One Piece: Talent Copy System!

Chapter 126: Return to the Sea of Terror

[A/N] Support & Read Up to 15 Advanced Chapters on Patreon!!

...

Driven by a desperate need to find the elusive Noir, Sengoku had been relentlessly scouring the New World, leaving chaos and unrest in his wake.

But Sengoku hadn't anticipated that the eccentric Noir had no intention of venturing into the New World at all. After all, Noir already had a base of operations in the first half of the Grand Line.

The New World was a complex and dangerous place, with established powers far more formidable than those found in Paradise.

Noir chose to backtrack, bypassing Sabaody and heading back to the Florian Triangle.

The familiar purple fog shrouded the area in an eerie darkness, instilling fear in those onboard.

Some of the children, unnerved by the gloomy surroundings, huddled in corners, their silent sobs echoing through the ship.

However, Noir's presence and the crew's overall kindness soon calmed their anxieties.

After nearly a day at sea, the Shadow-Shadow Fruit's connection to the zombies grew stronger.

Suddenly, Puff rushed to Noir's side. "Savior, there's a light ahead!"

Realization dawned on Noir. "Go tell everyone. We've reached safety."

Puff visibly relaxed, nodding before hurrying off to spread the news.

Noir, brimming with anticipation, climbed to the crow's nest, his gaze fixed on the dark horizon. A flicker of orange-red flames with a white-hot core illuminated a large section of the sea.

Taking a deep breath, he shouted, "Ace! Come pick us up!"

The flames wavered for a moment, then surged forward like an excited husky, heading straight towards them.

"Noir!"

The Spade Pirates' ship approached, Ace standing at the helm, his arms ablaze, transformed into a human flamethrower. He roared with excitement.

The Spade's path through the gloomy fog was marked by a blazing trail of fire. Deuce and Miharl, along with the rest of the crew, clung to the ship for dear life, nearly getting thrown overboard.

The Spade pulled alongside Noir's ship. Ace leapt across the gap, engulfing Noir in a bear hug.

Like a long-lost friend, Ace clapped Noir on the back, a wide grin on his face. "You were gone for ages! What exciting things did you get up to?!"

Noir gently disentangled himself from the enthusiastic hug, gesturing towards the people behind him. "Plenty of exciting things, but we'll talk about it later. Let me introduce you. These are all friends of mine."

Warmth filled the hearts of the freed slaves. Their Savior had chosen not to mention their past as slaves and had introduced them as friends.

Many of those who had lost their homes resolved to follow Noir, devoting their lives to repaying his kindness.

Ace turned to look at the newcomers, who shyly returned his greeting.

Ace doffed his hat and bowed slightly, his demeanor polite and respectful. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm a friend of Noir's. Thank you for taking care of him."

The crowd waved their hands, flustered. "It was our honor... "

Ace's personality was multifaceted. Ever since he'd believed Sabo to be dead, another side of him had emerged.