One Piece: With Sign-in System-Chapter 171 - : What’s there in the forest?

As everyone gathered around the steaming hot pot, laughter and conversation filled the air.

Between bites of food, they sipped their drinks, enjoying the moment.

However, Cat Viper wasn’t quite as at ease.

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The moment he took a bite, his tongue lolled out in agony—it was scorching hot!

On the other side, Carrot’s face turned bright red as she stuffed another mouthful into her mouth.

"Hot! So hot!!"

Just as she yelped, Cat Viper bit into a fiery red pepper.

The next second—

His entire body shuddered violently.

His tongue flopped out as tears welled up in his feline eyes, and without thinking, he grabbed the nearest drink and chugged it down—

Only to realize it was alcohol!

Spicy heat, followed by a burning rush of liquor—

Cat Viper threw his head back and coughed, accidentally spewing out a small burst of flame!

The scene was too much—Robin couldn’t help but burst into laughter, while Bonney nearly fell over, clutching her stomach.

Conis, holding her bowl, turned to Bonney with an amused smile.

"This reminds me of when you first tried hot pot, Bonney."

Bonney’s laughter immediately stopped.

As several pairs of curious eyes turned toward her, her face flushed red.

With a quick cough, she lowered her head—just like Enzo, she focused entirely on her food, avoiding eye contact.

Cat Viper finally started recovering after Kuina handed him a glass of water.

Beads of sweat rolled down his fur.

"Boss Cat Viper, are you okay?" Carrot asked, concerned.

Cat Viper exhaled a heated breath, then straightened his back dramatically.

"J-just a small challenge!" he declared, though his voice still trembled slightly.

With newfound determination, he grabbed his bowl again and dunked his chopsticks into the fiery broth.

This painful but exhilarating sensation—he had never experienced something this addictive before!

This cooking method…

It should totally become a new trend in the Mokomo Dukedom!

As he continued to eat, he turned his gaze back to Ron and asked:

"You want to go to Whale Forest… Are you planning to steal that thing?"

Ron, his eyes lazily closed, picked up a piece of meat and took a bite before answering.

"Taking it isn’t necessary. We have someone here who can read what’s written on it. We just need to make a copy."

Cat Viper froze mid-bite.

"You mean… you have someone who can read it, just like Kozuki Oden?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah."

Hearing this, Robin’s hand, which had been gracefully holding her drink, paused slightly.

"Captain, what are you talking about?" Conis asked curiously. "Read what?"

Ron smiled and casually answered:

"The Poneglyph."

Robin’s entire body stiffened.

Her head snapped toward Ron, eyes wide with shock.

"There’s one here?" she asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

Ron nodded.

"Not just any Poneglyph," he said. "A Road Poneglyph."

At his words, Robin’s breath hitched.

Her eyes gleamed—this was something she had never seen before!

She immediately turned toward Cat Viper, her expression full of excitement.

"Can I see it?" she asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

Cat Viper licked his lips, still chewing his food, and chuckled.

"Even if I say no…" He glanced at Ron with a knowing smile. "Your captain probably won’t take ’no’ for an answer."

Ron merely grinned in response.

Cat Viper sighed dramatically, then nodded.

"But," he continued, "as long as you’re only copying it, and not doing anything to destroy the stone itself… I suppose that wouldn’t break the promise we made with the Kozuki Clan."

He put his bowl down and scratched his furry head.

"I’ll talk it over with that dog," he said. "I’ll give you an answer in two days."

…

Two days later.

When Ron arrived at the meeting spot, both Cat Viper and Duke Inuarashi were waiting for him.

The tall canine Mink, clad in armor, gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist.

His gaze locked onto Ron with a sharp intensity.

"So, you’re the human who wants to enter Whale Forest?"

Cat Viper scratched his fluffy head and muttered, "This stubborn mutt wouldn’t listen to me no matter what I said." He turned to Ron, sighing. "He insists that before anything happens, you and him should have a fight."

Inuarashi snorted.

"Why would I listen to a reckless mad cat like you?" he shot back.

Without another word, he stepped forward, drawing his sword in a smooth motion.

His sharp eyes locked onto Ron.

"Human," he said.

"Come."

…

Ten minutes later.

"Ha~"

Ron yawned lazily, turning his gaze slightly toward Duke Inuarashi, whose head was firmly planted into the ground.

"This should be enough, right?"

Duke Inuarashi’s tail twitched slightly in response.

That very day, Ron led Robin into the Whale Forest, where they found the crimson Road Poneglyph. As expected, it recorded a set of sea coordinates—though they were highly fragmented. With only this information, it was impossible to pinpoint the precise location of the final island, Raftel.

"All four Road Poneglyphs must be gathered to complete the route," Robin murmured, her delicate fingers brushing over the engraved symbols.

After carefully making a rubbing of the inscriptions, she stepped toward Ron, extending the sheet of parchment.

"Ron, you should be the one to keep this."

Ron, still with his eyes closed, reached out as Robin guided his hand to grasp the parchment.

With a simple thought, the parchment vanished from his grasp.

"Let’s go," Ron said as he turned toward the cave’s exit.

Just as he was about to leave, a sudden warmth pressed against his back.

Ron’s steps halted. His body stiffened slightly.

"…Robin?"

"Don’t say anything. Just… let me stay like this for a moment."

Robin rested against him, eyes closed, her voice barely above a whisper. A tear rolled down her cheek.

Too much had happened since they entered the New World.

The ambush by King the Wildfire had been the most harrowing. When his attack came crashing down, she had felt nothing but despair.

She had thought it was over.

She had thought she would never see this man—the one who had reignited color in her once gray world—ever again.

It was at that moment she finally understood just how much he meant to her.

Now, standing here on Zou, Robin had made her choice. She would no longer run from her own feelings.

The cave housing the crimson Poneglyph remained silent, enveloping them in its stillness.

…

While Ron and his crew were recovering on Zou, a series of shocking events shook the world outside.

News from Dressrosa and Wano spread like wildfire, igniting a storm across the Grand Line.

[Breaking News! Former Marine Admiral Zephyr and the Traveler Ron join forces in Dressrosa! Donquixote Doflamingo has been slain—Donquixote Family annihilated! This information is confirmed to be true!]

[Explosive Update! The Traveler Ron was seen battling ’King the Wildfire’ of the Beasts Pirates in mid-air over an unnamed sea territory! The clash resulted in the destruction of an entire uninhabited island! ’King the Wildfire’ was mercilessly beaten down—his fate remains unknown!]

[Major Incident in Wano! The Traveler Ron stormed Onigashima, carrying the defeated King’s broken body! Right before Kaido himself, he crushed King’s skull with his bare hands! A fierce battle erupted in the skies over Onigashima—Kaido suffered grievous injuries, and Ron vanished without a trace! His current status—unknown!]

The entire world stood in stunned silence.

Nations, governments, and even the mighty Marine Headquarters were shaken.

And among the remaining Emperors of the New World—there was no longer a single one who could ignore the existence of the Traveler Ron.

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