[Chat Group For The Death] Chapter 1 - 10

NEW SERIES

Thank you for all the support, and please enjoy this mass release of a new fanfic, its a one piece fanfic with possibility of being a multiverse series since the chat group member is not only one piece character, but also from diffrent anime like Naruto joining later and even marvel character.

Update will start Thursday 6 February 2025 and this will take on Thor Update schedule.

I know i ask for other series, and some recommended Pokemon, the only problem is that is hard for me to get into a series that i don't like. Because honestly i am more of a Digimon fans than Pokemon. Heck, i play most Digimon game than Pokemon, that is why i dont choose Pokemon.

i still have one more spot replacing goten that will be coming in 2 weeks maybe? the one i like is a Dragon ball comparison, like the luffy from previous fanfic, but still undecided since i have been focusing updating Gohan that will update Tuesday 4 Feb 2025 to all and This fanfic.

Chapter 1: Chat Group for The Dead

"Flop!"

Lucas collapsed onto the rough track of the marine training ground, his body drenched in sweat as he gasped for breath. The relentless drills had pushed him to his limit, and for the hundredth time that day, he cursed his fate.

As a transmigrator, he felt like a disgrace to others who had experienced the same phenomenon. Weren't time travelers supposed to be blessed with cheat-like abilities or land in the perfect timeline to change history? Why did he have to arrive at the worst possible moment?

First, the timing of his arrival was completely off. It had already been several months since the end of the Marineford War. If he had appeared earlier, he might have had a chance to leave his mark on history. Now? The world had settled, He can’t prevent the famous donut scene and the waves of chaos had already subsided. He was nothing more than a drop in the vast ocean, an insignificant recruit in the Marine.

Second, his identity left much to be desired. He was just a lowly marine recruit with no background, no connections, and—worst of all—shockingly poor talent. In a world where strength determined everything, he was nothing more than cannon fodder. If nothing unexpected happened, his fate was sealed: he would perish in some battle, forgotten and nameless.

Just as despair threatened to consume him, a crisp mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

"Ding! The Chat Group for The Dead System is binding..."

"Binding successful!"

Lucas's eyes snapped open. His exhaustion momentarily forgotten, he bolted upright, heart pounding in excitement.

"A system? A chat group?"

In an instant, all his frustration and hopelessness vanished. He quickly accessed the system's interface, eager to see what it had to offer.

The system's abilities were astonishing:

• It could randomly invite spirit souls to join the chat group.

• The invited spirit could see the living world through him.

• He could acquire the abilities of the spirit group members.

• As the group owner, he had administrative privileges, including muting, blocking perceptions, and even kicking members out.

Lucas's breathing quickened. "This... this is incredible!" He clenched his fists, excitement surging through his veins. "This is my golden ticket to rising above the ranks!"

"Ding! Do you wish to start inviting group members?"

Without hesitation, Lucas confirmed. "Invite!"

A series of notifications popped up before his eyes.

"Ding! Pirate King Gol D. Roger has joined the chat group!"

"Ding! Golden Lion Shiki has joined the chat group!"

"Ding! Whitebeard has joined the chat group!"

"Ding! Fire Fist Ace has joined the chat group!"

"Ding! Fisher Tiger has joined the chat group!"

Lucas sucked in a deep breath as five legendary names materialized before him. He had braced himself for the possibility that the system would summon some no-name spirits, but instead, it had brought together some of the most powerful figures in history.

Pirate King Roger. Whitebeard. Golden Lion Shiki. Fire Fist Ace. Fisher Tiger.

This was an insane lineup!

Before he could fully process his excitement, the chat group burst into activity.

Pirate King Roger: "Huh? What is this? Wasn't I stabbed to death by the executioners? How did I end up here?"

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Roger? Is that really you?"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Roger! You bastard, you're here too?!"

Pirate King Roger: "Whitebeard? Golden Lion? Wait, what the hell is going on?! Weren't you two alive when I died?"

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Things have changed, Roger. I’m dead too."

Pirate King Roger: "What?! That can't be right! You were strong, still in your prime when I left! How could you have died?"

Whitebeard: "Prime? Don’t kid yourself. By the time you died, I was already over fifty. And when I finally met my end, you had been dead for over twenty years."

Golden Lion Shiki: "I get it now! Roger, you must have been in some kind of unconscious limbo after you died. The moment you came here, you regained awareness. That’s why it feels like you just died yesterday."

Pirate King Roger: "Nani?! I've been dead for over twenty years?! No way! How’s the world now? What happened after my death?!"

Fisher Tiger: "A lot has changed... thanks to you, in fact. Your final words before your execution started the Great Age of Pirates."

Pirate King Roger: "Hahahaha! That's exactly what I hoped for! I'm a genius! I really pulled one over on the World Government!"

Fisher Tiger: "Proud, are you? Do you realize what your so-called pirate era did to Fishman Island? Because of you, our home became a living hell."

Pirate King Roger: "Uh...?"

Whitebeard: "Roger, he's not wrong. Fishman Island became a major passage for pirates entering the New World. And you know what kind of people pirates can be. Worse, slave traders started targeting the mermaids there, capturing and selling them like merchandise."

Fisher Tiger: "That's right! So tell me, Roger, what was your real goal in starting the Great Pirate Era?"

Pirate King Roger: "Well..."

Roger hesitated, seemingly unsure of how to respond.

Before he could answer, another message appeared in the chat.

Fire Fist Ace: "I want to know too."

Ace, who had been silently watching the conversation, finally spoke up.

Whitebeard: "Ace? My son!"

Fire Fist Ace: "Yeah, it's me, Dad..."

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Why didn't you say something earlier? I didn't even notice you!"

Fire Fist Ace: "I... I let you down. I failed to live up to your expectations, and I ruined everything. I'm ashamed to even face you..."

Ace's guilt was palpable. He had hesitated to speak because he felt unworthy of calling himself Whitebeard’s son after failing to protect his family.

Whitebeard: "Nonsense! There’s no point in regretting the past. You were never wrong in my eyes."

Logically, Ace’s decision to fight Akainu had been foolish. His anger had cost him his life. But in the world of pirates, logic often took a backseat to emotions. Just as the Whitebeard Pirates had sacrificed everything to save Ace, Ace had thrown away his escape for the sake of his pride and family.

Golden Lion Shiki: "So let me get this straight. Roger, Whitebeard, Ace, Fisher Tiger, and me... we’ve all joined this ‘Chat Group for the dead’? From the name alone, it sounds like we’re all spirits, dead but still able to communicate."

Chapter 2: You Know All the Four Emperors

Golden Lion Shiki: "Although this place is very magical, I can’t shake the feeling that its appearance is rather inexplicable."

Whitebeard: "That makes sense. How could something like this appear out of nowhere?"

Lucas: "This didn’t happen for no reason. I’m the one who brought you here."

Lucas's voice appeared suddenly in the chat group, silencing the murmurs of confusion among its members.

Golden Lion Shiki: "And who are you supposed to be?"

Whitebeard: "You’re claiming to be the one who brought us here?"

Pirate King Roger: "Interesting. It seems you have a devil fruit ability powerful enough to manipulate the souls of the dead."

Fisher Tiger: "What’s your purpose in gathering us here? Explain yourself."

Fire Fist Ace: "Yeah, speak up!"

Lucas: "Haha~ Don’t be so hostile. I’m not your enemy. In fact, you’ll soon realize that you might actually need my help."

Whitebeard: "And why exactly would we need your help?"

Fire Fist Ace: "What kind of help could you possibly offer us?"

Lucas: "For starters... I could save the Whitebeard Pirates from being completely destroyed by Blackbeard Teach. How does that sound?"

Whitebeard: "What did you just say?"

Fire Fist Ace: "That’s impossible!"

Lucas: "Why is it impossible? You’ve both fought Teach before, so you should have a good idea of how dangerous he is. Right now, he’s even stronger than when you last saw him. Your Whitebeard Pirates won’t stand a chance."

Whitebeard: "Humph! You underestimate my sons. They’re not easy to deal with. Even without me, they’re more than capable of matching any of the Four Emperors."

Whitebeard’s voice carried an unmistakable confidence. It wasn’t just bravado—he truly believed in his crew.

Lucas: "Really? I don’t share your optimism. Right now, the Whitebeard Pirates can only rely on Phoenix Marco and Flower Sword Vista to hold the line. While the two of them are undoubtedly strong, they’re at best comparable to senior officers in other Four Emperors' crews. Do you really think they can stop Blackbeard Teach, who’s already at the level of a Four Emperor himself?"

Whitebeard: "Teach? A Four Emperor? That’s absurd! He’s nowhere near that level."

Whitebeard’s voice hardened. Before his death, he had fought Blackbeard himself. While he acknowledged the unusual and formidable nature of Teach’s Dark-Dark Fruit, he had no doubt that Teach lacked the strength to reach the level of a Four Emperor.

Lucas: "That may have been true when you were alive. But things have changed since your death."

Whitebeard: "What’s changed?"

Lucas: "For one thing, Blackbeard has taken your devil fruit—the Tremor-Tremor Fruit."

Whitebeard: "Impossible! When a devil fruit user dies, their ability is reborn elsewhere in the world. How could Teach have taken it? And don’t forget, he’s already eaten the Dark-Dark Fruit. No one can wield two devil fruit powers at once."

Lucas: "No one except Teach. He has a unique body—Marco knows about this. It allows him to host two devil fruit abilities simultaneously. He’s now the only known dual-fruit user in the entire world."

Lucas paused briefly, letting his words sink in before continuing.

Lucas: "You’ve experienced the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit firsthand, so you should understand just how destructive it is. Combine that with the Dark-Dark Fruit, and you’ve got someone who’s not just on par with the Four Emperors—he is one of them now."

Pirate King Roger: "An individual who can wield the powers of two devil fruits? That’s unbelievable!"

Whitebeard: "Do you have proof of these claims?"

Lucas: "Wait a moment. I’ll get it for you."

In the real world, Lucas stood up from the training ground, dusted himself off, and made his way to the marine library. There, he began searching for old newspapers and reports detailing the rise of Blackbeard. As he sifted through the material, he kept an eye on the ongoing discussion in the chat group.

Pirate King Roger: "By the way… what exactly are the Four Emperors?"

Roger’s curiosity was understandable. When he had died, the title of Four Emperors had yet to exist.

Lucas: "The Four Emperors are the captains of the four most powerful pirate crews in the world. They reign supreme over the seas, second only to the Pirate King."

Golden Lion Shiki: "Hah! A bunch of upstarts playing pirate games. Not worth mentioning."

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! While I also find the title of Four Emperors a bit unnecessary, calling them insignificant is a stretch. They’re not to be underestimated."

Lucas: "Agreed. Each of the Four Emperors commands a crew with strength comparable to the Golden Lion Pirates at their peak. They’re anything but insignificant."

Golden Lion Shiki: "Hmph!"

Though visibly displeased, the Golden Lion offered no further argument. Deep down, he understood that the Four Emperors were indeed forces to be reckoned with. That didn’t mean he had to like it.

Pirate King Roger: "Who are the Four Emperors, then? Tell me about them—I might know some of them!"

Roger’s enthusiasm was infectious.

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Don’t worry, you know all of them."

Pirate King Roger: "Really? In that case, don’t tell me just yet. Let me guess! Since you, Whitebeard, are one of the Four Emperors, it stands to reason that the others must be at least close to your level."

Roger paused thoughtfully before continuing.

Pirate King Roger: "Kaido the Beast and Charlotte Linlin. These two were already at their peaks when I was alive. They were on the verge of rivaling the three of us back then, so I bet they’re among the Four Emperors now, right?"

Whitebeard: "Correct. Both Kaido and Big Mom are members of the Four Emperors."

Pirate King Roger: "Haha! Just as I thought. That leaves only one spot. It must be this guy—the Golden Lion. That would explain why he’s so salty about the Four Emperors group."

Chapter 3: Shiki Becomes the Pirate King?

Golden Lion Shiki: "Heh~"

Shiki let out a sneering chuckle, shaking his head. Even in death, Roger was as foolish as ever.

Pirate King Roger: "As far as I remember, Shiki always saw Linlin and Kaido as juniors. He even tried to recruit them as his subordinates, though they both refused."

Roger paused for a moment before confidently continuing.

Pirate King Roger: "So for Shiki, being placed on the same level as Kaido and Linlin by the world must have been a huge insult. That’s why he despises the title of the Four Emperors!"

Roger was certain he had figured it all out.

Golden Lion Shiki: " Shihahaha ~ Your analysis makes sense, Roger. But I regret to inform you… you’re completely wrong!"

Pirate King Roger: "Nani?! Impossible! Whitebeard, is Shiki lying to me?"

Whitebeard: "Unfortunately, Shiki isn’t a Yonko."

Pirate King Roger: "..."

A heavy silence filled the chat.

Pirate King Roger: "Wait a minute… If Shiki isn’t a Yonko, then that can only mean one thing… DAMN IT! Shiki is the Pirate King?! No way! I never expected my successor to be a lunatic like him! The world must be in complete ruin!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "???"

Whitebeard: "Why would you jump to that conclusion?"

Pirate King Roger: "Think about it! If even Kaido and Linlin were strong enough to be part of the Four Emperors, then how could Shiki not be one? The only logical explanation is that he’s the Pirate King!"

Roger’s excitement grew as he explained his reasoning.

Pirate King Roger: "Shiki has the strength for it! The only thing he lacked compared to me was reaching Raftel. If he finally found it, becoming the Pirate King would be the natural next step!"

Whitebeard: "Although your reasoning is quite logical, I regret to inform you… you’re wrong again!"

Pirate King Roger: "Wrong?! Oh, thank the sea! As long as the Pirate King isn’t this crazy bastard, I don’t care who it is!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Roger~"

Shiki ground his teeth. Even after death, this damn fool still managed to get on his nerves.

Pirate King Roger: "Alright then, Whitebeard, tell me—who’s the Pirate King now? He must be a true hero to have made you, Kaido, and Linlin bow down to him, right?"

Whitebeard: "Roger, don’t be stupid."

Pirate King Roger: "What do you mean?"

Whitebeard: "Kaido, Linlin, and I didn’t surrender to anyone."

Pirate King Roger: "But… wasn’t it said that the Four Emperors are the greatest pirates after the Pirate King?"

Whitebeard: "That’s exactly the point—the Four Emperors exist because there isn’t a Pirate King."

Pirate King Roger: "Wait, what?! You’re telling me I’ve been dead for over 20 years, and no one has become the Pirate King yet? That’s not how I imagined things at all!"

Roger was stunned. He had expected the seas to be teeming with new legends, great pirates rising one after another to claim the throne he had left behind.

Fisher Tiger: "I’m not sure how many pirates are on the seas right now, but I do know that for the ten years following your death, the world was overflowing with pirates chasing the dream you left behind."

Fire Fist Ace: "Which brings us back to the real question—why the hell did you start this damn pirate era in the first place?"

Pirate King Roger: "Well, that’s…"

Roger hesitated.

Lucas: "I’d advise you to answer carefully. Because this Fire Fist Ace? His full name is Portgas D. Ace. Does that name ring a bell, Roger?"

Pirate King Roger: "Wait… Ace… could it be that you’re—?!"

Roger’s voice trembled with excitement.

Lucas had already hinted at the truth. How could he not figure it out? He wasn’t an idiot—just a bit careless!

Fire Fist Ace: "I only have one father. And that’s Whitebeard!"

Pirate King Roger: "..."

A deep silence followed Ace’s words.

Roger felt as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning.

What do I do when I finally meet my biological son… only for him to reject me completely and acknowledge someone else as his father?!

Golden Lion Shiki: " Shihahaha "

Shiki, meanwhile, was thoroughly entertained.

Roger’s biological son refuses to acknowledge him?

How ridiculous! How absurd! How… utterly hilarious!

This was even better than he could’ve imagined!

Golden Lion Shiki: " Shihahaha! This is the funniest thing I’ve heard in years!"

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Roger, you’ve really been caught off guard, huh?"

Meanwhile, Shiki was still in disbelief.

Back when the Straw Hat Pirates had defeated Gekko Moriah, they had also taken down Shiki before reaching the Sabaody Archipelago.

Later, due to a relapse of an old illness, Shiki had died in Impel Down before he could escape. That was why he never showed up during Blackbeard’s attack on the prison.

Since he had spent years focused on biological weapons and technological research on his Sky Island, he hadn’t kept up with the new generation.

This was his first time learning about Ace’s true identity.

Fisher Tiger: "The Pirate King actually had a son? That’s unbelievable!"

Pirate King Roger: "Whitebeard, I challenge you to a duel! How the hell did you brainwash my son?"

Fire Fist Ace: "Shut up! This has nothing to do with Dad! I hated you even before I met him!"

Pirate King Roger: "You ungrateful brat…!"

Roger was furious. This was not how he had imagined a father-son reunion going!

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Roger, if you want a fight, I’d be happy to oblige. You may be the Pirate King, but I was the Strongest Man in the World!"

Fire Fist Ace: "Dad never became the Pirate King because he didn’t want to be. If he had, no one could’ve stopped him!"

Golden Lion Shiki: " Shihahaha! Roger, you poor bastard! Your own son doesn’t even acknowledge you and instead calls Whitebeard his father! If it were me, I wouldn’t stand for that. I’d have to teach him a lesson!"

Whitebeard: "Who dares?!"

Whitebeard’s voice boomed like an earthquake.

Whitebeard: "If anyone even thinks about laying a hand on my son… they’ll have to get through me first!"

Chapter 4: Roger, Don’t Escape!

Lucas: "Alright, everyone, calm down! The chat group doesn’t have a function that allows you to fight each other, so no matter how much you want to throw punches, you can’t. Instead of wasting time arguing, how about we try solving this through actual conversation?"

Pirate King Roger: "Sigh... Fine. I admit it—I was a failure as a father. I was gone before you were even born, so it’s only natural that you resent me."

Roger’s voice carried a trace of helplessness. Now that he thought about it logically, he realized that Ace’s hatred was justified.

Fire Fist Ace: "That’s right! Blood ties don’t mean anything to me. You were never there. I have no memories of you. To me, you’re nothing but a stranger."

There was an undeniable coldness in Ace’s words.

Pirate King Roger: "Then… what about your mother? Is she doing well?"

Roger awkwardly tried to change the subject.

Fire Fist Ace: "Hmph! You were the Pirate King. You ignited the Great Pirate Era. Did you really think the World Government would allow your bloodline to live freely? In order to protect me, my mother held me in her womb for several extra months. She sacrificed her own life just so I could be born. She died the moment I took my first breath!"

Ace’s voice was filled with fury. Every time he thought about it, every time he was reminded of what his mother had done—what she had suffered through—it made his hatred for Roger burn even stronger.

Pirate King Roger: "She… she died?"

Roger’s voice wavered. He had expected Lu Jiu to struggle, but he never imagined she would pay such a heavy price.

Pirate King Roger: "But before I died, I asked Garp to take care of you! He promised me he would! Did he break his word?"

Roger frowned. He didn’t believe Garp was the kind of man who would betray a promise—especially not a promise made to him, a man who had been both his enemy and his closest friend.

Had something happened to Garp back then?

Fire Fist Ace: "Garp was a marine! How could he openly protect the child of the Pirate King? He was already under the World Government’s scrutiny. There was no way he could reach us in time. He didn’t even know about me until after my mother had already died!"

Pirate King Roger: "..."

Roger fell silent.

Fire Fist Ace: "You knew the World Government would come after your family. So tell me, why didn’t you send my mother away to safety? She stayed in the same place where you were last seen! That made it easy for them to find her!"

Pirate King Roger: "Uh... I…"

Fire Fist Ace: "You didn’t even think about it, did you?"

Pirate King Roger: "..."

Roger was speechless.

Looking back now, he could see how foolish he had been.

He had been so caught up in the joy of knowing Lu Jiu was pregnant, so focused on the relief of having an heir, and so obsessed with carrying out his final message to the world that he had completely overlooked the danger he was leaving behind for his family.

It wasn’t until he was already locked in prison, waiting for his execution, that he suddenly remembered—his wife and child would be hunted. That was why he had called Garp, why he had begged him to protect them.

But by then… it was already too late.

It was a common story, wasn’t it?

How many pirates actually stayed with their wives and children?

Most of them got married, had kids, and then never came back.

Take Usopp’s father, for example—Yasopp had been gone for nearly twenty years, sailing under Shanks.

And yet, in this twisted world, women like Rouge accepted it. They endured it.

This was the harsh reality of the pirate life.

But that didn’t change the fact that Roger had failed as a husband. And as a father.

Fire Fist Ace: "After I found out who I was… I asked around. I wanted to know what people thought about the son of the Pirate King."

Ace’s voice grew bitter.

Fire Fist Ace: "Do you know what I found out? Almost everyone said the same thing—they wished I was dead."

Ace clenched his fists.

Fire Fist Ace: "You, Roger—because of your selfishness, you doomed me before I was even born. You condemned my mother to death. I will never forgive you for that!"

Pirate King Roger: "..."

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Roger, don’t take it too hard. You were wrong, and Ace has every right to hate you."

Golden Lion Shiki: "That’s right! Roger, I gotta say—you were a real bastard in this situation. You married a woman, got her pregnant, and then just up and died before your kid was even born! How irresponsible can you be?!"

Shiki took every opportunity to mock Roger. He couldn’t physically get back at him, so this was the next best thing.

Pirate King Roger: "Shut up! You don’t understand. I was dying! I was terminally ill long before I reached Raftel!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Wait… you knew you were dying, and you still went and got a woman pregnant?! Roger, you’re even worse than I thought!"

Pirate King Roger: "And when did you become a moral saint, Shiki?! You have no right to criticize me!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Who said I don’t?! At least I knew I wasn’t father material, so I never went around ruining someone else’s life! Can you say the same?"

Shiki’s arrogance was on full display.

Golden Lion Shiki: "You knew you were going to die. And yet, you still chose to leave behind a mess. You didn’t even stay long enough to take responsibility! Roger, you are one hell of a deadbeat father!"

Fire Fist Ace: "Alright, enough! Right now, I only care about one thing—why did you start the Great Pirate Era?"

Ace’s voice was firm.

Fire Fist Ace: "If you hadn’t made that damn speech before your execution, if you hadn’t set off this so-called Golden Age of Piracy, then the World Government wouldn’t have cared about your legacy. They wouldn’t have been so obsessed with hunting me down!"

Fisher Tiger: "That’s right! If you had chosen to live in hiding and die in peace, maybe none of this would’ve happened. The World Government left your first mate, Rayleigh, alone, didn’t they?"

Golden Lion Shiki: "I also want to know, Roger! What the hell was the point of starting this ridiculous pirate era? You turned the sea into a playground for a bunch of reckless idiots pretending to be pirates! It’s an insult to real pirates like us!"

Fisher Tiger: "This is the third time we’ve asked, Roger. Don’t run away!"

Chapter 5: Shiki Loves You Deeply

Pirate King Roger: "Um... how should I put this? I saw a lot of things on Raftel. I finally understood the true nature of this world. Compared to the destruction caused by pirates, the World Government is a far greater disaster. What pirates do is just a drop in the bucket by comparison."

Golden Lion Shiki: "Oh? So you started this so-called Great Pirate Era because you thought a bunch of weakling wannabes could overthrow the World Government? Don’t make me laugh! These little brats aren’t even worth considering!"

Fisher Tiger: "He’s not wrong. Compared to the crimes of the World Government, pirates might seem like the lesser evil… but the chaos they bring is direct. Because of this Great Pirate Era, piracy has spread like wildfire, and now even more people are choosing to support the World Government out of fear."

Whitebeard: "Roger, you miscalculated!"

Fire Fist Ace: "Making reckless decisions without thinking about the consequences… that’s incredibly irresponsible."

Lucas: "Let me get this straight. You hated the World Government more than you hated pirates, so you decided to replace the World Government with pirates?"

Pirate King Roger: "No, you don’t get it. I didn’t put my hopes on pirates at all. The Great Age of Pirates was inevitable—even without me, it would’ve happened sooner or later. The darkness of the World Government is too deep. Eventually, it would have collapsed under its own weight, and before that collapse, the world would have naturally entered an age of piracy."

Golden Lion Shiki: "And? What exactly are you trying to say?"

Whitebeard: "Wait… are you saying you accelerated the process on purpose? That you made the Great Pirate Era happen earlier?"

Pirate King Roger: "That’s right. Think of the world as a pirate ship, with the World Government acting as its captain. That captain is steering the ship straight into the abyss… and no one can stop it."

Pirate King Roger: "So rather than waiting for the inevitable, I decided to speed it up. I added a turbo engine to the ship so it would reach its destination faster, skipping the long, painful waiting period."

Lucas: "Damn! I wasn’t expecting this. Roger, you actually invented accelerationism without even knowing what it was?!"

Pirate King Roger: "What’s accelerationism? I just believed that the world wouldn’t be destroyed. By pushing forward the collapse of the World Government, we could skip an era of prolonged suffering."

Lucas: "From a global perspective, you shortened the period of darkness. But for the people actually living through it… they’re the ones suffering the most."

Fisher Tiger: "Exactly. You forced an entire generation to endure hell for the sake of future generations. Why?"

Lucas: "That’s the problem! It’s fine if wealthy people make sacrifices for their descendants—they can afford to suffer. But for the truly poor, the ones who have nothing? They don’t even have descendants to inherit the future you’re fighting for."

Pirate King Roger: "What do you mean?"

Lucas: "It means that extreme poverty doesn’t last beyond three generations. If a family stays poor for too long, they eventually die out. They can’t afford to marry, they can’t afford to have children, and eventually, their bloodline ends. That’s what I mean when I say poverty can only last three generations."

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! That’s an interesting way to look at it. By that logic, those who are suffering in this era should have a serious grudge against Roger."

Golden Lion Shiki: "Tch! What a waste of time. Roger is still as much of an idiot as ever. If you wanted to take down the World Government, all you had to do was work with me!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "If you had accepted my proposal back then, we could’ve combined your power with my military power. The world would’ve been ours! There would’ve been no need for all this nonsense!"

Pirate King Roger: "Shiki, I’ve told you a hundred times—I have zero interest in ruling the world."

Golden Lion Shiki: "Who said you had to rule? Just leave it to me!"

Pirate King Roger: "And that’s exactly why I refused. You’re no better than the World Government. There’s no point in replacing one tyrant with another."

Golden Lion Shiki: "You bastard…!"

Lucas: "Roger, that was a little harsh, don’t you think? You know… Shiki loves you deeply!"

Pirate King Roger: "Huh?"

Golden Lion Shiki: "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!"

Whitebeard: "Heh! Now this is getting interesting. Keep going."

Lucas: "Let me remind you of something, Roger. When the World Government announced that you had been captured, Shiki was furious. He stormed Marineford alone and fought both Garp and Sengoku at the same time! He didn’t stop until they finally managed to take him down!"

Pirate King Roger: "Oh~ Garp did tell me about that. But wasn’t Shiki just trying to get his hands on the last island location?"

Lucas: "Are you stupid?! If Shiki really wanted information, the smartest thing to do would’ve been to break into Impel Down and rescue you. That way, he could’ve gotten the information straight from you. But he didn’t! Instead, he attacked Marineford—just to vent his anger!"

Pirate King Roger: "Now that you mention it… is this stupid lion actually out of his mind?"

Golden Lion Shiki: "ROGER~!"

Shiki gritted his teeth so hard it sounded like grinding metal.

Lucas: "Who knows? What I do know is that he was obsessed with you. And that obsession lasted his entire life."

Golden Lion Shiki: "Shut up! I stormed Marineford because I wanted the truth! I didn’t go to Impel Down because I knew that bastard wouldn’t tell me anything!"

Pirate King Roger: "I see now! No wonder Shiki never became one of the Four Emperors! It turns out that this fool got himself captured by the World Government instead!"

Chapter 6: A Serious Punch? You Must Be Kidding!

Golden Lion Shiki: "Tsk! Roger, you idiot! Do you really think I ended up as helpless as you? I may have been locked up in Impel Down, but I wasn’t just sitting there waiting to die. Unlike you, I actually escaped! Hah! Can you imagine? Me, the first man to break out of that hellhole in centuries! That is something to be proud of!"

Pirate King Roger: "No, that’s just because I didn’t try to escape."

Golden Lion Shiki: "Hah! Don’t be ridiculous. Even if you had tried, you wouldn’t have made it out. No one escapes from Impel Down. No one! But I did!"

Shiki’s voice was brimming with pride. Breaking out of the most impenetrable prison in the world was a feat that no pirate in the past few centuries had accomplished. It was a mark of his greatness!

Pirate King Roger: "Wait… is that true?"

Roger was momentarily stunned. He knew firsthand how terrifying Impel Down was. Despite his bravado, he had always known that even if he had tried to escape, the chances of success were slim to none.

Whitebeard: "It’s true. Shiki broke free of his seastone chains by cutting off his own legs. Once he regained his strength and Devil Fruit abilities, he forced his way out of Impel Down. He was the first prisoner to escape since the prison was built."

Pirate King Roger: "What?!"

Roger was in disbelief. Shiki had actually done it. He had escaped from Impel Down!

Pirate King Roger: "Wait, then why didn’t he become one of the Four Emperors?"

Whitebeard: "I’m not sure. After his escape, he came to see me. He told me he was planning something big, something that would make the whole world fear real pirates again."

Pirate King Roger: "Hah! I should’ve known. This guy never quits. So? What did he do?"

Whitebeard: "I don’t know. He disappeared after that meeting. I didn’t hear about him again until twenty years later, when I read in the newspaper that he had been captured by the Marine again. To this day, I still don’t know what his grand plan was."

Pirate King Roger: "Twenty years? That long? And after all that, he still got himself caught?"

Roger couldn’t help but laugh.

Pirate King Roger: "Shiki! What happened? Did your plan fail again? Come on, it’s already over. No need to be embarrassed—just tell us what your big plan was!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Tsk! Why the hell should I tell you?! You think I’d humiliate myself by spilling my secrets? Forget it!"

Lucas: "Oh, I know exactly what Shiki’s plan was!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "???!"

Shiki’s eyes widened.

Golden Lion Shiki: "How do you know?! That’s impossible!"

Pirate King Roger: "Tell me, Lucas! What was Shiki plotting for all those years?"

Whitebeard: "I’d like to know as well. Considering how much he hyped it up, it must have been something truly terrifying."

Lucas: "Alright, I’ll explain. Shiki had a scientist working for him, one who specialized in biology. This scientist discovered a special plant on an isolated island and managed to extract an ingredient from it. This ingredient had the power to mutate animals, making them grow to gigantic sizes."

Lucas: "Shiki spent over twenty years in hiding, developing this ingredient and using it to create monstrous beasts. His grand plan was to raise an army of mutated creatures and use them to conquer the world."

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! A monster army, huh? They must’ve been pretty damn powerful if Shiki bet everything on them."

Lucas: "Meh, they were decent. If you had to fight them, Whitebeard, you’d probably need to at least throw a serious punch to wipe them out."

Whitebeard: "…"

Pirate King Roger: "A serious punch? You must be kidding!"

Lucas: "Nope, I’m dead serious! These monsters were, at best, on the level of a Rear Admiral. Sure, they were bigger and uglier, but strength-wise? Not that impressive. If the current Three Admirals fought them, they’d be wiped out in one ultimate attack."

Whitebeard: "This is…"

Pirate King Roger: "HAHAHAHA! This is too funny! Shiki, you wasted twenty years lurking in the shadows, and this is all you came up with?!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "..."

Shiki remained silent.

He had nothing to say.

Deep down, he knew his plan had been a massive failure. He had put everything into it, only for it to be completely useless.

Lucas: "The moral of the story? Never put all your eggs in one basket. Shiki invested twenty years into his grand scheme, and in the end, he lost everything."

Pirate King Roger: "Hahaha! Keep going, Lucas! What happened next? Do you know how Shiki was captured by the Marine?"

Lucas: "Oh, I know! After successfully creating his monster army, Shiki planned to launch a full-scale attack on the East Blue."

Pirate King Roger: "NANI?!"

Fire Fist Ace: "YOU BASTARD!"

Both Roger and Ace instantly erupted in rage.

They were both from the East Blue.

Pirate King Roger: "Shiki, you bastard! Did you seriously plan to destroy my homeland?"

Golden Lion Shiki: "So what?! The East Blue is weak! If it was wiped out, so be it. All I needed was to prove that I had the power to destroy an entire sea. Once the world saw that, everyone would be forced to submit to me!"

Fire Fist Ace: "You’re insane! No wonder you failed!"

Whitebeard: "Tell me, Shiki. Were you targeting the East Blue… because of Roger?"

Lucas: "Of course he was! Like I said before, Shiki loves Roger deeply!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "SHUT UP! STOP TALKING NONSENSE!"

Pirate King Roger: "Why did Shiki fail?"

Roger quickly changed the subject, realizing that this conversation was getting far too dangerous for his liking.

Chapter 7: It Is God’s Will That We Perish, Not the Fault of War!

Lucas: "Why did Shiki fail? Simple. Before he could carry out his grand plan, he picked a fight with the wrong pirate crew… and lost. After that, the Marine swooped in and took advantage of his defeat."

Whitebeard: "What the hell?! You’re telling me Golden Lion Shiki wasn’t defeated by the Marine? That’s unbelievable! If some pirate crew actually managed to take him down, why isn’t that crew famous?"

Golden Lion Shiki was one of the three great legends, standing alongside Whitebeard, the World’s Strongest Man, and Roger, the Pirate King. If some pirate crew had really defeated him, they should have instantly become famous!

Golden Lion Shiki: "Isn’t the answer obvious? The Marine and the World Government took all the credit! Those shameless bastards have been doing it for years! Wasn’t it the same for Roger? He turned himself in, but they claimed they had captured him!"

Pirate King Roger: "Fair point. But now I really want to know—who was it? What pirate crew managed to take you down? They had to have been strong enough to at least rival the Four Emperors, right?"

Golden Lion Shiki: "…"

Shiki fell silent.

He didn’t want to answer.

Lucas: "It was the Straw Hat Pirates."

Fire Fist Ace: "Who?!"

Whitebeard: "Impossible!"

Both men were completely stunned.

Meanwhile, Fisher Tiger and Roger, who weren’t familiar with the name, looked confused.

Fire Fist Ace: "Wait a second… The Straw Hat Pirates… Are you talking about Monkey D. Luffy?!"

Lucas: "That’s right! Shiki’s flying island just so happened to pass by the Straw Hat Pirates’ ship. The kindhearted navigator of the crew warned him that the area ahead was about to experience severe weather."

Lucas: "Shiki, being the arrogant idiot he is, realized that his own navigators weren’t as skilled as the Straw Hats’ navigator. So, what did he do? He got excited and kidnapped her!"

Fire Fist Ace: "You have got to be kidding me…"

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! That’s so typical of Shiki!"

Pirate King Roger: "Bah! Shameless! Absolutely shameless! Stealing someone else’s crewmate? That’s a new low! No wonder you got your ass kicked—you deserved it!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Go to hell, all of you!"

Whitebeard: "Wait, are you telling me Shiki was defeated by Straw Hat Luffy?"

Lucas: "Hard to believe? Well, believe it. That’s exactly what happened."

Fire Fist Ace: "This is insane. Has Shiki’s strength really declined that much?"

Pirate King Roger: "Hold on! Are you saying that means Shiki got weaker? So Straw Hat Luffy wasn’t actually strong?"

Whitebeard: "I saw Luffy before I died. By that time, Shiki had already been defeated. How should I put it? If I had fought him… it would’ve taken me half a minute to finish the fight."

Pirate King Roger: "Pfft—"

Pirate King Roger: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HALF A MINUTE?! Really?! Shiki, your strength declined way too fast! No wonder you never became a Yonko—your time in hiding wasn’t the only thing holding you back!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Shiki suddenly exploded in anger.

Golden Lion Shiki: "That damn rudder stuck in my head has been affecting my reaction speed for years! The swords replacing my legs have ruined my swordsmanship! Otherwise, I could’ve taken that brat down with one hand!"

Whitebeard: "Tsk! No means no, Shiki. Quit making excuses. I spent over a decade hooked up to IV drips, and even in that state, I could still beat up Marine Admirals!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "You guys don’t get it! It’s not my fault I lost! Just like the Battle of Edd War, I lost because of something completely ridiculous. It’s all Roger’s fault!"

Pirate King Roger: "Huh?! How is this my fault?"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Because that damn kid was wearing the same annoying straw hat you used to wear when you were young! And just like back then, the weather turned against me! I got struck by a random bolt of lightning in the middle of the fight, got seriously injured, and then lost!"

Pirate King Roger: "…"

Whitebeard: "Damn… Shiki, why are you so unlucky?"

Pirate King Roger: "I always thought that storm at Edd War was my good luck! But now it turns out… it was your bad luck all along!"

Roger was completely dumbfounded.

Back during the Battle of Edd War, he had been on the verge of losing to Shiki’s fleet. But out of nowhere, a massive storm had appeared and obliterated Shiki’s armada in an instant. Even Shiki himself had been injured, with a ship’s rudder getting lodged into his skull.

Roger had always believed that it was his own incredible luck that saved him that day.

But now, it was clear.

It wasn’t his luck that had saved him—it was Shiki’s cursed misfortune that had doomed him!

Both times, it was the exact same scenario.

A storm. A fight. Shiki losing everything in an instant.

Lucas: "It is God's will that you perish, Shiki, not the fault of war!"

Lucas couldn’t believe it either.

Shiki had faced the protagonists of two different pirate eras. He had the upper hand both times—only to be defeated by random freak storms each time.

This level of bad luck was legendary.

Golden Lion Shiki: "It is not the fault of war that I was defeated by the will God…"

Shiki suddenly stopped talking.

And then…

Golden Lion Shiki: "Damn it… Those words… They really touched my heart…"

Shiki’s voice cracked.

A tear slid down his face.

It was the most poetic explanation for his misfortunes he had ever heard.

He hadn’t lost because he was weak.
He hadn’t lost because his enemies were strong.
He had lost… because the heavens themselves had forsaken him.

Chapter 8: Marine Recruit, Lucas!

Pirate King Roger: "Poor Shiki..."

Roger sighed dramatically.

Pirate King Roger: "The fleet he spent the first half of his life building was wiped out by a storm… The grand plan he spent the second half of his life preparing was also ruined by a storm…"

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Looks like you and storms are destined to be together!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Hmph! This is God’s will to destroy me, not the fault of war!"

Shiki snorted coldly, but deep inside, he had finally come to terms with it.

It wasn’t that he, the great Golden Lion, lacked ability.
It was simply that the heavens themselves were against him!

Whitebeard: "Alright, let’s stop rubbing salt in Shiki’s wounds. Let’s move on to another topic. @Lucas, have you found your evidence yet?"

Lucas: "Hold on, I’m still looking."

Whitebeard: "Alright then. In the meantime, let’s talk about the Four Emperors. Roger, the last of the Four Emperors is also someone you know quite well."

Pirate King Roger: "Oh? Who is it?"

Whitebeard: "It’s that trainee pirate who used to be on your ship. The red-haired one—Shanks. He’s all grown up now."

Pirate King Roger: "Shanks? I see! That makes sense. He was a kid I had high hopes for. I even entrusted my straw hat to him… It’s only natural that he would achieve great things."

Lucas: "Really? Then let me ask you this—did you know that Shanks has already passed your hat on to another young man?"

Pirate King Roger: "What?"

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! That’s right. The boy Shanks entrusted with the Straw Hat is the same one who defeated Golden Lion Shiki—Straw Hat Luffy."

Golden Lion Shiki: "No wonder I hated that hat so much! It turns out it’s your hat, Roger! No wonder I wanted to crush that brat the moment I saw him!"

Pirate King Roger: "*Hahahaha! This is fate, Shiki! You and the owner of that hat are destined to be incompatible!"

Whitebeard: "And there’s more. The boy who inherited your hat, Roger? He’s none other than Garp’s grandson."

Golden Lion Shiki: "WHAT?!"

Shiki’s eyes almost popped out of his skull.

Golden Lion Shiki: "I knew there was something annoying about that kid! So not only is he the grandson of that old bastard Garp, but he also wears Roger’s hat?!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Damn it! If I had known this from the beginning, I would have crushed him the moment I saw him!"

Pirate King Roger: "Garp’s grandson? Hahahaha! This just keeps getting better! I can only imagine the look on Garp’s face when he found out his own grandson became a pirate! I would have loved to see his reaction!"

Whitebeard: "That family is truly something else. Garp is a hero of the Marine, his son Dragon is the leader of the Revolutionary Army, and his grandson wants to be the Pirate King. That bloodline is a disaster waiting to happen!"

Pirate King Roger: "Wait, what? The Revolutionary Army? What the hell is that?"

Whitebeard: "A group of people dedicated to overthrowing the World Government. Maybe they’re the ones you were hoping would come along."

Pirate King Roger: "What?! There’s actually a movement like that? Then I really want to meet Garp’s son! I never expected my dreams would be carried forward… by Garp’s own flesh and blood! What irony!"

Lucas: "Honestly, I’m just curious how Garp of all people ended up with a revolutionary son and a pirate grandson. Roger, did you say something to him before you died?"

Pirate King Roger: "Huh? No, this has nothing to do with me!"

Lucas: "Found it!"

In the real world, Lucas finally pulled out an old newspaper from a pile of documents in the Marine’s library.

The moment he enabled perception sharing, the chat group exploded with reactions.

Whitebeard: "What’s going on?"

Golden Lion Shiki: "What is this place?"

Lucas: "This? It’s the Marine’s library."

Fire Fist Ace: "Marine library? Wait… who are you to be able to access that place?!"

Lucas: "Marine recruit, Lucas!"

Fisher Tiger: "WHAT?! YOU’RE A MARINE RECRUIT?!"

Lucas: "Of course! Being a Marine recruit is just one of my identities. I’m also the owner of this chat group."

Pirate King Roger: "Unbelievable… I got dragged into this chat group by a Marine recruit? This feels ridiculous!"

Lucas: "Less talking, more reading! Here, look at this newspaper."

Lucas spread out the newspaper, which documented the causes and events of the Battle of Marineford.

Golden Lion Shiki: "What’s this? A member of the Whitebeard Pirates, Marshall D. Teach, killed Captain Thatch of the Fourth Division and defected?! What kind of madness is this?!"

Golden Lion Shiki was shocked.

He knew the Whitebeard Pirates well. Unlike most pirate crews, they operated more like a family. Their internal harmony was legendary—betrayals were unheard of!

Whitebeard: "Hmph! I was deceived. I never expected that bastard Teach to be so ambitious…"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Hahaha! This is rich! As far as I know, the only iron rule on your ship is to never harm a crewmate. And yet, this brat Teach not only broke your rule—he completely shattered it! Looks like you are getting old, Whitebeard! Your grip on your crew isn’t as strong as it used to be!"

Shiki wasted no time mocking Whitebeard.

He hadn’t forgotten how Whitebeard had teased him earlier.

Can’t beat a Marine Admiral?
Well, you can’t even control your own crew, old man!

At least his subordinates had never dared to betray him.

Chapter 9: Golden Lion’s Real Envy

Whitebeard: "Shut up, you stupid lion. You’re still as damn annoying as ever. I swear, I really want to sink you into the sea right now."

Whitebeard’s mood was foul.

Teach’s betrayal was an open wound—one that would never heal.

Fisher Tiger: "Blackbeard? Judging from that name, Whitebeard, it sounds like your so-called 'son' is deliberately going against you."

Fisher Tiger frowned as he continued reading the newspaper.

Fisher Tiger: "By the way… what are the Seven Warlords of the Sea? I’ve never heard of that title before."

Of course, he hadn’t.

When Fisher Tiger was alive, the Warlord System hadn’t even existed yet.

Lucas: "The Great Pirate Era turned the New World into a pirate paradise. The rise of the Four Emperors created four enormous factions, each ruling their own territories. To counterbalance their power, the World Government established the Seven Warlords of the Sea."

Lucas: "They took powerful pirates and legitimized them—giving them free rein to plunder as they pleased, so long as they served under the World Government. This way, they could control part of the pirate world and keep the Four Emperors in check."

Pirate King Roger: "Wait, wait, wait. You’re telling me the World Government officially allowed pirates to plunder freely? What kind of nonsense is that?!"

Lucas: "Oh, I’m not joking. The World Government was completely serious. Seven powerful pirates were granted this special status, forming a three-way balance of power between the Marine, the Four Emperors, and the Warlords. This system kept the world relatively stable for over a decade."

Pirate King Roger: "This is insane!"

Roger wasn’t sure whether to laugh or be outraged.

Pirate King Roger: "Wait a minute—"

Roger suddenly focused on a part of the newspaper.

Pirate King Roger: "It says here that Blackbeard Teach defeated Whitebeard’s second division commander, Fire Fist Ace… and then handed him over to the World Government?! @Fire Fist Ace, is this talking about you?"

Fire Fist Ace: "Yeah… it’s me."

Pirate King Roger: "You lost? …Wait, how old is this Blackbeard Teach guy?*"

Fire Fist Ace: "He’s about the same age as Marco and the others. Several decades older than me."

Pirate King Roger: "Alright, then that makes sense. You’re still young, Ace. Losing to an older, more experienced pirate isn’t something to be ashamed of."

Whitebeard: "Shut up, Roger! You thick-skinned fool, can’t you see what’s really going on here?"

Pirate King Roger: "Huh? See what?"

Lucas: "Just keep reading, Roger. You’ll understand soon enough."

Lucas sighed.

How could Roger be this oblivious?

Golden Lion Shiki: "This Blackbeard Teach is quite the character! He had the strength to be a commander, yet he spent decades hiding his true potential. That kind of patience and restraint… it reminds me of myself!"

Lucas: "No, you’ve got it wrong, Shiki. Blackbeard wasn’t being patient. He was gambling. He bet his entire life on a Devil Fruit that he had no guarantee of finding. It was a reckless, absurd gamble, and by sheer luck—he won. But if he had lost, he would have wasted decades doing nothing."

Lucas: "The crazy part? He’s that strong even though he barely trained. If he had actually put in effort, he could have become a Four Emperor like Red-Haired Shanks, relying purely on his physical abilities and Haki."

Fisher Tiger: "Jinbe… became one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?"

Whitebeard: "Don’t blame him, Tiger. He didn’t have a choice. The Warlord title gave him real power—it allowed him to protect Fishman Island."

Whitebeard: "But in the end… he still gave up that status for the Whitebeard Pirates."

Fisher Tiger: "As he should! The Whitebeard Pirates are the ones who truly protected Fishman Island! Without your flag, Fishman Island would have become nothing but a hunting ground for pirates and slave traders!"

Fishman Island was technically under the World Government’s jurisdiction. They paid Heavenly Tribute library every year to maintain that status.

And yet…

The World Government had never once protected them.

It was only because of Whitebeard’s declaration—because his flag flew over Fishman Island—that no one dared to touch it.

Fisher Tiger: "So, Blackbeard handed Ace over to the World Government in exchange for the Warlord title? Was that position really worth betraying Whitebeard for?"

Golden Lion Shiki: "The Warlord title? Hah! What a joke. A real pirate doesn’t care about legal plundering or the World Government’s approval. The Great Pirate Era started by Roger is just full of garbage! Only weaklings care about becoming a Warlord!"

Lucas: "Don’t underestimate the Seven Warlords, Shiki. They were granted incredible authority. They were allies of the World Government, with privileges that even some nations didn’t have."

Fisher Tiger: "Ally? Wait… could it be that Blackbeard wanted to become a Warlord just to gain the World Government’s protection?"

Lucas: "No! If you keep reading, you’ll see. Teach’s ambitions go far beyond that."

Lucas sighed again.

Why was Fisher Tiger asking for spoilers like an impatient child?

Golden Lion Shiki: "Hold on! Straw Hat Luffy… broke into Impel Down to rescue someone?! And then escaped with a horde of prisoners?! Is this real?!"

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Shiki, your record has officially been broken! And it was broken by the very same brat who defeated you! How does that make you feel?"

Golden Lion Shiki: "With his level of strength… how is that possible?!*"

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Face reality, Shiki. Luck is part of strength!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Damn it! That brat is ridiculously lucky! If I had his luck, I would have conquered the world by now!"

Golden Lion was truly envious.

For years, he had poured every ounce of his cunning, strength, and strategy into his ambitions.

Yet every time—every single time—he had been crushed by sheer bad luck.

But that brat?

He waltzed into Impel Down, picked a fight with the entire prison, and somehow walked away rescuing other.

If Shiki had that kind of luck, the world would have been his decades ago!

Chapter 10: Don’t Go Too Far

Pirate King Roger: @Fire Fist Ace, how old were you when you died?

Fire Fist Ace: "Twenty."

Pirate King Roger: "…Twenty?"

Roger’s excitement dimmed slightly.

Pirate King Roger: "Did you at least get married? Have children?"

Fire Fist Ace: "No, I didn’t have a wife or kids. But I did have a family! Everyone in the Whitebeard Pirates was my family!"

Pirate King Roger: "Ahhh... Damn it! Blackbeard, I swear, I’m going to kill you!"

Roger’s mind collapsed.

Golden Lion Shiki: "Why are you overreacting? This is an Chat Group for The Dead—everyone here is already dead. You should’ve realized that a long time ago."

Pirate King Roger: "Shut up, Shiki! You don’t understand! I could accept my son dying one day, but dying so young, without even having a family of his own?! I can’t accept that!"

Roger had assumed Ace had lived for at least forty or fifty years before passing away.

He had hoped that Ace had married, had children, and continued the family line.

If that had been the case, Roger wouldn’t have taken Ace’s death too hard.

After all, everyone dies eventually.

But this?

Ace had died before truly experiencing life.

Roger felt like his world had shattered.

Golden Lion Shiki: "What’s the big deal? Plenty of pirates die young. And marriage? Kids? Boring. Who cares about what happens after we’re gone? All that matters is living without regrets!"

Shiki had never been interested in having a family.

As far as he was concerned, he only needed himself.

Pirate King Roger: "Whitebeard, what the hell happened?! You couldn't even protect your own men?"

Whitebeard: "Bullshit! I did save Ace! What right do you have to criticize me?! If you hadn’t started the Great Pirate Era and pissed off the World Government, they wouldn’t have been so hellbent on wiping out Ace!"

Pirate King Roger: "Don’t give me that nonsense! The execution was just an excuse! The real target of the World Government was you! Do you think I can’t see that?"

Roger snorted.

He had started the Great Pirate Era.

He understood strategy.

He could tell, clear as day, that the World Government had used Ace as bait to draw Whitebeard into battle.

They wanted to publicly execute Ace—not because he was Roger’s son, but because they knew Whitebeard wouldn’t stand for it.

It was a trap designed to force Whitebeard into a confrontation he couldn’t walk away from.

Cold, ruthless, and effective.

Fire Fist Ace: "Dad did save me. He even tried to cover our retreat."

Fire Fist Ace: "But… I couldn’t stand Akainu slandering Dad. So I turned back to fight him."

Fire Fist Ace: "And… that’s how I died."

Pirate King Roger: "Wait, wait, wait… You rushed back after being rescued?! Damn! I used to do that kind of reckless stuff all the time—but I never died! Looks like your luck wasn’t as good as mine!*"

Roger didn’t even know what to say at this point.

Golden Lion Shiki: "Wait a second—so after all that drama, you caused your own death?! HAHAHA! That’s just… Wow. Why would you even go back if you couldn’t win?"

Fire Fist Ace: "…"

Lucas: "Honestly, this isn’t even the first time Ace has let his pride get the best of him."

Lucas: "Back when he was chasing Blackbeard, Whitebeard warned him to let it go. Ace ignored him and went anyway… and got captured."

Lucas: "Then, after Whitebeard and the others risked everything to rescue him, Akainu insulted Whitebeard… so Ace turned around to fight—and died."

Pirate King Roger: "This is really…"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Stupid! Absolutely stupid!"

Whitebeard: "You idiots know nothing!"

Whitebeard’s voice was like thunder.

Whitebeard: "Golden Lion, you dare call Ace stupid?! Didn’t you charge into Marineford alone? With your Float-Float Fruit, no one could have stopped you from escaping. So tell me—why didn’t you run?"

Golden Lion Shiki: "That’s different! I lived, and he died! The results speak for themselves!"

Whitebeard: "The results? Let’s talk about results, then."

Whitebeard: "Ace lived a brilliant life with no regrets. Shiki, you spent half your life building a fleet—only for it to be destroyed by a storm. Then you spent another twenty years plotting your revenge—only for it to be ruined by a lightning bolt."

Whitebeard: "If we’re talking about results… Ace lived a better life than you."

Whitebeard’s words cut deep.

Golden Lion Shiki: "…"

Whitebeard: "Ace may have died young, but he lived his way. His death was his choice. Can you say the same for yourself, Shiki?"

Whitebeard: "Your grand fleet? Gone. Your great ambitions? Destroyed. Your entire life has been dictated by bad luck. If anything, your life is a joke!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "YOU—!"

Shiki’s blood pressure spiked.

Whitebeard had completely destroyed his confidence in an instant.

It was true.

Ace had lived only twenty years… but he had lived freely.

Shiki had spent decades working toward his ambitions… and lost everything in the most ridiculous ways possible.

Golden Lion Shiki: "Damn it, Whitebeard! Why do you always hit where it hurts?!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "You don’t get it! The result doesn’t matter! It’s the process that counts! I gave it my all! I don’t care about winning or losing!"

Pirate King Roger: "Shiki, are you serious?"

Whitebeard: "I believe him. What about you, Roger? [Taunt]"

Fire Fist Ace: "I don’t believe it. He’s just being stubborn!"

Fisher Tiger: "I don’t buy it either. Shiki is way too ambitious to not care about winning!"

Golden Lion Shiki: "…"

Don’t go too far!