"I'm hunting someone."
Ace's voice was low, his tone tinged with both reminiscence and quiet fury.
"He's recently started calling himself Blackbeard. He used to be part of the Second Division of the Whitebeard Pirates—my division."
Ace clenched his fist slightly as he continued.
"He committed the most unforgivable crime a pirate can commit... He killed one of his own comrades."
There was a moment of silence.
"He fled after that," Ace went on. "As the division commander, it's my responsibility to deal with this. If I can't bring him to justice, then I don't deserve my title—and I certainly don't deserve to return to the crew."
Ace's usually relaxed tone now carried a layer of steel beneath the surface. Despite repeated warnings and pleas from his crewmates to let it go, he had persisted, tracking every whisper and clue that might lead to Blackbeard. That determination had led him here.
"Alright, Luffy. Enough talk about that. Here, take this."
Ace shook his head slightly, the fire in his eyes dimming for a moment. From his pocket, he pulled out a small, white piece of paper and handed it to Luffy.
"Huh? A piece of paper?" Luffy stared at it with confusion, holding it between his fingers.
Ace chuckled. "Yeah, you could call it a note. But it's no ordinary paper. This is a Vivre Card. It's made from a person's fingernail and shows the direction they're in. It's how we'll find each other again someday."
He said it lightly, jokingly even—but his eyes said something more.
Luffy's face lit up. "I want it! Of course, I do!"
Ace smirked. "Having such a dumb little brother… Honestly, I'm always worried about you."
Then he turned toward the Straw Hat crew, his expression sincere. "I'm leaving him in your care. You'll look after him, won't you?"
Everyone gave a small nod, some more serious than others.
With that, Ace gave one last grateful glance at them all—especially Leo—and without hesitation, jumped off the edge of the Merry.
"Wait! Stay a little longer!" Luffy called out, reluctant to see him go. "We just met again!"
Ace turned his head slightly and smiled. He touched the dagger at his waist—the same one Leo had given him—and said, "I can't. I need to find him—Blackbeard. There's no time to waste."
He raised a hand in farewell.
"Goodbye, Luffy. Next time we meet… it might be in the middle of an unimaginable battle."
"Goodbye!" Luffy shouted back, waving both arms high in the air.
Despite his disappointment, he didn't try to stop his brother again. He knew Ace too well. Once his mind was set, there was no turning back.
---
Back on the Merry, the crew stood in silence for a while.
"No way… That calm and polite guy is really Luffy's older brother?!" Nami said in disbelief, clutching her chest in dramatic shock.
Compared to Luffy, Ace felt like a completely different species.
"I was expecting someone even more reckless than Luffy," Usopp added, his jaw slack. "But he's actually... normal!"
Tears welled up in Chopper's eyes as he sniffled and said, "It's so nice to have such a gentle big brother..."
Before anyone could respond, movement on the sea caught their attention.
In the distance, five large ships approached, quickly surrounding them in a tight formation. They were loaded with pirates—members of Baroque Works.
"There! It's Fire Fist Ace!" someone shouted from one of the ships.
"If we kill him, we'll be promoted three ranks and become senior agents!"
"Wait, isn't that the Straw Hat Crew over there too?"
"Hahahaha! Jackpot! Let's take them all down!"
The pirates roared with excitement as they prepared to attack both Ace and the Straw Hats.
Ace turned and glanced over his shoulder. "Luffy!" he shouted. "I'll be waiting for you in the New World!"
Then, with a sudden burst of flame, his legs ignited, and he shot into the air like a meteor. In the blink of an eye, he soared above the five enemy ships and landed gracefully on a small boat that had surfaced from beneath the sea.
"Fire Fist!"
A massive torrent of flame erupted from his arm, forming a colossal burning fist in the sky. The fiery strike roared through the air and crashed down onto the enemy ships in a single sweeping blow.
All five ships exploded almost simultaneously, consumed in an instant by the devastating heat.
The sea sizzled and cracked under the force of the flames. Even after the ships were reduced to ash and molten wreckage, the ocean itself continued to burn.
Everyone aboard the Merry stood frozen, staring in stunned silence.
The flames slowly began to die down several minutes later.
Ace landed, his figure framed against the fading firelight, and clenched his fist in satisfaction.
Stronger than before.
He grinned coldly to himself, touching the dagger at his waist.
Teach… I hope you're ready.
---
"Amazing…" Usopp whispered, eyes wide. With the best eyesight among the crew, he had witnessed every detail of the attack.
He turned to look at Luffy, then back toward the still-smoking battlefield.
"Are they really brothers?"
The others were equally stunned.
The power Ace had just unleashed was nothing short of monstrous. Even Zoro, who rarely showed emotion, was visibly impressed.
Leo stood silently at the edge of the deck, a thoughtful smile on his face.
That dagger's bonding well with him, he thought. It suits his fighting style perfectly.
"Let's go," Leo said finally, breaking the silence. "He has his path… and we have ours."
The words brought everyone back to reality. With Ace gone, it was time for them to move forward as well.
The sails were raised again, and the Merry resumed its journey.
---
Some time later, the ship arrived near Elmar, a small city nestled beside a river leading toward the desert.
During the trip, Nami had carefully sewn the Vivre Card into the inside band of Luffy's straw hat so it wouldn't be lost.
Vivi, ever thoughtful, handed Luffy a white coat.
"The sun's going to be brutal. You'll get burned if you're not careful."
Leo, meanwhile, had changed outfits entirely.
Gone was his old clothing. He now wore a stylish brown cowboy hat and a sleek black leather coat with two buttons undone at the top. A dark belt was fastened around his waist, with a revolver in a holster hanging on one side. On the other side was a small utility pouch containing a compact wand and dagger.
He wore fitted denim jeans and sturdy boots—practical and cool, perfectly suited for the desert landscape they were approaching.
Even Zoro raised an eyebrow at Leo's transformation.
Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper were practically drooling with envy.
"SO COOL!"
Before they could pounce on him to try the outfit for themselves, Nami smacked all three on the head and threw desert-appropriate sun-blocking clothes at them.
"These were bought for a reason. Put them on."
With that, the group disembarked and stepped onto the desert shoreline.
---
Just then, a strange creature emerged from the nearby waves.
"Ho~!" it cried, raising its flippers as if ready to fight. Its stout body and large eyes gave it a cute but silly appearance.
"Whoa! Is that a turtle?" Usopp gasped.
"No—it looks like a seal!" Chopper added.
"That's a Kung Fu Dugong!" Vivi exclaimed.
The little creature stood tall (as much as it could), glaring at the crew challengingly.
Chopper tilted his head and translated, "He says, 'If you want to pass through here, you'll have to beat me first! If not, turn back—cowards!'"
"That's what he said," Chopper added in his usual adorable way.
Usopp's eyes went wide. "Calling me a coward?!"
He charged forward without a second thought, fists raised.
"Usopp, stop!" Vivi cried. "Don't underestimate them just because they look cute! They're seriously strong!"
Unfortunately, her warning came too late.
Within seconds, Usopp was lying flat on the sand, covered in bruises.
"Ugh… so strong…" he groaned.
Meanwhile, Luffy had easily taken out several Kung Fu Dugongs with a few quick moves. The remaining dugongs watched in awe—and then all dropped to one knee.
"Don't defeat them!" Vivi shouted in disbelief.
"If you beat them, they'll ask to become your apprentices! That's the rule of the Kung Fu Dugongs!"
Everyone turned to stare at her.
"…Seriously?" Zoro muttered.
Vivi just sighed. "I'm starting to think I joined the wrong crew."
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