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The Whitebeard Pirates raised their weapons, charging toward Akainu.
"Stop him!"
Bullets and cannon fire rained down, explosions rocking the battlefield. Smoke and flame cloaked the air.
When it cleared, Akainu walked out of the inferno, half his body missing—yet still flowing with magma. Slowly, the missing half regenerated.
"He's a monster…" someone whispered.
Akainu glared at Ace, blood streaming from the younger man's mouth and nose.
"Still breathing, Fire Fist?"
He raised his magma-covered fist, heat blazing.
"Stop… stop…" Luffy clenched his teeth, helpless.
Whitebeard's eyes narrowed. He swung his massive fist—but a golden beam pierced straight through it.
"Caught you head-on, Whitebeard," Kizaru said coolly. "I won't let you interfere."
Jinbei appeared in a flash, his hand glowing as he intercepted Akainu's strike.
"You won't lay another hand on him!"
"Pointless resistance," Akainu growled. "As a former Warlord, you know my strength."
"If buying time costs my life, then so be it! I gave up fearing death long ago!" Jinbei roared.
The explosion rocked the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Garp's face twisted with fury as he strode toward Sakazuki.
"Garp!!!" Sengoku tackled him, forcing him down.
"What are you doing?! Are you insane?!"
"Hold me back, Sengoku… or I'll kill him with my bare hands!" Garp's voice shook with murderous rage.
Jinbei's burned hands smoked as Akainu loomed closer, magma seething.
"Time to deal with the traitor," Akainu snarled, raising his blazing fist.
"Jinbei, down!!"
Marco and Vista, their seastone cuffs broken, flashed past in unison—cutting through Akainu with steel and fury.
A spray of blood burst into the air.
"The Celestial Palace of Weiyang has one hundred and eight maidservants!"
"Five hundred and eight immortal guards at the True Immortal realm!"
"Fifty-three Golden Immortal commanders!"
"Fifty-eight celestial attendants to look after your daily life, my lord!"
"And within the palace—endless spirit stones, herbs, and divine artifacts!"
"Everything and everyone here belongs to you, my lord!"
Hearing this, Chu Ge nodded calmly on the outside, but inside his heart was pounding with excitement.
Wasn't this basically the life of the Jade Emperor himself?
He spoke again, voice echoing through the hall.
"Hong Que, tell me—what responsibilities does a Lord God actually carry?"
As someone who came from Earth, Chu Ge had never forgotten one truth: the greater the power, the greater the responsibility.
Now that he had obtained strength beyond all beings, the weight of that responsibility could only be greater.
Hong Que bowed and replied, "My lord, you are the sole Lord God across the three thousand worlds—the only one who has reached the Heaven's Dao realm. Your duty is simply to patrol the three thousand worlds and maintain order."
"Besides, the Four Divine Beasts have already been dispatched to keep peace. You only need to inspect them from time to time."
Chu Ge chuckled. "I understand."
Then he entered the Celestial Palace. Bathed and dressed by ten maidservants, he changed into the robes of the Lord God.
From that day, he began living as the Lord of all worlds.
The third day of being the Lord God—
Chu Ge turned into a streak of golden light and descended to Earth.
At Su Ning's home.
At that very moment, she was quarreling with her husband.
"You're never home! Always out messing around, and when you finally drag yourself back, you just collapse into bed. Do you ever even look at your son? At this family?"
Her husband, Li Dakang, frowned in irritation. "That's your job. You're a woman, what would you know? I work outside all day—for this family."
Su Ning sneered, her voice dripping with scorn."Work? You call that work? Is running off to hotels with other women part of your 'job' too?"
Li Dakang's face darkened instantly."You followed me?!"
His hand shot up, palm swinging toward her.
But just as the slap was about to land, a blinding golden light filled the room.
A powerful hand caught his wrist mid-swing.
Li Dakang froze, staring at the man who had appeared out of nowhere."Who the hell are you?! How did you get into my house?"
Chu Ge ignored him completely. His eyes were only on Su Ning.
"So this is the man you chose? This is your so-called destiny?"
Su Ning's face flushed red, tears trembling in her eyes."Chu Ge… You're alive! I thought…"
He had vanished for three long years. Everyone had believed he was dead.
With just a flick of Chu Ge's hand, Li Dakang's body flew across the room, smashing into the wall and slumping unconscious.
Chu Ge turned back toward Su Ning. She looked thinner, worn down, her beauty shadowed by exhaustion.
At that moment, a small boy toddled out from the back.
"Mama!"
Chu Ge's gaze softened. He crouched down slightly, smiling at the child."Hey there, little one. How old are you?"
But the boy, wary of strangers, ducked behind Su Ning's legs.
Su Ning's voice was quiet, almost trembling."His name is Li Ge. He's two years old."
The words struck Chu Ge like a thunderclap.
He whispered, "I'll give you a life of comfort. I'll make sure the child grows up with every opportunity."
With a wave of his hand, a soft golden glow flowed into Su Ning's body. Her destiny shifted in that instant.
Then, without another word, Chu Ge became light once more and vanished from Earth.
From then on, he drifted freely through the three thousand worlds—
The world of Dragon Ball, the world of Naruto, Fairy Tail, Inuyasha, Pokémon, Digimon, One Piece…
Even the Omni-King of Dragon Ball, upon meeting Chu Ge, would bow respectfully and call him Lord Omni-King.
Perhaps, someday, Chu Ge would venture into realms even higher.
That would depend only on his mood.
Blood spurted out, only to sizzle into molten lava before the wound knit itself shut.
"Damn it, this is such a pain!!!"
"Was that… Haki?"
Marco stared in disbelief. "How the hell is this even possible!?"
The Flower Swordsman gritted his teeth. "Unbelievable… just one slip, one instant of carelessness!"
"You people still don't get it? Fire Fist is already finished! Just look!"
Everyone followed Akainu's words. Ace was slumped against Luffy's shoulder, a gaping wound tearing across his stomach.
Luffy's hands were pressed desperately over the injury, but blood poured through his fingers no matter how hard he tried. "Ace!!!"
His palms were slick with red. "We need to treat you right now, Ace!"
Ace's voice was weak, trembling. "Sorry… Luffy."
"You fought so hard for me, and I still couldn't escape my fate in the end."
"I'm so sorry!!!"
Tears streamed down Luffy's face. "What are you saying? Don't talk nonsense like that!"
"Somebody! Help Ace! Hurry!!!"
The Whitebeard Pirates' doctor rushed over, but when he saw the wound, his face fell silent.
"What are you waiting for!? Save him!"
The doctor's fists trembled, sorrow twisting his face. "I… I'm sorry."
Luffy screamed. "What do you mean!? You're a doctor, aren't you!?"
Ace forced out another faint breath. "It's useless… my organs are burned through. There's no saving me now."
"At least… I know my end is here."
"No! No way… wait! Ivankov!"
Luffy spun around. "Give Ace that shot! Do for him what you did for me!"
Ivankov's face darkened. "Straw Hat Boy… Ace-boy's body is already—"
"You're lying!" Luffy sobbed, his whole body shaking. "We promised, remember!? You said you'd never die, Ace!!!"
…
In the world of One Piece
Ace stared blankly at the screen. "So I really couldn't escape my fate after all…"
Marco put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Ace. I won't let history repeat itself."
"Marco…"
Whitebeard's deep, heavy voice rolled across the deck. "My foolish son… I won't let you die. Not even if it costs me my life."
On another ship, Luffy sat frozen, his mind gone blank. "Ace… Ace is dead…"
"Sakazuki!!!"
"I'll kill you," Garp roared, his sanity gone.
"Garp, stop!"
But he didn't hear. He stormed for the exit, until Sengoku seized his arm. "Garp! Don't forget who you are!!!"
…
In the world of Naruto
Naruto's whole body trembled. "Ace… Ace really…"
"Old man Whitebeard must be devastated…"
Kakashi's eyes widened at the sight. "So… even he couldn't escape his fate?"
…
On the screen
"If only Sabo had been there… if only you weren't such a reckless brother to worry about."
"Oh—and if you ever see Dadan again… tell her I said hi. Strange, isn't it? At the end, even thinking of someone like her feels nostalgic."
"Stop it! You can't die!" Luffy shouted.
"There's just one regret… not living long enough to see your dream come true. But I know you'll make it. You're my little brother, after all."
"That day… we swore it, remember? That our lives would be without regrets."
"You liar!!!"
"No… I'm not lying. I realize now, I never cared about fame. All I ever wanted… was to know whether my life was worth being born at all. And now I finally have my answer."
"Tell everyone this for me—"
"Old man… everyone… and you too, Luffy. Thank you. Thank you for loving someone as hopeless as me, who carries the blood of a demon. Thank you… for everything."
Ace's tears wouldn't stop. His eyes dimmed, his arm went limp, and his body collapsed from Luffy's grasp.
Everyone froze, their eyes wide.
Whitebeard stooped, lifting the necklace Ace always wore. His hands shook violently. A single tear splashed onto his palm.
Luffy stared at Ace's lifeless body. His whole body quaked before he threw his head back and screamed into the sky.
The grief was too much. Still screaming, Luffy blacked out, falling unconscious in Jinbei's arms.
Around them, pirates dropped to their knees, wailing.
But then… a surge of magma swept across the battlefield like a tidal wave, swallowing everything in its path. Weapons turned to vapor. Screams filled the air as men were devoured by fire.
"Straw Hat's mind has snapped. His life force is collapsing!"
Akainu burst through the lava storm, molten fists blazing.
"You're next, Straw Hat!"
His magma fist shot forward, aiming to finish the job—
—but a wall of blue fire exploded between them, clashing with the raging heat.
Luffy's vision blurred into a world of red and blue.
From the flames, Marco the Phoenix stepped out.
"You'll never touch Ace's little brother!"
"..."
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