What a Coincidence

Marco stared at Swain in astonishment.

He had to grip the mast with both hands. The current was moving far too fast!

The little boat was practically flying.

From a distance, it looked as though Swain was flying on a sword, towing a boat with two people aboard.

"Hey, Ace, can you feel it?"

"What do you mean?" Ace looked at Marco in confusion.

"That guy's terrifying!" Marco sounded either awed or afraid.

Swain's ability to control the sea was simply unfair. The speed alone proved it. Amid countless surging waves, he could gather a single current and drive it in the opposite direction at top speed. No one else could do that.

Ace belatedly understood what Marco meant, but he felt no fear.

As far as he was concerned, no matter how strong someone was, they could never defeat the World's Strongest Man—Whitebeard!

That belief was deeply ingrained.

But if they were comparing the younger generation, Swain truly had no equal!

While Ace was still thinking, Swain suddenly spoke from up ahead. "Looks like someone's coming."

Ace and Marco looked forward at once. Sure enough, a ship was approaching.

It was fairly large, and a flag bearing three skulls flew above its mast.

Swain took a closer look. The flag seemed familiar.

Behind him, Ace suddenly shouted, "It's that bastard Teach!"

Anger surged through him. The Fourth Division commander had been murdered by a traitor, a veteran from Ace's own crew. He had to make amends, whatever it took.

And the only way to do that was to kill Teach!

Unable to wait, Ace leaped from the boat. Carried forward by its momentum, he turned to flame in an instant. Fire billowed beneath him, suspending him in midair as he roared, "Fire Fist!"

The flames swelled rapidly. The temperature