Chapter 329: The Moving Island: Journey to Zou

The moment Roger got Zou’s location, he immediately ordered Jabba to set sail for the last Poneglyph.

This time, there were no reference points— even the Eternal Pose was useless.

Their only guide was the Vivre Card, its direction shifting every moment, but that just made their resolve stronger.

Zou was a constantly moving island, unlike anything they’d ever seen.

After days of travel, they finally spotted a massive shape looming in the distance.

It blocked out the sky and sun— no one could have imagined Zou was this colossal.

Rumble rumble rumble!

“Is that really Zou?”

“Hey, Shanks, come look! Zou’s right ahead!”

“What a gigantic elephant.”

Standing up in the crow’s nest, Buggy hollered for everyone on board to get to the deck.

“Oi Buggy, it is quite the sight.”

This was the first time Shanks had ever seen such a giant creature, especially one that was on the move.

“Hehehe, pretty spectacular, isn’t it, Roger?”

Rayleigh adjusted his glasses, letting out a genuine sigh of amazement.

“Alalalala!”

“No wonder it’s called the Great Elephant! All right, men, forward!”

Roger pressed his hat in place, every fiber of his adventurous spirit kicking in.

He looked more alive than ever.

“Now this is one thrilling, exciting adventure.”

Jabba wasted no time, guiding the ship to speed up straight toward the giant elephant.

In the distance, the massive elephant’s upper body was shrouded in clouds, stretching up to unfathomable heights. Every step of its thick legs made the earth shake with thunderous booms.

The elephant was still very much alive, radiating a powerful life force.

As the ship drew closer, only Roger, Rayleigh, Jabba, and a few others could truly sense the life bursting from inside the elephant.

In no time, the ship ended up trailing behind one of the elephant’s legs.

They left a few crew members to guard the ship, and the rest started scaling the enormous leg.

“Hey, Rayleigh, look at this!”

“There’s really an island up here!”

Roger was the first to climb up, and when he spotted the jungle ahead, he called down to Rayleigh below.

“Ahahaha!”

“I’m heading up first!”

Roger dashed ahead, sprinting toward Zou without a second thought.

Thud!

Rayleigh landed solidly on the ground, grinning as Roger disappeared into the trees.

“Roger, you never seem to run out of energy.”

Jabba and the others soon finished climbing. Together, the group set off toward the island’s interior.

Roger had barely made it up before he was spotted by lookouts— the jungle had already been rigged with Heaven’s Net.

Clang!

A four-meter-tall canine warrior leapt down from the trees, swinging a massive axe that clashed against Ace, sending out a shower of sparks.

“Intruders!”

Roger gripped Ace in his right hand and laughed boldly, “Ahahaha!”

“I’m not an intruder. I’m just here as a guest.”

“Every trespasser says that. Take this!”

The canine didn’t give Roger a chance to talk, charging in with the axe raised.

Roger knew the mission this time—he couldn’t afford to be too harsh.

Clang, clang, clang!

Their fierce clash echoed out in an instant.

“Not good—hurry!”

Hearing the fight, Rayleigh and the others rushed forward.

Roger’s strength was reassuring but, with his illness, they hoped to avoid fighting if possible.

“Is that you?”

“No. It’s still too soon.”

His eyes widened, pure confusion and surprise in them.

“Hey, Big Guy, did you just hear something?”

Roger called across to the canine, brow furrowed in confusion.

The sound was strange— echoing from deep within.

Crash!

At that moment, Rayleigh’s group arrived at the scene.

“Father!”

Inuarashi rushed up and hugged the canine warrior.

“Roger, did you hear that voice too?”

“I sure did!”

Only Roger and Kozuki Oden could hear it at the scene.

“Father, that’s the firstborn of the Kozuki Family—Kozuki Oden. He’s the one we’ve been waiting for.”

There hadn’t even been time yet to ask Inuarashi how he’d been all these years.

The canine warrior’s gaze shifted to the clothes Oden was wearing.

Embroidered on them was the emblem of the Kozuki Family.

“It is a great honor to finally welcome a lord of the Kozuki Family.”

“Please, come inside.”

Kozuki Oden was at a loss as he was led away by the canine.

Roger just grinned, sheathing Ace as he led his crew in after them.

Along the way, they learned these were retainers of the Kozuki Family.

They had long awaited the return of the Kozuki, sworn to uphold an ancient vow.

“No, for now we have more pressing matters.”

“Is there a red, square Poneglyph here?”

Their current mission was clear: reach the final island. As for the vow, they’d take care of that after returning. It could wait.

Surprisingly, the canine didn’t force the issue.

The group sat in a wooden lodge, surrounded by many members of the Mink Tribe.

“Duke Inuarashi, could you take us to see the Red Poneglyph?”

Inuarashi picked up his cup, looking thoughtful, so Oden pressed him again.

“All right!”

After a quick meal, Duke Inuarashi led Roger and the others to a massive root.

They entered through a circular tunnel, several meters wide, finding themselves before the Red Poneglyph.

“Kozuki Oden, this part’s up to you.”

Oden nodded solemnly at Roger, limbering up before beginning the translation.

Douglas Bullet stood beside Roger, his voice low. “Roger, are you hiding something from me?”

He’d long suspected something was up with Roger but, true to form, Roger kept that close to his chest.

Only Rayleigh and Jabba knew about Roger’s illness; the rest of the crew was completely in the dark.

He still wanted to circle the seas with his crew one last time.

“Ahahaha!”

“Bullet, relax. There’s no way our duel is ending that easily.”

Roger clapped Bullet’s shoulder. Even with his terminal illness, he still had Pure Gold.

If he’d been without Pure Gold, maybe he’d have prepared for the end, but with new options open, he was in no rush to die.

“Hmph. You’d better mean that.”

Bullet huffed, a little tsundere.

“Roger, it’s done.”

“Alright, let’s see where the last clue points us!”

At Oden’s call, everyone leaned in to watch as he sketched out the map on the ground.

“So, it’s here?”

“Yeah, it’s actually pretty close to Water Star Island.”

“Ahahaha!”

“Laugh Tale, here we come!”

With the location of the final island in hand, Roger and his crew, along with Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, set sail for the end of the Grand Line— Laugh Tale.