Chapter 432: Ace Grows Up, and the Two Emperors Arrive!
As Blackbeard's charred body turned to ash, Ace stood trembling, tears rolling down his cheeks.
It wasn't grief for Teach. It was the release of years of struggle—the closure of a wound he had carried for too long.
"Ace, I'll leave the rest to you," Whitebeard said calmly. His eyes met Ryuunosuke's for a brief moment before he turned and disappeared into his cabin.
Ace lowered his hand, watching the broad back of his father vanish into the ship. He knew Whitebeard's heart must be heavy. No matter how vile Teach's betrayal, Whitebeard had once called him son. To punish that son himself… could bring no joy.
Ryuunosuke approached, clapping a firm hand on Ace's shoulder. His usual hearty smile spread across his face. "Let him rest. The Blackbeard Pirates have scattered. Only Kuzan stayed behind, and he's nothing more than an undercover pawn. He won't trouble us."
Ace exhaled slowly. "Brother… I don't know what to do now. If pops handed the Whitebeard Pirates to me today, I wouldn't know how to lead them. I… I don't even know what direction to take."
Ryuunosuke's eyes softened. He understood too well. It wasn't weakness in Ace—it was the state of the seas themselves. Even Whitebeard's strength could no longer expand territory meaningfully. Outside defending what was theirs, there seemed no battles left worth fighting.
"I've been where you are," Ryuunosuke admitted. "There were times I felt the same—like there was nothing left to do. But there's one thing that's never a waste: training. Becoming stronger. That's how you prepare for anything this sea throws at you."
He grinned. "The Dragon Hunter Pirates give headaches to anyone who provokes us. But we don't go looking for pointless fights. And when there was nothing left to do, I trained. Because strength never goes out of style. Especially for someone in your position."
Ace clenched his fists. "So… I should train, then?"
Ryuunosuke cut him off sharply. "No. You don't belong with my crew. Stay with the Whitebeard Pirates. They need you now. You're the heir. Don't run from it, Ace. This isn't about ambition—it's about responsibility. The Whitebeard Pirates need their captain's son to step forward."
Ace froze, caught in the truth of those words. He had considered hiding aboard the Dragon Hunters, calling it 'training.' But Ryuunosuke had read his heart completely.
"I know, Big Brother!" Ace said at last, fire igniting in his eyes. He turned toward the Whitebeard ship, where his brothers waited, wounded but unbroken. They needed him.
"Next time we meet," Ace promised, flames sparking around him as he flew back, "I'll be stronger than ever!"
The Whitebeard Pirates raised their sails and departed, their course set.
No sooner had they left than two colossal presences descended upon the battlefield. Kaido and Big Mom strode side by side, the air thick with their overwhelming auras.
"Captain Ryuunosuke," Kaido rumbled, "the affairs of Wano are settled. I've got time now—and I hear you're hunting Infinity Stones."
Ryuunosuke's brows lifted. Rarely did Kaido bring up business so directly.
Kaido pulled a dark, pulsing gem from within his coat. "Is this what you're looking for?"
"The Infinity Black Stone…" Ryuunosuke's breath caught. He had seen one before, during the chaos of God Valley, but that one had already been used. This one radiated raw, untouched power.
Kaido grinned, tusks glinting. "And Linlin's got one too."
Big Mom cackled and produced an orange-hued stone, its glow unmistakable.
Ryuunosuke's pulse quickened. He remembered the system's words: five Eternal Hearts are needed to open the Gate of Eternity. With these two stones, he was now only one step from that goal.
"I do need them," Ryuunosuke admitted. "What do you want in exchange?"
He respected their bluntness. If they were offering, they must have real intelligence.
Kaido snorted. "This one? We didn't find it—we stole it. During a World Government raid on my crew, I grabbed it from their science division. I'm sure they've got more, probably using them in their bloodline factor experiments."
Big Mom's eyes gleamed with greed. "Mine came from a trade. You know the name—Gaban, former crewmate of the Pirate King. He had it, and I made sure it became mine."
Ryuunosuke nodded, thoughtful. Both explanations rang true. These weren't random finds.
"So," he asked, "what do you want from me?"
Kaido crossed his arms. "That liquid you gave Whitebeard. The Life Essence. Give me what you think it's worth, and the stone is yours."
Big Mom smirked. "The same for me. And in return, I'll mobilize my crew to help you track Gaban."
Ryuunosuke's grin spread. Kaido and Linlin, two of the Yonko, standing across from him not as enemies, but as allies. The Four Emperors' balance was shifting—and he was at the center.
The seas trembled. Three of the Four Emperors were now bound to Ryuunosuke through bonds of trade, respect, or shared interest. Conflicts of old seemed smaller now, buried beneath the tides of history.
Wano's fate, once in Momonosuke's hands, now lay elsewhere. And Luffy—yes, Luffy's journey would still continue. When the boy came to challenge them, Ryuunosuke would be ready to meet him with the clash of true pirates.
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