In the darkness, neither of them could see the full shape of the object before them, so Junhe’s confusion was understandable.
Nero remained silent.
At that moment, he felt as though he were dreaming.
He could hardly believe that the Ancient Weapon everyone sought so desperately was actually hidden within the Tru Kingdom.
No matter how he thought about it, it made no sense.
How could something so important be stored in a remote corner of the South Blue?
The gigantic steel vessel before them showed almost no signs of rust despite the passage of centuries.
A colossal warship sat quietly beneath the mountain.
For the technological level of this era, its existence was simply unbelievable.
“I don’t know how this thing ended up here,” Nero said, frowning.
“But for you, me, and the entire kingdom, it can only bring disaster right now.”
Junhe stared at the massive shadow before him.
“What should we do?”
“Seal this secret.”
Nero replied immediately.
“Leave it buried here for now.
When our country becomes strong enough, we’ll bring it out.
At that point, it will completely change the future of the Tru Kingdom.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Junhe nodded.
Nobody would have guessed it.
Nero thought silently.
Even Roger knew about this place…
I never imagined Pluton was hidden here.
After confirming what lay beneath the mountain, Nero wasted no time.
He immediately led Junhe back toward the surface.
The strange magnetic field affecting the area was obviously coming from the enormous ship itself.
A steel warship large enough to occupy an entire mountain cavity should not have existed hundreds of years ago.
Even in the current era, Nero was certain it was a product far beyond contemporary technology.
After finally climbing back to the summit, the two exchanged glances.
Both could see the seriousness in each other’s eyes.
Without delay, Junhe restored the stone cover exactly as it had been before.
From the outside, nothing appeared to have changed.
Standing atop the mountain once again, Nero let out a long breath.
Looking into the distance, the unease in his heart was written plainly across his face.
“Your Majesty,” Junhe asked, “should we station guards here in the future?”
“No.”
Nero shook his head.
“This thing remained hidden for hundreds of years without being discovered.
If we suddenly start guarding the area, it’ll attract attention instead.
If someone notices, we won’t be able to deal with the consequences.”
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
“Let’s go.”
Nero turned around.
“We’re returning immediately.
And throughout this entire trip, make sure we don’t alarm any of the island’s residents.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
When he had come here, he had been filled with anticipation.
He had imagined mountains of gold or unimaginable wealth.
Instead, he had found something far more dangerous.
At least for the current Tru Kingdom, Pluton was completely useless.
If anything, it would only bring endless trouble.
⸻
Royal Palace
After returning, neither Nero nor Junhe ever mentioned the treasure hunt again.
The matter gradually faded into silence.
Two years passed.
During those two years, Nero maintained his daily training without interruption, completing the system’s requirements exactly as before.
He wanted to obtain the rewards promised by the system as quickly as possible.
Among them, the most important was undoubtedly the three forms of Haki.
In the room, Nero looked at his arm.
A layer of jet-black Armament Haki covered his hand.
Its hardness had long surpassed steel.
Whether in strength or speed, the current Nero was many times stronger than he had been before.
At sixteen years old, he stood nearly 1.9 meters tall.
His physique was perfectly proportioned, making him a remarkably handsome young man.
Dressed in noble attire, though without a crown, his short hair only added to his striking appearance.
During the past two years, however, the Tru Kingdom had undergone earth-shaking changes.
The perfume industry had spread throughout the entire pirate world.
Although a single bottle cost fifty thousand Berries—a price that frightened many buyers—demand still far exceeded supply.
That one product alone had generated enormous wealth for the kingdom and dramatically improved the lives of its citizens.
Smiles had begun appearing on people’s faces.
The production cost of a bottle of perfume was less than one hundred Berries, yet it sold for hundreds of times that amount.
The kingdom’s daily output was enough to supply markets throughout the pirate world.
However, a perfume factory alone could not support an entire nation’s prosperity.
After the first year, perfume production gradually became a secondary industry.
The true foundation of the kingdom’s economy became the textile machines Nero had purchased from the system.
The fabrics produced by the Tru Kingdom could not be matched anywhere else in the pirate world.
More importantly, the silk used in production came directly from the system itself.
“Your Majesty!
Your Majesty!”
A hurried voice suddenly echoed from outside.
Nero withdrew his Armament Haki, and the black coating disappeared from his hand.
“What happened?”
He opened the door and looked at the maid standing outside.
“Why are you in such a hurry?”
The maid bowed quickly.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty.
The Royal Guard has reported that a cargo ship sent out seven days ago was robbed by pirates.
Lord Gogoya and Lord Junhe asked me to seek your instructions immediately.”
“Do we know which pirate crew was responsible?”
Nero asked calmly.
There wasn’t the slightest trace of anger on his face.
“Your Majesty, I don’t know the details.
Lord Junhe is waiting for you in the palace hall.”
“I understand.”
Nero nodded.
“I’ll go there now.”
The maid froze for a moment.
Nero’s smile had completely erased her nervousness.
Like many young women in the kingdom, she looked at him with admiration.
Without another word, Nero headed toward the palace hall.
A single cargo ship represented nearly a week’s worth of national income.
Naturally, such a loss could not simply be ignored.
Although he remained calm outwardly, he was quite curious about the situation.
Still, in the current era, merchant vessels being attacked at sea wasn’t unusual.
This was the Great Age of Pirates.
Aside from the Navy, pirates dominated the oceans.
⸻
As soon as Nero entered the hall, he saw Junhe pacing back and forth.
The anxiety on his face was impossible to hide.
“Your Majesty.”
Junhe immediately straightened and greeted him respectfully.
“You’ve arrived.”
“Where’s Gogoya?”
Nero asked.
“She oversees the merchant fleet.
A cargo ship was robbed, yet she’s nowhere to be seen.”
Junhe lowered his head awkwardly.
His fists tightened.
“Your Majesty, Lady Gogoya was afraid you would blame her.
After receiving the report, she immediately began investigating the pirates responsible.
She’s currently gathering information and couldn’t come personally, so she asked me to seek your instructions.”
Nero remained expressionless.
“The kingdom is stable now.”
He spoke calmly.
“This doesn’t look like ordinary piracy.
Someone may be deliberately targeting us.”
He stood.
“Prepare a ship.
Gogoya will accompany me.
We’re going to sea.”
“Your Majesty!”
Junhe immediately objected.
“Allow me to handle it.
The kingdom can’t function without you.”
“No.”
Nero shook his head.
“You’ll remain here and continue protecting the citizens.
That’s your responsibility.”
“Then let me accompany you,” Junhe insisted.
“The others are more than capable of guarding the kingdom now.”
Nero smiled.
“You stay here.
I won’t be gone long.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Junhe finally relented.
Nero had long wanted to leave.
If not for the responsibilities of the Tru Kingdom, he would have gone out to explore the seas years ago.
“By the way, where’s Gogoya now?”
Nero asked.
“Tell her to prepare a ship immediately.
If we wait too long, our cargo will be impossible to recover.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
Junhe hurried off to make arrangements.
Left alone in the hall, Nero smiled.
“The era of One Piece belongs to me now.”
For him, the Tru Kingdom carried immense importance.
As its king, he had responsibilities he couldn’t abandon.
But now that the nation had largely stabilized, it was finally time to see the world for himself.
The Pirate World was full of unknown opportunities.
The current year was only 1508 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
Many of the legendary figures who would later dominate the seas had yet to emerge.
In fact, the truly exciting era had not even begun.
Luffy was still seven years away from becoming the protagonist of the age.
Ace was five years younger than Nero.
The world felt quiet.
Too quiet.
And that meant one thing.
If excitement didn’t exist yet— he would create it himself.
⸻
When word spread that Nero would personally set sail, nearly half the residents of Rokaka City gathered to see him off.
Their king was venturing out because pirates had robbed the kingdom’s goods.
The streets were packed with people.
Children looked at Nero with admiration.
To them, he was their greatest hero.
His carriage moved slowly through the city.
Along the way, Nero continuously waved and greeted the citizens.
Behind him marched the Royal Guard—the strongest military force in the entire kingdom.
After years of development, the Royal Guard had become stronger than many comparable Navy forces.
They departed from Nanniwa Port.
Gogoya had already prepared everything needed for the voyage.
The Tru Kingdom was no longer poor.
Its royal vessel was proof of that.
Although the ship had been completed some time ago, Nero had never personally seen it until now.
The enormous vessel rested proudly in the harbor.
Over one hundred meters long, it flew the flag of the Tru Kingdom high above its mast.
The banner billowed majestically in the sea breeze.
“Your Majesty.”
Junhe smiled proudly.
“This is your personal flagship.
It has yet to receive a name.
Please name it.”
Two attendants stood nearby, prepared to record the occasion for history.
Nero looked at the magnificent vessel and thought for a moment.
“Then call it the Tru National.”
“A fitting name!”
Junhe exclaimed.
“Forget the ship for now.”
Nero waved him off.
“Where’s Gogoya?”
Junhe hesitated.
“Your Majesty… she’s afraid to face you and is currently standing behind the crowd.”
The moment those words left his mouth, Nero’s expression darkened.
“If everyone behaved like that, how would this kingdom survive?”
His voice became cold.
“Mistakes aren’t the problem.
Refusing to face them is.”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty.”
Junhe immediately bowed.
“I’ll bring her here at once.”