"Don't waste time debating," Jerry said, his voice raspy but firm. He looked from Deuce, who was packing away the last of the medical supplies, to the worried faces of Skull and Mihar. "The logic is sound. Get the children to safety. I'll wait for the captain." He forced a grin. "It's not a big deal. I've got plenty of tricks left up my sleeve if more trouble comes knocking."
Seeing his insistence, and knowing the logic was undeniable, the others exchanged reluctant glances and finally nodded. The decision was made. With practiced efficiency, the Spade Pirates made their final preparations, hoisting the anchor and unfurling the sails. Soon, the ship began to pull away from the shore, the rescued children waving timidly from the deck.
In minutes, the bustling coast was silent, leaving only Jerry, the small, one-man paddleboat, the Striker, and the lingering smell of smoke and salt.
Meanwhile, in the heart of the ruined fortress, the battle had long since ended. Ace and Yamato, once fierce adversaries, now sat amidst the rubble of a smashed torii gate, a strange camaraderie between them. They had discovered a shared, rebellious spirit and a mutual hatred for Kaido. Yamato had "found" a few large gourds of sake, and they passed one back and forth.
They talked for hours. Yamato spoke with fervent passion about the heroic deeds of Kozuki Oden, his dream of opening Wano's borders, and the prophecy that foretold the dawn that would one day break over the land. In turn, Ace spoke of his little brother, Luffy, his eyes shining with a warmth that could rival his flames as he described Luffy's insane, boundless dream to become the Pirate King. Their topics were worlds apart, yet they found common ground in the fierce loyalty they held for the people they admired.
If not for her unwavering faith in the twenty-year-old prophecy—the belief that a specific group of heroes would arrive at a specific time—Yamato would have asked to join Ace's crew on the spot. Instead, they drank and talked like old friends, promising they would meet again on the seas someday.
As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, they made their way back to the beach. There they found Jerry, lounging on the tiny Striker, a fishing rod propped beside him, its line dangling unattended in the water. He had his hands crossed behind his head, the picture of leisure despite his bandaged torso.
"Oh? Look at you two," Jerry called out, his voice lazy. "Done trying to kill each other and moved on to killing a bottle of sake instead?"
"Ah, Jerry! You're the only one here?" Ace asked, scratching his head as he looked around the empty beach.
"It was the obvious move. I sent them back to Kuri with the kids," Jerry replied, sitting up. He then glanced at the heavy, ornate shackles on Yamato's wrists, the chain between them clearly broken. "Those are explosive, aren't they?" he asked, his tone shifting from lazy to serious. "A parting gift from dear old dad? I can get them off for you."
Yamato looked down at the cuffs, a flicker of temptation in her eyes. The freedom he offered was tantalizing. But her resolve was stronger. She shook her head. "No, thank you. The time is not right. I've been waiting … I can wait a little longer for the prophesied day."
Ace looked like he wanted to argue, to tell her she should forge her own path, but he saw the unshakeable conviction in her eyes and held his tongue. Some beliefs were too deep to be challenged by a stranger.
"Alright then, Yamato. See you around," Ace said with a final, genuine grin.
"Goodbye, Ace! And goodbye, Liar!" she called back with a laugh.
"Farewell, Oden," Jerry replied with a wry smile. "Try not to smash up the whole island before your hero arrives."
With their goodbyes said, Ace hopped onto the Striker. Jerry kicked the paddle mechanism into gear, and the small boat began its journey back toward the main island of Wano, leaving behind a ruined Onigashima and its lonely guardian. Jerry couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Kaido's return. The Emperor was going to be absolutely furious.
The next day, on the coast of Amigasa Village, the Piece of Spadille was fully supplied and ready to depart for good. The villagers had gathered to see them off, their faces a mixture of gratitude and sorrow.
"Brother Jerry! Brother Ace! Take me with you!" a small voice cried out. Tama ran to the edge of the water, her eyes pleading. "I want to go to sea too!"
Ace knelt, his expression softening. "Tama, you're only four. The sea is a rough place," he said gently. "But I promise you, when you've grown up a bit, and when we've made a bigger name for ourselves, we'll come back for you."
Jerry knelt beside him, stroking the little girl's hair. He leaned in and whispered so only she could hear. "Listen to me, Tama. I left a secret treasure for you. In the forest, there's a small, hidden cave. I've filled it with frozen, uncontaminated food. Enough to last you and your master a long, long time." His eyes were serious. "You can't tell anyone else, understand? Not because they're bad people, but because in a land this hungry, a treasure like that can cause trouble. I'm trusting you with this because you're smart, and because your master, Hitetsu, will know how to use it wisely."
He knew Hitetsu was actually the former shogun, Kozuki Sukiyaki. In his hands, the resources could be managed properly, ensuring the survival of the village without attracting the wrong kind of attention.
"Okay," Tama whispered back, her eyes wide with the gravity of the secret. Then, looking up at them both, she asked, "Then… next time you come back, can I be your crewmate?"
"Haha, you'll have to be strong enough to be a pirate!" one of the crew members called out with a laugh.
"That's right," Ace said, his grin returning. "When we come back, you'd better be the strongest kunoichi in all of Wano! Then we'll take you with us!"
"Don't worry about being the 'strongest'," Jerry chuckled. "Just be a great kunoichi. You can definitely do it, Tama."
"Okay! Then it's a promise!" Tama beamed, her earlier sadness replaced by a look of fierce determination. She then presented them with two expertly woven bamboo hats. "Brother Jerry, Brother Ace, I made these for you."
"Wow, Tama, these are amazing!" Ace said, genuinely impressed as he placed the hat on his head. "No wonder you were able to teach a clumsy guy like me."
"It's beautiful and practical," Jerry added, admiring the craftsmanship before settling it on his own head. "Perfect for keeping the sun off my face when I'm fishing. I'll treasure it."
With their final farewells, the Spade Pirates weighed anchor. The ship slowly pulled away from the shore, sailing out of Wano's protected waters and back into the treacherous New World.
After weeks of sailing, they left the strange climate of Wano far behind. They had made a name for themselves, challenged an Emperor on his home turf, and escaped. But Ace was not satisfied.
One morning, under the cover of a thick fog, the Piece of Spadille quietly dropped anchor at a small, unassuming island.
"According to my intelligence," Skull reported, his voice low, "this island is one of the primary supply points for the Whitebeard Pirates."
The crew fell silent. After all this time, they were finally here. They were about to challenge the man known as the Strongest in the World, the pirate who once stood as an equal to the Pirate King himself.
Ace stood at the prow, staring into the mist-shrouded island. For him, this was never about the treasure, about finding the One Piece. This was about something deeper. It was about proving his own existence. As the son of Gol D. Roger, he had spent his entire life in a shadow, hated and cursed by a world that never gave him a chance. This oppressive weight, this dark cage, had fueled his ambition. Only by reaching the very top, by surpassing all others, could he finally break those invisible shackles and find the answer to the one question that haunted him: the meaning of his own birth.