In the seas of the New World, aboard the Moby Dick, renowned as Emperor Whitebeard's ship, Ace, who had set out to pursue Blackbeard, returned. Welcomed by many crew members, Ace walked towards Newgate with a somewhat unsettled expression.
"...Old man, I was—ugh!?"
Ace was about to say something, but before he could, Newgate's fist struck down upon Ace's head faster than his words. The immense impact caused Ace to clutch his head and crouch down.
Ace was well aware of the reason for the punch. Ignoring Newgate and the other crew members' attempts to stop him, Ace had forcefully pursued Teach. And the outcome had been a disaster, to say the least—Teach's death by someone's hands. Needless to say, it was the result that Newgate and the others had feared.
Acknowledging his own recklessness, Ace was about to apologize to Newgate, enduring the pain, but before he could, he was enveloped by a massive embrace.
"...You had me worried, you idiot son."
"Old man... I'm sorry. Even though you all tried to stop me, I..."
"Don't worry about it. As long as you're back safe and sound, that's all that matters."
"...!?"
Upon hearing Whitebeard's words filled with profound relief, tears welled up in Ace's eyes. Born as Roger's son, he had struggled with his existence, wondering if he was even wanted...
That's why the words of Newgate, who cared for nothing else but "Ace's safe return," and the warm gazes of his companions brought him such indescribable happiness. Ace held back his voice and shed tears for a moment.
After a while, having composed himself, Ace explained the sequence of events to Newgate. He recounted his pursuit and battle with Teach on Banaro Island, his defeat, and the fact that when he woke up, Teach was already dead.
"...Do you know how long you were unconscious?"
"No, not exactly... But judging from the position of the sun, it shouldn't have been that long."
"So, the one who killed Teach not only took care of him after your fight but also swiftly killed Teach, who possessed the strength to defeat you, and his crew without leaving a trace..."
Newgate had been cautious of Teach's strength to the extent that he had instinctively tried to stop Ace from pursuing him. Indeed, Teach had gained enough strength to challenge even Ace, the 2nd division commander.
To effortlessly eliminate him and his crew without a trace was impossible for an average power. For a moment, the thought of Spandam, mentioned in a recent conversation with Shanks, crossed Newgate's mind. However, he quickly dismissed the idea.
Firstly, there was no apparent reason for someone to target Teach, who wasn't particularly famous at this point. Even if someone did target him, there was no reason for them to spare Ace if they had the power to defeat Teach. This reasoning led Newgate to conclude that Spandam's involvement was unlikely.
Ultimately, there were no answers to be found by pondering further. Newgate settled on a conclusion: to remain vigilant but not overly concerned about the situation.
***
During the festivity held to celebrate Ace's return, he moved away from the bustling deck and found himself alone at the back of the ship, gazing at the accessory in his hand—the memento left by Teach—with a complex expression.
"...Being the center of attention, and yet here I am, doing this."
"...Marco... Well, I've been thinking about various things."
"About Teach?"
"Yeah, he broke the iron rule. I can't forgive him for killing Thatch, and I was planning on killing him myself. It's not like I managed to kill him, but at least there's closure in some form, I guess."
After murmuring this far, Ace tightened his grip on the accessory in his hand and, as if squeezing out the words, continued.
"But... that doesn't mean I can say I'm relieved that Teach is dead."
"He was your subordinate in the Second Division. You had a lot to talk about, and it's not easy to simply come to terms with it."
"He was an old-timer, and he taught me a lot of things, and there were times he helped me out... He used to say that without luck, he would have given up... It might be pointless to think about it, but I can't help it. If the Yami Yami no Mi hadn't been found... I mean, what if..."
"Yeah... It's true that Teach broke the iron rule and killed Thatch. But it's also true that he was your comrade for quite a while."
"I didn't even dislike his annoying laughter."
Ace nodded in response to Marco's quietly spoken words. He couldn't forgive him... yet, he couldn't fully despise him either.
While there was hatred, Ace didn't want to further degrade the deceased. He closed his eyes for a moment, as if praying, with the thought that they should rest in peace.
"Well, enough of this somber talk. Let's talk about something brighter."
"Brighter talk?"
"Yeah, for example... How about your little brother's achievements?"
"Is that... Luffy!? Did his bounty go up!? 300 million Berries... Haha, he's really becoming quite the pirate...!"
As Ace looked at the wanted poster handed to him by Marco, he smiled when he saw Luffy's face depicted there.
"However, a 200 million increase all at once... What the heck did he do?"
"He seems to have clashed with a large-scale pirate coalition. They managed to obliterate it and even slipped past a Navy fleet that appeared in the middle of it all. It's become a bit of a news story."
"Heh, doing it in such a flashy way... As expected of my little brother."
Actually, there was something Marco hadn't informed Ace about intentionally. The significant increase in Luffy and his crew's bounties was also due to another factor: their battle against the pirate coalition and their successful escape from a Navy fleet by utilizing an unexpected storm.
This series of events reminded some who were familiar with the past of a battle from long ago—the legendary "Battle of Edd War" between the Roger Pirates and the Golden Lion Pirates.
Partially due to this, among the few old pirates who remembered that era, rumors of Luffy being the "second coming of Roger" had started to circulate... However, knowing Ace's strong aversion towards his own father, this was not the kind of information Marco would share.
"Your little brother is getting closer to the New World."
"Yeah, that's right... It's definitely getting close... But it's too soon. The current Luffy... isn't ready yet..."
"Hmm? Is something wrong?"
"Nah, it's nothing... Anyway, let's head back to the deck! I'm getting hungry!"
After flashing a bright smile in response to Marco's question, Ace moved towards the lively deck.
***
At Uta and Gordon's house in Elegia, I sipped on the tea they had served while recounting recent events. I had visited them to deliver the newly issued bounty posters of Luffy and his crew to Uta and also to check on their well-being.
"What!? Spandam-san, you met Luffy!?"
"Yeah, I ran into him by chance and had a brief chat."
As I explained about the barbecue and conversation I had with Luffy, Uta's expression became one of surprise. After a moment of fidgeting with her hair and averting her gaze slightly, she finally spoke.
"B-By the way, did Luffy say anything about me or... you know..."
"He claimed to be on a 183-win streak."
"Oh, there it is. Luffy's sore loser attitude."
Uta's character was considerably brighter compared to FILM RED, perhaps due to the difference in circumstances, and her actions indicated that she was more conscious of her childhood friend of the opposite sex.
This was evidence of Uta's mental composure compared to FILM RED, and it was a pleasing realization for me since I owed her a debt of gratitude regarding Totland.
"Also, unlike when I mentioned Shanks and Garp's names, when I mentioned your name, he seemed like he wanted to meet you."
"Huh? Luffy... re-really? I mean, Luffy might seem that way, he's kind of lonely at heart... hehe, I see..."
"Keep in mind, this is just my impression from what I saw. It's not like Luffy directly said anything."
"But, Mr. Spandam is amazing, and I'm sure you're right... hehe..."
It seemed that Uta also had a more relaxed state of mind, as her interest in Luffy was more pronounced than in FILM RED. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she appeared to be pleased. It was quite a straightforward reaction.
"Well, he's traveling to various islands on his journey, so he might visit Elecia at some point."
"Yeah! I'm looking forward to it... Oh, um..."
"What's the matter?"
"Well, um... If it's possible, I mean... could you do me a favor, Mr. Spandam?"
"What do you need?"
"Well, um... It's just... if you could... deliver a letter to Luffy..."
Observing Uta's hesitant demeanor as she made her request, I offered a slight wry smile.
"It's not something I'd ask of a government official."
"Uh, yeah, you're right... I'm sorry."
"But, well, I suppose it's fine. Just one letter, though. Have it ready by the time I come next."
"Really!? Thank you, Mr. Spandam!!"
Uta leaped up in joy, and I chuckled wryly. At that moment, Gordon arrived with an apple pie he had baked. The former king had become quite skilled at cooking.
"By the way, the reconstruction of Elegia seems to be progressing well."
"Yeah, it's still going to take time, but it's steadily making progress. It's amazing how people's efforts can change things. It wasn't just me and Gordon—without the help of various people, the once-ruined city is transforming."
"And did you manage to renovate the concert venue too?"
"I said it could wait, but everyone insisted we prioritize it."
"Well, music is starting to fill the city from all over, and it's quite nostalgic for me too."
"Yeah, yeah. Just walking around is enjoyable!"
Thanks to the World Government's formal cooperation, the reconstruction of Elecia was progressing at a considerable pace. The population had also increased to a certain extent, bringing vitality back to the once-desolate city.
As I listened to Uta and Gordon's conversation, I felt that if this pace continued, they might be able to restore the country's functions within 5 to 10 years.
***
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