"Ace, you know Red-Haired Shanks!"
"Well, he's one of the Four Emperors of the New World. I met him before!" Ace replied.
"What? Ace, you met Shanks?"
Luffy exclaimed, grabbing his neck and shouting.
"Yeah, I'd heard you talk about him before. When I first set out to sea, I heard he was on an island, so I went to meet him. We drank all night, hahaha…"
"That's awesome!" Luffy grinned, taking off his hat and holding it in his hands. He thought to himself, "Shanks, I'll definitely become the Pirate King!"
"So, why mention Red-Haired Shanks?" Ace couldn't help but ask.
"What do you think of Shanks' strength?" Kai asked casually.
Ace: ???
Ace looked at Kai as if he were a fool, rolling his eyes and saying, "Shanks is one of the Four Emperors, a pirate of the same caliber as my father. What do you think of his strength?"
"Then what are your chances of beating Shanks?" Kai asked again.
"Hey, hey, kid, are you looking for trouble?"
Ace's tone was slightly irritated. Although he was confident in himself, he wasn't arrogant enough to think he could compete with Shanks.
He remembered how he had been thoroughly beaten when he challenged his father before.
Even though he thought his father was the strongest, and Shanks might not be as strong, they were still Four Emperors.
"So, do you know where Shanks' scar came from?" Kai asked.
"No, how would I…"
Ace was growing impatient, but suddenly he seemed to catch on to something.
He asked seriously, "You mean the scar on Shanks' face was caused by Blackbeard?"
"That's right!" Kai nodded.
Upon hearing this, Ace's expression turned serious, and he was no longer relaxed.
He didn't question how Kai knew this; he knew Kai had no reason to lie.
The news that Blackbeard had caused Shanks' scar made Ace uncertain.
If it were him, he wouldn't have the confidence to inflict such a scar on Shanks.
Ace fell silent for a long time. After a while, he looked at Kai and said, "Thank you for the information. I'll consider it carefully."
Kai gave Ace a deep look but said nothing more.
He had said what needed to be said. If Ace chose not to listen, there was nothing more Kai could do.
"Smoker!"
Suddenly, Luffy's shout drew Kai's attention.
Smoker? Kai was puzzled. The only person Luffy calls "Smoker"...
Looking in the direction Luffy was pointing, Kai saw someone who surprised him.
Smoker?
Seriously? I just dealt him a blow with my Ryu Haki, and now he's here in this small restaurant?
Smoker looked a bit battered, leaning heavily on the door with a faint trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. He coughed a few times.
Despite his condition, the cigar in his mouth was still firmly in place. Kai was worried Smoker might choke the next time he coughed.
As Kai and the others noticed him, Smoker also saw them. Luffy's shout had been too loud to miss.
Smoker's eyes lit up with recognition when he saw Kai and the others.
"Straw Hat Luffy, Demon King Kai, Portgas D. Ace… they're all here!"
The others thought, "Aren't we human beings too!!!"
(╬▔皿▔)╯!
"Why, Captain Smoker, do you plan to arrest us with your current injuries? Seems unrealistic!" Kai said lightly.
He knew the power of his attack and that Smoker wouldn't have recovered much in such a short time. Smoker was probably barely able to stand!
"I do need to make an arrest, but it won't be me doing it. Someone else will handle it."
"Hey, what do you mean, looking for help?" Kai asked with a slight smile, not worried at all. Even if Smoker called for backup, Kai wasn't concerned.
Given his current strength, he wasn't worried about facing a Vice Admiral or even a General.
Smoker had come to Alabasta without authorization.
He didn't believe the others could find a suitable replacement, let alone a general.
"I hope you can still laugh later!" Smoker said with a confident smile.
As Smoker spoke, a tall, thin man slowly walked into the restaurant.
When Kai saw him, his expression shifted from indifferent to serious.
Ace recognized the man too, and his face mirrored Kai's serious look.
Luffy and the others, not knowing the man, were puzzled but sensed something was wrong.
The air seemed to solidify as the man entered. Even Kai, who usually wore a confident expression, now looked unsettled.
Zoro couldn't help but ask, "Who is this guy? Why does he make you look so serious?"
Kai didn't look away from the man and said solemnly, "He's Admiral Aokiji of the Marine Headquarters!"
"Admiral of the headquarters???"
The news hit like a bombshell, shocking everyone present. Whether it was Zoro or the other diners, their eyes were wide with astonishment.
Only Luffy seemed confused.
Luffy looked around and asked, "What's with everyone's reaction? Is an Admiral of the Marine Headquarters really that strong?"
"Can you please lose the '?'" Nami said angrily.
"An Admiral is one of the highest combat powers in the Marine. Do you understand what that means?"
"Um…"
Luffy thought for a moment but still didn't fully grasp it. He shrugged and said with a casual smile, "Doesn't matter what his highest combat power is; I'll just knock him away!"
As soon as Luffy said this, everyone turned their eyes toward him.
They all shared the same look: incredulity.
Even Ace felt a pang of embarrassment, wishing he could disown Luffy at this moment. What a shame!
Is he really so bold? Is he truly unaware of what he's up against?
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Power Stones would be appreciated if you liked the story.