After the heart-stopping fall from the sky, the Golden Merry now rested steadily upon the waves of an unknown sea.
The evolved hull, washed clean by seawater, shed the remnants of cloud dust and revealed its dark golden sheen fused with pure gold.
"…We survived… we actually survived."
Usopp lay sprawled on the deck in a starfish shape, gripping the drainage edge so tightly his fingers turned white.
The sensation of falling from ten thousand meters still lingered in his mind, making the ocean before him seem like it was spinning.
"As thrilling as that was… I never want to experience a 'divine drop' like that again in my life."
Nami leaned against the mast, breathing in the dense air of the Blue Sea.
Her pale face, once drained by fear, quickly regained color the moment she thought of the mountain of gold in the storage hold.
Ronan stood by the railing, his long spear angled toward the sea.
"Luffy, rested enough?"
He turned toward the boy lounging at the figurehead.
"Do you still have the vivre card Ace gave you in Alabasta?"
Luffy blinked, then carefully pulled out the small worn piece of paper from his hat.
"Ronan, what do you need it for?"
"Do you remember the traitor Ace mentioned? The one who betrayed Whitebeard and killed a crewmate?"
Ronan's gaze turned distant.
"That man is the same one we met in Mock Town—Blackbeard, Teach."
Luffy pressed down his straw hat, his eyes instantly sharpening.
"So that black guy… he's Ace's enemy…"
"…Good thing we let him go back then. Otherwise, Ace might've been troubled."
Ronan smiled faintly—cold and knowing.
He understood clearly—
In the original course of fate, Ace would lose to Blackbeard's strange power.
But now—
That chain of fate had already been broken.
"We let him go because we need his Dark-Dark Fruit ability."
"But more importantly…"
Ronan ran a hand along his spear.
"After taking full-force blows from both me and Zoro, even if he escaped, he won't recover anytime soon."
"Right now, he's just a cripple with ambition."
"Ace… is guaranteed to win."
"Then—Merry!"
Luffy jumped up and pointed forward.
"Full speed ahead! Let's go meet Ace!"
Meanwhile—
Grand Line, Banaro Island.
Among the ruins of a shattered town—
Blackbeard, Marshall D. Teach, leaned against a broken pillar.
His massive body was wrapped in blood-soaked bandages.
The wounds from Ronan's spear and Zoro's slash still tormented him.
"Damn it… those brats from the East Blue…"
He spat out dark blood, his expression twisted.
"They actually pushed me this far…"
His perfect plan to become a Warlord had been completely ruined.
"Found you, Teach."
A cold voice echoed from the end of the street.
Under the sunlight—
Ace stepped forward, lowering his orange hat.
He glanced at Blackbeard's injuries, frowned slightly, then snorted.
"Looks like someone already punished you."
"But Thatch's life… I'll take it back myself."
"Zehahahaha… Ace, you're still naive!"
Blackbeard laughed, forcing himself upright despite his trembling body.
Darkness surged from his hands.
"Black Hole!!"
Darkness spread like a tide—
Swallowing everything in its path.
Even light itself seemed to vanish.
But Ace didn't flinch.
"Flame Commandment: Fire Spear!!"
Two blazing spears shot forward like meteors, piercing through the darkness toward Blackbeard.
"BOOM—!!!"
Because of his injuries—
Blackbeard's control faltered for just a moment.
The flames struck.
Exploding violently.
"Damn it… I'm too injured… I can't fight at full power!"
Blackbeard roared inwardly.
At full strength, he might've won—
But not now.
Ace saw the opening.
He leapt into the air.
Arms raised—
Like embracing the sun.
"Teach! This is the end!"
"Great Flame Commandment: Flame Emperor!!"
A massive fireball rose above the island—
Like a miniature sun.
The temperature skyrocketed.
The sea began to boil.
Trees turned to ash instantly.
Blackbeard's face twisted in despair.
"Swallow it!! SWALLOW IT ALL!!"
He forced out more darkness—
But it wasn't enough.
"BOOOOOOM—!!!"
Flames and darkness clashed—
Red and black tearing at each other like day and night.
But the balance lasted only seconds.
"NOOO—!!!"
The flames consumed everything.
When the smoke cleared—
The town was gone.
In its place—
A massive crater, its surface melted into glass.
Blackbeard lay at the bottom—
Burned, broken, unconscious.
His once-ambitious hands lay limp among the rubble.
Ace landed at the edge, breathing heavily.
"Thatch… I've brought him back."
At that moment—
A golden streak cut through the distant sea fog.
The Golden Merry.
Its radiant hull reflected the setting sun.
Luffy stood at the bow, waving excitedly.
Zoro rested his hand on his sword, eyes sharp.
Sanji lit a cigarette, observing the battlefield.
Ronan stood at the front—
Looking down at the defeated Blackbeard.
A confident smile formed on his lips.
"Looks like… Ace won this time."
He tightened his grip on his spear.
He knew—
In this rewritten fate—
Blackbeard's ambition had already been crushed.
The spark that once would have ignited the Paramount War—
Was now nothing more—
Than prey in their hands.
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