"Fire Fist Ace, the Spade Pirates?"
Karl raised an eyebrow, a slightly surprised look on his face.
What surprised Karl wasn't that Fire Fist Ace was challenging him, but Nami's last sentence: Ace had come with the Spade Pirates to challenge him.
If Karl remembered correctly, he had crossed the Red Line and arrived in the New World around August.
Two weeks for the Buster Call, one month of preparation, and now it was October of the year 1517.
At this point in time, shouldn't Ace have already challenged the Whitebeard Pirates and been taken in by Whitebeard as a son?
"Interesting..."
At this thought, the corner of Karl's mouth curled up. "My mood is a bit off right now. I'll go and play with him."
"In a bad mood? What happened?"
Nami flew in front of Karl. When it was just the two of them, she boldly wrapped her arms around his neck, her whole body hanging on him. After a light kiss on his forehead, she said with a smile, "Is there anything I can do to help? As long as it makes you happy again, I'll do anything!"
"Hehe... then I'll be counting on you tonight."
Looking at Nami, who now possessed the boldness of her original counterpart, Karl immediately gave a wicked smile.
"How about... we try it here? (winks)"
"Hiss... Nami, I'm truly impressed. (clenches fists)"
While Nami was helping Karl relieve his negative emotions, the time rewinds a few minutes, to the Golden Port of Gran Tesoro.
"Hey, hey... Captain, are we really going to challenge that major figure?"
"Captain, don't be rash! That person is a major figure who can fight a Marine Admiral to a standstill!"
"Such a huge golden city, and he was able to protect it from the covetous eyes of Mariejois, the Marine Headquarters, and even the major powers of the New World, and then reopen it... Captain, we'll die!"
"..."
A galleon flying the flag of the Spade Pirates sailed into the Golden Port.
Looking at the city made of gold, some of the more timid members of the Spade Pirates trembled as they tried to persuade their captain.
"You idiots, are you scared?"
Ace, wearing an orange cowboy hat, a vest, and shorts, with a tattoo of English letters on his arm and a red bead necklace around his neck, pressed down on the heads of the crew members who were clinging to his legs and pleading with him. He looked at the golden city before him and grinned.
"I'm the man who's going to be the Pirate King. If I can't even beat an opponent from the same generation, who's about the same age as my little brother, then how can I go and defeat the man who's considered the strongest in the world?"
"Don't worry. I've been training for months for this day."
Ace said with a determined expression, "If I die in the upcoming battle, it just means that this is all I'm capable of!"
"Captain..."
As if sensing their captain's will, the fear in the hearts of the crew members, who were as timid as Usopp, disappeared completely.
In its place was a firm resolve to fight alongside their captain and face any difficulty.
Just like his little brother, Ace also had crew members he trusted, and who trusted him.
"Welcome to Gran Tesoro. I am the VIP receptionist, Baccarat."
After the Spade Pirates' ship docked and Ace and his crew disembarked, Baccarat appeared before them with a group of all-female subordinates and said with a smile.
"Hello, I am Portgas D. Ace, captain of the Spade Pirates."
Ace, shedding his earlier hot-blooded demeanor, bowed politely to Baccarat. Then, he grinned and stated his purpose, "Beautiful lady, could you please help me pass a message to your captain..."
"I challenge him!"
"Ara ara... of course. Please wait a moment."
Baccarat didn't seem surprised at all. She nodded readily, took out a Den Den Mushi, and contacted the other side. "Carina, Nami, a fellow countryman is here to challenge the captain..."
After hanging up, Baccarat turned slightly and made an inviting gesture to Ace and his crew. "Everyone, please follow me!"
Leading Ace and his crew to the parking area, Baccarat whispered a few instructions to her subordinates.
Then, several receptionists boarded several extended-version turtle cars, with the back seats already full, and instructed the drivers to leave the parking area and head towards the Golden Hotel.
Since Ace was here for a challenge, not for leisure, Baccarat did not get in the car, nor did the receptionists take the Spade Pirates on a tour of the amusement park.
They drove directly to the Golden Hotel, then entered a passage leading to a plaza behind it.
Before long, a golden plaza, planted with vegetation and fruit trees, with a fountain, but with all the ground except for the soil still made of gold, came into the view of Ace and his crew.
After a few minutes, the turtle cars stopped in a very spacious, square-shaped open area with a large character for "martial" written in the middle.
This was the private Golden Martial Arts Arena, where Carina and the others practiced Rokushiki and martial arts.
"Please wait a moment. The BOSS will be here soon."
After Ace and his crew got out of the cars, the receptionist, who was Baccarat's assistant, bowed politely and then left in the car.
Looking at the martial arts arena, also made of gold, the members of the Spade Pirates, who hadn't had time to tour the golden city, were all amazed, much like the "country girl" Nojiko when she first arrived at Gran Tesoro.
They kept touching the ground, wishing they could dig up a piece of gold and secretly take it out of Gran Tesoro to exchange for money.
The executives, led by Ace, waited patiently for Karl.
And so they waited... for nearly two hours.
Just as Ace and the others were lying on the ground, fast asleep with snot bubbles coming out of their noses, Karl finally arrived.
He was alone.
Because of Doflamingo's intelligence sharing, Carina and Robin had been very busy, trying to familiarize themselves with this sea of the strongest as quickly as possible.
Perona and Nojiko, wanting to be of help as soon as possible, were working hard in the gym to improve their physical fitness.
Baccarat had to patrol the casino, to see which guest was having a lucky streak today and secretly jinx them.
The only one who was free, Nami, for certain reasons, not only had to abstain from spicy food today but also couldn't be seen in public for a short time.
Therefore...
Karl, his mood restored to its original state by Nami, arrived at the Golden Martial Arts Arena, refreshed and invigorated.
"Yo... sorry, I'm late."
Looking at the Spade Pirates, who were either drowsy or asleep, Karl broke the silence.
"You're too slow!!!"
Almost instinctively, the members of the Spade Pirates, as if facing their own captain, stood up and roared.
Pop!
With the sound of a snot bubble bursting, the bodies of all the members of the Spade Pirates suddenly stiffened.
Looking at the figure in knight's armor, who, although a year or two younger than their captain, was taller and had a more mature air, some of the less resilient ones felt their legs go weak.
It's... it's over!
Am I going to be killed?
"Mmm... is it morning already?"
Just then, Ace, waking from his sleep, said groggily.
"Captain!!"
Seeing Ace wake up in time, the timid crew members had tears in their eyes.
"Hahaha... sorry, sorry, I'm late."
Looking at a scene reminiscent of the Straw Hat Pirates, Karl had to admit that a crew like this must be full of joy on their voyage.
It was no wonder that in the original story, Ace had chosen to stay behind to face Whitebeard alone for their sake.
Karl didn't mind their earlier disrespect.
He could even show mercy to strangers who were fools, let alone these interesting people.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have the magnanimity to awaken Conqueror's Haki.
Not only that, Karl readily apologized for his tardiness.
His complete lack of arrogance, like the kingly air their captain sometimes displayed, unknowingly put the fearful members of the Spade Pirates at ease.
This world-famous major figure, it seemed... wasn't so difficult to get along with!
At this moment, Ace also noticed Karl's presence.
As if he had seen him, Ace was instantly wide awake. He stood up and looked at Karl with a fighting spirit. "Dragon Rider Karl, I've long heard of your great name!"
"My name is Portgas D. Ace. I'm here to challenge you!"
"Please, I beg you, have a match with me!"
With his last sentence, Ace bowed slightly to Karl, his tone changing to one of pleading.
"No problem. I've also heard of your great name for a long time... Fire Fist Portgas D. Ace."
Looking at the son of the Pirate King before him, Karl smiled meaningfully.
At the same time, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
As expected of his inherited ability, he had awakened Conqueror's Haki at the age of 17, and also had the aura of Observation and Armament Haki.
And at this point in time, he hadn't joined the Whitebeard Pirates.
It seemed his existence had caused a considerable change in the historical trajectory of the Pirate King's son.
In order to challenge him, in order to be able to touch his real body, Ace had actually mastered one more type of Haki than in the original story, becoming a user of all three types of Haki and a Logia ability.
With such strength, he was a great pirate at the 500-million-berry level in the New World.
As expected of the chosen one of his generation in the original story, just like his two sworn brothers, he was a cheater among cheaters!
With his current strength, if Ace were to join the Whitebeard Pirates as in the original story, his bounty would definitely exceed the 550 million berries of the original story.
As if he had seen it...
Before the fight began, Karl suddenly asked Ace, "Have you been to Wano Country?"
"Wano Country? Where's that?"
Ace was slightly stunned and asked subconsciously.
"Never mind. Let's begin!"
Karl smiled.
Thanks to Ace, Karl had been reminded of something extremely important.
These past few days, Karl had been busy looking for a way to eliminate the charging time of the King Punch.
Having not used Conqueror's Haki for a long time, he had almost forgotten that he was still missing a crucial skill to reach the true pinnacle.
Sky splitting, also known as Conqueror's Haki infusion!
Conqueror's Haki infusion was the way rulers and super-powerhouses greeted each other.
At the same time, it was a power of a different dimension.
A powerhouse who hadn't mastered Conqueror's Haki infusion, even if their strength reached the level of a New World monster, would be like Doflamingo and Gear Fourth Luffy, who could be one-shotted by a ruler who was only slightly serious.
Only by mastering Ryuo, which was also the emission and internal destruction level of Armament Haki, could one make a ruler get serious.
But a serious ruler, who used Conqueror's Haki infusion, would have their strength infinitely close to the ceiling of this world.
Even a Logia monster like a Marine Admiral couldn't win one-on-one. At most, they could only delay for a few days and then use their bug-like elementalization to escape.
Just as only magic can defeat magic, only someone who has mastered Conqueror's Haki infusion can defeat someone who has mastered it.
Conqueror's Haki infusion was the symbol of a true pinnacle super-powerhouse.
A top-tier powerhouse without Conqueror's Haki might not know Conqueror's Haki infusion.
But a top-tier powerhouse with Conqueror's Haki must master Conqueror's Haki infusion to be qualified to stand at the pinnacle of the world.
Otherwise... it meant there was a certain gap to the pinnacle.
The current Four Emperors were all rulers who had mastered this skill.
This was also the reason why Karl believed there was a certain gap between his overall strength and theirs.
Now, Ace had reminded Karl.
It was time to go and witness the true peak of this world.
And while he was at it, to become one of those peaks.
Having made up his mind, Karl's gaze towards Ace became even friendlier.
For your indirect reminder, I'll go easy on you!
Ace obviously didn't know Karl's thoughts.
After hearing Karl's "Let's begin," his body burst into orange-red flames. The terrifying high temperature made the surrounding members of the Spade Pirates retreat from the Golden Martial Arts Arena and watch the duel between the Logia users from a distance.
"Not a bad temperature. It's almost as hot as my electric heat."
Looking at the golden ground beneath Ace's feet, which was affected by the flames, Karl praised him from a position of strength.
For a mere mortal to be able to develop the Flame-Flame Fruit to this extent at the age of 17, Ace was indeed worthy of being a super rookie who had become famous throughout the world before even entering the New World.
It was just a pity that the one standing before him was a true cheater.
From the very beginning, this was a battle without any suspense.
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