The beach of Dawn Island looked different from usual.
A large ship flying a skull flag with two crossed swords was anchored at the simple wooden dock normally used only by fishermen. The vessel was magnificent—three tall masts, cannons lining both sides, a wide deck that could hold a hundred people.
And on the beach, thirty pirates stood fully armed. They looked different from Bluejam's rabble—more trained, more disciplined, more dangerous.
At their center stood an enormous tall man—two and a half meters in height—with long black hair hanging loose, a vertical scar running down his face from forehead to chin, and a massive sword on his back that was longer than my entire body.
Kurohige no Daiki. Eighty million berry bounty. Captain of the Black Blade Pirates.
Our eyes met as Yamamoto and I walked toward them.
He grinned broadly—the smile of a predator who had found interesting prey.
"So you're the Devil Fruit brat who defeated the Forest King?" his voice was deep and thundering. "I thought it was just a stupid rumor. Turns out it's real."
I stopped ten meters from them. A safe distance to react if they attacked suddenly.
"What do you want coming here?" I asked directly, skipping any pleasantries.
Daiki laughed loudly. "Straight to the point! I like a bold kid! Most children your age are already crying in fear when they see me!"
He stepped forward—each footfall making the ground tremble slightly. The muscles in his arms were the size of tree trunks.
"I heard an interesting story. A four-year-old with the Mera Mera no Mi—a rare Logia type Devil Fruit—defeats a giant gorilla that even veteran hunters are afraid to face. Then several months before that, takes on fifty of Bluejam's pirates practically alone."
His information was detailed. Too detailed. That meant he had spies watching this island.
"Stories like that sound impossible. So I came to check in person. And it turns out..." he looked me up and down. "It's real. Your body doesn't look like that of a four-year-old. More like a ten-year-old who has trained hard for years."
"If you only came to check, you've seen what you wanted. You can leave now," I answered coldly.
"Leave? Hahaha! Not yet! I haven't seen your power with my own eyes!"
He drew the massive sword from his back—SHING!—the sound of metal rang out sharply. The blade truly was enormous—nearly two meters long, ten centimeters wide, gleaming black like obsidian.
"Show me! Show me the power that can defeat fifty men and the Forest King! If you can last five minutes against me, I'll leave without causing any more trouble!"
"And if I can't?"
"Then you come with me. As a crew member. With your power, we can enter the Grand Line and become a legendary crew!"
Yamamoto immediately stepped forward—hand on his sword hilt. "I won't let you take that kid—"
"Stand down!" I stopped him. "This is my decision. I'll be the one to decide."
Yamamoto stared at me in shock. "Ace—"
"Trust me."
I stepped forward to face Daiki directly.
"Alright. Five minutes. If I last, you leave and never come back. Deal?"
Daiki grinned even wider. "DEAL! I love your spirit, kid! But don't regret it when you end up badly hurt!"
He raised his massive sword with one hand—as easily as lifting a twig.
"Crew! Fall back! Give us room for the fight!"
The pirates stepped back to form a wide arena. Yamamoto fell back too—though he looked deeply worried.
Daiki and I stood facing each other.
The sea breeze blew gently. Waves struck the shore in a calm rhythm. A sharp contrast to the suffocating tension in the air.
"The rules are simple. Five minutes. You can use anything—Devil Fruit, Haki, weapons. I will attack seriously. Ready?"
I took my stance—feet shoulder-width apart, right hand blazing with a small flame, left hand coated in Armament Haki.
"Ready."
"GOOD! BEGIN!"
Daiki attacked immediately—a vertical slash from above at terrifying speed for a sword that size.
I activated Observation Haki—predicted the attack's path—and rolled right.
BOOM!
His sword slammed into the ground—creating a crater a full meter deep.
Strong! Far stronger than Bluejam or the giant gorilla!
I countered immediately—hurling three fireballs in rapid succession toward him.
Daiki didn't dodge. He slashed horizontally—cutting all three fireballs cleanly in half!
"Stronger than that, kid!"
He advanced fast—horizontal slash from the left.
I jumped backward—but his reach was longer than I had estimated. The tip of the sword caught my shirt—tearing it slightly.
Dangerous! A direct hit from that and I'd be cut in two!
"HIKEN!" I hurled a head-sized fireball straight at him.
Daiki slashed again—but this time the fireball exploded on contact with the blade.
BOOM!
Thick smoke. I used the opportunity to move to his side—searching for a blind spot.
But when the smoke thinned—
He was already waiting there with a wide grin.
"Observation Haki! Did you think I don't have it too?!"
A kick aimed at my stomach—fast as a bullet.
I cross-blocked with both Armament-coated hands—WHAM!—still sent flying five meters even with the block.
My hands were trembling—his power was insane!
"Armament Haki at age four?! Hahaha! You really are a little monster!"
He attacked again—a relentless combination of slashes that gave no time to breathe.
I dodged, parried, blocked, rolled—using every technique learned over two years. Observation Haki pushed to maximum to predict movements. Armament Haki for blocks that couldn't be avoided.
But even so—the gap in power was too large.
Every block made my hands grow number. Every dodge grew slower as stamina drained away.
Two minutes passed.
I had taken several light slash wounds—grazes on my arms and legs. Not deep but painful.
"You're holding out better than I expected! But still not enough!" Daiki shouted while continuing to press the assault.
I had to change my strategy. Defense alone wouldn't be enough. I needed effective counterattacks.
When he slashed from above, I didn't dodge. Instead I moved forward—closing into the inner range where a large sword became ineffective.
"Too close!" I shouted as both hands blazed to full intensity.
"HIKEN: DOUBLE IMPACT!"
Both flaming fists slammed into Daiki's stomach with full Armament Haki behind them.
WHAM! WHAM!
For the first time—he was pushed back two steps.
"Oho! That did some damage! Good!"
But it was only two steps. No serious injury at all.
If anything—it made him more excited.
"Now let me get a little serious!"
His sword suddenly became coated in deep black—Armament Haki Hardening!
Damn. He wasn't even being serious before?!
The next slash came far faster and far harder. I barely had time to react—rolling in desperation.
The sword passed where I had been standing—the shockwave from the slash alone was enough to topple the tree behind me.
"Keep defending keep defending! Where are your attacks?!"
He was right. I was only defending. No effective offense except for that one exchange.
Had to get more creative.
I pushed the Mera Mera no Mi to its limit—my upper body transformed into fire.
"Logia intangibility! Smart!" Daiki praised.
But he immediately slashed with Haki.
I knew Haki could touch a Logia body—so before his sword arrived, I changed the shape of my fire—expanding into a spreading cloud of flame.
His sword passed through but missed vital areas because I had already shifted my form.
"Good control!"
I reformed behind him—creating a large fire spear and driving it at his back.
He spun around quickly—blocking the spear with his sword.
But I didn't stop. The spear exploded into dozens of small fire pellets scattering in every direction.
"FIRE SHOTGUN!"
Daiki was forced to defend—his sword spinning rapidly like a shield, deflecting every fire pellet.
But that was a distraction.
I had already moved to his side—right hand blazing intensely bright, heat surging dramatically until the color of the flame shifted from orange to blue-white.
"HIKEN: WHITE FLAME FIST!"
The strongest punch I could produce right now—the product of two years of training combined with Armament Haki and the hottest fire I could generate.
BOOOMMM!
A massive explosion. Smoke and fire in every direction.
When the smoke thinned—
Daiki stood there with a wide smile. His shirt burned on the side. Skin slightly scorched. But no serious wound.
"HAHAHA! MAGNIFICENT! Flames that bright at age four! You truly are a genius!"
But I was out of energy. Legs trembling. Vision beginning to blur. The White Flame Hiken had consumed nearly everything I had left.
"Three minutes passed! Two more minutes!"
Two minutes felt like two hours.
Daiki attacked again—but now faster, more brutal. He wasn't holding back anymore.
I tried to defend—but my body wasn't responding well. Reflexes slowing. Observation Haki becoming unstable as concentration faltered.
SLASH!
His sword finally connected—a deep gash on my right arm. Blood poured freely.
"ACE!" Yamamoto shouted from the sideline—nearly entering the arena but I held him back with my left hand.
"Not yet! It's not over!"
I could still fight. More than a minute remained.
But Daiki stopped attacking.
He looked at me with a different expression—no longer the gaze of a fighter seeking a challenge. But something resembling... respect.
"Enough. You've lasted four minutes and twenty seconds. That is more than sufficient."
"It's not five minutes yet!" I protested while trying to stand straight despite my trembling legs.
"In your current condition, you'll black out before five minutes. And I don't want to win in an unsportsmanlike way."
He sheathed his sword.
"You pass, kid. Even with my full power—holding nothing back—you lasted four minutes and even managed to wound me slightly. At age four. That is a remarkable achievement."
He turned to his crew.
"We're leaving! No more business here!"
"But Captain—this kid—" one of the underlings protested.
"I said we're leaving! I gave my word! A pirate who doesn't keep his word is no pirate I'm proud to be!"
The underlings fell silent—none daring to go against their captain.
Daiki walked past me toward the ship. But he paused briefly at my side.
"Kid. What's your name?"
"Portgas D. Ace."
He smiled. "A D, huh... that explains it. Listen well, Portgas D. Ace. One day you will become great. Tremendously great. Perhaps even surpassing me. And when that day comes..." he tapped my shoulder gently. "We'll fight again. But in the Grand Line. As equals. Not as an adult against a child."
He walked on.
"Until we meet again, Little Monster. Keep growing stronger. The world is waiting to hear your name echo across it!"
Their ship set sail—leaving the beach of Dawn Island quietly as if nothing had ever happened.
As the ship disappeared over the horizon, I finally collapsed.
Yamamoto caught me before I hit the ground.
"You reckless idiot... nearly got yourself killed..."
"But... we won..." I smiled faintly before consciousness slipped away.
TO BE CONTINUED