"He looks a lot like you!" Killer remarked.

Both Kid and Ace sported hats - one a worn leather, the other a stylish orange - and adorned themselves with pistols and daggers. Both were rising stars in the pirate world, Devil Fruit users making their mark.

"Well, well, if it isn't the infamous Eustass Kid. What brings you to the East Blue? Looking to join my crew?" Ace asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

He'd been sailing for some time now, having acquired his Devil Fruit power through a twist of fate. He planned to visit the West Blue, the place of his birth and his mother's death, choosing to take a roundabout route through the South Blue. As he drew closer, whispers of the Kid Pirates' exploits reached his ears.

"No way! You're the one who came to the South Blue! I'm going to be the Pirate King! You should be asking to join *My* crew!" Kid retorted, raising his right hand. A long sword shot through the air, aimed directly at Ace.

"Hiken!" Ace responded in kind, swinging his right arm. A golden spear, formed from blazing flames, materialized and intercepted the sword.

*CLANG!* The weapons clashed, locked in a stalemate. The flames gradually melted the sword, while the spear's momentum was halted by the impact. The first exchange ended in a draw.

"My, my, starting a fight the moment we meet? The Pirate King, huh? My foolish little brother wants that title too, you know?" Ace chuckled, leaving Kid and Killer bewildered.

This guy had a brother too?

"Logia type, huh? Not bad, but I don't care about your family drama. Let's see who's the stronger rookie, the best of the East and South Blue!" Kid roared. Fate, or rather, Ian, had brought them together, despite their paths never crossing in the original story. They even shared a certain resemblance.

*Whoosh!* Dozens of weapons, controlled by Kid's Devil Fruit power, hurtled towards Ace. The memory of his encounter with Ian fueled his desire to prove his strength.

"Mirror Fire Flame!" Ace yelled, summoning a massive wall of golden flames that engulfed Kid's attack. The flames even reached Kid, igniting his red coat, forcing him to tear it off, revealing his muscular physique.

This technique had allowed Ace to withstand Aokiji's massive ice pheasant attack, the "Ice Block: Pheasant Beak," during the Paramount War, a technique comparable to Akainu's "Inugami Guren."

However, his power wasn't fully developed yet. He hadn't yet mastered "Entei," his ultimate fire attack, comparable to Whitebeard's "Quake Bubble" and Akainu's "Ryusei Kazan." After all, he had only acquired the Mera Mera no Mi recently.

"Damn, Logias are tough!" Kid cursed. His luck had been terrible lately.

Everywhere he went, he encountered monsters.

"Easy there, hothead. That kind of attitude won't get you far on the sea." Ace advised, a subtle aura emanating from him. He intended to subdue Kid with his Conqueror's Haki. On the sea, strength and kingly presence reigned supreme.

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"Conqueror's Haki…" Killer gasped. Why did this guy have it too? Wasn't it supposed to be a one-in-a-million ability?

They had encountered several users in just a few days. Had it become commonplace, or were they just unlucky?

It was rare in the Four Blues but abundant in the New World, where the truly powerful clashed.

"Gigant Arm!" Countless swords and other metallic objects converged, forming a massive fist. The memory of his encounter with Ian fueled Kid's frustration.

"Fire Fist!" Ace countered, summoning a giant red flaming fist that collided with Kid's attack.

The ensuing clash was as devastating as Ian's Cero Oscuras, although instead of shattering, the metal fist melted into molten slag, raining down from the sky. Ace, protected by his Mera Mera no Mi, remained unharmed. Kid shielded himself with a metal barrier, but Killer, caught in the crossfire, danced around in pain, eventually taking refuge behind his brother. A classic case of "big brother fights, little brother suffers."

"Damn it! Who said the East Blue was the weakest sea? I'll beat him senseless!" Kid roared. Every pirate he encountered was a freak of nature!

He bore a resemblance to Shiki, both sporting flamboyant coats and possessing powerful Paramecia Devil Fruits. Both would eventually lose limbs as well. If fate played out as in the original story, he, Luffy, and Law would become the new generation's Roger, Whitebeard, and Shiki.

"Weakest? That's because my old man keeps things peaceful here. The East Blue is a symbol of peace. But even so, it's produced some of the strongest figures in the world: Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King; Garp, the Hero of the Marines; and Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army. None of them are weaklings."

Ace explained as burning leaves drifted past him, ignited by his flames. The will of fire was not easily extinguished.

"I see…" Killer murmured, as if finally understanding. Unlike his brother, he wasn't blinded by arrogance.

"If you won't join my crew, then gather your own. Betrayal is a constant threat on the sea, but it's important to have trustworthy allies." Ace advised. Even Yonko like Shanks and Whitebeard had crews to support them.

Even Big Mom and Kaido, despite their ruthlessness, relied on others. The sea was a vast and dangerous place. No one could achieve anything alone.

"I don't need your advice. Let's go…" Kid beckoned Killer, then added, "Back to the South Blue! I need to master Conqueror's Haki and gather a worthy crew… no, subordinates! Then I'll challenge the Grand Line again!"

"Alright!" Kid thought to himself, pleased with his brother's change in attitude. It seemed their recent setbacks had been beneficial.

Kid's arrogance had tempered, replaced by a flicker of true kingly potential. For others, such defeats might have shattered their dreams, but for Kid, they had ignited a determination to overcome adversity. The sea was a tempestuous force, and only those who could weather its storms could truly claim the title of king.

"Kid, huh? I hope to see you again someday." Ace said, unaware that this might be their last encounter. If the original timeline remained intact, they were never meant to meet.

...

Meanwhile, Ian, having altered the course of events, sailed through a dense fog in a small boat, using his soul-sensing abilities to scan the surrounding area. He intended to locate Brook before venturing onto Thriller Bark.

He planned to confront Perona, Gecko Moria, and their army of zombies. He had detected a large concentration of souls within the Florian Triangle, more than enough to fuel his power.

Over a hundred ships vanished in the Florian Triangle each year. It was no exaggeration. Soon, he detected an ancient yet remarkably strong soul.

It had to be Brook. The Yomi Yomi no Mi had granted him a unique form of immortality. His soul could even leave his skeletal body, and as long as his bones remained intact, he could theoretically live forever.

The faint strains of music drifted through the fog. He recognized the tune instantly. Binks' Sake, a song Brook often played to honor his former crewmates from the Rumbar Pirates and Laboon, the giant whale.

However, Moria had stolen Brook's shadow, rendering him vulnerable to sunlight and confining him to the shadows. He had been adrift for decades. Following the beacon of Brook's soul and the mournful melody of his violin, Ian easily located a dilapidated ship.

And standing on the deck, clad in a black suit, playing a violin, was a skeleton with an afro…