One Piece: The Multiverse Simulator

The enormous Gates of Justice only opened a crack, but it was enough for Wood's ship to pass through.

Emerging from the dense white mist beyond, Wood gave Ruth a set of coordinates, instructing him to dock at the specified location. As their vessel approached the shore, silhouettes of two tall, curvaceous figures gradually emerged from the fog.

"You're at least an hour late!" one of the women called out as the ship drew closer. Her voice carried a hint of frustration. "Do you know how much effort it took to divert the Marines guarding the Gates of Justice?"

Stepping out of the mist, a woman wearing a Navy Justice cape, a sword at her waist, and strikingly long legs came into view.

"It's Vice Admiral Gion… no, Rear Admiral Momousagi!" Ruth exclaimed, his eyes widening in recognition. Then, looking toward Wood, he stammered, "Captain, don't tell me your so-called Navy mole is none other than Vice Admiral Gion…"

Before Ruth could finish his sentence, Wood swiftly clamped a hand over his mouth, grinning sheepishly at Gion. "Apologies, apologies. My crew was overly cautious about possible ambushes on this route, so we were delayed."

"Mmmph! Mmmph!" Ruth mumbled, his eyes darting between Wood and Gion. Gradually, his expression shifted as realization dawned on him.

As one of the founding members of Wood's weapons company and a veteran of the crew, Ruth was privy to more than a few secrets—and perhaps even some gossip.

Over a decade ago, when they first defected from the Navy, Ruth had encountered Gion. At the time, Wood had been nothing more than a Navy lieutenant, yet Gion, already a rear admiral, had been assigned to pursue them.

Even back then, Ruth had suspected there was something unusual about their relationship. Now, years later, seeing the renowned Vice Admiral Momousagi personally clear a path for them through the Gates of Justice, Ruth's suspicions seemed all but confirmed.

From Ruth's perspective, this was outright betrayal of the Navy. Unless Wood had some leverage over her—or, more plausibly, the two had a clandestine relationship.

Still, Ruth wisely decided to keep his observations to himself. After all, whether it was Wood or the now-famous Gion, neither was someone he could afford to offend.

Moreover, he knew that if certain individuals back on Dark Abyss Island caught wind of this, the repercussions would be dire. One particular sharp-witted woman might very well storm Marineford herself.

"This is getting interesting," Ruth muttered under his breath. "So the famed Momousagi has ties with Wood, huh? I wonder how a certain someone on the island will react when she finds out…"

Ruth had enough sense to stay quiet. Unfortunately, not everyone on the ship shared his tact. Perona, the mischievous ghostly girl who had once been tormented by said sharp-witted woman, couldn't help but blurt out, "Wow, Captain! You've got some serious connections, huh? I can't wait to see her face when she hears about this!"

Ruth's face turned pale as he tried, too late, to silence Perona. But instead of reacting to Perona, Gion's sharp gaze settled on Wood.

"You… you really are a beast, aren't you?" she accused, her voice trembling with emotion. "So you've finally made a move on that devil child, Nico Robin!"

Wood's face turned several shades paler. Before Gion could draw her sword, he shot an accusatory glare at Ruth and Perona.

"Nico Robin is just my secretary!" he protested. "She's our company's second-in-command and handles our finances! I've always treated her like a younger sister, nothing more!"

Pausing for breath, Wood added, "And even if I did make a move on her, that doesn't make me a beast! It's been over twenty years since we met—she's hardly a kid anymore. She's gone from a little girl to a refined woman."

Taking a deep breath, he finished, "And anyway, even if something did happen between me and Robin, it's none of your business!"

As he spoke, Wood's tone shifted from defensive to defiant. He might have initially been cowed by Gion's anger, but he quickly remembered that she had no claim over his personal life.

Yes, he was nearly forty and still single. Even if he did end up involved with his secretary, it wouldn't be scandalous—it would be normal. Compared to other bigshots in the underworld and pirate captains who flaunted harems, Wood thought himself almost puritanical.

Gion's hand twitched toward her sword, but she restrained herself. As much as she wanted to teach Wood a lesson, she couldn't find a valid reason to do so.

After all, pirates were the scum of the sea. For Wood to have reached his current status without fully defecting was already remarkable. Denying him personal indulgences seemed overly harsh.

Just as Gion struggled with her thoughts, a soft, melodic voice emerged from the mist behind her. "My, my, it's been so many years, and yet it seems my dear Wood hasn't changed at all."

From the fog stepped another tall, striking woman, her figure as alluring as her voice. Her blue hair framed a face of delicate beauty, and she wore a playful smile as her eyes locked onto Wood.

Wood froze. He recognized her voice, but it took him a moment to match it with the face before him. When she addressed him as "dear Wood," memories of a younger, more innocent face resurfaced.

"Ain?" he asked hesitantly.

The woman's smile widened. "I'm so glad you still remember me, Wood. It's been so long since we parted on Maple Leaf Island."

Before Wood could react, Ain rushed forward, throwing her arms around him. Caught off guard, Wood instinctively returned the hug. However, as he held her, he realized that Ain, like Nico Robin, had grown into a mature and strikingly beautiful woman.

"Ain… you're no longer a child," Wood muttered awkwardly. "You're a Navy officer now, a grown woman. You shouldn't act like this—especially with men."

"Since this is our long-awaited reunion, I'll let it slide this time," Wood said, gently loosening Ain's embrace. "But next time, you can't just hug your big brother like this."

Hearing Wood's words, Ain, still clinging to his neck, puffed her cheeks indignantly. "Wood-oniisan has changed! You never cared about this kind of thing before.

And that Nico Robin—didn't you say you treat her like a sister too? Do you like that sister more than me? Is she the only one allowed to hug you like this?"

Wood couldn't help but smile at his long-lost adoptive sister's sulking expression. He was genuinely happy to see her again and had no intention of upsetting her.

Just as he was about to explain, Gion, standing nearby, interjected with a sly grin. "Ain, if you think you're the only special little sister, you're mistaken. Your kind and caring Wood-oniisan has probably done a lot more for that other sister."

Pausing for effect, she added, "It's only natural. Even though you've known him longer, you can't compare to Nico Robin in terms of time spent together. She's been by his side since she was eight years old—almost twenty years now. Truly the product of careful cultivation, wouldn't you say?"

Wood's face twitched at Gion's words. Although most of what she said was baseless, it wasn't entirely false, either. And from the way Ain's expression turned to one of hurt and jealousy, it was clear Gion's words had hit home.

"Don't listen to her nonsense!" Wood quickly protested. "It's true Robin has been with me for nearly twenty years, but I've never done anything inappropriate!

You can ask my vice-captain Ruth if you don't believe me. I've always treated Robin as nothing more than a little sister."

After much coaxing, and considering they had more pressing matters at hand, Ain reluctantly dropped the subject. However, the encounter left her determined to keep an eye on this Nico Robin.

For years, Ain had been Wood's only sister. But now, not only did this new "sister" appear out of nowhere, she'd also lived and worked with Wood for over two decades. Ain couldn't help but feel her position as his favorite sister was under threat.

Gion soon shifted the conversation to their mission. "This collaboration between the Navy and you must remain entirely confidential.

When the Whitebeard Pirates attack Marineford, your job is to act covertly and eliminate as many pirates as possible. As for the agreed compensation, we'll settle that afterward."

Hearing Gion's official tone, Ruth and the others finally understood that Wood's earlier claims about a "mole" in the Navy had been exaggerated.

From Gion's words, it became clear that Wood had struck a deal with the Navy behind their backs. He would secretly assist them against the Whitebeard Pirates in exchange for compensation after the battle.

This explanation made much more sense to Ruth and the crew.

Frankly, if Wood had claimed Gion was their planted spy in the Navy, no one would have believed him. After all, Gion—better known as Momousagi—was a rising star and candidate for admiral. Her loyalty to the Navy was beyond question.

Still, Ruth couldn't help but wonder why Gion was going out of her way to help them. It seemed likely she was trying to conceal Wood's involvement for the sake of the Navy's reputation.

Admiral Sengoku clearly wanted Wood's support but didn't want the world to know the Navy had collaborated with a notorious figure like him. Gion's actions—diverting Marines from the Gates of Justice and facilitating their covert entry—fit this narrative.

Wood, for his part, looked unimpressed at the mention of "compensation."

He had been an undercover operative for the Navy for over twenty years, yet Sengoku had never paid him a single salary. The Navy still owed him for several weapons shipments, and now they dared talk about compensation?

As they approached their hiding spot, Gion asked Wood for his thoughts on the upcoming execution of Fire Fist Ace.

"Do you have any insights or plans regarding this situation?" she inquired.

Wood's group couldn't roam Marineford freely without attracting attention, so Gion had arranged for them to stay hidden until the battle began. On the way, she took the opportunity to gauge Wood's perspective.

Though they hadn't worked together often, Gion knew from past experience that Wood's strategic acumen was exceptional. Even Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru had praised his ability to predict outcomes with uncanny accuracy.

"What's there to plan?" Wood shrugged. "You've captured Fire Fist Ace. Did you really think Whitebeard would sit back and watch his beloved son get executed?

An assault on Marineford by the Whitebeard Pirates is inevitable. You've anticipated this and made your preparations, haven't you?"

Pausing, Wood continued, "Given the current forces on display, the Navy has a solid chance of winning. Even if the Warlords of the Sea have their own agendas, the admirals aren't pushovers.

Whitebeard may be the world's strongest man, but he's old. And let's not forget you've turned one of his sons against him—someone who'll stab him in the back at the opportune moment."

Gion's calm demeanor faltered at Wood's final remark. Her eyes widened in shock, betraying her disbelief at his knowledge.

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