They were met with a locked door.
Kaito Sakamoto could only lead his crew back to the bay, watching their ship engulfed in flames. As he reflected on the king's words during their phone call, it became clear that this entire situation was a trap set by the king.
"Bastard, remember this!!"
Anger surged within him as Kaito continued to spit threats.
Meanwhile, the king lounged comfortably on his sofa, sipping tea, while Kaito found himself trapped in a sea of fire, unsure if he would ever escape.
Moreover, the insatiable abyss known as desire can never truly be filled.
Amidst the blazing inferno, Kaito's thoughts turned not to survival but to making a comeback.
A comeback requires money—who has the money?
Ace and his crew's treasure was the answer.
Fate often twists in such ways; if he didn't turn back to find Ace and Luffy, would he even have a chance to live?
...
"Phew... phew... the flames are so intense. I wonder if those uncles from Garbage Mountain managed to escape."
Even engulfed in fire, Luffy worried for others, and it broke Kaito's heart to see him like this.
Ace thought he was foolish. "What's wrong with you? How can you still care about others at a time like this?!"
"Damn it, I don't even know where I am!"
Flames reduced some items to ashes, and with the thick smoke swirling around, Ace could no longer discern the way.
To make matters worse, Kaito appeared before them, blocking their path.
"Hey! You little brat, who gave you permission to escape?!"
"Kaito!"
"Why is the arsonist still here? Shouldn't you have fled by now?"
Luffy was confused by Kaito's refusal to escape, despite being the one who started the fire.
"Shut up, you brat!"
Kaito was already irritable, and Luffy's words only added fuel to the fire.
"Seize them!"
"Aren't we supposed to be partners? If we're going to die, we should die together…"
"You haven't told us where the treasure is. If you can tell us before it's burned to ashes, I'll spare your lives."
Ace was shocked. "You're worried about treasure when your life is on the line!"
"Will you tell me then?"
"Wouldn't it be a waste if you don't go and get it?"
Kaito replied.
Ace fell silent. They had already moved the treasure to the mountain, but now he realized Kaito had been quite astute.
However, Kaito was unaware of their treasure's relocation, which could be exploited.
"Fine, I'll tell you!"
Ace said calmly, revealing the original location of the treasure.
But as the saying goes, when one rises, the other falls. No, from their perspective, it should be said that the path of righteousness is always overshadowed by evil.
...
"What are you doing?! Didn't I just tell you the location?!"
Ace revealed the treasure's location, but Kaito's men not only refused to let Luffy go but also captured Ace.
"Who knows if you're lying? You're coming with us."
Kaito responded.
Ace was furious—was he supposed to follow them to death?!
"Don't joke around! By the time you find it, there will be no escape left. If you want it, go yourself!"
"Don't provoke me!!"
Kaito pulled out a gun and aimed it at Ace, his expression darkening.
"Even if I have to rely on a brat's treasure, I swear I will make a comeback and take revenge on that damn king and those damn nobles."
"Your brother feels the same way; they see others as trash."
"Being with you only gives him a sense of superiority. Do you think his vast wealth would associate with you scum from Garbage Mountain?!"
"Sabo wouldn't think like that!!"
Ace shouted back, defending Sabo's friendship with them.
"Don't be foolish!"
"He secretly looks down on you all and laughs at you behind your backs!!"
Kaito shot back just as loudly, having been played for a fool; now, in his eyes, all nobles were the same kind of scum.
Ace glared at Kaito, his forehead veins throbbing.
"You will not speak ill of Sabo again!!!"
"Right! Sabo just wants freedom!!"
From behind, Luffy couldn't take it anymore and bit the arm of the pirate who had locked him up.
The pirate cried out in pain and released Luffy, but in his rage, he drew his long knife from behind.
Luffy used a pipe to defend himself, but without any enhancement, a mere pipe could not withstand a blade.
The pipe was split in two, and the blade grazed Luffy's right forehead, blood spraying out.
Just as the next strike was about to land on Luffy's body, Ace instinctively unleashed his Conqueror's Haki.
"Stop!!!"
"Conqueror's Haki!"
Arriving at the bay, Kaito could only see swirling smoke from above. Just as he was about to use his replicated Observation Haki, he sensed the powerful aura of Conqueror's Haki and immediately rushed toward its source.
...
As the descendant of Roger, Ace undoubtedly possessed immense talent; otherwise, he wouldn't have become one of the first-generation Supernovas.
Conqueror's Haki was a powerful ability for clearing out minions, and soon, only Kaito remained standing on the battlefield.
In a scene straight from a nightmare, Kaito watched as his men suddenly collapsed, frothing at the mouth.
He thought Ace had done something, and in a fit of rage, he kicked Ace to the ground, pressing his foot against him while aiming the gun at his face.
Meanwhile, Luffy, severely injured, gritted his teeth but couldn't rise.
"Ace!!"
"Don't..."