Big Mom's voice didn't sound like a suggestion. It felt like an earthquake.
The air in Elbaf changed instantly. The giants, who took their traditions seriously, tightened their grip on their weapons. There was no room for argument.
Regent Jarl slammed the bottom of his massive spear into the ground.
BOOM.
The sound was like a judge's gavel.
"The second round is a trial of combat!" Jarl roared. His voice shook the dust off the ancient ruins around them. "One champion from each crew! A duel to the death, or until one man cannot stand!"
The Burning Crown Pirates went cold. The joy from winning the cooking contest vanished in a second.
"One-on-one?" Marco whispered. His face was grim. "She's done playing games. She's sending out Katakuri."
"Then I will fight," a deep voice growled.
Silver D. Morgan stepped forward. His massive axe rested easily on his shoulder. His eyes looked dead, but there was a spark of hunger in them. "I haven't had a fight that made my blood pump in forty years. Let me see if these kids are actually strong."
"No."
Another voice cut in, colder than ice. Douglas Bullet shoved his way past the crew. He looked at the Big Mom Pirates with pure disgust.
"This is a test of the strongest," Bullet said, his voice heavy. "I am the strongest. This fight is mine."
The two legends stood side by side. The pressure coming off them—their Haki—was so heavy it made the weaker crew members gasp for air. They were ready to tear the world apart for their Captain.
But before Ace could speak, a third voice shattered the tension. It wasn't angry or arrogant. It was desperate.
"No! I'll do it!"
Sabo scrambled to the front. He planted himself right in Ace's path. His face was a mess of tears, but his eyes were fierce. He looked like a man on the edge of madness.
"This is my fault," Sabo choked out. His hands shook as he reached for Ace. "I wasn't there for you at Marineford. I let you face that hell alone. I lived my life while you were dying on that scaffold. I won't make that mistake again."
He grabbed Ace's arm. "Let me fight for you, Ace. Please. Let me be the brother I was supposed to be."
He wasn't asking. He was begging.
Ace looked at his brother. He saw the raw, open wound of Sabo's guilt. He saw the little boy from the Gray Terminal who just wanted to be free, now trapped in a cage made of his own regret.
In that moment, a thought clicked in Ace's mind. A reckless, insane plan.
He glanced over at Charlotte Pudding. She was standing near the crew, shaking like a leaf.
The Memo Memo no Mi.
Kenji's knowledge whispered in the back of Ace's mind. The power to edit memories.
Which meant Ace had to win.
Ace placed a heavy hand on Sabo's shoulder.
"No," Ace said. His voice was quiet, but it stopped Sabo cold.
"Your fight is with the World Government, Sabo. This one... this is mine."
Ace squeezed his shoulder, locking eyes with him. "I'm not the same kid you knew, Sabo. I'm not the one who needs saving anymore."
He turned away before Sabo could argue. He looked at Morgan and Bullet—the two monsters ready to die for him. He gave them a short nod. A silent order. Stand down.
"This is my responsibility. I am the Captain."
Ace walked forward, alone. He stepped into the open space between the two crews.
On the other side, Big Mom let out a wicked, cackling laugh.
"Have you chosen your sacrifice, brat?!"
She waved her massive hand toward a man leaning against a rock. He looked bored. He had sharp, red eyes and a scarf covering his mouth. He didn't look like a pirate; he looked like a weapon.
"My champion," Big Mom shouted, "is my masterpiece! The man who has never lost a fight! The man whose back has never touched the ground! My greatest creation... Charlotte Katakuri!"
Katakuri stepped forward.
He didn't stomp or roar. He moved silently, like a shadow. He looked at Ace, and his eyes narrowed. Ace could feel it—the pressure. Katakuri wasn't just looking at him; his Observation Haki was already watching the future. He was seeing moves Ace hadn't even made yet.
The giants roared. They stomped their feet, shaking the ground. They wanted blood.
Ace didn't hesitate. He walked toward the ancient stone ring. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword—the blade named Ace.
His face was calm. He wasn't the hot-headed rookie who chased Blackbeard on a suicide mission anymore. He was a King, walking into a battle that would decide the fate of his family.
The two men stood a hundred feet apart.
The wind died down. The shouting faded into a buzz.
Katakuri's scarf shifted slightly as he took a breath.
The fight hadn't started, but the air between them felt like it was already burning.
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