One Piece - Heaven Defying Comprehension!

"Nika?!!!"

Whitebeard, Shanks, and Kaido's pupils contracted in shock.

Rayleigh, who was seated nearby and observing the events unfold, also trembled. These men stood at the very pinnacle of the sea's power.

Whitebeard and Kaido were once members of the infamous Rocks Pirates. Rayleigh had accompanied Roger to the final island, Raftel, where they had seen what Joy Boy left behind. Shanks, though unable to reach Raftel due to illness, had learned many of the sea's secrets through his unique insights.

The name "Nika" was all too familiar to them.

Nika, the legendary warrior of liberation, was said to possess a rubber-like body. He was revered as "Nika, the Sun God" by the world for freeing slaves and establishing a vast kingdom over 800 years ago.

In the previous era, the one who wielded Nika's power was Joy Boy!

And now, Ace—could he actually be using Nika's power?

This shocking realization left those at the top of the seas staring at Ace in disbelief.

"Nika?! I understand now. That's how you're able to use multiple Devil Fruit powers!" Shanks exclaimed, his voice filled with amazement.

He finally comprehended why Ace had been able to wield six different Devil Fruit abilities during the public execution.

Nika's power grants the user boundless imagination. Whatever the bearer of Nika's power imagines can be made reality. The user fights with their imagination as their weapon.

Ace, who could seemingly manifest the abilities of any Devil Fruit, was not just randomly harnessing devil factors—he was using Nika's power to turn them into reality!

However, Shanks knew there was more to it. Although Nika's power allows the user to do as they wish, it likely couldn't directly transform devil factors into abilities. Ace must have surpassed the limitations of even Nika's power. Ace had not only developed the Flame-Flame Fruit into a sun-like power, but he had also evolved Nika's abilities beyond their original scope.

Ace had managed to surpass the legendary Sun God Nika himself—this was almost a joke to the people of the sea.

While Ace's Flame-Flame Fruit had grown towards becoming a solar power, Shanks had never imagined Nika's abilities could be pushed beyond their limits.

Nika was known as one of the most mischievous and powerful forces on the sea. But now, could Ace truly wield a power that transcended its limits?

Even more astonishing was that Ace was the son of Roger, the most respected captain in Shanks' eyes. It was simply impossible for someone with Roger's bloodline to consume two Devil Fruits.

Furthermore, Shanks had seen Luffy eat the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika, and he knew that before awakening, Nika's powers only granted the user a rubber-like body, not the reality-bending imagination that would come later. The World Government, in its fear of Nika's power, had disguised this Mythical Zoan Fruit as a simple Paramecia-type Rubber Fruit.

But now Ace, not Luffy, was wielding Nika's power. Could it be that Ace had somehow acquired Nika's power from Luffy? Shanks didn't think so. Ace was Luffy's brother, and whenever he spoke of Luffy, the brotherly bond between them was clear. Ace would never harm Luffy.

Moreover, Ace didn't even have the rubber-like body that Nika users should possess. Instead, it seemed Ace had only inherited Nika's power of imagination. What was happening?

"Joy Boy... Could it be that you're Joy Boy?!" Kaido asked, his eyes widening in shock.

Kaido had been waiting for the arrival of Joy Boy for a long time. He had even told his right-hand man, King, that the one destined to defeat him would be Joy Boy.

Kaido's dream was to ignite a world-shaking war, but deep down, his true desire was to meet Joy Boy. And now, the man standing before him—Portgas D. Ace—had exhibited power far beyond his own.

Ace, who had already proven his strength during the war, was now claiming to wield Nika's power—Joy Boy's power.

Could it be that this man was the very Joy Boy Kaido had been waiting for all this time?

"Ace... Joy Boy?" Rayleigh muttered in astonishment.

It was Nika's power.

And this power had found its way into Ace, the bloodline of Roger. Rayleigh, who had once been to the final island, Raftel, was stunned by this development.

He could only marvel at fate's hand in all of this. Fate not only led him to join Ace's Flame Emperor Pirate Fleet, but now he stood before Ace, who had inherited Nika's power in this era.

Although Rayleigh still had many questions—such as why Ace, clearly a user of the Flame-Flame Fruit, didn't have a rubber-like body typical of Nika's form—it was undeniable that Ace possessed Nika's power and exclusive imagination.

"Roger, I'm going to stake my fate on your bloodline."

Rayleigh looked at Ace, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. Even though he had been to Raftel, the final island, Rayleigh had a strong feeling that Ace was not the true Joy Boy. However, Ace—who bore Roger's bloodline, wielded Nika's power, and displayed such incredible strength during the Entei incident—was no less significant than the legendary Joy Boy.

What Joy Boy once accomplished, couldn't Ace, with his evolving Flame-Flame Fruit and the power of Nika pushing towards the power of the sun, achieve the same?

Rayleigh couldn't wait any longer. He had to take his chances with Ace.

While Rayleigh had initially remained on the sidelines during the Flame Emperor incident, even after meeting Shanks, he firmly supported Ace. However, he hadn't fully committed to joining the Entei Pirates as Issho had when he took command of the Second Division. Rayleigh had still been weighing his options, considering the knowledge he had from Raftel and Joy Boy's legacy. Even with Ace's power surpassing that of the Four Emperors, he hadn't yet made his decision.

But now, with Ace possessing Nika's power, Rayleigh's mind was made up.

He would join the Entei Pirate Fleet and support Portgas D. Ace—also known as the Flame Emperor!

"You?!"

Whitebeard gazed at Ace, his eyes trembling with emotion.

"Roger, your son, has gained the power of the gods?!"

"Joy Boy? No, I'm not Joy Boy. I am the Flame Emperor, Portgas D. Ace! The next era will belong to me!" Ace declared with a confident grin, his voice echoing throughout the room.

Now that Ace had obtained Nika's power and could stand at the very top of the sea, there was no longer a need to hide anything. Revealing the truth about his powers was not a weakness—it was leverage.

Ace understood Rayleigh's thoughts perfectly. Rayleigh, having been to Raftel, would naturally be waiting for the next Joy Boy to appear. Even though he had shown his support during the war, Rayleigh had not yet fully committed himself to Ace's fleet. However, the revelation of Nika's power would likely be the final piece of the puzzle Rayleigh needed to join the Entei Pirates.

Ace's Observation Haki confirmed it—he could sense Rayleigh's emotions. By revealing the secret of his Nika power, Ace was offering Rayleigh a reason to fully join him. It was a strategic move, one that would also prompt other powerful figures on the sea to take their bets on him.

For Ace, this was a transaction with no cost. Even if the World Government and the entire sea knew that he wielded Nika's power, what could they do?

Since acquiring the Door-Door Fruit and surpassing the Four Emperors to reach a level of emperor-like combat power, there was no one in the World Government, nor anyone across the sea, who could stop him.

Becoming the king of the world was now simply a matter of time.

"Not... Joy Boy?" Kaido muttered, staring intently at Ace.

He then stood up.

"Entei, I'll be waiting for your challenge on Onigashima."

Kaido laughed heartily. Whether Ace was Joy Boy or not didn't matter; simply clashing with someone wielding Nika's power in this era was like a dream come true. It was a fulfillment of his long-held desire!

"Roar!"

Kaido's body rapidly transformed into his dragon form, and with a mighty roar, he ascended into the clouds, disappearing from view with King following him.

Ace watched calmly, showing no intention of stopping them.

"The banquet ends here."

Ace stood and grinned slightly.

"Swish!"

The members of the Entei Pirate Fleet all stood in unison, prepared for what was next.

Rayleigh, however, remained seated, silently watching Ace.

"Rayleigh, are you ready to follow me and turn the sea upside down?" Ace asked with a wide grin.

"Of course," Rayleigh replied, smiling as if he were reliving the moment he first met Roger. Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes as he stood up.

"Captain of Zero Division, that will be your title, Rayleigh!"

Ace grinned widely as he looked at him.

The Grand Fleet of the Entei Pirates, Captain of Zero Division, Silvers Rayleigh, the Dark King!