Chapter 178: Invitation, Hidden Temple and Writings

Chapter 178: Invitation, Hidden Temple and Writings

_________ POV Narration _________

Now Enel could've tried digging out the temple by himself.

He could've rained lightning pillars down on it to create an entrance, but doing so would also damage the temple, which he wanted to avoid.

In the end, he decided to call upon the person that would be best fit for unearthing the temple in its entirety.

After all, why should Enel have to struggle to do it alone while a Sand Sand Devil Fruit user rested on a random ship?

The Lightning Emperor first went to his ship and decided to fly it over to Crocodile, who seemed to have already arrived at his ship.

The Former Warlord's ship was untouched, despite the rage of the people of Alabasta being directed towards him.

It was only untouched because it was hidden between some rocks. Had it been left at the port, it would have already been burnt and sunk by the righteously angry people of Alabasta.

Enel's ship took off rather quickly, it didn't take longer than 30 minutes for him to reach Crocodile once more, who seemed to already be expecting him.

The former warlord turned his head to the sky, only to see a large white Viking ship descending while parting the clouds around it.

The man took out another cigar, lit it and took a puff out of it while filled with unease.

'I'm assuming he found it already... Though it's a bit hard to believe. Let's just hope he doesn't change his mind about letting me go...'

Crocodile really thought he was getting off easy.

Even if he was technically in his domain, on a desert island, he knew that if Enel truly wanted him dead, then there was nothing he could do to stop him.

'I have to get stronger...' The former warlord's mind couldn't help but jump to that.

In a weird sense, his thoughts were now very similar to that of Vivi... He was nothing more than a sitting duck to Enel, a fish in a barrel. Much like Vivi and her father were to him...

'Ironic, how the presence of one man flipped the table in such a way...

Might as well forget about Alabasta for good. Any pirate that aims for this place might as well kill themselves to save Enel the trouble...'

Enel's ship seemed to stand in place for a bit, as the Emperor jumped onto Crocodiles' and looked around for a few seconds.

"Did you find it already?" The former warlord took another puff of smoke into his lungs as he addressed the emperor.

"Yes. But I'll need your help unearthing it. It's in a temple, and I don't want to damage the temple.

It appears to be in decent condition, it appears to be an ancient relic, so I want to study it as well." Enel nodded as he gestured for Crocodile to get on.

The Former Warlord simply huffed and nodded, his legs turning to sand as he propelled himself upwards and onto Enel's ship.

The Emperor then turned into a flash of lightning and reappeared on his metallic ship, flying straight for that special spot in the middle of the desert.

"So... You're also an archaeologist?" Crocodile asked as the wind blew on his hair.

"Yes, I take pleasure in discovering such antique sites. This world is thankfully littered with them...

I can't wait for my issues with the World Government to be over, so that I may go on a long journey to find them all..." Enel smiled as he responded kindly.

He didn't ignore Crocodile, nor did he have any hatred for the man. To Enel, he was just a petty and vindictive pirate, strangely tied to the Revolutionaries in some way...

"That's nice... I guess..." Crocodile huffed a bit, as the boat picked up speed and his cigar was put out by the wind.

He just scoffed and threw it overboard. Enel chuckled a bit as his earlobes swung with the wind.

"What is your dream, Crocodile?" The Emperor asked as he looked forward.

Crocodile raised an eyebrow at that, looking quite confused as he opened his mouth slightly, before closing it tight.

'... Why would he suddenly be interested in my dreams?...'

The Former Warlord was contemplating whether or not to respond to Enel. The Emperor noticed his struggles.

"... I believe only ignorant fools proclaim their grandiose dreams to the world..." The former warlord didn't give Enel a straight answer, looking to the side, seemingly trying to avoid the Emperor's gaze.

"Heh... So you have a grandiose dream, huh?" Enel's smile receded as he turned his head to look straight at the former warlord.

"..." Crocodile didn't answer, only continued looking to the side while grumbling for a few seconds.

Enel sighed a bit as he flashed and appeared directly in front of Crocodile's line of sight. His appearance seemed to startle the former warlord, not because of his speed, but because of the look in his eyes...

Crocodile had seen those eyes in the past... Emanating power and authority which resembled that of a king.

"Crocodile... I'll be blunt with you." The Emperor's stone-cold gaze studied the former warlord without any prejudice.

"I'm building an army." Enel's words made Crocodile raise an eyebrow.

"It's a message, to a future generation." Enel blinked a few times as he took out a notebook from his coat and started writing down said message.

"A message?" Crocodile raised an eyebrow when hearing that, gaining some of his interest back.

"To those who will read this message in the future,

We have failed... Miserably so..."

Enel started reading out the Poneglyph as he wrote it down, word by word.

"The power of three gods was unable to win over fate...

Yes, indeed... It was fate that killed us in the end.

The one with red eyes is but a messenger... A puppet controlled by something else...

Be wary of the one that stands upon the empty throne."

Crocodile blinked a few times as he tried to make sense of the message.

'Three gods failing in something... Is this a message about religion? But the empty throne... I can't help but feel it sounds familiar...'

Enel didn't go on, as he believed Crocodile had understood that the Poneglyph wasn't of interest to him...

But the rest of the writing was the most intriguing part...

'But who knows? Maybe you will be the one to defy fate.

Maybe you will be the one to make all of this suffering worth something in the end...

Free our world of its predestined future.

Give us our freedom back.

Signed

Thunder God Raijin'

Enel couldn't help but tremble a bit as a mystery only deepened before him... But he knew that thanks to it, he was now one step closer to unravelling it all.

'So he wasn't actually killed in the war that seems to have occurred during the Void Century... Or at least he didn't die instantly...'

Enel then sighed as he closed his booklet.

he then walked a bit to the side, noticing something quite strange... Lines seemed to be all around the stone, a mechanism of sorts...

In the middle, there was the shape of a palm.

Crocodile also blinked a few times as he noticed that, walking near to it and trying to study the Poneglyph closer.

'... This looks much too different from other Poneglyphs...' "Maybe we should take this with us? Study it properly..." The former Warlord said as he scratched his chin for a few seconds.

Enel didn't answer, he only blinked a few times as he placed his palm on the side of the ancient stone. Nothing happened at first, but then the Emperor decided to try something else...

His palm sparked with lightning... And in that instant. the whole ancient stone seemed to become alive...

The message that Enel had read seemed to morph entirely, unfolding on itself as pieces of the poneglyph fell apart.

Enel immediately retracted his hand, and Crocodile only looked on in shock, as the seemingly indestructible stone had broken itself...

But it seemed to be designed that way... Now it displayed a different, much shorter text.

Enel immediately started reading it, his eyes wide open in shock.

'Ah! I see you are my successor... It's strange how fate plays with our lives, isn't it?

If you wish to know more about us... If you wish to unlock your full potential...

Then seek out my grave. On the island of eternal lightning.'

Enel smiled widely, as he read out the passages in his mind.

'A new journey, huh?'

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Hope you liked the chapter!

sorry about yesterday again! Had a lot of shit to do around the house, managed to pump one out today tho ;)) Lazy Sundays are nice

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