After inspecting the weapons arsenal, the Sage headed to another deeper hidden location.
It was a giant place resembling a shrine, with a gate shaped like a torii, hanging with large sacred ropes.
Underneath the torii was a circle of stone steps, and inside the steps lay a massive red square stone, covered with countless incomprehensible texts.
Roadsign Poneglyph!
"Red again."
Renedia said, "Sage, with this one, you have three now, right?"
King and Queen were still immersed in Sage's earlier words, and upon hearing this, their minds reeled as if refreshed, both surprised.
"Three?!"
Queen exclaimed, "How could there be three?"
They knew that they had one piece and Big Mom had another, but that was only two pieces; where did the third come from?
They had been traversing the sea for so long without a trace of a third piece.
Sage said, "There's one at Zou, which I found."
"That place..."
King's pupils contracted, then he nodded, "Makes sense, being a historically ancient race and a moving giant elephant, hidden there is undetectable. Three pieces huh..."
He looked deeply at Sage and said, "Pirate King, just one piece left."
They even knew that Big Mom has a daughter from the Three-Eyed Race who, after awakening, can read the Poneglyph.
Most elements were now assembled; now they just had to wait for the awakening of the Three-Eyed Race, and Pirate King... Laugh Tale was within reach!
Never had they thought Sage could collect so many.
In their eyes, the Poneglyph wasn't exactly a pressing option.
Firstly, it indeed was hard to find. Besides the two pieces whose sources they were aware of, the rest remained elusive, though there were rumors about some burn-scarred man...
Wait!
"The characteristics of the burn-scarred man are a Black Ship, causing immense tidal whirlpools when approached."
King intently stared at Sage, "Governor, are you..."
"Shoo, shoo."
Sage rolled his eyes, "Do I look like someone who's publicly announcing I only have one Poneglyph? I'm not burn-scarred; if I were the burn-scarred man, I'd conveniently have all four pieces, then I'd just get them translated and find Laugh Tale, claiming my pinnacle of a career."
"Translated?"
King was momentarily stunned, asked, "Governor, there's a rumor you're an O'hara survivor..."
"Yes."
Sage said, "I originated from there."
King's eyes showed more understanding.
Both were survivors, though of different races, they shared the same status.
And they faced similar circumstances...
Of course, equally important was the fact that O'hara historians could read the Poneglyph.
Rather than waiting for the awakening of the Three-Eyed Race, an existing one was better.
"In that case, why translate? Isn't it readable?" King asked.
"I can't read jack."
Sage rolled his eyes, "I don't even understand modern script, let alone ancient text?"
Although, over time, some things start to look familiar, frequently encountered words combined with oral knowledge convey basic meanings.
Things like words resembling English, and some like 'Yamete yo'.
But what you don't recognize remains unrecognized.
He was extremely busy; who had time to decipher words?
"O'hara people don't recognize words?"
Queen was baffled by one of Sage's remarks.
"What's wrong with that? I recall someone, the head of the Nine Red Scabbards, Kin'emon also can't read, right?" Sage said unabashedly.
Is that illiteracy?
That's his path!
Queen: "…"
Actually, there are differences; under Orochi's rule, Wano Country cannot be called a land of illiteracy. At the very least, prenatal education is incomplete.
O'hara was different.
He knew more than King because he was once part of an organization with Vegapunk.
Back then, O'hara wasn't destroyed; not some legend, just an ordinary island of historians.
However, not everyone was a scholar; there were ordinary people. Nonetheless, even the simplest folks had basic literacy.
A country rich in history versus one under tyrannical rule where people's lives were disregarded cannot be the same illiteracy.
But he didn't dare say this.
Disrespecting the new boss wouldn't be wise.
"Take this back."
Sage pointed to the Roadsign Poneglyph, smiling, "Just the last piece remains, which is manageable; I roughly know where it is."
"???"
Question marks appeared atop King and Queen's heads.
You claim not to be the burn-scarred man, yet you know where the last piece is.
"This road sign, its historical aura is intense, so intense that it must be stored where history is rich, where might that be..."
Sage turned outside, calmly said, "Wano Country counts as one; it's said they were the ones who forged the Poneglyphs. Zou is another, with the ancient giant elephant still living. There should be one with the Giant Race, but later came into Big Mom's possession. The last piece..."
He turned his head towards the others and said, "Following this trajectory, there are only two ancient territories; one is Sky Island, and the other is Fishman Island."
"I've been to Sky Island."
Renedia raised her hand, "There was indeed a Poneglyph."
Back when she went to Sky Island with Urouge and Bellamy, they not only took the Golden Pillar but also the Golden Bell and even brought back the Poneglyph beneath the bell's base.
The bell is still displayed at the top of the Royal Palace as an exhibit.
Sage liked it very much. Besides showcasing wealth reassuring people to deposit money, the rich historical aura detected by Observation was also of great value.