Metamorphosis of the Twin Stars

Deep within the dim and damp limestone cave, the sound of two people biting through fruit flesh rang out almost simultaneously.

"An utterly wretched taste; it's like chewing on a hunk of Sea King innards that have been rotting for months."

Ace frowned slightly, forcing himself to endure the stench that was enough to make anyone vomit instantly. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he swallowed the piece of crimson-gold fruit flesh without changing his expression.

No matter how anti-human the taste of this fruit might be, for a king who possessed absolute self-control, it was not enough to cause even a ripple in his demeanor.

On the other side, Sabo swallowed his mouthful of orange-red flesh as well. He covered his mouth and coughed violently, just about to complain about the unbearable flavor, when his body suddenly stiffened.

"Ace, my body..."

Sabo looked down in disbelief.

He saw that his right hand, which had been gripping an alloy staff, had lost its flesh-and-blood form. His skin, muscles, and even his bones had all transformed in an instant into bright, scorching orange-red flames!

"BOOM!"

Without any conscious guidance, a manic surge of flames erupted from within Sabo without warning, instantly enveloping him. The intense heat drove away the cold and dampness that had accumulated in the cave for who knows how many years, illuminating the surrounding black rocks.

"Is this the power of a Logia..."

Sabo watched his body, now turned to fire, and tentatively threw a punch. A pillar of fire roared out, instantly melting a stalactite pillar over ten meters away. There was no pain of burning, only a strange, clear sensation as if he had truly become an element of nature itself.

Just as Sabo marveled at the destructive power of the Mera Mera no Mi, the air behind him suddenly became extremely viscous and oppressive.

"Thump... thump..."

An incredibly dull heartbeat, like an ancient war drum, emanated from within Ace's body.

Ace kept his head lowered, his fists clenched tight.

If the awakening of a Logia was an outward explosion of elementalization, then the awakening of a Mythical Zoan was a frantic remodeling from the inside out, occurring at the cellular and genetic level.

Ace could feel his muscle fibers, which had reached the limits of a mortal through years of hellish training, being forcibly torn apart by a vast, ancient, and sacred life force, only to be reorganized into a denser, more terrifying form.

"Hum."

A crimson-gold light suddenly ignited from the depths of Ace's eyes.

Immediately following, a cluster of flames—distinct from the manic orange-red fire of Sabo—rose from Ace's shoulders.

It was a pure, crimson gold.

There was no black smoke, no explosive sound. Within this crimson-gold flame lay a sense of supreme majesty and an endless, absolute vitality.

"Ace, what kind of ability is this?" Sabo turned his head, staring at the crimson-gold divine fire, his eyes filled with shock. "Even though we both have fire, why does it feel like yours contains such terrifying life force?"

Ace did not answer.

He slowly raised his head, and upon his originally cold, stern face, mysterious and ancient crimson-gold patterns resembling the feathers of a divine bird emerged. His pupils transformed into emotionless, dark-gold slits, radiating the indifference of a mythological creature.

"Zoan, Tori Tori no Mi, Mythical Form..."

Ace's deep voice echoed through the cave, seemingly carrying a strange resonance.

As he spoke, the clothes on Ace's broad back were instantly incinerated. Two massive wings, formed entirely of solid crimson-gold flames, erupted outward!

Human-Beast Form!

The wingspan of the crimson-gold wings behind him exceeded a staggering six meters. The edges of the feathers were as sharp as blades, and every slow flap left lingering golden streamers in the air.

Not only that, but Ace's arms and lower legs were covered in a layer of fine, crimson-gold scale-like plumage, resembling an indestructible suit of peerless armor.

"Vermilion Bird Form."

The moment Ace completed his half-beast transformation, the temperature in the cave climbed to a terrifying critical point.

The hard black rock beneath his feet began to turn red at a visible rate, subsequently melting into flowing magma. The waterfall's stream evaporated into a sky full of white mist before it could even hit the ground.

Even Sabo, who was also a fire-user, had to cover his entire body in Armament Haki just to barely resist the shocking heat that was capable of vaporizing steel.

"What an exaggerated temperature!" Sabo looked up at Ace, who was bathed in divine fire, a stormy sea of shock rising in his heart.

At this moment, Ace was no longer a mere pirate; he was an ancient god who had just awakened and descended into the mortal world.

Ace stood quietly in the melting magma, feeling the vast, seemingly inexhaustible vitality within his body.

He slowly drew the heavy machete he had stuck into the ground nearby.

Without the slightest hesitation, Ace gripped the hilt and drew the sharp blade across his own left palm.

A deep, bone-reaching wound appeared instantly, but before the blood could even well up or drip down—

"Sss."

A cluster of crimson-gold Nirvana Fire ignited automatically at the wound.

In less time than it took to blink, the deep wound had completely healed under the shroud of the divine fire, leaving not even a trace of a scar.

Even the minor hidden injuries he had accumulated over the past five years of insane training were completely wiped away by the scouring of this ultimate life force.

Super-speed regeneration. Endless vitality.

As long as this crimson-gold divine fire did not extinguish, this body, already as formidable as a monster's, would become an abyss that could never be destroyed.

"Truly a powerful fruit."

Ace casually sheathed his machete, the crimson-gold wings behind him slowly retracting into his body. The plumage and divine patterns covering his skin faded away along with them.

Except for his scorched shirt, he had returned to the appearance of a human youth once more.

"Let's go."

Ace turned around, his deep black eyes gazing toward the dense primeval jungle outside the karst cave.

Feeling the endless, mythical power surging within his body, a genuine sense of delight and fervor welled up in his eyes.

Since this vast ocean had presented him with such a generous gift, he would naturally repay this offering with absolute destructive force.

"This deserted island is large enough."

Ace's footsteps were steady and powerful, his feet hissing as they trod upon the still-cooling magma.

"Let's head outside and properly test the limits of our current destructive power."