Evergreen Island
Four contenders stood on the stage, the crowd's fervor peaking. This was the ultimate showdown. Straw Hat Luffy had fought well, but he couldn't match him. Only Mr. S stood a chance against Ace, the crowd's favorite. This match could decide the champion. The excitement was unrelenting.
Ace, however, cared nothing for the spectacle. The crowd, the tournament—irrelevant. His eyes locked onto Mr. S, driven by a personal mission.
"Here we go! The crowd's roaring for this epic clash! Will it be Ace and Kiri, who've dominated with overwhelming power, or the mysterious newcomers Mr. S and Ms. K?"
"It might not mean much to you," Ace said quietly, just before the match began.
"Ready—GO!"
Kiri's paper ropes snared the treasure chest, pulling it to him as he leaped onto a nearby rooftop. Ms. K moved to pursue, but Mr. S stopped her with a raised hand.
"Koala, wait." "It's Ms. K." "He's got business with me."
Ms. K halted, her gaze shifting to Kiri, who lingered on the roof, watching them instead of heading to his base. A bad feeling stirred in her gut.
Mr. S stood frozen, Ace's words triggering a searing headache.
"Oh! A sudden stalemate! Except for Kiri, no one's moving—just glaring! Are they waiting for the perfect moment?"
"We grew up like brothers," Ace continued, his voice cutting through the announcer's. "When Luffy came, he became the youngest of us three. No hierarchy—just two older brothers and one younger."
Ms. K noticed Mr. S's trembling hands, clenched tight as if fighting something. His shaking was unnatural, alarming.
"Mr. S? You okay?" "We stole Dadan's sake, shared a cup, and became sworn brothers." "Haa… haa…!" "Hey, are you alright?" "But he died… or so I thought. Dogra, Dadan's friend, told me. That day, he set sail and passed a Celestial Dragon's ship—" "Urgh… ugh—!" "Mr. S!" "—and got shot."
Mr. S clutched his head, memories flooding back. A boy, hopeful, gazing at the sea, raising a handmade pirate flag. A massive ship approached. He tried to slip by—then cannon fire.
He'd called someone's name, desperate for help, longing to see them one last time. A stranger's hand pulled him from death. When he awoke, his memories were gone.
Why had he forgotten? The shock of the attack, teetering between life and death—that must've been it.
Another wave of pain hit, duller now. He pushed it aside; this wasn't the time to dwell. Why did Ace know about that day? Ace, Luffy, Dadan, Dogra—each name sparked pain. Did Ace know him?
"Celestial Dragons… Goa Kingdom?" "Exactly." "How do you know this?"
Sweat soaked Mr. S beneath his mask, his face contorted in agony. Ms. K pieced it together.
"Your memories…?" "I didn't remember anything… except not wanting to go home." "I figured."
Ace's voice was calm. "If you were alive and remembered, you'd have found me or Luffy, no matter what. You're here, standing, so you must've forgotten."
His unshaken demeanor sent chills through Ms. K. Ace readied himself, an aura of immense pressure radiating.
"Come on. If you forgot, I'll beat it back into you. This is something I have to do—not Luffy."
No flames yet, but his intensity was overwhelming. Ms. K faltered; she'd thought Mr. S his equal, but now Ace seemed unstoppable.
Mr. S lowered his hands, whispering, "Stay back, Koala. The match doesn't matter anymore." "No way. We're here on a mission—" "This is my fight."
He spun an iron pipe, his presence so commanding Ms. K froze. He was a bullet; she, the pistol. She couldn't fire unless he chose to. His focus was solely on Ace.
"You know me, don't you?" "Yeah." "I… feel like I know you too…" "Obviously."
Ace smirked, his fighting spirit blazing. Kiri called to Ms. K from the rooftop, crouched by the chest.
"Ms. K, better come here." "You'll die out there."
She bolted to his side, certain staying near Ace and Mr. S would be fatal. As she reached Kiri, Mr. S raised his pipe, and Ace stood ready.
"Here it comes! After all that talk, it's Ace versus Mr. S in a one-on-one! The pressure's unreal! Who'll win?"
Their clash began. Ace's arm turned jet-black, his fist meeting Mr. S's blackened pipe with a metallic clang. They pushed against each other, strength matched, then sprang apart.
Ace fought barehanded, no flames, yet his ferocity forced Mr. S back. The pipe, hardened by Haki, withstood Ace's blows, but each hit numbed Mr. S's arms.
Two things struck Mr. S: the persistent headache hindering him, and an uncanny ability to predict Ace's moves, catching every attack despite the odds. His body moved instinctively, shocking even himself.
"Wow, that's insane," Kiri mused from the rooftop. "I'd be dead."
Ms. K agreed. Ace's raw power stunned her; he wasn't just his Devil Fruit. But Kiri's inaction puzzled her—he wasn't guarding the chest.
"Take it," Kiri said casually. "Why? Don't you need to win?" "I do. But Ace's business comes first. Don't end the match, okay?" "So, don't finish it?" "Yeah, or I'd have to stop you. That'd be a hassle." "Why?" "Look at them. You get it."
Ms. K saw it—Ace and Mr. S's clash wasn't just a match. Letting them resolve it might be best. She glanced at Kiri, unfazed, and tested him.
"If I took the chest and ended it, what'd you do?" "Hmm… take it back, maybe? If your arms were gone, you couldn't carry it, right?"
His smile hid a chilling edge. He wasn't like Ace or Mr. S—his strength felt unpredictable, dangerous. Ms. K sensed he could outmaneuver her in ways she couldn't fathom.
Ace landed a heavy blow, testing Mr. S's defenses. Every attack was blocked, but the strain showed. Ace leaped back, exhaling.
"What a fight! We can barely follow, but this is a finals-worthy clash!" "Haki user, huh? And not some rookie." "Haa… ugh…"
Mr. S swayed, pain evident beneath his mask. Ace pressed on.
"You see me, and your head hurts, right?" "Not my fault." "But I feel something too…"
Mr. S shifted, pipe behind him, left hand forward like a dragon's claw. Ace grinned, arms wide.
"You know me. You're countering me perfectly." "Same here. It's been a while since I missed this much."
Flames sparked on Ace's body. Mr. S charged, swinging his blackened pipe. Ace dodged, then blocked a follow-up with his Haki-hardened arm, metal clanging.
Kiri noted two oddities: their Haki-hardened blows and Ace's choice to block despite his Logia body, which should let attacks pass through.
Ace created a fiery circle on the ground, hands pressed to it.
"Flame Commandment—"
Mr. S, airborne, twisted to evade.
"Fire Pillar!"
A massive fire column erupted, grazing Mr. S, igniting his cloak. He landed, extinguished it, and charged again. Ace fired "Fire Gun" bullets; Mr. S swatted them aside, unflinching.
They clashed head-on, Ace's flaming kicks met by Mr. S's pipe. Each move was equal, thrilling the crowd.
"Reverse-running the Grand Line, and no one's pushed me like this…"
Ace leaped, hurling fire spears—"Divine Flame: Shiranui!" Mr. S dodged, but Ace, now fire itself, flanked him. Their blackened fists collided, locking them in place.
"Fighting you reminds me of our childhood." "Haa… haa…" "Don't you remember anything?"
Mr. S shoved Ace back, teeth gritted.
"You shouldn't have forgotten. Or don't you want to remember?" "Shut up…!" "I don't care where you've been or what you're hiding. Luffy's here, and you know what he's been through!" "My head… it's killing me!" "Take off that damn mask! Think you're someone else now?"
Ace's fist ignited, arm engulfed in flames. Mr. S took a dragon-like stance, his hand blackened.
"Dragon Claw Fist—" "Wake the hell up, Sabo!"
They charged, eyes locked, the moment slowing.
"Dragon's Talon!" "Fire Fist!"
Their Haki-clad fists collided, shaking the arena.
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