One Piece: The Multiverse Simulator

The excuse of an "ancient relic" was, of course, a fabrication by Wood. However, he deemed it necessary to clarify that he did not truly possess the power of resurrection.

Wood understood the principle of "treasuring a jade ring invites trouble." Even though he was no longer the weakling he once was, the sea was vast, and he would be a fool to consider himself invincible.

After all, hadn't Whitebeard, the man once known as the "Strongest Man in the World," just died not long ago? To avoid becoming a future target of others' greed, Wood lifted his hand to reveal the glowing blue ring on his finger as proof.

The Water Spirit's Ring, a treasure from the Familiar of Zero world, could grant a "false life" to the dead and even control their actions and thoughts.

It was important to note that those given "false life" were not truly resurrected. Their bodies remained cold, their bodily functions ceased. In simpler terms, they were akin to zombies.

Unlike mindless undead, however, they retained their intelligence and combat abilities. They could even heal from injuries at incredible speed.

While this might sound like a tempting power, the drawbacks were significant. The Water Spirit's Ring was merely a powerful magical artifact, not omnipotent.

The magic stored within the ring was limited, and maintaining a "false life" for an extended period required a constant supply of magical energy from the user.

Moreover, the soul of the "revived" individual was forcibly bound to their original body by the ring's magic. Once the spell was undone, or the body reached its limit, the soul would dissipate completely.

Whitebeard, being a top-tier combatant, required an enormous amount of magic to sustain his "false life." His strong willpower made it impossible for Wood to control his thoughts, even if his actions could be limited.

Wood had initially planned to manipulate Whitebeard as a puppet to obliterate Blackbeard and his crew, allowing Wood to stay out of the spotlight.

However, whether due to the ring being damaged or Whitebeard's immense willpower and Conqueror's Haki, Wood found himself unable to control Whitebeard's mind. This was why Whitebeard had spoken so freely earlier.

"Kid, I don't know what you've done to me, but as long as you don't stop me from killing Teach and Akainu, you'll be an ally of the Whitebeard Pirates," Whitebeard declared.

From the moment Wood had appeared on the battlefield, Whitebeard had found his presence puzzling. Strictly speaking, the Whitebeard Pirates and Wood didn't share any particularly strong bond. Why would someone like Wood take such a huge risk to assist them?

But now, with his own resurrection as proof, Whitebeard understood that Wood's arrival carried ulterior motives.

After hearing Wood's explanation about "false life," however, Whitebeard stopped caring about Wood's true intentions. His only goals now were to eliminate Blackbeard and Akainu—to avenge his fallen comrades and clear future obstacles for his crew.

It was obvious to anyone that Blackbeard's scheming had led to his betrayal and Whitebeard's death, as well as Ace's tragic end.

Marco and the other commanders would undoubtedly seek revenge against Blackbeard in the future, but given Teach's cunning and ambition, they might not stand a chance. Whitebeard knew that eliminating Teach now was the best way to protect his "sons" from future harm.

"If you're aiming to kill Blackbeard, I wholeheartedly support that," Wood replied with a slight smirk. "I can't stand that guy either.

But if you're planning to kill Akainu as well, I can't let you do that.

It's not because I'm siding with the Marines, but because I'm a businessman. My survival in this vast sea depends on my reputation for neutrality.

Everyone knows you're only alive right now because of me. If you kill Akainu, the Marine's highest combat power, then disappear, who do you think will be left to take the blame?"

Wood's voice grew sterner. "Let's not forget how much I've helped the Whitebeard Pirates in this war. I broke through the Marine's defensive walls to give you an escape route.

I held off two Admirals for you. I even stopped Blackbeard from defiling your corpse and stealing the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. And I brought you back so you could personally avenge your grievances.

Is this how you repay me?"

Whitebeard fell silent. He realized his earlier admission of a connection with Wood had been rash. Now, if he killed Akainu, the consequences would fall squarely on Wood.

After a brief moment, Whitebeard's expression softened. "Fine. I'll kill Teach first. As for Akainu... we'll see if you have the strength to stop me."

His words were sharp, but the intent was clear. Whitebeard wouldn't give up his revenge against Akainu, but he would humor Wood's opposition—for now.

Meanwhile, Blackbeard, who had been pinned to the ground by Whitebeard's earlier strike, began to recover. A dark aura erupted around him as he grabbed Whitebeard's arm with his own hand.

The Dark-Dark Fruit, known as the most sinister Logia-type Devil Fruit, possessed a unique power: it could nullify the abilities of other Devil Fruit users through direct contact, effectively rendering them powerless.

Blackbeard's confidence surged as he gripped Whitebeard's arm. If Whitebeard's revival truly stemmed from a Devil Fruit power, then it would dissipate under the Dark-Dark Fruit's influence.

But just as Blackbeard's smirk returned, he was met with a devastating blow.

"BAM!"

Whitebeard's fist collided with Blackbeard's face, sending the large man skidding across the ground for dozens of meters. His face smashed into the dirt, leaving him dazed and bloodied, missing even more teeth.

Both men were stunned.

"My ability didn't work?" they exclaimed in unison.

Whitebeard was shocked that his Tremor-Tremor Fruit didn't activate with his punch, while Blackbeard was equally baffled that his Dark-Dark Fruit had failed to nullify whatever power kept Whitebeard alive.

The battlefield had never been more chaotic.

The reason Blackbeard was stunned wasn't just Whitebeard's sheer power. His shock stemmed from the fact that, even after using his Dark-Dark Fruit to suppress abilities, Whitebeard's "resurrection" effect remained intact. He had assumed his fruit rendered all abilities ineffective.

But Whitebeard's revival wasn't due to a Devil Fruit power. The Water Spirit's Ring granted him false life fueled by magic and Wood's mana, entirely unrelated to Devil Fruits. As a result, the Dark-Dark Fruit had no effect.

Now realizing his ability was useless against Whitebeard, Blackbeard panicked. Watching Whitebeard steadily advance toward him, he began to plead for mercy.

Akainu, though named the MVP of the battle, had already been overwhelmed. From the moment the war began, he had fought relentlessly—holding off Whitebeard's main forces, killing Ace, and clashing with Blackbeard's crew. Even the staunchest warrior would reach their limit.

Blackbeard's original crew—Burgess, Doc Q, Lafitte, and Van Augur—remained loyal and quickly rushed to their captain's aid. However, Shiryu and the other criminals from Level Six of Impel Down had begun to reconsider their allegiance.

Unlike Blackbeard's original crew, the Level Six prisoners had only joined him because they saw potential in his ambition. But now that Blackbeard seemed to be failing spectacularly, they were ready to jump ship.

Amidst the chaos, Shiryu, wielding his sword Thunderstorm, blocked Wood's relentless strikes while slowly retreating. His expression betrayed a growing unease.

Unlike the other former prisoners, Shiryu recognized Wood.

Years ago, Wood had worked in Impel Down, and Shiryu had been its infamous head jailer—until his violent tendencies led to his imprisonment in Level Six.

Though Wood had been a low-ranking Marine at the time and had little interaction with Shiryu, they had crossed paths. It didn't take long for Shiryu to piece together Wood's identity after their brief clash.

"Well, well... who would've thought? The little nobody from Impel Down has come this far." Shiryu sneered, a cigar clenched between his teeth. "Little Sadie and the others were useless—they went down with just a few strikes. But you? You've gone from a nobody to the so-called Ancient Weapon, feared across the seas."

His tone was mocking, but inwardly, Shiryu was deeply unsettled.

Everyone knew that Wood was a Grandmaster Swordsman, but Shiryu could feel the stark difference in skill between them. Were it not for the cover provided by Catarina Devon and Avalo Pizarro, Shiryu would've already fallen to Wood's blades.

"Oh? So when you escaped from Impel Down, you hurt Sadie and the others?" Wood's voice was eerily calm, but his expression darkened.

"Well, then. I was going to let you all go after a little sparring, but it seems you've just given me another reason to kill you."

Wood reached for his second sword, and his entire demeanor shifted. His previously casual attacks gave way to a sharp, focused killing intent.

"Hyakki Yagyō Sword Style: Dual Wind Blade—Whirlwind Tempest!"

Wood's two swords, Heaven's Wither and Morning Dew, glowed with radiant energy as he channeled his magic into them. The air around them began to hum with an ominous wind, and the battlefield was enveloped in a rising storm.

"Damn it! What did you say to piss him off, Shiryu?!" Catarina Devon snarled, her voice tinged with panic.

Even without Observation Haki, it was obvious to everyone that Wood's aura had intensified. The sudden shift in atmosphere sent a shiver down the spines of the former Level Six prisoners, who could now feel the weight of impending death.

Avalo Pizarro and the others, who had been considering escape, realized that retreating wasn't an option. Wood's intent to annihilate them was clear.

With a powerful slash, Wood unleashed a devastating whirlwind. The magical winds fused with his blade strikes, forming a colossal tornado that tore through the battlefield.

The tornado's scale was so massive that it reshaped the environment of Marineford itself. The winds roared with such force that they pierced the clouds, creating a gaping hole in the sky.

Even the surrounding seawater defied gravity, drawn upward into the tornado's vortex, defying all natural laws.

The sheer magnitude of the attack left everyone stunned, from Marines to pirates. Even Akainu, battered and bloodied, looked on in shock as the battlefield turned into a storm-ravaged wasteland.

For the first time, the infamous prisoners of Level Six, men who had thought themselves untouchable, realized they were facing an opponent far beyond their comprehension.

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