One Piece: I'm not Roger

Golden Lion Shiki did not know what Aether was truly wary of, but he could tell there was something deeper hidden beneath his words.

"You can worry about all that yourself," Shiki said dismissively. "Still, doesn't Kaido have both a son and a daughter? Since you personally chose to bring them over, they must be pretty capable."

Aether glanced at Shiki with a strange expression.

Kaido was not fortunate enough to have both a son and a daughter. Clearly, Shiki did not know the truth behind Yamato's identity.

"Kaido only has a daughter," Aether explained casually. "But ever since she was young, he's treated her like a son because he wanted her to inherit everything and become his successor. That's why he always calls Yamato his 'idiot son.'"

Aether paused briefly before continuing.

"To be fair, Kaido's bloodline is absurdly strong. Yamato inherited both his monstrous physique and his talent. She can even use Conqueror's Haki."

Compared to Big Mom's children, Yamato's natural talent was clearly on another level.

Even Charlotte Katakuri, despite his overwhelming strength, could not compare to Yamato at the same age. Kaido's bloodline was terrifying enough that even Charlotte Linlin might once have coveted it.

Shiki narrowed his eyes with interest.

"Then if Kaido's daughter fought your son, who would win?"

"…"

Aether looked at him speechlessly.

What kind of comparison was that?

In the future, Ace absolutely had the potential to catch up to Yamato and even surpass her. But right now, the difference between them was enormous.

"Yamato wins," Aether answered honestly. "If Ace fought seriously, he probably wouldn't last more than a few minutes against her."

That answer genuinely surprised Shiki.

Ace's talent was already terrifying in his eyes, yet even he would be overwhelmed that quickly?

Kaido's daughter was clearly no ordinary fighter.

As the thought crossed his mind, another strange idea suddenly surfaced in Shiki's head.

Roger had a son.

Kaido had a daughter.

Even Linlin had children spread across the seas.

Did that mean he should also...

The moment the idea appeared, Shiki immediately shook his head hard as if trying to throw the thought out of his brain.

Aether glanced at him strangely.

What exactly was this old lion thinking about now?

…

At the temporary camp of the Beasts Pirates on Elizabeth Island, Queen continuously dialed a Den Den Mushi with growing irritation.

Yet no matter how many times he called, there was still no response.

An uneasy feeling gradually rose in his chest.

Could something really have happened to Kaido?

That should have been impossible.

Kaido was one of the Four Emperors. Even if he could not defeat Roger, escaping in his Azure Dragon form should never have been a problem.

The increasingly abnormal silence made Queen visibly agitated.

"Ulti! Are you done yet? Hurry up already! We need to keep up with Boss Kaido's schedule!"

As Queen shouted while walking outside, a blue-haired figure suddenly appeared in front of him.

Bang!

A hard forehead slammed directly into his face, forcing his huge body backward several steps.

Ulti was already in a terrible mood after being forced to handle an overwhelming amount of work.

"Stop yelling already! You're so annoying, Queen, you fat bastard!" Ulti snapped furiously. "You were the one who ordered the town to be looted, and now you're rushing everyone to leave. If you're in such a hurry, then do the work yourself!"

Queen clutched his forehead in pain.

He had to admit that Ulti's strength had grown rapidly over the years. She had only recently turned twenty, yet her headbutts were becoming more ridiculous each day.

If any other subordinate dared speak to him like this, Queen would have punished them immediately.

But Ulti and Page One were different.

The siblings had practically grown up around the Beasts Pirates, and everyone understood Ulti's explosive personality by now.

"Dammit, Ulti! I practically watched you grow up! Show your elders some respect!"

"I don't care about that! Every annoying task somehow ends up with me!"

…

Meanwhile, on the now much calmer sea, a small specialized vessel rapidly departed from the harbor and headed toward the Beasts Pirates' temporary base on Elizabeth Island.

On top of one of the buildings overlooking the port, Ace sat quietly on the rooftop tiles while staring blankly at the dark ocean.

The storm had already passed.

But the frustration inside him had not faded at all.

A graceful blonde figure slowly sat beside him.

Rouge gently brushed aside the strands of hair blown loose by the sea breeze before speaking softly.

"What's wrong, Ace? You've looked depressed ever since the battle ended. That doesn't sound like you at all."

Although they had not spent much time together yet, Rouge's sincere warmth had already allowed Ace to slowly lower his guard around her.

After remaining silent for a moment, Ace finally spoke.

"Mother… am I weak?"

Rouge quietly listened.

"In today's battle, I couldn't help at all. Against Kaido, I was completely powerless." Ace clenched his fists tightly. "At this level, how can I even think about carrying the Old Man's flag?"

Rouge's expression became slightly complicated when she heard Ace naturally refer to another man as "Old Man."

Still, she understood why.

Whitebeard had accompanied Ace for years in place of both her and Roger.

That bond could never be denied.

"Ace," Rouge said gently, "if you think you're weak, then become stronger."

She looked toward the sea in the distance.

"Your father wasn't born as the Pirate King either. At your age, he was far weaker than he is now. But through countless battles, he reached the top of the sea."

Her eyes softened again as she looked at Ace.

"You're his son. One day, you'll become a great pirate too."

Ace remained silent.

Rouge continued.

"If you want to grow stronger, then ask Roger to teach you properly. Do you really think he would refuse?"

Ace hesitated slightly.

Thinking about Aether's usual strict attitude toward training, his answer came out uncertain.

"But Roger is busy too. He still has a lot of things to deal with…"

Before he could finish, Rouge suddenly grabbed both sides of Ace's face.

Their foreheads touched gently as their nearly identical faces stared directly at one another.

"He is your father," Rouge said firmly. "You don't need to hesitate."

"You are his son. Teaching you properly is his responsibility. And if he dares refuse, I absolutely won't allow it."

As she became more emotional, faint traces of red even began appearing in her hair.

Ace's expression instantly stiffened.

"Mother, please calm down…"

The last time Rouge lost control of her emotions, Ace had suffered through an extremely memorable lecture.

"Mhm." Rouge smiled proudly. "I believe my son will surpass Roger someday. That's what people mean when they say the student surpasses the master."

Surpass Roger…

Ace unconsciously recalled the terrifying power Aether displayed during battle.

Especially that advanced application of Conqueror's Haki.

Perhaps one day, he could master that power as well.

Just as Ace was lost in thought, Rouge suddenly spoke again with a strange smile.

"Ace, is Boa Hancock really as beautiful as people say?"

Ace froze.

"And what about that Marine officer named Hina? What kind of woman is she? For Roger to attract women like that, he must've caused quite a bit of trouble."

Rouge's consecutive questions instantly made Ace sweat nervously.

The Pirate Empress truly was stunning beyond belief, but discussing another woman's beauty directly in front of his mother felt incredibly dangerous.

"Mother… I haven't met them personally, so I wouldn't know," Ace answered awkwardly before quickly adding, "Besides, I think you're the most beautiful."

Rouge laughed softly.

"You sweet child. You're already grown up, and I'm not young anymore."

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