[TL/N: New Book -
Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
-------
"Hu! Hu! Sizzle! Sizzle!"
On a cliff in Wanokuni, the blazing flames crackled, roasting freshly caught sea king to a tempting golden brown.
"This is a special grilled fish seasoning made by my chef. Come, have a taste," Ace said with a grin, sprinkling the seasoning evenly over the fish as Yamato, unable to hide her hunger, swallowed hard.
Thanks to the power of his "Realm of Comprehension," Ace had learned and perfected countless skills. Raki, his chef, had grown into the finest cook on the sea. Her mastery of every cooking method and ability to transform any ingredient into a culinary masterpiece had spoiled Ace beyond measure. Even when traveling alone, Ace made sure to carry pre-prepared seasonings blended by Raki in exact proportions.
These seasonings allowed Ace to replicate a fraction of Raki's skill. All he had to do was prepare the ingredients and sprinkle on the condiments. However, even with the convenience of pre-mixed seasonings, Ace sighed as he bit into the grilled fish.
"Hmm, the flavor's not bad, but it doesn't compare to her cooking. I really miss Raki's dishes."
He shook his head, lamenting the difference between pre-prepared blends and seasonings added step by step according to precise timing and heat levels. Though Ace was skilled, his ability was still leagues behind Raki's when it came to mastering the finer nuances of cooking.
Nonetheless, in the wild, this grilled fish was as close to gourmet as it got.
---
"Mmm! Mmm!"
Beside him, Yamato chewed with puffed cheeks, her eyes wide with delight.
She had never tasted anything so delicious. The grilled fish was a revelation, filling her with a sense of contentment and wonder. Hearing Ace's earlier sigh, Yamato's expression shifted to shock.
"Wait… there's food even more delicious than this?"
She stared at him in disbelief. Was it even possible? This grilled fish made her feel like life couldn't get better. Could something surpass this?
"What's wrong? Want to try it for yourself someday?" Ace asked with a smirk, his sharp gaze reading Yamato like a book.
Her reaction was entirely expected. After all, delicious food was a weakness of all living creatures. For someone like Yamato—imprisoned on Onigashima by Kaido for years, never having tasted anything so exquisite—this was heaven.
---
Yamato nodded eagerly but quickly snapped out of her reverie, her face shifting to one of defiance.
"You! Don't think you can bribe me with food!" she yelled, even as she swallowed hard, her conviction faltering.
Ace burst into laughter. "Hahaha, don't worry. I have no intention of bribing you with food. Soon, you'll see what the correct answer is for yourself."
Hearing this, Yamato fell silent.
---
The Whitebeard Pirates and Roger Pirates were now en route to Wanokuni at Ace's call, invoked in the name of Kozuki Oden.
The two strongest pirate crews of this era would soon face the Beasts Pirates—still far from their future status as a Yonko crew—and the forces of Orochi.
The outcome was easy to foresee, even for Yamato.
---
"With your strength, you could easily handle this yourself. Why go to such lengths?" Yamato asked, biting her lip.
Deep down, she suspected the answer but refused to acknowledge it just yet.
"We're only spectators here," Ace replied calmly. "I'm not here to rewrite history myself. Instead, I want to show you what 'could' have happened in this world.
Kozuki Oden could have saved Wanokuni. But because of his arrogance, his naive sense of honor, and his idiotic decisions, the tragedy of Wanokuni unfolded.
The real reason your father, Kaido, dared to invade Wanokuni despite knowing Oden's ties to Whitebeard and Roger was because he understood Oden better than anyone. Kaido knew what a fool Oden was."
Ace's tone turned cold as his eyes glimmered with a dark intensity.
"Kaido may appear to be a drunkard and a war-obsessed brute, but in truth, he's clever and deeply perceptive. He understood human nature all too well.
Kaido manipulated Oden step by step into a corner, knowing the idiot wouldn't even consider calling Whitebeard or Roger for help. Instead, Oden made himself a laughingstock, dancing naked in humiliation, all while allowing his people to suffer.
Because of this, Oden became a figure of public scorn. And that foolish pride of his... it made him the true architect of Wanokuni's downfall."
---
Yamato's expression shifted rapidly, disbelief and anger battling within her.
Ace's actions—making just two phone calls in Oden's name—had already mobilized the Whitebeard Pirates and Roger Pirates to come to Wanokuni's aid.
What if Oden himself had done the same?
Even if Oden didn't have Ace's power to locate and contact Whitebeard and Roger so easily, couldn't he have set sail again, realized the crisis, and sought their help?
Had Whitebeard and Roger intervened, the Beasts Pirates and Orochi—still far from their future power—would have been no match.
In other words, Oden could have solved Wanokuni's crisis. But instead, he chose the worst possible path.
Was the heroic Kozuki Oden, the man she had admired for so long, truly a fool?
At that moment, Yamato's expression shifted dramatically.
The deeply ingrained values she had held since childhood weren't easy to change, but the evidence was now undeniable. No matter how much Yamato resisted, the facts remained unaltered and irrefutable.
"Don't worry; you'll see the results soon enough," Ace said with a light smile as he glanced at Yamato.
Yamato's potential was extraordinary—possibly even greater than Hancock's. Her lineage from Kaido, combined with her Conqueror's Haki and the power of her Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit—the Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Large-Mouthed True/Pure God—made her a force to be reckoned with.
While this Devil Fruit wasn't quite on par with the likes of the Azure Dragon, or Suzaku, it still ranked highly among the Mythical Zoan Fruits. The Large-Mouthed True/Pure God form allowed its user to wield and control frigid air, wrapping it around themselves to unleash devastating attacks.
In terms of area control, the icy abilities of the Dog-Dog Fruit couldn't rival the sheer scope of the Logia-type Ice-Ice Fruit. The Ice-Ice Fruit specialized in freezing large-scale terrains and controlling the battlefield. However, when it came to single-target attacks, the concentrated cold of the Dog-Dog Fruit was equally potent, if not superior in some aspects.
Moreover, the Zoan-type Mythical Beasts granted their users remarkable physical strength and endurance upon awakening. In close combat, the Great Wolf Deity form could even outperform the Ice-Ice Fruit in sheer power.
Yamato had already begun to master her inherited Conqueror's Haki from Kaido, including the advanced technique of imbuing it into attacks. With Ace's guidance through his "Realm of Comprehension," it wouldn't be long before Yamato reached full mastery.
A Yamato who had fully mastered the Dog-Dog Fruit, advanced Conqueror's Haki, and her natural strength would be a powerhouse comparable to the likes of Linlin. Though perhaps not as strong as Kaido at his peak, she would still be a force worthy of being considered on the level of the Four Emperors.
Such a fighter was well worth Ace's time and effort.
---
Yamato remained silent for a moment, her thoughts swirling.
"Then, let's get ready," Ace said as he focused. His Observation Haki, enhanced by the Thunder-Thunder Fruit, extended to an incredible range. He could sense two pirate groups approaching Wanokuni from opposite directions.
The Roger Pirates. The Whitebeard Pirates.
With a faint hum, Ace activated his "Realm of Comprehension" and channeled the devil factor of the Glare Fruit into it.
"Nika: Imagination Manifest."
Smiling slightly, Ace extended his hand and made a slicing motion through the air. A segment of the atmosphere seemed to split, forming a translucent screen. He infused the screen with the power of the Glare Fruit, causing it to flicker and shift.
In an instant, images appeared on the screen: the Roger Pirates, the Whitebeard Pirates, Kaido, Orochi, and Kozuki Oden.
"What's this?" Yamato asked, her astonishment evident.
Ace leaned back casually, holding a bottle of wine crafted by Raki and grinning. "I told you, we're just spectators. Sit back and watch."
---
The display revealed the unfolding events. The Beasts Pirates, who had yet to rise to the level of a Yonko crew, stood no chance against the combined might of the Roger and Whitebeard Pirates. As for Orochi, he was little more than a laughable clown in the face of such overwhelming power.
The crisis in Wanokuni was resolved swiftly and decisively. However, after the dust settled, Kozuki Oden's actions became a source of ridicule. His speeches, filled with self-congratulatory remarks, might have inspired those unaware of Wanokuni's future suffering. But to Ace and Yamato, who knew the truth, his words came off as pitiful and hollow.
For Yamato, this realization struck deep. Her long-held image of Kozuki Oden—the hero she idolized—began to crumble.
---
"Well, now you've seen the correct solution," Ace said, his tone calm but pointed.
Yamato sat in a daze, struggling to reconcile her beliefs with the reality before her.
She opened her mouth to speak, but Ace cut her off.
"Don't worry—it's not over yet," he said, his expression sharp.
"What? There's more?" Yamato asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.
Ace nodded. "Of course. Now we'll compare two futures.
One will show Wanokuni under Kozuki Oden's leadership after this crisis. The other will reveal Wanokuni under the guidance of my Entei Pirates.
Afterward, you'll make your choice."
Ace's eyes burned with flames.
If Yamato still couldn't abandon her misplaced admiration for Oden after witnessing this comparison, then Ace wouldn't need someone so blind under his command.
---
With a hum, Ace activated the powers of the Time Fruit, sending Yamato forward to witness the alternate futures.
"Now, it's my turn," Ace said as the atmospheric screen dissolved.
Using the combined powers of the Space Fruit, Time Fruit, and his "Realm of Comprehension," Ace vanished from the timeline.
This parallel world, crafted through his abilities, was nothing more than a tool. Its events bore no consequence for the original world, and Ace had no intention of lingering here.