One Piece: Get Stronger by Watching Battles

"Moreover, how could the World Government possibly do such a thing! It's absolutely impossible!"

Momotaro spoke rapidly, it was unclear whether she was refuting Zhou Ze's judgment or convincing herself.

Zhou Ze stared into Momousagi's eyes and sighed inwardly.

This is one of the reasons why he had previously been reluctant to rely on the old navy's strength.

These marines from the previous era, or even the era before that, while possessing considerable combat prowess, also had extensive networks of connections.

But in return, they served the Navy, the World Government, or rather, the Celestial Dragons for decades, or even their entire lives...

Like Momousagi, she believed the World Government's assertion that the Ancient Weapons posed a threat to global security.

Therefore, she remained unmoved by the destruction of Ohara.

However, she cannot accept the World Government's initiative to 'revive' a certain ancient weapon!

The collapse of faith is a cruel thing, even if... it is a wrong faith!

"Gion, this isn't your fault...!"

Zhou Ze was in a bind. He didn't know how to persuade someone whose faith was wavering, especially without revealing any more secrets.

Momousagi's eyes became bloodshot as she stared intently at Zhou Ze.

"Zhou Ze, these are all just your guesses, there's no solid evidence at all... right?"

Zhou Ze met Momotaro's gaze, his lips trembled a few times, but he ultimately remained silent.

Momousagi seemed to have all her energy drained away in an instant; her expression became listless, and her face showed a sorrowful look.

"Midorik didn't tell me about this in front of me and Kaji, and he prevented me from telling Tsuru, and he even disagreed with reporting it to Sakazuki...!"

"Instead, he suggested that I ask for your opinion. I suppose he already knew that naval personnel like us, who have served in the military for decades, would find this difficult to accept, right?"

"He had already determined that 'it' was one of the ancient weapons, that's right, isn't it?"

The more Momousagi spoke, the more pained her face became, and her eyes filled with tears.

"Only newcomers to the Navy like you and him would have a high level of... acceptance of this, right?"

Peach Rabbit's series of questions left Zhou Ze speechless. Green Bull might have had that intention, but Zhou Ze felt that Green Bull was also testing him.

After a moment of silence, Zhou Ze forced a stiff smile and coughed lightly.

"Ahem, Gion, actually, to be honest, I'm not exactly a newbie in the Navy. I'm much more senior than Midorik!"

Momousagi ignored Zhou Ze's teasing attempts to ease the tension, tears welling up in her eyes.

"So, you admit to everything I just said?"

Zhou Ze silently lowered his eyelids.

Chapter 426 What exactly is the Heavenly King?

As night fell, the office lights gradually dimmed, and the room became pitch black.

However, neither Zhou Ze nor Tao Tu turned on the lights.

Unlike Momousagi, who was struggling to accept the collapse of her faith, Zhou Ze had more things to sort out.

In Zhou Ze's view, the "it" that Green Bull talks about and the "she" that Dragon talks about should be the same thing.

The difference between 'she' and 'it' likely stems from the discrepancy in how Green Bull and Dragon perceive that thing.

The dragon believed that thing was a living 'mother', so it called it 'she'!

Green Bull believed that what awakened was immense power, because it was accompanied by a violent energy reaction. However, Green Bull did not consider that thing to be a known life form, so he called it 'it'.

This thing should be the 'two halves' that were forcibly pieced together. One half is already quite obvious; it is the 'original core' that can provide Devil Fruit abilities.

As for his 'other half', Zhou Ze is still unsure.

But that doesn't stop him from making some guesses about it.

The Origin Core is part of the Origin Factory, and must be an inanimate object. Therefore, this 'half' must not be the 'living' thing that Crocodile and Dragon mentioned.

Therefore, the only thing that could lead Old Sha and Dragon to make this judgment is that 'unknown' 'other half'.

This 'other half' is the one that truly has 'life'.

So, what kind of guy is he?

Zhou Ze inexplicably thought of the mural he had seen in the Great Cathedral of Duff, the 'dragon'-shaped creature perched on the crown of the Sun Tree Eve.

Is this the guy?

Im forcibly combined the 'Original Core' with the 'dragon'-shaped creature.

It both indirectly restored the 'implantation' capability of the original factory and gained a more powerful and controllable force.

Is this the true nature of Uranus, the King of the Gods?

Zhou Ze's thoughts raced as he considered this possibility, because even now, he still couldn't be sure what Uranus, the Heavenly King, really was.

Initially, he thought that the ability to implant the core of the source alone was enough to be worthy of the name of the Gundyr weapon, 'King Uranus'.

Now it seems that Uranus, the King of the Heavens, should be more complex.

After all, as Garp himself said, 'she' cannot leave.

If Uranus is merely the primordial core, then the question of whether he can leave should not exist.

If they could be taken out of God Valley back then, they could naturally be taken out of Mary Geoise as well.

Since 'she' cannot leave, it means that there is something in Mary Geoise that is very important to the current core of the origin.

The only tree Zhou Ze could think of was the divine tree that ran vertically through the entire Red Earth Continent and had its canopy in the Secret Garden—the Sun Tree Eve.

If you think about it this way, all the clues can be connected.

Back then, Im dismantled the original core and brought it back to Mary Geoise. Using the Sun Tree Eve and the dragon-like creature that perched on the tree canopy, he reassembled it into a certain being.

This thing is the 'she' that the dragon saw, and also the 'it' that Green Bull sensed this time.

However, what Zhou Ze couldn't understand was Crocodile's experience.

Old Sand's encounter took place 36 years ago in God Valley, which means that at least 36 years ago, that thing already possessed the same abilities as when the dragon encountered 'her' 22 years ago.

This raises a question: surely there isn't a Sun Tree Eve in God Valley?

And what a coincidence, there was also a dragon-shaped creature in the tree canopy?

The thought only flashed through his mind before Zhou Ze dismissed it; there was only one Yang Tree Eve in the world.

This is not only a consensus of the whole world, but also evidenced by the murals that Zhou Ze saw.

How did Crocodile manage to do that thing?

Could it be that they are not the same thing?

No, that's not right, these two must be the same thing!

Zhou Ze pursed his lips and shook his head vigorously a few times.

Therefore, at least 36 years ago, when the Celestial Dragons were still gathered in God Valley, 'she' must have had some other substitute to replace the role of the Sun Tree Eve and the dragon-like creature!

Because even if that dragon-shaped creature could move, the Sun Tree Eve could not; it remained within the Red Earth Continent!

Therefore, there must have been something used as a substitute in the first place.

Moreover, judging from the results, it is clear that the replacement is no longer in Im's hands!

And most importantly, that replacement must have been lost or destroyed during the God Valley incident!

Otherwise, there would be no need for Im to confine 'her' to the secret garden.

Of course, she wouldn't let Garp realize that 'she' couldn't leave!

Thinking of this, Zhou Ze sighed inwardly. Good heavens, he thought that during the decisive battle back then, everyone had been open and honest with each other, sharing a lot of information.

Now it seems those pirate bastards were hiding a lot from me!

Damn, are we being too polite to pirates?

Zhou Ze now believes that Whitebeard did indeed bring something out of God Valley, which explains why Rocks was so relentless.

Could that thing be the replacement?

Zhou Ze pondered, a surge of resentment rising within him.

Marco, with that pineapple head, looks so honest, but he's actually a wicked devil at heart!

Brother, I've helped the White Group quite a bit, yet you didn't let slip a single word about such important information!

I'm so damn pissed!

Just then, the office lights were suddenly switched on, illuminating the entire room instantly.

"Zhou Ze, it's already so dark, why aren't the lights on...?"

It's Tina's voice!

The sudden bright light made Zhou Ze instinctively squint, and then he heard Tina exclaim in surprise.

"Oh, Gion, what brings you here? When did you arrive?"

With that, Tina walked briskly to Momousagi's side and took her arm.

Then, Tina felt Momousagi's arm was frighteningly cold, and her face was covered in tears, which were still glistening in her eyes.

"Gion, what's wrong with you...?"

"Zhou Ze, did you bully Gion?"

Tina suddenly turned her head to look at Zhou Ze, her expression full of dissatisfaction.

Zhou Ze was also dumbfounded. He had been thinking about his own affairs, and as for Momousagi...

Firstly, he didn't know how to comfort her, and secondly, according to his past life's habits, releasing emotions after a sudden change was a way to relieve stress.

Therefore, Zhou Ze only paid no attention to Tao Tu after confirming that there was nothing seriously wrong with her.

Tina is clearly blaming him now, which leaves Zhou Ze speechless.

"Uh... Tina, Gion's situation has absolutely nothing to do with me...!"