Mock Town
Two weeks later, Grand Line Mock Town.
On the other side of Mock Town's Seaside stood a solitary half-house. A middle-aged Man was sitting cross-legged there, wearing a Diving Suit. Beside him were simply made Diving Gear. The Ground beneath him was wet, clearly indicating he had just come out of the Sea.
At this Time, the Man just sat there quietly, silently watching the Grand Line, lost in thought.
Not far from the Man, a young Man was lifting a Log, doing Physical Training, his breathing rapid.
With a thud, the young Man threw the Log directly onto the Ground, then lay back on the Grassland beneath him, greedily gulping Air.
"Kurik, have you finished today's Physical Training?" Seeming to notice the young Man's movement, the middle-aged Man turned his head and asked the young Man lying on the Ground.
"Completed, Father." The young Man seemed to have rested enough, so he flipped himself up from the Grassland and sat down beside the middle-aged Man.
"Father, do you think Ancestor was really a liar? And is the City of Gold, as famous as Emerald City, really exist?" The young Man asked somewhat blankly. Ever since their Ancestor was executed by the King that year and left with the Nickname of "liar," his ancestors had come here from their Hometown, trying to find the City of Gold their Ancestor had once spoken of.
"It exists. Ancestor's Diary has proven everything. Except for the final City of Gold, everything recorded in Ancestor's Diary is true. If Ancestor had never reached the City of Gold, how could there be such detailed descriptions?" The middle-aged Man said firmly.
"Yo, didn't expect there to be people here. You two, this place is about to become dangerous. You should take refuge in the Town." Just then, a voice suddenly rang out.
"Who are you!? No matter who you are, leave now!" The middle-aged Man and the young Man both looked warily at the suddenly appearing Nicholas and Summerfield, who was being dragged on the Ground by a Rope.
This appearance would make anyone think Nicholas was some kind of dangerous element.
Nicholas didn't care about the middle-aged Man's verbal Threat. "You don't look too good. Looks like you have at most two years left to live. Is it because of long-term diving causing problems with your Body?"
Short-term diving might be very beneficial to the Body, but if you soak in the Deep Sea for twenty hours out of twenty-four hours a day, and do so for more than ten years, then even an iron Body might not be able to withstand it.
After all, Humans are not Fishman. Long-term activity in the Grand Line is a very serious burden on the Body.
This middle-aged Man's Body seemed to already have problems. Nicholas could keenly sense that this person's State was already bad. Perhaps two years was even an overestimate.
As Nicholas spoke, the Atmosphere suddenly became quiet. The young Man, who was originally standing beside the middle-aged Man, warily looking at Nicholas, looked at his Father with an expression of disbelief.
"Father, is what he said true!?" Because he was too agitated, he even subconsciously asked in a questioning Tone.
Looking at his Son, the middle-aged Man remained silent.
And this was almost equivalent to admitting Nicholas's Words.
"Why didn't you tell me? We can find a Doctor, and we can definitely cure it." Kurik was so anxious that he was almost crying.
"Kurik, have you forgotten what I taught you? A Man doesn't cry easily!" The middle-aged Man smiled and ruffled Kurik's hair, seemingly very calm about his Death.
"By the way, are you diving to find the lost City of Gold?" Watching the touching scene of father and son, Nicholas couldn't help but ask.
"Don't joke around. Where in this World is there such a thing as City of Gold? The so-called City of Gold is just people's fantasy!" The voice was deep, but mixed with trembling.
"Fantasy?" Nicholas smiled, came to the middle-aged Man's Side. He came to the half-house and said, looking at the two of them.
"But, the City of Gold is real! It's not some fantasy!" A simple sentence, but it made both the middle-aged Man and Kurik's Whole Body shake. Nicholas's Words undoubtedly affirmed that the City of Gold they and their ancestors had been pursuing for so many years really existed, and even that their Ancestor was not the so-called liar.
"Don't joke around!" The middle-aged Man said in a trembling voice. He faintly felt that this was the closest he had ever been to proving that his Ancestor was not a liar who deceived the World.
"Father, the City of Gold is real! This gentleman also said that the City of Gold is real! Ancestor didn't lie!" Kurik said excitedly from the Side. It could be said that since he was sensible, he had seen his Father wearing a Diving Suit and diving into the Deep Sea every day to find the City of Gold his Ancestor had spoken of. Although they had salvaged some Gold over the years, compared to the City of Gold recorded by their Ancestor, it was not even a drop in the bucket.
"Shut up!" The middle-aged Man suddenly turned around and roared angrily.
"What City of Gold? This is just a false story, fabricated by the liar Roland to deceive the World!" he roared hysterically, but his Eyes were fixed on Nicholas, as if waiting for a reply.
"Rumble!" Just then, Storm Clouds, Gale suddenly rose on the Sea Surface, making a wailing howl.
"Roland didn't lie. The City of Gold is real. The reason you haven't found it for so many years is because you've been going in the wrong direction."
"Wrong direction?" The middle-aged Man muttered to himself, then realizing something, he suddenly looked up at the Sky filled with Dark Clouds.
"Looks like you're not too stupid. That's right, the City of Gold didn't sink to the Seabed. Instead, it was swept by an unprecedentedly huge Upward Sea Current to the White Sea. Oh right, Roger recently landed on Jaya Island, so Roland didn't deceive the World."
"Thank you!" After a moment of silence, the middle-aged Man said, then pulled Kurik and left. Now that they had the Answer, they would next try to go to the White Sea to see if the City of Gold their Ancestor spoke of was really in the White Sea.
After Roland and his Son left, Nicholas sat on the Log quietly waiting for the Navy to arrive.
Black Cloud covered the Sky, but the Sea Surface was very calm, without any sign of wind or rain.
Two Warship sailed through the waves, slowly arriving at the coast of the Island under Nicholas's gaze.
Nicholas narrowed his Eyes slightly and looked towards the Ship's Bow of the Warship, and saw two Acquaintance - Yama Kaji and Issho.
Nicholas could understand Yama Kaji's appearance, but Issho's appearance was a bit strange.
After all, according to the Condition Nicholas had proposed, the Navy could at most send a Rear Admiral.
And Yama Kaji's Strength, among Rear Admiral, should be considered the top tier, but he is ultimately a Rear Admiral, while Issho is a genuine Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral.
Nicholas scanned the situation on the Deck of the Warship while releasing Observation Haki to carefully scan the Warship.
After all, who knew if Garp, Sengoku, Marshal Kong, Tsuru, and the future three Admirals were hiding inside the Deck.
After confirming that there was nothing unusual inside the Warship, Nicholas then withdrew his Observation Haki.
(End of Chapter)