[One Piece] Inferior Star

unable to leave.

Could not leave this place.Is this hell?The sky is gray and white mixed with a little bit of black and purple. There is no sun or stars, and billowing clouds or things like thick smoke are slowly floating in the sky.The dry and cracked land spread to the endless distance, and the mist shrouded the sight.

Clusters of blue-green crystals and lime-gray twig-like things grow on the dry ground.From time to time, human-like shadows walked by, muttering to themselves, unable to hear or touch them.

Lieutenant General Don Quixote Rossindi has been lingering in such an environment for an unknown how long.One hour?two hours?Or one day...?he does not know.There was nothing wrong with his body, he wasn't hungry, he wasn't thirsty, he wasn't even very tired.It's just that it's dark and cold and not good for your mental health.

Looking into the distance, there is a black city in the direction of the horizon.Originally, he was walking towards that city.But after walking for a long time, I didn't feel that I was getting closer. When I turned around, I found that the city appeared behind me.You can see it no matter which direction you look.It was only then that Rossindi realized that it might be impossible to reach that city at all.

So what exactly is this place... His last memory is that he was killed by his own brother and died lying in the snow on Mignon Island.It should be dead, after all, it is impossible to be alive with that kind of injury.Then this must be hell, it must be.

perhaps.

Rossindi was not sure at all, after all, in his imagination, hell must have a jailer who punishes sinners.But there is nothing here.There are no people, no buildings, only a wilderness, the sound of rustling in my ears, the city in the distance that can never be approached, and the shadows muttering like ghosts.

This weird place made Rossindi a little bit self-defeating.He was prepared to die, but he didn't expect the 'torture' after death to be like this.Although it is not regrettable or anything, the feeling of being hung up is really uncomfortable.

Whatever you want, just come here, I'm in a bad mood right now...

With that in mind, he lit a cigarette.For some reason, he clearly remembered that he only had three cigarettes left on him, but now this seems to be...the fourth one.He looked in his pocket, and there were still three cigarettes in it.This place is getting weirder and weirder, I'm afraid I'm not insane.

He was smoking a cigarette, walking forward dejectedly, expecting to see at least something different—Huh?

Did not expect to appear so soon.When the smoke from his cigarette merged with the surrounding mist, he realized that the surrounding mist seemed to thicken!You must know that the environment here has hardly changed after he has been strolling for so long, he put down his cigarette a little excitedly, and walked into the fog at a faster pace.

I don't know if it was because of running, but he began to feel a little heavy in his body, he felt a little tired, and he was a little hungry, and his throat became dry.This made him cough twice.When he felt that he couldn't run anymore, the thick fog began to clear, and a small rectangular platform appeared in front of his eyes.

It's like a... lectern or display stand.It's made of stone, with clusters of blue-green crystals that are characteristic of the place.It is worth mentioning that he is thirstier now, and on the top of that table, there is a red apple.

Although...an apple appearing in this kind of place is very suspicious, but...but the thirst in Rossindi's throat has already made him care less.Forget it, I'm dead anyway, is there anything worse than this?

He picked up the apple in a broken can, and took a bite.Apples are crisp, fresh and sweet.Juice flowed into his mouth, and his thirst was quenched immediately.It's so strange, why is there an apple here, so all these things are so strange, is the world after death so strange?

While eating the apple, he thought.

Luo should have escaped smoothly, right?Dover and the others shouldn't have found him... It would be great if the navy found him.As long as he can be rescued safely, then he can rest assured.As for Dover... Sorry, Chief Sengoku, I seem to be able to do this at most.That man, I still can't stop him after all.

But if I can't even save a child like Luo, what about justice, what about...the navy.The order I insist on, the peace I look forward to, if even Luo can't save it, what is it?So he... must survive, must survive.At least, that's what I thought at that moment.

Chief Sengoku, what I did was right?

Luo... Can you understand my thoughts?

I really want to ask you directly, but it seems that I can't do it now.This apple is delicious, probably a little reward from God.Probably because I somehow managed to—

"So, where is it? If you keep Matthew waiting too long, he will be very difficult to deal with?"

At this moment, Rossindi heard a human voice!That's right!This clear voice, gentle timbre, is the voice of a girl! !Finally seeing someone alive... no.If this is hell, is it also the dead?Don't... I would feel a little sad when I saw a young girl die...

"Ok?"

"what?"

Still thinking, Rossindi's gaze met the girl who came out from behind the thick fog.

No... I'd be super sad if a young and cute girl died!

Under what circumstances, why is there a strange man wearing clown makeup here...?

Although the two looked at each other, their voices did not overlap.Youxiang is a little ignorant, she feels that this place is no longer as simple as a 'cave'.According to Bazel's plan, when the ship docked, under the cover of the bandits, she and Matthew went to the island.

The island is basically covered by the jungle, with only some wild animals. When they had no clue, the Omniscient summoned before appeared by themselves, and even took them to a mountain on the island with a small flag of the tour guide.To be honest, because walking in the primeval rainforest is too difficult, Youxiang completed most of the journey by riding that three-colored cat (Sir Pupu).

But as he walked, Matthew disappeared, and thick fog surrounded him, and the dark green bushes were replaced by blue-green crystals.Youxiang is familiar with this environment, this is the world of dreams.

Quanzhi said that he would lead the way, but he kept walking until he saw this man.

He doesn't have too much clown makeup on.Wears a weird hat, but you can tell he has blond hair.Wearing a black feather coat, very tall, probably in his 20s, he doesn't look like a vicious person...

"That..." Youxiang said nervously, "Omniscient...? What's going on?"

"Hmm~~~ Intuition tells me that there seems to be a little problem with the plan..." Quan Zhi opened his eyes wide and looked at the person in front of him, and he seemed quite surprised, "Speaking of which, what about the rebirth gem that was put here... ?”

gem?What gem?Lieutenant General Rossindi looked left and right, but there was nothing, no gems.Wait a minute, these two people should be the one, right? That's the one who touches porcelain.No no no.It's too miserable to meet someone who touches porcelain even after I'm dead!

"Eat? Hey?!" Because he asked and answered himself, Quan Zhi hugged his head in shock, "Why?!! By the way, who are you!! Huh?!!!"

Youxiang didn't know what Quanzhi knew through self-questioning and answering, but now because he was too shocked, he probably couldn't say anything useful, so why don't you come by yourself: "Excuse me, are you...?"

"No...then what, what are you..." Lieutenant General Rossindi also said that this situation made him feel very ignorant, "By the way, I want to make sure first. We are all dead, right?"

"No. I'm still alive." Youxiang didn't know why he asked such a question, but she quickly corrected his misunderstanding.

"Huh?" Didn't die?I'm glad you didn't die, but...then I don't die either...?Mr. Rossi was even more confused now, "So this is... what place?"

"It's the dream world..." Youxiang thinks that he should be the spirit body of the dream world.In fact, there are a lot of spirits other than demons here, some of them are someone's dream, some of them simply exist without any meaning, and some of them are very talkative.Is he probably the last category?

"Dream world?" Could it be that he really didn't die but just fell asleep? ?

"That...Actually, we came here to find a gem." Youxiang felt that it was useless to talk so much with the spirit body, most of them were in a trance.Better to get straight to the point, "Have you seen anything like this around here?"

"...No." Rossindi replied, "There is nothing here. I have been walking around here for a long time, and you are the only person I can talk to. Oh, yes, there was an apple here before." He pointed to the small table, "But I ate it when I was a little hungry."

"…………"apple?Youxiang looked at the small table, and suddenly had an idea in her heart.What exactly does the rebirth gem look like, Omniscient has never said.He just said that it's here... so it doesn't mean... no?Youxiang thought of Quanzhi's shocked expression just now, could it be that she said, "No way?!! Hey! Quanzhi!! No way, let me tell you!!"

"Yeah... what should I do..." Omniscient showed a troubled expression, "Human beings are really... interesting. I am starting to admire the apples that are placed in such a suspicious place. ..."

"Hey, what can I do! I'm desperate!" Lieutenant General Rossindi retorted, "So it's bad! What is that apple! By the way, it's delicious! I don't regret it!" Even wanted to make another one!

"It's really surprising, Mr. Rossindi..." Quanzhi smiled wryly, and he looked helplessly at the tall young man in front of him, "Originally, the bride wanted to give you a chance to choose, but I didn't expect that you would be so handsome with one kick." You didn't even hesitate when you got on the boat... No matter if it's an accident or some kind of fate, you have no way out, okay?"

"Ah? What are you talking about...how do you know my name!"

"Wait, Omniscient... Is he Lieutenant General Rossindi?!"

At first, I thought it was...a spirit body from nowhere who ate the rebirth gem.It turned out that the target object came over and ate the gems himself! !Although...it doesn't seem like a bad thing to me, but...Youxiang looked at this young man again, how should I put it, it was completely different from the Mr. Lieutenant General I imagined.

——Why are you dressed like this, Mr. Lieutenant General! !Doesn't the Navy even regulate grooming? !

The image in Youxiang's mind of 'a serious and reliable undercover agent, Lieutenant General Luo Xindi' was completely shattered, and was replaced by this blond-haired, red-eyed, worrisome-looking person who seemed a bit unreliable.However, no matter what... Let's talk about the situation with him, he is also quite puzzled.

So, Youxiang told this 'Mr. Ghost' everything from the time she got the information book written by Rosindi 16 years ago to a few minutes ago.

After hearing the ins and outs, Rosindi sat on the ground and lit another cigarette. He seemed to be thinking about something, and after a while he said, "So... I'd better die."

"I'm sorry..." Accepting one's own death is a very...difficult thing.Youxiang squatted in front of him, raised her head and said to him, "I originally wanted to find the gems first, and then tell you about these things. If you don't want to help me, just tell me the information about the Emerald Isle Company I did. But I didn't expect..."

"You don't have to apologize. I just didn't realize that I've been dead for 11 years." There's no sense of time in this place.Rossindi thought it was only a day at most.No wonder his throat was so dry it felt like it was about to burst, no wonder he was so... hopeless.It turned out that I had been wandering in this dark place for 11 years.

So what was it that failed to lift him up to heaven?Rosindy knew it too.He knew what made him reluctant to go in for a long time.In the world of the living people outside, there are still many things he cares about: "Even if there is no such gem of rebirth, I will not easily ascend to heaven. It's okay, this place is too bad, I hate it here. "

"Is it possible? Mr. Rosindi." Quan Zhi also came over and squatted beside Youxiang, looking at Rosindi and said, "If you become a 'reborn' demon, it will become something eternal. That is to say, you have never No access to heaven. You have become a demon, not a human soul."

"It's something I did myself, and I regret it too late... And I said, even if I didn't have this thing, I probably wouldn't be able to go to heaven. After all, the things I care about have already made me linger here for 11 years." years, then maybe there will be another 11 years, wouldn't that also become 'eternity'?"

Rossindi took a puff of cigarette and said, "But if I am the 'demon' you said, I can leave this place and go outside, right?"

"Yeah. But it depends on the meaning of the bride." Quanzhi replied, "We demons can't leave here under normal circumstances. We can only go out if the living people outside summon us."

"That is to say... I can only leave here if the lady bride needs me?" Rosindi said, "But I basically have nothing..."

"Mr. Luo Xindi has investigated the Emerald Isle Company, and should be able to provide me with a lot of help. Are you willing to help me?" Youxiang asked.

"That company..." Rossindi said in a difficult way, "To be honest, I don't want a girl like you to get involved in that kind of thing. I should have destroyed that information letter later. I don't know why you still I can find it... But, even if my officer submitted that information, there was no reply in the end."

"........."

"I can only reasonably suspect that the World Government has acquiesced in the existence of the Emerald Isle Company. Or... maybe they are the World Government."

"How, how could..."

"Sorry. Your enemy may be the World Government itself. So it's better to give up now. Although I'm sorry about your friend, but... at least you can survive-hey, wait! Don't cry!! "Why did tears fall suddenly! !

Mr. Rossindi panicked: "Did I say too much?! But it's for your own good! I won't give in! Don't, don't cry!!"

Why is this so...why are people who are valued by themselves killed by this 'world'?Frey said that it was the whole world that killed the mercenary who saved him, and then Sabo died at the hands of the Tianlong people, and now Hart was given by the world government again...Why is this so...Could it be said that this curse, Is it yourself?

Still can't do anything?Still can't do anything?It was so sad, my heart was throbbing, and tears flowed down involuntarily.What was wrong, why did this happen, why did they do this to them, they did nothing wrong, it was themselves, if there was anything wrong, it must be because their birth was a curse.

The voice in the dark is the source of everything, and the power to stay awake in the dream is the murderer, so the self born with this "talent" may be "bad" to others.Otherwise, I wouldn't be hunted down, or I wouldn't...

"!!"

When he gave up on himself, Ace's face suddenly appeared in his mind.No, it's not like that...can't think like that.No one is born wrong.nobody.At least I can't... I can't deny Ace's way of life, and I can't become those excessive people who force him to become a pirate and force him to pursue freedom and find the meaning of life.Can't think of it that way.

However, I was still wrong.It was wrong from the beginning.Wanting to seek justice for Hart is not because he thinks that the murderer who killed him seems to be easier to deal with than the 'Dragon Man', but because he is his important friend.We can no longer repeat the same mistakes, and we can no longer sit idly by.Even if it is the world government, even if it is the Tianlong people.

to continue.

"Please...please help me! Mr. Rossindi!!" Youxiang grabbed his sleeve, "Even if this is the case, I also want...I also want to die for my friend...I...I Can't... can't do nothing anymore! Please... can you help me?"

"..." How could I refuse this... Rosindi looked at Youxiang in surprise, what a pretty girl, don't cry like this and beg me... Me.Even if I help you, I'm sure... well.Now it's not cool to say these dejected words, "Okay, I'll help you. Don't cry. I won't become stronger if you cry like a little cauliflower. Let me tell you!"

"Whoa...what is the little cauliflower..." You Xiang wiped her tears while complaining about him.

"It's cabbage, maybe." Rosindi began to wipe her tears, "But let me say first, I'm afraid, this will be a very, very difficult thing. Even if it's just a little investigation, it may be more and more difficult. Terrible people hunted down. And I'm not that strong. Have you made up your mind yet?"

"Yeah." Youxiang sniffed, nodded, and she said, "Hart...he must have been very scared at that time. But he still called me to tell me to run away. No matter what, I definitely can't understand his kindness. I'm desperate...so, I won't run away. I want to help him..."

"...I see." It must be hard work alone.This reminded Rossindi of the boy who was strapped with a slow bomb all over his body and was about to die.In this world, what do some young children go through... He said, "Okay, don't cry, let's get out of here first? Can I get out of here? To be honest, this place has already started to make me gasp But I'm angry."

"That's great, bride~ This goal has been successfully achieved! The mission is successful~~" Quan Zhi held You Xiang's hand, as if deliberately exaggerating to make her feel better, "In this way, I will It will be smooth! Although Mr. Rossindi is still a newborn demon and has a lot to learn, but he... is a very reliable person!"

"Why did you pause in front of the reliable?" Mr. Rossindi expressed dissatisfaction.

"Hmm... Thank you for knowing everything, thank you for helping me." Youxiang stood up, and she said, "I didn't give you any decent sacrifices... Do you want cat food?"

"Oh, don't say such polite words. After all, you are the bride, and we are all a family~" Quan Zhi said happily, "But it would be best if there is cat food. Besides, I want that too, that is, name!"

"name?"

"Yeah." Quan Zhi nodded, his appearance is a teenager who is about the same height as Youxiang, and now he is so excited and bouncing up and down, it makes people feel a little cute, "Look, 'Rebirth' is Mr. Rosindi. 'Wrath' is Frey. Then 'Omniscience' should have a name too, right?"

I took Frey for him... Seeing his expectant eyes, Youxiang seemed to want to give him a name... Then it would be... Youxiang said, "Lance... right? "

"Okay~~" Quanzhi smiled happily, and he said, "I see, this is what it feels like to have a name. Thank you, bride~ Sure enough, she is a bride. She is different from other human beings. She treats us very well and will There is also grapefruit tea for making cat food~ and we will also eat fruit~~Frey said he can sing! The bride is so nice~”

"No... that..." Youxiang was a little embarrassed, and she said, "That little thing... you devils, do you usually live so badly?" It's terrible!

"You have also seen that there is nothing in the world of dreams." Quanzhi said, his eyes lost their brightness, "Usually we can't go out at all, I haven't eaten ice cream in... almost 300 years..."

"Well..." Youxiang covered her mouth, tears streaming down again, "It's too miserable..."

"I'm a bit..." I want to eat ice cream.Rossindi looked at them and said, "Speaking of which, whose bride is this lady bride? The devil's bride? Then do I have—"

"No." You really know how to think, wake me up!Omniscient, let’s call him Lance now. Lance interrupted Rossindi’s unrealistic fantasies in time, “Although... the bride is very good to us. But she is the bride of ‘that person’. It’s just that that person still It’s just not fully born.”

"Not born?"

"I can't tell you this in detail, sorry~" Lance laughed, and he said, "When the 'time' comes, you will know. But you must wait for that moment... At that time, The bride will make the most important decision, whether to completely abandon this curse-like 'talent' and get rid of us. Or continue to be a bride and become an 'eternal' existence."

"I don't really understand..." Youxiang said, "Lance and Frey didn't tell me...I want to know what this 'talent' of mine is..."

"... If the answer I said doesn't make you happy, do you still want to hear it?" Lance interrupted her, "Bride, you are fragrant. I don't like humans very much, but I don't hate them." You, so I don't want to make you sad. So... I think, the answer should be told to you by 'that person' when the important moment comes. Okay?"

Lance also didn't want to say... What is the reason... Youxiang had to give up, she sighed: "Okay, then let's go back. But..." She turned her head and looked at Rossindi, "Maybe The congregation is quite, quite unhappy."

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The author has something to say:

Rossi wasn't really 'resurrected' because the demon wasn't alive either.

Matthew: The fun is all yours, you just want me to hang up.Don't explain, I don't want to hear it.