One Piece: My Crew is from Other World

Chapter 187 – The Secret at the Bottom, Joy Boy!

Because of the decreased water pressure at this depth, it felt less like being at the ocean floor and more like gliding through the shallows. The surrounding environment no longer pressed heavily against them. Shirahoshi, still carrying Ryuunosuke, descended swiftly toward the root system of Sunlight Tree Eve.

As soon as they landed, Ryuunosuke noticed something unusual.

The seabed wasn't the soft sludge he expected—it was stone. Carefully arranged slabs, laid with deliberate design. Human craftsmanship, without a doubt.

Ryuunosuke crouched down to examine them, running his fingers across the surface. Strange symbols were etched into the stone. Ancient writing—characters he couldn't read. He hadn't yet awakened the power to hear the Voice of All Things, after all.

He raised his hand and summoned his Nen ability. Instantly, a cluster of tiny puppets appeared beside him, chattering as they scurried across the stone. Each one began copying the symbols meticulously.

"Let's copy everything first," Ryuunosuke murmured. "Luffy and the others will probably come here soon. When Robin arrives, she'll be able to read these."

He stood up, eyes scanning the glowing roots surrounding them. The energy here wasn't normal. It pulsed, gentle but commanding. Like a sleeping giant.

"Lord Ryuunosuke…" Shirahoshi's voice broke the silence. "I feel… something calling me. My chest feels tight. It's like… something is pulling me toward it."

Her voice was soft, but strained. Her cheeks flushed, her breath uneven. She clutched her chest as if the roots themselves were tugging on her spirit.

Ryuunosuke glanced her way, then back at the looming root system that stretched out like a palace built by nature. The light at its base shimmered faintly, illuminating the path forward.

"Let's check it out," he said. "We're close."

Shirahoshi nodded, still visibly affected by the strange pull. She carefully moved toward the glowing entrance with Ryuunosuke on her shoulder.

The moment they entered, the entire atmosphere changed.

It was no longer just roots—they stepped into a man-made palace, hidden beneath layers of the world.

And at the very center, towering above everything else, was a skeleton.

A colossal skeleton, coiled like a dragon resting in death.

Its ribs were larger than entire buildings. Its skull, cracked but still regal, faced upward like it had died while looking to the heavens.

Ryuunosuke, dwarfed by its scale, could barely process what he was seeing. Even with Observation Haki active, it was hard to take it all in.

Shirahoshi clutched her chest tighter, and suddenly—tears.

She began to cry.

"Lord Ryuunosuke… I feel it. Sadness. So much sadness. Why… do I want to cry so badly?"

Her voice trembled with sorrow that didn't feel like her own.

Ryuunosuke stepped forward, his eyes locked on the massive remains. "This isn't a Sea King," he muttered. "At least, not one we've seen before."

He looked up toward Shirahoshi. "Could it be one of your ancestors? Maybe… the first Sea King?"

There was no answer. Only silence.

And then—light.

"Let's go further in," Ryuunosuke said. "There's something deeper. Something we need to see."

Shirahoshi wiped her tears and followed without hesitation.

As they moved deeper into the light, the nature-built structure transitioned entirely. They passed from root to room, and suddenly they were standing in what was clearly a human palace—old, ancient beyond comprehension, yet still standing.

At the very center of the room sat a figure.

Not bones.

Not a statue.

But a preserved corpse, seated like a king on a throne.

"Joy Boy…"

The words escaped Ryuunosuke's lips before he even realized it.

There was no mistaking it. The aura, the presence… this was Joy Boy. The one written of in legends. The man who made the promise to Fishman Island. The man connected to the Void Century.

But why was his body here?

Why had he died here, beneath Sunlight Tree Eve?

What had he intended with Noah?

Questions flooded his mind. Even the idea of letting his own warship devour Noah crossed his thoughts—it would evolve into something greater than even he imagined. But he stopped himself. Not yet. Not until he knew the truth.

"Lord Ryuunosuke… that's Joy Boy," Shirahoshi whispered in awe. "He's the one who promised to save Fishman Island. But… how did he die here?"

Ryuunosuke turned slowly, brow furrowed. "How do you know that? This is just a corpse. There's no name, no markings."

Shirahoshi sniffled, but answered clearly. "There's a portrait of him in our royal archives. And that outfit—he wore it in the painting. I'm sure of it."

He stared at her, stunned. Despite her trembling and wet cheeks, she was still providing critical information.

She'd matured.

In such a short time, she'd begun to rise beyond her fear.

Was this really the same "Cowardly Star" the world talked about?

Ryuunosuke stepped closer to the throne. "Did Joy Boy die here… or was his body brought here? Who placed him here? What was the cause of death? What… happened?"

The mysteries swirled around him like a storm.

Joy Boy—the man who created Noah. The man feared by Im of Mary Geoise. A man of such significance... yet dead, buried beneath a tree, forgotten by history.

Everything pointed back to the Void Century.

The missing hundred years. The origin of the World Government. The creation of the Ancient Weapons. Joy Boy's promise. Even the whispers of gods.

All of it, hidden in that one century.

And then—

Buzz.

The air around them began to warp. Space itself seemed to ripple.

Suddenly, the remains of Joy Boy began to glow.

Bones twisted, merged, and transformed.

Flesh grew.

Skin reformed.

A moment later, a man stood before Ryuunosuke.

Tall, with strong features and a calm, commanding presence.

But the strangest part… was his face.

Ryuunosuke stared, heart skipping a beat.

There was something familiar about him. Something that tugged at the edge of his memory.

But he couldn't place it.

Then, Joy Boy spoke.

"A human?"

The voice echoed in the chamber, as though the roots themselves were listening.

"…Yes," Ryuunosuke replied, regaining his composure. "I don't know how you're speaking to me… or why you're here like this… but I assume there's a time limit."

He narrowed his eyes. "What do you want to tell me?"

This wasn't Joy Boy resurrected—this was his will. A message preserved across time, waiting for someone to arrive.

And Ryuunosuke… wasn't even the one he'd been waiting for.

But perhaps fate didn't care.

Joy Boy smiled faintly. "You carry Joy Boy's aura. Though you are not him, you are worthy of receiving his inheritance."

"When the time comes, I hope you will stand by him. Because only he can shatter the chains."

Joy Boy stepped forward and extended a hand.

A scroll appeared, shimmering with an energy unlike anything Ryuunosuke had ever seen.

Ryuunosuke took it.

The characters on it—he didn't recognize a single one.

Ancient script. Older than Poneglyphs, maybe.

He activated his Rinnegan, copying the data into his mind for future decoding.

"You possess the scent of space… time… and reincarnation," Joy Boy said. "You are special. And I believe that this legacy… can safely pass through your hands to the one who comes after."

Joy Boy's form began to flicker slightly.

"I only have three minutes left. Ask."

Ryuunosuke didn't hesitate.

"What happened during the Void Century?"

His voice was sharp. Steady.

Everything was tied to that lost era.

The Three Ancient Weapons.

The origin of the Celestial Dragons.

The death of Joy Boy.

The rise of Im.

Even the so-called 'Gods'...

All roads led to the blank hundred years.

And now, standing before the ghost of the past—Ryuunosuke was ready to uncover the truth.

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