News of the Op-Op Fruit

Marine Headquarters · Elite Training Camp

The morning sun shone down on the sandy training ground, bringing a wave of heat with it.

Grains of sand swirled through the air like a miniature golden storm.

"Bang!"

Nine-year-old Ace's feet sank deep into the sand as he crossed his arms to block, his skin gleaming metallic black with Armament Haki Hardening.

Even so, Roy's clean, direct punch sent him staggering back several meters, his feet plowing two deep furrows through the ground. He was nearly lost from sight amid the flying sand and dust.

"Cough...!"

Ace gritted his teeth and shook out his aching, numb arms, his eyes blazing with defiance. "Damn it! Again!"

The trainees at the sidelines sucked in a cold breath.

"That kid's only nine... Is he really human?"

"That's the Monster Rear Admiral! And he hasn't even used his Devil Fruit powers..."

"I heard Ace is Vice Admiral Garp's grandson..."

Zephyr stood with his arms folded, his gaze sharp as a blade behind his sunglasses.

He glanced at the record board beside him. Written on it was a striking figure: seventeen minutes of continuous combined Six Powers techniques. Even Smoker back then would have paled in comparison.

"He really is that man's..."

The thought stirred in his mind, but he immediately snuffed out the dangerous notion and fixed a cold gaze on the training ground. "Now, he's a Marine."

In the center of the field, Roy's breathing was as steady as a mountain.

"You've improved a lot." The corners of his mouth rose slightly, though his tone remained mild. "But you've still got a long way to go!"

"Don't get cocky!"

Ace kicked off the ground, scattering sand and dust. "Soru!"

The next second, he vanished, his fist wrapped in pitch-black Armament Haki as he drove it straight at the center of Roy's back!

"Clang!"

His fist struck Roy's back with the ringing clash of metal, and the impact sent a faint numbness through Ace's arm.

"What?!"

A flicker of astonishment crossed Ace's eyes. The next second, Roy reached back and lightly chopped the top of his head with the edge of his hand.

"Smack!"

Ace crouched down, clutching his head as wisps of white smoke rose from his black hair.

"Ow, ow, ow!"

Roy calmly withdrew his hand, as if he had merely brushed dust off his shoulder.

The trainees at the sidelines stared wide-eyed.

"Rear Admiral Roy didn't even bother dodging?!"

"That's terrifying! That was an Armament Haki attack!"

Ace looked up, a large bump still on his forehead, but a smile suddenly appeared on his face. "Don't think you can beat me that easily!"

He planted both hands on the ground, flipped his feet into the air, and lashed out at blinding speed. "Tempest Kick: Combo!"

"Swish, swish, swish, swish—!"

Dozens of vacuum blades shot up from the ground, sweeping across the field like a raging storm.

Roy raised an eyebrow, finally getting a little more serious.

His body swayed slightly as he slipped through the gaps between every slash with the smallest possible movements. Not even the hem of his clothes was touched.

"Nice idea—"

Before he had finished speaking, Roy appeared directly in front of Ace and lightly pressed a forefinger to his forehead.

"But you left too many openings, kid."

"Whoa!"

Ace landed on his backside in the sand and slapped the ground indignantly. "That's not fair! You're only ten years older than me!"

Roy chuckled and reached out to pull him up. "By the time you're my age, maybe you'll be able to beat me up."

Ace's eyes lit up at those words. "Just wait! When the time comes, I'll beat you until you admit defeat!"

A sudden crack came from the sidelines.

The two turned to see Zephyr crushing the edge of his record board, his gaze dark as he stared at Roy. "Roy! Who gave you permission to make the lesson harder on your own?!"

Roy hurriedly stood at attention. "Sorry, instructor!"

Ace, however, excitedly jumped up in front of Zephyr. "Grandpa Zephyr! I want to learn Geppo Propulsion Form tomorrow!"

"I've told you, call me instructor at the Training Camp!"

A vein bulged at Zephyr's temple, but the corners of his mouth quietly lifted in a smile.

He looked at Roy, a complicated emotion flashing in his eyes. The two met each other's gaze for a moment, and each saw the same thought in the other's eyes:

This kid... might really surpass his father.

Just then—

"Bang—!"

The gates to the training ground were violently burst open.

Luffy was covered in bandages, with a half-dead crocodile hanging around his neck. He grinned and laughed. "Ace—! I beat the crocodile the cafeteria was raising! We're having a feast tonight!"

Nami came running after him in a fury. "You idiot! That's a Science Unit test subject!"

Zephyr's roar instantly exploded across the field. "Garp! Keep that monkey of yours under control!!!"

For a while, the entire elite training ground was thrown into chaos.

Several months passed peacefully like this. Marine Headquarters · Training ground

Sunlight poured down on the spacious training ground, heat and sweat mingling as the air rang with the shouts of the youths.

Ace sat cross-legged on the ground, his cheeks slightly reddened by the sun. Black Armament Haki coiled around his arms, and veins stood out on the backs of his hands as he seemed to suppress the power within him.

Roy crouched in front of him, lightly touching Ace's fist with one hand. His voice was steady and firm. "Remember, Haki isn't brute force. It's an extension of your will."

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Ace's forehead. His eyes were closed, his breathing rapid, and his fist trembled slightly.

"Just like breathing, imagine it flowing in a rhythm, following your blood to cover every inch of muscle."

Ace frowned deeply, then suddenly opened his eyes. A stream of black light flowed over his fist before dispersing. "I... I think I'm starting to get the feel of it!"

He clenched his fist excitedly, fighting spirit blazing in his eyes.

Roy smiled faintly and raised a hand to pat his shoulder. "Good. Keep practicing—"

Before he had finished speaking, his smile abruptly vanished. His pupils narrowed slightly, and his gaze snapped toward the training ground's exit.

Gion was hurrying through the corridor, her long hair streaming in the wind and an unusual tension on her face.

Roy frowned, and his figure vanished in an instant.

"Swish!"

The next second, he was standing in front of Gion.

"Gion, what happened?"

Gion jumped at his sudden appearance, but quickly regained her composure. "Roy? The intelligence division intercepted information about a deal involving the Op-Op Fruit. Admiral Sengoku has already sent someone to handle it, but the situation is complicated."

"The Op-Op Fruit?!"

Roy's pupils abruptly contracted, and his expression instantly turned grave.

Without asking any more questions, he teleported away.

Intelligence division · Classified archives

"Swish!"

A flash of light and shadow appeared in the file room, and the air warped slightly.

Vice Admiral Tsuru sat at a long table, her fingertips moving swiftly as she sorted the latest intelligence reports, her gaze sharp as a blade.

She instinctively looked up, a cold glint reflecting off her glasses. "Roy? How did you—"

"Lady Tsuru, please show me the intelligence on the Op-Op Fruit right away!"

A rare hint of urgency entered Roy's voice, his usual calm composure nowhere to be found.

Vice Admiral Tsuru was slightly taken aback, but her trust in Roy kept her from hesitating. Her fingers swiftly tapped the combination lock on the filing cabinet, and the compartment door sprang open with a click.

She quickly pulled out an encrypted file and drew the projection screen in front of them.

The screen lit up instantly, densely packed lines of intelligence scrolling rapidly across it.

Target: Op-Op Fruit

Holder: Former Marine officer, now the Diez Barrels Pirates

Trading party: Donquixote Family (intermediary)

Marine contact: Classified

Vice Admiral Tsuru stared at the projection screen, her brows knitted tightly. "Sengoku has already sent someone to take possession of the fruit," she said in a low voice. "Is there a problem?"

Before her words had faded, a sharp light flashed in Roy's eyes. He lowered his voice almost to a whisper. "Doflamingo isn't the sort of person to let a benefit slip away so easily..."

Vice Admiral Tsuru froze for a moment. Then, as she thought it over, a chilling realization dawned on her—the Op-Op Fruit's power was... and Doflamingo's ambition...

The air between them seemed to freeze, the flickering light of the projection screen playing across their faces.

Vice Admiral Tsuru snapped her head up, her eyes stern and resolute. "Roy, head to the trading site immediately! I'll report directly to Sengoku!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Swish!"

A brilliant blue afterimage flashed past, leaving only flying documents and Vice Admiral Tsuru's deep sigh in the archives.

The wind howled like blades as a sea of clouds churned.

Roy's figure flashed forward at nearly the speed of light, each teleportation leaving a pale blue afterimage warped into the air.

"The Op-Op Fruit's trading site..."

He gazed in the direction of the North Blue, the distant horizon reflected in his eyes. The face of a young man with a warm smile flashed through his mind.

"Admiral Sengoku..."

A familiar voice seemed to echo in his ears, offering the same steady, kindly reminder as always: "Roy, you have the entire Marine force behind you!"

"You've helped us too many times. This time..." he murmured, silently clenching his fist as a dark, profound light appeared in his eyes.

"It's my turn to repay you."

The wind howled, and his breathing gradually steadied.

"Rosinante... you have to hold on."

His gaze was as sharp as a hawk's. The next second, his figure merged into space, flashing rapidly toward the North Blue!