One-Punch Man in the One Piece World

Chapter 127 Ace Returns to the Team

Ace gritted his teeth and didn't answer.

He threw another punch, alternating between his fists, and flames poured down like a torrential rain!

Fireballs, pillars of fire, firebirds, fire dragons—flames of all shapes and sizes surged from the tip of his fist, crashing down on the Moby Dick!

The white-bearded man raised his right hand, and a visible, semi-transparent shockwave exploded from his palm, spreading forward in a fan shape.

The flames collided with the shockwave like waves crashing against rocks. The fireballs were scattered, the pillars of fire were extinguished, the firebirds were torn apart, and the fire dragons were cleaved in two.

The shockwave struck Ace's chest, and Ace felt as if he had been hit head-on by a mountain.

He took off and flew backward, bouncing twice on the sea surface, splashing up two sprays of water before barely managing to steady himself. A trickle of blood escaped from the corner of his mouth, dripping down his chin and spreading into a small patch of pale red in the seawater.

"Gurgling, is that all?" Whitebeard's voice came from the Moby Dick.

Ace wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, took a deep breath, and his whole body began to burn.

Flames erupted from beneath his skin, engulfing his entire body and turning him into a blazing white torch. The flames were so bright, as bright as a sun that had fallen onto the sea.

Beneath his feet, the seawater boiled, evaporated, and white mist rose, obscuring his figure.

Zi Zi sat up slightly. The crew members on deck fell silent, simply watching the fire grow ever brighter.

"Fire Fist - Great Flame Ring!!!"

Ace burst out of the white mist, raising his right hand above his head, a huge, wildly spinning ball of flame gathering in his palm.

The flame grew larger and brighter, eventually transforming into a fireball with a diameter exceeding ten meters, burning with an intense white light.

He rushed toward the man sitting on the high place.

The white-bearded man stood up, his movements slow, but not the slowness of aging, but the slowness of gathering strength. He clenched his fist and swung it at the oncoming sun.

The air exploded, and space trembled!

Ace fell from the flames.

He fell into the sea, splashing water. The seawater submerged his head and swallowed his flames. His body slowly sank into the sea.

Deus jumped into the sea from the Spade Pirates' ship and pulled him out.

Ace lay on the bow of the ship, panting heavily, seawater gushing from his mouth.

The white-bearded man stood on the ship's railing, looking down at him.

"Young man, you're still too green."

Ace didn't answer. He just lay on the bow of the ship, panting heavily.

Seawater dripped from his hair, mixing with the blood at the corner of his mouth, spreading a small patch of dark red on the deck.

A few days later, on a sweltering afternoon, Demon King Island welcomed a group of unexpected guests.

Deus was soaked to the bone, his face wet with a mixture of sweat and seawater.

Behind him were more than thirty members of the Spade Pirates, all with their heads down and their faces ashen.

Their boat was still in the harbor, with several burn holes in the canvas and a deep crack in the hull.

"Where's Ace?" Norton asked.

"I don't know..." Diuss's voice was as hoarse as sandpaper. "He failed his challenge against Whitebeard, and they sent us to you... I wanted to ask if you could go and save him?"

Norton was silent for a moment, then placed the wine glass on the windowsill, walked to the coat rack, took down the black cashmere coat, draped it over his shoulders, tied the belt, straightened the collar, and smoothed the hem, meticulously.

"Prepare the ship."

Kro stood in the doorway, adjusting his glasses. "King, over there at Whitebeard's—"

'

"I know." Norton fastened the last belt. "It's just picking someone up; there's no need to make a fuss."

Diuss stood at the top of the stairs, his lips moved, and finally he bowed deeply, his bent back remaining bent for a long time.

The White Pearl departed early the next morning.

The sea was calm, and a wind blew from the southeast, making the silver skull flag flutter. Sanosuke stood on the mast, his black wings half-folded, his gaze sweeping across the distant horizon.

"King, was the information Morgans provided accurate?"

"meeting."

Norton leaned against the ship's railing, gazing at the hazy horizon in the distance.

"That old man doesn't like to move; his boat has been sitting there for a long time."

Sanosuke didn't ask any more questions. He took the kunai out of his sleeve, wiped it carefully with a cloth, and then put it back in.

Three days later, the White Pearl and the Moby Dick met at sea.

Onboard the Moby Dick, the atmosphere suddenly froze.

Marco was the first to react. He straightened up from the side of the ship, his eyes, which were always half-open, were now fully open, and the shadow of the white ship in the distance was reflected in his pupils.

"Just one ship?"

Sachi walked over from the ship's side, his hand on the hilt of his knife.

"What's that guy up to coming alone?"

Yizang jumped down from the mast and landed beside them, the gun, which was taller than a man, resting diagonally on his shoulder.

"He certainly has guts."

More and more people gathered on the deck.

Those veteran pirates who had roamed the New World for years now had tense faces, their hands on their weapons, their eyes fixed on the approaching ship.

They had heard too many legends about this man who scattered the thunderclouds of Raijin Island, defeated Kaido head-on, and severely injured and forced two Marine Admirals to retreat on Demon King Island.

Those legends were read in newspapers, heard in taverns, and chewed over in the gossip of every port.

But legends are one thing, seeing it with your own eyes is another.

The White Pearl stopped five kilometers away from the Moby Dick, a distance that was practically inches between the two massive ships.

Norton stood at the bow of the ship, his hands in his pockets, his black coat fluttering slightly in the sea breeze.

"Where's Whitebeard?"

There was a moment of silence on the deck.

"I am here."

"

A deep voice came from the direction of the cabin, and the crowd parted to both sides.

Whitebeard emerged from the cabin.

He wasn't wearing his signature coat today, just a simple white vest that revealed the dense, old scars on his chest.

He walked to the bow of the ship, stood on the gunwale, and looked down at the silver-haired young man on the white ship.

The two looked at each other. The sea breeze blew between them.

On the Moby Dick, the crew held their breath.

Marco raised his hand slightly, and Sachi's knife was already half an inch out, causing the angle of Hidden's gun muzzle to shift slightly.

The entire Whitebeard Pirates crew tensed up at the same time.

The white-bearded man looked down at Norton for a few seconds.

"Gurararara-you're the brat who sent Kaido flying?" He suddenly laughed, a deep, resonant laugh that rolled out from the depths of his chest and echoed across the deck.

Norton looked up at the man standing at the bow of the ship, who was much taller than everyone else.

"I've come to pick them up."

"Picking someone up?" The white-bearded man raised an eyebrow.

"Ace," Norton smiled, "as agreed, after he loses to you, he has to board my ship."

On the Moby Dick, the crew members looked at each other... some frowned, some whispered among themselves, and some showed dissatisfaction on their faces.

"Hey, silver-haired guy," Marco's voice carried a hint of coldness, "that's a rather impolite thing to say. Ace is our old man's guest. You've come here demanding someone; shouldn't you at least give us a heads-up?"

Norton glanced at him.

Marco suddenly felt a chill run down his back, and his fingers involuntarily tightened as he prepared to strike.

But the white-bearded man raised his hand and stopped him.

"Marco."

Marco paused for a moment. "Dad," he said, "go call Ace."

The white-bearded man's voice was calm. "He's in the lower deck."

Marco opened his mouth as if to say something, but when he saw the white beard, he swallowed his words.

When Marco brought Ace out of the lower deck, Ace looked terrible.

He hadn't eaten much for three days; his eyes were sunken, his lips were chapped, and his beard was stubble.

But when he stepped onto the deck and saw the White Pearl and Norton, he paused.

The two men stared at each other across the sea, which was several dozen meters apart. The sea breeze blew between them, making Ace's black hair flutter.

"I've come to pick you up," Norton said.

Ace stood there, recalling that night in the alley of Loguetown when Norton first said to him, "Become my partner."

He recalled that on the sea off Alabasta, he said, "If I lose, I'll come to your ship."

Now, after his defeat, Norton sailed to the world's strongest man to pick him up.

"You actually came."

"I said I'd pick you up, and I'm here." Norton smiled. "You're still young. It's too early for you to challenge Whitebeard."

Ace was stunned for a moment.

"Ten years from now," Norton looked at him, a faint smile playing on his lips, "Whitebeard will be no match for you."

There was a moment of silence on the deck.

The Whitebeard Pirates crew members looked at each other.

That silver-haired kid said "in ten years"—but isn't he only in his early twenties himself? In his early twenties, he's already standing here, on equal footing with his father.

How strong will he be in ten years?

Someone glanced at the white beard furtively.

Can Dad's body hold up for another ten years?

With injections, medication, and constant care, the illness grew more and more severe each year. The coughing became more frequent, and the ship's doctors went through one cycle after another.

Although he is still called the strongest, Marco can see that the "strongest" is gradually being lost from his very core.

"Young man," the white-bearded man said with a smile, "you certainly know how to talk."

"Come on, what are you hesitating for?" Norton ignored the white-bearded man and instead reached out to Ace.

Ace stood on the ship's railing and glanced back at Whitebeard.

"Let's go." The white-bearded man waved his hand.

Ace bowed deeply, turned and jumped off the Moby Dick, landing on the deck of the White Pearl.

Norton reached out and helped him up.

"Hold on tight," Norton said, a signature, flamboyant smile playing on his lips. "My ship doesn't accept those who can't stand their ground."

Ace paused for a moment, then suddenly smiled. The smile was much more genuine than before, and the corners of his eyes curved upwards.

"You still can't speak properly."

The White Pearl slowly turned around. With its sails billowing, the ship traced a white arc on the sea as it sailed back the way it came.

On the Moby Dick, the crew leaned against the ship's side, watching the white ship grow ever more distant.

Some sighed, some shook their heads, and some muttered something in a low voice that was carried away by the sea breeze.

Marco walked over to the white-bearded man, leaned against the gunwale, and watched the ship sail away.

"Dad, why did you let him go?"

Whitebeard did not answer immediately.

He picked up the wine bowl and took a big gulp. Wine spilled from the corner of his mouth, dripping down his chin and onto his clothes.

He put down his bowl, looked at the sea in the distance, and at the white boat that was getting smaller and smaller.

The sun was setting, turning the entire sky a golden-red hue.

The white boat moved slowly at the boundary between light and sea, like a feather tossed by the wind.

"That kid," the white-bearded man pointed in the direction of the White Pearl, "how old do you think he is?"

Marco paused for a moment. "Early twenties, I guess."

"In his early twenties," the white-bearded man repeated, a smile playing on his lips. "In his early twenties, he had already defeated Kaido and crippled Akainu and Aokiji. When I was in my early twenties, I was still working as a henchman at sea."

Marco did not speak.

Whitebeard took another swig of wine.

"Ace is better off with him than with me." His voice suddenly lowered, so low that only Marco could hear it. "I'm old."

Marco frowned. "Old Man One..."

"Don't hide it anymore."

The white-bearded man interrupted him, his voice as calm as if he were talking about someone else.

"I know my own body. With injections, medication, and life support, how many more years can I last? Three? Five?"

Marco opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

The white-bearded man gazed at the distant, golden-red sea, watching the sunset slowly sink below the horizon. A light flickered in his eyes, but it was dim, like a candle flame about to go out.

"Roger's son," the white-bearded man said softly, as if talking to himself, "can't follow a dying old man."

He's still young and needs time to grow...

'

The white-bearded man leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

The wind blew across his gray beard, across the deep wrinkles on his face, and across the dense old scars on his chest.

"Besides, that kid said that in ten years, Ace will surpass me. But I—can't wait ten years."

Marco leaned against the ship's railing, gazing at the golden-red sea in the distance, and remained silent for a long time.

"The tides of time—" the white-bearded man murmured, his voice so low it was almost inaudible, "and no one can stop them."

A few days later, the White Pearl returned to Demon King Island. When it docked, the pier was already crowded with people.

Norton was the first to step off the springboard, stepping aside to make way.

Ace stood behind him, looking at the dark mass of people, at the pirates holding torches and shouting, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

Dios pushed his way through the crowd, ran up to him, and stood there. His eyes were red-rimmed for a long time before he finally managed to stammer, "You're back?"

Ace patted him on the shoulder.

"My lords! Let's have a feast to welcome Ace!"

"Whoa!"

Norton picked up the glass that Funing had handed him and waited for the noise to subside before speaking.

"From today onwards, the 0th Division is established!"

The square fell silent for a moment.

Squad 0?

"Captain," Norton looked at Ace, "Portgas D. Ace."

Ace was stunned for a moment.

He originally thought he would be assigned to a squad and start as a senior officer, but Norton gave him a "Squad 0".

What does this number mean?

Ace opened his mouth, as if to say something. But Norton had already raised his glass to him.

"welcome!"

Ace looked at the glass for two seconds, then reached out and took it. The wine swirled in the glass, reflecting the moonlight overhead and the firelight at his feet.

"I won't give up," Ace suddenly said. "Sooner or later, I will surpass Roger."

Norton looked at him, neither smiling nor mocking, but simply nodding.

"Then let's go and surpass them."

Ace downed the drink in one gulp.