One Piece: Who still has dreams?

"Didn't you want me to show you the way? I'll show you the way when we get back!" He swam with a loud splashing sound, shouting at the top of his lungs.

Redio rowed rapidly from side to side, laughing loudly, "You seem a little reluctant. I don't like to force people to do things against their will!"

And so, he rowed in front, and Ace swam freestyle behind.

"Hahaha……"

The sun shone brightly, the water sparkled, and laughter echoed across the sea, stretching all the way to a small fishing village not far ahead.

From afar, you can see many tall windmills nestled among the villages on the shore, their blades turning slowly with the sea breeze, hence the name of the villages.

boom!

As the bow touched the shore, Redio leaped into the water. The small boat, propelled by the force of the leap, flipped backward and landed squarely on Ace's face as he desperately swam to catch up.

"Damn it... I'm really angry!"

Not long after, Ace popped his head up, scrambling ashore like a drowned rat, his eyes bloodshot from the seawater, veins throbbing on his forehead, and he took off running wildly toward Windmill Village, yelling, "Stop right there!"

"Ace?"

When someone in Windmill Village saw him rushing over in a flurry, they asked in great confusion, "Didn't you go out to sea to become a pirate?"

"Did you forget anything?" a villager asked with a smile.

“I forgot about my silly little brother!” Ace shouted.

He ran like the windmill village from one end to the other, but couldn't find the person or his brother Luffy anywhere. Finally, he pushed open the door of Makino's tavern with a "bang."

Everyone in the tavern laughed, "Ace? You're retiring already?" "Being a pirate isn't so easy after all, is it?" "Hahaha..."

Everyone burst into laughter, filling the shop with a joyful atmosphere.

"Hello, Miss Makino."

Ace went straight to the bar and found the young proprietress. After sitting down, he politely said, "I'd like a fried rice... Wait! Have you seen Luffy?"

Makino wiped her wine glass and chuckled, "After he sent you out to sea, he seemed to go straight back to the mountains. He said he wanted to train even harder so that when he goes out to sea on his own in three years, he'll be even stronger than you!"

Ace asked curiously, "Didn't anyone come looking for Luffy just now? A man who looked about my age?"

Makino shook her head.

“No one asked Luffy,” another customer in the shop said, “but just now a young man who looked about the same asked about the location of Mount Colbo.”

He pointed north.

Thanks!

Ace dashed off again, racing north towards Mount Colbo. Just as he was about to enter the mountains, he suddenly remembered something and came to a screeching halt.

No way! Could that person be that fast, so fast that they'd disappear without a trace?

"Oh, so he was in that direction. Thanks!"

A figure leaped down from a large tree near Ace; it was Redio. He waved to Ace with a smile and headed straight ahead in the direction Ace had rushed into the forest.

"stop!!"

Ace roared and gave chase, leaving a trail of dust behind him.

How can this guy run so fast?!

Ace followed behind Redio, sprinting at full speed for half an hour, and couldn't help but be secretly surprised.

He had walked this mountain path countless times since he was very young, and only now could he walk on it with such ease. This guy in front of him was visiting such a complex mountain forest for the first time, and he was still able to maintain such a fast pace while constantly dodging and climbing over broken trees, rugged rocks, and deep ravines!

"Roar!" A six- or seven-meter-tall, striped tiger leaped out and blocked the way.

Redio slid in, lifting the giant tiger and slamming it down on Ace behind him, then sprinted backward, waving at Ace.

Ace glared at him, then punched the giant tiger that was hurtling towards him at a right angle with a "bang." Looking up again, the man had almost disappeared from sight.

Such a powerful guy, going to kill Luffy?!

……

Redio leaped across the eight- or nine-meter-wide ravine and suddenly saw a human foot, tens of meters long, wearing flip-flops, soaring into the sky ahead. He could vaguely hear a boy shouting something like "Rubber rubber."

He smiled slightly and rushed over there.

Whoosh!

Redio sprinted and leaped, sprinted and leaped, through the dense forest, and saw in the distance a black-haired boy with a straw hat hanging around his neck, practicing his rubber-like, flexible fist and foot techniques.

boom!

Redio delivered a spinning kick that snapped a large tree several meters thick by the roadside.

"Ok?"

Luffy, who was covered in sweat, heard the noise and turned around curiously. He saw a stranger hugging a thick tree trunk and whipping it at him with a whooshing sound.

"Wow!"

Luffy was startled and raised his hands to dodge, only to hear Reddio shout behind him:

"The tree sings auspicious omens!"

boom!

Luffy was struck by the thick tree trunk and slammed heavily into the mountainside, causing the rocks to crack like a spider web.

"I told you to stop right there...!!"

Ace's angry voice rapidly approached from behind, and an invisible yet tangible powerful pressure emanated from him, sweeping indiscriminately in all directions!

The forest animals, large and small, who had been watching the spectacle were all swept away by this oppressive feeling, their eyes rolled back, foaming at the mouth, and they fainted.

"Hey!"

Redio turned around, grinning, and said, "Don't make me get too excited, okay?"

Is this Conqueror's Haki?

Redio strode toward Ace, clenching his fists, his arm muscles bulging and veins throbbing.

Ace's face was cold, his eyes were blazing with fire, and his momentum only increased as he charged forward, unleashing a punch like a meteor.

boom!

The two exchanged punches in mid-air, the powerful impact sending them flying back.

Chapter 48 Are you looking for trouble, kid?

"Wow!"

Luffy moved the thick tree trunk that was pressing down on him and pulled himself out of the human-shaped crack in the rock wall. He was a rubber man, so he didn't feel pain from this kind of impact attack; he was just uncomfortable from being trapped inside.

"Bang bang bang..."

He heard the sounds of fierce punches and kicks, looked up, and saw that the guy who had inexplicably been swinging a big tree at him was actually punching and kicking Ace!

"Hey!" Luffy charged forward, fist in hand. "He's my brother!"

"Get out of my way."

Reddio dodged Ace's flying kick, then swung his hand at Luffy, who was rushing over anxiously. A heavy three-section staff appeared out of thin air, swung over, and wrapped around Luffy's arm.

"Ace! I'm here... to help..."

Luffy felt weak all over, his eyelids drooped, and he collapsed limply to the ground.

"Luffy?!"

Ace was shocked and blocked Redio's punch with both hands, his palms going numb from the impact. He angrily said, "What did you do to him!"

"I don't know...maybe he was poisoned by the stone...and died..."

Redio moved with the silent shave, his figure flashing around Ace, then suddenly circled behind Ace and sent him flying with an elbow strike.

Ace flipped forward, bracing himself with his palms, and was about to check on Luffy, who was lying motionless on the ground, when Reddio caught up and stepped on his head.

And so, Ace kept trying to wake Luffy, while Redio relentlessly pursued him with Silent Shave. Finally, Ace, unable to bear it any longer, picked up a thick tree trunk from the ground, swept it over Luffy's head, and sent Redio flying with a thud.

Ace leaped high into the air, dragging the large tree trunk, and slammed it down on Redio like a colossal pillar supporting the sky.

"boom……"

The tree trunk smashed the ground, sending dust flying.

Redio stepped on the top of the tree trunk and pushed off with all his might. The tree trunk, like a battering ram, rammed into Ace at the other end, but he missed.

Bang! Crack!

A crashing sound came from not far away; another large tree was broken in half. Ace was stuck between the broken branches, cursing in pain, "What kind of crazy footwork is this? It's too hard to control!"

Amidst the swirling dust, Redio emerged and smiled at him, "You did see through it, didn't you? Not bad at understanding!"

Ace glared angrily, climbed out, and raised his fist to strike.

"do not fight."

Redio turned and left. "Your brother is fine. Sit down and let's talk."

Ace froze, fist raised, and Fangs yelled, "You little brat, are you here to cause trouble?!"