Ace: Would You Despise Me for Being a Child Born with Sinful Blood?
"You--!"
Ace's pupils suddenly contracted, and the oar in his hand clattered onto the deck. He stared at Natsu, his face drained of color.
Gol D. Roger.
The name he had kept hidden his whole life and never dared to mention was casually uttered by this complete stranger.
"How could you..." His voice trembled.
"Some things don't need to be questioned so deeply." Natsu avoided his question, her tone softening. "Giving up appropriately is never shameful."
Ace lowered his head, staring at his toes, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible. "Will you despise me? A child burdened with sinful blood."
"The Uchiha Clan was once known throughout the Ninja World as the 'cursed clan.'" Natsu walked to his side, looking at the churning sea in the distance, her tone calm yet carrying an undeniable power.
"But only we ourselves know that we are descendants of God. What do other people's opinions matter? Only you can control your own destiny. Those who don't even believe in themselves don't deserve to live in this world."
"Celestial Dragons?" Ace looked up abruptly.
"Those lowly creatures who leech off the world's head, do they even deserve to be compared to us?"
Ace looked at the arrogance in Natsu's eyes and suddenly laughed. He raised his fist and slammed it heavily on Natsu's shoulder, his smile incredibly bright, "Alright! I, Ace, acknowledge you as my brother!"
"Listen to me, turning back now can prevent many tragedies," Natsu advised as a final word.
"Heh." Ace leaped onto the boat, hoisted the sail, and gave Natsu a thumbs-up. The setting sun shone brightly on his Red-Hair. "I'll come back alive! I'll take you to see Pops then!"
Natsu watched his raised sails and gently patted his shoulder. Her fingertips traced across his fabric, and a barely perceptible black magic mark was silently etched onto his shoulder.
Flying Thunder God Mark.
He remembered the original story's plot perfectly, but now, because of his appearance, everything was in chaos.
He didn't know when or where Ace would encounter Blackbeard, nor did he know if the Summit War would break out as scheduled.
All he could do was leave this mark.
As for the Flying Thunder God Kunai?
He never even considered it.
Given Ace's strong-willed nature, he would never ask for help unless it was a matter of life and death.
Moreover, Ace had no Chakra, so even if he were given Kunai, he wouldn't be able to activate it.
Natsu stood on the beach, watching Ace's small boat gradually become a tiny dot on the horizon before turning her gaze away.
The Navy's loss this time will be a painful lesson for them for a long time to come.
Of the more than 6,000 elite marines, more than 4,000 were killed. Soldiers below the Rear Admiral were almost unilaterally slaughtered by the Sharingan of the Uchiha.
This is the terrifying aspect of battles in the Ninja World —if the difference in strength is even just one level, it's a crushing defeat.
To stop the Uchiha, a strong opponent of equal strength is needed to confront them head-on.
After this battle, as long as the navy still wants to maintain order at sea, it will never be foolish enough to send troops to their deaths alone again.
Perhaps before long, they will voluntarily withdraw all their branches near Origin Island, fearing retaliation from the Uchiha.
After all, it's already the limit for Kizaru to be able to find the time to wander around here for a few hours.
If this drags on any longer, the Four Emperors in the New World who are keeping a close eye on the Navy's movements will not let such a good opportunity pass them by.
Natsu stood on the beach until Ace's small boat completely disappeared at the horizon before slowly withdrawing her gaze. The sea breeze carried a heavy smell of blood, and the battlefield that had been filled with the deafening sounds of battle was now reduced to the sound of waves crashing against the rocks, and the occasional suppressed cough from afar.
"Let's pack up."
His voice was soft, yet it was like a command that stirred the previously silent tribesmen. Some bent down to pick up the Kunai and Ninja Blade scattered on the ground, some used seawater to wash away the bloodstains on the deck, and many more Earth Flow the figures covered with white sheets, moving so gently that they were afraid of disturbing the sleeping people.
They won this battle. They defeated Marine Admiral, defeated six thousand elite troops, and defended Origin Island. But the price was equally heavy.
Four members of the tribe were left behind on this beach forever.
Two Jonin Two Tomoe, Uchiha Jian and Uchiha Ming.
Uncle Jian is the clan's Taijutsu instructor. Yesterday morning, he was still chasing after the lazy kids in the Training Ground, saying that after this battle, he would teach them the Uchiha Style sword-drawing technique.
Brother Ming excels at reconnaissance, and he was the first to discover the Navy's presence, buying his people precious reaction time.
There were also two elite Elite Chunin One Tomoe, sixteen-year-old Uchiha Xiao Ye and eighteen-year-old Uchiha Tuo.
This was Xiaoye's first time on the battlefield. Before setting off, she secretly gave Natsu a chicken leg, saying that if she won, he should teach her how to Great Fire Annihilation.
Taku is Uncle Jian's nephew. He just passed the Chunin Ninja Exams last month, and his biggest wish is to be Susanoo, just like the Fugaku clan leader.
Natsu walked to the body at the far end, squatted down, and gently lifted the white sheet.
Xiaoye's face was still covered in mud and sand, her eyes were tightly closed, but the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, as if she were having a sweet dream.
He reached out and carefully wiped the blood from her face. His heart skipped a beat when his fingertips touched her cold skin.
Uchiha Kei stood behind him, his knuckles white as he gripped Uncle Jian's broken Ninja Blade.
This tough guy, who had never frowned on the battlefield, had slightly trembling shoulders, but he stubbornly refused to let a single tear fall.
Fugaku walked over, drew the clan chief's sword from his waist, and cut his fingertip with the tip of the blade.
Crimson beads of blood seeped out, and he gently touched each of the four dead men's foreheads.
This is a farewell ceremony that the Uchiha Clan has passed down for thousands of years—using the blood of the clan head as a guide to lead the souls of the clan members back to the embrace of their ancestors.
"Cover it up." Fugaku's voice was hoarse. After saying that, he turned around, his back to everyone, so no one could see his expression.
The bodies of the four tribesmen were carefully lifted onto a specially made stretcher.
Each stretcher was covered with a white cloth embroidered with Uchiha Gunbai.
The sea breeze lifted the edges of the white cloth, and the scarlet flame burned blindingly in the Dusk.
The group walked silently toward their territory.
No one spoke; only the heavy footsteps and the sound of waves crashing against the shore mingled together.
The setting sun cast long shadows on everyone, and the long line of people cast dappled light and shadow on the beach, like a scar etched on the earth.