Pirate: I, Ace, am the King of Eclipse!

Chopper asked a few more questions and quickly received a response: "After you took over the nest, there's less and less food to be found nearby. They have to look for things around the village to raise their chicks. The adult birds also said that they only scratch people after you shoot them with poisoned arrows first."

The conflict continued for years, with both sides only remembering the wounds they had suffered. Foreign pirates forced the tribe to migrate to higher ground, depriving the giant bird of its nest and food; unable to communicate, each act of self-defense became a pretext for the next round of retaliation.

The tribal chief still wasn't entirely convinced. He pointed to his injured leg: "Many of our people have been injured by bird claws. My leg is still bleeding. Is this all fake?"

The giant bird in the air let out a mournful cry and spread its wings, which had been struck by arrows. Chopper glanced back and forth, instantly forgetting the tension he had felt when facing the poisoned spear.

“The wound has become infected. If you delay any longer, your leg will become necrotic.” It took off its blue medical kit and went directly to the native chief. “I am a doctor. Let me treat you first.”

Several natives tried to stop him, but Ace took half a step forward. No one fell, but a heavy pressure fell on everyone's hearts. Their hands, holding spears, seemed to be fixed in place, making it difficult for them to thrust at Chopper again.

Chopper crouched down beside the injured leg and removed the herbs mixed with black blood: "Ordinary herbs are useless on the outside. The necrotic tissue inside must be removed, and the wound needs to be disinfected."

Scalpel, hemostats, and medication were laid out in sequence. Its hooves, though seemingly clumsy, moved with remarkable efficiency. Necrotic tissue was removed, pus and blood were cleaned, and disinfection, suturing, and bandaging were all completed in one smooth motion. A few minutes later, the native chieftain attempted to move his right leg; the excruciating pain that had tormented him for days was now reduced to a slight stinging sensation as the wound was pulled.

"Don't get it wet for the next few days, and don't put any unfamiliar leaves into the wound." Chopper put away his equipment and beckoned to the giant bird, "You come down too. The arrow is poisoned; if we don't pull it out soon, we'll lose our entire wing."

The giant bird lowered its body and laid its injured wing flat on a branch. Chopper first cut away the feathers stuck around the arrow shaft, then pulled out the poisoned arrow, cleaned it, and applied a special antidote ointment. The giant bird tried to flap its wings, and the black blood that had been seeping out had stopped.

The natives looked at their leader, then at the giant bird they had always considered their mortal enemy, and their spears began to fall to the ground.

Chopper stepped between the two sides and translated the giant bird's conditions sentence by sentence: the tribe would return the nests closest to the center of the tree canopy, the giant bird would no longer enter the village to steal stored food, they would jointly warn of any pirates, and the injured party could come to the tribe to exchange herbs. He also relayed the indigenous chief's additional demands to the giant bird.

The conflict, which has lasted for hundreds of years, is not so complex as to be unsolvable; it's just that no one has ever been able to understand both sides at the same time.

The largest bird lowered its head and touched the wooden shaft of the spear that the native chief had extended. The chief was silent for a moment, then threw his weapon at his feet and knelt before Chopper. Hundreds of natives around him followed suit and prostrated themselves.

"Thanks to the messenger of the gods for ending this struggle for us."

"God, messenger of the gods?" Chopper covered his face and twisted his body. "Even if you call me that, I won't be happy, you bastards!"

Looking at it, Indigo whispered a reminder: "You're so happy you can't stand up straight."

After the misunderstanding was cleared up, the native chieftain approached Ace and said, "The book you are looking for is in the most sacred place on the sacred tree. No one in the tribe can understand the writing. To thank you, I will take you inside."

He pushed aside the vines behind the tree hole, revealing a path leading into the trunk. Ace and the other two followed him down for more than ten minutes. The passage gradually widened, and artificial symbols began to appear on the damp wooden walls.

The last vine-covered door was pushed open, and the space in front of it suddenly opened up.

Inside the giant tree, a hollow hall resembling a church had been carved out. The wooden walls stretched all the way to eye level, and layers of shelves spiraled along the trunk. It was filled with ancient medical books in various styles, including parchment scrolls, stone rubbings, and bindings. There were at least tens of thousands of them, and the number of well-preserved ones might even exceed one hundred thousand.

In the center of the hall are several long tables naturally arched from tree roots, their tabletops engraved with images of grinding medicinal herbs and diagrams of human meridians. Some bookshelves are corroded by moisture, with mold growing on the edges; however, many more books are encased in resin, and the text inside remains clear even after the outer layer is peeled back. The natives have clearly always treated this place as a forbidden zone, and although they cannot understand the contents, they have not arbitrarily burned or moved them.

Indigo walked to the nearest bookshelf, his finger hovering over an ancient scroll, hesitant to touch it for a long time: "Plant medicinal properties, bloodline variations, ancient surgical records... the knowledge preserved here is far more than I expected. As long as we can sort out the parts related to gene activity, there's definitely a chance to neutralize the SIQ toxin!"

Chopper had already rushed to another bookshelf. He opened a thick medical book and, seeing the medicinal herb illustrations inside, his antlers trembled with excitement: "Ace, there are so many formulas here that you can't find anywhere else! There are also cases of abnormal growth and symbiotic toxins. The methods needed to improve and enhance potions might very well be in these books!"

“Then let’s start the investigation now.” Ace scanned the entire library. “You and Indigo stay here. First, classify the materials, then find the pharmacology that SIQ needs. The goal is not only to remove the toxicity, but also to ensure that the original effect of stimulating potential is not lost.”

Chopper quickly established a sequence: first, check records on symbiotic toxins, abnormal growth, and lineage stimuli; then, list potentially useful local plants separately. Indigo was responsible for deciphering the old text and organizing the formula, while Chopper assessed the medicinal properties and clinical effects. The two no longer engaged in aimless trial and error; every step from then on was verifiable using ancient texts.

Indigo picked up several scrolls of parchment: "Captain Ace, aren't you staying?"

“I’m going to a nearby island to verify a hypothesis.” Ace turned and walked toward the entrance, then paused. “These ancient books are unreadable if left here, and they’ll only rot if left untouched. Number them carefully as you organize them, and when I return, transfer all the valuable materials onto the Eclipse.”

Chopper looked up: "All of them?"

"Don't leave out a single volume." Ace waved his hand. "The Ancient Library has already been opened for us, so of course we should empty it before we leave. Once this knowledge is sent to the Eclipse's database, we won't have to start from scratch when we encounter similar potion problems in the future."

Chapter 125 A Solo Voyage: A Hidden Tragedy in the South China Sea

Outside the Giant Tree Library in the Kingdom of Trino.

The Eclipse's suspension staircase descended from the Tree Trunk Plaza all the way to the ground. Ace stood at the top of the staircase, Chopper was holding a medical book taller than himself, and Indigo was hiding behind Chopper, only half of his face showing.

"I need to leave for a while to take care of some personal business in the South China Sea." Ace looked at Chopper. "You guys stay here and continue your research. I'll come back for you when I'm done."

Chopper peeked out from behind the book and nodded vigorously: "Don't worry, Ace! There are still many medical books here that I haven't finished reading. I'll stay and help Indigo improve SIQ."

Hearing that Ace was leaving, Indigo's shoulders, which had been tense for many days, finally relaxed. But before he could even catch his breath, Ace's gaze had already fallen on him.

“Don’t be so happy.” Ace pointed at him. “If the potion is still stuck in the same place when I get back, you don’t need to get on the ship. Those big birds on the island have been eating well lately and are in need of fresh meat.”

Indigo straightened his back and saluted, his legs together: "I guarantee I'll deliver results! I'll finish it even if I have to work day and night!"

Ace stopped scaring him and turned to Chopper, saying, "The people here lent us the library and are also providing you with food. If anyone gets sick, or if those big birds get injured, help them if you can. Consider this our payment."

“Leave it to me!” Chopper patted his chest, raising his hoof. “I’ve already arranged with them to check the wings of a few baby birds this afternoon.”

After explaining everything, Ace returned to the deck via the suspension ladder: "Erosion, retract the ladder and switch to anti-gravity levitation mode."

"Command confirmed. Captain, please enter the destination."

"South China Sea, Battilla Island."

The mechanical ladders retracted towards the hull, and the thrusters beneath the ship lit up one after another. Air currents swept across the plaza, ruffling the animal hides and feathers worn by the natives. Several giant birds circling near the treetops simultaneously rose into the air, clearing a path for the black warship.

After leaving the giant tree, the Eclipse accelerated and quickly disappeared into the clouds. Chopper stood on the edge of a branch, waving his hooves, until the light from the stern nozzle disappeared, then he picked up the medical book and returned to the library.

The Eclipse flew south along the log pointer. No other crew members were training on deck, and Leona wasn't chasing him from the galley to urge him to eat; the only sounds on the ship were the hum of the engines. Ace sat at the bow, examining old nautical charts near Battila Island, glancing several times at the shifting clouds.

Since forming the Eclipse Pirates, he has rarely acted alone. This journey, however, is not about a captain leading his crew to seize a target, but about a son going to see the mother who lost her life for him. Whether he finds her grave or only gets a glimpse of the island where she lived, he has no intention of having anyone accompany him.

This time, Ace did not bring any crew members.

There are some places he has to go to by himself.

……

Battilla Island is located deep in the South China Sea. The island is small, but the sea breezes and warm currents ensure its year-round abundance of vegetation. For generations, the island's inhabitants have made their living by fishing and hosting travelers. If it weren't for the raid that occurred twenty years ago, it would likely have remained just an unremarkable resort island on the nautical charts.

After Gol D. Roger surrendered, the World Government received information that someone had seen him on the island. At that time, Roger didn't seem like the Pirate King who ruled the seas; he seemed more like an ordinary man about to become a father.

An unverified report resulted in the navy imposing a year-long blockade on the entire island.

They registered every pregnant woman, took away all babies born at suspicious times, and investigated house after house. Some never returned, while others returned alive but never spoke of that year again. To eliminate any possible bloodline left by Roger, the World Government was willing to sacrifice an entire island for an unborn child.

Nearly twenty years have passed, the streets have been renovated, and merchant ships are coming and going in the port again. But when the older generation of residents see warships, they still instinctively close their doors and windows tightly.

The Eclipse did not enter the port. Ace hid the warship in a bay far from the town, changed into an unmarked black trench coat, and went alone to the cliff on the other side of the island.

The hood concealed his face, and also the wanted poster worth 1.57 billion Berries. Waves crashed against the cliff below, white foam repeatedly surging onto the rocks. Ace stood there for a long time before finally walking along the path between the cliffs towards the highest point.

In the stories he had read in his previous life, Battilla Island was only mentioned in a few lines of narration. But for Ace now, behind those words lay twenty months of his own personal experience.

His consciousness had already awakened before he was born.

He remembered his mother holding her breath as the search party passed by the door, her heart pounding uncontrollably in her chest; he remembered how she forced her body against the laws of nature to postpone childbirth, enduring excruciating pain every day; and he remembered that rainy night when she used up her last strength to bring him into the world.

That wasn't a tragedy seen through a screen.

Every tremor she made, every groan she swallowed back in pain, reached his soul through her flesh and blood.

"It's been almost twenty years."

Ace stopped at the edge of the cliff, took a bottle of South Sea rum from his pocket, bit off the cork, and took a sip. The strong liquor burned his throat, and as he gazed at the sea, there was no joy on his face from a long-awaited reunion.

"Roger chose the most dramatic way to die, igniting the Great Pirate Era with a single sentence. The pursuit, the manhunt, and the unborn child—all of that is left to you."

He never felt that Roger's bloodline defined him. But he would never forget who his life came from.

The Observation Haki had already transcended the mountains and villages, covering the entire island. There was no navy nearby, and the residents were concentrated on the other side. At the highest point of the cliff, there was only a faint but sharp aura, which, after twenty years of wind and rain, had not yet dissipated.

Ace followed the scent through the bushes and found a solitary grave on a rocky platform jutting out towards the sea.

There was no name, no epitaph. A few blue stones surrounded a small mound, backed by the island's highest peak and facing the entire South China Sea. Behind the grave was a long knife, most of the blade buried in the soil, with only the old hilt and dark red handle visible.

Such a place wouldn't appear in government records. Besides Garp, no one else would choose a burial site for Rouge and then hide all traces of it completely.

Ace walked to the bluestone, neither kneeling nor uttering his belated lament. He turned the bottle upside down, letting the wine flow down the stone and into the soil.

"I've come to see you. Come to think of it, this is the first time we've actually met."

The aroma of the wine was carried away by the sea breeze. Ace placed the half-empty bottle in front of the grave and continued, "I didn't follow Garp's wishes to become a Marine, nor am I interested in fulfilling Roger's dreams. Who owns the One Piece is not important to me."

He stood up and reached out to grasp the hilt of the knife behind the grave.

"I go to sea to live my own way."

The dark red hilt was gripped tightly by five fingers, and the blade buried in the earth trembled slightly. The sharpness that had been dormant for twenty years finally responded.

"As for those self-proclaimed gods who make you hide even after giving birth..."

Ace looked in the direction of the Red Line and raised his arm upwards.

“I will personally pull them off their thrones.”

Chapter 126 The Passing of the Throne, The Potion Completed

The moment the longsword left the soil, a sword's cry echoed from the cliff.

The sound swept across the mountain peaks, startling flocks of birds into flight from the forest. The dark red blade was fully revealed in the sunlight, without rust or sea-blown blemishes. Twenty years of silence seemed to have only made it more impatient.

Immediately afterwards, streaks of black and red lightning exploded from the blade, leaving fine cracks around the rock platform.

Ace did not unleash Conqueror's Haki.

These powers originated from the sword itself. Roger had imbued this Supreme Grade Sword with Conqueror's Haki countless times, his will and strikes repeatedly washing over its blade, ultimately leaving marks that time could not erase. An ordinary swordsman would likely have been overwhelmed by that lingering aura of kingship.

Ace, however, stared at the lightning crackling around the blade, and the problem that had been navigating in his mind suddenly found its answer.

Conqueror's Haki is not just an outward display of power. By compressing one's will to a sufficiently concentrated degree, it can possess the destructive power to directly interfere with matter, and this power can then be concentrated into fists, feet, or weapons.

"So that's where the difference lies."

His problem wasn't a lack of power, but rather that he had never found a way to control it. This knife before him was essentially a complete demonstration of how Roger had used it back then.

The black and red lightning on the blade flickered again, as if scrutinizing its new master.

Ace gripped the hilt of his sword: "Now that you're awake, stop clinging to the aura from twenty years ago. From today onward, you'll remember my power."

boom!

The Conqueror's Haki he had suppressed for so long erupted from his body, but it did not sweep across the entire island as usual. Ace forcibly gathered his leaking will and poured it all into the longsword in his hand.

The two powerful colors clashed head-on inside the blade.

The power Roger left behind was fierce and pure, causing the blade to vibrate violently. Ace didn't retreat an inch, his fingers clenching tighter and tighter, his Conqueror's Haki continuously surging in. Black and red lightning struck back and forth along his arm and the blade, and the rock platform beneath his feet began to crack from the edges.

The stalemate lasted only a moment.

The old aura was suppressed inch by inch, eventually merging into the depths of the blade. The originally scattered and exploding lightning also changed, no longer scattering outwards haphazardly, but instead clinging to the blade's edge and converging into several tangible black and red light bands.

Ace raised his sword, feeling his will extend along the blade.