I need him to lose

"Are you kid-!"

Ace's expression changed drastically, but before he could finish, a tremendous force surged through the hand gripping his fist and hurled him away.

Crash!

Wooden racks, flagpoles, and buildings along the street shattered one after another as he crashed through them.

Ace climbed to his feet, his expression grim, and looked toward the restaurant entrance.

River stepped out of the restaurant, his eyes fixed on Ace as well.

"I have no reason to lie to you, Ace!"

"I simply don't want you to put yourself in danger like this."

His calm voice echoed along the street.

Ace's expression shifted. He suddenly extended both hands, shaped his fingers like pistols, and fired repeatedly at River.

"Fire Pistol!"

In an instant, bulletlike flames shot toward River.

River raised a hand and swept it forward. The flaming bullets were brushed aside as easily as dust, striking a nearby wall in little bursts of sparks.

"Don't bother showing me children's tricks, Ace."

"I only want to have a proper talk with you."

Ace's eyes grew wary, and he sneered. "Who wants to chat with you?"

"I have important business to take care of!"

River fell silent for a moment, then shook his head with a sigh. "It seems your obsession with Marshall D. Teach really does run deep!"

"That bastard killed my crewmate!"

Ace gritted his teeth and roared.

"A moment of hotheadedness won't decide who wins or loses a war."

"Anger will rob you of your reason and lead you to defeat."

River spoke calmly.

"That's none of your business! In all twenty years of my life, I've never once seen you, this guy claiming to be my uncle!"

Ace sneered, shouting in a mocking tone.

Then he suddenly sprinted forward, both hands held behind him. With a sizzling hiss, two flames formed in his hands like long spears.

Tap, tap, tap, tap!

His hurried footsteps rang out, and in the blink of an eye, he was already within ten meters of River.

Holding the two flaming spears, Ace let out a low growl and hurled them forward.

"Divine Fire: Shiranui!"

The flaming spears spun as they shot forward at incredible speed, reaching River in an instant.

River's eyes flashed, and he extended both hands.

Bang!

The next second, he caught the hurled spears firmly in his hands, stopping them dead.

The sight sent a violent shudder through Ace, disbelief filling his eyes.

How was that possible?!

The man had actually caught his flaming spear attack with his bare hands.

Then the flaming spears vanished before his eyes at a visible pace, as though they had never existed.

"It's useless, Ace. Your attacks are too slow for me!"

River spoke calmly.

"Who the hell are you?!"

Ace roared. Flames surged all over him again, swirling around his body, their scorching heat raising the temperature of the entire street.

Then he raised his arm and swept it fiercely forward.

"Mirror Flame!"

A vast wave of fire surged toward River, who stood only a short distance away.

"I already told you."

"My name is Portgas D. River."

"I'm your uncle!"

River spoke softly from within the flames. The next second, he walked out of them, then took another step and stood directly in front of Ace.

"Who would believe you?!"

Ace shouted, swinging a flame-wreathed fist at the man before him.

River neither dodged nor ducked. He merely raised a hand coated in Armament Haki, seized the flames, and caught Ace's fist precisely once again.

At the same time, a tremendous force swept over Ace. The overwhelming strength left him unable to control his own body, dragging his feet clean off the ground.

Then-

Bang!

Ace's body was swung up, spun in a full circle, and slammed heavily into the ground.

"Calm down, Ace."

"If you attack me again, I won't go easy on you."

River spoke calmly.

Sprawled on the ground, Ace ached all over. What shocked him even more was how terrifyingly powerful the man was.

"Flame Ring!"

Three breaths later, Ace roared again from the ground. Flames spun around his body and surged toward River.

But it was useless. The man merely uttered a single word.

"Restore!"

The flames disappeared. Ace's body jolted, and the fire still pouring out of him abruptly stopped, as though its source had been cut off.

Ace's fire had sputtered out.

"Are you willing to have a proper talk with me now?"

River looked down at the visibly shaken young man before him.

"Fine!"

After lying silently on the ground for a long while, Ace finally uttered that one word.

What else could he do? The man before him had bizarre abilities and unfathomable strength. Even using everything he had, Ace was no match for him.

Yet the man genuinely seemed to bear him no ill will.

"If you refuse to listen to me and stop pursuing Blackbeard, I won't force you!"

"Even if you fall into danger, I'll pull you out again myself."

River said with a soft smile.

"Then let's talk about what you've been through over the years."

Ace paused, looking up at the man before him, and his expression softened a little.

Afterward, the two found a secluded spot and chatted quietly.

They spoke about River's past and the things Ace had experienced growing up, coming to understand each other more deeply. Their night of conversation also convinced Ace completely that this unexpected visitor was truly his uncle.

Only close family could have known so many things and details so clearly. Moreover, the faint sense of a blood connection between them confirmed it for him.

"Teach broke the Whitebeard Pirates' greatest taboo. I have to capture him and bring him back!"

"My dream is to make Whitebeard the Pirate King!"

Facing the full moon hanging over the sea, Ace spoke with firm conviction.

"Is that so?"

"That really is a wonderful dream!"

River murmured.

But he knew perfectly well that unless he intervened, barring anything unexpected, Ace would soon lose his battle against Blackbeard.

Then came the Paramount War!

When that happened, Whitebeard and all those dreams would become things of the past.

Ace departed at daybreak the next morning.

"I'm in a real hurry, Uncle."

"Make sure you keep my Vivre Card safe. We'll see each other again!"

Ace stood aboard his little boat, smiling as he waved goodbye.

River smiled and waved back. "Take care, Ace!"

Two figures approached from behind him. Crocodile, standing on the left wearing the Ghostface Mask, spoke calmly.

"You're certain he'll lose to Marshall D. Teach, yet you still let him leave?"

After a pause, Crocodile's gaze sharpened slightly.

"You don't seem like someone who makes baseless claims."

At those words, the smile remained on River's face.

"Yes, Ace will lose, and he'll lose badly."

Crocodile's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then why didn't you stop him?"

"I tried. I simply failed."

"If you do nothing but force your family's hand, you'll only drive each other further apart and deepen the rift!"

"Only by experiencing it himself will he know, will he truly understand."

"Since I tried and it didn't work..."

"I might as well go with the flow."

River smiled softly, his gaze deep as he looked out over the sea.

"Besides, I really do need him to lose."

"To trigger that war!"