired by Joy Boy, they spontaneously formed a group united not by blood, but by ideals?"
Morgans looked at Luffy and added:
"Sorry. You also carry the D., just like Roger. Gol D. Roger... now it makes sense why the World Government wanted to hide his true name."
Luffy shook his head.
Whether his family descended from slaves or not, nobody knew.
But Roger...
When Roger learned the whole truth, he laughed and cried at the same time.
"I truly wish I had been born in your era, Joy Boy."
After understanding the meaning of D., people from that family probably couldn't help but laugh.
What an incredible joke.
At that moment, Ace spoke in a heavy voice:
"Morgans... do you think Roger did the right thing?"
"He started the Great Pirate Era."
"I didn't understand before, but now I understand a little of his purpose."
"And I also understand a little of the burden carried by the name D."
Morgans closed his notebook and stood up.
"Does it matter whether it was right?"
"Roger's son, everything has already happened. Roger is dead. Your question has no meaning."
Then he bowed toward Luffy again.
"Then farewell... Pirate King, Monkey D. Luffy."
"I'll spread the truth to the whole world as quickly as possible!"
"Good luck."
Luffy waved his hand.
And so, that very night, news of the birth of the new Pirate King spread across the entire world.
In an instant, it crossed every sea.
Countless voices echoed in Luffy's ears.
"Pirate King... Monkey D. Luffy!"
Innumerable people called out his name.
(End of Chapter)
A/N: After two long years, we've finally reached the final arc of this fanfic.