Chapter 26: Heading to Onigashima (Ghost Island)
With the combined strength of Ayaan and Ace, they could essentially run rampant across Wano Country, now that Kaido, the three calamities, and even the Flying Six were no longer present.
Naturally, plundering a batch of food from Wano wasn't a difficult task. The only real challenge was transporting the food.
In the end, Ayaan, the user of the Baku Baku no Mi, was forced to take on the role of the transport captain. Because he had swallowed and stored a massive quantity of food, his body ballooned into a fat man over 20 meters tall—practically a rolling ball.
So, after several raids and securing enough food to sustain Amigasa Village for half a year, Ayaan left the place like a man granted a royal pardon.
He had no desire to ever feel that bloated again. The swallowing ability of the Baku Baku no Mi had limits after all. If it didn't, wouldn't he be able to swallow an entire planet?
It was just like playing one of those evolution games—starting with a tiny creature, swallowing everything in sight to evolve.
Although the fruit was called the Baku Baku no Mi , its real function lay in transforming and integrating objects, not in acting as a storage space.
As for where to go next...
"Kaido's lair should be on that Ghost Island!" Ace said, pointing at the massive skull-shaped island in the distance with excitement in his eyes.
As Ayaan looked at the island, he thought of Kaido's "filial son"—Yamato.
"Now that I think about it, Yamato should carry Kaido's bloodline. That would make her a demon by Wano standards, wouldn't it?"
"Her potential is at least equal to Ace's. If I could analyze her body structure, I might be able to elevate my own strength again."
Ayaan didn't think much of Yamato's actions. It was like a navy hero raising the son of a revolutionary, who turned out to be the grandson of the Pirate King. The whole pirate world was soaked in this romanticized ideal of freedom. So it wasn't all that surprising that Kaido—a standard tyrant of a pirate—would end up raising a "son" who aspired to become a heroic figure.
But what truly attracted Ayaan was Yamato's potential. If he could further modify his own body using her blueprint, he might one day stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ace in battle.
In fact, his potential already matched Ace's. Though he wasn't progressing as fast in raw physical training, chakra allowed him to temporarily push his body beyond its limits during battle.
Still, his Baku Baku no Mi wasn't as direct or destructive as Ace's Mera Mera no Mi in a head-on clash. And while he'd increased his potential through body modification, it hadn't fully translated into strength—not in just half a year. So in sheer combat, Ace still had the edge.
However, in a real fight? The outcome would be uncertain. Ayaan specialized in ninjutsu, particularly Suiton (Water Release) techniques—Ace's natural counter.
Among Devil Fruit users, Ace's Mera Mera no Mi was especially vulnerable to water. Only Crocodile's Suna Suna no Mi (Sand-Sand Fruit) had it worse.
"You wait here—I'll go check it out first!" Ace said, unable to contain his excitement. In a burst of flames, he launched himself toward Onigashima.
Ayaan smirked, already knowing that Kaido and his crew weren't home. Ace would return empty-handed.
A loud boom echoed in the distance. Ayaan turned his head and saw a massive dragon statue at the island's entrance split into pieces amidst a firestorm.
"So violent," Ayaan muttered. "If Kaido were actually here and saw Ace smashing his statues, he'd probably turn Ace into a pancake."
As their ship neared Onigashima, Ayaan began to hear shouting—it seemed Ace had encountered someone.
Moments later, a massive wave of Conqueror's Haki surged from the island. Another unfamiliar but equally powerful Haki responded. The clash between the two made even the clouds above ripple.
"That must be Yamato's Haki... Still, both are just shy of the level needed to split the sky."
"But if either of them does reach that level, they'd be among the strongest fighters alive."
Despite the oppressive wave of Haki, none of the Spade Pirates fainted. Ayaan may have jokingly referred to them as deadweight, but the Spade Pirates were still an elite crew. Their combat ability far surpassed that of average Four Emperors' cannon fodder.
Also, Yamato and Ace's Haki wasn't on the level of actual emperors yet. So while the crew felt pressure, they could bear it.
However, the closer they got to the island, the harder it became to stay upright. Ayaan turned back and said, "You guys wait here. I'll go ahead and finish this quickly."
He jumped from the ship and ran across the water toward Onigashima.
The Spade Pirates exchanged glances, disappointment visible on their faces.
After traveling so long with Ace and Ayaan, they were keenly aware of the gap between them. They trained hard, but their growth just couldn't keep up.
When Ayaan reached the island, two figures were locked in battle, flames and ice crashing into each other. It was an intense showdown.
A final explosive clash separated the fighters—Ace on one side, Yamato on the other.
"Are you Kaido, captain of the Beasts Pirates?" Ace asked seriously.
Ayaan: "…"
Come on, Ace. Other than the horns, how does Yamato look anything like Kaido? She's clearly a girl!
"I'm not Kaido. I'm Kozuki Oden, from Wano Country!" Yamato shouted.
Okay, she looks like a girl—but her mind is another matter.
"Kozuki Oden?" Ace tilted his head. "Wasn't he the daimyo of Wano? Didn't Kaido kill him?"
Before arriving in Wano, Ace hadn't heard of Kozuki Oden. But after spending so much time in Amigasa Village, he'd learned of the legendary warrior.
Sure, Oden sounded a bit reckless, but that kind of passionate idealism was something a pirate like Ace could admire.