Childhood Anime Grand Tour

Chapter 60 Laputa's Self-Revolution

Grandpa Bohm stroked his aged face before slowly saying:

"My grandfather told me that Laputa passes by when the ore makes a sound?"

"Oh, I see! So if we fly up into the sky, we can see Laputa? Sheeta, my dad wasn't lying after all!!"

Pazu was so excited that he forgot himself and grabbed Sheeta's shoulder. Seeing the boy's happiness, Sheeta also smiled shyly.

At this moment, Grandpa Pom clenched his fists, curled up again, and looked around anxiously, saying:

"And also, little girl, um..."

"Grandpa, what's wrong?"

Seeing Grandpa Pom's hesitant expression, Sheeta couldn't help but ask.

“Your necklace has a very powerful force. I’ve been with these stones for so many years, so I understand it very well. Magical forces can bring good luck, but they can also bring bad luck.”

Grandpa Pom seemed to be hiding something, but he still spoke these words like a wise man. Of course, Shida knew that Grandpa Pom was giving her advice.

"Ok!"

"Also, this necklace is man-made, so you need to be careful!!"

Hida was immediately worried by Grandpa Pom's words, and Balu immediately retorted:

"No way! This necklace saved Sheeta twice. But... if Laputa really exists, then that strange guy from earlier, he..."

"Strange guy? That young man from earlier? Heh, he meant no harm!!"

Grandpa Bom is so old, of course he can see that Liu Yufei has no ulterior motives, otherwise he wouldn't have been knocked away by him with two blows!

"No way! He can turn into a monster, and he keeps calling Shida 'Princess' and saying he's some kind of Laputa!"

"Huh? A Laputa??"

"Grandpa, do you know about the Laputa people too?"

Sheeta already knew at this point that she was probably a Laputa, and she asked eagerly, but Grandpa Pom just smiled and said:

"Hahaha, I've heard of it, but it was a long, long time ago. There shouldn't be any Laputans left on Earth now!!"

Grandpa Pom was right. When the Laputa people left Laputa, they were no longer Laputa people.

"Haha, once we find Laputa, everything will become clear!!"

Compared to Sheeta's concern about so-called misfortune, Pazu was more concerned about Laputa, while Grandpa Pom, although excited after seeing the Levitation Stone, still had a deep fear in his eyes.

He probably knew more than anyone else. While others, including Pazu, only thought of the dreamlike side of Laputa, Grandpa Pazu probably knew the cruel side of Laputa.

From the time Sheeta fled until now, all parties have only been pursuing the beautiful aspects of Laputa. If Laputa is so wonderful, then what caused this kingdom, which is like the Garden of Eden, to eventually decline?

War remains an eternal topic for humanity. Even a divine kingdom like Laputa could not escape its fate of destruction. Clearly, war has external causes, but internal causes are far more numerous.

Laputa, in the end, perished amidst repeated wars and divisions.

So Grandpa Pom must know that because of this levitation stone, the two of them would definitely be drawn into a conflict.

Compared to Sheeta's confusion and Pazu's naivety, the elderly Pom saw the end from the moment he saw the Levitation Stone. Faced with such powerful energy, it was simply not something two children could handle.

In the end, however, all Grandpa Pom could do was offer wise advice, because his time had passed and he could not solve the problems that his successors would face. He could only use his own experience to give the two children some advice.

Unfortunately, the most useless thing in this world is reason, because humanity never learns from the lessons of history.

As Lao Tzu said, "Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise, and a blessing may be a misfortune in disguise." A powerful group or country has two sides; while it can bring the life you dream of, the hidden destruction can also come more violently.

Mencius once said, "One is born in hardship and dies in comfort." Even a heavenly kingdom like Laputa could not avoid the risk of destruction, let alone others.

Grandpa Pom's words weren't meant for Pazu, but for Sheeta, and even more so for the audience. Despite his old age and frail appearance, he truly guided Sheeta and Pazu like a wise man; perhaps this is what it means to be wise in a seemingly foolish way!

These words will make young Shida reflect on why, even though Laputa is so good, the people of Laputa will eventually leave it.

It is not difficult for us observers to see that Shida's ancestor was definitely a wise and virtuous ruler who knew that all the conflicts originated from Laputa. Therefore, he eventually led the people of Laputa to abandon Laputa.

This is not something that can be achieved simply by saying it; it requires clear understanding and great decision-making, and it is a kind of self-revolution for the Laputa people!

This cannot be described as mere physical pain; it is about killing your present self and returning to your origins! I believe that when Laputa was first established, it was a place brimming with vitality and prosperity in both life and thought.

But as time went by, Laputa could not escape the course of history. The people of Laputa had only two paths: to leave or to perish.

But the heavenly kingdom has given the Laputa people endless arrogance. Even in death, they will not easily choose to leave their loyal Laputa. At this time, a strong, wise, and intelligent person is needed!

All three are indispensable. The most important thing for the strong is not strength, but the courage to make tough decisions. The wise need to have compassion for all living beings. The intelligent need unparalleled wisdom. In short, it is a broad perspective, a pair of eyes that can see through the ages and penetrate the future! It is because of this that the people of Laputa have left behind the flame. But are the people of Laputa truly content with this?

Of course not, otherwise the levitation stones wouldn't have been passed down. They dream of returning to their divine kingdom, glorifying their ancestors' honor, or using their boundless desires to once again control Eden.

Unfortunately, even if Eden were rebuilt, would it still be Eden? Even if it were still Eden, it would still eventually fall! When Eden fell, even God was powerless to stop it.

If Grandpa Bohm was wise in his apparent foolishness, then Liu Yufei is more than just mentally challenged.

"Oh no, how did we end up here again? Didn't we agree that we could leave if we followed the left-hand rule? Oh no, by the time I get out, it'll be too late!!"

That's right, the invincible Liu Yufei got lost again. The last time he got lost was the last time. He originally thought that if he kept walking on the left, he could find his way out, but the person who designed this mine tunnel was really unethical. It was like a maze, so much so that Liu Yufei ended up back where he started. The key point is that he couldn't even find the way he came from.

Finally, with Grandpa Pom's escort, Shida and Pazu reached the exit.

"Children, be careful!!"

Grandpa Pom still waved with a smile, while Sheeta rushed up to give him a hug.

"Thank you, Grandpa!!"

"Hahaha!!"

Grandpa Pom smiled kindly, and only after watching the two little ones leave did he hunch his back and return to his mine.

Pazu led Shida up the hillside. Emerging from a closed and dark environment, they saw the bright sky, as if from another world. Pazu couldn't help but open his arms, feeling refreshed and happy.

"Wow! What a huge cloud!!"

Didn't you say before that it's about having a pure heart? This is it now. Even when facing danger and knowing that the road ahead is full of unknowns, Balu still saw the blue sky and white clouds the moment before, without any sense of gain or loss.

With blue skies and white clouds behind them and vibrant life beneath their feet, the two teenagers, full of youthful passion and high spirits, unabashedly display their inexhaustible vitality.

As for enemies, they are all fleeting, for everything will pass, and will inevitably pass.

The future belongs to us, and it also belongs to you, but ultimately it belongs to you. You young people, like the sun at eight or nine in the morning, are full of vitality!

At that moment, Pazu, holding Shiita's hand, gazed intently at the enormous white cloud in the sky.

"Shida, behind those clouds floats a huge island we've never seen before!!"

This is not a question, but a statement. If Balu had any doubts about Laputa before, he is now convinced that Laputa really exists and must exist.

Haha!! Keep it up!

Balu, like Popeye, cheered himself up. Laputa used to be out of reach, but now his dream was within reach. Once you have a direction, it will inspire endless fighting spirit.

This surging passion is just like Luffy saying he wants to become the Pirate King!

Unlike Pazu's excitement, Shida was genuinely worried. Whenever she was worried, she would instinctively clutch the necklace. Of course, it wasn't due to the levitation stone's effect, but rather because the necklace was given to her by her mother on her deathbed.

In the end, Sheeta confessed to Pazu:

"Baru, there's something else I need to tell you. It's a secret name from a long, long time ago, a name we used to share with our family. When I inherited the necklace, I also inherited this name. My name is Rohida Doyeru Uru Laputa!!"

Sheeta looked at Pazu with some nervousness, after all, it was only being said now, and it carried a bit of deception, but Pazu obviously didn't care about that.

"Laputa, so what that strange man said was true, you really are the princess of Laputa!"

Just then, the planes circling in the sky emitted a piercing sound. Balu immediately knew something was wrong and grabbed Sheeta, and they ran.

"Oh no, it's the military!!"

But how could a person outrun an airplane? The two immediately went downhill, trying to hide in the mine they had come out of, but the military was clearly prepared this time, and fully armed soldiers immediately blocked their retreat.

"Don't move!!"

The soldier cocked his gun, his gleaming bayonet closing in on Pazu. Pazu instinctively shielded Sheeta behind him.

"What do you want?!"

"what!"

No sooner had she finished speaking than she was struck on the back of the head by a spy who slid down the hillside, and Shida screamed in fright.

The military has no sportsmanship either! So many people against two little kids, and they even let people watch! I was so angry... I even kept the lights off! They're trying to scam us, they're just trying to suck up to us, and this is only a thirteen-year-old kid!