One Piece: Hell Pirates

Chapter 444: Heart Mountain and Lian

Thousands of years ago, a divine bone and a mountain of flesh fell onto this planet.

The runes carved across the mountain of flesh spontaneously formed an alternate dimension to protect it. Afterward, they continuously produced barrier runes to reinforce that dimension's walls.

However, the runes on the broken mountain of flesh were incomplete, which left a flaw in the otherwise solid barrier.

A group of toads happened to discover this alternate dimension, a place overflowing with absurd life force. They quickly occupied it, then used the native sage arts of this planet to patch part of the flaw, fully claiming the alternate dimension as their own.

Over thousands of years, they grew more and more skilled at using this alternate dimension. Because of its ability to gather natural energy, they eventually established the sacred land of Mount Myōboku outside it.

Later, a powerful new consciousness was born from the mountain of flesh.

This made the toads extremely wary.

Fortunately, that consciousness had no memories. It only possessed a few instinctive training methods.

The toads began guiding this powerful consciousness, allowing it to absorb the natural energy of the world. In doing so, they gradually turned it into the natural consciousness of the planet and built a friendly relationship with the toad clan.

The divine bone that had fallen elsewhere became the core of Shikkotsu Forest. The Slug Sage occupied that divine bone alone and rose rapidly from an ordinary slug into one of the three great sages.

The toad clan's primordial sage arts originated from this natural consciousness. However, those original sage arts were not suitable for toads to train directly, so they modified them into the Mount Myōboku sage arts.

The Slug Sage obtained sage arts from the divine bone and altered them into the Shikkotsu Forest sage arts suited to its own body.

As for the sage arts trained in Ryūchi Cave, those were native to this planet, allowing the snakes there to transform more easily and gradually resemble human beings.

··

"Lian! You can draw on the power of the sacred mountain! Can you deal with Brook? Even if you can't, you must protect this barrier!"

The Toad Sage spoke urgently to the natural consciousness.

Right now, it was like someone sitting on a treasure mountain yet unable to use it. Only this natural consciousness could draw upon the power of the enormous flesh mountain.

"Gamamaru, I truly do not possess those memories, and I do not know how to control the power of this heart."

The embodiment of the flesh mountain's consciousness was the natural consciousness known as Lian.

After Lian was guided by the toad clan and became the natural consciousness of this planet, he often observed the world. That was why he could make prophecies and pass that information to the toad clan.

"Lian, if you have awakened any memories, tell us now! It would be best if they involve ancient barrier runes. Otherwise, once Brook breaks in, we will all die!"

The Toad Sage was growing more anxious.

Many of the toad clan's abilities had come from Lian, whether it was Dream Prophecy, Resurrection Talismans, primordial sage arts, or other secret sage techniques.

"Gamamaru, perhaps if your toad clan had not brought me into the outside world, I might have inherited more."

Lian still wore a compassionate expression.

"But natural energy turned me into an independent being. My connection to this giant heart has grown weaker and weaker."

"..."

The Toad Sage did not know what to say.

Back then, its ancestors had feared that this terrifying master consciousness would develop into an independent and uncontrollable personality, so they deliberately nurtured it into a kind one.

They had also used natural energy to weaken Lian's close connection to the giant heart, preventing him from becoming the true master of this alternate dimension.

However, because of that, the toad clan had never been able to fully decipher the runes on the heart or obtain its true power.

Even so, by relying on just a small portion of the enormous heart's inheritance, the toad clan still developed into the strongest of the three holy lands.

They had even managed to control the master consciousness, gaining countless benefits from it.

Over time, they came to see themselves as the protectors of this world.

Of course, they also saw themselves as its absolute rulers.

The so-called Child of Prophecy who guided the world's fate was merely a tool they used to steer the world's development.

When the Otsutsuki clan descended on this planet, the toads discovered that those aliens were far too powerful for them to deal with directly.

So they guided Hagoromo Otsutsuki into sealing Kaguya Otsutsuki and splitting apart the Ten-Tails Divine Tree.

After that success, the toad clan firmly established themselves as the leaders of the three holy lands and gained the recognition of all summoned beasts.

From then on, they preferred to dominate the world from behind the scenes. Each generation of Mount Myōboku's sage art inheritors became a tool through which they guided the world, all under the name of the Child of Prophecy.

··

Crack.

Suddenly, the sound of a barrier breaking echoed through the space.

The Toad Sage and the others were startled. They hurriedly moved to reinforce the gap in the barrier.

Brook and Kaguya naturally could not break through the giant heart's innate barrier.

However, the section patched by the toad clan itself had become the opening Brook and Kaguya could exploit.

"Wow! There really is a loophole! These barrier runes are not even in the same league!"

Brook laughed excitedly, like a fly that had found a crack in a solid egg and was about to enjoy the delicious yolk inside.

Although the comparison was disgusting, it was surprisingly accurate.

He truly could not break through that solid eggshell of a barrier.

But the tiny gap patched by the toad clan gave Brook and Kaguya a chance to invade.

Brook was certain the toad clan had entered this alternate dimension through that same flaw.

The security door they had built to occupy this alternate dimension was now about to be torn open by Brook and Kaguya.

"Lian! Think of something! Help reinforce the barrier!"

The Toad Sage shouted. It knew that ever since Brook appeared in this world, Lian's impartial heart, once as fair as the will of heaven, had already begun to change slightly.

It had become tinged with selfishness.

The many powers Brook brought with him could influence Lian's struggling consciousness.

"Perhaps you should try speaking with them."

Lian still made his move.

With a wave of his hand, a terrifying power emerged from Heart Mountain and poured into the gap in the barrier.

However, the barrier there became transparent instead.

They could even see Brook and Kaguya Otsutsuki on the other side.

"Lian! What are you doing? You really can use the power of the Divine Mountain! Why did you hide this from us?"

The Toad Sage's voice carried anger.

If the toad clan had been able to control the power of Heart Mountain, they could have destroyed Brook and Kaguya Otsutsuki.

"I can only control this much power. They cannot enter for now."

Lian ignored the Toad Sage's anger.

"You can try negotiating. Perhaps a balanced agreement can still be reached."

After saying that, Lian vanished from where he stood.

But the direction he drifted toward was Heart Mountain itself, as if he wanted to make one final effort to prove his own existence.

------------

Brook discovered that even after he and Kaguya broke through the flaw in the alternate dimension's barrier, they still could not enter.

A powerful force was blocking their intrusion.

However, they had already seen part of the scene inside that alternate dimension.

The Toad Sage and the Slug Sage stood in front of the barrier's flaw. Behind them, several powerful toad warriors could be seen.

"Although I don't know what kind of alternate dimension this is, I know one thing."

Brook's eyes gleamed with greed.

"There must be something good inside!"

Since they had already torn open the gap, they could slowly wear the other side down.

"Brook! Didn't you promise us you wouldn't attack the three holy lands?"

The Toad Sage shouted at Brook. Even now, he still did not dare to completely fall out with Brook, let alone openly curse him as a shameless oathbreaker.

Although they had already been forced into this alternate dimension, and Ryūchi Cave had been subdued by Brook, it seemed there was no longer any room for negotiation.

"Gamamaru, I merely want to invite you to join the big family of the Ninja World so that we can all work together for peace."

Brook absorbed the barrier's energy while shouting loudly.

"Look, even the White Snake Sage has joined us. Why can't you and the Slug Sage make a few sacrifices and contributions for the Ninja World?"

When it came to twisting words and standing on the moral high ground, Brook had never lost.

He liked occupying righteousness first, forcing his enemies to stare into the blinding light of morality until they could no longer see his true face.

Besides, the Toad Sage was also an old hand at this kind of moral blackmail. Among all the schemers in the world, he was one of the finest.

Kaguya, standing beside Brook, was stunned for a moment.

This man had actually described blatant robbery as a contribution to world peace.

If she had possessed that kind of eloquence and awareness back then, perhaps she would not have allowed Hagoromo and Hamura to betray her.

In the end, she had simply been too naive and ignorant.

"Brook! If I hadn't foreseen this and escaped in advance, I would probably have been turned into toad skewers by Kaguya Otsutsuki by now!"

The Toad Sage loudly questioned him.

"Why can't you even control one woman? Or have you already been bewitched by Kaguya Otsutsuki?

"You told Hagoromo that the Otsutsuki clan were enemies of the Shinigami, so why are you still with Kaguya?"

"..."

Brook paused for a moment, then glanced at Kaguya.

No wonder Gamamaru had run so quickly. He had foreseen that Kaguya would kill him.

The power of the Four Gods within Brook had already exceeded the understanding of the Toad Sage and the Will of Nature. However, they could still foresee fragments of Kaguya Otsutsuki's future.

"Then there's nothing left to discuss. Wait there while I break in."

Brook stopped wasting words and focused on eroding that powerful force.

Princess Kaguya continued searching for other flaws in the alternate dimension, but found none.

Brook was very familiar with the powerful wall of energy before him.

It was definitely the power of Hirasaka, the God of the Northern Underworld.

It was exactly the same as the power hidden in Shikkotsu Forest's sacred land, only slightly higher in level.

That made Brook even more eager to obtain what lay within the alternate dimension.

He wondered which important part of Hirasaka possessed this god level primordial power.

Could it be the head?

Or the heart of the God of the Northern Underworld?

With that thought, Brook intensified his efforts to absorb and break through the barrier's power.

Inside the alternate dimension, Lian flew out of Heart God Mountain once again.

His expression barely changed, but a trace of resentment flashed in his eyes.

"Lian! Can we still draw upon the power of the sacred mountain? Brook is eroding the barrier!"

The Toad Sage anxiously spoke to the Will of Nature.

If Lian could completely seal this flaw in the barrier, then they could slowly unravel the secrets of the Divine Mountain. One day, they would succeed, break out, and return to the Ninja World.

"No."

Lian finally revealed a method.

"Unless your toad clan helps me clear all the natural energy from my consciousness and soul, I cannot make any further contact with Heart Mountain."

This was also a way for him to free himself from the shackles of the toad clan and natural energy.

Hearing Lian's request, the Toad Sage fell silent.

According to the offerings and records passed down by its ancestors, the toad clan knew how terrifying Lian's consciousness had been when it was first born. At that time, it had seemed capable of destroying the planet with ease.

The toad clan had not wanted to lose a treasure mountain overflowing with life force. Nor had they wanted that newborn consciousness to slowly become the true master of this alternate space.

So they had used peaceful natural energy to calm Lian's power little by little, guiding him into a gentle natural will.

In truth, the toad clan had also wanted to completely control this consciousness. Unfortunately, their strength had been too weak.

Later, the toad clan added their own unique energy into that natural energy, creating an even closer bond between this natural will and their clan.

The toad clan rarely allowed Lian, the Will of Nature, to return to this alternate dimension. They let him roam the Ninja World instead.

They feared that Lian would discover he was the true master of this alternate space.

"Lian! What is wrong with you? Are you going to become as cruel as Brook?"

The Toad Sage looked heartbroken as the natural consciousness gradually slipped out of its control.

As expected, once a natural consciousness developed its own personality and selfish desires, it would no longer remain a good partner to the toad clan.

"I do not know."

Lian's tone remained calm and rational.

"My current personality is still dominated by a peaceful natural will."

"Well... could you transfer control of the sacred mountain to me?"

The Toad Sage had already cast aside shame.

"I mean, we will extract the natural energy from you, allowing you to gradually gain control of the sacred mountain. After that, you can slowly hand it over to me."

The Toad Sage no longer wanted to entrust his fate to Brook, nor to Lian, who might change.

What if Lian became even more ferocious than Brook?

Would that not release a true engine of annihilation?

That was why he wanted to obtain the powerful energy of the sacred mountain.

This had been the toad clan's goal for thousands of years.

Several dozen meters away, the Slug Sage heard the Toad Sage's little scheme clearly.

"Then give me a portion of control as well. After all, more hands mean more strength."

The Slug Sage stated its demand without hesitation.

It also wanted the power of the sacred mountain.

After all, slugs were part of a toad's diet.

The Slug Sage did not want to entrust its life entirely to Lian and the toad clan. It had concerns of its own.

.....

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