At this moment, the usual smile was gone from Ace's face, replaced by a rare solemnity.
The man who sparked the Great Pirate Era twenty years ago was his father, a fact he had kept buried deep in his heart, unwilling to speak of. No one knew that the reason he wanted to become a pirate was because of that man.
That man who traversed the Grand Line and became its king, what he achieved, Ace also wanted to achieve. No, he wanted to surpass him.
It was a kind of obsessive, almost stubborn persistence.
Now, seeing traces of that man here stirred a swirl of emotions in Ace's heart. A bittersweet melancholy he couldn't quite put into words.
To the world's pirates, that man was the pinnacle, the ultimate dream. But to Ace, he was also a painful memory he never wanted to recall.
That night, Ace stood silently before the black stone monument beneath the Golden Bell, thinking for a long, long time, torn and hesitant.
The next day, Ace came to Qin Yi.
"Your Majesty, I want to leave."
Ace's expression was firm, his voice low but resolute.
"Leave?" Qin Yi raised an eyebrow. His face showed no surprise, just a calm smile as he asked, "Why? Has your time in the Qin Nation not been good?"
"I want to be a pirate. I want to become the One Piece!"
Ace took a deep breath and stared into Qin Yi's eyes as he spoke.
Qin Yi fell silent. Truth be told, he had high expectations for Ace. In fact, he had high hopes for all the recruits he'd taken under his wing: Buggy, Sanji, Ace, Robin, Enel, all of them were potential future legends. Given time, it was only a matter of when they'd become great pirates.
After a pause, a smile finally returned to Qin Yi's face.
"If that's what you want, then go. Nothing should ever stop a man from chasing his dream."
Joy flashed through Ace's eyes, and he replied excitedly, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"Go on." Qin Yi waved his hand.
Ace nodded deeply and turned to leave.
"Do your best, Ace. Don't bring shame to your father, or to the Qin Nation. Show us the heights you're truly capable of!"
Just as he was about to step through the door, Qin Yi's words echoed into Ace's ears. His whole body trembled, and his face showed a trace of shock.
"Your Majesty..."
Ace whipped around and stared hard at Qin Yi.
"Remember this, no matter what happens to you out there, the Qin Nation will always be your home."
Qin Yi locked eyes with him and said this solemnly.
Ace was shaken. In that instant, he understood Qin Yi's meaning. This mysterious monarch clearly knew his identity, yet never exposed him. Without hesitation, he had chosen to protect Ace's secret.
"Thank you!"
With deep respect, Ace gave a deep bow.
Then he turned and walked out. He was about to begin his journey, to chase his dream.
That day, Ace left with a light heart. His powerful master, the enigmatic emperor, and this rapidly growing Qin Nation, to him, it had all come to feel like home. Everywhere he went, soldiers and officers treated him with great respect.
When word of his departure spread, the officers stationed on Jaya Island immediately helped him find a good ship.
"This is the best ship on Jaya Island. But if you plan to challenge the New World, it won't be enough, you'll need to get a better one at Water Seven."
The officer said this with a smile.
"This is already great, much better than my last ship!"
Ace, grinning from ear to ear, looked at the medium-sized sailboat in front of him with his crew, full of excitement.
Having powerful backing really felt amazing!
"Well then, we're setting sail! Help us say goodbye to His Majesty!"
Ace climbed aboard the ship and waved down to them.
"Haha, don't worry, Ace! Just don't forget the Qin Nation when you finds the One Piece!" The officers burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahahaha! Relax, One Piece will definitely be mine!"
Ace beamed with confidence and gave a big thumbs-up.
After bidding their farewells, Ace raised the Spade Pirates' flag and prepared to depart. But just then, a bolt of thunder streaked through the sky and in the blink of an eye, landed directly on the ship, before halting.
"Enel!"
Ace blinked in surprise and asked curiously.
Out from the lightning, Enel stepped forward coldly, let out a snort, and sat cross-legged at the bow of the ship.
"You came too?" Ace asked, puzzled.
"He's not the only one, Ace! We're coming too!" A familiar voice rang out, it was Buggy. Ace looked over and saw Buggy, Sanji, and Robin walking toward the ship from the street.
"You guys..."
"You think you can become the Pirate King on your own, Ace? Not a chance!" Buggy leapt aboard, hands on his hips, laughing loudly.
"With me and my crew, now you've got a shot!" Seeing the expressions on everyone's faces, Ace instantly understood and felt deeply moved.
"You all..."
"That's right, Ace! We've decided to set out with you, travel the world, and help you become the Pirate King!"
Sanji lit a cigarette, smiling as he spoke.
"Of course, most importantly, I get to be with Miss Robin!"
He turned his body into a spiral, wriggling toward Robin, releasing an overwhelming aroma of hearts and love.
"But what about His Majesty...?"
Ace hesitated.
"Don't worry about that. With the power His Majesty holds, a few of us leaving is nothing. What he truly cares about is whether we're doing well out there and whether we're getting stronger!"
Buggy curled his lip.
After all, he had been trained under Qin Yi's Three Generals for a while, and it had almost cost him his life.
Ace finally felt reassured. These people, he had gotten to know them all well over this time, and knew they were all powerful allies. With them by his side, their journey would be twice as effective with half the effort!
"Well then, let's set sail!"
Smiling broadly, Ace raised his right hand and brought it down with a sharp motion.
Under the sunlight, the Spade Pirates' sail fluttered in the wind as the ship gradually disappeared into the waters near Jaya Island.
At the same time, Qin Yi was tallying up the gold taken from the ruins of Jaya Island.
"There's quite a lot, enough to fund another army expansion."
He nodded silently, clearly very satisfied with the gains brought about by sinking Jaya Island.
The Sky People (Angel Tribe), Shandians, vast lands, and a trove of gold, these were all invaluable resources. It was equivalent to conquering an entire nation, a sizable one, with its own unique culture and characteristics.
The benefits were self-evident.
"To fully extend our influence across the entire first half of the Grand Line, at this pace... we'll need another six months."
He quickly sorted through various intel in his mind, frowning in thought.
"The Marines haven't made any moves lately. Seems they're stockpiling strength, must be planning something."
The Qin Nation was rapidly expanding its territory in broad daylight, yet the Marines remained still and unmoved. That was... suspicious.
"But I don't need to concern myself with them. As long as I keep expanding and complete the Realm Gate Projection, then..."
"By that time, nothing will be worth fearing!"
(End of Chapter)
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