Chapter 1: Portgas D. Ace
"I've... time-traveled?"
In the dimly lit room, the young man stared at his reflection in the mirror. Black hair, slightly tanned skin, and freckles dotted across his cheeks. He turned his gaze to the orange hat resting nearby—the iconic hat adorned with smiley and frowny badges. It felt surreal, like he was still caught in a dream.
Waking up this morning, nothing felt normal. It was like he'd woken up in someone else's body… in a completely different world.
He raised his palm and extended his index finger.
Pop!
A flicker of flame sparked to life at his fingertip, dancing wildly in the air.
Watching the flame dance between his fingers, the young man stood silent for a long time. Eventually, he sighed deeply and murmured, "There's no doubt now... I've really traveled through time."
Not only that—he had arrived in the world of One Piece. More astonishingly, he had become Portgas D. Ace, the sworn brother of Monkey D. Luffy and Sabo. At this point in the timeline, Ace had just consumed the Mera Mera no Mi—the Flame-Flame Fruit.
Unlike other transmigrators who had to scheme to acquire a powerful Devil Fruit, he had started out already blessed with one of the strongest Logia abilities. As an anime fan, this should've been a dream come true. So why couldn't he feel excited?
"The world of pirates... I should be thrilled to be here. So why do I feel so empty?" He scratched his messy black hair, picked up the orange hat, and placed it firmly on his head.
As he pushed open the door and stepped out into the daylight, he was immediately met by a wave of commotion.
"Captain Ace! You're finally out!"
"Whoa! He's still alive!"
"Captain Ace~! You locked yourself in your cabin for days. We thought you'd kicked the bucket!"
A ragtag bunch of odd-looking pirates swarmed him, some crying dramatically, others flinging snot and tears in theatrical sobs. The scene was absurd—almost too familiar.
"These guys... are a bit much," he muttered. Just then, a towering man nearly two meters tall lunged at him with a bear hug. Without hesitation, Ace stepped aside and smacked the brute away with casual strength.
"Wait—who the hell are you guys?" he asked, blinking.
"Huh? Captain Ace, don't you remember us?"
"Don't tell us you're abandoning us now!"
"Is it because you've gained power from the Devil Fruit? Are we not good enough anymore?!"
Their wails only intensified, and they began thumping their chests like scorned lovers. The young man—Ace—winced.
"Captain...?" he muttered, catching onto the word and narrowing his eyes. So the pirate crew's already in place? It must be shortly after Ace set out to sea… and since he hasn't joined Whitebeard yet, that means the world doesn't know who he really is.
Which also means… the Navy hasn't labeled him a major threat yet.
"Maybe it was the Devil Fruit," someone chimed in seriously. The speaker was a lean man about three feet tall, with curly hair, a gray cloak, and a sword strapped to his waist. He approached slowly. "Everyone says Devil Fruits taste awful, but maybe this one messed with your head too."
The transmigrated Ace studied the man. His instincts told him this guy wasn't weak.
"Hey, hey, don't say nonsense like that," Ace replied awkwardly, then paused. "...Though I guess I did start doubting my life a bit after eating that disgusting fruit."
When he thought about Ace's original fate, he couldn't help but sigh. Dying at just twenty years old—even though his life was blazing with glory—was far too short. Now that he had the chance to live as Ace, he wouldn't let history repeat itself.
He would live.
And this time, he'd burn even brighter.
"There's still time," he whispered to himself, fully embracing the identity of Portgas D. Ace.
"I've just been feeling a little off ever since I ate the Mera Mera no Mi," Ace said aloud. "By the way—what's your name? And how long has this pirate crew existed?"
"My name's Gambia," the swordsman answered, eyeing him carefully. "And as for the crew—well, technically, we haven't officially established the Spade Pirates yet. You're still a month away from turning eighteen."
"What? What does being eighteen have to do with starting a pirate crew?" Ace asked, baffled. Then he waved dismissively. "Whatever. If the crew isn't official yet, then it doesn't really matter. In that case... I'm out."
He turned on his heel, casually walking away.
In the original timeline, the Spade Pirates weren't exactly known for their strength. If he wanted to become truly powerful, dragging along a bunch of weaklings would only slow him down. He had been thinking of a way to disband the crew politely. But if it hadn't officially formed yet, then problem solved.
CLANG!
A sword slammed down in front of him, halting his step.
"You're serious about that?" Gambia stood in front of him, face stoic and unreadable.
Behind him, the teary-eyed crew from earlier now looked completely different. Their faces were somber, and their eyes sharp—like predators.
Ace didn't respond immediately. He swept his gaze over each face.
And then something stirred inside his chest.
A rush of emotions, like waves crashing into his soul. In that moment, a stream of memories flooded his mind—Ace's memories.
He saw moments shared with Gambia—their camaraderie, their fights, their victories. Gambia wasn't just a crewmate. They had fought side by side and trusted each other with their lives. Before gaining his Devil Fruit power, Ace would have struggled to defeat him in a fair duel.
The rest of the crew were no different. For the past three months, they had fought, bled, and survived together. In their latest battle—against another pirate crew to claim the Mera Mera no Mi—Ace's leadership had earned their complete loyalty.
And now that he had inherited Ace's soul, his emotions… his memories…
He could no longer walk away.
These weren't just extras or background characters. These were his nakama.
"I…" he began, his voice quiet, but resolute. "Maybe... I've been confused since eating the Mera Mera no Mi. My head hasn't been clear. But now, I remember everything."
He turned toward them.
"I won't abandon you. We're not just a group of misfits—we're going to shake the Grand Line itself. From this day on…"
He looked up, fire dancing in his eyes.
"The Spade Pirates will rise—and I'll make sure we carve our name into history!"
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