Chapter 4: Chapter Four: Returning Two Years Ago

As expected, being able to replicate and understand abilities meant his body had learned the existence of the ability, but how to use it he would have to slowly explore and practice on his own.

After all, it was a beginner's gift item—if it could also replicate the opponent's experience and techniques, it would be too overpowered.

Still, in that case, he should prioritize natural-type ability users.

After all, survival is the ultimate truth.

"My current ability is to record and reproduce others' abilities—just think of me as a Logia Fruit user."

"So strong!" X2 Luffy and Chopper's eyes sparkled.

"Hey, Luffy, is he your friend? I've never heard of an ability like this—too strong!" Chopper suddenly remembered something: "Then that door just now was also some kind of ability?"

"Uh, that one's called a Cross-Dimensional Talisman… just consider it the same." Luffy didn't know how to explain: "Su Lin is from another world..."

"Enough, Luffy." Su Lin cut off the honest man: "It's time for serious business."

"Ah, right, let's go!"

"First, tell your companions, or they'll worry if I take you away."

Might as well replicate a few more abilities along the way.

At Luffy's call, all members of the Straw Hat crew gathered, along with Law, Kid, and others who came to watch.

"In short, that's it—I'm going back two years." Luffy said.

"I see… bullcrap!"

"Mm-hmm." XN

Thwack—!

Luffy took a solid hit on the head—no surprise, Nami had maxed out friendly fire.

"Could I see your device?" Nico Robin crossed her arms and asked.

"No problem."

An ancient pocket watch appeared in Su Lin's hand.

"Looks nothing special," Sanji said, leaning over with a cigarette in his mouth: "Besides, if it's really as miraculous as you say, why not send us all back too?"

"I agree," Zoro said.

"It's not impossible to send you all back, but it has the following properties: priority and exclusivity."

"The person sent back to a past moment merges with their past self and holds priority, with their current consciousness dominating."

"Meaning, if we return to the time of the Marineford War."

Law concluded: "We'd return to the exact positions we occupied at that time, correct?"

"Exactly."

"Then what about returning to the time we were on the Sabaody Archipelago?" Usopp suggested.

"No," Nico Robin countered: "If we weren't blown away by Bartholomew Kuma, all the training we endured in that timeline would vanish entirely. We're not truly people of that time—just as Mr. Su Lin said, the world would branch into a different stream, and we'd always have to return."

"Unless you're willing to abandon everything in this world, replace your past selves, and live in another Parallel World," Su Lin said, taking back the pocket watch with a smile: "That's the story behind this watch."

"Escape the present, abandon the future, live in the past."

"If you're willing, I don't mind."

"I'll go back alone," Luffy declared firmly: "I'll save Ace, then return to the present and continue adventuring with everyone!"

"Do as you like, heh~ I'm going back to sleep. Wake me when you're done," Zoro yawned, strolling off lazily.

"Clueless, your room's over there," Sanji followed him out.

"I'm heading back too—come on, Usopp."

"Yeah, yeah."

Nami, Usopp, and Franky each went off in different directions to attend to their own business.

"They're truly wonderful companions," Su Lin mused—this trust and friendship felt more direct than anything in manga or anime.

"Hehehe," Luffy laughed proudly.

"Then let the old man and Mr. Su Lin return together to the Marineford War period—I should be able to lend a hand."

"Do you need my Devil Fruit ability, or was it already recorded before?" Nico Robin asked.

"And mine—the Human-Human Fruit!"

"Please demonstrate them again, within my line of sight."

"Take me along—experiencing time travel sounds interesting, and I have some things I want to do," Law said: "In exchange, replicate my Devil Fruit ability—I'll also teach you how to use it."

"Same with mine—I doubt you could ever wield it as strongly as I do," Kid said confidently: "Also, I'm going back too!"

After recording the Devil Fruit abilities and briefly learning them, Kid, Luffy, Law, Jinbe, and Su Lin all gripped the pocket watch together.

"Listen, Luffy—recall the scene you most want to return to, then press the button on top of the watch and state the time and location."

"Understood."

"One more thing."

"Hm?"

"I'm weak—please protect me," Su Lin said, expression unchanged, speaking sincerely.

"Leave it to the old man—but by the way, Mr. Su Lin, were you there at the time?"

"That question..."

Su Lin was about to explain.

"Two years ago—Impel Down Prison!" Luffy shouted.

"?" Su Lin slowly raised a questioning eyebrow.

Cold and dry, the air thick with foul odors.

This was the second level of Impel Down.

The prisoners held captive here have already been released, causing a riot.

Su Lin stood right in the middle of the stream of prisoners, as they rushed past him on both sides.

It wasn't that these prisoners had any particular breeding — even in this situation, they still avoided him so as not to knock him to the ground.

Rather, Su Lin had used the Human-Human Fruit's ability right away, transforming into an extremely tall and burly giant man. Most of these prisoners were pirates who bullied the weak and feared the strong. Though they cursed inwardly at this stranger of a man still standing there in a daze, none of them dared to provoke him.

They just didn't know where he'd gotten his clothes.

The group chat was currently in a greyed-out state, the chat history frozen at the moment of crossing through time and space.

So it can only be used after returning to the original timeline.

But Luffy's ID was still lit up.

Su Lin's eyes were somewhat vacant.

"You've got some nerve, Straw Hat."

Although he could guess what Luffy was trying to do — most likely rescue Mr. 2 — couldn't he have given some warning first?

Su Lin took a look around him; the cold, damp air seemed to burrow through his skin and into his bones.

The stench from a pile of pirates who hadn't bathed in who knows how long made him feel rather uncomfortable.

Now he could only RUN — with his combat ability, if he ran into Magellan he'd probably be smashed to pieces.

Relying on the Human-Human Fruit's ability, Su Lin quickly found, up ahead in the crowd, a red nose and a candle-stub head with a '3' on top.

Buggy, Lucky Fruit user.