Chapter 310: The Penniless Great Treasure
In truth, after Ian realized that the pirate ship he had boarded at night was the Big Top, the ship of the Buggy Pirates, he immediately thought of the Poneglyph rubbing in his possession.
Buggy, that guy, might be lying low and operating quietly in the East Blue, but to Ian, who understood his background and identity, he was like a hidden boss.
Ian knew very well that Buggy had been an apprentice on the Pirate King Gol D. Roger's ship until Roger's death. Only then did he part ways with Red-Haired Shanks, set sail as a pirate himself, and form his own crew.
In other words, Buggy had followed Roger all the way to the end. He was very likely one of those who had originally set foot on the final island, Laugh Tale.
Sure enough, when Ian brought out the Poneglyph rubbing, Buggy recognized it. This proved that he must have seen similar Poneglyphs with Roger.
Of course, this guy probably couldn't read the ancient script on the Poneglyph tablets. Only the scholars of Ohara, who had been studying history all along, could decipher those ancient texts. Now, only Nico Robin remained of them. If Ian wanted to figure out what the content of these Poneglyphs actually was, he would still have to find Robin.
However, even so, Ian was certain that Buggy was probably one of the people who knew the true history. Although Roger couldn't read the ancient script either, Uncle Rayleigh had said that Roger was someone who could "hear the voice of all things." Even without knowing the ancient script, he could still "understand" the voice of the Poneglyph tablets.
As the captain, his discoveries would surely be shared with his crew. If Uncle Rayleigh knew the historical truth, then Buggy and Red-Haired Shanks probably knew it too!
Ever since obtaining this Poneglyph tablet at the Barron Gray Terminal in Skypiea, Ian had developed a strong interest in this historical truth. Before obtaining it, it was one thing, but since he had it now, anyone would be curious about what these Poneglyphs actually recorded, right?
So, since he happened to run into Buggy here, Ian thought he might try to sound him out.
Of course, even if Buggy knew what the true history was, Ian figured that if he asked directly, Buggy definitely wouldn't tell him. After all, they were enemies, weren't they? How could Buggy possibly tell Ian?
That was why Ian came up with this underhanded trick: to strike up a friendship with Buggy, get him to drink, and then question him while he was drunk.
By this time, Buggy was already slurring his words, his round red nose practically glowing. With his eyes hazy from drink, Ian finally brought out the Poneglyph to test him.
"Come on, come on, drink up!" Ian poured him another full glass, clinked glasses with him with a *clang*, and watched him tilt his head back and down it, while Ian himself leaned back and poured his own drink onto the ground.
"*Burp!!*" Buggy let out a long, loud belch.
Ian smiled amiably as he started pouring again, asking Buggy while he did so: "As expected of someone Uncle Rayleigh took a liking to. You actually know this is a Poneglyph?"
"Wahahaha!" Buggy burst out laughing. "Of... of course! Your captain... the great Captain Buggy! Has... has seen plenty... plenty of these things!"
"Amazing!" Ian gave him a thumbs up, flattering him again, and asked: "So, do you know what this Poneglyph says? And does the One Piece treasure really exist?"
"Nonsense... nonsense!" Buggy was dizzy by now. Hearing Ian's words, he couldn't help but slam his cup heavily on the table with a *thump*. He turned his flushed face, looking at Ian with bleary eyes, and said: "What... what One Piece!? Captain... Captain Roger... he's lying!"
Hearing this, Ian was stunned. What did this mean!? The Great Treasure didn't exist?
That couldn't be right. According to the normal course of history, Whitebeard, just before his death at the Paramount War, would once again declare to the world, "One Piece does exist!" He had been Roger's rival and friend, and Roger had told him about the Great Treasure. If he said it, it had to be true!
Puzzled, Ian asked Buggy: "How is that possible? You're not just bragging, are you?"
Hearing this doubt, Buggy was furious. He was so drunk now that he barely knew who was in front of him, but driven by the alcohol, he couldn't stand Ian questioning him. So, this guy boldly grabbed Ian by the collar and growled fiercely: "You... you're... *burp!!*... doubting the great... Captain Buggy?"
The pungent smell of alcohol made Ian frown. He wondered if he had gotten the guy too drunk.
However, before Ian could speak, Buggy let go of him, staggered onto a chair, put one foot on the table, spread his arms, and shouted: "What... what is treasure!? It takes a huge... a huge pile of gold and jewels... to be called treasure! One Piece doesn't... doesn't have any gold or jewels! How can it be called... the Great Treasure!?"
The members of the Buggy Pirates, afraid of Ian, didn't dare come close. They just watched from a distance. Seeing Buggy waving his arms and shouting about the Great Treasure, they were all dumbfounded.
"Is Captain Buggy just raving drunk?" they guessed.
Hearing Buggy's words, Ian nearly slammed his head into the table!
He never expected Buggy's explanation to be like this!
But thinking about it, it made sense. Buggy had followed Roger all the way. If Roger had really buried all the treasure he had plundered at the location of the Great Treasure, how could Buggy not know?
And given Buggy's greedy nature, if he knew where the treasure was buried, and it was something he knew about, why wouldn't he go after it? Instead, he traveled all the way to the East Blue to search for the barely-clued treasure of Captain John? That didn't add up.
Of course, it was possible that Buggy respected Roger too much to touch the treasure he left behind. That was a possibility, but Ian thought it was unlikely. From what Rayleigh said, Roger was an excellent captain to his crew. If he had really left treasure, he would have told his shipmates they could take it if they needed it.
If he had left such a will, after twenty years, how could Buggy not be tempted?
So, perhaps there was only this one explanation. The so-called Great Treasure might exist, but it wasn't what the world imagined—all of Pirate King Roger's wealth. There probably wasn't a single berry there, or Buggy wouldn't have said what he did.
Ian guessed that Roger might have left the historical truth he knew there. In a sense, knowing the true history was a huge treasure for all of humanity—a cultural and spiritual treasure!
Relying on that alone, no one would be interested in what Roger left behind. So Roger used a trick. At the moment of his death, he spoke those words, casting a golden halo over the so-called Great Treasure. The lure of wealth drove people to flock to the path of seeking the Great Treasure.
Thinking this, Ian grew curious and asked Buggy: "So, what is this historical truth?"
"The... the captain once... said..." But just as Buggy drunkenly started to say this, he let out a belch, finally unable to hold back the alcohol, and with a *thud*, fell off the table onto the deck. Then he didn't get up!
Ian crouched down and saw that the guy, his face flushed, was already fast asleep!
"F...!!" Ian choked on his words, not knowing how to express his frustration!
Did it have to be so dramatic!? Just as we were getting to the point, you fall asleep!? Are you messing with me!?
Couldn't you have said a few more words before passing out?
Ian was so annoyed he couldn't help but kick Buggy on the ground. But the guy was dead asleep and didn't react at all.
Ian looked around at the Buggy Pirates' crew. Most of them were drunk, stumbling around dizzily. They would probably fall asleep like Buggy soon enough.
Damn it! No! This guy pissed me off, so he's not getting off easy!
Ian's eyes darted around. Seeing the ropes piled on the deck, he immediately got to work...
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Chapter 311: So What If I'm Not a 'D'?
The next morning, after the sun rose, its light filled the deck of the Big Top, coating it in a layer of golden glow.
Perhaps stimulated by the bright light, Buggy slowly woke up. But as he did, he let out a muffled groan, feeling a splitting headache.
By now, Buggy remembered a bit of last night's events, but he had blacked out. He only remembered drinking with Ian, but had no memory of what happened afterward.
Opening his eyes, Buggy found himself lying on the deck. He struggled to sit up, but only then did he realize he had been tied up!
"Wh... what's going on!?" Buggy looked at the rather artistic way he was bound and felt confused. Had an enemy attacked while everyone was drunk last night?
"Someone!" Buggy quickly called out, wanting to see what was happening.
But just then, a voice came from behind him: "Stop yelling! I tied you up!"
Buggy turned his head and saw Ian standing behind him with a displeased look on his face. He was confused again. He couldn't understand why Ian, who had been drinking with him like a brother last night, would tie him up. So he couldn't help but shout: "What are you doing!?"
Ian crouched down, pressed his thumb and middle finger together, and *snap* flicked Buggy right on his big red nose!
Seeing Buggy's eyes water from the pain, Ian said in a sinister tone: "You bastard, you really messed with me last night!"
"How... how did I mess with you?" Buggy had no memory of what happened later last night, so hearing this, he felt terribly wronged.
"Damn you!" Ian cursed. "Last night, just as I asked you what the historical truth was, you fell asleep! Was that on purpose? Or were you pretending to be drunk so you wouldn't have to talk!?"
"You... what historical truth are you talking about?" Buggy broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this.
"Still pretending!" Ian took out the Poneglyph rubbing and shook it in front of him. "Don't tell me you don't remember this!"
Buggy stared at the rubbing for a while, as if recalling some vague impression, and broke out in an even heavier sweat. He desperately tried to remember more, afraid he had said something he shouldn't have.
After thinking for a while, he couldn't remember and just shouted: "Didn't you say we were old friends? Is this how you treat an old friend!? Where are my crew and subordinates!?"
"They're all tied up!" Ian crouched in front of him with a wicked grin. "They're all thrown in the hold now. I'll ask, and you'll answer. If I'm not satisfied with your answers, then we'll reminisce about our old 'friendship' by turning your whole crew over to the Marines for the bounty... Speaking of which, has your bounty gone up?"
"No, absolutely not!" Buggy quickly said. "Turning me in for the bounty isn't worth much! You're a Warlord now. A few million Berries are nothing to you, right?"
"Mind your own business!" Ian glared. "I'm broke right now, so I'll use you for travel expenses! Even a mosquito is still meat. You know that, don't you?"
"If you need travel expenses, I have some on my ship!" Buggy said frantically. "Why do this!? Even for the sake of Vice Captain Rayleigh, can you really bear to hand me over to the Marines again? Last time I escaped was pure luck. If it happens again, the Marines will lock me up with Seastone!"
"I won't hand you over to the Marines if you cooperate!" Ian said, stroking his chin. "So, will you answer my questions or not?"
Buggy made a bitter face. "I know what you want to ask, but I can't say!"
Ian was taken aback. "Why not?"
"Because it was the captain's final order!" Buggy sighed. "It was the last order Captain Roger gave when he disbanded the crew!"
"What do you mean?" Ian asked, puzzled. "He didn't want you to tell anyone the historical truth?"
"No, it's not that we can't say it, but we can't say it to just anyone!" Buggy said. "Captain Roger hoped that someone with the initial 'D' in their name would inherit his will. He didn't want us to tell others too much about everything, including the truth and the Great Treasure."
Hearing this, Ian was stunned. He hadn't expected Buggy to say such a thing.
Someone with the initial 'D' in their name? Hmm... maybe that was possible. Roger himself was a member of the D. Clan. After learning the historical truth, he might have understood the history and origins of his clan. So he hoped that another member of the D. Clan would one day set foot on Laugh Tale, understand the truth, and carry it on.
Furthermore, if the 'D' represented a bloodline inheritance, then perhaps the location of the so-called Great Treasure required Lineage Factor to open, just like the Celestial Dragons' secret chamber?
It wasn't impossible...
Ian couldn't help but think about why Red-Haired Shanks had chosen Luffy. Shanks himself was a Yonko with immense influence. If Roger really wanted the world to know the truth, Shanks could have revealed it all in his position. With his influence, it would have caused a sensation, right?
But Shanks didn't do that. From what Ian remembered, everything Shanks did seemed to be about choosing the next Pirate King.
And then there was Whitebeard, Roger's rival and close friend. He must have known about the Great Treasure. But in the original history, he once said to Blackbeard Teach: "The one Roger is waiting for is not you!"
Why would he say that? Connecting it to the 'D' in Blackbeard's name and Buggy's words about Roger's final order, the answer was clear!
Ian and Buggy stared at each other. Buggy said pitifully: "Don't force me. Captain Roger is the only person in this world I truly respect. I won't disobey his order!"
"Really not going to say?" Ian asked him.
"Really!" Buggy nodded frantically.
"Alright then, go feed the fish!" Ian grabbed him, walked to the railing, and pretended to throw him into the sea.
Although Buggy was a Chop-Chop Fruit user and the ropes couldn't hold him, he hadn't escaped because he knew that even if he broke the ropes, he couldn't beat Ian. Because he hadn't escaped, he was now in Ian's grip and couldn't resist.
"Last chance. Are you going to talk or not?" Ian asked.
But to his surprise, faced with this question, Buggy closed his eyes, looking resigned to his fate, without any sign of begging for mercy.
Seeing this, Ian understood that the guy really wouldn't talk. So he stopped pressing, but he still felt annoyed by Buggy's attitude.
"Tch!" Ian clicked his tongue, then let go. Buggy fell into the sea with a *splash*.
Falling into the water, Buggy was completely weak and tied up, unable to swim... actually, he couldn't swim anyway. After choking on a few mouthfuls of seawater, Buggy's consciousness began to fade.
"Is the great Captain Buggy going to die here?"
Just as Buggy was thinking this, a sudden force pulled the rope binding him and lifted him up.
With a *splash*, Ian pulled the rope back over the railing, dragging Buggy out of the water and hauling him up. He hadn't intended to drown Buggy, just to mess with him a bit.
After pulling him onto the deck, Ian untied him. Watching Buggy lie limply on the deck in a puddle of water, Ian crouched beside him and said: "Not bad. You've got guts. I believe you!"
Buggy glared hatefully at Ian. If he could, he would have used a special Buggy Cannon to blow Ian to pieces to vent his anger. But unfortunately, he knew that was hard to do, so he just kept quiet.
"Since you don't want to talk, I won't force you!" Ian said with a smile. "Don't say it then. If I want to know, I'll find the truth with my own power. So what if I'm not a member of the D. Clan?"
Ian had his pride. So what if his name didn't have a 'D'? So what if Roger wasn't waiting for him? Ian wasn't particularly interested in becoming the Pirate King, but being looked down on still annoyed him. If he hadn't obtained the Poneglyph, it would be one thing. But since he had it now, he wanted to uncover the so-called historical truth and see for himself!
Hearing Ian's words, Buggy couldn't help but sneer. "I admit you're strong, but how much do you know about Captain Roger's greatness?"
Ian didn't bother arguing. He just smiled and said: "We'll see!"