"Forget it, I'll just treat Kizaru as practice for Observation Haki…"
"But this Kizaru is really too annoying. Luckily, the people in the card space can't talk, otherwise I might be so angry that I can't even maintain Observation Haki."
"If this guy really is a spy planted by the Revolutionary Army, I'll definitely settle all scores with him when the time comes."
Having secretly made up his mind, Black gazed into the distance.
An island gradually appeared ahead. He turned slightly and asked:
"Where are we now?"
"Your Highness, at our current speed, we will arrive at Batelilla Island in half an hour."
Black nodded faintly.
"There's nothing worth lingering over on such a small island. We'll resupply and depart immediately. After that, we head for the West Blue."
Batelilla Island?
The very island where Gol D. Roger once hid before surrendering himself to the Marines.
At this point in time, Roger had already been executed at Loguetown, igniting the Great Age of Pirates. However, Portgas D. Rouge should still be living quietly on this island, carrying Roger's bloodline in secret.
Black had absolutely no intention of meeting her.
Many transmigrators who sought to take Rouge back as a concubine were scions of prominent Celestial Dragon families—names registered directly with the Gorosei—individuals destined to enter the ranks of the God's Knights or even stand among the Five Elders in the future.
Black, who sought to rise silently and seize the heavens in a single leap, would never draw that kind of scrutiny.
As for bringing back Ace and grooming him into a loyal blade?
Don't be ridiculous. In the suffocating atmosphere of Mary Geoise, would that child not grow even more rebellious? A son of Roger raised beneath the shadow of the Empty Throne—if he began questioning the meaning of justice and existence like some tragic avenger, the consequences would be disastrous.
A year later, West Blue.
Because the South Blue and West Blue were separated by the Red Line, Black had to return to Mary Geoise first before transferring routes. The detour, combined with time spent in the Holy Land, caused significant delay. By the time he truly set foot in the West Blue, a full year had passed.
It was a monotonous year—but not an unproductive one.
Six months ago, as Black's Haki accumulated steadily, his Observation Haki finally crossed the critical threshold and entered the domain known as future sight.
If Charlotte Katakuri's future sight represented refined mastery born of battle-hardened technique, then Black's breakthrough was the result of pure accumulation—overwhelming numerical growth triggering qualitative transformation.
Quantity had forced evolution.
With future sight-level Observation Haki, Black ultimately defeated the young Kizaru within the card space.
Now, staring at the ability card in his hand, he felt both exhilarated and faintly regretful.
Ability Card: Glint-Glint Fruit.
Yes. He had drawn Kizaru's highest-tier reward—the Pika Pika no Mi.
Unfortunately, the card system did not nullify the sea's curse. Using the card was equivalent to consuming the Devil Fruit itself.
"I can already stand above others with pure stats alone. Why would I voluntarily chain myself to the sea?"
That was Black's conclusion.
He would reserve this card for someone who truly needed it.
After all, one could only consume a single Devil Fruit—or use a single corresponding ability card.
Even if he chose to eat one, it would require meticulous consideration.
At present, Aramaki was his only subordinate.
But Aramaki had already eaten the Mori Mori no Mi. Naturally, the Glint-Glint Fruit card could not be used by him. For now, the card would remain in Black's possession.
Over the past year, Black's own strength had surged dramatically. At his current level, he could contend head-on with the Doflamingo of the original timeline at forty-one years old—solidly within the tier of a Yonko Commander.
Additionally, the card space seemed intent on shaping him into a complete combatant. His draws increasingly favored renowned swordsmen.
Under relentless simulated combat, his swordsmanship advanced at astonishing speed. In merely one year, he had reached a level comparable to Roronoa Zoro upon first entering the Grand Line—only a step away from attaining the realm of cutting steel.
"Your Highness, there appears to be activity ahead."
The CP agent behind him spoke cautiously.
Black did not lift his head.
His Observation Haki—enhanced through countless card battles—remained in constant expansion. Its detection range was already comparable to Eneru's Mantra at Skypiea. He had sensed the disturbance long before the report.
On the sea ahead, two ships tore across the waves—one in pursuit, one fleeing desperately.
"Fire! Blast them and force that merchant ship to stop!"
A burly pirate gripping a broad saber roared from the rail.
Before he could issue another command, a hand smacked the back of his skull with a sharp crack.
"Don't fire, idiot! If you sink the cargo, are you diving after it yourself?!"
The burly pirate shrank instantly.
"Yes, Captain!"
"…Hmm?"
Far away, Black suddenly straightened.
Another presence entered his perception.
A massive island ship loomed into view.
"Why is he here?"
The newcomer was Gecko Moria.
Recently crushed in Wano Country by Kaido of the Beasts, Moria had barely escaped with his life. His entire crew had been annihilated, leaving him alone with his bitterness.
The island ship moved slowly, but its monstrous silhouette dominated the horizon.
"Captain! Something at four o'clock!"
On the pirate vessel, the lookout shouted in alarm.
The long-haired, silver-haired captain squinted toward the indicated direction. When he saw the moving landmass, his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
"W–What is that? An island… moving?!"
The West Blue was not unfamiliar with powerful figures, but this captain was clearly not among them. Inexperience quickly turned panic into delusion.
Then his expression twisted into manic excitement.
"A moving island… could this be the legendary One Piece?!"
"No wonder no one has found it! Raftel can move!"
"I am destined to become the next Pirate King! Stop the pursuit! Turn the rudder! That island is ours! We can't let anyone else reach it first!"
The crew erupted instantly.
"Long live the Captain!"
"The Captain's a genius!"
"Awooo!"
In a frenzy of ambition and ignorance, they charged straight toward Moria's colossal ship.
They hadn't even noticed the sanctuary vessel and accompanying Marine warship nearby.
More tragically, they were sailing directly into what others would later fear as Thriller Bark.
Black observed with quiet amusement.
He could already imagine Moria's expression—fresh from catastrophic defeat, drowning in resentment—only to be disturbed by a band of insignificant pirates.
Compared to Moria's emotional collapse, however, Black's curiosity centered on the island ship itself.
Moria had only recently completed the structural modifications necessary to render the island mobile. Its design differed greatly from the Thriller Bark known in the future, explaining why the pirates mistook it for a natural island.
Black's gaze swept across the gothic structures rising atop the moving landmass.
"…The architectural style resembles God Valley."
In his previous life, there had been speculation that Moria's island originated from the remnants of God Valley.
Firstly, Thriller Bark was said to be an island from the West Blue that Moria later transformed into a ship after returning from his defeat.
Secondly, several of Moria's zombies bore striking similarities to former members of the Rocks Pirates.
Black neither accepted nor rejected the theory outright.
For now, he simply watched.
After all, in a world shaped by ambition, bloodlines, and buried history, coincidence rarely existed.