[TL/N: New Book -
Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
-------
"Swoosh!!!"
Above Wanokuni, two suns burned fiercely, their radiance illuminating the heavens.
One of these suns spun relentlessly, unleashing a terrifying heat so intense that it felt as though even the world itself could evaporate under its power.
Beneath this overwhelming heat, the two former overlords of the seas—Kaido of the Beasts and BIG-MOM, Charlotte Linlin—were completely obliterated, erased from existence.
"Done!"
The blazing sun, which had emitted an unparalleled heat capable of incinerating the Four Emperors, gradually stopped spinning. Its massive, fiery form began to shrink.
Slowly, the star-like entity returned to human form.
"Fuuh!"
Ace exhaled deeply as he released the immense power of the Nika-Flame Style Sun God Form. The fiery red hue of his clothes, eyes, hair, and eyebrows faded, returning to their natural black.
The ribbon-like flame clouds that had been swirling around him dissipated into the air.
Ace's breathing was heavy, his body visibly weary.
Though the Sun God Form was unimaginably powerful, it demanded an extraordinary toll on his Haki and physical stamina.
The strain on Haki was particularly immense.
While Ace's mastery of Conqueror's Haki was at a kingly level, even this immense power struggled to keep pace with the combined force of his Devil Fruit ability and the Nika transformation.
Every attack in his Nika-Zanka Sun God Form was infused with a combination of Armament Haki, Conqueror's Haki, and the devastating power of the awakened Mera-Mera no Mi.
This fusion granted overwhelming destructive potential, but at the cost of extreme energy consumption.
Ace's strongest move—transforming into a star—was particularly draining.
---
While the Mera-Mera no Mi allowed Ace to recover physical stamina by converting natural elements into energy, his Haki couldn't be restored through any Devil Fruit ability.
Regenerating Haki required both physical strength and spiritual energy.
In the original story, Luffy's Haki would be depleted to the point of exhaustion during intense battles, forcing him into a static state to recover his spirit and, consequently, his Haki.
For even the strongest warriors, the upper limit of Haki is fixed during combat. Once exhausted, no amount of physical recovery can compensate until the user's spirit has had time to replenish.
This battle, where Ace employed the full power of his Sun God Form to annihilate Kaido and Linlin, drained him to an unprecedented degree.
The technique of transforming into a star and incinerating his enemies works by continuously assimilating the enemies' bodies into flames—burning their bones, flesh, and internal organs until nothing remains.
However, the cost of this technique scales with the strength of the opponent.
To assimilate and destroy two Four Emperors, beings renowned for their physical resilience, demanded an astronomical expenditure of energy.
Ace could now empathize with the hollow, weakened state Luffy experienced in similar moments of overexertion—a deeply unpleasant feeling, to say the least.
Fortunately, this ability does not consume Ace's lifespan, but its cost remains enormous.
Still, the reward for this effort was equally significant.
"Crackle!"
A flash of dense black-and-purple energy surged in Ace's eyes—an overwhelming intensity that bordered on divine.
The Conqueror's Haki, Armament Haki, and Observation Haki of both Kaido and Linlin had been absorbed by Ace.
This process, however, was far from simple.
Haki is deeply personal, an extension of the user's spirit.
If Ace attempted to take all of Kaido and Linlin's Haki as-is, his own body and spirit would face severe repercussions.
It was akin to the legendary sword Enma, which temporarily absorbs its wielder's Haki for powerful strikes but cannot store it permanently.
But Ace's heaven-defying comprehension had allowed him to refine this concept.
Unlike Enma, Ace could absorb the Haki of defeated enemies and integrate it into his own, enhancing his abilities and storing the power for future use.
Still, when Ace used his Haki absorption ability to take in the Haki of Kaido and Linlin, he encountered an inherent challenge with the process.
Haki, as an extension of one's spirit, carries the unique imprints of its original owner. Absorbing it directly could risk contaminating Ace's own Haki, making it impure.
Although this might grant temporary power, the long-term consequences would outweigh the benefits.
Fortunately, Ace wielded the combined powers of Nika and the Mera-Mera no Mi in his Sun God Form.
With this ability, Ace could burn away the personal imprints of Kaido and Linlin's Haki, purging their essence entirely.
In doing so, their Haki became ownerless energy, which Ace could absorb safely without any risk of spiritual interference.
However, this purification came at a cost.
Burning away the imprints also caused some of their Haki to dissipate in the process. Yet Ace chose this method decisively, prioritizing his long-term safety over short-term gains.
Even with this loss, the residual Haki of two Four Emperors was still substantial.
"Haki increased by 30%?"
Ace assessed the newfound strength of his Haki with his heaven defying comprehension, a slight smirk tugging at his lips.
Ace's Haki was already at a kingly level, standing among the greatest in history.
An increase of 30% at this level was an immense gain—enough to elevate his already unparalleled strength even further.
Satisfaction flickered in Ace's eyes as he considered his newfound power.
Turning his attention to the battlefield, Ace focused on the spot where Kaido and Linlin had perished. With a deliberate motion, he retrieved two fruits from his door ability.
"Buzz!"
Through his profound connection with the Realm of Comprehension, Ace intercepted the devil factors of Kaido and Linlin that were rapidly dissipating and attempting to escape into the sea.
"Gulu! Gulu!"
The devil factors flowed into the fruits, initiating a rapid transformation.
In mere moments, the fruits' surfaces changed, taking on intricate, swirling patterns—hallmarks of their new identities as Devil Fruits.
Ace extended his hand, and with a flicker of Conqueror's Haki, he pulled the two newly formed Devil Fruits into his grasp.
"Soul-Soul Fruit, and…"
Ace's gaze shifted to the second fruit, which was green, covered in scale-like patterns, and exuded an aura of power.
"Fish-Fish Fruit – Mythical Beast Species – Azure Dragon Form."
A grin spread across Ace's face, growing wider as he studied the fruit in his hand.
This was no ordinary Devil Fruit.
Among the most revered Mythical Zoan Fruits, including the Bird-Bird Fruit – Suzaku Form, the Cat-Cat Fruit – White Tiger Form, and the Turtle-Turtle Fruit – Black Tortoise Form, the Azure Dragon stood at the pinnacle.
Its comprehensive abilities were unmatched, placing it second only to the Human-Human Fruit – Mythical Beast – Nika Form.
For the Entei Pirates, acquiring such a powerful Devil Fruit would prove to be an incredible boon.
"Ace!"
At that moment, members of the Entei Pirates approached their captain. The battle was over, and their faces reflected awe and relief.
"Is it over already? Amazing," Rayleigh murmured, his gaze shifting between the empty battlefield and the two Devil Fruits in Ace's hands.
Rayleigh's expression was filled with awe.
One man had succeeded in eliminating two of the most powerful Four Emperors in the world—something that not even Roger or Whitebeard in their prime could have achieved.
Ace's strength now rivaled the legendary Nika, the liberation fighter of 800 years ago and the previous wielder of the Human-Human Fruit – Nika Form.
"Ah, you've truly opened my eyes, Captain," Kuzan said with a mixture of admiration and lingering shock.
Kuzan had never witnessed Ace's strongest form— Sun God Form—in action before.
The spectacle of Ace transforming into a literal sun left even the former Admiral in awe.
"To become the sun itself… that's no longer the power of a man. It's a miracle," Kuzan said, his voice low with reverence.
"It's all taken care of."
Ace smiled, looking at his crew with satisfaction.
"Yes," Nami confirmed with a cheerful grin.
"The Beasts Pirates and all the BIG-MOM Pirates' top cadres have been captured. They're awaiting your orders."
As the second-in-command of the Entei Pirates, the responsibility of reporting the battle situation to Ace naturally fell on her.
Yet, at the end of the exchange, Nami glanced at Ace with a playful expression.
In response, Ace gently stroked her long orange hair and smiled warmly.
Even though Nami had become a formidable warrior capable of facing the Four Emperors head-on, to Ace, she remained his beloved navigator.
"But why didn't you let us finish off Orochi, Ace?" Vivi asked curiously.
During their previous confrontation, Orochi had slipped away from the battlefield unnoticed. Even more puzzling, Ace had instructed them to deliberately let him go.
"Because I'm waiting for someone to show up," Ace replied with a slight smile, his gaze fixed on the horizon.
"How long do you plan to stay hidden?"
A scarlet light, the manifestation of Ace's Observation Haki, flickered in his eyes.
In the direction of his focus was a presence Ace could never forget.
Ace's shout carried a genuine joy that lit up his face with a heartfelt smile.
"Ah, you've ruined my surprise," a voice responded slowly from that direction.
All eyes of the Entei Pirates turned to the source of the voice.
Using their Observation Haki, they had already sensed Orochi's presence there.
However, accompanying it was an unfamiliar aura—one distinctly different yet somehow significant.
Judging by Ace's expression, this newcomer was an acquaintance.
"Tap, tap..."
A figure emerged, walking steadily toward them, carrying the unconscious and terrified Orochi like a mere trophy.
"Long time no see, Ace."
A wide grin spread across the figure's face as he spoke.
"Sabo, you little brat!" Ace exclaimed, his laughter echoing across the battlefield.
The figure was none other than Sabo, the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army and Ace's sworn brother.
In an instant, Ace vanished from his spot and reappeared right in front of Sabo.
Seeing the familiar face, Ace punched him lightly on the shoulder.
"Hiss! That hurts, Ace!" Sabo winced, rubbing his shoulder.
"That's for not showing up earlier, you brat," Ace said, his grin widening.
The two brothers burst into laughter—hearty, unrestrained laughter that brimmed with the joy of reunion, tears welling up in their eyes.
"Damn it, Sabo!"
Ace pulled him into a tight hug, his voice trembling.
"Long time no see, brother."
Ace's eyes glistened with emotion, the corners brimming with tears.
Nothing in life is more precious than childhood memories and the bonds of brotherhood.
For Ace, Sabo and Luffy were not just siblings—they were brothers who would risk their lives for one another.
Meeting Sabo again after so many years filled Ace with overwhelming emotion.
"Yeah, finally, I get to see you again," Sabo murmured as tears fell freely down his cheeks.
At that moment, even the stoic second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army could not hold back his emotions.
"Hahaha!"
When they finally pulled apart, they couldn't help but laugh at the sight of each other's tear-streaked faces.
Their laughter echoed into the heavens.