"D… Lily?"
The instant Ozz heard that name, a wave of familiarity surged through his mind. Add "Nefertari" on top of it, and it clicked even faster.
So this was the double-crosser among the Twenty Kings.
One of the D clan, her heart leaning toward Joy Boy, yet in the end she still flipped sides at the critical moment.
Seeing Ozz fall silent, Lily, who looked eerily like Vivi, smiled as if she wanted to say more. But Ozz cut in before she could.
"An alliance of twenty kingdoms?"
"That's interesting…"
He lifted his foot, and in the next heartbeat, he was already seated beside her, right on Alabasta's royal palanquin, sharing the space as if he belonged there.
"My name is Ozz. Just an ordinary traveler."
"Ozz, huh? I can tell… you're not as simple as you say."
A queen who had walked out of war, a ruler who carried a nation on her shoulders, Lily did not lose in presence or nerve even facing someone like Ozz.
And just like that, Ozz casually blended into the convoy headed toward the gathering place of the Twenty Kingdoms.
"You understand what kind of war this is going to be," Ozz said.
He sat along the ship's side, letting the sea wind rush past him.
Beside him, Queen Lily of Alabasta, a woman whose status represented the highest authority, spoke with him as an equal.
"Mmm…"
Her blue hair fluttered in the wind. Her face was calm, steady, without the slightest hint of hesitation.
"I understand. After all, our enemy is Joy Boy."
As a founder of an era and one of the few standing at the absolute peak of power, Lily gave nothing away. At least for now, Ozz could not see a trace of rebellion on her face.
But it did not matter.
Ozz smoked a cigar into the wind, black hair dancing behind him, and began to plan his next moves.
The war of the Void Century, the Great Kingdom versus the Twenty Kingdoms, was a once-in-history spectacle in the world's timeline. He had to see it up close.
This was bigger than Marineford, bigger than God Valley, bigger than any "movie-level" event. It was the kind of stage that only existed once.
If he had to name something that could compare, it would be the "Dark Sun God, Joy Boy" he intended to manufacture.
And after that, when the correct time arrived, maybe the final "Twelve-Man Peak Match" would be worth watching.
Everything else, next to this, was small-time nonsense.
In a war of this scale, even Commanders and Emperors could die like flies. After all, even a ceiling-level monster like Joy Boy ended up dead.
Lily continued to probe Ozz, talking with this newly met powerhouse, trying to feel out his beliefs.
Divine authority, or freedom?
The answer decided whether he was friend… or enemy.
Ozz kept his expression calm.
But inside, he had already decided.
He did not care about the Great Kingdom or Joy Boy.
The alliance of the Twenty Kings, though, was workable.
And since Lily was a born traitor, the Holy Land ended up with only nineteen kings.
Ozz figured he might as well become the twentieth.
…
"Hah…"
"Hah…"
"Hah…"
New World, Whitebeard's territory.
Two figures stood facing each other, both gasping for breath. After five days and five nights of nonstop combat, they finally hit their limit and collapsed to the ground.
"You're Ace, right…"
Jinbe lay on his back, then rolled over, mouth open as he greedily sucked in air. He spoke to Ace, who was also sprawled out beside him.
"I didn't expect you'd already eaten a Devil Fruit."
"Yeah… so what?" Ace asked, confused.
He respected Jinbe, this evenly matched Warlord of the Sea.
Hearing Ace's response, Jinbe forced himself up. His broad body swayed, unsteady, clearly at the very edge.
Ace was not about to lose face. Grimacing, he dragged himself upright too.
He wanted to see what Jinbe was trying to do.
Jinbe lowered his head, rummaged inside his loose clothing, then solemnly pulled out a box and handed it to Ace.
"This chest was entrusted to me by Mr. Ozz before he left."
"Uncle Ozz?" Ace's eyes widened instantly.
"He told me to give this to you if he didn't return within five years. And he also left strict instructions…"
Jinbe's expression sharpened. He stared straight into Ace's eyes.
"If he still hasn't come back, then you must wait three more years before opening it."
"…."
Ace frowned, but in the end, he accepted the box and nodded.
"I'm really curious what kind of box could be worth Uncle Ozz's warning…"
He bared his teeth in a grin.
"But if that's what he said, I understand. I won't open it for three years."
Jinbe studied Ace's sincerity, then finally nodded, choosing to trust him.
He did not know why.
But if Mr. Ozz did it, then it had to carry meaning.
Jinbe had seen it with his own eyes.
What Mr. Ozz placed inside that small chest was a dark purple Devil Fruit.
…
After twists and turns, with Ozz absent, Ace still ended up walking down the old road.
"Pops!"
Ace's joining was welcomed by everyone. In a short time, he was even chosen as the commander of the Second Division of the Whitebeard Pirates.
And when, by chance, they spoke of the former commander, Kozuki Oden…
"Kaido? Yeah, I went and caused trouble for him too."
Sitting with his companions, listening to them talk, Ace's mind drifted back to those memories.
… (One Piece flashback begins)
"Where's Kaido? Locking up that many kids? We came here to make a mess of things!"
The moment the Spade Pirates landed on Onigashima, they struck first, crushing the pirates on the island in an instant.
"Fire Fist!"
Flames roared over Ace's body as he lit the place up, torching everything in sight.
And very quickly, someone locked onto him.
A figure holding a round-headed kanabo club, wearing a black formal outfit.
She raised the club and brought it down toward Ace in a single crushing swing.
"Raimei Hakke!"
Boom!
Facing the girl's full-power strike, Ace did not flinch. Under Uncle Ozz's influence, he had learned about Haki early.
"What a troublesome bastard!"
He drove a palm into her stomach. Fire exploded outward, launching her away. She crashed through a whole stretch of buildings.
"There's an intruder! Get him!"
Everyone swarmed him.
"Stop getting in my way! I'm here to take down Kaido!"
Ace gritted his teeth. All around him were nothing but low-level grunts, and it made him angrier, especially when he saw that figure whose clothing style felt weirdly familiar.
"Who the hell are you? Say your name!"
The moment she shouted back, Ace froze.
"I'm Yamato, known as Ozz!"
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