"Ace!" Naru exclaimed as she got down from her seat, feeling flustered at the sight of the person they had been talking about just moments ago. Inwardly, she scolded herself for being too careless, failing to detect his presence.
What a shame for a shinobi!
Unlike Naru, Garp remained calm. He looked almost indifferent, as if Ace's sudden appearance did not surprise him at all.
"Brat, aren't you supposed to be in bed right now? Don't come whining to me later if you lack energy for tomorrow's training," he said before taking a leisurely sip of his sake.
Naru shot him a disapproving glare, while Ace frowned. For the first time, he ignored his big sister, keeping his gaze fixed on the old man.
"Is it true? What you said earlier... You're not lying?" Ace asked, his voice uncertain.
"Otherwise?" Garp replied casually.
"Grandpa! You can't talk to him like that," Naru scolded, then turned to Ace, who was still frowning. "And you, you shouldn't be eavesdropping on other people's conversations."
Ace felt wronged. It was not like he had done it intentionally.
He woke up with the urge to relieve himself and instantly noticed that Naru was not where she was supposed to be. As in, sleeping next to Luffy. But since she herself had often disappeared from time to time, he just shrugged it off and immediately made his way to the toilet. Once he was done with his business, he suddenly heard voices from outside, in which he recognized the louder one belonged to the old geezer
Before he realized it, his feet had carried him toward the broken entrance, and that was when he overheard everything about being someone else's child.
He could barely remember the names Garp mentioned. What stuck with him was that he was someone else's child.
Ace was in disbelief.
"Am I really someone else's child?" he asked again, needing confirmation.
Naru thought he was feeling hurt after learning the truth. Not wanting Garp to say anything that might make things worse, she decided to speak first.
"Listen, whether you're someone else's child or not, it doesn't matter."
She had meant to say that blood did not matter and that Ace would always be her brother regardless of his origin, but the boy misunderstood her words as confirmation.
"So, it's true then?"
"Well..." Naru hesitated.
"Just tell him the truth," Garp interrupted.
He looked at Ace with a serious expression. "Yes, it's true that you're someone else's child. More specifically, you are the son of the Pirate King, Roger. Your full name is Gol D Ace. Now that you know, are you upset?"
"Grandpa!" Naru glared at him in disbelief. The audacity!
Garp merely shrugged in response, clearly unbothered.
"I'm not sure," Ace said after a pause, his brows furrowing in thought. A few seconds later, he added, "But if being someone else's child means I'm not actually your grandson, Luffy's brother, or my sister's younger brother... then I guess I am upset."
He pressed a hand against his chest. "Right here, I feel uncomfortable," he admitted softly before looking up at Naru. "Big sis, am I not part of the family?"
"Oh, Ace..." Naru's heart ached as she heard his trembling voice. Even Garp, who rarely showed emotion, was momentarily taken aback by the boy's sincerity. A flicker of guilt flashed across the old man's face before he quickly hid it.
Naru sighed and gestured for Ace to come closer.
Obedient as always, Ace walked toward her. The moment he reached her, Naru opened her arms and pulled him into a hug.
Ace did not resist. His big sister had always been closest to him, so without a word, he leaned into her embrace and returned the hug.
Since Naru was older and taller thanks to her training, Ace's face ended up pressed against her stomach.
Feeling him tremble, Naru smiled faintly and rubbed his head. "Fool. I don't know what you're thinking right now, but listen carefully, alright?"
He nodded.
"Good boy. Now look at me."
Ace looked up, meeting his sister's eyes.
Seeing he was paying full attention, Naru said gently, "Ace, blood is what makes a family by birth, but that's not the only thing that truly binds people together. Do you know what else creates a family?"
Ace shook his head.
"A bond," she said softly.
Ace's eyes widened at her words. Even Garp, who had been watching in silence, looked at her with faint admiration.
"So what if we aren't related by blood?" Naru continued. "Just because we don't share the same parents doesn't mean our bond isn't real. Look at us! Dadan and the others aren't related to us by blood, but they still take care of us. They make sure we eat, give us a place to sleep, and worry about us. They don't even share our blood type, yet they're still our family."
Ace thought about her words. He had always believed Dadan and her gang only cared for them because of Garp's orders. But deep down, he knew they had treated the children sincerely despite everything.
"They are family," he murmured, his eyes brightening.
Naru smiled. "And then there's Grandpa, who chose to raise you even though you're the son of his enemy. Instead of giving you to the World Government, he brought you here so you could grow up safely. You have me, Luffy, Grandpa, Dadan, and everyone else. I'm sure they all knew the truth about you, yet none of them ever treated you differently. if this isn't family, then I don't know what is."
Ace felt warmth blooming in his chest. The heaviness that had settled inside him began to fade.
"You're right! We are family!" he exclaimed with a wide grin.
He was still a child, innocent and free from the burdens of complex thoughts. To him, Naru's words were absolute truth. She had never lied to him, and that was enough.
"Well, I thought you would react more strongly to learning about your parents," Garp finally said, drawing their attention. "Seems like you're tougher than I expected."
Now you want to talk? Naru thought, giving him a sharp look.
Seeing her expression, Garp cleared his throat. "You two, come sit beside me."
Naru and Ace glanced at each other before obeying. She carried Ace and sat beside Garp, the boy settling comfortably between them.
"Are you going to tell us more about his origin?" Naru asked, instantly piquing Ace's curiosity.
He had heard of Roger before, thanks to Naru, but had never thought much about it. Now that the man was revealed to be his father, Ace wanted to know more.
"What do you want to know?" Garp asked, setting aside his empty bottle.
"Why did you bring me here, old man?" Ace asked immediately.
"It was Roger's request," Garp answered. "He wanted me to make sure you survived."
Garp had no regrets about revealing a secret that would surely stir chaos in the world.
With his abilities, how could he not notice Ace's presence approaching them? He had intentionally let the boy learn of his origins from the moment Naru started asking about her mother. Honestly, Garp never intended to keep Ace's origin a secret. He just had not found the right moment to tell him. Now that he knew Ace was nearby, and with Naru taking the first step, how could Garp resist the chance to share everything all at once?
Ace needed to know about Roger and Rouge sooner or later.
And so did Naru.
Garp knew that he and Dragon owed a great deal to Naru.
At only eight years old, Naru carried burdens that would break most grown adults, let alone children. She had taken on the responsibility of caring for both Ace and Luffy as if she were their parent, and she did it without complaint.
Naru had always been different. Her maturity and fighting instincts had set her apart from others her age. From early on, she seemed to understand the harshness of the world far too well. Garp knew that she had long realized her parents' absence, even before meeting Dragon. Her reaction during that first meeting had confirmed it. And when Dragon left again, she did not question it. Nor did she demand answers about her father, mother, or Luffy's origins.
She simply accepted reality and moved forward.
Her quiet strength often made Garp feel powerless.
Not many children could accept such circumstances with that kind of grace, especially knowing that both parents were still alive yet chose to remain distant. Though Garp pitied her, he could not treat Naru like an ordinary child, because she was not one.
If she were, he would not have trained her as harshly as he did to his own soldiers. But Garp knew that the child possessed more potential than any of them, and he was certain that her future would be far greater than what anyone could imagine. His rough training and strict guidance were simply his way of ensuring that her path toward that future stayed intact.
"Before his execution, Roger told me about your mother," Garp began, his voice deep. "At the time, she was already five months pregnant with you. Roger knew he wouldn't live much longer, and he wanted me to make sure you survived. After his death, the World Government began hunting down anyone connected to him. Pregnant women, infants, and even children. To protect you, Rouge endured and kept you in her womb for twenty months. Before she died, she named you Gol D Ace. Soon after she was buried, I brought you here."
Ace's gaze dropped to the ground. His mother had sacrificed her life so that he could live. Whatever he was thinking at that moment, Garp could only imagine.
"How did she even manage to keep Ace in her womb for that long?" Naru suddenly asked, unable to contain her curiosity. "That doesn't sound physically possible."
"Because of her willpower," Garp answered simply.
Naru frowned, unconvinced. She had a feeling there was more to it than just willpower, but since Garp clearly did not intend to elaborate, she decided not to push further.
"Wait, twenty months?" Ace said after a pause. "If my mother hadn't held me in for that long, I would've been born much earlier!"
Realization suddenly hit Ace.
"So all this time, I could have been the older sibling?"
Naru snorted at that, crossing her arms.
"Not a chance, brat. Even if your mother had a normal pregnancy, I would still be older than you," she said with a smug grin. She might not be as clever as Shikamaru or Sakura, but she could handle basic math well enough.
"Hmph!" Ace pouted, though it did not take long for him to accept the truth. Deep down, he could not really imagine himself being older than his big sister anyway.
Then Naru's eyes narrowed as a new thought came to her.
"Wait, so Ace's real name is Gol D Ace, not Gold Ace like in Gold Roger? That means the Pirate King's actual name is Gol D Roger! But Grandpa, what does the 'D' in our names even mean?"
Everyone in their family carried that mysterious initial, from Garp, the eldest, down to Luffy, the youngest, and Naru herself was no exception. She had always assumed it was just a unique family trait. But now, hearing that both the Pirate King and Ace's mother also had the same initial, she could not help but wonder if there was a deeper connection.
Was there once a clan that shared this strange middle initial?
"Just consider that those who carry the 'D' in their names come from the same ancient origin," Garp replied simply, which also answered her question.
"Gol D Ace, huh? I don't want that name," Ace said flatly, giving Garp a firm look. "Since you never told me about that man before, then he's nothing more than the one who played a small part in my existence. As for my mother… since she risked her life to protect me and bring me into this world, I'll carry her surname from now on."
His tone left no room for argument. Naru only shrugged. Well, it was not her name to decide, and honestly, she agreed that taking a different surname would be safer for Ace anyway.
"Suit yourself," Garp said, his expression unreadable. Whether he truly did not care or quietly agreed with Ace, Naru could not really tell.
"I don't want to drag this conversation any longer," Garp continued, his voice softening slightly, "but believe me when I say you're not just the son of my enemy. I respected Roger, just as he respected and trusted me to care for you. I didn't do this just because he asked me to. Bringing you here, raising you as my grandson, those were choices I made because I wanted to. What Naru said was right. It doesn't matter where you come from. To me, you are my grandson."
After that, Garp rose to his feet. He placed a large, calloused hand on Ace's head in a rare moment of tenderness, leaving the boy momentarily stunned. Without another word, the old man withdrew his hand and walked off toward the village.
With Garp gone, Naru turned to Ace.
"It's already late, and we've got training with Grandpa tomorrow. Go back to sleep. You're not even supposed to be awake right now!"
As they headed back toward the small house they called home, Ace glanced down at the hand pulling his own and smiled softly.
"Mm."
Inside the depths of Naru's mindscape, Kurama sighed.
'As always, that girl's biggest weapon is her mouth,' he thought, though there was unmistakable fondness in his tone.