One Piece - Heaven Defying Comprehension!

Viola's slender frame trembled at the gentle yet commanding voice coming through the Den Den Mushi. Though she had accepted an invitation to join the Sixth Division of the Entei Pirate Fleet, the reality of speaking to this legendary figure who could determine the fate of nations with a single word, filled her with an unavoidable mix of apprehension and awe.

She could hardly blame herself for feeling this way. Confronted with a force greater than the emperors who had ruled the seas like kings, such anxiety was only natural. To disrespect such an emperor of the sea was to invite disaster; the blood-soaked history of those who had crossed them proved as much. And now, Viola was speaking with the one above even these figures.

"Y-yes…" Viola stammered, her heart racing as she took the den-den mushi from Kuzan, trying to hide the tremor in her voice. Unsure of what to call him, a cold sweat beaded on her forehead. She was now part of the Entei Pirates, yet she felt unsure whether she had earned the right to address him as "Captain." Technically, she served in the Sixth Division, not his main crew.

Suddenly, an idea came to her. "I… I am Viola, Admiral," she managed, pressing her lips together, heart pounding. Given her role in the Sixth Division, "Admiral" seemed fitting.

"Admiral? Hahaha, interesting," Ace responded, his laugh rolling warmly through the line. Though the Marines sometimes referred to him as the "Admiral of the Entei Pirates," Ace had never cared much for the title. Among his inner circle, the girls called him simply "Ace," while Issho often addressed him as "Ace-san or Captain," and Kuzan as "Captain." This was the first time he'd heard "Admiral."

Ace sensed Viola's anxiety and didn't feel the need to correct her, or to urge her to use his name. With the position and power he now commanded, Ace had grown comfortable with distance from new recruits. Although Viola was certainly beautiful and regal, as a princess of Dressrosa, she was not someone worth bending his persona for. To him, her value lay in her political utility as Dressrosa's representative and in her Devil Fruit power, which could be useful to his crew.

"Not a bad title—keep using it," Ace chuckled, his warmth easing Viola's nerves.

"Yes, Admiral," Viola replied respectfully, feeling a wave of relief wash over her.

"Good," Ace continued, "for now, follow Kuzan and Issho's lead. Issho, take time to teach her to combine the Stare Fruit with Observation Haki. I think it will suit her well." Ace's tone softened as he spoke, his chuckle faintly audible.

"Yes, Captain," Issho nodded in agreement.

Kuzan added, "Captain, as per your orders, only Baby-5 from the Donquixote family remains alive, although she's been kept frozen. The rest of the Donquixote cadres are confirmed dead, and we've successfully hunted down all their Devil Fruit abilities."

"Good. Baby-5's weapon-creating ability is quite suited to warfare. Release her from the ice," Ace replied with a chuckle.

Baby-5, unlike the other Donquixote family cadres, hadn't stood in the way of Doflamingo's assassination. Her peculiar trait of being unable to refuse others' requests made her remarkably adaptable, and her Weapon-Weapon Fruit ability could prove useful in combat situations. Her potential was moderate, but considering the Devil Fruit's natural limits, she wouldn't be able to generate weapons beyond basic firearms or artillery.

However, Ace recognized some strategic value. It wasn't worth granting the Weapon-Weapon Fruit to anyone with high potential, yet it could be more advantageous to integrate her into the Sixth Division of the Entei Pirate Fleet. If her ability evolved, allowing her to convert her surroundings into weaponry and combine it with Armament Haki, she could be impactful in large-scale battles.

Of course, Ace had a clear approach to invitations—he only extended them once. Should Baby-5 decline, he'd have Kuzan claim her weapon devil fruit by more direct means.

"Understood," Kuzan replied, casting a look at Issho. Although Kuzan wielded the Ice-Ice Fruit power, lifting the complete freeze he'd placed on Baby-5 would require a delicate and exacting skill.

Mastering Logia-type Devil Fruit had shown Kuzan just how Ace had redefined the nature of these powers. The strength and potential of Logia abilities are restricted to natural elements, yet Ace seemed to defy this limitation. This unique disregard for the rules of nature had long intrigued the scientific minds within the World Government, especially Vegapunk, the brain behind much of their research. Despite advances that replicated Zoan and Paramecia fruits, Logia's complexity remained impenetrable.

When Kuzan was still with the Marines, he recalled how Vegapunk often sought Ace's blood for research, asserting that it held the key to unlocking the true secrets of Devil Fruits. Sengoku, the Marine Fleet Admiral at the time, refused this idea with a stern hand, finding it ludicrous to consider retrieving blood from a man capable of generating flame hotter than the earth's core. 

Such a proposal seemed comically absurd. If they could safely acquire a sample from Ace, they might have fared better in the Flame Emperor Incident, where Ace's overwhelming power had devastated the Marines.

"Understood," he said.

Issho retrieved a talisman, releasing a pinpoint of light that quickly ignited into a unique flame as it touched the ice encasing Baby-5. The Suzaku Fire purified the effects of Kuzan's Ice-Ice Fruit, melting the ice and restoring Baby-5 to her previous state.

"Ugh..." Baby-5 blinked, coming to. She glanced around and froze at the sight of Doflamingo and the other cadres, all encased in ice. Conflicting emotions washed over her face. Though she'd wanted Doflamingo gone, she couldn't shake the lingering attachment to the family members she'd known for so long. And now, with the Donquixote family shattered, she faced a deeper dread: would she be needed by anyone?

"Baby-5, right?" A chuckle broke her thoughts, drawing her attention to the den-den mushi.

"Huh? You…who are you?" She glanced at the den-den mushi, the voice strangely familiar.

"Portgas D. Ace."

At the mention of his name, Baby-5's eyes widened. No wonder the voice sounded familiar; it was the voice that had echoed around the world after the Flame Emperor Incident. 

"Join my Sixth Division of the Entei Pirates' Grand Fleet," Ace continued, his tone calm yet commanding. "I need you."

"Y-you n-need…me?" she stammered, her whole body beginning to shake. Needed? By the most powerful man in the world? It was like a dream!

Ace's chuckle softened as he added, "But know this: if you accept, your duty is to me and my needs alone. If that's what you want, come aboard."

This was a crucial correction, one Ace intended for Baby-5's own good. He knew of her weakness for anyone claiming to "need" her. Without setting this boundary, she could be exploited or betray them on a whim. 

If she was to have a place on his side, he needed her loyalty to be steadfast.

"I—I accept!" Baby-5 cried, trembling with excitement. "I want…no, I need to be needed by you!" 

Her voice brimmed with conviction. Ace's invitation had struck at the heart of her yearning, and she embraced it without a second thought.

The man who surpasses the Four Emperors, the strongest man in the world, has a need.

For Baby-5, the sense of satisfaction this brings is simply irresistible.

Compared to being needed by Flame Emperor, other needs pale in comparison.

"Alright then, just follow Kuzan for now and act with Issho," Ace said with a chuckle.

He wasn't surprised by this outcome.

He knows Baby-5's past and why she developed such a personality; he needs her ability so he will fulfil her wish as long as he was the one she desired to serve.

"Got it!" Baby-5 nodded eagerly.

"You handle the follow-up tasks on Dressrosa and wait there for our arrival," Ace instructed.

Dressrosa lies as the second island in the New World, right after Fish-Man Island.

There's no need for Kuzan and Issho to make an additional trip.

And using the Gate Fruit for teleportation? Not necessary.

Long-distance teleportation, even with the Gate Fruit, would demand an immense amount of physical strength.

Moreover, they needed the record pointer to document the route so that Nami could continue her goal of drawing a world map.

As for Punk Hazard, just before Dressrosa, Ace had little concern.

Whether Caesar and his allies remained there was irrelevant.

The minor figures there held no significance to him, certainly not enough to send Kuzan and Issho after them.

Both the Gas-Gas Fruit and the Snow-Snow Fruit held no importance to Ace; neither was worth any unnecessary effort.

Kaido's territory held the fifth Devil Fruit on his list.

Besides, if news of Doflamingo's downfall reached Caesar, he would undoubtedly seek Kaido's protection.

After all, Ace's prowess in hunting Devil Fruits had become widely known across the seas.

While he may not care about the Gas-Gas or Snow-Snow Fruit, to someone like Caesar, a "frog in the well," the power of a Logia Devil Fruit user posed a significant threat.

When the time comes, they could be dealt with in one decisive strike on Wano.

"Understood," Kuzan and Issho replied.

The Entei Pirate Fleet was finally venturing into the New World!