Finally, after days of sailing, the fleet reached the waters surrounding Wanokuni.
Ace stood on the deck, surveying the scenery ahead, his eyes shining brightly.
Suddenly, a bright light flashed across the sea.
"Buzz!"
"Swoosh!"
Ace grinned. "Time for landing, everyone!"
"Swoosh!"
——
Above the sea near Wanokuni, high in the clouds, several glowing, bear-paw-shaped spheres hurtled through the sky.
"I knew it! Is this the normal landing you mean, Ace?! I'm going to fight you!!!"
Inside one of the spheres, Nami and Conis clung together as Nami shouted furiously.
Nami had prepared herself for Ace's usual antics. As his first crew member, she was all too familiar with his chaotic methods, which often left her feeling as if she'd barely survived the experience.
Fortunately, Nami had grown into one of the absolute top powerhouses on the seas.
But what she didn't anticipate was Ace's next move.
As they approached the seas around Wanokuni, Ace suddenly used his Paw-Paw Fruit ability to launch everyone—quite literally—toward Wanokuni.
The enhanced capabilities of the Paw-Paw Fruit, combined with Ace's Field of Comprehension, rendered escape impossible—even for someone with Nami's lightning-speed transformation.
To make matters worse, Ace had the audacity to laugh and claim the destinations were "random" so that everyone could "enjoy this war."
Enjoy?! Enjoy your a—!!!
This wasn't just a routine landing; they were about to face two Four Emperors pirate groups! How could he be so reckless?
Adding insult to injury, once she landed in the heart of Wanokuni, her Observation Haki would be limited. Its vast range was only possible thanks to the amplification provided by the Thunder Fruit. And strong Observation Haki users nearby would certainly detect her abilities, making stealth difficult.
Now, she was stuck with Conis, forced to fight independently somewhere in Wanokuni.
Nami's hands clenched. "Ace, you reckless idiot!!!"
In Another Sphere
"Ace, are you sure this is okay? We're about to face two Four Emperors pirate groups," Tashigi asked hesitantly, her voice carrying a trace of worry.
Inside another bear-paw sphere, she looked toward Ace, whose expression remained calm.
"Don't worry," Ace replied with a sly smile. "I said the locations were random, but the groupings were planned carefully."
Nami, being the strongest of the group, was paired with Conis, who wasn't as proficient in frontal combat. In other spheres:
Vivi and Nojiko were teamed up.
Raki was partnered with Robin.
Kaya, whose Healing Fruit was not combat-focused, was grouped with Perona and Merry to form a three-person team. While Kaya's "Black Flash" ability allowed her to briefly exert Admiral-level combat power, Perona and Merry would bolster the team's overall strength.
As for the heavy hitters, Hancock, Gion, and Ain formed a trio, boasting two Admiral-level fighters—one of the strongest combinations among the women, second only to Nami's. Even with Ain potentially being a liability, this team could hold its ground against someone like Kaido without being overwhelmed immediately.
Ace's smile widened. "With this configuration, even if we run into the worst-case scenario, everyone should be able to hold their own."
Ace's strategy wasn't as reckless as it seemed on the surface. Each grouping was carefully designed to balance strengths and weaknesses, ensuring that even against overwhelming odds, the teams would survive.
As for the Entei Pirates fleet:
Rayleigh and Shakky formed one team, while Issho and Kuzan teamed up with Zephyr in another. Their landing location was strategically placed at the center of the girls' formations.
This arrangement ensured that in the event of an emergency, heavyweights like Issho, Kuzan, and Rayleigh—each a formidable combatant—could quickly respond and provide support.
Ace had brought Zephyr and Ain along for one crucial reason: this war would be their final opportunity to decide whether to join the Entei Pirates.
If they failed to align themselves with Ace after the Wanokuni battle, Ace would no longer waste words trying to convince them. Instead, he would imprison both of them.
While Ace had no intention of killing them—largely out of respect for Kuzan and Gion , and due to his personal admiration for Zephyr—he wouldn't hesitate to ensure they could no longer interfere.
With Ace's current standing, neither Zephyr nor Ain were of great importance to him. His tolerance stemmed purely from a sense of respect and practicality. However, his patience has its limits. If they didn't make a choice after this war, their fate would be lifelong imprisonment.
Ace's decision reflected his philosophy: mercy and strength must both be taken to their extremes, but never at the cost of resolve.
This meticulous division of combat forces ensured every group had a balance of power—enough to protect themselves while still being challenged.
Additionally, Ace had the Door-Door Fruit , enabling him to teleport to the girls' positions at any moment.
Though Ace had eaten the Mera-Mera Fruit , preventing him from fully utilizing the Thunder Fruit 's abilities (like transforming into lightning), he could still amplify his Observation Haki through the Thunder Fruit's power.
Ace also employed a third layer of precaution.
"Viola, keep a close watch on their situation. Report to me immediately if anything happens," Ace said, holding a Den Den Mushi .
"Yes, Admiral," Viola's voice replied confidently.
Viola, the user of the Glare-Glare Fruit , hadn't joined them in Wanokuni. Instead, she remained stationed in the sea outside Wanokuni, using her fruit's abilities—enhanced by Ace's Field of Comprehension—to monitor the battlefield. With Viola acting as a scout, Ace ensured no unexpected events could take him by surprise.
Ace's thorough preparations reflected the significance of this battle. The fight in Wanokuni was likely to be the last major conflict before the ultimate showdown between the Entei Pirates and the World Government.
During previous battles, the girls had been relatively weak. At the time of the Entei event, the only one who could stand out was Nami , who had fully awakened her Thunder Fruit powers and barely reached a threshold of celestial combat prowess.
However, her Haki had been too underdeveloped to make her a major factor. She could only assist with her Thunder Fruit abilities.
As for the other girls, they hadn't even been capable of participating meaningfully on the frontlines.
Now, things had changed drastically.
- Vivi , Raki , Kaya , and Hancock had all reached Admiral-level combat power .
- The rest of the girls were strong enough to be considered Admiral candidates .
- Nami , meanwhile, had evolved into a force capable of taking on Itachi and even the Four Emperors in direct combat.
Despite their current power, the girls lacked experience in high-level combat outside of mutual practice sessions. Practice, no matter how intense, could never fully substitute for actual battle.
Ace understood that the Entei Pirates were strong enough to crush the Beasts Pirates and the BIG-MOM Pirates without significant effort. The disparity in high-end combat power between the two sides was simply too vast.
In fact, even if all four Four Emperors Pirates joined forces, the Entei Pirates would still have the upper hand.
This war was less about victory and more about training the girls in real combat situations. As the final battle drew closer, Ace needed them to hone their skills and develop confidence under pressure.
He also understood their heartfelt desire to support him. Their determination warmed his heart, and he felt a responsibility to help them fulfill their ambitions.
For this, the Wanokuni battlefield would serve as the ultimate proving ground.
And lastly, being paired with Tashigi, he had his own objectives to complete before engaging the Beasts Pirates and the BIG-MOM Pirates.
"Swoosh!"
With the sound of air being sliced apart, several glowing spheres descended across Wanokuni!
——
"The captain sure loves to make things chaotic," Kuzan muttered as the light orb dispersed, ruffling his hair.
"Ace-san's decisions are always surprising," Issho muttered, though his brow furrowed. "But the atmosphere here… it feels oppressive."
Wanokuni, the pirate nation under Kaido's rule, was even more desolate than Dressrosa during Doflamingo's reign. The emotions Issho sensed through his Observation Haki could only be described as lifeless—a silence far deeper than mere despair.
"What a fool. He even unlocked my combat power," Zephyr grumbled, flexing his wrists.
Earlier, he had been rendered powerless by Perona's negative ghost . The fruit's ability suppressed all energy related to combat, including Haki and physical strength, leaving its victims completely vulnerable.
When Haki is disabled, the Ghost Fruit becomes nearly invincible—its effects more debilitating than even the seastone's restraints. But now, its power had dissipated, and Zephyr could once again access his strength and Haki.
"Well, for old times' sake, I'll give you a piece of advice," Kuzan said, glancing at Zephyr from under his sunglasses. "The captain doesn't act without purpose."
Kuzan's gaze sharpened as he began piecing together Ace's intentions. He understood what this war in Wanokuni represented: it was the final chance for Zephyr and Ain to decide their future.
Ace had been remarkably considerate, allowing Zephyr and Ain this much time to choose.
As the saying goes, 'a man dies for his friends.' Kuzan adjusted his sunglasses, taking in the bleak surroundings.
"Hmph," Zephyr scoffed in response. "Do you think I'm clueless? I'll see if I can find a new answer in this war."
Though his tone was defiant, Zephyr's thoughts were heavy. A former Admiral of the Navy, he had spent his life defending justice. Joining the pirate camp wasn't just difficult—it was antithetical to his core beliefs.
However, what he had seen in Dressrosa, along with Ace's ideals as explained by Kuzan, had deeply affected him. Now, he wanted to see for himself whether a new path—one that reconciled justice and piracy—was truly possible.
"Let's move and turn this place upside down," Issho declared, tapping his staff-sword against the ground.
"Well, that's unusual for you, Issho-san," Kuzan remarked with a chuckle.
"Ace-san intends to use this war to strengthen everyone's combat experience," Issho replied with a calm yet determined expression. "As followers of Ace-san, we should do our part. Making a big commotion is valuable for the Entei Pirates.
"My intuition tells me the final battle will be far more complex than this conflict," Issho added, his voice deepening.
"That's the spirit! With the name of Entei behind us, let's make a real mess here," Kuzan said with a laugh.
Zephyr, listening to their exchange, couldn't help but mutter, "Idiots."
Still, as he thought about his time with the Entei Pirates since his capture, he found himself smirking despite his irritation. 'Is it because the captain himself is so reckless?'
But deep down, Zephyr felt something he hadn't experienced in years—a stirring in his blood. The long-dormant fire within him was beginning to ignite once more.
Zephyr flexed his wrists, shook off his doubts, and followed Kuzan and Issho.
Kuzan noticed it and couldn't hide the small grin that tugged at the corners of his lips.
—
Ace side.
At that moment, Ace and Tashigi arrived at their destination.
"We've arrived," Ace said with a confident smile, gazing at the building in front of them.
"Where is this?" Tashigi asked, gripping her sword tightly.
"There are plenty of famous swords here, Tashigi," Ace replied with a hearty laugh.
Using Gion devil fruit ability, Ace had easily locked onto the location. The ability, which allowed him to manipulate energy within weapons made tracking legendary blades a simple task.
Moreover, Ace's Realm of Comprehension made precision even easier.
"Who are you?"
A startled voice interrupted their exchange, coming quickly from within the building.