I'm in One Piece, and I'm Luffy's childhood friend.

This is Ai Baiyun's answer.

This old man can't figure it out.

"Is this the right reaction from you two?!"

Ai Baiyun crossed his arms and said, "History is always written by the victors."

"I've only heard about things from ancient times, unless you... are an immortal person."

Are you?

Ai Baiyun suddenly threw out a question, and the old man, taken aback, immediately replied, "Immortality? Calling it luck is more like calling it a curse."

"I, an old man, don't have that kind of 'luck'."

"No, you're getting off-topic! What did you say? What do you mean history is written by the victors?"

Ai Baiyun replied, "Grandpa, you're not immortal, so that means you've only heard the story of the Jade Capital, right?"

"correct."

"So, whether the story about the residents of Emerald City going out to promote the Emerald Body is true or not, we don't know."

"If they love jade to the point of obsession, why would they actively promote it to others? You know, how much jade is needed to create a jade body? Let alone whether they have enough, even if they did, would they be willing to give it away to others because they love it so much?"

"So, going back to the point, were those kings who volunteered to go out and wipe out the Emerald City truly doing so without expecting anything in return, or were they doing it for the sake of that capital city, which was entirely made of emeralds and was an immeasurable treasure?"

"It was cult propaganda that was destroyed."

"Or they rebelled because they saw money and then falsely accused others of stealing it."

"As descendants, we should just listen to it."

"Although this Emerald Heart does indeed have the function of transforming souls."

"Bai Yun, you're right! You're truly exceptional."

"If the jade is indeed a fabrication, then I must admire the city lord."

Ace replied.

The homeless old man stroked his beard. "Hmm... I didn't expect you to have such great insights at such a young age. Not bad, that's a possibility."

"We are just a small stone in the great waves of history. If we are not descendants of the Jade Capital, why bother to investigate the truth or falsehood?"

"Um...wait, what did you just say? This Emerald Heart really has the ability to transform souls!!!"

The old man's eyes bulged in fright, and he actually projected his image onto the wall behind him.

Ai Baiyun couldn't help but think to himself, "Your reaction time is way too long."

"Yes, that's why we came here..."

Ai Baiyun, who was holding Ace's neck, turned grim.

Ace was pulled along and could only stretch his neck forward to cooperate with Ace's movements.

"My God!! This old man has wandered half his life, has nothing, and this soul is useless too!! Please spare me!!"

The homeless old man really thought he had met a descendant of the Jade Capital, and was so frightened that he immediately begged for mercy.

"Ha ha ha ha!!!"

Then, what reached my ears was the laughter of Ace and Ai Baiyun.

"Um?"

"What do you mean!? Is this your ritual before absorbing souls?"

"Ha ha ha ha!!!"

"......"

"Well, you two brats!! You're messing with this old man again, aren't you!! Don't you know how to respect your elders?!"

Ai Baiyun calmed his breathing, which had become rapid from laughing so hard.

"Haha...sir, thank you for the fun. If there's nothing else, we'll be going now."

Ace agreed; he wanted to go to the food town.

"etc!!"

The homeless old man called out to the two of them.

"Although I did covet your... Emerald Heart just now, I wouldn't want it even if you gave it to me now!"

"Moreover, although he had ulterior motives at first, the old man is still capable!"

"I dare say, on this Crystal Island of Destiny, if my divination skills are second to none, no one dares to claim to be first!!"

"Oh, so you're also a master of the Yoshino school, sir."

Ai Baiyun replied, looking at the old man's own filthy possessions, but his crystal ball was spotless, perhaps he really was a master of divination.

Chapter 543 Is Fate Irregular?

Crystal Isle is only one food town away from Water Seven.

Ai Baiyun and Ace can reach Water Seven by taking the Sea Train after arriving at the Food Town; the journey will take at most one day.

But on this day, Ai Baiyun and Ai Si encountered a homeless old man on the island.

First, they learned about the legend of the Jade Capital from the old man. When they were about to leave, the old man stopped them, saying that his divination skills were the best on the entire island.

"so?"

Ai Baiyun asked.

"So, what I said at the beginning about being destined wasn't just something I made up. Since we've met, it must be fate. So, how about I do a divination for you?"

The homeless old man replied, looking quite kind-hearted.

All Ai Baiyun cared about was, "Free?"

"free!"

The old man replied decisively, wondering if he had just said that.

Ai Baiyun answered almost as soon as the old man said it was free.

"Then let's get started."

"......"

The old man was a little speechless. You agreed to it so quickly, even though it was free.

"How do I do it, sir?"

Ace asked.

"Simple, but which of you two will go first?"

The old man asked in return, his gaze shifting back and forth between Ace and Ai Baiyun.

Ai Baiyun and Ace exchanged a glance.

"You come."

"Then I'll do it."

"........"

"Haha, you two are quite in sync. So, who's going first?"

"Let me do it."

Ai Baiyun said, and Ace nodded in agreement.

The old man nodded. "Okay, it's very simple. Look at this crystal, silently say 'fate' three times, and then put your hand on the crystal."

The old man explained his method of divination.

Ai Baiyun raised an eyebrow and then followed the old man's instructions.

After all that, the old man kept his eyes glued to the crystal ball, but the crystal ball didn't react much, like it was glowing or cracking.

Ai Baiyun took his hand away. "This... is the result good or bad, sir?"

"This... young man, how old are you?"

When they start asking your age, it's not a good thing.

"17."

"What a pity." ×2

"Um?"

"How did you know what I was going to say?" ×2

Ai Baiyun could almost keep up with everything the old man said, which puzzled the old man. "Are you the one doing the divination, or am I?"

"Of course it's you, sir, but I've heard those kinds of things too many times."

"Have you heard that a lot? Then why are you perfectly healthy?"

"Well, I heard the results of someone else's divination, not mine."

"Someone else's? Well, you really are a jinx..."

The old man muttered to himself.

"What?"

Given Ai Baiyun and Ace's Observation Haki, it's impossible that they couldn't hear it; Ai Baiyun just didn't point it out.

"nothing."

"Kid, I don't care whether you believe it or not, I'm just kindly reminding you to be careful."

"The divination results indicate that you will soon face a major calamity, one that could be life-threatening."

The old man revealed the results of the divination.

Ace frowned and looked silently at Ai Baiyun.

Ai Baiyun didn't show much of an expression. "Yes, I understand. Thank you for reminding me, sir."