Ace was incredibly powerful now, at the level of the Four Emperors. Was there anything in this world that could make him feel fear just by its sound? He couldn't imagine it.
Ace rushed out and saw the towering figure of a spirit elephant, hundreds of meters tall, in the distance. The elephant continued to bellow, and the terrifying sound echoed in his ears.
One of the spirit elephant's eyes turned towards Ace, and suddenly, Ace felt a powerful force pierce all the way to his heart. His face paled as a chill crept over him.
"Ace, what in the world is that?" Marco the Phoenix appeared beside Ace. Recently, he had been training in seclusion, striving to break through to a new level to eventually fight Kaido alongside Ace.
Just as he was about to make a breakthrough, the trumpeting of the spirit elephant shattered his concentration, prompting him to step outside and see the source of the disturbance.
"I'm not sure either," Ace admitted, still staring at the spirit elephant. "But Chiba is there, so we need to check on him immediately."
"Don't go over there." Just then, Hina stepped forward to stop them.
"Why not? Chiba is there, and the strength of that giant elephant is terrifying. We're worried Chiba could be in danger," Ace replied, his face darkening. Chiba was his brother and captain, and he felt compelled to protect him.
"If Ye Jun was in any danger, I would've gone already. The spirit elephant you're seeing was actually created by Ye Jun's true energy. Before Ye Jun broke through to his current realm, he could already transform into a giant elephant form," Hina explained.
"But back then, the spirit elephant he created was far less solid and lacked the vitality of this one. Ye Jun's breakthrough this time must be extraordinary. We just need to wait until his transformation is complete."
Hina looked at the distant spirit elephant, still shaken by the sound of its trumpet, which seemed to resonate with her very soul.
Just then, Peacock emerged from her own closed-door training. She had been close to a breakthrough herself, but the spirit elephant's call disrupted her focus, stopping her in her tracks.
Peacock gazed at the spirit elephant in the distance, first in shock, then with a smile of delight. *This spiritual phenomenon created by Ye Jun's true energy shows he's grown even stronger. I have to find a way to get closer to him, and perhaps I'll even be the one to give him an heir,* she thought.
Qoz and Vista joined together, watching the spirit elephant's phantom in the distance. Qoz shook his head in awe. "Our captain is truly becoming more terrifying. After this breakthrough, his strength will probably reach an unimaginable level."
Vista nodded. "I'm afraid it's even greater than we can comprehend. Even if we team up, we probably won't be a match for Captain Chiba anymore."
Ace overheard them and scoffed, "With the two of you, even if Chiba hadn't broken through, you still wouldn't stand a chance against him."
Joz laughed, "Maybe we're no match for the captain, but Ace, you're definitely no match for us now."
Vista stroked his mustache and grinned, "Couldn't have said it better."
Ace, indignant, retorted, "You two really think you're something, huh? One of you just acquired the awakened form of multiple fruits, and the other is flaunting your newly awakened String-String Fruit. You need to double-team me just to have a chance—where's your dignity?"
"Oh, so now you're saying I lack pride?" Joz fired back, stepping up. "Fine, Ace, let's settle this one-on-one."
"Joz, don't fall for it. If you fight him alone, you'll just get beaten," Vista cautioned.
Ace taunted, "Look at you, Vista. You only dare challenge me because you think you can gang up with Joz. And you think you're worthy of competing with Hawkeye for the title of the world's greatest swordsman? Dream on!"
"Come on, Ace, that's below the belt," Vista snapped, furious. Competing with Hawkeye for the top swordsman title was his ultimate goal, and Ace's jabs cut deep.
Ace laughed mockingly. "Face it, Vista. You'll never surpass Hawkeye, and you don't even have the guts to challenge him alone."
"Buck up, Ace! I'm challenging you right now!" Vista shouted, barely able to contain himself.
Joz interrupted, "Vista, I called dibs on fighting Ace first!"
"Hold on, I'll go one-on-one with him first, tire him out, and then you can take him on," Vista argued. "It'll be better for you."
"Why should I wait until he's tired? I want him at his best," Joz protested.
"No way. I'm fighting him first!"
"No, I'm going first!"
Seeing the two about to come to blows, Ace interjected with a sly grin, "Alright, settle it between yourselves. Whoever wins gets to fight me first."
"Fine!" Vista and Joz exclaimed in unison.
Vista grinned, "I've been wanting to test if your blade is sharper than my fruit powers."
"Bring it, Vista. Let's see if your multiple-fruit awakening can keep up with my String-String Fruit!"
The two launched into a fierce battle. Ace watched with a satisfied smile as they fought through the night. When they finally collapsed on a small island, he strolled over and knocked each of them out with a punch, leaving them sprawled on the ground.
As they lay there, both muttered weakly, "Ace, you're despicable," and "We were fools."
With the two of them dealt with, Ace turned his gaze toward the distant island. The spirit elephant's phantom still hadn't dissipated.
Meanwhile, Chiba had stabilized the power of the God Elephant Suppression technique. Only then did the intense true energy around him begin to dissipate, the overwhelming aura gradually fading.
Back on the ship, Hancock let out a breath of relief. Even with her Conqueror's Haki, she could feel the intense pressure. Chiba's power might now far exceed her own.
With the spiritual pressure gone, Peacock quickly found her focus for a breakthrough returning, the feeling growing stronger and stronger.