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After an hour of intense investigation, he uncovered the grim truth.
"What a pity. That little girl, Robin, has probably been taken by Modoray and his gang."
Several people who had been searching for Robin in recent days agreed with this assessment. They were naturally familiar with those doing the same. Having not seen Modoray or Robin and her cat lately, they quickly realized what had happened.
"Where did Modoray go? Does anyone know?" Rohen asked, his face darkening.
"Rumor has it he's a merchant from a kingdom called Barut, but I've never heard of it," one of the men replied, shaking his head.
"It's the Barut Kingdom," said another man, taking a bite of his apple. "A legendary kingdom, we've only heard whispers of it for the past fifty years and have never seen it."
Upon hearing the familiar kingdom name, Rojen froze, his expression turning peculiar.
"Could it be such a coincidence?" he asked again, seeking confirmation. "Are you sure it's the Barut Kingdom? Is Modoray definitely going there?"
The crowd chuckled.
"Modoray keeps his mouth shut tight, but his little brother's got a big mouth. The rumors have been spreading like wildfire for ages."
"But the Barut Kingdom isn't just any place. It's the legendary kingdom, after all."
"What makes it so special?" Rohen asked, his curiosity piqued.
"The Barut Kingdom is hailed as the kingdom of magic!"
"The kingdom of magic?"
"Exactly! Legend has it that the nation possesses a mysterious energy called magic. Those who master it gain extraordinary abilities!"
Of course, these are just rumors. Aside from Modoray and his crew, none of us have ever seen any of the king's people."
"Whether this kingdom even exists is uncertain."
The crowd burst into laughter. When it came to legends, everyone held the attitude that discussing them was fine, but believing them was another matter entirely.
However, Rojen was completely certain that this kingdom might truly exist. Since the rumors persisted, they likely aligned with what his old prison mate had told him, suggesting that the story was true.
"Magic Kingdom? A king?!"
"Intriguing..."
He chuckled and turned to leave.
Now that he had confirmed Modoray's destination, which was conveniently along his route, he set off without delay.
Watching Rojen hurry away, the crowd shook their heads.
"Another one whose mind has been seduced by greed! Little does he know that even if Modoray isn't from the Barut Kingdom, he's probably part of another mysterious organization."
They had once investigated Modoray's origins, only to discover that he was shrouded in mystery with no traceable roots.
"The sea chart shows the Barut Kingdom guarded by two towering mountains rising from the sea. Pass between them, and you'll gain entry to the kingdom and witness its magnificent grandeur."
As Rojen compared the map to these words, his curiosity about the kingdom grew stronger.
The original One Piece manga featured countless wondrous places: the desert kingdom of Alabasta, the giants of Little Garden, the dwarf kingdom, the giant kingdom, the fur-clad Mink Tribe on Zou in the New World, and most enticingly, the angel race of Skypiea.
Yet here, unexpectedly, he had stumbled upon the Magic Kingdom, one that hadn't appeared in the original story.
"Let's go!"
"We're gonna be kings!"
Rojen's spirits lifted with a hearty laugh, fueled by news of the Lordling and his own insatiable curiosity about the unknown.
As the Deva Path steered the Logan along the sea chart's course, Rojen gradually noticed something strange.
"This is a peculiar route indeed," he mused. "Ships following it inexplicably drift off course. If you're not careful, you'll get lost, circling in place until you return to your starting point."
The deviations in Logan's course were minute, but their cumulative effect was terrifying. It was the essence of the saying, "A hair's breadth difference leads to a thousand miles of error."
As a clone, the Deva Path had an exceptionally keen awareness. He reacted swiftly to even the slightest course correction.
"Estimated arrival time: two days!"
Closing his eyes, Rojen settled into meditation, practicing his Training Sword skills while entrusting all other matters to the Deva Path and Animal Path.
Meanwhile, ahead of the Logan, a wooden boat raced across the waves.
"Hahaha! Once I reach Barut and hand this man over to King-sama, my prosperous days will finally begin!"
Modoray was ecstatic.
He had no worries whatsoever about whether anyone would try to track him. This was Barut's exclusive waterway, with features that only Barut Kingdom insiders could understand. Tracking them was impossible.
At the stern of the wooden boat, there was an immense magnet that seemed to be suppressing something.
"Make sure the stern magnet stays intact! Remember, its safety is paramount!"
The crew didn't understand the purpose of the magnet, but Modoray knew it well and warned them sternly.
By now, Robin and Lordling had regained consciousness. When they realized they were bound, their expressions darkened.
"Who are you people?" Robin shouted.
"Hahaha, little sister, be good. We're not bad people. Don't worry," Modoray said with a smile.
Then, he turned his gaze to Lordling.
"I know you're not good, so I've added some Seastone to your shackles. You'd better behave!"
His caution had always served him well in business, and he wouldn't let his guard down now.
"Are you going to hand us over to the World Government? Or the Marines?"
"World Government? Marines?" Modoray blinked in surprise.
"Why would I do that?" I'm going to offer myself to King-sama. He absolutely adores pirates with high bounties.
You'll definitely become one of his prized possessions."
Modoray said this with a beaming smile, looking nothing like a villain.
"King?" Robin and Lordling exchanged a miserable glance.
Throughout their lives, they had either been captured by the Marines or had been on the run from them. Now, they were to be offered as gifts to a king.
"Heh, heh, don't be so glum, you two! Being in the presence of the king is an honor!"
After all, our esteemed king is the strongest magician in the Barut kingdom!"
Modoray felt smug and excited, unaware that Rojen's ship was following him closely.
By the morning of the third day, Modoray's ship had sailed into a region of the sea shrouded in thick white fog.
"Old boss, we can't see anything!" the crew members cried out in panic.
Lordling and Robin also stared curiously at the fog-bound sea where nothing could be seen beyond the thick, swirling mist.
"Relax. This is just a normal phenomenon," Modoray chuckled. "We'll be entering the Barut Kingdom soon!"
Suddenly, the crew members shuddered and turned to look at either side of the ship.
There, two ferocious beasts loomed overhead, their menacing eyes fixed on them.
(End Of This Chapter)