"Buzz!"
The shimmering light of the Time-Time Fruit enveloped Yamato, causing her to vanish instantly, leaving Ace standing alone in the dimly lit prison. His eyes flickered with a mixture of contemplation and anticipation as he watched her disappear.
The power of the Time-Time Fruit was unique—it granted the user the ability to travel through time, to send themselves or others forward into the future. Yet, its limitation was clear: it could only propel one forward, never backward. The past was immutable, beyond the reach of any power, even that of a Devil Fruit.
In many ways, this made the Time-Time Fruit seem underwhelming. Its potential for direct combat was negligible, offering no real advantage in a fight. The inability to alter the past meant that it lacked the crucial power to undo mistakes or tragedies. For most, it would be nothing more than a tool to gamble on the uncertain possibilities of the future—a leap into the unknown without any guarantee of success.
However, in Ace's hands, this ability became something far more potent.
Ace possessed a deep understanding of the world, a rare insight into the intricate weave of fate and destiny. With his knowledge, he could exploit the Time-Time Fruit in ways that others could not even fathom. He knew how to guide Yamato, not just through time, but through the very essence of experience, giving her a chance to see, to feel, and to understand the truth that had eluded her for so long.
For Ace, the Time-Time Fruit wasn't just about traveling to the future—it was about shaping it. He had turned a seemingly ordinary ability into a powerful tool for transformation, one that could change the course of a person's life, as he was now doing with Yamato.
In the hands of others, the Time-Time Fruit was a gamble; in the hands of Ace, it was a certainty.
"Field of Understanding!"
Ace's eyes shone with an otherworldly light as he fully unleashed the power of his Field of Understanding. He could feel the immense strain it placed on him, his energy rapidly depleting as he delved deeper into the fabric of time.
"So, this is the cost... Traveling to the past demands such overwhelming energy?"
The realization hit Ace with force. The past was a forbidden territory, Time was a dimension that relentlessly surged forward, never backward. To tamper with it was to challenge the very flow of existence, risking catastrophic changes and unforeseen consequences. The stronger the individual, the more energy it required to make such a journey—because the potential to reshape the world was immense.
With Ace's current strength, he knew that going back in time could ripple across the present and future, altering the course of history in ways beyond comprehension. The magnitude of this influence was so vast that it rendered the prospect nearly impossible, even for someone of his power.
"But this is what I expected."
A fiery red glow ignited in Ace's eyes, the manifestation of his enhanced Observation Haki—a power he had honed to perfection, After absorbing and surpassing the Haki of titans like Kaido and Charlotte Linlin. This was the strongest Observation Haki in the history of the seas, sharpened to pierce through the veil of time itself.
By fusing this Haki with the power of the Time-Time Fruit, Ace had unlocked the ability to perceive not just the present, but the distant future. The current state of the world was already clear to him, each possibility laid out before him like a map.
Yet, Ace's ambition was not to alter the past. He had no regrets in his journey, no mistakes he wished to undo. His purpose was more profound—he sought to guide Yamato to the truth, to shatter the illusions she held about Kozuki Oden, and to reveal the path that truly aligned with justice and wisdom.
Ace's intent was to use the Time-Time Fruit not as a means to change history, but to create a past that paralleled their own—a parallel world where he could take Yamato, a world crafted to reflect the lessons she needed to learn. In this alternate timeline, Ace would show her the folly of Kozuki Oden's choices and the consequences they wrought.
By crafting this parallel reality, Ace would demonstrate to Yamato the right way, the path that aligned with true leadership and the well-being of the people of Wanokuni. He wasn't just offering her a lesson—he was giving her a chance to witness the truth with her own eyes, to experience it firsthand in a world that mirrored the one they knew, but with the clarity of hindsight.
"Come on, Devil Fruit!"
Ace's eyes gleamed with a wild intensity as he prepared for the next step in his plan. He knew that the power of the Time-Time Fruit alone wouldn't be enough to accomplish what he had in mind.
"Buzz!"
As the power of his Field of Understanding expanded, a new Devil Fruit, wrapped in the energy of Nika, slowly materialized from the gaps in space.
"The Space Fruit."
A smirk formed on Ace's lips as he beheld the Paramecia-type Space Fruit—a superior version of both the Door-Door Fruit and the Teleport-Teleport Fruit. Unlike the Time-Time Fruit, which offered little in terms of combat power, the Space Fruit was a formidable ability with multiple applications.
The Space Fruit granted its user the power to hide within the gaps of space, a significant improvement over the Door-Door Fruit. This ability didn't require the creation of doors, allowing for faster and more efficient movement through space. Like the Teleport-Teleport Fruit, it also enabled instantaneous travel across distances.
What made the Space Fruit truly superior was its ability to disrupt spatial fluctuations. This meant that in the presence of a Space Fruit user, the abilities of the Teleport-Teleport Fruit would be rendered useless, as would the spatial transfer abilities of the Op-Op Fruit. Even a Door-Door Fruit user would find their powers unreliable, as the disrupted space could lead them anywhere but where they intended.
This absolute dominance over other space-related Devil Fruits was the hallmark of a superior fruit. But in Ace's hands, the Space Fruit had another, even more critical role to play.
To create a world that mirrored a parallel timeline, the power of the Time-Time Fruit alone wasn't sufficient. The manipulation of space was equally crucial. By combining the Time-Time Fruit, the Space Fruit, and the power of his Field of Understanding, Ace could craft a world that resembled the past—a parallel dimension where Yamato could learn the truth without altering their present reality.
In this fabricated world, no matter what transpired, it would have no effect on the real world, making it a perfect environment for Yamato's enlightenment. The energy required for this feat was significant, but with the combined powers at his disposal, Ace was confident he could sustain it.
"Time and space, shuttle!"
Ace's smile broadened as he activated the combined power of the Time-Time Fruit and the Space Fruit, their demonic factors entwined within the Field of Understanding. The space around him shimmered with energy as the forces of time and space merged under his control.
"Buzz!"
In an instant, Ace's figure vanished from the spot, disappearing into the parallel world he had just created, a world where Yamato would come to understand the true nature of leadership, justice, and the legacy of Kozuki Oden.
"Hey, Yamato."
Ace's voice was calm as he slowly stepped out of the shimmering gap in time and space, his presence breaking the silence that had enveloped Yamato. Her expression was one of confusion, her mind struggling to grasp the reality of what had just happened. Seeing her state, Ace's lips curled into a slight smile.
"What is this place?" Yamato asked, her voice tinged with a mix of awe and fear. She recognized the surroundings, but something was off. This was Wanokuni, yet it wasn't the desolate land ravaged by her father, Kaido, and Kurozumi Orochi. Instead, it was the Wanokuni of her childhood memories—a land untouched by the tyranny that had later consumed it.
Ace and Yamato walked through the crowded streets, the atmosphere of the Lively Flower Capital washing over them. The scent of roasted meat, the sound of laughter and music, and the sight of people dancing without a care in the world—all of it was a stark contrast to the dark and tragic Wano that had plagued them just moments before.
Ace's smile deepened as he observed Yamato's reaction. "With the combined power of the Time-Time Fruit and the Space Fruit, I've brought you back to the past," he explained, his tone matter-of-fact yet carrying an underlying intensity.
"The past?" Yamato's eyes widened in shock. "That means... Kozuki Oden?"
Ace nodded in confirmation, his gaze steady. "Of course. He's still alive in this time."
Yamato's heart raced. The idea of seeing Kozuki Oden again—the man she had idolized and revered, the man who had failed to save Wanokuni—sent a surge of emotions through her. Yet, Ace's next words held her attention even more.
"But this Kozuki Oden is not the same as the one you remember," Ace continued, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "The Kozuki Oden of this time and space faces the same challenges—your father, Kaido, and the invasion of Kurozumi Orochi. You witnessed what he chose to do back then, and you know the consequences that followed. But now, I want to show you another possibility."
"Another possibility?" Yamato repeated, her voice barely a whisper. The weight of Ace's words hung in the air, filling her with a sense of anticipation and dread. What did Ace mean by another possibility? Could it change everything she believed in, everything she thought she knew about her father, Kozuki Oden, and Wanokuni?
Ace nodded, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of wisdom and resolve. "Yes. A different path, one where Kozuki Oden makes a different choice. A path that could have led Wanokuni to a different fate. I want you to see for yourself, Yamato, what could have been—what should have been. And then, I want you to decide where your loyalty truly lies."
As Ace's words sank in, Yamato's confusion began to dissipate, replaced by a growing curiosity and a deep, unsettling fear. She knew that what Ace was offering her wasn't just a glimpse into an alternate reality—it was a challenge to everything she had ever believed.
"Buzz!"
Without a word, Ace reached into his cloak and pulled out a Den Den Mushi. The creature's shell gleamed faintly as the power of the Field of Understanding enveloped it, amplifying its signal. The Den Den Mushi began to vibrate, emitting its familiar, rhythmic sound. "Bulu Bulu! Bulu Bulu!"
Through the enlightenment field, Ace extended the Den Den Mushi's signal far beyond its normal range. This was a feat he had once performed during the Entei incident, Live broadcasting across the globe. But now, Ace's power had grown even more formidable. He could target the signal with pinpoint accuracy, linking it directly to the person he intended to contact.
"Click!"
"Who are you?!" A deep, commanding voice resonated through the Den Den Mushi.
"Gol D. Roger," Ace replied, his tone calm and assured, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Yamato's eyes widened in shock, her heart skipping a beat. The name he had just uttered—Gol D. Roger—was a name that belonged to a legend, a man who had been dead for decades. Was this truly Wanokuni 22 years ago? The sheer magnitude of what Ace had done—using the abilities of two Devil Fruits simultaneously, manipulating time and space to reach into the past—was beyond anything she could comprehend. No wonder her father, Kaido, had fallen to this man. Ace was something else entirely, a force beyond human comprehension.
"Hahahaha!" Roger's laughter boomed through the Den Den Mushi, full of unrestrained vigor and Haki. "I don't even have the right to hang up on a man who can pull this off. You must be someone of great renown on this sea. What do you want to talk about?"
"Kozuki Oden is in trouble. Are you and the Roger Pirates going to help him?" Ace's voice was steady, direct, cutting through any pleasantries.
"Oden? In trouble?" Roger's tone shifted, growing serious. He knew Oden's importance to their journey, how crucial his ability to interpret the Poneglyphs had been in reaching the final island. Without Oden, the Roger Pirates would have never found the way to Laugh Tale.
Ace quickly laid out the situation—the crisis facing Wanokuni, the perilous position Kozuki Oden was in, and the dire circumstances surrounding him.
"So, what do you say? Will you come to Wanokuni?" Ace asked, a confident smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Hahaha! Of course, we will!" Roger's voice was full of laughter, yet laced with determination. "That fool Oden, trying to take on everything by himself. We'll take care of that brat Kaido, and I'll make sure to give Oden a piece of my mind when this is over!"
"Then I'll be waiting," Ace replied, his smile deepening.
"Wait a minute!" Roger's voice suddenly became urgent. "Tell me your name."
"Portgas D. Ace," Ace said, his tone casual, yet the weight of his words hung in the air.
"Portgas...?" Roger began, his voice tinged with a strange emotion, but before he could finish, Ace cut the connection.
Ace wasn't interested in explaining his origins or fate to the Roger of this parallel time and space. In this alternate dimension, the events unfolding here had no bearing on Ace's current reality. His power, his presence, transcended the need for secrecy or hesitation. He was a true king, and a king does not shy away from his own identity.
"Bulu Bulu!"
"Bulu Bulu!"
Ace wasted no time after ending the call with Roger. Without a moment's hesitation, he dialed another number, his expression calm and resolute.
"Click!"
"Gurararara!" Whitebeard's booming laughter echoed through the Den Den Mushi as the line connected. The sheer power behind that voice was unmistakable—this was Whitebeard at his peak, the man known across the seas as the strongest in the world. His strength was legendary, his reputation equal to that of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, although some believed Whitebeard to be even mightier.
Yet, despite his formidable Power, Ace felt no intimidation. Having absorbed the Haki of Kaido and Big Mom, Ace's confidence was unshakable. He was certain he could hold his own, even if Roger and Whitebeard were to join forces against him.
"You managed to force me to answer the Den Den Mushi. Who are you, to possess such power in this sea?" Whitebeard's deep voice carried both curiosity and caution, an acknowledgment of the immense strength he sensed from Ace.
"Edward Newgate, Whitebeard," Ace greeted, his tone calm and assured.
Whitebeard's brows furrowed. "From your tone, it seems you know me."
Ace chuckled lightly. "Yes, I'm quite familiar with you."
After all, he had encountered Whitebeard before, though in a different timeline, back in the Sabaody Archipelago, But now, in this recreated past, he had a different mission.
"I'm calling about Kozuki Oden," Ace stated, getting straight to the point.
"Oden? What happened to that guy?" Whitebeard's tone shifted, concern and urgency threading through his words. Kozuki Oden wasn't just another crewmate to Whitebeard—he was family, a brother in arms. Even after Oden had left to join Roger, Whitebeard's affection for him had never waned.
Ace relayed the dire situation in Wanokuni, describing the crisis Oden faced, the looming threat of Kaido and Kurozumi Orochi, and the desperate need for intervention.
"So, will you help him? Without intervention, Oden will surely die," Ace concluded.
Whitebeard's response was immediate and thunderous. "Of course, I'll help that idiot! He's my family after all! I won't let that brat Kaido get away with this!"
Ace's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Good. We'll be waiting."
"Click!"
As the connection ended, Ace turned to Yamato, who stood there in stunned silence, struggling to process the gravity of what had just transpired.
"Now, Yamato," Ace said with a faint smile, "let's get some food and popcorn while we wait for the show."
He led her away, leaving behind the echoes of a momentous decision that would shape the future of this alternate timeline. The stage was set, and soon, the world would witness the convergence of legendary figures, each bringing their unique strength to bear on the fate of Wanokuni.