A young man appeared silently behind Enel.
"Rolan, why are you here?"
The newcomer was Rolan himself. After settling matters with Luffy, he had still been uneasy about the situation here, so he came to Zou personally. His timing was fortunate. If he had arrived any later, even if Kuro and Robin could have handled things, Enel would have turned the situation into a disaster.
Robin noticed him first.
"If I didn't come, who knows how badly you'd mess things up."
Inuarashi's heart sank even further. The pressure from Robin, Enel, and the others had already been overwhelming. Now their captain had arrived as well.
This was no longer a simple negotiation.
"Rolan, what business do you have in Zou?"
"Following fate, I came to take a rubbing of the Road Poneglyph."
Rolan's tone was calm, casual to the point of arrogance.
Robin rolled her eyes slightly. Even Kuro and the others did not understand why he insisted on phrasing it like that.
Inuarashi cursed inwardly. Did this man think he was a fool?
Still, he did not dare say it aloud.
"May I ask how you know such a thing exists here?"
Rolan knew exactly where Zou's Road Poneglyph was. With his strength, he could have taken it by force, but that was not his way of doing things.
He thought of the Mink Tribe. Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were once retainers of Kozuki Oden.
"I can tell you one thing," Rolan said calmly. "Kozuki Momonosuke is still alive."
"What?!"
Inuarashi's eyes widened in shock, though he quickly masked it and shook his head.
"I don't know who that is."
But his heart was in turmoil.
Momonosuke was Oden's son, an eight-year-old child from twenty years ago. After Kaido's invasion of Wano, the Kozuki clan was destroyed. There should have been no survivors.
More importantly, how could Rolan know this? He was barely an adult himself.
"I know you won't believe me," Rolan said evenly. "But in two years, Momonosuke will reappear."
Inuarashi continued shaking his head.
"I know nothing of that name. And we have no red stone here. If you wish to tour Zou, I can arrange a guide."
"I'd advise you not to keep pretending," Enel snapped, electricity crackling around his raised hand.
Kuro grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
"Kin'emon," Rolan continued.
"Ashura Doji.
Denjiro.
Inuarashi.
Nekomamushi."
With every name spoken, Inuarashi's expression changed.
"Enough!" he barked. "Who are you, and how do you know these things?"
Rolan ignored the question.
"Oden's wife, Kozuki Toki, possessed the Time-Time Fruit. She sent specific people twenty years into the future."
Inuarashi froze.
Time travel was something even he had never heard of, despite being one of Oden's retainers.
"Momonosuke, Kin'emon, Kawamatsu, Raizo, Kanjuro, Hiyori, and Kikunojo were all sent forward," Rolan continued. "They are alive."
"They're alive… Lord Momonosuke is alive?" Inuarashi's voice trembled.
Rolan nodded once. "I wouldn't lie about something like this."
Tears welled in Inuarashi's eyes.
For years, the surviving retainers had lived with regret and guilt. With Wano under Kaido's control, revenge had seemed impossible. Their comrades were scattered, presumed dead, or forced into hiding.
Now, hope had returned.
"Where will they appear?" Inuarashi asked urgently.
"The ruins of Oden Castle," Rolan replied. "In two years."
He did not elaborate further.
His purpose here had not changed.
"I came to take a rubbing of the Road Poneglyph."
Inuarashi took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. His emotions had gotten the better of him.
"There is indeed a Road Poneglyph in Zou," he said slowly. "But whether you may see it is not my decision alone."
Before Rolan could respond, a voice echoed in his mind.
"This man… his presence is unusual."
Rolan raised an eyebrow.
"So you can speak."
"You can hear me?" the voice asked in return.
It belonged to Zunesha.
The ability to hear the Voice of All Things was exceedingly rare in this world.
"This surprises you?" Rolan replied flatly.
Zunesha rumbled thoughtfully.
"He does not feel like the one foretold… yet he hears my voice."
Rolan ignored Zunesha and turned back to Inuarashi.
"There's also the ruler of the night, Nekomamushi."
Inuarashi nodded, then sighed.
"This truly is not something either of us can decide alone."
At that moment, Enel, who had somehow produced an apple and was eating it noisily, spoke up.
"Then just tell us where it is. We'll handle the rest ourselves."
Inuarashi shot him a wary look.
"I must consult with Boss Nekomamushi first."
---
"Rolan's crew wants to see the Road Poneglyph? Meow."
A large feline Mink stepped into the room, a pipe clenched between his teeth. His golden fur bristled slightly, and his sharp fangs showed as he spoke.
It was Nekomamushi.
"Boss Nekomamushi," Robin said gently. "We only wish to make a rubbing."
Nekomamushi yawned.
"That depends on Zunesha's will, meow."
Suddenly, the entire Mokomo Dukedom shook.
Both dukes stiffened. They knew what this meant.
A deep, thunderous sound echoed, and a fine mist rose into the air. Moments later, sunlight refracted through it, forming a massive rainbow above Zou.
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi stared in disbelief.
Zunesha had given its answer.
"It agrees…" Inuarashi murmured.
Robin gazed up at the sky, genuine awe in her eyes.
"It's beautiful," she said softly. "I've never seen a rainbow like this before."
Inuarashi let out a long breath.
"If Zunesha permits it, then we will guide you to the Road Poneglyph."
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