Understood, I can't beat him, so I'll call my backer

"Smoke and fire are hard to distinguish as winners and losers. How about you give me some face and let my brother go?"

Lounging carelessly on the counter, Ace's orange cowboy hat burned with flames. He withdrew his gaze from Luffy with a headache and then looked at Smoker with a serious expression.

He had originally gone to hunt down the traitor Marshall D. Teach, but unfortunately, he arrived at Drum Kingdom two months late. After leaving a letter in Drum Kingdom, he came to Alabasta to wait for Luffy.

Coincidentally, he waited for Luffy today. Just as he was about to greet him, Luffy was targeted by the Marines, and one of them was a Logia-type Devil Fruit user.

Just like when they were kids, Luffy still needed him to protect him.

"Luffy, when did you get a brother? And he looks really strong?"

Behind the messy dining chairs, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper looked at Luffy with bewildered expressions. Especially Nami and Usopp, who had experienced the Loguetown incident, all looked at Luffy with strange expressions.

After they were rescued by the most dangerous man in the world, he revealed his identity as Monkey D. Dragon and that Luffy was his son.

At the time, Nami and the others were stunned.

Huh?

Luffy's dad is the most dangerous man in the world?

The key was that Luffy also looked confused, appearing to have no idea who his father was, and said it was their first meeting in their memories.

To be honest.

When they learned that the most dangerous man in the world was Luffy's father, Nami and the others felt emboldened. Their courage grew, they became more confident, and they felt a sense of security no matter what danger they encountered.

What a joke.

Their captain's backing was the Revolutionary Army, and his father was the most dangerous man in the world. With such a background, they could at least walk around normally, if not swagger across the seas.

Nami and Usopp had even decided that in the future, if they encountered powerful enemies they couldn't defeat, they would just announce their connections. Even if it didn't intimidate the opponent, it might buy them some consideration.

In the original story.

Although Dragon had also intervened to save Luffy and his crew, they hadn't met. But this time, because of Wilton, Dragon had to appear, and thus he simply revealed his identity.

Now, Nami and the others had just finished processing the matter of Luffy's father, only to unexpectedly encounter Luffy's brother again, who also appeared to be very powerful.

He was the strongest Logia-type Devil Fruit user.

"You're talking about Ace? I haven't seen him in a long time either."

"Did I not mention before that I have a brother?"

Luffy rubbed his chest. Smoker had stabbed him into the ground with his weapon earlier, making him lose all strength. Even though it wasn't a sharp weapon, it had caused him pain.

"Idiot, when did you ever say that?"

Nami rolled her eyes, almost punching Luffy.

"Don't worry, you know now, right? Don't worry, Ace is very strong. That smoky guy won't be able to catch us."

Luffy acted nonchalant, showing great trust in Ace's strength.

"Let's hope so!"

Usopp breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought they were going to experience the nightmare of Loguetown again, but luckily Luffy's brother appeared halfway.

Otherwise, they would have been in dire straits.

They wouldn't even be able to help Vivi, let alone protect themselves.

"Fire Fist Ace, as the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, why are you appearing in the Grand Line?"

Smoker, with three cigars in his mouth and a Seastone Jitte in hand, glanced at Luffy not far away and frowned deeply.

With Fire Fist here, he feared it would be difficult to capture the Straw Hat Pirates.

"Aren't you asking the obvious?"

Ace spread his hands. Ordinary forces might not know about Teach's betrayal, but the Marines certainly would. And he had heard about a Logia-type Devil Fruit user in the Marines who didn't follow orders.

It couldn't be helped.

Logia-type Devil Fruit users were not only rare but also possessed immense destructive power, making it difficult for many factions not to pay attention.

"Hmph! Since you're here, as a Marine, I can't just turn a blind eye."

Smoker snorted coldly.

He also knew why Ace had appeared in Alabasta.

Although he was only a Captain, he could easily obtain certain information at sea. This was because he was not an ordinary Captain; he had connections.

"Then there's nothing I can do. As an older brother, how could I let my younger brother be bullied by others?"

Ace stood up from the counter, his body beginning to burn with orange-red flames, while white smoke continuously rose from Smoker's body.

A great battle was about to erupt.

But just then, explosions echoed from the streets outside, interspersed with screams and curses, and even the roars of wild beasts.

Instantly.

All eyes in the restaurant turned to the outside until three figures were smashed through the wall and flew in, each in a miserable state.

One of them was covered in blood, his limbs twisted and broken, as if he had been directly blown away by some heavy weapon. It was clear he was beyond saving.

His methods are cruel.

"A troublesome guy has arrived."

Ace's expression changed. He sensed a powerful aura rapidly approaching.

"Luffy, you guys go ahead!"

"As quickly as possible."

Ace could detect malice. At first, he thought it was directed at him, but he soon realized it was aimed at Luffy.

In this situation, the other party must have had prior dealings with Luffy.

Otherwise, how could his Observation Haki lock onto Luffy so firmly?

"Ah~"

Luffy yelped. They had only just met and hadn't even exchanged two words. He had been happy to see Ace here.

"Someone's got their sights on you."

"This is my Vivre Card. We'll meet in the capital of Alabasta after I deal with these people."

Ace turned back with a smile and casually tossed a piece of paper to Luffy. However, judging by Luffy's bewildered look, he clearly didn't know the function of a Vivre Card.

"Okay, thank you, Brother Luffy."

"Luffy, let's go."

Luffy was clearly reluctant, but Nami and Usopp were eager. They grabbed Luffy and prepared to leave.

Zoro and Sanji could only follow.

Chopper was also obedient.

But just as the group left the restaurant and stepped onto the street, a heavy tearing sound echoed from the sky. Under the dazzling sunlight, a colossal figure exuding immense pressure was rapidly descending.

"Not good!"

"How could it be this guy?"

"This is bad."

Nami and the others' faces changed drastically. They were reminded of the fear they felt when they were instantly defeated in Loguetown.

"Luffy."

"Flame Command: Fire Pillar."

Inside the restaurant, Ace's expression also changed dramatically. Flames surged instantly, transforming into a pillar of fire that burst through the roof and charged towards the sky like an unstoppable force.

"Explosive Double Axes."

High in the sky.

Wilton raised a phantom image of 50-meter-wide double dumbbells, wrapped in Armament Haki, and descended like a meteor.

When his Observation Haki detected Luffy's aura, he directly used his first skill, Explosive Double Axes, leaping from the port. The distance was at least half the town.

As long as it was within his Observation Haki's range, his Explosive Double Axes would strike true.

The range depended entirely on his Observation Haki.

"It seems I've arrived just in time."

When Wilton saw the pillar of fire shooting into the sky, his gaze became sharp.

BOOM--

With a deafening roar, the mid-air turned blindingly white. The dumbbells and the pillar of fire collided heavily, instantly creating a shockwave that spread like a halo.

At the same time, an invisible pressure descended from the sky. Buildings collapsed one after another, and everyone within range was forced to the ground uncontrollably.

When the billowing smoke and dust dispersed, Ace crashed to the ground, falling from the sky. A large amount of rubble and dust filled the air, forming a 50-meter crater in the center.