The deafening silence on the deck of the Red Force was a storm in itself. The single, profane word from Ace hung in the air, a testament to a world that had just been completely, irrevocably upended. For the bizarre collection of monsters Ace had assembled, the revelation was a personal cataclysm, each processing the impossible truth in their own way.
In Ace's mind, it was a chaotic hurricane. Kenji's memories, terrifying facts. Joy Boy. The Drums of Liberation. The giant straw hat hidden in the depths of Mary Geoise. It all clicked into place with horrifying clarity. His protective instinct for Luffy, already a supernova, went into overdrive. He wasn't just shielding his reckless little brother from pirates and Marines anymore. A living, breathing prophecy from a World Government that had hunted it for eight centuries, a government that had committed genocide to protect secrets far smaller than this.
Kuzan, the former Admiral, understood the political implications with a chilling pragmatism. He saw the Buster Call on Ohara, a genocide to erase a piece of history, and realized that the secret of Nika was infinitely bigger. This was the ultimate threat to the Celestial Dragons' divine right to rule. This revelation solidified his allegiance in a way no promise to Garp ever could. He was no longer just a disillusioned man keeping a promise; he was now actively working against the Absolute Justice that would, without question, seek to extinguish a being like the Sun God.
Douglas Bullet's reaction was one of pure, unadulterated disgust. He saw this not as power, but as a cheat. To him, Luffy was a "chosen one," a boy who had been handed a divine destiny on a silver platter. It was the absolute antithesis of his own philosophy of solitary, earned strength. This didn't just annoy him; it offended his very soul, deepening his resolve to prove that his own path, the path of the individual who stands alone at the top, was the true one.
And Zeff, a man from Roger's era, was simply stunned into silence. He saw the echoes of the past, the impossible will of the D., and the sheer, insane scale of the new era unfolding before him. He had thought he was just coming along for a bake-off; he had stumbled into a war for the soul of the world.
The tense silence was finally broken by the glug-glug-glug of Shanks pouring more sake. He pushed a full cup towards Ace. "It's a heavy burden, isn't it?" he said, his voice quiet but steady.
He leaned forward, his expression turning grim. "The legends of the Sun God are strongest in Elbaf. Big Mom doesn't know the fruit's true name, but her network is vast. She knows it's special. That's the real reason she wants the 'Big Eater' girl. She has two goals. First, she believes Bonney's power might be able to make her younger again, restoring her to her prime." Shanks's eyes darkened. "And second, she thinks that power might be able to influence or even control the user of a legendary fruit."
The implication was horrifying. Big Mom wasn't just trying to win a crewmate; she was trying to steal a godly power.
Shanks reached into his coat and take out two items. The first was a small, intricately carved wooden rune. The second was a rolled-up piece of paper that looked ancient. "This is a token of friendship from the Giants," he said, handing the rune to Ace. "Show it to them. It will prove you are an honored guest, not an invader. They value honor above all else."
He then handed Ace the paper. It was a rubbing of a Poneglyph. "I found this with the fruit all those years ago. At first, I thought I would give it to Luffy when he was strong enough, but with the way the world is changing... I think you should give it to him. Luckily, he has someone in his crew who can understand it." A nostalgic smile touched Shanks's lips. "Oh, just a reminder, I've seen this one before. With Captain Roger. Same texts." He winked. "Oh, and you'll meet someone interesting in Elbaf. Hahahaha!"
The meeting was over. Shanks saw them to the edge of his ship, his expression a warm, encouraging smile. "The world is waiting for you, Ace. Try not to burn it all down before Luffy gets his turn."
The journey back to the Moby Dick was a somber, silent affair. The weight of their new knowledge was a tangible thing. Zeff was unusually quiet. Bullet was radiating a new level of intense, focused anger. Kuzan was silently contemplating the sea.
They rendezvoused with the main fleet of the Burning Crown Pirates. Marco flew over to their ship, his face a mask of worry. "Did you get him? Is everything alright?"
Ace looked at his first mate, his brother. He couldn't tell him. Not yet. The burden was too great, too dangerous. He forced a confident grin. "We got him," Ace said. "And we got a new ally. Let's just say the giants are going to be very interested in our little baking competition."
Their combined fleet arrived at Elbaf. The island was a single, colossal landmass, more a continent than an island, dominated by a sky-piercing World Tree so massive it had its own weather system. The scale of it made even the Moby Dick look like a toy boat. This was a land of gods.
They were met at the coast not by Big Mom's forces, but by a welcoming party of giants. They were warriors, clad in ancient, rune-etched armor, their faces stern and unreadable, their very presence a testament to an ancient, formidable power. It was a sight that would have made a lesser crew turn and flee.
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