Creak...
With the sound of the door being pushed open, Ace walked lazily into a white building built in Angel Island's style.
"Mom?"
He called out, but after realizing no one seemed to be home, he dropped onto the living room sofa, lay back, and stared up at the ceiling.
"Pirate king?"
"Boring."
After muttering to himself, he closed his eyes and fell asleep on the sofa.
Only when the door opened again did he slowly open his eyes. Turning his head, he saw his mother, Portcatter D. Rouge, walking in with a jar of something in her arms and a bright smile on her face.
Although twenty years had passed, time seemed to have left no trace on Rouge's face. If anything, she looked even gentler and kinder than before.
Seeing her son lying on the sofa with a tired look on his face, Rouge walked in with some confusion and asked, "Why are you back so early today? Are you done with everything at the shipyard?"
Ace thought for a moment and said, "No. Conis had guests over, so I came back first. What's that?"
"This? The Bia family just made some cherry jam and gave me a little. We can have cherry pie today."
Hearing that, Ace showed little interest. He lay back down on the sofa and stared blankly at the ceiling.
Seeing this, Rouge walked over and asked with concern, "What's wrong? You seem unhappy today. Did you and Conis have a fight?"
"No way. I... I'm just a little... bored. I'll be fine after resting for a while."
After saying that, Ace did not say anything more and simply covered his face with his hat.
Rouge paused for a moment, then walked toward the kitchen.
"In that case, we'll have cherry pie today."
As Rouge busied herself in the kitchen, Ace, who had planned to rest, somehow grew more irritated. He sat up from the sofa and returned to his room. Rouge saw this from the kitchen as well.
Ace's room looked very empty. The only decorations were photos covering the walls, showing him from childhood until now.
To be honest, it was a little embarrassing, but Rouge had used her authority as his mother to force it through, so Ace had no choice.
Among those photos, there was one especially unusual picture titled "Father and Mother."
The mother in the photo was naturally the young Rouge, while the father was a man who looked bold and heroic.
"Pirate king?"
At twenty-one, Ace had known everything for a long time.
When Ace was twelve, Rouge told him who his father was: the legendary pirate of the Blue Sea below, the pirate king Gol D. Roger. But that had not made young Ace feel proud. Instead, it had placed an inexplicable burden on his shoulders.
The reason was simple. When Ace was even younger, he had seen people from the Blue Sea below come to Angel Island to build the town. They were people suffering because they had lost their children and wives.
At that time, he had not known that he himself was the source of their pain. Not until his mother told him everything.
Over these ten years, he had trained hard and protected this Angel Island in order to repay that debt.
As for the pirate king, he truly had no interest in it. He even found it boring.
Because among most of the people he came into contact with, those who came from the Blue Sea to Angel Island to work, travel, or live, the pirate king was a vicious criminal, a destroyer of world order, a robber, and a thief.
Although because of the Rainbow Country, Ace could not say he hated pirates, becoming the pirate king was absolutely not part of his dreams.
And growing up, he had met quite a few people who wanted to become the pirate king. But most of them were after his treasure, which only made Ace dislike that title even more.
That was why today, he had suddenly wanted to teach that foolish boy a lesson.
He was clearly pitifully weak, yet he shouted about becoming the pirate king and even said the pirate king was the freest man on the sea.
"Ridiculous."
"After this lesson, they should recognize reality."
Thinking that, Ace lay down on his bed and closed his eyes to rest.
But just as he was about to drift into sleep, a loud shout suddenly woke him.
"Ace! We came to find you!"
Ace was startled. He got up and looked out the window, only to see those strange guys he had just defeated with a single Conqueror's Haki blast standing outside his front door. Only the long-nosed one was not there.
"What a pain."
Ace pushed open the window, jumped down, and looked impatiently at Luffy and the others, who seemed delighted to see him.
"Hey, what is it? Did I not beat you badly enough earlier? You want to try again?"
"No."
Luffy shook his head excitedly.
"Ace, you're really strong. We can't beat you!"
Luffy's direct admission of defeat made Ace freeze.
"So we came to ask you to be our teacher. Please teach us that power called Haki!"
"!"
This time, Ace was completely shocked. Then he said impatiently, "Hey, are you kidding me? Forget why I'd have to teach you. I just humiliated you, didn't I? Don't you hate me?"
"Hate you? Why?"
Luffy looked confused.
"You clearly didn't mean to hurt us. Otherwise, with your strength, Ace, you could have easily defeated us. And besides, I want to thank you."
"Thank me?"
Ace froze again.
"Yeah."
Luffy looked full of energy. He clenched his fist and said firmly, "You showed us the power of Haki. That made me understand that I'm still far away from becoming the pirate king. As I am now, even if I enter the Grand Line, I won't be able to protect my companions, and I won't be able to become the pirate king. So I'm asking you, please teach me Haki!"
At that moment, for some reason, looking at the boy in front of him, Ace suddenly felt a sense of recognition.
But he did not agree. Instead, he asked, "Do you really want to become the pirate king that badly? Your reason. What's your reason?"
"My reason?"
Luffy froze.
"Of course, it's because the pirate king is the freest person in this world. And..."
At this point, Luffy grabbed the straw hat on his head.
"I also made a promise with the owner of this hat. I'll definitely become a pirate even greater than him, find a group of companions who don't lose to his, and then find the greatest treasure in the world."
"I see."
For some reason, as Ace looked at the boy before him, who was about the same age as himself, he felt a shock in his heart.
But...
"Unfortunately, I'm sorry. I still refuse."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because you all look too stupid."
Of course, the real reason was simply that Ace did not want to waste time on a group of strangers.
But just then, the door opened, and Ace's mother walked out gently.
"Um, Ace, since your friends are here, why not invite them in?"
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