Chapter 721
"Boom! Boom!..." These sparks exploded around Chen Fan's body like bombs.
Ace said into the exploding inferno, "So what if you took this hit! You can't counter it now!"
But soon, Chen Fan's calm voice came from within the sea of fire. "A rebound? Ah! You mean that one from before? Well, you could call it a rebound."
Ace stared at Chen Fan in disbelief, "How is this possible? Why are your fire attacks ineffective against you?!"
"Just consider it as me eating the 'Reflect-Reflect Fruit.' I'm going to make you admit defeat wholeheartedly. Do you want to give up? That way, you'll suffer less." Chen Fan smiled and spread his hands, saying to Ace.
Ace chuckled and said, "I don't care what Devil Fruit you ate, but you can't expect me to surrender obediently! The battle has only just begun! Divine Flame! Nameless Fire!"
Flames erupted from Ace's arms, which he flicked towards Chen Fan, transforming into two flaming spears that shot towards Chen Fan.
"Why are you doing something unnecessary! I'll make you admit defeat!" Chen Fan said, then stomped his foot and charged towards Ace. The two flame-formed spears changed direction the moment they hit Chen Fan and shot into the ground, scorching a deep, black, and smoking hole in the ground.
Seeing Chen Fan close behind him, Ace waved his hands and shouted, "Flame Commandment! Flame Pillar!"
Ace released flames from his body, forming a circle of fire. Then, by rotating the flames in his hands, he unleashed a towering pillar of fire from his entire body to attack Chen Fan.
Chen Fan kicked the spot where Ace had been standing amidst the pillar of fire Tempest Kick, unleashing an invisible wave of air that sliced through the flames.
"Boom!" The attack landed on the ground in the distance, carving a deep trench, but it didn't hit Ace. Ace's body appeared behind Chen Fan, his feet firmly planted on the ground, his right fist clenched, gathering power at his waist;
"Fire Fist!" A giant fist formed of flames attacked Chen Fan's back. In Ace's mind, the previous attacks had all targeted Chen Fan's front. Since attacks from the front could be deflected, what about from the back? Surely, attacks from the back wouldn't be deflected too;
But just as the fiery fist was about to touch Chen Fan's body, Ace saw a mocking smile on Chen Fan's lips, as if he were laughing at Ace for overestimating his abilities;
"...!"
The flaming fist bounced back even faster, slicing off Ace's upper body. But the flames quickly reformed, and Ace reappeared unharmed, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead. He smirked and said, "Oops...! This looks like I've messed with someone I shouldn't have!"
At the start of the battle between Chen Fan and Ace, the World Government received information. After all, no one knew whether Chen Fan was alive or dead at the time, and they hadn't received any information from Tashigi. So they sent people here. Since Chen Fan had been here before, the Log Pose must not be full. Therefore, the most likely scenario is that Chen Fan will return here.
The phone suddenly rang in Fleet Admiral Sengoku Fleet Admiral's Office at Navy Headquarters.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku! Chen Fan and Ace, the 2nd Division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, are fighting on Jaya Island!" Fleet Admiral Sengoku answered the phone and heard the words coming through the Den Den Mushi.
"What?!" Fleet Admiral Sengoku was shocked. He hadn't expected Chen Fan to be facing off against the Whitebeard Pirates, especially Ace, the 2nd Division commander. Ace was far more famous than Blackbeard, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. He was a very active figure in the New World. The World Government had once invited Ace to become Shichibukai, but Ace refused and instead joined the Whitebeard Pirates, making them enemies of the Navy Headquarters.
"How's the situation?!" Sengoku the Fleet Admiral Sengoku shouted. "Chen Fan the kind of person who could push Aokiji to that point; even Fire Fist Ace is probably no match for Chen Fan."
"It's not quite clear. The battle is engulfed in flames, but based on the previous attacks, it seems that the one Chen Fan has the upper hand."
"Alright! Ignore them, let them fight. It would be best if Chen Fan could take down Ace."
Meanwhile, Red-Haired arrived at Whitebeard's ship once again for a visit. Whitebeard, despite having tubes inserted into his body, still exuded Haki, looking down at Shanks sitting on the deck and saying, "Red-Haired! What are you doing here again?"
"I advise you to summon Ace back as soon as possible. This guy Chen Fan seems to have no scruples at all. If Ace really angers him, Ace will be in danger," Red-Haired said to Whitebeard, taking a sip of his drink.
"Hahaha...! Red-Haired! Where did the once Haki you, 353, go? You're just a brat! A brat who just entered the Grand Line, he's only lucky. Besides, my children have all grown up and naturally have to make their own decisions. I support Ace's choice." Whitebeard laughed loudly, then drank a large bowl of sake;
The nurse beside him said, "Captain, you can't drink anymore; it will harm your health."
"How could drinking what you like harm your health!" the Whitebeard man said.
"If that's really what you think, then I won't say anything. The World Government is certainly very happy to see this outcome. But I can only tell you that this man Chen Fan is no ordinary person. One of your traitorous sons, Blackbeard, has already died at his hands. If you don't want another son to die at his hands, then don't have anything to do with him anymore!" Red-Haired said to Whitebeard.
Whitebeard narrowed his eyes as he looked at Red-Haired and said, "I, Whitebeard, have roamed the Grand Line for so many years, I'm not even afraid of the World Government, why would I be afraid of a newcomer like him? Guards!"