Portgas D. Ace!

The Kingdom of Goa, Mt. Colbo.

Sixteen-year-old Portgas D. Ace nimbly and skillfully traversed the dense mountain forest, carrying a small bag on his shoulder.

As he walked, the small bag swayed, making a clinking metallic sound.

This small bag contains some banknotes and coins.

These are the "treasures" that Ace just forcibly plundered from the evil forces at the Terminal of Uncertainties.

A few years ago.

The nobles and royalty of the Kingdom of Goa went mad and set fire to the entire Terminal of Uncertainties, nearly destroying it completely.

But several years have passed.

Because the Kingdom of Goa continues its previous rule—forcibly expelling unwanted citizens and goods in order to maintain the "beauty" and "purity" of the entire country.

These people and their belongings, abandoned by the state, had nowhere else to live and could only converge once again at Terminal of Uncertainties.

As the number of people and possessions abandoned by the Kingdom of Goa continues to grow.

The Terminal of Uncertainties, which had been reduced to ashes in the fire, has been rebuilt.

Ace carried the treasure he had just plundered to his personal treasure trove.

He carefully removed the easily damp and damaged banknotes one by one, smoothed them out, and placed them separately in a treasure chest, while the remaining coins were piled up haphazardly together.

The treasure chest wasn't large, but it represented Ace's "family fortune" accumulated through years of plunder.

Barring unforeseen circumstances.

Ace will use the money to buy a small boat big enough for him to sail alone, and then officially begin his pirate career.

When I was a child.

Ace would also consider many other issues.

For example, his "father" and "mother" whom he had never met;

For example, the opinions of ordinary people in Foosha Village regarding "Pirate King";

For example, is his arrival—the son of the Pirate King —a good thing for this world?

For example, how should he walk his future path in life? Should he follow in his father's footsteps or follow his "grandfather's" philosophy...?

However, as he grew up, Ace no longer cared about these minor issues.

Or rather, these questions are already hidden deep within Ace's heart, and he will no longer easily reveal them.

He only has one thought right now --

I'm an adult, I'm going to sea, I'm going to be a pirate!

Then let the world hear the name Portgas D. Ace!

Ace quickly inventoried all his wealth, making sure there were no mistakes or omissions, and then carefully hid each chest containing treasure.

Immediately afterwards, he nimbly leaped to the top of the nearest large tree, just like a monkey.

This is near the peak of Mt. Colbo.

Ace sat down on a branch of a large tree, looking down at Pirate Bay below.

At the foot of the Terminal of Uncertainties and Mt. Colbo, there is a small harbor.

The Sapphire Pirates' ship once docked here.

As he grew older, Ace would often come here to overlook the view of Pirate Bay.

He fantasized about what it would be like if one day he set sail himself...

Just as Ace was admiring the scenery of Pirate Bay as usual.

A white dot suddenly appeared on the distant horizon.

Ace instinctively raised his right hand and placed it above his eyes, trying to get a better look at the white dot.

In Ace's eyes, the white dot kept getting bigger until it revealed its true form.

It was a White Giant Dragon that seemed to have flown out of a myth.

"Dragon?"

Ace stared in astonishment at the White Giant Dragon soaring freely in the sky.

"There really are dragons on the sea!"

As the son of the Pirate King and adopted by Hero of the Marines, Ace heard many legends and stories from his "grandfather".

But Ace had always lived on this Mt. Colbo since he was a child.

He was very familiar with every plant and tree in the mountains.

But this place is still the East Blue.

The East Blue is the "weakest" of the three.

Ace had heard many stories from his grandfather that sounded like myths and legends.

However, Ace didn't meet any of the "protagonists" from those myths and legends.

As for grandfather?

Ace was very grateful to his grandfather for adopting him, but what about "respect"?

He found it hard to respect that unreliable old man who had always tried to stop him from going to sea to become a pirate...

Ace found it even harder to believe that his grandfather was a "Hero of the Marines" revered by the world.

White Dragon appeared in the sky at that moment.

Like a blazing flame, it ignited Ace's longing for the sea.

He longs to sail freely on the seas...

As Ace gazed up at the White Dragon in the sky, he dreamed of his future pirate career.

But as time went by...

Ace's expression shifted from initial surprise to bewilderment, and then to solemnity.

That White Dragon, why does it seem to be flying this way?

Whoosh--

The Blue-Eyes White Dragon towards Mt. Colbo, and with a gentle flap of its enormous wings, it brought a powerful storm to the forests below.

Ace gripped the trunk of a nearby tree tightly with his left hand, thus avoiding being blown off the tree by the sudden gust of wind.

"Dragon!"

Ace shielded his eyes with his right hand, peering through the gaps between his fingers at the Blue-Eyes White Dragon that had fallen from the sky and landed on the ground.

Who is that person?

Before Ace could even get a good look at the person's face...

The enormous Blue-Eyes White Dragon seemed to "dissolve" into the earth like a mass of water.

A strange man whom Ace had never seen before appeared where the Blue-Eyes White Dragon had just been standing.

It was as if the giant dragon from before was actually this man in disguise.

If it weren't for the lingering devastation left by the storm, one would be amazed.

Ace almost thought that the White Dragon he had just seen was a hallucination...

'Could this be the Devil Fruit User Grandpa mentioned before...?'

Just as this thought flashed through Ace's mind...

The man on the ground below suddenly raised his right hand and waved at him.

"Portgas D. Ace? I am Vongola Storm!"

With a smile on his face, Storm looked at Portgas D. Ace, who was standing on the treetop, and got straight to the point.

"Do you want to come with me and turn this world upside down?"

"The world? Ha?"

Ace stood on a tree branch, looking down at the man below.

Even though the scene of the other party descending on a dragon had greatly shocked him.

But he had no interest in being a crew member.

Ace stared at the unfamiliar man below and let out a cold laugh.

Who are you? Get out of my way!

"This is my territory!"

This is not your territory, nor will it be your final destination.

With a slight thought, Storm unleashed the power of the [Awakening] of the [Clay Fruit].

The large tree where Ace stood was immediately assimilated by the power of the Clay- Clay Fruit and transformed into a "Clay Tree".

The hard branches instantly transformed into soft clay.

Ace lost his footing and fell straight from the treetop, crashing heavily to the ground.

However, the earth was completely assimilated by the power of the Clay- Clay Fruit, turning into soft clay.

Ace crashed into the ground but was not injured at all, only somewhat startled.

The clay, like a wave, carried Ace to Storm's side.

"The sea is your true home, Portgas D. Ace."

At this point, Storm paused, then calmly uttered the other person's real name.

"Or rather, Gol D. Ace."

The instant I heard that name.

Ace's pupils instantly contracted violently to the size of pinpricks.

The man riding the White Dragon in front of him actually knew his true identity!

The disdain at being stopped and invited by a stranger, the panic of falling from a great height, and the astonishment of having one's true identity revealed...

A mixture of complex emotions ignited Ace's already sensitive heart like a fire.

"You bastard!"

Ignoring the identity of the person in front of him, Ace swung his fist, intending to smash it into the man's cheek.

Who do you think you are?!

Ace's punch, which he thought was incredibly powerful.

In Storm's eyes, it was like soft, slow-moving cotton.

He didn't even think about blocking the other person's punch.

Just as Ace's fist was about to land on Storm.

Storm spread his arms and fell backward.

The earth instantly formed a huge, soft bed of clay.

Storm lay on his back on the clay bed, easily dodging Ace's punch.

"Ha~"

Storm yawned widely.

Immediately afterwards, another lump of clay rose from the ground, its shape constantly changing.

In the blink of an eye.

The lump of clay then took the shape of Hanafuda, the King of Lizards.

The King of Lizards, standing over five meters tall, looked like a small giant in front of Ace.

"Since you want to fight, then you should fight him for a while first."

Storm gave the Clay Person of the King of Lizards an order, and the latter immediately sprang into action, heading towards Ace.

"I have absolutely no interest in playing house with little kids."

Children... playing house...

Several veins bulged on Ace's forehead instantly.

The way this man, who called himself "Vongola Storm," dodged the attack was enough to annoy him.

I never expected the other party to have such a knack for making people angry... one thing after another!

Ace clenched his fist once more as he watched the King of Lizards approach.

How could I lose to such a big, dumb oaf?

Ace roared and rushed forward, unleashing the skills he had honed in the Mt. Colbo.

A punch, a kick, a knee, an elbow...

Ace unleashed his full range of skills, his attacks raining down on the King of Lizards's body like a storm, the dull thuds echoing incessantly.

However.

Ideals are lofty, but reality is harsh.

Ace used all his strength to beat the King of Lizards for nearly half an hour.

His fists were almost blistered.

The King of Lizards remained completely unchanged.

Ace's attacks had absolutely no effect on the King of Lizards.

Thump!

Ace delivered another powerful punch to the King of Lizards.

This punch finally left some crimson blood on the King of Lizards's body.

But that wasn't the blood of the King of Lizards.

It was Ace's blood.

"Are you tired? I'm going to eat now."

After a half-hour nap, Storm opened his eyes and lazily looked at Ace, who was still struggling with the clay.

"Are you coming to eat with me, or are you going to stay here and keep struggling with your clay doll?"

Thump!

Ace landed another punch on the King of Lizards, but this only worsened the injury to his fist.

Since things have come to this, let's eat first!

Fourth update, 13,000 words, please subscribe!

There will only be four updates today.

An extra chapter is needed because the monthly pass count has reached 1000.

So there are still 37 updates owed.

Update tomorrow morning.

Goodnight everyone.