"A draw?" Robin murmured softly, her expression thoughtful. The battle between Ace and Marine Admiral Aokiji, the World Government's pinnacle combatant, had ended in a stalemate.
Robin bit her lip, conflicted. Despite her belief in Ace's ability to triumph, she couldn't shake the lingering awe of facing someone like Aokiji, an Admiral of Headquarters. The shadow of Ohara's devastation, wrought by the overwhelming power of the Marines, still haunted her.
But seeing Ace hold his own against Aokiji, it felt like a weight had been lifted from her heart—a testament to Ace's strength and determination.
"Ace, I want to become stronger," Robin declared earnestly, her gaze unwavering.
Her journey with the Entei Pirates had initially focused on uncovering history rather than honing her combat prowess. But now, alongside Ace's ambition to become the King of the World, she found a new purpose—to support him and ensure his success required strength beyond scholarly pursuits.
"We want to become stronger too, Ace," Nami and the other girls affirmed, exchanging determined glances.
They had witnessed the battle from afar, feeling powerless against such overwhelming forces. Now, they were determined to contribute to Ace's strength.
"We'll help you become stronger," Nami added resolutely.
Ace stood up, smiling warmly at the group. "But first, let me get some sleep."
"After I wake up, I'll start customized training for each of you," Ace promised, noticing the mix of anticipation and determination in their eyes.
The girls nodded eagerly, knowing from past experience that Ace's personalized training sessions were intense yet transformative.
Ace retreated to his room, briefly cleansing himself before settling into bed, cocooned in blankets. As he drifted into sleep, the Combat Turtle Breath Method began its work, enhancing both his physical abilities and Haki with astonishing efficiency.
On a fragment of ice where the uninhabited island once stood, Aokiji sat, gazing out at the sea with a bemused expression, scratching his head.
"Well, looks like I went a bit overboard," Aokiji muttered, exhaling a cold breath as he crystallized a layer over his burns. Compared to Ace, who was being tended to by Kaya, Aokiji appeared slightly worse for wear, with noticeable burns and damage to his suit from their intense clash.
Originally, his visit was merely to check on Nico Robin's status and to size up Portgas D. Ace, the grandson of the infamous Garp who had been causing waves across the seas. But unexpectedly, he found himself seriously injured.
"I guess I'll have to extend my vacation," Aokiji sighed, pulling out his Den Den Mushi to make a call.
Meanwhile, at Naval Headquarters, Sengoku's phone abruptly rang in his office.
"Aokiji? Calling me out of the blue?" Sengoku muttered in surprise, picking up the call despite his initial reluctance.
"Aokiji, you lazy bum, what's got you calling me yourself?" Sengoku chided half-seriously.
"Marshal, I'm fortunate to be making this call to you," Aokiji replied lazily, causing Sengoku to tense.
"What's happened?" Sengoku asked, his tone shifting to concern.
"Marshal, could you arrange for a warship to pick me up? And bring along a doctor with some burn ointment," Aokiji requested resignedly.
"You... injured?" Sengoku gasped incredulously.
"Yeah, I wanted to check on Nico Robin and see what Garp's grandson, Portgas D. Ace, was made of," Aokiji admitted with a rueful scratch of his head. "Ended up with burns all over."
"You fought Portgas D. Ace? And he managed to injure you?" Sengoku exclaimed, struggling to process the news.
Knowing Aokiji's formidable strength—his mastery of Frozen Fruit to its ultimate form, augmented by potent Armament Haki and the Iron Fist of Garp—Sengoku found it hard to believe Ace could inflict such damage.
"Did you at least freeze him?" Sengoku pressed, trying to grasp the situation.
"Well, freezing him might be giving me too much credit," Aokiji chuckled wryly. "It was a draw between us. I went all out."
"A draw? Between you and Ace?" Sengoku echoed, his shock evident.
"Afraid so. And I can confirm he's fully mastered Conqueror's Haki," Aokiji added casually.
"Mastered Conqueror's Haki?" Sengoku's eyes widened in disbelief. "Doesn't that mean Ace could potentially challenge for supremacy over the seas?"
The implications of Ace possessing such power were staggering, leaving Sengoku stunned at the thought of what this could mean for the balance of power in the world of pirates and Marines alike.
In a daze, Sengoku listened as Aokiji recounted the astonishing lineup of Devil Fruits held by the Entei Pirates: the Sand-Sand Fruit, Thunder-Thunder Fruit, and the Bird-Bird Fruit: Suzaku Form. These were powers that rivaled even the strongest Logia abilities like Sakazuki's Lava-Lava Fruit and Borusalino's Sparkling Fruit. To add to this formidable arsenal, they also possessed the Mera-Mera Fruit wielded by Portgas D. Ace himself. The sheer collective power of these Devil Fruits exceeded that of any existing Four Emperors pirate crew, making the Entei Pirates a potential force to rival the highest echelons of the sea.
Sengoku couldn't believe it. How could a crew led by someone so recently arrived in the Grand Line already possess such overwhelming strength? Portgas D. Ace had proven himself capable of challenging even Aokiji to a draw, suggesting he was on the path to becoming one of the Four Emperors himself.
As the weight of this revelation settled on him, Sengoku felt a headache coming on. The chaos that Ace had brought to the seas since his debut only reinforced the notion that he was a force to be reckoned with—an unpredictable wildcard capable of upending the delicate balance of power.
Aokiji's call ended abruptly, leaving Sengoku to contemplate the implications of their conversation. He stared out the window, feeling the weight of the era shifting beneath him. Ace's rise to prominence threatened to plunge the world into an unprecedented era of turmoil and upheaval.
"This era is about to go berserk because of Portgas D. Ace," Aokiji's words echoed in Sengoku's mind, a grim reminder of the storm that lays ahead.
Inside the office at Naval Headquarters, Vice Admiral Tsuru, known for her stern demeanor and strategic mind, stood opposite Vice Admiral Garp, who lounged casually on the couch, devouring a bag of donuts with unrivaled enthusiasm.
"Laugh all you want, Garp," Tsuru interjected sharply, her tone cutting through Garp's lighthearted amusement. "Your grandson, Portgas D. Ace, has stirred up quite a mess. With Crocodile's death and the subsequent surge in pirate activities, the seas are more turbulent than ever."
The Shichibukai system, originally designed to maintain a balance between the Marines, Yonko, and the general pirate population, had been thrown into disarray. Crocodile's demise, falsely attributed to Marine colonels Smoker and Hina, had destabilized the already fragile equilibrium. Pirates now saw an opportunity to vie for Crocodile's vacant position, a coveted seat offering legal plundering rights and protection under the World Government.
"And Ace isn't helping matters," Tsuru continued sternly. "His display of Conqueror's Haki at Mariejois has thrown everything into chaos. We were in the midst of selecting a successor for Crocodile when that incident occurred."
Garp, undeterred by Tsuru's serious tone, chuckled heartily. "Hahaha! That's my grandson for you!"
Tsuru's patience wore thin. "Garp, this isn't a laughing matter. Do you realize the magnitude of the trouble Ace has caused us? As a Marine hero, you bear responsibility for maintaining order at sea."
Vice Admiral Gion, standing nearby with a mix of exasperation and respect for Garp, chimed in, her voice edged with frustration. "Aokiji is nowhere to be found either. Perhaps he's taken after your example of laid-back leadership."
Garp, with a donut in hand and crumbs on his uniform, shrugged nonchalantly. "Leave it to Kuzan to handle. I'm just a Vice Admiral now; let the young ones deal with the sea's balance." His demeanor suggested a carefree attitude towards the chaos unfolding.
Gion's expression hardened, her gaze fixed on Garp. "Aokiji may have learned his laziness from you, but this isn't the time for complacency. With Ace causing havoc and our forces stretched thin, we need everyone at their best."
Momousagi, feeling the weight of the responsibility resting on her shoulders, looked towards the door, silently hoping Fleet Admiral Sengoku would appear to bring order to the chaotic situation. In the midst of the turmoil caused by Ace's actions, the need for strong leadership was more evident than ever.
Inside the tense atmosphere of the Naval Headquarters office, Vice Admiral Tsuru, known for her calm demeanor, sighed as she listened to the escalating discussion.
"Just one incident has caused so much turmoil," Tsuru remarked wearily, rubbing her forehead in frustration.
Suddenly, the office door burst open with a forceful bang, startling Tsuru, Garp, and Vice Admiral Gion. Their surprise turned to relief as they saw Fleet Admiral Sengoku entering, though his appearance raised immediate concern.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku?" Gion's eyes brightened with hope, wondering if her silent plea for leadership had been answered. But Sengoku's demeanor was far from reassuring.
"Hey, Sengoku, I'm about to set a new record for most donuts eaten in a row. Are you here to congratulate me?" Garp joked, his laughter echoing in the room.
Sengoku's response was unexpected. He raised his head with labored breaths, his eyes flashing with uncharacteristic anger. Veins bulged on his forehead as he glared at Garp.
"What a joke, Garp! You fool!" Sengoku's voice boomed, filled with a rare fury. He moved swiftly, appearing directly above Garp with a fist charged with dark, ominous lightning.
The office trembled violently as Sengoku unleashed his Conqueror's Haki-infused strike, narrowly missing Garp, who dodged just in time.
"Conqueror's Haki? Are you trying to kill me, Sengoku?" Garp exclaimed, his own surprise evident.
The sudden escalation left everyone bewildered. Even Gion, usually composed, struggled to comprehend Sengoku's extreme reaction.
"Sengoku, what's gotten into you? Why such anger?" Tsuru asked cautiously, trying to defuse the tense situation.
Gion added her concern, "Fleet Admiral, while Ace's actions have stirred chaos with Crocodile, Garp is not entirely responsible."
Sengoku's intense gaze softened slightly at their words, but his agitation was still palpable as he faced Garp.
"Do you know what your adopted grandson, Portgas D. Ace, has done?" Sengoku demanded, his voice still edged with frustration.
"He killed Crocodile. That man had it coming, especially after what he did in Alabasta. What's wrong with dealing with him?" Garp retorted casually, unfazed by Sengoku's anger.
Sengoku's next words silenced the room. "Aokiji fought your grandson, Ace. The injuries were severe."
The revelation struck like lightning. Tsuru and Gion's expressions darkened as they processed the implications of Aokiji, one of the Marine's Admirals, clashing with Ace and suffering significant harm.
The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of the news sinking in as they awaited Sengoku's next move.
In the tense atmosphere of the Naval Headquarters office, Fleet Admiral Sengoku's explosive entrance left everyone reeling. Garp, known for his nonchalant demeanor, responded to Sengoku's fury with a mix of surprise and understanding.
"Hahaha, so Kuzan clashed with Ace and ended up injured all over? That brat's something else," Garp remarked, his eyes reflecting a mixture of pride and astonishment.
Indeed, Ace's journey had been closely watched by Garp from the beginning. He had witnessed Ace's exceptional talents firsthand—the awakening of Conqueror's Haki at birth, and his mastery of it by the age of seven. These were accomplishments that surpassed even the legendary Pirate King's abilities.
"Are you kidding me?! Ace has completely mastered Conqueror's Haki, awakened the Mera-mera Fruit, and fought Aokiji to a draw with both sides injured," Sengoku exclaimed, his frustration palpable.
Gion's usually serene expression faltered, her beautiful eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. The clash between Ace and Aokiji, resulting in a draw despite Aokiji's full strength, spoke volumes about Ace's formidable power.
"Portgas D. Ace has the power to dominate the sea," Vice Admiral Tsuru stated, her voice trembling slightly. "Mastering Conqueror's Haki, awakening the Mera-mera Fruit beyond its limits, and fighting Aokiji to a standstill... This makes Ace a force to be reckoned with, capable of challenging even the Four Emperors."
Tsuru's astonishment was shared by Gion, whose thoughts raced with the implications of Ace's newfound prowess. To achieve such feats early in his Grand Line journey was unprecedented and deeply concerning for Marine's strategic balance.
"Tell me everything you know about Ace, Garp! Aokiji's injury spells big trouble for Marine," Sengoku demanded, his anger evident.
Garp, despite the tension, maintained his calm demeanor as he began to recount Ace's extraordinary life. His words painted a picture of a prodigy whose talents far surpassed those of his contemporaries in Marine Headquarters.
"The Conqueror's Haki awakened at birth, mastery of Conqueror's Haki-Entanglement at age seven, and the ability to push the Mera-mera Fruit beyond its limits with that Strange Fiery Red blade that could even burn me," Garp recounted with a hint of nostalgia.
Sengoku, Tsuru, and Gion were left speechless. Ace's achievements defied belief—a mastery of abilities that rivaled the Four Emperors, coupled with a raw talent that overshadowed Marine's most decorated Admirals.
In that moment, it became clear that Ace was not just a rising threat but a potential game-changer in the volatile world of pirates and Marines alike. His power had already reached heights that few could match, setting a new standard of prowess on the Grand Line—a terrifying talent that would reshape the balance of power in the seas.