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Chapter 32: Lodestar Island
🕑 Added 2025-08-23 06:20:04 +0000 UTCThe Golden Lion fleet's humiliating defeat provided the Roger Pirates with an unprecedented victory celebration.
On deck, barrels of captured rum were piled high like mountains, and the aroma of roasted meat mingled with the sea breeze, carrying far across the waves.
"Cheers to Kyle's 'Heaven's Tilt Wave'!"
"Cheers to the Captain's 'Divine Departure'!"
The crew members threw their arms around each other's shoulders and sang loudly, celebrating this glorious victory against overwhelming odds.
Kyle leaned against the mast, holding a glass of orange juice, watching his boisterous companions with an unconscious smile playing at his lips.
His mind was still savoring the recent events—a few days ago, it was Whitebeard in his green period, and just now it was Golden Lion in his tsundere phase. He'd crossed swords with both of these legendary figures.
Damn, what a rush!
The feeling was like playing a video game and triggering two late-game hidden boss storylines while still in the starting village—thrilling and absurd.
"What are you thinking about?" Rayleigh sat down beside him, offering a skewer of grilled fish.
"I'm wondering if we grabbed the wrong adventure log," Kyle said, taking a bite of the fish and speaking with his mouth full. "Other people's adventures involve treasure hunting and monster fighting, but our adventures seem to specialize in hunting down legendary pirates one by one. Our business scope is a bit too broad."
Rayleigh chuckled and shook his head. "They came to us, especially that Shiki guy. His ambition is too big—he was bound to clash with Roger sooner or later."
He looked toward Roger, who was arm-wrestling with Gaban in the distance, laughing like a fool. "But that's what makes it interesting, isn't it?"
Kyle looked at Roger's utterly guileless, laughing face and completely agreed.
Yeah, that's what makes it interesting!
After the celebration, the Oro Jackson set sail once more.
This time, their course's destination was crystal clear. The Log Pose's magnetic pull was exceptionally stable, pointing steadily ahead with an unwavering stance that seemed to declare the journey's end was in sight.
The atmosphere aboard grew more excited by the day.
"Hey! When we reach the last island, the first thing I'm gonna do is announce to the whole world that we're the first pirate crew to sail around the globe!" Nozdon stood at the bow with his arms spread wide, as if embracing future glory.
"I'm gonna find the prettiest girl and tell her I'm a crew member of the Pirate King!" Erio said with a dreamy expression.
"Pirate King?" Gaban shouldered his axe and grinned. "That's a good title. When we get there, let's have the Captain use that name!"
"Ku ha ha ha! Sounds pretty impressive!" Roger shamelessly accepted the suggestion wholesale.
Amid the commotion, Kyle simply stood quietly by the rail, feeling the wind brush across his cheeks.
He knew the endpoint this needle pointed to wasn't the true endpoint, but he didn't spoil the moment—instead, he let himself be infected by his crewmates' pure, heartfelt joy.
Being able to witness this historic moment firsthand was one of the greatest pleasures of this new life, wasn't it?
Several weeks later, when Doringo's voice cracked as he shouted from the crow's nest, the entire ship erupted.
"I can see it! An island! The island at the Log Pose's endpoint!"
Everyone crowded toward the bow, gazing at the silhouette emerging where sea met sky.
It was an island of breathtaking beauty. Countless waterways wove across it like blue ribbons, sparkling under the sunlight. Massive natural fountains shot skyward from the island's center, their mist refracting brilliant rainbows in the air.
"Lodestar Island..." Rayleigh looked at the chart and spoke the name. "What a beautiful name."
"Land ho! Land ho! Time to party!" Roger was already eagerly waving his arms.
The Oro Jackson slowly approached shore, and crew members cheered as they leaped onto solid ground. Some excitedly kissed the earth while others were already busy hauling out barrels and supplies.
They had succeeded! They had conquered the Grand Line that countless others considered a nightmare!
Roger laughed heartily, drew his sword "Ace," and triumphantly planted it at the highest point on shore, announcing their arrival.
However, amid this ocean of celebration, a discordant voice quietly spoke up.
"Um? Captain, Mr. Rayleigh... look at this." Erio on the ship pointed at the Log Pose, his face showing confusion.
Everyone turned to look, only to see the needle that had been so steadfast moments before now spinning and jumping wildly like a drunken sailor.
The cheering on deck cut off abruptly.
"What's going on?" Gaban frowned.
Rayleigh hurried forward and pulled out his backup compass, only to find the same result. The air seemed to freeze, the previously blazing atmosphere instantly dropping to freezing.
Everyone understood what this meant.
A Log Pose only malfunctioned for one reason—there were more islands ahead.
This... wasn't the endpoint.
"You've got to be kidding..." Nozdon's smile froze on his face. "Then... where are we supposed to go next?"
Their greatest navigation tool had failed them, and the waters ahead were completely unknown.
"Ku ha ha ha..."
A sudden burst of laughter broke the silence.
Everyone stared at Roger in amazement, only to see their captain showing not the slightest dejection. Instead, he looked at that unknown sea with unprecedented light in his eyes.
"Hey, hey, what's with those expressions?" Roger pulled Ace from the ground, shouldered it, and grinned. "The adventure isn't over yet! Isn't this more interesting?"
The crew members were stunned, and then that sense of loss and confusion was swept away by the powerful, infectious energy radiating from Roger.
That's right—they were the Roger Pirates, following the freest man in the world to sea. What did it matter if the adventure had no endpoint?
"You're absolutely right!" Gaban was the first to burst out laughing. "Then let's keep searching!"
"Yeah!" The crew's enthusiasm was reignited.
Kyle watched this scene with deep emotion in his heart.
This was Gol D. Roger—any desperate situation or unknown was just the opening chapter of a new adventure to him. This kind of spirit was the fundamental reason he could become the Pirate King.
Just as everyone prepared to explore this strange island again, Roger's gaze was drawn to nearby ancient ruins covered in vines.
"Oh? There seems to be something over there?" Like a child discovering a new toy, he was the first to run over.
The others had to follow. Pushing aside the thick vines, they found a deep cave entrance. At the cave's end stood a massive, ominous crimson cubic stone.
"This is... a Poneglyph?" Rayleigh recognized it immediately, but his expression quickly became puzzled and uncertain. "No, the color's different. I've never seen a red Poneglyph before."
Kyle's heart skipped a beat.
Here it comes! The Road Poneglyph.
This stone would point them toward a unique route to the world's end.
The crew members curiously surrounded the massive red monument, its ancient writing appearing like hieroglyphics to them.
However, when Roger stepped forward and gently touched the cold, rough stone surface, he froze completely.
His expression became unprecedentedly serious, his eyes slightly closed, as if listening intently to something.
"Roger?" Gaban noticed something was wrong.
Roger didn't answer. After a long time, he slowly opened his eyes, which were filled with shock and wild joy.
"I heard it..." he murmured, his voice trembling slightly. "This stone... is talking."
"Talking?"
"It told me this island is indeed the Log Pose's endpoint, but not the Grand Line's endpoint." Roger's voice gradually rose as he looked around at his companions, speaking each word carefully:
"To reach the true final island, we need to find four of these red 'Road Poneglyphs'! Each one records a location, and when you connect these four points, the center point is where that final island that no one has ever reached is located!"
The entire cave was dead silent.
Everyone was utterly shocked by this amazing revelation.
So conquering the Grand Line wasn't just about following a compass—it required decoding these ancient "road signs." This was a much grander and more difficult treasure hunt.
After a brief silence, Roger threw back his head and laughed, the sound echoing through the cave, filled with irrepressible heroism and joy.
"Gu ha ha ha! So that's it! That's how it is!" He drew Ace from his waist and pointed toward that deep blue sea. "This world is hiding such a huge secret waiting for us!"
"Boys!" Roger turned around, looking at each person with eyes that seemed capable of igniting souls.
"The adventure has just begun! Our goal is to find the remaining three Road Poneglyphs and reach that final island! Will you come with me to witness the end of this world?!"
"OHHHHHH——!!!" A deafening roar answered his declaration.
Everyone's eyes burned with flames more intense than ever before. Confusion and bewilderment vanished completely, replaced by a clearer, greater goal.
Kyle stood in the crowd, looking at Roger surrounded by his companions and laughing brilliantly, and couldn't help but smile too.
He raised his head, gazing toward the azure sky and boundless ocean beyond the cave.
Go find the final island!
Go witness the birth of "ONE PIECE"!
The true prologue to this magnificent Age of Great Pirates would be opened by their own hands!
