Chapter 14 – The Tone of Silence and the Stealth of Idiots
"So... how exactly are we sneaking into the mayor's tower?" Ayman asked, adjusting his hoodie like it was a ninja cloak.
Night had fallen over Stonebell Island. Lanterns glowed in the streets, and the town square was empty. The mayor's tower stood at the far end, tall and suspiciously ordinary—except for the sealed basement door that had a strange stone lock shaped like an ear.
"The clue said 'tone of silence,' right?" Yoruichi said, crouching beside the lock. "That probably means a sound-based key… or the absence of one."
"Or maybe we just knock and ask politely?" Ayman offered.
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Yes, and then they'll toss you in jail for 'suspicious harem-related activity.'"
Esdeath drew her sword. "I could break it down."
"No breaking!" Ayman held up his hand. "We're doing this stealth-style."
Android 18 handed him a gadget. "Sound canceler. I rigged it from parts at the inn. It'll give us 60 seconds of complete silence in a 5-meter radius. No sound. At all."
"That's... terrifying," Ayman said.
"Exactly. Use it near the door."
They waited for the patrolling guards to disappear around the corner. Then Ayman, heart pounding, crept up and pressed the device.
Click.
Instantly, everything went mute.
No footsteps. No wind. Not even his own breath.
He touched the stone lock. The symbol glowed faintly… then faded. The door unlatched with a heavy clunk.
He gestured wildly to the others. Android 18 stared blankly. Yoruichi mimed a chicken dance, which almost made Ayman snort.
Once inside, the door sealed behind them and sound returned.
"What was that thing?" Yoruichi whispered, now walking beside him in the stone corridor beneath the tower.
"System clue. Said the tone of silence would unlock something," Ayman replied, brushing cobwebs from his hair.
[System Notification: Secret Area Discovered – "Mayor's Forgotten Chamber"]
[No immediate threats detected. Proceed with curiosity.]
The hallway opened into a strange room filled with old instruments—harps, bells, flutes—all rusted and dusty.
"This place smells like forgotten dreams," Tsunade muttered.
"Or unwashed band uniforms," said Ayman, poking a broken tuba
In the center of the room was a massive stone mural. It showed an island in the sky surrounded by bells… and at the base, a familiar emblem.
"It's the same mark as the mayor's crest," Esdeath said, frowning.
"Maybe his family used to protect this place," Ayman said, running a hand over the carving.
Suddenly, a trapdoor under him clicked.
THUMP.
He vanished through the floor.
"AYMAN!" all four girls yelled, diving after him—landing in a heap.
"Ow, someone's elbow is in my—Tsunade, MOVE!"
"This is your fault!"
"Wait, whose hand is—"
"...not mine."
They untangled themselves in what appeared to be a dark storage vault. Unlike the previous rooms, this one looked… alive. Strange blue lights floated mid-air. Shelves were lined with scrolls, maps, and a glowing orb suspended in a pedestal.
[System Notification: Hidden Lore Discovered – "Stonebell's Lost Song"]
[You have unlocked a Legacy Questline. Progression will grant permanent buffs and hidden knowledge.]
Ayman blinked. "Wait. Buffs?"
Tsunade cracked her knuckles. "This could be serious power, Ayman."
Yoruichi stared at a map. "According to this… there's a floating island above the Grand Line?"
Esdeath smiled faintly. "Looks like our journey's going airborne soon."
Android 18 reached for the orb—but it zapped her finger.
"Hey," she said flatly.
"Maybe don't touch the glowing orb until we know if it eats souls?" Ayman suggested.
The orb pulsed again. Then, a small projection appeared—an old hologram of a woman in a robe playing a bell instrument.
It was haunting and beautiful.
Then it glitched and began yodeling.
"Is it… broken?" Ayman tilted his head.
"Maybe it's cursed," Yoruichi whispered.
"Or maybe it's performance art," Tsunade added, raising an eyebrow.
They spent the next half hour exploring the vault. Most of the scrolls were old musical rites and island lore, including one particularly weird recipe for "tuna-enhanced flute oil."
Ayman took notes.
Eventually, they climbed back up into the mayor's office through a hidden bookshelf tunnel, startling the mayor himself.
He dropped his wine glass. "GAH! What in the name of the Red Line?!"
"Hi. Sorry. Found your secret dungeon." Ayman gave a small wave.
"We thought it was open to the public," Tsunade lied, smiling sweetly.
The mayor blinked. "Well… I suppose the prophecy was true. A man with too many women would bring harmony to the bells."
Yoruichi snorted. "You heard it, Captain. You're prophecy guy now."
[System Notification: New Title Unlocked – "Bellbringer"]
[+10% Charisma when dealing with townspeople who like music or prophecies.]
The mayor gave them permission to explore the vault freely and even offered them rooms in the tower.
"You've proven yourselves more useful than all my guards combined," he said.
Back at the tower's upper floor, the crew finally relaxed. Tsunade soaked in a hot tub, Yoruichi poured drinks, Android 18 recalibrated her sensors, and Esdeath was polishing her sword while giving Ayman sideways glances.
Ayman lay on the plush couch with a towel over his face.
"Note to self," he mumbled. "Never trust bells. Or yodeling ghosts."
"Agreed," Tsunade called from the bath. "But at least we're not bored."
Outside, the moonlit sky shimmered. Somewhere in the clouds above the Grand Line… something ancient stirred.
But for now, it could wait.