One Piece - Heaven Defying Comprehension!

Nami stood on the deck, her gaze fixed on the distant island. "That's Amazon Lily?" she murmured, her eyes catching the words "Kuja" etched into the tallest mountain peak.

Her sharp eyes flickered with recognition, already mapping the sea area in her mind, ready to sketch a nautical chart later in the survey room Ace had prepared. Amazon Lily had always been shrouded in mystery. Nestled within the Calm Belt, it had remained untouched by outside forces until the Marines developed their seastone-coated ships. Even Nami's extensive voyage logs rarely contained much information about it, making the opportunity to chart the island especially thrilling for her.

"Yes, that's Amazon Lily," Hancock said warmly, stepping onto the deck of the Merry. "Nami, when we arrive, if you'd like to draw a detailed navigation chart, I'll arrange for someone to take you sailing around the nearby seas." She smiled, her tone friendly.

During their journey, Hancock had come to understand Nami—the brilliant navigator who had proven her worth in the Flame Emperor Incident. Nami was now recognized as the second-in-command of the Entei pirate fleet and was the closest woman to Ace. Hancock realized that gaining Nami's approval was key to being accepted by the women surrounding Ace. Over time, Nami had given Hancock ample space to grow closer to Ace, something for which Hancock was deeply grateful.

"Thank you, Hancock," Nami responded, her lips curving into a slight smile as she looked at the Empress. She had come to realize that beneath Hancock's cold, formidable exterior was a woman of great gentleness—though this tenderness was reserved for Ace alone. It was because of Ace that they had earned Hancock's kindness.

Just then, Ace strolled onto the deck, glancing at the island in the distance. His lips curved into a faint smile. "Kuja, huh? Looks like we're here."

"Ace! You're awake!" Nami greeted him, her eyes lighting up.

Kaya, standing nearby, thoughtfully draped a coat over Ace's shoulders. "Is there anything you'd like to eat? I can prepare it for you," she offered.

Hancock, flustered by Ace's presence, shyly covered her face, unable to meet his gaze. "Maybe Raki should prepare something. I prefer her cooking," Ace replied, smiling.

Not far away, Raki blushed at the mention of her name, a trace of happiness flickering in her eyes.

"Ace, your Haki…" Rayleigh, observing from the deck of a nearby ship, spoke up in disbelief. "It's… improved, hasn't it?"

Ace nodded with a knowing smile. "Yes, it has strengthened a bit."

The Flame Emperor Incident had seen Ace engage in battles against the Marines and top figures of the World Government. Yet despite the ferocity of the clashes, Ace had emerged unscathed. His confrontation with Akainu, after his Mera-Mera Fruit evolved into the "Remnant Fire Style," had been a one-sided fight. In his encounters with Marine Admiral Sengoku and the Five Elders, Ace displayed not just power but also wisdom and patience.

Ace had delayed using his "Turtle Breathing Technique" after the battle, opting instead to celebrate with Shanks, Whitebeard, and the others. But in the days following, the technique had absorbed the energy accumulated during the battle, nourishing and strengthening his body and spirit.

What had truly surprised Ace was the way his understanding of Haki had deepened after his mental and spiritual clash with Sengoku and the WG Elders. As the Turtle Breathing Technique enhanced his spirit, so too did his Conqueror's Haki grow stronger. His ability to sustain it had greatly improved.

Ace now understood that spirit was key to the durability of Conqueror's Haki. It was no wonder Sengoku, a master of Haki and the power of the Zoan Fruit—Great Buddha form—possessed such overwhelming strength, wisdom, and resilience. The stronger one's spirit, the greater the endurance of their Conqueror Haki.

This boost in spirit also meant that Ace could use the Mera-Mera Fruit's awakened power more frequently, converting natural elements into fire to recover his strength. Even the "Remnant Fire Style" had become more durable. Ace estimated that his strongest move, the "North—Heaven and Earth End in Ashes," could now be unleashed with full power up to six times, compared to just four before the mental enhancement.

Six full-power strikes, Ace mused, would be enough to obliterate an entire country. The last time he used the "Heaven and Earth End in Ashes" in the Sabaody Archipelago, it had caused immense devastation despite Kaido's efforts to resist. If no one intervened, two full releases could completely erase the archipelago from the map.

More than anything, Ace was satisfied with this newfound strength. The ethereal nature of spiritual growth made it harder to train than physical fitness, but the rewards were undeniable.

What Ace needed to do next was clear: he had to combine his Conqueror's Haki, the art of perfection, and the overwhelming power of his Remnant Fire technique into one.

The sheer might of the Remnant Fire Style was unparalleled—a force that had never before been witnessed on the seas. Through his mastery of the Mera-mera Fruit alone, Ace's strength had already surpassed that of the Four Emperors, ascending to the level of kings. Even the Zoan Fruit—Phantom Beast, Nika form, hailed as a "god-like" power, could not achieve such heights with its immense abilities.

However, merging the tyrannical force of the Remnant Fire Style with Conqueror's Haki was an extraordinary challenge. The Remnant Fire Style, a technique born from Ace's interpretation of Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's Bankai, particularly his "Remnant Fire Sword," transformed Ace's entire body into a living embodiment of fire. Yet, perfectly wrapping Conqueror's Haki around his body, as one would with a sword, was something Ace had not yet mastered.

This was why, during the Flame Emperor Incident, Sengoku had remarked, "Even with heaven-defying power, you cannot yet 'wrap Conqueror's Haki' around such a terrifying form." Nevertheless, Ace had recently gained some insight into this during his meditation on the Realm of Comprehension.

The key, Ace realized, lay in the power of "Nika."

The Zoan Fruit—Phantom Beast Species, Nika form, was an exceptional Devil Fruit with abilities far beyond the ordinary. Prior to awakening, its user was granted a rubber-like body, but once awakened, the user obtained something far more valuable: Nika's exclusive imagination.

After awakening, it could perfectly integrate with all forms of Haki—Conqueror's Haki, Armament Haki, and even the powers of the Devil Fruit itself.

The reason those who stood at the true pinnacle of the world ruled the seas with emperor-like dominance was their mastery over Conqueror's Haki—especially its entanglement technique. This technique far surpassed Armament Haki in terms of raw power, though Armament Haki was still useful in its own right, relying primarily on the user's physical strength while Conqueror's Haki drew on their spirit.

When too much Conqueror's Haki was expended, even the mighty emperors would switch to Armament Haki. This was a necessity for those like Ace, who had reached the king-level of combat but could not yet wield both Conqueror's and Armament Haki simultaneously. He could only choose one form of Haki for each attack.

But Nika was different.

After awakening, Nika became a game-changer, a literal "bug-level" increase in combat power. The rubber body granted by the Nika form could fully contain all of the user's Haki, allowing them to use Conqueror's Haki, Armament Haki, and their Devil Fruit powers simultaneously. For Ace, this meant his combat prowess would see yet another significant leap.

When the three powers—Conqueror's Haki, Armament Haki, and the Mera-mera Fruit—were perfectly combined, Ace's attacks would be unleashed with incredible potency. The sheer force of these combined powers would exceed even the destructive might of Conqueror's Haki entanglement, which had long been the most devastating technique on the seas.

In other words, for someone wielding Nika's powers, the once-insurmountable barrier of Conqueror's Haki entanglement or Armament Haki hardening became irrelevant. It was no wonder, then, that the Nika form of the Zoan Fruit was revered as the most powerful Devil Fruit in existence.

Now, as Ace approached Amazon Lily, the island where Haki was deeply revered and taught, his path was clear. Just as the warrior women of the island practiced integrating Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki, Ace needed to learn to fuse these forces into his Remnant Fire body. And Nika's exclusive imagination offered the perfect solution—it could fully integrate both forms of Haki into the user's body, making it a seamless extension of their power.

Standing on the deck, watching the shores of Amazon Lily draw near, Ace smiled faintly. He had to use Nika's imagination to merge Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki into his Remnant Fire form. Once mastered, every attack Ace unleashed would be infused with the combined might of Armament Haki, Conqueror's Haki, and the Mera-mera Fruit.

As the female warriors of Amazon Lily prepared for his arrival, Ace's mind raced with the possibilities. If Nika's imagination could harmonize with the Remnant Fire body, it was entirely possible that Ace's form could rival the invincible Nika's rubber body.

With this new power, Ace's next chapter was set to be nothing short of legendary.