The doctrine of the Arceus Cult has a deeper aspect; finding the plates is the greatest contribution a follower can make.
“Centuries ago, our Lord appeared here, but someone caused Him to lose His power. Even now, His power is not fully restored.
We cannot contend against the World Government because our strength is insignificant. But once Lord’s power is fully restored, He will be the strongest being in the world, and our task is to contribute to this effort.”
At this moment, Misu arrived in front of a mural depicting various plates.
“These are what the Lord needs. They could be anywhere in the world. Finding clues about them is what we must do.”
“Sister Misu, I have a question. You often mention ‘value’ in the doctrines. Is this what you mean by ‘value’?”
“We live in this world; everyone has their own value. No one has the right to deny that value. But the value we speak of is different; it refers to one’s value to the Lord.
I once thought praying was enough, but I realized that was not the correct path. There could be millions of people praying, and when two people pray for opposite outcomes to the same matter, the question arises as to whose desire to fulfill.
The Lord has His preferences. Those who can demonstrate greater value will naturally receive more favor. You might find these words worldly, but this is more practical than vague faith.”
This practicality is what sets the Arceus Cult apart from other religions.
It does not focus on past lives or next life’s pleasures. If you find what Arceus needs, you receive tangible benefits.
Wealth, power, health, life—these are no longer mere illusions. This practical approach has allowed the influence of the Arceus Cult to expand rapidly.
“The Lord dislikes the current framework. The doctrines clearly state that the World Government is His enemy. The true revival of the Lord will mark the overthrow of the old order, and we are all part of this process.
The Lord will not spare His enemies, nor will He treat those who have made contributions unfairly. In the New World, where capability determines status rather than lineage, your ambitions and ideals can be realized.”
Under the statue, Misu began to draw out an even more perfect utopia.
Mandrell returned to Wano in the morning, but Tiger and Misu did not leave the chapel until dusk. It was not until the sun set that they ended their first meeting and walked out of the chapel.
“It’s hard to convey some things just by words. It’s evening now, so time is short. Tomorrow, I’ll show you around Wano Country, so you can understand more. Tonight, you can rest at the monastery.”
“Then, I’ll trouble you.”
“Would you like to join us for a meal? The dining hall offers a variety of dishes; I’m sure there’s something you’ll like.”
“No, I’ve already gained a lot today. I need to digest it.”
Tiger’s notebook showed no outward change, but its content had nearly doubled. Today’s discussion had been very fruitful, and he needed to summarize a few things.
From his conversation with Misu, Tiger increasingly felt that Otohime’s ideas were too naive, while Arlong’s methods were too extreme. He needed to find a suitable middle ground.
Under Misu’s arrangement, Tiger temporarily stayed at the monastery.
—
Mandrell shared similar thoughts with Misu. Wano Country is quite large, and a day is not enough to explore it fully.
While Misu and Tiger discussed religious matters at the monastery, Mandrell took Rusalka to tour the Hakumai region, experiencing Wano Country’s unique hot springs.
Even his territory did not have natural hot springs, but Wano Country, due to its geography, had several. The experience was quite different from man-made hot springs.
He then returned to Onigashima with Rusalka. Despite their excellent swimming skills, they chose to travel by boat across Wano Country’s inland sea, as clothes getting wet was not a pleasant experience.
Upon disembarking from the boat, Mandrell saw Page One fishing by Onigashima’s shore.
“Page One? Why are you here alone?”
“Sister Yamato and the others are having a girls’ party. Sister was taken away by them. Captain Kaido is training Brother Jack. With nothing else to do, I came here to fish.”
Fishing was one of Page One’s favorite hobbies. His fishing skills are average, but he enjoys the process of fishing, especially when Ulti is not around.
When Ulti is around, things always get noisy, so this peace and quiet is very precious to him.
After a while, he felt a tug on his fishing rod. He reeled in the line and pulled up the pole, but a Mareanie was clinging to the hook.
“I don’t have any more snacks for you! Stop grabbing my hook!”
Looking at the hooked Mareanie, Page One skillfully released it back into the sea. This wasn’t the first time today. He then looked at the empty bucket and the setting sun, and decided to pack up his fishing rod and end his fishing for the day.
He joined Mandrell and Rusalka for dinner, where they also met Jack, who had finished his special training.
“Brother Mandrell, you finally brought the sister-in-law here?”
Jack, who often passed by Mandrell’s island during missions, was familiar with Rusalka. He had known about her since Fishman Island, but this was his first time seeing her on Onigashima.
“Yes, I brought her to take a look. By the way, Jack, we might hold the wedding on Fishman Island this year. Make sure you come if you’re free.”
“I will definitely be there.”
Jack then left with Page One, giving the couple more private time. Meanwhile, Shayna was in Arceus’ office asking some questions.
“Lord Sacred Beast, should we arrange anything special for tomorrow?”
“No need. Let things happen naturally. Let him see everything as it is, even the dark sides.”
“Understood.”
—
Early in the morning, Misu brought Tiger to the monastery’s back door, where a special vehicle was ready. It looked like an ordinary cart, except it was pulled by two wild boars. The cart also had flags with the word ‘QUEEN’ written on them.
“Wano Country is vast. Having a means of transportation is very convenient. This belongs to Sir Queen, but he’s not in Wano Country at the moment, so I borrowed it.”
Although Tiger, standing over five meters tall, hasn’t reached the height of a small giant, but vehicles used by Misu and others, who were of normal build, weren’t suitable for him. So, Misu had specifically borrowed this for him the previous night.
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