"Sabo, are you really sure you want to become one of those Holy Light Clerics?" Ace asked solemnly after class.
"Yes! I've made up my mind. Before this, I always envied you two for having such clear dreams. I hoped I could become a great navigator someday and help you both. But when I heard what the teacher said, and saw homeless children our age sitting in classrooms and drinking milk just like nobles, something stirred inside me! Ace!"
Sabo stood up and faced his two companions, who were watching him. "I want to become the kind of person the teacher described, too!"
Ace and Luffy looked at the utterly serious Sabo, then their solemn little faces suddenly broke into smiles. "Congratulations, Sabo! We might be losing a great navigator, but seeing a friend find his true dream is something to celebrate!"
"Ace! Luffy!" The three hugged one another excitedly.
"By the way, aren't we going home today, Ace?"
"In a couple of days! Curly's used to us being gone for a day or two anyway."
The classes that followed made Ace profoundly glad he had not rushed home. To improve the children's health, their teacher from the Holy Light Clerics devoted half a day to teaching them a Body Tempering Technique. After practicing it, Ace could clearly tell that it was several levels above his haphazard training. For someone so desperate to grow stronger, this was incredibly exciting, and his resentment toward the Holy Church turned into respect.
The academic lessons that followed, along with what the teacher called science, also greatly broadened his understanding of the world. Even Luffy, who normally disliked reading and grew sleepy whenever he opened a book, listened with fascination. After all, the teacher made everything interesting and enjoyable.
Two days later, however, Ace