One Piece - Heaven Defying Comprehension!

"If you don't come with me, you might end up being the one to eat the Devil Fruit, Gion," Ace said, glancing at the tall woman beside him with a slight smile.

Gion remained silent at Ace's words. Since the Flame Emperor Incident, she had stayed with the Entei Pirates, yet despite Ace's gatherings with figures like Red-Haired Shanks, Whitebeard, and Kaido, his demeanor toward her had grown noticeably cold after their arrival on Amazon Lily.

Gion had some idea why. After the Flame Emperor Incident, Tashigi, a former Marine, had brought her before Ace. Surprisingly, he had treated her with kindness, hearing her out and even responding to her reason for meeting him. However, when the moment came, she couldn't bring herself to say what she had intended, and ever since, Ace's demeanor toward her had turned cold.

This couldn't exactly be blamed on her; who wouldn't feel subdued in the face of Ace powerful Conqueror's Haki? Especially someone who had directly and decisively defeated their Naval Headquarters.

If Ace had any inkling of the secret she held, there was no telling how he might use that knowledge against the Marines. So, despite being treated coldly, Gion kept her secret.

Leaving the Entei Pirates? Ever since the Flame Emperor Incident, Gion felt an undeniable pull from Ace's Conqueror's Haki, which compelled her to follow him. Dreams of escape never crossed her mind. She was now where she belonged—in the fleet of the Entei Pirates.

They were the strongest pirate crew in the world, surpassing even the Four Emperors. Their leader had taken the place of the former strongest man, Whitebeard Edward Newgate, and Red-Haired Shanks. In this era, the title of the strongest, most formidable man belonged to Entei!

In the presence of this man and his fleet, not only would she struggle to leave, but even the combined forces of all three Admirals would be hard-pressed to win.

Escape wasn't even an option. Besides, even if she managed to attempt it during a moment when Ace was training the Entei Pirates, he could easily catch her. His Observation Haki allowed him to see glimpses of the future. And one of his top officers, with her Thunder Fruit abilities and Observation Haki, could detect large areas of the surrounding sea.

In her situation, her only choice was to stay put and wait, hoping things might change. However, the drastic shifts in Naval Headquarters had left Gion, who once planned to wait and see, increasingly anxious.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku's resignation didn't surprise her. After years by the side of Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Chief Staff Officer, she had developed insight and strategic awareness. During the Flame Emperor Incident, Sengoku had staked his position, putting everything on the line in the fight against the Entei Pirates led by Ace. And yet, they had been utterly defeated, with Naval Headquarters facing an unprecedented rout.

If not for the intervention of the Five Elders, Naval Headquarters might have collapsed entirely. Even when they arrived, they had been forced to yield to Ace's overwhelming power and strategic acumen, even stopping the Buster Call that symbolized the World Government's absolute justice.

While some may argue that the Red-Haired, Whitebeard, and Kaido's interventions contributed to the World Government's retreat, the defeat was undeniable and witnessed by the entire world. Someone had to take responsibility, and Sengoku's resignation was inevitable.

Akainu's succession as Fleet Admiral also came as no surprise to Gion.

After all, the upper echelons of the World Government have always favored Akainu, whose stance on absolute justice aligns with their ideals. Even Akainu's complete defeat at the hands of the Entei Pirates during the Flame Emperor Incident didn't waver their support for him.

The closer one gets to the core of the Marines, the more one glimpses the true nature of this world. The Marines are merely the World Government's outward face; in the grand scheme, the reputation of the Marines pales in comparison to the Government's greater interests.

What truly shocked Gion, however, was Kuzan's defection. Once one of the strongest forces within the World Government and a rival of Akainu for Fleet Admiral, Kuzan had not only left the Marines—he had joined Ace's command.

During the Flame Emperor Incident, the previously unfilled role of Captain of the First Division within the Entei Pirates had been, astonishingly, reserved for Kuzan. Gion, looking at the subtle smile on Ace's face, realized the depth of his plans.

Having spent considerable time by his side, she knew that Kuzan hadn't allied with Ace during the Flame Emperor Incident itself. Ace had prepared the first division captain's role for him well in advance, seemingly anticipating Kuzan's decision to defect. When Kuzan did join, Ace had shown not even a hint of surprise; it was as if everything had fallen precisely into place.

In that moment, he had issued Kuzan an order without hesitation: to freeze their former Marine instructor, 'Black Arm' Zephyr. The confidence and boldness Ace showed were staggering—he had been certain that one of the Marines' former Admirals would abandon the World Government to join him. So certain, in fact, that he didn't hesitate to have Kuzan confront his own former mentor.

And Kuzan had obeyed. Not only that, he'd pledged absolute loyalty to Ace, ready to carry out any order, even if it meant facing former comrades like Smoker or Hina. Kuzan, once one of the Marines' strongest warriors, had entrusted everything to this man, without hesitation.

Gion, herself still drawn by Ace's overwhelming Conqueror's Haki, realized that Kuzan's loyalty came from something even deeper—a commitment that far surpassed mere influence. He and other powerful figures of the sea like Rayleigh, Issho, and Kuzan had aligned themselves with Ace, driven not by blood ties or obligation but by the vision of making Flame Emperor the sole king of this world.

What a captivating personality, what an extraordinary man, Gion thought, biting her lip and exhaling softly.

"In my current situation, I can't become Admiral of Headquarters," she admitted, a mix of disappointment and resolve in her expression. Although Chaton possessed strength, as a woman she had faced unique challenges within the Marines. Yet she held some advantages in terms of age and potential, and with the right Devil Fruit, she could easily achieve Admiral-level power.

If it hadn't been for Ace's Conqueror's Haki, which bound her to his side, perhaps she would have had a chance to eat the powerful Devil Fruit and rise to the rank of Admiral of Headquarters. Becoming the first female Admiral in Marine history had been her dream, a symbol of honor she longed for. Missing that opportunity weighed heavily on her mind.

Looking around, Gion saw that the leaders of the Entei Pirates fleet had also grown silent. In times of war, these would be the enemies any Admiral would have to face.

Unlike other Vice Admirals, Gion understood the daunting power required of an Admiral. As an Admiral candidate herself, she was considerably stronger than most other Vice Admirals, yet still, she could count on one hand the forces at sea who could rival the Admirals. Only a few could truly claim power equal to an Admiral of Marine Headquarters.

In terms of combat strength, only the strongest—like the Four Emperors, Kaido and Red-Haired Shanks, who had fully mastered Conqueror's Haki in its most advanced forms—could surpass an Admiral. And then, above even the Four Emperors, stood this man, Ace.

Over time, Gion came to understand just why the Entei Pirates have become so powerful. It's startling how many of the crew members, though young women, are exceptionally strong. As an Admiral candidate herself, Gion knows well how difficult it is for a woman to rise to strength in a world dominated by physical prowess.

Haki and physical stamina form the very foundation of strength here, even for those with Devil Fruits, whose powers still rely heavily on physical vitality. And naturally, in physical terms, women generally face substantial disadvantages. Barring natural powerhouses like BIGMOM among the Four Emperors, women on the whole struggle to rival their male counterparts. Gion, after years of honing her talents and making the most of her innate abilities, had finally reached the level of an Admiral candidate—but becoming an Admiral still felt far off, almost out of reach.

Yet the female members of the Entei Pirates are shockingly powerful. Leading them is the infamous 'Thunder Cat Burglar' Nami, and even others like the Flame Desert Princess Vivi and the Vermilion Bird Raki have surpassed Gion in strength. Over the days, Gion discovered the reason: under the guidance of Ace, they had gained access to something called the "Realm of Comprehension."

Through this power, these women have acquired unimaginable talents and progressed at a frightening pace, attaining levels of strength that seemed unreachable. This has led to serious underestimations in the outside world, including at Naval Headquarters, regarding the full strength of the Entei Pirate Fleet.

Most outside estimates suggest that, besides Ace himself and the newly joined Kuzan, only four members of the Entei Fleet are at peak combat power: Kuzan, Nami, Issho, and Silver Rayleigh. Among them, Nami's strength is often attributed solely to her Thunder Fruit abilities, assumed to barely bring her to the threshold of Admiral-level power.

However, the reality is very different now. Under Ace's command, the Entei Fleet's peak combat power has quietly grown beyond those four. And one key addition remains unknown to the outside world: the 'Pirate Empress' Boa Hancock, a Shichibukai, has now also joined the ranks under Flame Emperor's banner!

Vivi's mastery of Haki has advanced significantly, and combined with her awakened Sand-Sand Fruit abilities, she's now the "Flame Desert Princess" Vivi, a warrior at the pinnacle of sea combat power. Raki, on the other hand, is on the cusp of awakening.

Then there's Kaya, who, though typically operating at a slightly lower level, can unleash devastating strength by using her healing fruit powers at the risk of complete physical collapse.

With these additions, Flame Emperor now commands a total of eight peak combatants, including Nami, whose strength, once underestimated, has proven to be second only to Flame Emperor himself.

Vivi, Raki, and Kaya, with her powerful short-term burst technique, are capable of matching Nami in battle, though it's Nami's unique command over Thunder Fruit that makes her nearly unbeatable in a drawn-out fight. This deadly skillset of hers places her firmly as a true second-in-command within the Entei fleet.

The other women under Flame Emperor's command also boast formidable abilities. Although 'Flame Angel Musician' lacks proficiency in direct combat due to her Vocal Fruit powers and 'Flame Ghost Princess' Perona was only recently recruited, both bring exceptional strengths. Conis's Vocal Fruit, at its fullest potential, can support even peak combatants by boosting their powers, while Perona's Ghost Fruit works synergistically with the other fighters. In the right situation, her abilities can render an enemy completely helpless if their Haki is subdued, amplifying the fleet's overall firepower.

With eight peak fighters, four Admirals-in-training, and two field-controlling Devil Fruit wielders, along with the Giant Corps captains who have yet to show their full strength, the Entei Pirates are capable of holding their own in a battle of thousands against tens of thousands. Unlike the days of the Flame Emperor incident, there's no need for Flame Emperor to rely on strategies alone to break Naval Headquarters; with his cadre of powerful followers, they could devastate Naval forces on their own.

The Entei Pirate fleet, as it stands now, could shatter Naval Headquarters without even requiring Flame Emperor's direct involvement!