"That Sakazuki fellow really washed his hands of everything you did in the Marines. He did you a huge favor!"
Ace had relaxed by now, and a smile appeared on his face.
He had never expected Xia Le not to care about this, much less come in person to teach him. In truth, he sometimes struggled to tell what Xia Le really intended.
Was he using him, or did he truly regard him as family?
Still, everything Xia Le had done so far had genuinely protected him. There was no denying that.
"You beat him pretty badly."
"He should have recovered by now, right?"
Ace asked with a smile.
"No. He defected and joined the Blackbeard Pirates."
Xia Le shook his head.
"What?"
Ace exclaimed in shock.
"A Marine Admiral actually defected? And of all people, he joined..."
As he spoke, his fists suddenly clenched.
"Teach!!!"
Without question, he hated Marshall D. Teach intensely. If not for him, the Summit War would not have ended, and Whitebeard would not have been captured by the Marines.
At that thought, he looked up again, his expression conflicted.
"Pops..."
Xia Le remained calm as he said evenly, "Before he was sent to Impel Down, he enjoyed some fine liquor."
"Whitebeard was very happy!"
Ace fell silent for a long while, then sighed. "So Pops was sent to Impel Down?"
It was not a question, but a lament.
The two sat beside the stream, watching fish swim back and forth in the clear water. Neither spoke.
"Take today to rest."
"Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you Armament Haki and Observation Haki."
"Once you've mastered those two types of Haki, I'll teach you the techniques of Conqueror's Haki Infusion."
Xia Le suddenly spoke.
Ace's eyes narrowed slightly at his words, and he nodded firmly. "All right!"