One Piece: I'm not Roger

The blazing Heat Breath tore through the ground, carving out a massive crater that stretched hundreds of meters wide. The surface rock melted instantly under the intense heat, leaving behind scorched earth that still glowed faintly. With a single attack, nearly a quarter of the sub port had been destroyed.

Fortunately, the damage was limited to that area. It was neither the main port nor a residential zone, otherwise countless civilians would have been caught in the destruction.

The moment Ace's Fire Fist was overwhelmed, Jozu reacted without hesitation. He grabbed Rouge and retreated at full speed. The surrounding pirates scattered as well, pulling back from the blast zone.

Even so, not everyone was fast enough.

A few unfortunate pirates were caught in the aftermath, reduced to ash before they could even scream.

Rouge stared at the burning crater, her eyes wide with panic.

"Ace…"

Her voice trembled as she called out. In that instant, her blonde hair began to shift, strands slowly turning red as a violent and unstable power stirred within her body.

The air around her grew tense.

Just before that power could fully erupt, a figure emerged from within the flames.

A tall woman stepped out of the crater.

She had long black hair that flickered and transformed into flames, as if her entire being had become fire itself. Her features were delicate, her face bearing a striking resemblance to Rouge, though faint freckles dotted her cheeks.

Flames danced across her body, wrapping around her like a living cloak.

What stunned everyone was not just her appearance, but what she wore.

The same clothes Ace had been wearing moments ago.

Denim shorts revealed her long, fair legs, while her shirt and jacket were stretched tightly across her chest. The familiar outfit made the truth impossible to ignore.

The woman clicked her tongue, her expression filled with irritation.

"Damn it. Kaido's Heat Breath is on another level. My Fire Fist doesn't even come close. If I hadn't already turned into fire, I wouldn't have walked away from that."

Rouge's hair returned to blonde as the strange power within her subsided. Relief washed over her, though the worry in her eyes did not fade. Instead, she found herself hoping even more that Aether would arrive soon.

This situation had already gone beyond what they could handle.

Around them, the pirates were completely stunned.

No one spoke at first.

Then the murmurs began.

"Who… is that?"

"Where is Commander Ace?"

Jozu stared in disbelief, his usual composure completely gone.

"That… that's Ace? That can't be right. He's a man. I've seen him plenty of times. There's no way…"

Only the members of the Spade Pirates, who had already witnessed this before, managed to remain somewhat composed.

The rest were shaken to the core.

Whitey Bay quickly stepped forward, her sharp mind already working through the possibilities. She turned to Rouge.

"Ms. Rouge, what exactly is happening to Ace?"

Rouge hesitated briefly, then answered with a trace of guilt.

"It's a side effect of the ability he used to bring me back. When he fights at full power, his body changes into a woman. It takes about an hour to return to normal. This… happened because of me."

Whitey Bay's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I see…"

Her thoughts immediately drifted elsewhere.

If such a side effect existed for Ace, then what would happen if others were brought back the same way?

Even Whitebeard…

Her thoughts were cut short.

A deafening dragon roar echoed across the sky once more.

Kaido's massive form loomed above them, his presence suffocating.

"Hahaha! I didn't expect Roger's son to turn into a woman," Kaido mocked loudly. "A son becoming a daughter, what a ridiculous world. I wonder what Roger would think if he saw this."

The laughter grated against Ace's ears.

When he first discovered this transformation, it had shaken him deeply. Hearing it mocked only fueled his anger further.

Before he could respond, Rouge stepped forward, her voice sharp and unwavering.

"Hey, you oversized lizard. So what if he changes? Whether my Ace is a man or a woman, he is still our pride. You have a daughter too, don't you? Isn't she your pride?"

Kaido froze for a brief moment.

"…Pride?"

Her words struck something deeper than expected.

Memories surfaced, ones he usually ignored.

Yamato.

Despite everything, despite the beatings, the confinement, the harsh training, all of it had been driven by his expectations for her. He had always intended for her to inherit everything.

Yet her constant defiance only enraged him.

His expression twisted as anger took over.

"Don't talk about Yamato!" he roared. "It's all because of that damned Kozuki Oden!"

A powerful wave of Conqueror's Haki surged outward, pressing down on the battlefield.

Before it could reach Rouge, Ace stepped in front of her, blocking the pressure with his own will.

"Kaido," Ace said coldly, "this fight is between us. Don't drag others into it."

Flames erupted from his hands.

"Fire Jet."

Using the burst of fire as propulsion, Ace shot into the sky, closing the distance instantly.

Kaido's lips curled into a cruel grin as he swung his massive tail.

"Get lost, brat."

The shadow of the attack swallowed Ace.

At the last second, Ace increased his output, shifting his trajectory just enough to avoid a direct hit. Even so, the force of the passing strike made his skin sting.

He did not hesitate.

"Fire Fist."

A blazing punch shot forward, striking Kaido's head directly. Flames spread across the dragon's face, lighting up the storm dark sky.

From below, the pirates held their breath.

"He hit him!"

"Ace landed it!"

Hope flickered among them.

Then the flames faded.

Kaido remained completely unharmed.

Not a single wound could be seen. Only a faint redness lingered on his scales for a moment before disappearing entirely.

The excitement vanished instantly.

Silence returned, broken only by the sound of heavy rain.

Kaido looked down at Ace, disappointment clear in his eyes.

"So that's it?" he said with a sneer. "Roger's child, is this all you can do? Didn't Roger or Whitebeard teach you anything? On the sea, Devil Fruit powers are secondary. Haki is what truly matters."

He hovered in place, no longer even bothering to attack.

"If you don't believe me, keep trying. Let's see if your flames can even scratch me."

Being dismissed so casually only fueled Ace's anger further.

His flames surged again, hotter and more intense than before.

"Then I'll burn you down!"

He raised his hands, unleashing a barrage of attacks.

"Divine Fire: Firefly."

"Flame Commandment: Fire Pillar."

"Mirror Flame."

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