Chapter 108

A/N: It's been 87 years... I finally found the time and inspiration to write again! I had fun these past two months of silence playing games, reading stuff, and studying. The fact that I still haven't even got past the halfway point of this fic I had in mind bugged me... ANYWAY, I hope I post more soon. My academic year still isn't finished... it has only just begun-

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Ace watched the auction present item after item, finding nothing of interest to him. He was disappointed to see not even a single one that he felt would be useful for him and his crew.

"And here I thought this auction was first class." Ace mumbled under his breath.

The audience Ace found himself with didn't think the same way he did. Most of them bid furiously, making the whole place shake with palpable excitement.

"Aaaaand sold! To number 41!"

The auction item, a stolen painting of some artist with some renown, was quickly carted off the stage to be collected later by its winner. Like all the other auction items so far, it serves no purpose other than to show off wealth.

"Now, folks! It is time for what many of you all have been waiting for!" the auctioneer said, rousing the excitement of the people even further. "The final auction piece for today!"

Ace then heard murmurs erupt all around him. It seems that there was some rumor going on about the final item to be auctioned today. Ace couldn't catch a clue on what it was, given the sheer amount of people excitedly whispering around him.

"Yes, I am here today to tell you that it is true!" the auctioneer said to the audience. "The final item today is a real treasure! A Devil Fruit!"

Ace's attention was finally caught in a vice grip. A smile widened on his face. He felt his heart fire up, but quickly calmed it down. He reminded himself that some Devil Fruits are just… disappointing.

'I hope these guys know what Devil Fruit they have… but wait, if they know it's a shit one, they won't tell everyone just to drive up the price for it…'

"And not just one Devil Fruit… but two Devil Fruits! That's right!"

'...seriously? Why put both in one bidding? To drive up the bidding value even more?'

Soon, a cart was pushed onto the stage. On it was an item veiled by a purple silk. No doubt they would use theatrics to make the audience more excited, more willing to bid crazily.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Feast your eyes on these rare treasures! They are not just any Devil Fruit… both are one of the most powerful ones! A Logia!"

Ace was now very excited. Logias were bound to be powerful, even the stranger ones.

Then, a thought came to Ace's mind.

'Is it… Enel's?'

Ace resolved to get the Devil Fruit being auctioned no matter what, especially if it was Enel's Rumble-Rumble Fruit.

"I present to you… the Cloud-Cloud Fruit and the Dark-Dark Fruit!"

'...What?!'

The auctioneer pulled off the veil… and there they were, the two Devil Fruits that were just announced. One of them looked exactly as Ace knew it would: the Dark-Dark Fruit.

Ace knew that fruit as the one Blackbeard, Marshall D. Teach, ate.

'And that other one. The Cloud-Cloud Fruit? Sounds familiar… oh fuck!'

Ace remembered something all of a sudden, something he and his whole crew neglected.

'We forgot to feed that prisoner we have!'

The Royal Ace Pirates are currently in possession of a Navy Vice Admiral's corpse because they forgot to feed him.

'Man… Aokiji will be so pissed if he finds out…'

The audience erupted into cheers. Ace returned his attention to his surroundings.

The audience participating in the auction were obviously roused. Rumors were one thing, but to actually see it for themselves? They now wanted nothing more than to throw their money in obtaining the treasures in front of them.

Then, Ace felt something strange happen. The raucous sounds all around him started sounding… drowned. As if water filled his ears. Then, color drained from his eyes as if oil dripped off the canvas. Everything was rendered a muted gray.

Finally, everything stopped.

Ace looked around him. The sight he was greeted with was colorless and mute, the people filling the seats of the underground auction house seemingly forever frozen into their excited state at seeing the Devil Fruit. 

Then, Ace's gaze drifted over to the Dark-Dark Fruit. Strangely enough, the Dark-Dark Fruit still had its color, unlike the Cloud-Cloud Fruit. Ace then looked at his hands, slightly relieved not to see himself drained of color like almost everything around him.

Then, Ace heard a voice.

"You are here. Just as I wanted."

Ace looked around, trying to find where the voice came from. But, it was difficult. When it spoke, the sound seemed to have filled his ears. He didn't know where it came from.

"Over here."

This time, Ace felt where the voice came from. His neck snapped to the direction of the Devil Fruits. Specifically, the Dark-Dark Fruit.

The fruit was speaking?

Then, Ace also realized that the voice seemed… familiar, somehow. He racked his brains, trying to figure out where he heard it. Then, a memory from so long ago came to mind.

"Is that you… God?"

"It is. Come closer, Ace."

Ace did as he was told. God is the one who gave him the chance to live again, after all. He felt no fear as he stepped on the stage right in front of the Dark-Dark Fruit.

"What's happening?" Ace asked.

"I stopped time," God said. "For I will need a few moments to explain a path I made possible just for you."

"A path? For me?"

"Yes. I know your soul, Ace. I know both of the original souls that gave birth to who you are now," God said. "You hunger for power."

"Are you… reprimanding me?" Ace asked, which elicited a chuckle from God.

"No, I am not. To be in this world is your reward, after all," God said. "Whatever you want to do while you are in it… you are free to do so."

"Even… bad things?" Ace asked, feeling like a child in front of an immeasurably powerful being.

"Bad things?" God asked. "It does not make sense to fit mortal morality on a being such as me, Ace. What humans call atrocities… are nothing more than natural processes to me. Life and death, pain and pleasure, joy and grief, love and hate… they are all the same to me."

"I… see," Ace said, but not really able to wrap his head around what God felt. He only understood that human morality is nothing for such an entity. "But it's not that simple, is it?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Enel... he died for me. I was arrogant. I thought I was blessed, and in turn, my crew. You're not gonna make my life in this new world that easy, huh?"

God chuckled in response to Ace's question.

"You are the one I favor in this world. Not your crew."

"I see. I understand," Ace said, being honest with his words. "That just means I need to work even harder. Your blessing won't be enough."

"And that is why I like you, young one," God said, seemingly amused. "Any more questions about... human nature?"

"No, not really," Ace said, feeling his brain hurt a bit. "I'm curious now. I wanna know more… about the path you said you made for me."

"Very well, then," God said. "I know how much you love adventures. All those games you played, those books you read, those shows you watched... experiencing an adventure for yourself is a joy for you."

Ace smiled. He didn't need to agree with the words verbally because both of them knew they were true.

"Here is a 'side quest' for you," God said. "I made it so that this Dark-Dark Fruit... is special."

"Special... how?" Ace asked.

"On its own, it is still the same one you know," God said. "But, if you fuse it with the Shadow-Shadow Fruit..."

"Fuse?" Ace asked. "You want me to fuse Devil Fruits?"

"My, you are quick on the uptake."

"How?"

God chuckled once again at seeing Ace react so incredulously.

"You already have the means to do so," God said. "Remember? It is something your crewmate Hepha obtained in your previous adventure..."

Ace racked his brains to find what God meant. His crew brought a lot of loot from Karakuri Island. Then, the answer came to Ace.

"The DFOB Machine..."

Realization dawned at Ace. He didn't expect that the machine Hepha stole at Vegapunk's Lab in Baldimore would prove so useful.

'Wait… does that mean I can fuse Devil Fruits?'

"No, not really. Only the two I mentioned can be fused," God said. "I made it so, just for you."

"So, I'll need to fuse both fruits... and eat it?" Ace asked. "Am I not gonna... explode?"

"No, you will not. I am sure you noticed it already. Your body is... special."

Ace felt his heartbeat quicken. He already suspected it long ago, ever since he first ate the Flare-Flare Fruit.

"So... my body-"

"Is just like the Blackbeard you know. The first one," God said. "Three Devil Fruits. I have written it so you'll have the best combination. At least, the best for you."

Flare-Flare Fruit. Dark-Dark Fruit. Shadow-Shadow Fruit.

Ace was excited. He wanted it now, the power he'll have after eating those three fruits.

Then, he remembered something.

"Wait, that means... I'll really lose the ability to swim."

"Yes, you will." God laughed. "If you are ever restrained with Sea Stone or pushed down to the sea after having that much power in your hands, you will have no one to blame but yourself, Ace."

'Did... did God just call me a coward?'

"Yes, I did."

Ace scratched his head. There really is nothing you could hide from God.

"Well then, I guess I should take this Devil Fruit," Ace said as his hands reached out towards the Dark-Dark Fruit. Then, his eyes drifted slightly to the other Devil Fruit. "And I guess this one too."

"You should."

Ace then felt as if everything was shaking.

"What's happening?" Ace asked.

"If I stay here any longer, this world will collapse. Will you be fine with me imprinting what I need you to know directly into your mind, Ace?"

"Sure, if it means this world won't… y'know, collapse."

"Very well."

Ace felt information and knowledge print itself into his mind. Suddenly, he knew things that he didn't know before. All of the new information he received was about the power he would receive if he completes the 'side quest' he was assigned.

And boy, did he want that power.

"I'll see you again someday, Ace," God said. "I look forward to seeing the world you are envisioning."

Ace felt a shiver crawl down his spine. God knew even THAT? On second thought, Ace realized he shouldn't be shocked at all.

With God's parting words and with Ace touching the both Devil Fruits that were up for auction, the world returned to normal.

Suddenly, the loud and excited cheering of the audience returned. Then, they saw Ace's disguised self. The cheering went silent as fast as it came back in Ace's ears.

"S-Sir? Who are you?" the auctioneer asked.

"None of your concern," Ace said before taking off running with the Devil Fruits in his hands.

"Get him!"

"Hey! He stole the Devil Fruits!"

"Don't let him get away!"

From all directions, people moved to stop Ace. Seeing the amount of people moving against him, Ace wanted to fight.

But, he shouldn't. He remembered Hepha's words.

All these underground auctions eventually led to people his crew aren't strong enough to mess with yet.

Enel's death was a wake-up call to Ace. He alone may be strong enough to at least contend with the strongest people in the world... but his crew aren't.

Their faces flashed in Ace's mind. Each one of them is precious to him. They were his family too.

Until they can stand with him in the terrifying New World, Ace resolves himself to lay low. So now, to make sure that he won't be revealing his identity to the small fries who would report to their boss, Ace decided to run.

"I got you now!"

Ace stepped on the face of a big man who tried to catch him in a bone crushing hold and used it as a stepping block to fly with the sheer strength of his legs.

Ace wanted to eat the Dark-Dark Fruit in his hand now just to be sure, but he remembered God's words. He had to fuse it with the Shadow-Shadow Fruit first.

And he knew exactly where it was and to whom it currently belongs to.

"I guess Moria will die by my hands," Ace muttered to himself as the shouts and bellows followed behind him.