This new reality, while vibrant and engaging, had presented a glaring vulnerability: his own. He was no longer the boundless Jiang Chen, master of a million Daos. He was Ace, a vulnerable infant. To simply survive in this tumultuous world, let alone achieve anything meaningful, he needed power. Not just the physical might that many in this world pursued, but a comprehensive, absolute power that could transcend the very limitations he had consciously, or perhaps unconsciously, encoded into its design.
He began a systematic analysis, dissecting the power systems of the One Piece world through the lens of his millennia of cultivation knowledge.
Haki: He had sensed its presence, albeit subtly, in Garp and the 'will' of his mother. It was undoubtedly a formidable power. From his creator's perspective, Haki was an innate energy, a latent force present within all living beings in this world, similar to the concept of qi in his old universe, but manifesting differently. It was a spiritual essence, inextricably linked to one's conviction, ambition, and physical prowess. Observation Haki was akin to a heightened sixth sense, a refinement of sensory input through focused spiritual perception. Armament Haki was the projection of one's spiritual essence into a tangible force, strengthening defenses and attacks, allowing one to interact with intangible forms. And Conqueror's Haki, the rarest and most potent, was the direct manifestation of a dominant will, a kingly spirit that could overwhelm lesser spirits.
These are powerful tools, Jiang Chen conceded mentally. They represent the pinnacle of what this world's native energy allows. They are a foundation, a starting point for re-establishing a cultivation base here. He could feel the dormant potential for Haki within his own infant body, a faint, intrinsic resonance with the world's spirit. It was nascent, undeveloped, but undeniably present. He knew, with an ancient certainty, that he could master Haki, and perhaps even push its boundaries beyond what this world currently perceived as its limits. It was a form of cultivation, but a limited one, constrained by the very laws he himself had set. It was a means, but not the ultimate end.
Then came the more complex, more intriguing puzzle: Devil Fruits.
As an infant, he couldn't recall every detail of every Devil Fruit he had conceived for this world. Their sheer variety was immense, their powers fantastical and often illogical by his previous universe's standards. But now, with his fragmented 'creator sense' and his deep understanding of cosmic laws, a profound truth about their origin and nature began to dawn on him.
Devil Fruits are not natural creations in the conventional sense, he realized, a spark of wonder igniting within his analytical mind. They are condensed fragments of broken laws and spiritual essence from my original martial world. When my immortal spark shattered and projected, it didn't just create; it transmuted.
Each Devil Fruit, he now understood, represented a tiny, solidified piece of a 'Dao' from his past universe – a fragment of the Dao of Flame, the Dao of Quake, the Dao of Light, the Dao of Rubber, and so on. They were miniature, self-contained universes of power, each containing a distilled principle, a sliver of cosmic truth from a reality that no longer sustained him. This explained their arbitrary yet absolute powers, their singular nature, and their profound impact on the user.
And the weakness… the 'sea spirit' that negates them. That, too, is my design. The ocean, the boundless sea, was the raw, unadulterated primal energy of this world, its fundamental 'Dao of Life and Flow.' It was the antithesis to the fragmented, foreign 'Daos' contained within the Devil Fruits. When a Devil Fruit user was immersed in seawater, or touched by Sea Prism Stone (which was saturated with highly condensed 'sea spirit'), their borrowed power was suppressed, their connection to that foreign Dao severed. It was a built-in balancing mechanism, a 'counter-Dao' woven into the fabric of his creation to prevent any single power from becoming too absolute, too destabilizing. It was elegant, brutal, and perfectly logical.
This revelation led to a crucial strategic insight about Devil Fruit users themselves. He had observed in his initial memories from this world that while some Devil Fruit users wielded their powers with incredible mastery, others seemed… limited. They gained the power but struggled to fully control it, or they plateaued quickly. Now he understood why.
Only those with special physiques can truly master a Devil Fruit. He saw it clearly now. The Fruit does not merely grant power; it attempts to integrate a foreign 'Dao' fragment into the wielder's physical and spiritual essence. If the wielder's body and spirit are sufficiently robust, inherently compatible, or already predisposed to a certain path—a 'special physique' formed by innate talent, intense training, or a unique genetic lineage—then the integration is seamless. The Fruit truly chooses them, recognizing a vessel capable of fully harmonizing with its fragmented Dao.
But for others, who lack this special physique, they still gain partial power, but they suffer hidden damage. He saw the subtle internal stresses, the minor, imperceptible erosions on their life force, the limitations on their growth. The foreign Dao was forced upon an incompatible vessel, creating internal discord, a constant drain. The Fruit didn't choose them; they merely stumbled upon it, forcing an incomplete, ultimately detrimental, connection. This was the true cost, the unseen burden of an unchosen Devil Fruit.
And this, too, explained the concept that Fruits "choose" their wielder. It wasn't some mystical, sentient selection. It was the natural resonance between a fragmented Dao (the Fruit) and a compatible, uniquely predisposed physical and spiritual vessel (the special physique). It was a self-correcting mechanism, ensuring the greatest potential for mastery, or highlighting the inherent danger of a mismatch.
This understanding solidified Jiang Chen's immediate, and long-term, strategic objectives. To regain true cultivation, he could not solely rely on the native power systems of this world, no matter how intriguing. They were excellent foundations, complementary elements, but not the ultimate path to the Dao of Saint Realm.
His path was clear: a dual cultivation path of both physique and spiritual power.
Physique Cultivation: He needed to cultivate his physical body to an unparalleled degree. This wasn't just about strength, speed, or endurance, though those were vital. It was about refining his physical essence, restructuring his every cell, every fiber, to create a 'special physique' of his own design. This would serve multiple purposes:
It would allow him to master Haki to an unprecedented level, pushing its physical and spiritual limits. A truly refined body would be the ultimate vessel for projecting and containing spiritual essence.
Crucially, if a Devil Fruit were ever to find him, a perfectly cultivated physique would ensure that he was the chosen wielder, capable of fully integrating its fragmented Dao without suffering hidden damage. He could then analyze and perhaps even reverse-engineer these 'broken laws,' using them to accelerate his own Dao comprehension. The right Devil Fruit wouldn't just be a power; it would be a unique cultivation resource.
Most importantly, a truly Saint Realm physique was a prerequisite for achieving immortality in his previous universe. This physical refinement was a non-negotiable step on his journey.
Spiritual Power Cultivation: This was the familiar territory, the core of his being. Even in his infant state, a faint, nascent spiritual core existed within him, a flickering ember of his former boundless spiritual sea. He needed to nurture this ember, slowly, patiently, drawing in the 'spiritual essence' of this new world – not the raw qi of his old universe, but the pervasive life force and ambient energies that infused this reality. He would adapt his ancient cultivation techniques, modify them to suit the unique energies of the One Piece world. This spiritual cultivation would:
Rekindle his full spiritual sense, allowing him to perceive the world in ways no native could.
Grant him true internal power, independent of Devil Fruits or Haki, a power that could grow boundless.
Ultimately, lead him back to the Dao of Saint Realm, the pinnacle of cultivation, where physical and spiritual essence fused into an unbreakable, omnipresent whole.
He would use this world's strengths – its unique energies, its challenges, even its inherent weaknesses – as stepping stones. He was no longer reacting to a cosmic cataclysm; he was actively rebuilding, designing his own ascension within the framework of his own creation. The immediate grief for Rouge was still a raw ache, but it was now channeled, transmuted into a powerful, unshakeable determination. This weakness, this helplessness, would be the last he ever experienced.
The small boat continued its journey towards the East Blue, the fisherman snoring softly in the bow. Ace, cradled in the small, padded basket, felt the steady rhythm of the waves. His infant body was still fragile, his muscles undeveloped, but within him, the ancient mind of Jiang Chen had already set its course.
He initiated the very first, most fundamental step of his cultivation. It was a simple, ancient chaos breathing method, one he had learned countless millennia ago as a mere mortal in a secret realm ruin, the very first technique to draw ambient energy into his body. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, a gentle contraction and expansion of his tiny chest that mirrored the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves outside. He wasn't drawing in the raw qi of his old universe, but the very 'life force' of the whole universe, the pervasive essence that animated its flora, fauna, and people. It was a slow, arduous process, especially in his infant form, but it was a start.
With each tiny, deliberate breath, he absorbed a minute trace of the world's inherent vitality, directing it to circulate through his nascent meridians, the faint outlines of energy pathways he was painstakingly re-establishing within his fragile body. It was a whisper of power, a shadow of his former glory, but it was a beginning. A secret cultivation method, started in the dark, on a small boat, heading towards an unknown future.
The journey to the Immortality would be long, arduous, and fraught with peril. But Jiang Chen, now Ace, had tasted the bitter ashes of failure and the sweet, he have to work hard to evade from heavenly dao to notice him.