He remembered the first moment he opened his eyes to the faint light in Dadan's hut, surrounded by the faces of the bandits of Mt. Colubo, who—despite their roughness—had become his family. A turbulent childhood, filled with anger and questions, and little by little, with the stolen laughter he found among the trees.
He saw himself at the age of ten, when he first met Luffy and Sabo. Three kindred souls united by adventure in the forest, bound together by a brotherhood stronger than blood itself. He remembered the campfires, the vows they made, the dreams they painted on starlit nights. Seven full years of adventures, which they believed were the beginning of a life that would never end.
Then time rushed forward… he saw himself at seventeen, setting foot upon the sea for the first time, his heart blazing with a dream greater than anything. His first adventures, his wondrous encounters, and then the moment that changed the course of his life… when he joined Whitebeard's fleet. There, he found the true meaning of belonging, brothers such as life had never given him before, and a great man who filled the void of the father he had never known.
But fate was not merciful. He remembered Teach—the traitor who stabbed his family in the back. Despite Whitebeard's warnings, Ace went out to hunt him down to the very end. The battle between them on Banaro Island, where waves shattered against the rocks as fire clashed with the darkness of gravity. But the end was not his… he fell prisoner into Teach's claws, and the traitor offered him as a sacrifice to the Navy.
He saw the high platform at Marineford, the deafening cries of soldiers and crowds. He saw the Navy flags waving, the announcement of his execution like a brand of shame. But he also remembered the great uproar caused by those who loved him. Whitebeard's entire fleet stormed forth to shatter the chains of his death. Fierce battles erupted, the sky filled with smoke, and the sea turned red with blood.
Amidst that chaos, he glimpsed the face of his little brother Luffy, fighting madly to save him. The moment he was freed from the shackles was like a second birth, but fate gave him only a short time. He remembered Akainu's hand, the magma tearing through his body, the indescribable pain, and the end written upon his soul.
And Luffy's voice returned to his ears… his screams, his tears, the trembling in his voice as he watched him fall. Then the final warmth he felt as he smiled despite the pain, thanking everyone—for he was not born in vain, because he had lived, and loved, and had been loved.
Now, sitting in this strange world, tears streamed down his face without permission, as though he were reliving his death once again. But this time, it wasn't death… it was an entire life revealed before him, a memory from beginning to end, returned to him to face anew.
He had lived there a long life, full of adventures, laughter, and tears, yet it had not been given the ending it deserved. He did not know why. Perhaps because, like his father Gol D. Roger, he had never backed down when the time to retreat had come. Despite everything, he carried only a faint bitterness toward his late father—not blind hatred, but simply because he had never known him, never even seen his face.
Deep inside, he bore no hatred toward anyone, no desire for revenge. All he felt was that his first world, the world of One Piece, had been far too cruel to him.
His tears collapsed again when he realized a painful truth: he would never see his brothers, Luffy and Sabo, again. Especially Sabo, whom he had long believed to have died at the hands of a Celestial Dragon when they were young. His sobbing erupted, raw and aching, like that of an infant, full of yearning for the days he had lived with them—for the adventures that had shaped his heart and soul, despite their tragic end.
Beside him, he felt the faint tremor of a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see her—the woman he had approached earlier—whose name he had finally learned after hearing the many respectful greetings from those around her.
— "The queen… Queen Elizabeth."
He also understood that her presence in this world was no coincidence. She represented his grandmother in this new reality, a living bond between what was and what had become, between his unforgettable past and the present that demanded his acceptance, though his young mind could not yet grasp it.
Ace remembered that paper—the one that had started everything just minutes before—while tears still streamed endlessly from his eyes. He turned to his right, intending to return it to the mysterious man, but the place was empty, as if that man had never existed at all. Yet his image remained etched in Ace's memory. He did not know who he was, or what he represented, or how he had known his name in a world where no one was supposed to know him.
He realized within himself, as he always had from past experience, that he knew nothing about this world.
His grandmother turned to him with a soft, gentle voice:— "Ace… why are you crying, little one? What is happening to you?"
Ace slowly lifted his head, lightly wiping away his tears, and answered in a faint voice:— "No… nothing… I just remembered something…"
She sat quietly beside him, taking his hand tenderly, leaving him space to reflect on what his heart and soul were going through. Silent, yet present—offering quiet support amid the noise of this strange world.
Only minutes passed before silence fell upon the place, and sweet musical notes drifted from a hidden band, announcing the beginning of an event Ace knew nothing about, except that it was part of the chaos that had mercilessly swept him along.
Suddenly, the palace doors opened, and beautiful maidens emerged, carrying baskets of flowers and shining vessels, stepping in rhythm with the music, swaying left and right like butterflies dancing in a spring breeze.
It seemed the banquet had officially begun—but the surprise came when Ace discovered they were not mere maidens, but professional dancers performing a dazzling show that mesmerized the guests. Only a few minutes passed before the spectacle ended, leaving behind the lingering echo of music, as an old man with wisdom and dignity etched into his features stepped forward.
He raised his calm voice, addressing everyone about the history of that land—about Atlantis, the island Ace knew nothing about. The scene was so marvelous to him that he wished the man would continue speaking, so he could absorb more knowledge without raising suspicion through questions.
But he was given only crumbs of information, as the segment ended quickly—unlike the dancers' performance, which had lasted longer than necessary. A dark disappointment weighed on him, but deep inside, he was already shaping a plan:
Surely this palace had a library, and he would sneak into it no matter the cost. True, he had never opened a book in his life, nor had he ever loved reading—but necessity rules all.
The rhythm suddenly shifted again, as a grander, more formal music rose. With it, the doors opened once more, and a majestic procession of heavily armed guards entered, surrounding a man at their center as ants encircle their queen.
Everyone knew at once—it was the king, ruler of this island, about whom Ace knew nothing. The king stood tall and delivered a short speech, introducing himself as Kanute, and mentioned his heir—whose face Ace had glimpsed before. It was the same young man he had seen in the room with his grandmother, the one whose presence he could never stand.
And now, with each word, the threads of truth began to unravel in his mind: the crown prince was his uncle… the king his grandfather… and that old woman was his uncle's mother—his grandmother whom he had never known!
His heart trembled, his eyes widened in shock, until his silent scream almost shattered the palace walls:"What is happening to me in this world?!"
But before everyone could turn to him, a nobleman silenced him with a sharp glare and a hushed command:— "Quiet."
The nobleman forced a polite smile, lowering his voice into a silky whisper:— "I mean… forgive me, young master, if you could lower your voice just a little, please… heheheh."
His tone was obsequious in a way that stirred Ace's disgust. He could not bear such hypocrisy, nor anyone flattering him simply because he was the ruler's kin. It was clear that fear of punishment drove these people—not respect, nor affection.
Moments later, the old king ended his brief address, announcing before everyone that his time of retirement had come, for age had burdened him and his body of over seventy years had grown weary. From his words, the guests learned that the throne would pass to his grandson and heir: Prince Alistair.
Ace smirked and muttered to himself:"What strange names they choose here… If this were the world of One Piece, I'd just call him idiot or fool!"
As he grumbled sarcastically, the hall erupted with the voices of the crowd, cheers rising from every direction. Admirers of the new king chanted his name, pleading for him to glance their way, even for a moment. But Alistair gave them no heed; he stood tall with stern features, as if born to rule—smiling at no one, unaffected by their cries, which only increased his majesty in their eyes.
The king's speech lasted only a few minutes, while Ace remained lost in thought until the memory of the paper jolted him again. It was still between his fingers, and he didn't know why he hadn't slipped it into his pocket or thrown it away. Something urged him to keep it in hand.
He opened it carefully. The paper was wider than it was tall, as though its writer had wanted it to stand apart from ordinary letters. Bold black letters were etched across its surface, and when his eyes passed over them, he read:
"When the first cry of sin is raised, and the heir is crowned with the crown of rule, then await the turning of the hands of ruin… for the blooming land does not bloom long."
He froze for a moment, trying to grasp the hidden meaning behind the words. They seemed ordinary, yet carried a complex riddle beneath.What was this sin it spoke of? And which flourishing kingdom was doomed to ruin? Who had written this mysterious message and placed it in his hands?
He growled in frustration: "What a ridiculous paper!" Yet deep down, he felt those words would haunt him for a long time, like the shadow of a dark prophecy he had yet to decipher.
Especially since, upon touching it, he recalled his past life—and the man who had dropped that paper knew his full name. Perhaps he knew many other things about him as well. That fact alone proved to Ace that he now stood before a mystery unlike any he had ever faced in his life.