Ace knelt on one knee, the searing pain in his shoulder blade leaving almost half his body numb.
"Not worthy..." He jerked his head up and fixed his gaze on the poised, elegant figure in white before him.
"What do you mean... I'm not worthy yet?!"
The vow he had made beneath the setting sun in Foosha Village, the determination to "defeat Gern" etched into his very bones, had carried him through every hardship on the Grand Line.
He had defeated an arrogant Shichibukai and even rejected the World Government's offer to recruit him!
Then he had paid the three hundred million Beli passage fee at Fish-Man Island-a sum that could bankrupt an ordinary pirate crew-and entered this final sea brimming with ambition.
His goal was clear: head straight for G-10, find that man, and prove himself!
Unfortunately, reality had dealt him a cold, merciless blow.
He had not even reached G-10's central territory. He had only made it to Slarock Island, on the fringes of its sphere of influence.
And this rabbit Mink woman who called herself the "doctor" of Gern's House had stopped him dead in his tracks!
Twenty times!!
In the short time since entering the New World, he had challenged her a full twenty times!!!
And the result? Every time, she had thrashed him with moves that looked effortless but utterly overwhelmed him.
Of course, what mattered most was that, during their first encounter, the woman had even relayed a message from Gern.
[If you can't even beat my family doctor, don't come out here and embarrass yourself.]
"Embarrass... myself..." Every time Ace remembered those words, they felt like the ultimate humiliation.
That man... couldn't even be bothered to show his face?!
He had just sent a "doctor" to brush me off?!
*And I really couldn't