"Join your crew?"
Ace wiped the corners of his eyes, nearly laughing himself to tears. "Are you kidding? I'm the captain of the Spade Pirates!"
Deuce watched Norton warily, rapidly recalling the information he had heard lately.
Silver hair, young, a black wool coat... those features gradually lined up with a certain wanted poster.
"You're..." Deuce's pupils contracted. "Norton, the 'King Slayer' with a two-hundred-million-Beli bounty?!"
In the East Blue, everyone knew Norton's name by now. A two-hundred-million bounty was unprecedented in its history.
After all, the average bounty on an East Blue pirate was a mere three million Beli.
Before Norton, Arlong had held the highest bounty in the entire East Blue.
Even the mightiest pirates only saw their bounties soar after entering the Grand Line.
"Two hundred million?" Ace stopped laughing and looked Norton over with interest.
"So what? A bounty doesn't tell you everything."
Rather than getting angry at Ace's reaction, Norton's smile deepened.
"You're right. A bounty doesn't mean much... for someone like you, who wants to surpass the Pirate King and aims to defeat Whitebeard, the strongest man, two hundred million is nothing special."
"Am I right, Gol D. Ace?"
The air abruptly froze.
Ace's smile vanished, and a gloomy shadow clouded the depths of his eyes.
Deuce silently reached for the dagger at his waist.
The temperature in the alley seemed to drop several degrees in an instant!
"Where did you hear that?" Ace asked in a low voice.
This was his most closely guarded secret. No one except Deuce and the Old Man should have known!
Ace quietly clenched his fist, wisps of flame burning between his fingers.
Norton met Ace's gaze and grinned. "That doesn't matter! What matters is that I know you want to prove yourself, to prove you're stronger than Roger instead of living forever in your father's shadow!"
In the original story, Ace had grown up surrounded by the world's overwhelming hatred for him. He had carried immense pain in his heart and had even questioned the value of his own life.
If Luffy and Sabo hadn't changed him, Ace might well have gone down an extreme path!
After setting sail, Ace had aimed to defeat Whitebeard, whose fame rivaled Roger's, hoping to surpass the Pirate King. But he had been too young and proud, rushing ahead too quickly, and had ultimately fallen before Whitebeard!
If he had been given two years to develop, like Luffy, he might have been able to defeat the aging Whitebeard!
Norton couldn't possibly let a genius with that much potential slip away.
After all, Ace had always been the strongest of the ASL Brothers, ever since childhood!
Ace fell silent for several seconds, then suddenly gave a defiant smile. "So? You think inviting me aboard your ship will help me prove something?"
"I can help you achieve your dream!"
Norton spread his arms. "I'm going to build a country of my own and become the greatest king in the world!"
"Become my comrade, and I'll train you into the World's Strongest Man! You'll surpass the Pirate King, surpass Whitebeard! Surpass every pirate in history!"
Ace froze for a moment, then flashed a fiery smile. "Big talk! Why should I believe you?"
"Simple. Because I'm invincible!" Norton pointed his thumb at himself and grinned. "All I have to do is beat everyone, including Whitebeard, and then acknowledge that you're stronger than every pirate!"
What an arrogant man! Ace's pupils contracted.
Deuce cut in. "Mr. Norton, forgive me for being blunt... since you claim to be invincible, wouldn't Ace have to defeat you to truly be the strongest?"
Norton rubbed his chin and nodded. "Hmm, you've got a point... I only need to be the greatest king. I don't care about being called the strongest. Besides, Ace only needs to surpass the Pirate King, not me."
As long as he helped Ace surpass the Pirate King and exceed Roger's achievements in the world's eyes, Ace's dream would be fulfilled.
"Quit joking! I don't want to be the strongest through someone else's charity!" Ace suddenly grew agitated, roaring flames igniting around his clenched fist. "I want to surpass Gol D. Roger through my own strength!"
With that, Ace turned and walked away without looking back, wearing a sulky expression.
"Hey! Ace! Wait for me!" Deuce hurried after him.
But Norton flashed forward and blocked Ace's path.
"You're not going anywhere!" Norton stared straight at Ace, his smile bold and wild. "I finally found you. I'm not letting you leave!"
Ace stared coldly at Norton. "Then try it, if you think you can!"
Ace had little liking for this silver-haired man who had appeared out of nowhere, talked so arrogantly, and wanted to force him into submission.
Ever since childhood, Ace had been the strongest and most outstanding person around. No one had been stronger than him, except Garp!
The Norton standing before him might have had a head worth two hundred million, but that didn't give him the right to talk down to Ace!
"Fire Fist!"
Ace threw a punch. Blazing flames erupted from the tip of his elbow, and his fist and forearm turned to fire!
The surrounding temperature instantly rose!
Norton's eyes sharpened, and he thrust his hand forward, clenching hard!
Ace was secretly shocked. This silver-haired man had actually crushed his flaming fist apart with his grip!
"Those flames really are scorching..." Norton bared his white teeth.
Without knowing Haki or carrying a Jitte, Norton could only endure the burning flames with his bare flesh! Ace was a Logia User who could turn into fire; he couldn't be caught by hand.
Of course, Norton could have dodged. But he hadn't. Doing so would have surrendered the initiative. He wanted to overwhelm Ace in every way, just as Whitebeard had, and then win this man over!
His strength was more than enough to accomplish that!
Flames couldn't be grabbed, but they could be extinguished. All it took was a strong enough rush of air.
"You..." Ace stared at Norton with a grave expression.
No one had ever stopped his Fire Fist like that before!
Deuce wanted to say something, but seeing Ace's serious expression, he swallowed his words.
A bell rang from a distant street. It was ten in the morning.
"Come be my comrade, Ace!" Norton held out his hand to Ace again.
Ace gave no answer, sinking into silence.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from the other end of the alley.
A pirate ran past the alley entrance in a panic, shouting as he went. "Marines! A whole lot of Marines are heading for the harbor!"
All three turned their heads.
At some point, dark clouds had gathered over the harbor.
A storm was coming!
Sanosuke suddenly appeared behind Norton. "King! Kuro said they spotted Garp's ship near the harbor!"
Norton raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. "That old man really moves fast."
"Tch, the Old Man actually chased me all the way here," Ace muttered, turning to leave. "Deuce, let's get out of here!"
"Leaving?" Norton flickered like a phantom, blocking Ace's path again. "I'm not giving up!"
Ace abruptly raised his head, anger blazing in his eyes. "Hey! The Marine Hero is here! You're still hung up on this?!"
"So what?" Norton grinned, showing his white teeth. "It's only Garp."
Ace froze. He stared at Norton for two seconds, then suddenly laughed. "You... you're really something!"
That's the Old Man we're talking about!
Norton tilted his head slightly and ordered Sanosuke, "Pass the word-everyone in town is to assemble at the harbor immediately. Fire a signal flare and have all thirty-one ships waiting outside the mist come ashore, ready to cover our retreat."
"Yes!" Sanosuke vanished in a blur.
Norton looked back at Ace, his tone casual again. "Well? Want to come to the harbor with me and watch the show? See my strength for yourself!"
Ace stared at him, a complicated light flickering in his eyes beneath his hat brim.
After several seconds, Ace suddenly said, "Sure."
Let's see how the Old Man beats you up!
"Captain!" Deuce cried anxiously.
"It's fine." Ace waved a hand and gave a mischievous grin. "Just sit back and enjoy the show!"
The harbor.
When the silhouette of the Dog-Head Warship broke the horizon off Loguetown, the air seemed to freeze.
"V-Vice Admiral Garp's ship!"
The lookout atop the Lookout Tower's voice cracked.
Beside the Dog-Head Warship, another warship sailed quietly alongside it.
A woman wearing a Justice Coat stood at its bow, the guard of the long sword Kompira at her waist reflecting a cold gleam.
"'Momousagi' Gion..." A former pirate at the harbor recognized her. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground. "An Admiral Candidate... why would an Admiral Candidate and the Marine Hero come to the East Blue together?!"
Fighting forces of that caliber were normally only deployed to confront the Four Emperors in the New World!
The harbor had descended into chaos.
Aboard the White Pearl, Kuro's hand trembled slightly around his telescope.
"It really is Garp... and that woman. I've seen her in the papers. She's the Admiral Candidate Momousagi!"
Funing bit her lip. "Where's King Norton? He's still not back!"
After hearing the news, she and Nami had rushed back immediately, as had the other officers.
If the Marines took control of the White Pearl, the Norton Pirates wouldn't be able to set sail!
"They're here!" Zoro suddenly said.
Everyone followed his gaze. At the end of the street, four figures were strolling toward them.
They were Norton, Ace, Sanosuke, and Deuce.
"Norton!" Nami leaned over the railing and shouted. "Get aboard! The Marines are about to surround the harbor!"
Norton waved to her, but his pace remained unhurried. He walked to the edge of the pier and looked out to sea.
Ten Marine warships had already formed up for battle, every cannon aimed toward the harbor.
"What a turnout," Norton remarked.
Just how seriously does the World Government take me?
This was already more terrifying than a Buster Call!
Ace walked up beside him and lowered his voice. "Hey, there's still time to run. Once those warships finish surrounding us, your ship won't get out, no matter how fast it is."
"Who said I was running?" Norton tilted his head at him. "I didn't call them ashore to escape."
No sooner had he spoken than the distant sea suddenly changed.
Thick mist rose from the water without warning.
It wasn't naturally formed sea fog, but a gray-white curtain that seemed alive. It churned and spread, swallowing the entire stretch of sea at an astonishing speed.
A deep, lingering whale song came from within the mist. It pierced the fog and made the harbor's windows hum.
"That's..." Momousagi narrowed her eyes, resting her hand on her sword hilt.
Garp stood at the bow of the Dog-Head Warship with his arms crossed, yet his mouth spread into a grin. "That brat's pet again. Interesting. This time, I won't let you capsize my ship."
Sails loomed within the thick mist!
One, two, three... a full thirty-one Skull Flags pierced the fog, snapping beneath the gloomy sky.
Thirty-two pirate ships-including the White Pearl-formed a fleet so enormous it was suffocating. The cries of over a thousand pirates merged into a deafening roar!
"Fire!!!" A shout erupted from the Marine fleet.
The ten warships fired at once. Flames burst from their cannon mouths, and shells tore through the sky, blasting pillars of water up amid the pirate fleet.
But the pirates reacted even faster.
"Return fire!!!"
The captains roared from their ships.
Cannon fire crossed in midair. Splinters and seawater flew, and the smell of gunsmoke instantly filled the harbor.
One pirate ship's side was ripped open by chain shot, and its hull began to list. Meanwhile, a Marine warship's mainmast took a cannonball and slowly toppled with a teeth-grinding crack.
"Hold formation! Close in on the harbor!" Kuro's voice rang across the fleet through an Amplifying Den Den Mushi.
Facing the mass of warships, the White Pearl's hundred-meter-long streamlined hull cleaved through the waves.
The statue of a girl at its bow remained expressionless amid the cannon fire, yet carried a strange dignity.
Ace watched the scene, his eyes widening beneath his hat brim.
He had seen clashes between pirate crews and battles of pursuit, but never a confrontation at sea on this scale.
This was nearly a war!
"What do you think?" Norton's voice sounded beside Ace's ear. "Not a bad fleet, right?"
Ace turned to him and found the silver-haired man smiling. In the glow of the cannon fire, that smile looked almost dazzling.
"Madman," Ace spat, but the corners of his mouth rose despite himself. "You're a real madman."
"How's a pirate supposed to survive in this era without being mad?" Norton laughed, then his expression abruptly turned serious. "That old man... he's here!"
The instant his words fell, the ground at the harbor shuddered violently.
The stone paving of the pier burst apart, sending fragments flying like rain.
A figure shot skyward from the center of the explosion, his white Marine coat snapping in the wind, then landed heavily ten paces in front of Norton.
Garp!
Ace instinctively stepped half a pace back-not out of fear, but from a reflex etched into his DNA. His childhood memories of being chased and beaten by this old man were so deeply ingrained that his body reacted before his brain did.
Garp looked at Norton, then noticed Ace beside him and said in surprise, "Ace, you little brat! What are you doing here?!"
The corner of Ace's mouth twitched. He felt every hair on his back stand on end.
"I... was passing through!"
"Passing through, my ass!" Garp's roar shook the ground beneath the pier. "You two brats! I'll round you both up today!"