New World
Somewhere in the New World, a lonely boat drifted across the waves. On board, a man and a woman were present, but the atmosphere was tense. The woman paced anxiously, waiting for the other to regain consciousness.
Suddenly, his eyes flickered open. The woman's face broke into anguish—tears streaming down her cheeks. She rushed forward and hugged him tightly.
"Ace! You're awake!"
Ace weakly smiled, and Yamato's relief turned into a quiet, trembling joy.
Perhaps it was hunger, perhaps exhaustion, but Ace's first words were clear:
"Food. Food!"
Yamato hurried to the storage room, returning moments later with mountains of provisions. Ace devoured it all without even a hint of fullness—a spectacle Yamato was used to. Strength like his came with an insatiable appetite.
"So… how was it?" Ace asked, grinning despite the fatigue.
Yamato smiled softly, brushing her hands over his shoulder.
"That last attack… it was amazing."
Ace shook his head, chuckling:
"Nah, I failed at the last moment. That attack wasn't just a Fire Fist—this one… I called it Stellar Heart Implosion. It's like a star exploding… inside your heart. I tried to control it, but the flames burst outward too early."
Yamato's eyes widened. She shivered at the thought—an explosion inside his chest, compressing fire as vast as Onigashima itself. Yet she smiled.
"Well, that just means you have room to improve. Next time we fight that bastard Kaido, we'll take Wano back—for sure."
Ace nodded, grateful.
"How long have I been out?" he asked.
"Three days," Yamato replied.
"Good. Then it's time to head to the first half of Grandline. We might even find another ally—we can even learn a thing or two from Kaido."
Yamato raised an eyebrow.
"Kaido can teach anything good?"
Ace smirked.
"You have to understand—he's arrogant. Claims he's the god of thunder, this, that… to conquer him, you first break his pride. Learned it from Kaido. Works against anyone without Conqueror's Haki—those who can wield it will push back, but most will fall eventually."
Yamato nodded. She had seen how Kaido recruited his pirates—intimidation, awe, and strength all entwined.
Ace's gaze shifted to a stack of newspapers on the wall. Curious, he picked one up. Despite the battle taking place outside Onigashima, there were spies, CP0 agents—his fight could be known across the seas. His old bounty of 550 million had always felt low; maybe Garp had kept it that way. Now, after facing Kaido… it was certain to skyrocket.
He opened the bounty page, and his eyes widened:
Scourge of Flame, Portgas D. Ace – 2,210,000,000 Berries
Ace froze for a moment, then laughed.
"Well, Yamato… looks like I'm a big pirate now."
Yamato glanced at her own bounty:
Oni Princess Yamato – 1,310,000,000 Berries
"Mine's… lower than yours…" she mumbled.
Ace grinned, teasing:
"You just debuted, Yamato. Most Yonko commanders don't start this high. Your bounty will rise—just wait."
Yamato, sipping chicken soup, perked up.
"Then I'll be higher than you soon!"
Ace laughed and leaned back:
"Good. But first… you need sleep."
"Sleep?" Yamato frowned.
"Yeah… to grow stronger. Or at least, in your dreams."
Yamato scowled, reaching for him in mock fury, but Ace sprinted away, laughing:
"No fighting! Don't destroy the ship!"
Finally, she gave in, shaking her head with a smile.
Ace picked up the newspaper again, reading the outrageous headlines. Whitebeard once lost Shakuyaku to Rayleigh… now his son Ace abducts Kaido's daughter and makes him proud. He laughed aloud at the audacity of it all.
After a few more moments, Ace made a decision: it was time to call Whitebeard. It had been many days since their last conversation.
---
Ace leaned back in his chair, holding the latest newspaper. His grin widened.
"Well, Pops… I made you proud, didn't I?"
Wildbeard's expression stiffened. Memories of old failures—the time he couldn't win over Shakuyaku and lost to that bastard Rayleigh—flashed through his mind. And now… his son had captured the most beautiful woman in the New World.
The other Whitebeard Pirates burst into laughter, their voices echoing through the hall. Wildbeard's own amusement faded into a quiet, stern silence. Despite the mirth, the truth was undeniable: Ace had done what Whitebeard himself could not.
After a few moments, Ace continued, serious now:
"Pops, while I was chasing Teach, I discovered a lot. I had to call for help. Last time, when I attacked Kaido, he wasn't there—but I formed a bond with Yamato so I asked for her assistance."
Whitebeard nodded slowly.
"It's your mission. You decide how to handle it. But if you want support, the Whitebeard Pirates are yours to call."
Marco, ever pragmatic, spoke up:
"Right, Ace. If you're not confident, just come back. Teach isn't unbeatable—we can take him together."
Ace smiled.
"I believe in your strength, Captain Marco. But Teach… there are mysteries around him. First, he ate a Logia Devil Fruit—the Darkness-Darkness Fruit. Unlike usual Logias, it cancels out all Devil Fruit powers. That means even Pops' Devil Fruit wouldn't work on him. Only Haki can touch him. And because of this, Teach feels twice the pain from every attack and he can't elementalize like other Logia. "
The crew fell silent. The implications were staggering. A Devil Fruit that nullifies all others, but doubled the pain received… it was as dangerous as it was rare.
Ace continued:
"Secondly, in his early days, Teach injured Red-Haired Shanks. The mark on Shanks? That was Teach. To injure someone of his caliber… Teach must be a master of combat."
Gasps echoed through the hall. Even the veterans of the seas understood the gravity of this revelation.
"And… one more thing," Ace said, his voice dropping. "Teach is the son of your old captain, Pops."
A hush fell over the crew. Waves crashed against the ship with unnatural ferocity, the sea itself seeming to react to the news. Only a few of the Whitebeard Pirates knew the truth about their captain's past; the others waited silently, unsure of what to say.
Finally, Wildbeard spoke, his voice heavy with conviction:
"Anyone who harms my son… is my enemy. The responsibility is theirs, Ace. The choice… is yours."
Ace nodded solemnly.
"Next, I'm heading to first half of Grandline. Teach is gathering companions, and there's a big conspiracy forming. I'll be careful."
Wildbeard hesitated, concern evident in his eyes.
"Should I send Marco and Vista with you?"
Marco and Vista exchanged a glance.
"Yes, just wait—we'll be there soon," they replied.
Ace shook his head, smiling wryly.
"No need. This is my second division's mission. I'll handle it. And if it gets too tricky… I'll call my grandpa."
The room went silent, except for whitebeard. He chuckled softly, shaking his head:
"That bastard might really help you… I can trust him, but don't get caught up by him or I'll have to rescue you from him."
" Well, Goodbye everyone. Sayonara"
Ace smiled back, closing the line. The sea stretched ahead of him, full of uncertainty, danger, and promise. One thing was certain: the next chapter of the New World had begun.
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