Lucian Thorn remained suspended in the sky.
He still had to go "visit" the Marine Hero again.
And then… the matter of the God Valley Incident.
Just uttering that name stirred the dust of history.
Too many secrets—buried personally by the World Government—lay hidden there.
The Rocks Pirates.
And the man once called King of the World—Davy D. Xebec.
Peak Roger and Garp—sworn enemies who had fought side by side there.
The Knights of God who served beneath Imu.
Every one of those names was a hook—deeply lodged in Lucian's heart.
To unearth the truths hidden by time.
To touch, with his own hands, the secrets of the World Government.
And if he wished—
If he simply went to find Garp now and completed the last piece of the puzzle…
That gate to thirty-eight years ago would open just for him.
However—
Lucian's golden-flamed eyes pierced the thick sea of clouds beneath him.
His gaze reached far—stretching across vast distance—until it landed on Fish-Man Island.
The wild fire in his heart was suddenly extinguished by something soft.
The excitement that had surged within him at the mention of God Valley slowly cooled, calmed, and softened.
Because at Fish-Man Island…
Whitebeard, Marco, Jozu, even Vista, Izo—
The whole Whitebeard Pirates crew—his family—were waiting for his return.
The world's secrets were important.
But first—he had to go home.
To give his family an answer.
At that thought—
His mind finally settled, and the last ripple stirred by God Valley faded completely.
Only one thought remained in his heart:
It's time to digest the spoils.
"System."
"Fuse Kaido and Charlotte Linlin's power with me. Right now."
Buzz.
A tremor rippled outward from deep within his body.
In his mind, the golden portraits representing Kaido and Linlin instantly flared.
Two fundamentally different yet equally deep power sources transformed into purest data, flooding violently into his limbs and bones.
One was brute, raging flesh and indestructible vitality.
The other was eerie, twisted control over weather and souls.
Lucian's body shuddered in midair.
His bones howled—then reassembled.
Muscle fibers tore—then rewove themselves into cords tougher than steel.
Kaido's physique, known as the "Strongest Creature on Land, Sea, and Air," was now merging on a deeper level with Lucian's Solar God-enhanced body.
His physical strength had already been elevated by the Sun God Fruit, yet it continued to rise!
At the same time, the core secret of the Soul-Soul Fruit, belonging to Charlotte Linlin, etched itself into his soul as raw, instinctive knowledge.
His suppression over souls… became razor-sharp.
The fusion took only an instant.
Once it was complete, Lucian clenched his fist.
Crack.
The air responded with a faint shattering sound—like glass breaking.
Even the unconscious release of his power was enough to crush the surrounding space.
"System."
Lucian spoke calmly.
"Evaluate my current power level. Where do I stand in this world?"
He was curious.
After merging the peak power of so many legendary figures—and now having absorbed Kaido and Linlin's traits—plus the Solar God Fruit…
What level had he reached?
The mechanical system voice quickly responded.
[Answering Host.]
[Based on comprehensive data assessment, at your current power level—within this spatial-temporal dimension—aside from the individual residing at Mary Geoise, there exists no one capable of contending with you in direct battle.]
Imu… huh.
Lucian was unsurprised.
[However, a reminder to Host:]
[The "Sun God · Apollo" Fruit within you has not fully awakened.]
[You have yet to gain control of its two core divine authorities:]
[Creation] and [Destruction].
[When you fully grasp these two authorities, you will become this world's—true God.]
Creation and Destruction.
'Sounds nice,' Lucian thought.
But that was a matter for later.
For now, he had a different priority:
Return to Fish-Man Island.
Lucian didn't linger.
The golden flames around him—previously restrained—suddenly erupted outward.
His entire body transformed into a blazing golden comet that tore through the sky.
Fwoosh—!!!
A tail of golden flame stretched tens of thousands of meters behind him, scorching the blue sky with a blazing mark.
That speed—
Was faster than almost anything that flew in this sea.
Meanwhile—
Fish-Man Island.
In the plaza before Ryugu Castle, the atmosphere was so heavy it was hard to breathe.
Whitebeard sat at the center.
Marco, Jozu, Vista—all the division commanders had gathered here.
On every face, the same expression was carved:
Tension.
Since Lucian had gone to Totto Land alone, they had waited here without pause.
Every passing second dragged like a century.
They trusted Lucian fully.
They knew how strong he was.
But even so—
He had gone up against two Sea Emperors.
Kaido of the Beasts and Charlotte Linlin.
A terrifying alliance capable of shaking the entire world.
"Gurararara…"
Whitebeard held his sake gourd, but didn't drink a drop.
He stared into the distant sea—seemingly calm—but within those eagle-like eyes, worry stirred.
That was his most beloved son, after all.
Just then—
A terrifying pressure descended, without warning, from the far horizon.
That aura—vast, divine, commanding.
As if a true sun were rising swiftly from the depths of the sea.
The entire Fish-Man Island region trembled beneath it.
In the plaza, every member of the Whitebeard Pirates turned pale.
"This aura is…"
Jozu's massive body shook violently, his face filled with shock.
"So… so terrifying…!"
Vista's hand trembled uncontrollably on his sword hilt.
Only Marco—
At the moment he felt that aura, his lazy expression froze.
Then, it was replaced by utter joy and disbelief.
He suddenly looked up toward the source of the pressure.
This aura—he knew it too well.
But now… it was even stronger than before.
"It's Lucian!"
Marco shouted in excitement, unable to hold back the elation in his voice.
"He's back!"