Navigation: The Intuition is Against Heaven, and the Deduction of the Start is a Cremation

Chapter Nine: Unsealed at Last!

A nameless island, atop the rocky cliffs…

【Your comprehension is unparalleled! The Mera Mera no Mi has been drawn to you through your boundless understanding!】

Ace gazed at the Mera Mera no Mi in his hand, his mind processing the words that had just appeared. It was as though fate had chosen him. Much like how Luffy had consumed the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika—

[Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika (ヒトヒトの実 モデル“ニカ”) – A Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows the user to transform into the legendary Sun God, Nika. Originally disguised as the Gomu Gomu no Mi.]

The World Government had sought that Devil Fruit for centuries, only for it to evade them time and time again before ending up in Luffy’s hands. Now, the same phenomenon had happened with the Mera Mera no Mi. As if it had a will of its own, the fruit had found its way to Ace— Delivered to him by a Sea King.

Back when he was fishing, Ace had felt an inexplicable pull, an attraction he now realised had been the fruit calling out to him. He had once worried about finding the Mera Mera no Mi. The original story had only briefly mentioned how he obtained it, stating that he found it on an island after setting out to sea.

But the location was never known. If he couldn’t obtain the fruit, then his supreme ability—Ittō Kasō—would remain locked away forever. But now, that was no longer a concern. Ace had obtained the Mera Mera no Mi a full ten years earlier than in the original timeline.

[Ittō Kasō (一刀火葬) – A legendary fire-based attack Ace comprehended, surpassing normal power levels in the One Piece world.]

And with it, the ability he had comprehended beyond the limits of this world would finally be unsealed. Without hesitation, Ace peeled the fruit and took a bite.

Crunch!

Ace’s face twitched.

The taste was truly as awful as rumored.

“Huh?!”

The moment Ace bit into the fruit, Garp snapped out of his daze and turned sharply toward the cliffside.

“Oi! Ace! What are you eating?!”

Seeing the half-eaten Mera Mera no Mi in Ace’s hands, Garp’s eyes widened in shock. He rushed forward, grabbing the boy.

“Whoosh—”

In the next instant, flames erupted from Ace’s body. Or rather, Ace’s very form became fire.

“Argh! That’s hot!” Garp yelped, his hands recoiling from the heat as he furiously waved them in the air. Yet Ace felt no discomfort. As soon as he had eaten the Mera Mera no Mi, he had become fire itself.

【Your comprehension is unparalleled! You can instantly utilize 100% of the Mera Mera no Mi’s power!】

Seeing the words appear in his mind, Ace immediately understood. Developing a Devil Fruit was merely about mastering its usage. The power of the fruit itself was constant. Once he had consumed the Mera Mera no Mi, he was now a Fire Human. His very existence dictated the intensity of his flames.

For example, Sabo had immediately demonstrated impressive control over the fruit after consuming it in Dressrosa. However, refining it to the level of a true master required rigorous training. Ace, in comparison, could bypass that process entirely.

As long as his physical constitution improved, his firepower would scale accordingly. Increasing his constitution was the easiest thing in the world for Ace.

With his Battle Hibernation and Complete Absorption, it was only a matter of time before his physique surpassed even that of Kaido’s monstrous endurance. And when that happened, the full potential of the Mera Mera no Mi, combined with Ittō Kasō, would be utterly terrifying.

[Kaido (カイドウ) – One of the Four Emperors, known for his near-indestructible body and monstrous endurance.]

“A-A Devil Fruit?! And a rare Logia-type at that!”

Garp, a seasoned veteran, instantly recognized what Ace had eaten. “Wait—no, not just any Logia! This is one of the strongest—the Mera Mera no Mi!” His keen eyes scanned Ace’s body, quickly confirming his suspicions. “Where… where did you get that fruit?!” Garp demanded.

“From the belly of that Sea King.” Ace responded truthfully, pointing at the unconscious creature beside him. Garp investigated, his face darkening as he found the distinct indentation on the Sea King’s stomach— A perfect match to the fruit Ace had just eaten.

The Logia-type Devil Fruit was one of the world’s most coveted treasures. Yet, it had simply been handed to Ace.

The Mera Mera no Mi was a fruit so powerful that even within the Marines, only a select few Devil Fruits could compare. It rivaled Kuzan’s Hie Hie no Mi in raw potential. Anyone who consumed it had the potential to become an Admiral.

[Hie Hie no Mi (ヒエヒエの実) – The Ice-Ice Fruit, a Logia-type Devil Fruit wielded by Admiral Aokiji (Kuzan), allowing him to create and control ice.]

…

And in Ace’s hands, with his overwhelming talent…

Garp was silent for a long moment. Then, he burst into sudden laughter.

“Hahaha! What an incredible future Admiral material!”

Ace, however, shuddered at the sight of Garp’s grin.