Naruto: From Konoha to One Piece

Ace and Yamato conversed, but they were clearly talking past each other. Yamato's carefree nature didn't help, and Ace wasn't much better. Shin couldn't help but wonder, 'Does Yamato actually think she's Kozuki Oden?'

"Come on, Ace. Kozuki Oden was a man, and so is Kaido," Shin finally interjected, unable to keep silent any longer.

Ace looked surprised as if he'd only just realized it. "Oh! Right!" he exclaimed.

Yamato, however, remained serious. "Though I'm Kaido's son, in spirit, I am still Kozuki Oden!" she declared.

Ace looked her over, his face a mix of confusion and disbelief. "You're Kaido's son?" His gaze drifted awkwardly to her chest, and he was unsure what to make of this declaration.

"What? Even though I'm a woman, I'm a proud man in spirit!"

Shin could only sigh. 'Fine, whatever makes her happy,' he thought.

Ace nodded earnestly, seemingly on the same wavelength as Yamato. "I see. My apologies for the misunderstanding."

'Maybe I'm the odd one here for trying to understand the mindset of people in this world,' Shin thought, rolling his eyes.

As Ace and Yamato resumed their sparring, Shin observed that Ace seemed to have the upper hand. In the original story, the two had fought to a standstill, but Ace's power appeared greater this time.

That wasn't entirely surprising. Traveling with Shin had been a constant source of motivation and competition for Ace, which drove him to push his limits. With Shin's mastery of the Munch-Munch Fruit, combined with his medical skills to heal injuries perfectly, Ace could train without fearing lasting harm. This allowed him to improve faster and avoid the lingering effects of past wounds, giving him an edge over the original timeline.

Though Ace was stronger than before, Shin knew that battles between people of this caliber could last hours or even days if the fighters were evenly matched. He wanted to avoid a prolonged conflict, especially if it drew the attention of the Beast Pirates.

"Let's give them a few hours. If they don't burn off some energy now, they'll never be satisfied," Shin muttered to himself, glancing around the area. Seeing no Beast Pirates close by, he decided to venture toward the large skull structure on the island.

Since he gained the Munch-Munch Fruit and plundered Drum Kingdom, Shin had acquired a taste for treasure hunting. Besides, there were practical benefits—the weapons he found could temporarily enhance his combat abilities.

He currently carries four high-quality blades with him. Though not a swordsman, Shin had found that swallowing these weapons could give him a temporary boost in strength during battle. Yet, he knew better than to make this a permanent strategy. In a world where one's body could grow as resilient as steel, relying on weapons would only hinder his growth.

"Well, this will do as a transition for now," he muttered. 'Temporary power is still power,' he reasoned. He'd take any edge he could get until he achieved the level where he no longer needed such aids.

Entering the Skull Dome, Shin noted a few unconscious Beast Pirates scattered around, likely overwhelmed by the clashing Conqueror's Haki. Ignoring them, he tried to orient himself within the structure, but the layout was unlike anything he'd studied. The massive, modified biological skull had an architecture that defied standard logic, leaving him feeling frustrated.

"Guess I'll just search each floor," he muttered, resigning himself to trial and error.

Despite the sparsity of guards, there were occasional pirates still conscious. However, none posed any threat, and Shin moved through the space largely unchallenged. Just as he reached the second floor, his danger senses flared. Reacting instinctively, he dodged as thick strands of spider silk descended from above, narrowly avoiding entanglement.

Shin turned toward the source, and from the shadows emerged a towering blonde woman with a spider's lower body—Black Maria. Her massive size, combined with her stealthy approach, almost caught him off guard despite his heightened senses.

"A spider with the Ancient Zoan Fruit? You must be Black Maria," Shin observed, his tone betraying his surprise. Her unique blend of power and stealth was formidable.

"Little brother, what brings you here? We don't welcome outsiders," Black Maria purred as several strange, ghostly figures emerged behind her. The sight resembled a supernatural parade, like the legendary "Night Parade of a Hundred Demons."

Unlike Black Maria, many of her companions were oddly proportioned, with grotesque features that gave them a monstrous appearance.

Shin straightened up, unperturbed. "So, the entire crew didn't leave after all," he muttered. 'Just my luck,' he thought. The situation had just become much more complicated.

"Well, you came with that little flame boy, didn't you?" Black Maria sneered. "Did you come to challenge Lord Kaido? Too bad your captain couldn't even handle young master Yamato," she added with a smirk.

Despite her words, Shin took comfort in one detail—she was likely the only high-ranking member present. Black Maria wouldn't be speaking with such arrogance if there were others. If Kaido or the higher-ranking officers were here, she would have attacked him outright instead of toying with him.

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Mass Release: [3/5]

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