Boom—
When Garp placed the Marine badge onto the chest of one of the shadow ninjas, he immediately threw a punch — and the ninja was obliterated in a single blow.
"Meow… I thought you were giving me a badge, not punching me to death," the shadow ninja muttered faintly before vanishing into black smoke.
The moment Garp killed it, a new shadow silently emerged from the darkness beneath his feet.
Unlike the others, this new shadow ninja bore a badge on its chest — the very same one Garp had used moments ago.
"He's… actually immortal," Garp murmured in disbelief.
Even for a man as seasoned as him, the concept of true immortality was nearly impossible to accept. He'd seen plenty of Devil Fruit users with incredible regenerative powers, but this—this was on another level entirely.
Kaoru Tsubasa watched Garp's stunned expression, smirking quietly beneath his mask.
Actually, he thought to himself, I'm immortal too.
After Garp's brief experiment, Kaoru ordered his Shadow Corps to scatter across Baterila Island, patrolling in secret. Their mission was simple: if any World Government agents appeared, eliminate them instantly.
When Kaoru finally met Portgas D. Rouge, she was already twelve months pregnant with Ace.
"It's time to find someone to help her deliver the baby," Kaoru said softly as he glanced at Rouge's frail figure.
In the original timeline, Rouge had carried Ace for thirteen months and died soon after giving birth. Kaoru couldn't help but wonder — if she gave birth a month earlier, could her life be saved?
Even if the chances are slim… what if it works?
"Hmm."
Garp nodded gravely, understanding his intent.
The only reason he hadn't helped Rouge give birth earlier was fear — fear that the CP agents would arrive at the worst possible moment.
But now, with Kaoru's Shadow Corps guarding the island, that worry was gone.
Baterila Island – Offshore Waters
A massive World Government warship cut through the waves, heading straight for the island.
"Sir, we're approaching Baterila Island!" one CP officer shouted.
"Full speed ahead," the commander replied coldly.
Their mission was clear: investigate whether Roger had left behind any surviving bloodline on the island.
However, the moment the warship entered the coastal waters, Kaoru's Shadow Corps detected it.
Without hesitation, the black-clad soldiers melted into the darkness and disappeared from sight.
Currently, Kaoru could only summon twenty shadow ninjas at a time — but since he was immortal, the number hardly mattered.
Moments later, the shadows surfaced again… this time aboard the CP warship itself.
"Ahhh!!!"
Twenty bloodcurdling screams pierced the night.
"What happened?!" the commander barked, spinning around.
His eyes widened. Dozens of CP agents lay dead on the deck, their throats slit open by unseen attackers. Only two men remained standing.
"Who the hell are you?!" the commander roared.
The shadow ninjas gave no answer. Instead, they raised their hands and hurled a flurry of black darts.
"Iron Body!" three CP agents shouted simultaneously.
Clang!
Sparks flew as the darts struck the hardened skin of the CP agents, bouncing off harmlessly.
"Shave!"
One CP disappeared in a blur, reappearing in the middle of the shadow army.
"Finger Gun — Barrage!"
His hands moved so fast they blurred, striking down twenty shadow soldiers in an instant. Each one exploded into puffs of black smoke.
"What the hell are these things?" he muttered, watching their bodies dissolve into nothing.
"Ming! Fall back!" the commander shouted, sensing something was wrong.
But before Ming could respond, he felt something grip his ankles.
He looked down — and froze.
A shadowy figure was crawling out of his own shadow, gripping his legs tightly.
"Iron Body!" Ming shouted, his muscles hardening instantly.
Clang! Clang!
A dozen darts ricocheted off his body harmlessly.
"Tempest Kick!"
He swung his leg down in a slicing motion, cutting through the black figure. The shadow vanished.
"Shave!"
Ming vanished again, reappearing beside the commander, panting heavily.
"These guys only know how to throw darts," he said.
"Then just tank their attacks with Iron Body. Kill them all," the commander ordered coldly.
The two remaining CPs activated Iron Body again, their muscles turning as hard as steel.
The shadow soldiers moved in unison. Each pulled out six darts — their tips glistening with blackened energy. The darts were now coated in Armament Haki, inheriting half of Kaoru's own strength.
Because the darts were already black, it was impossible for the CPs to notice the Haki coating.
The shadow army launched all 120 darts at once.
"Move!" the commander shouted, realizing too late that something was off.
He leaped backward, dodging just in time — but his two subordinates weren't so lucky.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
The darts pierced through their hardened bodies, impaling them in a shower of blood.
"You could've warned us sooner…" one of them groaned before collapsing lifelessly to the deck.
The commander watched in grim silence as the shadow ninjas melted back into the darkness.
"They're retreating?" he muttered, frowning. "Are they ignoring me because I'm alone?"
But before he could think further, the ship began to tremble violently.
"What the—!?"
The entire warship split apart at its center, cracking in half as seawater gushed in.
"Nani?! No—!"
The commander gritted his teeth. He wasn't just a regular agent — he possessed a Devil Fruit ability.
"Moonwalk!"
He leapt high into the air, using Geppo to stay above the sinking ship.
But even that wasn't enough.
A shadow soldier silently emerged from the darkness cast by the commander's cloak — and wrapped its hands tightly around his arms and legs.
"Nani?!"
Unable to move, the commander's eyes widened in horror as he plummeted straight into the ocean below.
I can't move…
Me… a CP commander… dying here? Impossible!
Those were his final thoughts before darkness swallowed him.
Even after he sank, the Shadow Corps followed him underwater to ensure the job was finished. Only after confirming his death did they return to Baterila Island.
Just like that, the CP unit sent to the island was annihilated — dragged to the ocean's depths by Kaoru Tsubasa's Shadow Army.
Meanwhile, on Baterila Island, within a small, hidden house—
Portgas D. Rouge cried out in labor as Kaoru and Garp stood by her side.
After hours of painful struggle, a newborn's cry finally echoed through the room.
Rouge smiled weakly, her face pale but filled with warmth.
"This child's name… is Ace… Portgas D. Ace," she whispered softly. "It's the name Roger and I chose… together."
Her eyes fluttered shut, her hand slipping from Kaoru's grasp.
Even though they had acted a month earlier than the original timeline, Kaoru knew it wasn't enough to save her.
As Rouge breathed her last, Kaoru stood silently beside her, the infant crying in his arms.
He looked down at the baby and murmured, "Ace… your story begins here."