Portgas D. Rouge.
To prevent the World Government from discovering Roger's bloodline, she used every method possible, desperately delaying Ace's birth date.
Twenty months.
Twice as long as a normal pregnancy, to the point that she died from exhaustion immediately after giving birth to Ace.
...
"Sit still. If you run around again, I'll break your legs."
Mentioning his mother, Ace quieted down, shooed Shiryu away and sat beside Griffin.
"You... know about my mother?"
Griffin knew more about that woman than just what he had learned in the original timeline.
Recalling his youth, a faint smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "Doctor Marie, who took care of me for many years, was the one who delivered you."
"She told me she had never seen such a brave woman. Do you know how painful that was..."
"Despite such pain, she endured it."
"She was a woman with no strength to speak of, yet she accomplished what ordinary people could not."
"I truly admired her... Ace, you are very fortunate."
...
Listening to Griffin's words, the image of his mother in Ace's mind grew clearer and clearer. Like a constantly agitated wildcat, he unusually softened.
Tap—
Griffin grabbed Ace's hat, pulling his face close to examine it carefully.
"You really do look like her, just as Doctor Marie described..."
"You should be proud to be your mother's son. There's no need to hate Roger; he's someone completely unrelated to you."
...
Ace's pupils trembled violently.
He remembered that night.
Gathering the courage to confess his bloodline to the old man, Whitebeard had casually said...
'You're worried about such a trivial matter... No matter who gave birth to you, everyone is a child of the sea.'
Now, he received another answer.
Breaking free from Griffin's grip, Ace lowered the brim of his hat.
"You... you... don't just say things like that so casually... bastard..."
...
...
Even the most foolish person, hearing Griffin and Ace's conversation, could extract the immense information contained within.
Even the usually expressionless Hawkeye showed a clear change in expression on his face.
This kid...
is the son of Pirate King Gol D. Roger!
...
Hawkeye opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.
Asking questions in such an atmosphere would be too rude.
—
—
—
Capturing hearts again, are you...
In the shadows at the corner of the venue.
Lucci lowered his gaze, staring intently at the scene.
He knew that man must have sensed his presence from the very beginning; he never intended to hide.
Uchiha Griffin...
...
"Designate Uchiha Griffin as a Pirate Emperor-level criminal."
"He killed a noble World Noble and continued his crimes even after other World Nobles intervened."
"And dared to threaten us! Treating the highest authority of the World Government as nothing!"
"He killed the CP9 members assigned to monitor him."
"Initiate the highest-level alert plan and await the opportunity for justice to be executed!"
...
...
The words of the Five Elders still echoed in his ears. God knows how Lucci felt when he received this news.
The you who once said the World Government was the most correct...
That you, who was heartbroken for failing to protect the World Nobles...
That you, who fought desperately at Sabaody Archipelago to protect the "World"...
The you described by the Five Elders...
Which one is the real you?!
What kind of person are you... Tell me!
Just how far...
Will you toy with people's hearts before you're satisfied?!
——
——
"The Marines are here!!"
Someone shouted first, and everyone's gaze turned toward the entrance of the venue.
That tall, stunning woman was like a beam of light shining in, impossible to look away from at first glance, completely overshadowing the ordinary middle-aged man behind her.
Marine Headquarters Reserve Admirals, Shigure and Momonga.
Kaido glanced over.
Merely Reserve Admirals, not worth a second thought.
With his strength, even the Admirals of the past wouldn't have fazed him—it's just that the current three Admirals are beyond the usual standard.
...
"Kaido..."
A cold sweat dripped from Shigure's smooth forehead. Just a glance had already put immense pressure on her.
Her eyes caught sight of Griffin on the other side, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
Two years ago, she and Momonga had been chased by Bullet and his crew. Fortunately, Momonga had a quick wit and led her to Griffin's territory.
Having witnessed Griffin repel Bullet firsthand, Shigure had gained a clearer understanding of this junior's strength.
...
...
"Yo, long time no see! Brother Griffin!"
Momonga walked over with a smile, but his steps faltered when he saw the company around Griffin.
"Hawkeye of the Seven Warlords of the Sea... and the newly appointed Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates... Is it appropriate for me to come over, brother?"
Griffin picked Ace up and tossed him to the back row before standing up to greet him. "What kind of talk is that? Come, take a seat!"
Momonga enjoyed high prestige among civilians and had a knack for handling people and situations. Doll had repeatedly emphasized that winning him over would greatly aid Griffin's grand ambitions.
Even without considering that, Griffin genuinely liked Momonga's personality.
He wasn't the type to overthink things, and neither was Momonga. Simply hanging out together was enjoyable enough.
...
"Hahaha! Shigure, come! Let's sit next to our brother!"
...
...
Shigure sat down and lowered her voice, speaking across Momonga. "You've fought Kaido before. How was it?"
"Just exchanged greetings, that's all."
Griffin paused for a few seconds before speaking slowly. "Let's just say Headquarters' assessment of him isn't wrong... He's a monster who's reached the peak in every aspect."
In fact... it's hard to say whether even Whitebeard in his current state could defeat Kaido.
He might suppress him for a short while, but Whitebeard couldn't sustain a prolonged battle—unless he took the special combat pill Griffin had given him.
"Headquarters' assessment of you is also that of an impeccable monster."
Shigure smiled faintly. "You haven't been back to Headquarters in a long time. Sister Tsuru misses you. Go see her when you have the chance."
...
Thinking of that rumor, Griffin shook his head. "I'll never step into Vice Admiral Tsuru's office in this lifetime."
"Why not?"
"Don't want to talk about it. Don't ask."
It was clear Shigure didn't read gossip papers, but Momonga had guessed the reason. He nudged Griffin with his shoulder. "Hehe, being too good-looking has its troubles, huh?"
Griffin glanced at Momonga.
"Probably not as many troubles as an ugly person has."
"You brat, what did you say?! I'm getting angry, you know!"
...
...
Gradually, the venue filled up.
People from almost every faction could be seen. Even though Charlotte Linlin had explicitly stated she had no interest in the Float-Float Fruit, members of the Big Mom Pirates were still present.
Even if not for the auction, the sheer number of powerful individuals present made the trip worthwhile for them.
Should anything happen, they could obtain firsthand information and respond to any potential shifts in the landscape.
...
...
The venue darkened, with beams of light converging on the stage.
Doflamingo spread his arms wide, like a flamingo about to take flight.
"Fufufufufu... Welcome, welcome, all you distinguished guests!!"
"I, Doflamingo, will be presiding over this auction!"
His voice, transmitted through threads connected to speakers throughout the venue, echoed in multiple layers.
...
"Let's not waste your precious time... Now, let the first item make its appearance!!"
The red cloth at the center of the display platform was lifted.
It was a massive aquarium, and inside, a young girl lay sleeping.
Her silver hair drifted like moonlight algae, her skin pale to the point of translucence, her features delicate, with her hands folded over her chest in a serene posture.
All eyes were drawn to the fish tail beneath her long skirt.
It was something extremely rare on land...
A Mermaid!!
...
You bastard... you really dare to do this...
Griffin stared at Doflamingo, his gaze turning dangerous.
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