In Kaya's room…
Kaya was weeping, nestled in Ace's embrace. Ace tenderly caressed her golden locks, offering words of solace. Merry, another housekeeper of the villa, was also present in the room.
Kuro had previously laced his drink with sleeping pills, but now Merry was awake, expressing his gratitude to Ace and Nami. As for Kuro, along with Butch and Sham, they had met their end at Ace's hands and were cast into the sea. Jango's life was spared by Ace, honoring the agreement made before witnesses.
"Thank you,Sir ,without your intervention, i don't know what disastar may have befallen on young lady," Merry said, his voice laden with appreciation.
"Thank you, thank you, Ace," Kaya chimed in, her spirits lifted, as she stepped away from Ace's arms, her cheeks tinged with a blush.
"You are my fated ship doctor. I can't let Kuro harm you,right?" Ace replied, once again gently touching Kaya's hair, his smile reassuring.
"Why?!" Merry gasped, taken aback. The implication was clear: this young man intended to take the young mistress to sea.
"I, too, yearn to explore beyond these walls, but my frailty makes even a simple stroll a challenge, much less a voyage at sea. But I can hardly call myself a doctor; I've only read some medical books. However, should you return injured, I will dedicate myself to studying medicine to aid you," Kaya spoke with resolve.
"There's no need for concern. If I've declared you my destined ship doctor, then I possess the means to address these issues," Ace assured her, placing his hands on her shoulders with a comforting touch.
"I have but one question for you, Kaya," Ace said, his smile softening.
"Would you consent to be my ship doctor?" he asked earnestly.
Kaya's gaze met Ace's sincere eyes, her face flushing with emotion. Overwhelmed, she nodded in agreement.
Ace's laughter filled the room, a sound of pure joy.
Nami watched the exchange, a smirk playing on her lips—Ace certainly had a way with words. Yet, she pondered how someone as delicate as Kaya could withstand the rigors of the sea.
"Rest well for now; I will address your concerns once you've recuperated," Ace told Kaya confidently.
"Um," Kaya responded, her gaze fixed on Ace's smile, and she nodded submissively.
"That, Mr. Ace!" Merry interjected as they exited Kaya's room, his tone laced with anxiety.
"Huh? What seems to be the issue, Mr. Merry?" Ace inquired, ever courteous.
"Do you truly possess a remedy for the Miss's ailment? Life at sea is exceedingly harsh," Merry fretted.
"Coming morning, all will be revealed. And Mr. Merry, would you kindly arrange accommodations for Nami and myself?" Ace responded with a smile.
"Certainly, there's no trouble at all," Merry replied promptly.
...
As dawn approached, Kaya, Ace, and Nami, rejuvenated from their rest, shared breakfast and then strolled to the beach.
"Isn't it beautiful, Kaya?" Ace gestured towards the sea, watching Kaya's hair dance in the sea breeze.
"Yes, it's beautiful," Kaya looked at the sea with longing on her face. Her frail health had always been a barrier, making even a few steps a challenge, let alone venturing into the sea.
"It's time to fulfill my promise, isn't it?" Ace said, extending his palm as a mysterious energy fluctuations began to manifest.
"The realm of understanding!" With a thought, Ace invoked an enigmatic force that enveloped Kaya.
This ability, the realm of understanding, was something Ace had only awakened the day before setting sail.
On that day, Ace beat Luffy for a whole day with the idea of squeezing all of Luffy's potential out to gain the final boost of Conqueror's Haki.
As a result, it actually brought him an unexpected surprise.
"Your understanding is incredible! Through the counter-shock force generated by continuously hitting 'Nika', you have gained something, you have understood the exclusive power of 'Nika' - imagination!"
"Your understanding is beyond the heavens. Combining the exclusive imagination of 'Nika' with the heaven-defying understanding, you have realized the exclusive ability - the Realm of Understanding!"
At that time, these words appeared in my mind.
After Ace studied it carefully, he was immediately surprised, because this realm had the power to elevate someone's comprehension to incredible heights, albeit temporarily during its activation. But for Ace, who already possessed profound insight, this was a revelation. He no longer had concerns about his own strength; by his estimation, he was now on par with a Navy Headquarters Vice Admiral.
Coupled with the Conqueror's Haki entanglement, he is enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with the strongest Vice-Admirals in the Navy Headquarters.
If you include the heaven-defying skill of Itto Kaso, even an admiral would not be able to escape unscathed.
So what Ace is more concerned about is the crew he is looking for.
And after possessing this field of understanding, the range of crew members Ace can choose had greatly increased.
For example, Kaya, without this realm of understanding, Kaya's frail body would not be able to sail on the sea.
The medical skills that Kaya had just begun to learn could not support her work as a ship doctor.
But with the realm of understanding, such limitations were no longer an issue.