I, Kizaru, only came to the chat group after I became invincible

Chapter 404 Spending the Night in an Unfamiliar Place
There weren't many people on the street, but they all seemed to have a scholarly air about them.

Many people were holding books or scrolls, discussing something intently.

"The atmosphere here is really nice."

Nami exclaimed.

"The whole town feels filled with the aroma of knowledge."

"Such places are indeed good for preserving ancient materials."

Robin observed his surroundings.

"Furthermore, the residents seem to value learning and research very much."

They quickly found the Wisdom Bookstore.

This is a three-story building with a huge globe standing at the entrance.

“This is it.”

Nami pushed open the bookstore door.

The doorbell rang crisply, and a middle-aged man wearing glasses looked up from behind the counter.

Welcome to the Wisdom Bookstore!

The bookstore owner greeted us warmly.

Are you two looking for any books?

"We need detailed nautical charts of this area."

Nami explained the requirements.

"There are also records such as nautical logs."

"The nautical chart? You've come to the right place!"

The boss rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"We have a collection of all the navigational data for this sea area spanning hundreds of years."

"From ancient parchment scrolls and nautical charts to the latest precision maps, we have it all!"

He led Nami to a corner of the bookstore, where countless maps and charts were displayed.

"What are these?"

Nami stared wide-eyed at the wall covered in maps.

"This is my life's collection."

The boss said proudly.

“Every map has its unique value and story.”

Nami began to examine the maps carefully, looking for information that would be useful for their voyage.

Meanwhile, Robin was drawn to the old books in the bookstore.

"Excuse me, do you have any books about ancient history here?"

She asked the boss.

Of course!

The owner pointed to another area of ​​the bookstore.

"The bookshelves over there are all history books."

"From the rise and fall of ancient kingdoms to the legends of lost civilizations, it has everything."

Robin immediately went over and began to peruse the ancient books.

One of the books that caught her attention was a book called "The Lost Ancient Scripts".

The book's author is a scholar named Marcus the Sage, who appears to be the founder of the town.

Robin opened the book and found that it contained a lot of research on ancient scripts.

Although it is not part of the official historical record, it still provides some valuable information.

"This book is very interesting."

Robin said to the boss.

"Who is this Sage Marcus?"

"Ah, you've asked about the greatest person in our town!"

The boss's eyes gleamed with admiration.

"The Sage Marcus was a scholar from three hundred years ago and the founder of our Sage Town."

"He dedicated his life to the study of ancient civilizations and collected countless valuable materials."

"It is said that he once saw a real ancient stone tablet with mysterious inscriptions on it."

Upon hearing the words "ancient stone tablet," Robin's heart began to race.

Where is that stone tablet now?

She tried to remain calm as she asked.

"This...it's said to be in a cave north of the town."

The boss said hesitantly.

"But that place is dangerous, and..."

"And what?"

Robin pressed for an answer.

"Moreover, there's a legend in town that the stone tablet is cursed."

The boss lowered his voice.

"It is said that anyone who tries to decipher the inscription on the stone tablet will meet with misfortune."

"The Sage Marcus himself mysteriously disappeared while studying that stone tablet."

Although the boss spoke in a mysterious way, Robin didn't believe in any curses.

She is more inclined to believe that the stone tablet is part of the main historical text.

"Could you tell me the exact location?"

Robin asked.

"Are you really going?"

The boss looked at her with concern.

"That place is really dangerous; the road conditions are complicated, and wild animals often roam there."

"I'll be careful."

Robin said firmly.

"This is important to my research."

Seeing that he couldn't dissuade her, the boss had no choice but to explain the route in detail.

"Go out of the town's north gate and walk along the mountain road for two hours; you'll see a waterfall."

"There's a cave behind the waterfall, and the stone tablet is deep inside the cave."

"But the cave is very dark and the terrain is complex, so be sure to bring good lighting equipment."

Thank you for reminding me.

Robin bought the book, "The Lost Ancient Scripts".

On the other side, Nami had also selected several detailed sea charts.

"These maps are amazing!"

Nami said excitedly.

"It's much more detailed than our existing nautical charts, and it even marks some hidden reefs and currents."

"That's great."

The boss nodded in satisfaction.

"These maps are the culmination of the efforts of generations of navigators, and we hope they will be helpful to your voyages."

The two paid and prepared to leave the bookstore.

"correct."

The boss suddenly remembered something.

"If you are interested in history, I suggest you visit the town library."

"There are complete research materials on the Sage Marcus there, more detailed than the books I have here."

"Furthermore, the librarian is a descendant of the Sage Marcus and is very knowledgeable about this history."

Robin was even more excited upon hearing this news.

After leaving the bookstore, they went directly to the library, which was located at the highest point in town.

The library is a magnificent stone building with tall columns and exquisite carvings.

The architecture is noticeably older than the rest of the buildings in town.

"This should be the architecture from the time of Marcus the Sage."

Robin carefully observed the details of the building.

"Judging from these carvings, the builders were indeed very knowledgeable about ancient civilizations."

They entered the library and were immediately overwhelmed by the sheer size of its collection.

The library has three floors, and each floor is filled with bookshelves.

Countless books and scrolls were neatly arranged, exuding an ancient bookish fragrance.

"Hello, welcome to the Library of Sages."

A gentle voice came.

An elderly man with gray hair walked over; his eyes were wise and gentle.

"I am the librarian here, my name is Alan the Sage."

"A sage?"

Robin asked in surprise.

"Are you a descendant of the Sage Marcus?"

“That’s right, I am his great-great-grandson.”

Allen said with a smile.

"Although I did not inherit his academic talent, I have been working hard to protect the materials he left behind."

"Very good!"

Robin said excitedly.

"I am very interested in ancient writing and would like to learn more about the research on your ancestors."

Allen looked Robin up and down, a look of surprise in his eyes.

"You understand ancient writing?"

"I know a little."

Robin said modestly.

"I am an archaeologist, specializing in ancient civilizations."

"This is so rare!"

Allen said excitedly.

"In three hundred years, you are the first person who truly understands ancient writing to come here!" "Please follow me, I will show you the records left by my ancestors."

Allen led them to the top floor of the library.

There is a special room here containing all of Marcus the Sage's research materials.

"These are the fruits of my ancestors' life's work."

Allen explained.

"This includes his research on ancient scripts, his investigations of lost civilizations, and the various charts and maps he created."

Robin felt a surge of excitement as he looked at these valuable documents.

These materials were priceless to her.

"May I take a look?"

she asked cautiously.

"sure!"

Allen readily agreed.

"I'm so glad that someone understands the value of this information."

Robin began to study Marcus the Sage's information carefully.

She discovered that this ancient scholar's research level was quite high, and his understanding of ancient texts was close to that of historical texts.

In particular, a manuscript titled "An Attempt to Decipher the Mysterious Stele" details Marcus's research process on the stele.

Although he did not ultimately decipher all the inscriptions on the stone tablet, he did identify some key information.

According to the manuscript, the stone tablet contained information about "ancient weapons".

Although the content is incomplete, it mentions something called "the Wrath of the Sea God".

"The Wrath of the Sea God?"

Robin's heart skipped a beat.

The name sounds like one of the three ancient weapons.

She continued studying the manuscript and discovered that Marcus had mentioned other clues.

Around the stele, there appear to be other similar stone carvings, forming a complete information network.

“Mr. Allen.”

Robin looked up.

"Is the stone tablet your ancestor mentioned still there?"

"It should still be there."

Allen nodded.

"But that place is indeed very dangerous, and..."

He hesitated.

"Moreover, my ancestor disappeared while studying that stone tablet."

"From then on, the townspeople believed the stone tablet was cursed, and few dared to approach it."

Are you really going to see it?

“I have to go.”

Robin said firmly.

"This is very important to my research."

Seeing Robin's determined expression, Allen finally agreed.

"Since you insist, I can offer you some assistance."

“I have cave maps drawn by my ancestors, as well as some necessary tools.”

He took out an old map and some exploration tools from the cabinet.

"thank you!"

Robin gratefully accepted the items.

Nami also finished studying the nautical data.

She found several precious nautical logs that recorded detailed information about this sea area.

"Robin, have you found any valuable clues?"

Nami asked.

"We found some very important information."

Robin said excitedly.

"I'd like to go and do some on-site research tomorrow."

"That stone tablet might actually be historical text."

"Very good!"

Nami was also happy for Robin.

"Then let's go together tomorrow."

As night fell, they decided to spend the night in town and explore the mysterious cave the next day.

Allen recommended the best hotel in town to them.

The "House of Sages Inn" is located near the library and has a quiet environment, making it a good place to rest.

The hotel owner was a kind middle-aged woman who was especially welcoming when she heard that they were scholars who came to study history.

"It's been a long time since any scholars have come to our town."

The proprietress said this while preparing dinner.

"Since the Sage Marcus disappeared, fewer and fewer people have come here to conduct research."

"Everyone thinks that legend is terrifying."

Do you believe in the legend of that curse?

Robin asked curiously.

I think

The proprietress thought for a moment.

"Marcus the Sage may have simply encountered an accident during his research."

"That cave is indeed very dangerous; the terrain is complex, and it's easy to get lost."

"And there are some dangerous animals inside."

"If you're not careful, something bad could really happen."

Robin found the proprietress's analysis very reasonable.

Instead of believing in some mysterious curse, it's better to be well-prepared and explore carefully.

After dinner, they returned to their room and began planning their adventure for the next day.

"According to the map, it takes about two hours to get to the cave from here."

Robin studied the map Marcus had left behind.

"The road conditions are quite complicated, so we need to set off early."

"no problem."

Nami nodded.

"We've prepared some necessary equipment, as well as food and water."

"By the way, should we tell Luffy and the others?"

"No need for now."

Robin thought for a moment and said.

"If we discover any truly important clues, it's not too late to tell them then."

"Besides, Sanji is currently learning to cook, so it's best not to disturb him."

After discussing their plans, the two went to bed early.

Tomorrow will be an important day, and they need to maintain their energy levels.

Meanwhile, at the Sea Flavor Restaurant on the gourmet island, Sanji's studies continue.

Gustave is teaching him a special seasoning technique.

"The essence of cuisine lies not in complexity, but in balance."

Gustav said as he demonstrated.

"Every seasoning must be just right; too much is excessive, too little is insufficient."

The following morning, sunlight streamed through the windows onto the deck of the Thousand Sunny.

Borsalino slowly walked out of the room and habitually looked around.

"Hmm? Why is it so quiet?"

He scratched his head in confusion.

At this time of day, Nami would normally be studying the sea charts, and Robin would be reading on the deck.

But today the deck was empty, with only a few seabirds flying around.

Where are Luffy and the others?

Borsalino went to the restaurant and found that only Chopper was there.

"Oh, Mr. Borsalino!"

Chopper greeted him immediately when he saw him come in.

Where did everyone go?

"Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp went on an adventure to the island."

Chopper replied.

Franky was repairing equipment in the cabin, while Sanji was learning to cook in the restaurant.

"What about Nami and Robin?"

Borsalino continued to ask.

"They went out yesterday."

Chopper thought for a moment and said.

"It seems they're going to Sage's Town to buy sea charts and information."

"yesterday?"

Borsalino frowned.

"They went out yesterday and haven't come back yet?"

"yes."

Chopper nodded.

"I thought they had spent the night in town."

Upon hearing this, Borsalino felt a sense of unease.

Although Nami and Robin are both very capable, spending the night in an unfamiliar place is still somewhat dangerous.

(End of this chapter)