Chapter 37: 37. Jaya Island is real!
[The next day, Kalgara takes you to the ruins of the golden city, Shandora, where you see the magnificent golden bell that resonates with a beautiful sound. You learn that the Shandian ancestors have always safeguarded a Poneglyph. Shandora was destroyed in its defense, and this mission has now been passed on to Kalgara and his people.]
[The bell's resonant sound crosses the ocean and reaches the sky, comforting the souls of the ancestors.]
["We are here."]
[Standing before the long-sought Poneglyph and the golden bell, you're left speechless. Kalgara then instructs you to place your weapon under the golden bell and strike it yourself, praying for the blessing that will grant your weapon the ability to cut through any defense.]
[You follow his instructions, placing your weapon, Hidden Snow, under the golden bell and striking it.]
[Congratulations! The red weapon, Hidden Snow, has gained the Vibration buff. When drawn, the blade will vibrate at an imperceptible speed, allowing it to penetrate defenses below the Higher grade advanced of Armament Haki.]
A divine blessing? No, this is just like a high-frequency vibrating particle blade!
NERV would be spinning in its grave!
[Age 21: Throughout the year, you and Kalgara become close friends. By day, you venture and hunt together, sharing drinks and life stories. The bell of Shandora bears witness to your friendship, and Jaya Island bears witness to your bond. By night, you live a carefree life with his daughter, Mousse, and other young women seeking your healing.]
[Congratulations! You've earned the achievement Shameless, granting you a blue reward item.]
Reading this, Marsh can't help but click his tongue.
'So this is how it is, you call me friend, and I call you father-in-law, right?!'
[After a night of instruction with several young women, you wake to find the Shandians suddenly treating you and your crew with cold indifference. Fearing your actions have been discovered, you wonder if your misdeeds have finally come to light, as the villagers seem eager for you to leave. You seek out Kalgara at the golden bell, but he greets you with a drawn arrow.]
[With no choice, you gather your crew and prepare to leave. Mousse finds you and reveals that the Shandians' anger stems from the trees you cut down, which they use for ancestor worship.]
[You explain that those trees were infected with tree fever, and if left standing, the curse would return.]
[Relieved that your behavior wasn't discovered, you breathe easier.]
[Despite being married, a few of the village girls continue to visit you occasionally under the guise of learning. Some are now expecting children, father unknown, so you decide to leave the village's gifted gold with them before departing.]
[As your ship leaves Jaya Island, the golden bell rings out from the shore, and Kalgara appears at the water's edge. Mousse has informed the villagers of the true reason behind the tree-felling.]
[Kalgara shouts, "Come back, Marsh! I'll wait for you here!"]
["So that you'll always see this island, even in the storm, I'll ring the bell and wait for you forever!"]
[Overcome by your friend and father-in-law's earnest plea, you shout back, "Until we meet again someday, my friend!"]
[The ringing of the bell, combined with the genuine friendship, forms a song of camaraderie that echoes across the forest and sea. You and Kalgara promise that someday, you'll meet again.]
[Age 22: After returning home, you recount your adventures from recent years.]
[Age 23: Your tales spread widely and eventually reach the ears of the king.]
[Age 24: The king's greed awakens upon hearing of the golden city, and he devises a scheme. Using your past deceptions as a pretext, he arrests you, but offers you a pardon if you take him and his soldiers back to Jaya Island. Time has passed, and you're curious to see your Shandian friends again, so you accept the king's command.]
Are you really going for your friends, or are you hoping to reconnect with your friends?
And as for the king, are his intentions not obvious?
What an idiot!
[Age 25: After a grueling journey, you return to Jaya Island. But as you approach the shore, you don't hear the golden bell, and a sense of unease creeps over you.]
[After a search, you find that the Shandian tribe, the ruins of Shandora, and half of the island itself have mysteriously vanished. Feeling deceived, the king imprisons you, planning to execute you.]
[Everything on Jaya Island makes you question whether you're seeing things. Your mental state deteriorates, and you don't resist when the king arrests you.]
[The king decides to have you executed and even hires someone to pose as a crew member, discrediting your tales of adventure as lies.]
[In no time, public opinion turns against you, and the adventurer's legacy you built crumbles as you're labeled a fraud.]
[Before your execution, you shout to the crowd, "Jaya Island is real!"]
[But no one believes you anymore. In your final moments, you still think of your dear friend and his daughter.]
[You die, and the simulation ends.]
***
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