Who told him to become the Pirate King!

Chapter 110 The Pirate King's Son, Taken Down! (3rd update, 10,000 words, please subscribe!)

"Vongola Storm".

"uh-huh?"

What are your thoughts on... "One Piece"?

Ace remained silent for a long time before finally asking this question hesitantly.

"One Piece?"

Storm raised an eyebrow and asked with some interest.

"Are you talking about the world? Or are you talking about your father?"

"...Roger!"

Ace hesitated for a while, then, like a shy little devil, he forced out his father's name.

"Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King... what do you think of him?"

Ace had no idea how Storm knew he was Roger's son.

But aside from his "family," Storm was the first "outsider" Ace met who knew about his past.

Moreover, judging from the attitude Storm just displayed...

Unlike ordinary people, the other party did not harbor feelings of fear, disgust, or rejection towards "One Piece".

From childhood to adulthood, apart from his "family", Ace lived in a social environment full of hostility towards "One Piece", and very few people had different opinions about "One Piece".

"So you're talking about your dad..."

Storm stared at the King of the Coast's roasted meat, pondered silently for a while, and finally gave his evaluation.

"A pitiful person born at the wrong time."

"……what?"

Upon hearing Strom's words, Ace was instantly dumbfounded.

He expects Storm to give him a different answer.

But I never expected it to be "different" to this extent!

A pitiful person?

Even Ace never felt that his father's image could be associated with the word "pitiful".

"From a pirate's perspective, your father's life was indeed quite legendary. He sailed the seas for so many years and accomplished a great feat that no one had been able to achieve in the past few hundred years."

At this point, Storm changed the subject.

"But it's a pity. If your father had been born eight hundred years earlier, he might have been the 'savior,' and even the 'savior' who ultimately won the victory."

"If your father had been born fifty or sixty years later, he might have become the 'savior' of this generation."

"But unfortunately, your father was born in the wrong era."

Hearing him call him "your dad" repeatedly, Ace's eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

"What's so pitiful about that? My father—no, Roger—was the Pirate King!"

"Yeah, I know, so what?"

Storm gave Ace a strange look.

"Your father is the Pirate King, but that doesn't affect my opinion of him."

"And to be honest, from a pirate's perspective, your father was quite successful."

"But from other perspectives, he is also an absolute loser in life."

"But never mind, death is the greatest tragedy."

What the heck is "the dead are the greatest"?

Several veins bulged on Ace's forehead again.

"Vongola, did you come looking for me because I'm... the son of the Pirate King?"

"That's part of the reason. After all, he's the son of the Pirate King, like some kind of super famous person. It wouldn't be a loss to meet him."

Storm said very frankly.

"However, my decision to recruit you has absolutely nothing to do with your identity."

"I'm recruiting you because you have enough potential to grow into a good helper in the future."

"Furthermore, changing the course of this world... is also one of my goals."

Storm's level of candor was somewhat unexpected for Ace.

Ace remained silent for a while.

"Don't you think the 'son of the Pirate King' is some kind of devil's descendant?"

"Huh? Are you trying to steal Douglas Barrett's nickname?"

"What?"

"Douglas Barrett, your father's apprentice in the pirate crew, his nickname is 'Devil's Heir'."

"Who exactly is this guy you're talking about? I don't know him!"

Ace snorted and looked away.

"Besides, my father Roger is Roger, and I am me. What does it have to do with me being an apprentice in Roger's pirate crew?"

"That's quite true."

Storm nodded, and seeing that the King of the Near Seas' roast meat was almost done, he slowly flipped it over.

"Your father is your father, and you are you."

"I can't just arrest you and hand you over to the Marine Headquarters or the World Government just because you're the 'son of the Pirate King,' and then publicly execute you like your father did to intimidate the world..."

"That would be too pathetic."

"No one in this world should be born destined to die."

Storm's last words.

It was like a bullet that hit Ace's heart directly.

"Hey, Vongola."

"What's wrong?"

"I've already decided to set sail and become a pirate."

"Oh, I know."

"Originally, I wanted to go to sea alone and be my own captain."

"And now?"

"..."

Ace fell silent again, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

Under Storm's calm gaze.

Ace launched into a long, rambling speech.

"I don't understand any of those things you're talking about, like 'red hair,' 'straw hat,' 'destiny,' 'devil fruit,' and I don't know if they're even real."

"However, since you say they are all related to my brother, I can't just ignore this matter."

"I can travel with you, but I'm not on your crew."

Storm smiled, picked up a grilled king of the near sea skewers, and handed it to Ace.

"You're so awkward, Ace. Even the girl I recruited before wasn't as awkward as you."

Speaking of which...

Strom has been away from the Konomi Islands, where Cocoscia village is located, for several days now.

After this trip to Dawn Island is over, let's return to the Corno Islands...

"My personality isn't awkward at all!"

Ace took the grilled meat, took a bite, and the scalding hot meat made him exhale repeatedly.

"Whoosh...it's so hot!"

Storm looked at the scene before him and chuckled again.

After Ace finally managed to eat the piece of meat in his mouth, he continued to ask.

"Besides me, who else did you recruit? That big oaf from earlier, right?"

"No, that clay figure just now was Hanafda, the former Shichibukai, the Lizard King."

At this point, Storm couldn't help but glance at Ace.

Ace's talent level was indeed outstanding.

If it weren't for Storm's interference...

The one who truly defeated the Lizard King was Ace!

In just one year at sea, he defeated the famous Seven Warlords of the Sea.

Moreover, she is a Zoan-type Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit user who can do sit-ups.

That's a very strong record!

Ace nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

"I know! The newspapers say you defeated that Shichibukai and took his place."

"Yes... I have other subordinates."

Images of Robin and the others flashed through Storm's mind.

"By the way, Ace, there's something I need to remind you of."

"My subordinates, to be precise, two of them, might really dislike you."

Ace tightened his grip on the fish meat.

"Why? Because of my identity."

"It's not just because of that."

Storm shook his head and offered a casual explanation.

"They were both from the South China Sea, and one of them was born in 1501."

Ace tilted his head, and several large question marks vaguely appeared on it.

"What did you say? I don't understand..."

Simply put...

Storm gave a brief account.

"In 1500, your father fell seriously ill and surrendered to the navy, and was then publicly executed;

"After that, the World Government inexplicably discovered your existence."

"In order to find you, the World Government and the Navy launched a massive manhunt in the South China Sea, during which a large number of pregnant women and babies were 'disposed of' and many human tragedies were committed."

"...Hey, what's with that gloomy look on your face?"

Ace said with self-reproach and pain.

"So all those people... died because of me, right?"

"Huh? Are you out of your mind?"

Storm's words were elegant and gentle.

"This matter involves the World Government and the Marine Headquarters, your father, your mother, and even that old man Garp cannot escape responsibility."

"But you?"

"You were just a bunch of cells back then, or even just—cough! Anyway, you shouldn't be blamed for anything!"

Rough words are not rough.

According to Storm.

No one can choose their own birth.

When the World Government and the Navy Headquarters launched the search operation in the South China Sea, Ace was still in his mother's belly!

How can you blame this on Ace, who wasn't even born yet?

Storm's words were rather harsh.

But at least it alleviated Ace's feelings of guilt.

"I'll apologize to those two when I meet them later..."

"...It's up to you, but whether they accept it or not is beyond my control."

The two people Storm was referring to were none other than Kidd and Kira.

Kira was born in 1497, and Kidd was born in 1501.

And if Storm remembers correctly.

At least Kira knew about the "South China Sea Navy's arrest of pregnant women and infants." (Chapter 43)

It is highly likely that both of these people were eyewitnesses to the "South China Sea manhunt incident" years ago...

As Storm pondered this, he suddenly frowned.

"Why do I suddenly feel like something's not quite right?"

Ace, who was eating the King of the Near Seas barbecue, looked up in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"If I include you, my team composition seems a bit strange!"

Storm's expression turned a little strange.

The bear is a descendant of the Bakania people.

Bonnie was Satan's experiment.

Robin is the successor of Ohara.

Ace is the son of the Pirate King.

That is to say...

Four people in Storm's group are definitely enemies of the World Government!

Only he, Kid, Killer, and Nami have relatively "clean" backgrounds.

Ace didn't understand what Storm was saying.

"What exactly happened?"

"It's nothing... It's all the World Government's fault!"

Storm stopped talking and sped up his eating.

Seeing this, Ace felt a strange competitive spirit well up inside him and also sped up his eating.

A vast, near-shore king.

Storm and Ace quickly devoured it.

Ace was so bloated he was like a balloon, slumped on the ground, unable to move.

Storm's belly was also stuffed full.

But he simply took a deep breath, and [Life Return] quickly began to operate.

In the time it takes to breathe.

Storm's body then returned to its original size.

Ace witnessed this scene and was instantly shocked.

"Clam!?"

"I'm about 70% full!"

Storm touched his stomach, then looked at Ace.

"Ace, do you want to leave with me now, or do you want to say goodbye to your brother and the others?"

"I think I'll go back to Mount Colbo first."

Ace glanced at the sea not far away, a longing flashing in his eyes.

"At least... I need to see Luffy, and Dadan."

"what ever."

Storm left Ace his Den Den Mushi contact information.

"Contact me when you decide to go to sea."

"I'll come pick you up."

Ace accepted the string of numbers, then looked up as the Blue-Eyes White Dragon flew away.

Not long after.

The blue-eyed white dragon disappeared into the horizon.

Ace had also digested most of the roasted meat from the King of the Near Sea that he had just eaten.

He stood up, looked around, and suddenly realized a big problem.

Without a boat, how do I get back to Dawn Island?

(End of this chapter)