Hello everyone, here is the net chapter

This is a bit of a weird one but I hope it is interesting and okay to read

Also, if you're here, I want to thank you so much for sticking with this story, it means the world to me people read this and leaves comments on it, it makes me want to write more and continue this way too long story

Hope you enjoy

Read and relax

Everyone blinked, looking at Trevor in shock. He said what? Thatch frowned. "...What?" Trevor shook his head. "Why else would all of them leave? Hanzo would never leave Raiden without a reason. Benn would never go back to this life. I have no other ideas." Mika sighed. "I hate it, but I feel the same. Something big is happening. We need to be prepared." They should, it sounded like something bad was happening.

They tried to keep their eyes and ears out, but nothing happened, but after a week, a week of nothing. Whitebeard gave a frown as Rayleigh got on the boat, looking serious. "I have something from Luffy and Sabo." The man then held out a recorder den den. "Ace called them earlier this morning. Sanji had placed a recording on their den den, thankfully." The captain nodded, Izou taking the recorder from the man. "What does Ace say?" If he told his brothers to stay away from places, they needed to go there. Rayleigh shook his head. "You should... just listen to it." This wasn't like the old man's usual behaviour, making Whitebeard worried. He gave a look to Izou when he was close enough, and the sixteenth commander pressed play.

"Sabo, Luffy, listen, just listen." It felt good to hear Ace's voice, but he sounded… scared. He didn't like that. "I need you to get food, water, whatever you need, and I need you to close all doors, and hide inside the ship, okay." Whitebeard felt something building up inside him, hoping this was just a small warning. But, Ace's voice was getting more and more stressed. "And, I need you to not go outside, no matter what, for 15 days, okay?" Ace was stressed, really stressed. He then heard Luffy asking, or starting to ask, why, when Ace continued, voice shaking.

"I just need you to! Don't come outside, don't listen to anyone but yourself and your crew. Just hide. Please." Whitebeard swallowed, listening as Ace's voice was shaky. "And, I love you two. I love you so much! Never doubt that, never. I will never stop that, never doubt it." Whitebeard closed his eyes, hearing the clear fear in Ace's voice as he spoke. "I need you to hide for me, to stay safe. Okay? And- and if you somehow run into the Whitebeards, I need you to do something for me." Oh no, Whitebeard hoped this would be what he thought to be. "I need you to tell Marco I love him so much too, I always have. That I'm sorry I couldn't tell him in person, that I'm sorry for all of this, But, I love him so much. And- and tell Whitebeard I'm sorry I couldn't stay long enough to manage to call him Pops, that I loved every moment with them." Ace was saying goodbye, and when he looked at Marco, Whitebeard saw him having his hands on his face, trying to keep together. "Tell everyone I loved everyone on the boat, every moment of it. I hope so much I can be there more, to actually get married, get to know everyone, and I'm just sorry." He heard a shaky breath being taken by Ace. "Now, please Luffy, Sabo, take your crew and hide. Don't come out, don't listen to anyone but you and your crew. I love you all so much." Then, the recording ended, leaving the deck in complete silence.

Whitebeard gave a breath, seeing everyone looking shocked. "W-was that-?" The captain nodded as Thatch couldn't finish. "Yes. Ace just said goodbye." He heard Trevor give a loud breath, looking on edge. "He knows his chances are low, maybe not even there, that he will not survive. He just said his last goodbye; he knows he's most likely not going to win this, and he will die trying." The assassin looked at Rayleigh. "Where are the kids?" Rayleigh shook his head. "Did what Ace said; locked themselves inside the boat, anchor down between the islands just north of here. They know something is up." Then the man looked at him. "Now, what can I do to help?"

Trevor shook his head beside him, giving a sigh. "Nothing. We can't do anything. Ace and the others are going in for the last battle, last stand for all of humanity, and it will happen soon. We don't even know where they are, where this is happening. We can't do anything. We can't do anything other than try and look, and wait, hoping we see the sunrise in the next 10-15 days. Ace knows things will be over then, either for whatever is bringing in the world's end, them, or everyone. The world's ending and we can't do anything."

Whitebeard felt a breath leave him, realizing Trevor is right. They can't do anything, they don't know where to go. But as the recording had been with them, Dust showed up, and Whitebeard took that as a good sign, at least until Trevor spoke. "Where is Ace?" Dust shook his head, cawing, and Trevor frowned. "He blocked you?" Dust half shook his head, and Trevor nodded. "He's without power?" That had Dust nod. Dust probably came here since he had no other place to be. Ace left Dust behind. That couldn't be good.

A few hours later, there was a call from Shanks, who said he might have a lead. He mentioned something about a holy place, a bit to their west. He found it in Benn's room, now having searched it. He was stressed, Benn had never left before. It was bad. They then got coordinates, but they lead to nothing on the map, just a stone wall. But, Shanks did say there seemed to be a way through, so they headed where Shanks said, writing the coordinates and how to get past the stone wall, which was hidden in a great and thick fog. But they headed there, and it took a day until they met the fog, and first, they just tried to sail, but met a wall, before they headed back out, and tried again, and again, met a wall. But then, Trevor took charge and said how to sail, saying their ship was larger than most, so they needed to change it a bit, and this time, they didn't meet the wall, but could barely and faintly see the outline of rocks beside them. He did feel his powers disappearing as they went, and the other devil fruit users said the same. But there actually was a way. They then headed on, before they got to an open place, nowhere to go, a large rock in a bit to the left of the middle, which was a huge open circle.

They then headed to the rock, which seemed to have some writing on it, but as he could see the writing, it didn't make sense, it was just shapes. But Trevor looked at it, before he looked at Mika. "You can read this, right? Old runes." Mika nodded and went up, looking at it with a frown. After a few seconds, Trevor looked at the woman. "What does it say?" Mika shook her head, before she frowned more. "It says: Sacrifice your arms to the center of the water; awaken again the cradle of the world." Trevor frowned. "Throw your weapon to the sea?" Mika shrugged. "Seems so." Trevor then looked at him. "I think it needs to be you." Whitebeard nodded, and held his scythe in one hand, locating the middle of the body of water, before he took a breath. He liked his weapon, but at the worst, Namur could go get it again, or maybe have it remade. He then threw it and it hit the water, and nothing happened.

Trevor frowned as he looked at Mika. "Did you read right?" Mika nodded, checking the runes over again. "Yes, I di-!" The water started to shake as if an earthquake or serious storm was over them, but the sky was clear and the mountain was stable, it was just the water. Then it was as if a mountain a bit away moved, before the water got worse and the boat rumbled and rocked badly. Then, from the middle of the water, where he had thrown his scythe, a mountain-like shape started to move upwards, and the water line sank, it was as if the ground came up. But then, an eye opened, the eye itself was as large as him. This was a humongous beast.

The beast raised its head, and it looked like a serpent's head, and moved up before it looked at them, and it opened its mouth and moved his tongue, and from the beats mouth came his scythe, and landed on the deck, making him grab it, sure this would be a hard fight. The serpent then… gave a roar-like sound, but with different kinds of force. What did it want with them? "He wants to help?!" Yelled Marco, and Whitebeard turned to look at his first mate. "What?!" Marco shook his head. "He wants to help us, yoi!" Whitebeard frowned, no idea why Marco thought that, and not that it was an enemy, but Trevor looked at Marco. "You can understand him?!" Marco nodded. "Can't you?" Trevor shook his head. "No, just roaring. Must be a mythical being." That made sense.

Trevor then looked at the serpent. "Ask him what he knows." Marco nodded and looked at the large serpent. "What do you know?!" Yelled the first commander, and the serpent started to roar again, or speak, its huge mouth moving and the force of the voice made the boat rumble. Marco frowned. "He says… 'The Gods have come back, the end is nigh. If you want to survive, put up a fight.'" Marco swallowed. "'This is how the world ends, not with a bang, but a whimper.'" Trevor nodded. "Ask him where Ace is." Marco nodded. "Where is Ace!" The serpent spoke again, before it moved its head to their boat and turned them around, and as it did, Marco spoke. "He will put us on the right track." That was good. When they were turned to the left, the serpent moved back and spoke again, when he was finished, Marco spoke. "...He says there is a genie here, yoi." Whitebeard frowned, and before he could speak, the serpent spoke again, and when he was done, Marco spoke. "He wishes us luck, and hopes we will meet again." The serpent then moved its head and moved behind a mountain and laid down again, but not in the water as it didn't rise. But, as the water line had fallen, a new way had opened, through a crack in the mountain, just somewhat bigger than their boat, they could head through, they just needed to be careful, and did that. The way they had come from was high up and not reachable. Could there really be a genie? Getting here had been hard, they needed a special map to get through the fog, it was as if it was enchanted.

They then sailed for a while, before they came to a large building, and the captain, with some of his children, Marco, Curiel, Izou, Thatch, Rayleigh, Trevor, Mika, and Namur went onto the building and they headed on, before they came to a large room, much larger than him. It would fit a normal giant. They then headed to a pedestal in the middle, and Marco moved to lift a lamp, and Whitebeard wasn't sure if that was safe. But before he could voice that, Marco did something to the lamp, and Whitebeard blinked as the lamp gave a blinding blink, before it moved to float in the air, a blue fog coming from it, before it turned into a blue woman, her skin and hair a light shade of blue, and golden necklace, earrings, and bracelets. "Hello," Started the woman, floating in the air with a kind look. "My name is Jinn, I can answer 3 question every 200 hundred years. You can ask anything, but I can not change the past or future. I currently have 2 questions left." This was astonishing. There existed a genie. Before he could say anything, the genie, Jinn, moved her look to Marco, giving a light chuckle. "My, this is sure a rare sight. Almost never do I get the same person in front of me twice. Marcus."

The captain blinked, not sure who the woman was speaking off, he didn't have anyone named Marcus here. Marco then gave a breath with a slight chuckle. "It's Marco now, yoi. I would think an all knowing being would know that." Whitebeard blinked. Marco was Marcus? Jinn gave a chuckle. "No one asked me your name, so I go by what I know." "Wait, woah, woah!" Started Thatch, looking shocked. "Marcus?! Do you know her?! She knows you?! You have asked her a question recently?!" That was a curious question Whitebeard had too. If Marco knew where she was, why hadn't he told? Jinn hummed. "No. My first question in the last 700 years was asked a week ago, not by Marco. That was 739 years ago." It was what? That couldn't be true. "Yeah," Started Thatch. "Real funny." Marco shook his head. "It's true, Thatch. I'm old, yoi." All of them blinked, Thatch looking floored. "Well yeah, I can get a hundred years. but 700?! How the hell are you 700 years?!" Marco shrugged. "I'm not 700, I honestly lost track around 1880 years." Before they could respond to that, Jinn spoke. "Free knowledge; you're 2287 years old." Marco gave a small breath. "Huh, didn't know I passed into my second millennium, yoi." Whitebeard couldn't believe what he was hearing, Marco was over 2000 years old? He was on his way to get a response to that out, needing to try and make sense of this, when the man moved a hand to pinch his nose. "But not now, yoi. We can take my age later, and focus on what we need to do now." That was true, they should.

"Can't we just ask who this person or thing is?" Asked Izou, making Marco sigh. "No, yoi. We should find a question that gets us the most answers. And it needs to be specific, not just 'what's happening'." That made sense, and had the captain think, as well as everyone. "How about," Started Haruta. "Where this person is? Or thing?" Jinn hummed. "Wrong question." The captain blinked, looking at Jinn, who had a slight smile. "I can't ask the question for you, but just because I like Marco, I will say; wrong question." That was some help at least. They just needed to think. A few did throw a few questions out, but Jinn kept saying 'wrong question', so they didn't waste the few chances they had. This was their one chance. It was after a minute or so, that Marco looked up at Jinn, seeming to have an idea as the look of concentration disappeared and he looked expectant. "Jinn," Started Marco, making Jinn smile, as if already knowing what he would say. "What is Ace hiding from us, yoi?" Whitebeard blinked, not sure if that was a good question. But Jinn got a kind look as she nodded, before moving her arm and everything faded to black around them, Whitebeard able to see his children, but not anything more.

"It all started 10 millennia ago," Started Jinn's voice, the woman not visible, before they were standing on a grassy ground, a clear blue sky above them, 4 shapes appearing in front of them, facing each other, all of them around his size and different colors. One was black, one was blue, one was grey, and one was white. "Alongside the humans lived 4 people, who each controlled the universe. One controlled the dark," The black figure held his hand out, "One controlled the atmosphere," The blue figure held his hand out, "One controlled the gravity and dark matter," The grey held his hand out, "And the last controlled the air and time." The white figure held his hand out. "These four made the world as it is, known as the four Gods." Whitebeard had heard about the four Gods tale, but was it true? "They helped guide the humans, offering their powers to help with their needs, some were greedy, some were kind. Some got their wish fulfilled, some did not." They could see people approaching the four shapes, and some left with more than they came with, and some left the same. "When humans got more greedy and their name blackened with dark magic, they left." The four figures just disappeared into nothing, before they saw an open field. "The Gods decided to leave, but leave something behind." The 4 shapes were seen above the ground, before they transformed into a fruit each and fell to the ground. "They are known as God powers, the first devil fruit, stronger than any devil fruit; called a 'Legendarie'. Only chosen ones would find them."

The scene then changed, and an unknown man was in front of them. "The first to find one, was Cerberus." Whitebeard blinked. Cerberus was real? "After it, very few found it, not knowing how to deal with it, searching for the chosen one again." A few were shown to have the fruit, but never seemed to learn its powers, until Ace showed up, finding the fruit as a child. Ace was chosen. Chosen by Gods. The scene then changed and showed Ace training and how he managed to learn its powers with the help from Azuruko, Moira, and Daisuke.

The scene changed into a new one, seeing Ace standing in front of them, looking at Jinn that was in front of him. It had to be Ace who had used up the first question. "Jinn," Started Ace, sounding calm as usual, which the captain hoped was a good sign. "How do I stop Baldur?" Baldur must be the person or thing they were up against, and they would hopefully get to know how to defeat it. Jinn knew everything, so she must know. Jinn looked at Ace. "You can't." Whitebeard blinked, dread filling him. "W-what?" Started Thatch, looking horror stricken. They couldn't stop this Baldur, there was nothing they could do. Ace looked a bit taken aback, before he looked calm again. "Thank you, Jinn." Jinn gave a small nod, before she disappeared, Ace holding the lamp. Ace didn't say anything as he moved to place the lamp back on the stand, before leaving calmly. Things got dark, before they were in a cave, or something like that, Ace and other assassins there, but just the higher ones, which was Daisuke, Moira, Benn, and Hanzo. "Ready?" Asked Daisuke, looking at the rest, who nodded. "As ready as we can be." Answered Ace, before they started to walk deeper into the cave, seeing some sort of red light further in the cave. But as they were about halfway, Ace stopped, telling the others to walk on, and when they were out of earshot, Ace looked up. "Jinn. If you speak with the pirates, tell them I am sorry, and I hope I will see them again." Then Ace went on, heading into the cave.

The scene then went dark, before they returned to the room they had been in, Jinn standing in front of them. "That is all I have to share. Do you have any more questions? I have 1 question left." Whitebeard thought for a second, before he shook his head. "No, we don't." Jinn nodded, and disappeared, blue fog going back into the lamp. As it did, Trevor whistled. "Wow, I didn't know genies actually existed." Whitebeard looked at Trevor. "You didn't?" Trevor and Mika shook their heads. "No, probably very few know of this. Not surprised Ace knows, he knows everything." Ace probably did, he was smart.

They then headed back outside, they decided to not tell they had seen a genie to everyone, keeping this between them, saying that they found some bad info. But as they were on the ship, faint rumbling could be felt, and it sounded like the serpent spoke, and Marco frowned, before he looked at them. "It's the serpent. He's speaking with Ace, yoi." Whitebeard frowned. "You sure?" Marco nodded. "The serpent just said his name. Ace might be back there, yoi." That might be good, and they headed back, but when they got there, the serpent and Ace was not to be seen. They were too late. But as they were there, the serpent came forth again, and before they could think of speaking, the serpent moved its head under the boat and lifted them up, before he spoke, the ship rumbling, before they were placed on the other side of the valley, a body of water starting there and was exactly big enough for them to set sail. It wasn't the way they had come from, a new way, even higher than the way they had come from. The serpent was so big it made this possible. The serpent then spoke a bit more, before he moved away again and laid down behind a mountain, barely seeing the top of its head.

Marco did move to the end of the railing when they were on safe ground, or water. "Thank you, yoi!" He yelled towards the serpent, who gave a sound, before he was silent. If Whitebeard didn't know it was a serpent, he would have thought it to be a mountain, especially as the serpent had its eyes closed. As it was silent, everyone looked at Marco, who took a breath. "Ace is this way. The serpent wants to help us help Ace and the others." Thatch shook his head. "What can we do?" Marco shook his head. "Our best, yoi." That was true, they needed to try. Just try something.

They sailed for hours, between two mountains, before the sea ended and it was close to ground so they could easily go off the boat and head on, and Whitebeard only let some commanders join. They just needed to find Ace. They then walked for a while, before Whitebeard blinked as he heard a roar, and turned to the sky behind him, and saw… a huge dragon. Did dragons exist? The dragon roared again, and seemed to be in peril for some reason, as it turned to the side, and as it did, they saw Ace and a stranger on the dragon's back, a large piece of something in the dragon's back, probably the thing causing its peril. Ace was fighting a guy on a dragon's back. He had a feeling the guy Ace fought was this Baldur.

The dragon flew past them and headed over a mountain, and just as they were about to react to it, a voice behind them yelled. "Move!" They turned around, and saw San and the big wolf, Moro, there, and they moved to make a path, and the wolf ran past them, heading after the dragon, and Whitebeard figured they should do the same, and did that. And as they did, the weather got really cold, just as if winter came, and they headed on, and soon saw the dragon in the distance, and heard it too, as it screamed in peril, and they managed to see Ace fighting the dragon, San with them, same with Moro. He could also see Daisuke there, but he was more on the side, and had a gun in hand. As they got closer, they could see it was a small open field, and a body of water to the left. And as they were closer, Daisuke shot the gun, which was a harpoon gun, and it hit the dragon in the neck, making it roar. The harpoon that hit had a rope on it, and Ace grabbed it and tugged on it, moving to the side, where some large icicles were, and impaled the dragon on them, and it stilled after a scream in peril. Ace just defeated a dragon.

Ace then seemed out of breath as he leaned on his knees, panting. They were just about to scream out for Ace, to see if they could help, when a voice to the left spoke. "You think you can defeat me!" And from the water came a person walking out of it, which had him blink. That wasn't a devil fruit user, one wouldn't be able to just walk out from the ocean. It would weaken the person, but this person, most likely Baldur, had no effect from it. He seemed strong. The person then started to fight Ace, and Ace did his best, but each hit Ace landed just healed instantly. How was that possible? No devil fruit worked here. Was it really a God?

Just as they were about to scream out, two shapes came running past them, and it was two wolves, Moira on one, and Benn and Hanzo on the other, running to the field to help the fight, and they decided they should do the same, and did. They started to run towards where Ace was fighting, and seeming to be losing. Daisuke was fiddling with something. And whatever it was, seemed to anger Baldur, who managed to punch Ace away and advanced on the older assassin. But as he was, Daisuke threw what he had away and towards Benn, who was off the wolf, who grabbed it and took something green out which he started to put on a spear or an arrow, Whitebeard wasn't entirely sure. But as they were close to the field, the wolf with Moira on it stood in their path, the wolf growling and Moira gave a glare. "You stay back! This is not your fight!" Whitebeard blinked. "Why? We want to-" Moira gave a small growl. "Because you will die." Then the woman turned around and headed to the fight, where Daisuke had just been punched into the mountainside and fell down, not getting up.

San and Moira then advanced on Baldur, but Baldur beat them easily, and Benn was fiddling with whatever Daisuke had been fiddling with. But as the two women were down, Baldur advanced on Benn, who threw what he had towards them, and yelled out. "Shot him!" Then Benn started to fight this Baldur, but was having issues. Izou had run up and grabbed what he had thrown, and frowned at it as he held it, and turned around. "It's... a plant." Whitebeard frowned, and saw it was a plant. How could they shoot a plant?

But before he could think more of that, Benn was down, but as Baldur was on his way towards them, a harpoon pierced his chest, before he was tugged backwards by Ace, who had gotten back up, and ready for round 2. But as Baldur was close to Ace, he just took the harpoon out and threw it away, and the wound healed instantly. Baldur was filled with tattoos on his body, shirtless and short pants on. Could it be a God? Gods didn't exist. At least he believed that, but now he was unsure.

As Ace was fighting Baldur, Izou just stared confused at what the others had been fiddling with, not sure what to do. Whatever it was, was important, as the assassins wanted to keep it away from Baldur, and Baldur seemed to be trying to grab it, the reason he advanced on the ones who had it. But as Baldur was fighting Ace, Ace yelled out to them. "Shoot him!" Izou looked confused, same as them, but those who had guns got them out and shot at Baldur, but it did nothing. It had Ace yell out again. "The plant! Shot the plant!" That made no sense, shot a plant? How would that be possible, what good would that do? As he was on his way to ask, Baldur got a hit on Ace, a hard one, and it sent Ace flying backwards and into the mountainside and falling down, not getting up. As all the assassins, Benn, and San were down, Baldur advanced on them. "You can't stop me! I am invincible!" Whitebeard almost took a step backwards. This person had just beaten Ace, Daisuke, Benn, San, Moira, and Hanzo, not seeming to even break a sweat. This person was strong. But as Baldur was closing in on them, them trying to get ready, Ace hollered something. Not that he got what, it just sounded like a sort of howling.

But as he had, he heard some rumbling, before the snake was there, the huge serpent, and moved to have its body between them and Baldur, making Baldur angry as he growled. "I will get you!" Then the serpent spoke, before he moved its body and he had a feeling he just ate Baldur. Why hadn't the serpent done this before now? But as the snake moved upwards, it seemed to start to be in peril, as if being hit from the inside, before the snake moved more upwards, and then it opened its mouth and Baldur came tumbling out, hitting the ground hard, but got up quickly. How was he not injured? The snake then fell down, seeming to be in pain, and Whitebeard hoped it would be fine. The serpent had been nice to them.

Baldur then tried to advance on them, but Benn had gotten up and started a fight, and Moira had as well and ran over to them, grabbing the piece of plant from Izou, before she got a bow ready and strung the plant up, but as she was ready to shoot, Benn got punched away and hit Moira, sending both of them flying backwards, and Moira lost the bow and plant, and Whitebeard got what they wanted, and it seemed Izou did as well, and grabbed the bow, and strung the plant up, before he shot it at Baldur, and it did hit him in the hand, which he held in front of him to stop the plant, and it went through his hand. And, it actually seemed to hurt him somewhat, but nothing more. Whitebeard didn't know what he believed, but he had believed Baldur would die with it, but that wasn't the case.

But as he had been hit, Baldur looked at his hand. "I can feel this." Whitebeard blinked, not sure what that meant. But before he could think more of it, Ace was behind Baldur and grabbed him around his neck, holding him tightly, before he moved his hands to his head and moved it fast and snapped his neck, and Baldur fell down, hopefully dead.

Ace then panted, before he looked at them, hand out. "Sword." He said, and Thatch threw his over, and Ace moved down and decapitated Baldur. Whitebeard had no idea why. Ace then moved to toss the body over a cliff's edge, the head he tied to his waist in a rope. Before he went over and helped Daisuke up, Benn got up himself as Ace did this. That had really been a battle, and he had a feeling he just watched the end of it. Ace had been gone for 2 weeks, almost 3, now. When all 3 were up, Whitebeard spoke. "Who, or what is that?" Ace just panted, and just motioned for Benn, who had gotten up and back, who spoke. "That, is a God, or as close to a God as you can get. Meet Baldur." Benn then motioned to the head, and Whitebeard had no words. But Thatch did. "A God! You just killed a God?! Won't the others be mad?!" Ace took a breath. "I don't think it's a God, just an overpowered person or some shit. Maybe holy at most, or something." It might be a God, the tale about the 4 Gods was apparently true. Or maybe they were just holy people too.

Whitebeard then looked at Ace, who still was out of breath. "How long have you fought?" Asked Whitebeard, and Ace sighed. "4 days. We started miles away, but he ran here and we followed. Thank God Jormungandr helped." Whitebeard frowned. "Who?" Ace looked at them. "The serpent, the world serpent." That was also a myth, but was true. This was amazing. Ace then looked towards where the serpent had gone, and yelled something, or more like howled, again, and the serpent came, and Ace threw the head towards it, making the serpent eat it, before it spoke, and Ace nodded, before the serpent went away, and Marco stood shocked, as well as them.

Marco spoke first. "You can speak with him, yoi?" Ace nodded. "Yeah." Whitebeard frowned. "Why didn't he just eat him from the start? Why didn't you just decapitate him and then do this?" Ace shook his head. "No, he was invincible, or almost. Mistletoe is his weakness. We needed to kill him first. This was the 4th time I snapped his neck and the 2nd time I decapitated him." Whitebeard frowned. "How does that make sense? It is just a plant?" Ace gave a tired look to them. "Okay, I am dead tired, don't make me explain this now." Whitebeard nodded, he wouldn't. Benn then sighed. "Let's get back to the ship, I assume it is just some hours away?" Whitebeard nodded. "Yeah." Ace gave a breath. "Thank God, home." They then headed on, not speaking as the assassins, San, and Benn were tired. When they got back to the ship, everyone seemed really glad to see Ace and the others, which was good. They then moved to the meeting room, the assassins and Benn heading to the infirmary first, before they were cleared to be fine, aside from Hanzo, who would need to be there for a bit. The others would just need to take it easy. When they got out of this place, and their powers came back, he was sure Ace and Moira would heal.

As they were in the meeting room, Daisuke gave a small laugh, being the only one present aside from Ace, the other two outside as they were getting a bit more patched up. "I can't believe we did that." Ace nodded. "I agree." Thatch frowned. "But, Jinn said we couldn't stop Baldur?" That was true, Jinn had said that, and she was supposedly a genie who knew the past and future. Ace shook his head. "No. I couldn't stop him, but we could." Whitebeard blinked, before he realised Ace was right. Ace had asked how he could stop Baldur. Which he couldn't, but they could. That made sense. "How did you figure that out? That you could stop him together?" Ace shrugged. "Oh, I didn't. But, we needed to try, if not, we're dead for sure. We were prepared to die." Whitebeard nodded. "What was he going to do?" Ace nodded. "He is basically invincible, so he was about to slowly end the world by causing battles and fights, using his dragon to slowly wipe us out. He hates everything that lives. But was blessed with immortality and invincibility." Whitebeard nodded. "But not to mistletoe?" Ace sighed. "This is a really long story, can we take this later?" Everyone nodded, they got that.

Thatch then looked at Ace. "Ace, do you realise how old Marco is?" Ace shrugged. "Around 70 or so." That was way off, but what Whitebeard had thought too. Ace deserved to know the truth, but before they could say anything, Ace continued. "But, if you add Marco, Marcus, Makar, Maverick, Mathias, Magus, Mahir, and Marcell, as well as a few in between I don't know, you get to about two-some odd- thousand years." Whitebeard blinked. So Ace did know. Thatch blinked. "How did you find out?" Whitebeard was curious about that himself.

Ace snorted. "Really? He sucks at hiding his tracks. And so many pictures in books and such, and just everything. Just changes his name and that apparently fools everyone. I think I found out when I was like 14." Marco sighed. "I did my best, yoi." Ace chuckled. "And the yoi, the yoi, that never changed. What are the odds a new person has the exact same look- maybe another hairstyle- but name starting M A that say yoi? It's none, especially when it's multiple times." That did make sense. So Ace knew from the start how old Marco was. "Wait," Started Izou. "If it's that common, just searching, does anyone else know?" Ace shrugged. "That's actually really funny. At many marine places, there is the file on Marco the Phoenix, and next to it, is a file on a myth of a man that is over a thousand years old. They can't make the connection, they are just stupid." Whitebeard chuckled. "Sounds like the marines. So you went into this knowing this?" Ace nodded. "Yeah. I find it admiring."

Thatch frowned. "That he can't die?" Ace shook his head, Whitebeard curious on what he found admiring. "No, he can't control that. But think about it, he's over 2000 years old. From his first original family, they died of old age. His siblings died, his friends died, and every one after that died. And then to know the moment you care about someone, the moment you feel you like someone, you know you will watch them die slowly. I admire the fact that still, he's here, around so many, with that knowledge." Whitebeard thought it over, also finding that admiring as it was true. Marco nodded. "Not many think that, yoi. Most just think it sounds so cool to just live forever." That was true, many did probably think that. Thatch looked a bit hurt as he looked at Thatch. "Why haven't you told us this? You said you were 70 or something?" Marco shrugged. "I stopped telling. Everyone always made the connection I will outlive them at some time, and they always pitied me. So I just didn't tell."

Ace gave a breath. "Many say the biggest curse is to be immortal or invincible, as you just live and live." Whitebeard understood that when he thought it over. It sounded awful, to know that everyone he knew would just die. Marco hummed. "I think, after like 5-600 years, I stopped speaking with people and just roamed alone for a couple hundred years, yoi. But then I got it was worth it. Some decades with meaningful people was worth it at the end. Still a few decades between every name though, just to be sure." That was amazing, that Marco knew it and still found people he cared about. Marco was a part of his family, and that was many. "Also," Started Ace, "there are like thousands of pictures, and some are so revealing. Let's see, I know I saw that book here." As Ace spoke, he moved to the small bookshelf with some books they had in the meeting room, taking a book out and moving to a bit over half the book. "Here. The winners of a knowledge competition that was 900 years ago." They all moved to look in the book and to where Ace pointed, in the middle and the person with the winners trophy, was clearly Marco, just with longer hair. "Oh my God," Started Thatch. "Why did you cut your hair?! That is so amazing!" Marco snorted. "So much bother, yoi. Short is better." Thatch gave a humph. "Well fine! Did you have to go with pineapple?!" Marco just gave a stern look to Thatch, who just shrugged. Ace then chuckled as he showed a couple more pictures with Marco in it, sometimes the same, and sometimes a different hair style. It was amazing.

Ace chuckled as they looked at the pictures in amazement. "And yet, I must say, you aren't really observant, Marco." Marco hummed, looking to be thinking some. "I think I am, yoi. I remember most things I have done." Ace chuckled. "Not done, but met." Ace then started to move through the pages again, but before he got to what he was after, the door opened and Trevor stood there, giving a whistle as he pointed out the door. "Your turn, Ace. And now, the rest is waiting." Ace sighed as he moved towards the door, letting the book be on the table. "The timing you have at times, Trevor." Said man just shrugged, and Ace left, but before he got out the door, he seemed to remember something as he turned to them. "Page 98." Then Ace left, leaving them to go to that page, seeing another competition picture, seeing Marco on the side, hair down to about his ears and seeming to be in 4th place. It didn't seem like a special picture, as they had seen much more amazing ones.

"Wait! Oh my God! Is that-!" Started Izou, moving to point on the one in first place, making all of them look, and Whitebeard had to blink. It looked exactly like Moira. But it was a picture from about a bit under a thousand years ago. As they looked shocked, Trevor moved over, giving a hum. "Why are you shocked? Moira is an amazing singer." It was a talent competition with a huge money prize, but that was Moira, and Trevor didn't seem surprised, which had Izou gape for a couple seconds, before he mustered a reply. "How old is Moira!?" Trevor seemed to think for a couple seconds, before he moved to open the door. "Moira!" A few seconds later, Moira came through the door, looking at Trevor, obviously wondering why he called for her. "How old are you? They found your picture."

Moira blinked, before she looked at the picture in the book and gave a chuckle. "I remember that. I just knew I would win. And, I am 1219 years old. 1220 years in 3 months." All of them blinked, Izou shaking his head. "How?! You're not a phoenix! Right?!" Moira chuckled. "No. But close. I believe you spoke with Jinn, right?" They nodded, which had Moira continue. "My powers are a direct descendant from the Gods, or something like that. I'm not immortal, but close. I don't know how old I will be, but knew the person before Ace, and he was like almost 2500 years old." They all blinked. "Why did he die?" Asked Thatch, making Moira shrug. "You either die a hero, or live to see yourself become evil. He got greedy, and I killed him. He never got his powers and wasn't that strong. Took about 50 years, then Ace showed up." That was interesting. And before they could respond, Marco looked shocked as he looked at Moira. "Wait. Does that mean Ace will- yoi?" Moira nodded. "At some point, Ace will be old as dirt too. If he doesn't die, of course. We're hard to kill, and Ace should be dead like 10 times over, same with me. I don't know, maybe we're invincible to some extent." Thatch blinked. "Are you Gods?" Moira shook her head. "No, just powerful." That made sense.

Ace was gone for a bit, before he returned and seemed fine and Trevor looked at him. "How'd they take it?" Ace nodded. "Well. Or, as well as they could." Whitebeard frowned. "Who are they?" Ace hummed. "Freya, or basically, Baldur's mother. Promised to hunt us down and slowly kill us and place our souls in hell. So, we should probably try and stay a bit away from her." That made sense and he nodded. They then sat and spoke a bit, before the assassins left to relax, probably needing that, and they headed back towards the sea. When they got to the cliff's side where the serpent, Jormungandr, had helped them. He helped them back to the exit as well, after Marco asked him, and the serpent spoke a bit with Marco, and Marco said the serpent wouldn't mind them coming by later as well. Which was good.

But for now, things were calm again. They needed to process this.

And that's the chapter, hope you enjoyed

This was probably a mess, but I hope it was readable and interesting. Borrowed some characters from Norse mythology and hoped that made sense as well

This story is also not finished. I know it is marked finished, but that is since the main part I had planned is over and now it is just the rest as well as ideas that I have. We still have some loose ends, like the wedding, and other things.

Also, come check out the one shot series to this story! It contains one shots of missing scenes, past events, and alternative scenarios, etc.

If you have any scenes you would like to see, don't be afraid to leave a comment, or send a PM

And I love feedback too; it is what keeps me going!

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