The voice of Dr. Vegapunk continued to echo across the seas, weaving a history that no one living had ever heard.
"In the First Era, the Full Moon People descended from the heavens above," Vegapunk's voice resonated. "They brought incredible technology to our world, but they also brought domination and the fires of war. They extracted a limitless energy from the core of our planet—a power I call the Mother Flame. To harness this energy, they created the Half Moon People, the race we now know as the Lunarians. However, the greed of the Full Moon People eventually provoked the wrath of the earth itself. The Earth Serpent erupted from the magma, spreading angry flames to every corner of the globe until the land was consumed by fire. It was then that a warrior answered the prayers of the suffering: the Sun God, Nika. That war lasted for a century, ending only when Nika defeated the Earth Serpent. The flames died out, sunlight returned, and freedom was restored as the Full Moon People retreated to their home. But freedom always comes at a price. As the saying goes, the dragon slayer will one day become the dragon himself. "
"Thus began the Second Era, the Era of Forests," the broadcast continued. "I cannot easily define good and evil because they are often the same thing. In this new era, those who once fought alongside Nika became the new rulers. As life returned to the cooling earth, two massive trees grew to become the pillars of the world: the Sun Tree Eve of Fish-Man Island and the Treasure Tree Adam of the Giant Race. From these two trees, life spread. Two powerful beings were conceived within them: the Ocean God of the Fish-Man Tribe from Eve, and the Forest God of the Giants from Adam. This was the most prosperous age for all races—the Minks, the Longarms, the Tontattas, and us humans. "
Vegapunk's tone grew more serious. "Then, 900 years ago, everything changed. It began with a man who inherited the power of the Forest God. His name is rarely spoken now, but it lives on in legend. That man was Joy Boy. You may wonder if these 'gods' are real. I tell you clearly: no. These gods are not divine beings, but individuals who inherit a specific, ancient power—much like the Fish-Man Princess inherits the mantle of Poseidon. Think of it as a power similar to a Devil Fruit, yet entirely different. It is a unique form of Haki—specifically, a specialized Conqueror's Haki. This is the true mark of a 'god' in our world. "
"The Devil Fruits we know today did not exist back then," Vegapunk revealed, shocking the world. "They were created by Joy Boy. Born in Elbaf, Joy Boy found an Ancient Robot left behind by the Full Moon People. By studying its technology, he learned to extract energy from the earth's core to create Devil Fruits. But in doing so, he accidentally reawakened the Earth Serpent. A mysterious figure emerged to inherit that dark power, but the true conflict of that era was between Joy Boy and the inheritor of Nika's power. Elbaf records describe it as a battle between two Sun Gods: one for freedom, and one for domination. Joy Boy was the victor. Using his knowledge, he combined the powers of the Forest God and the Ocean God to create the ultimate weapon, the one the World Government still fears today: Pluton! "
At these words, the entire sea seemed to boil with excitement and terror.
"Is the legend of Pluton actually real?" people whispered in ports across the Grand Line. "Is that what's waiting at Laugh Tale? But if Joy Boy won the war, why is he remembered as the loser? "
Vegapunk provided the answer as if he could hear their thoughts. "Because his victory nearly destroyed the planet. Since that time, the sea level has risen by at least 200 meters. The islands we live on today are merely the mountain peaks of continents that were swallowed by the ocean. To stop the world from sinking further, the ancestors of the Twenty Nations united to rebel against Joy Boy. Those ancestors became the World Government. "
The world was stunned. "Does that mean the World Government actually saved us?"
"The line between hero and villain is thin," Vegapunk mused. "The ancestors fought to save the world from total submersion, but the outcome was twisted by a key figure: the one who inherited the power of the Earth Serpent. "
"Damn it, Vegapunk!"
Inside the laboratory on Egghead Island, the two Gorosei who had broken in were pale with fear. "What are you trying to do? Do you have any idea what these secrets will do to the world? "
"It's too late," one of them growled, his eyes darting around. "Forget the signal source. Just destroy everything! " They knew that if Vegapunk mentioned the name 'Imu,' the consequences would be beyond their imagination.
They leaped out of the laboratory, but the scene outside stopped them cold. On the coastline, their three fellow Gorosei were lying in ruins, their monstrous bodies shattered and bleeding.
"How is this possible?" they gasped.
Suddenly, a terrifying pressure descended from the sky. Every person on the island—from King to the Elders—felt an overwhelming aura that chilled their bones. A cold, hollow voice rang out from the heavens.
"You have disappointed Imu too much."
The sky turned pitch black in an instant. Blinding beams of light rained down from the clouds, turning the entire world white as a massive explosion consumed everything.
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