"Is Fire Fist Ace really the son of Roger?!"
A deep, gravelly voice echoed through the darkness. As the shadows shifted, the group finally got a clear look at the behemoth descending from the sky. He was a giant of a man, clad in the rugged armor of a Viking pirate. Perched precariously on his hunched shoulder was a withered old man who looked as though a single breeze might blow him away.
Standing as a vanguard for this strange pair were three distinct figures: a Fishman donning dark sunglasses, a woman dressed in a seductive manner, and a man clutching a massive hammer, looking every bit like a deranged circus clown.
"That's right, World," the old man wheezed from his perch. "The one with the Whitebeard mark on his arm is indeed Roger's son. He's the Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, Fire Fist Ace. Beside him is Straw Hat Luffy, the son of the Revolutionary Dragon. And the woman is the Empress of Amazon Lily."
"I see!" World let out a booming, predatory laugh that quickly turned into a cold sneer. "It seems I've stumbled upon a gold mine. These brats might actually be worth my time!"
The old man on his shoulder shifted uneasily. "World, you should be cautious. These are Tier 3: World-Class Powers. They aren't weak."
"Shut up!" In a shocking display of cruelty, World grabbed the old man—his own companion—and hurled him ruthlessly to the ground. The act left everyone stunned, but it was Luffy who found his voice first, his face contorting with righteous anger.
"Hey! What's wrong with you?!" Luffy roared. "That old man is on your side, isn't he? Why would you hurt your own nakama?!"
Hancock stepped forward, her eyes narrowed at the giant. "Luffy, Ace, keep your guard up. That man is Byrndy World. Thirty years ago, he was a Tier 4 level threat known as the 'World Destroyer'. He was betrayed by his own crew, captured by the Marines, and locked away in the deepest pits of Impel Down."
The brothers' eyes widened as the pieces clicked into place. "I get it now!" Ace realized. "So, in a way, we're the ones who saved you by breaking into Impel Down, World!"
World didn't offer a thank you; instead, he let out a maniacal laugh, his knuckles cracking like pistol shots as he clenched his fists. "That's right! And as a reward, I'm going to vent all the rage I've been bottling up for decades on you brats! Get them!"
At his command, the three subordinates charged. Ace moved instantly, his mind racing to coordinate their defense. "Luffy, let's wrap this up fast! I'll take the Fishman!" Ace chose the Fishman, sensing he was the most formidable of the trio.
"Alright! Then I'm taking the red-nosed hammer guy!" Luffy shouted, leaping into the fray. With the boys occupied, Hancock turned her icy gaze toward the woman in the qipao.
"You have a lovely face," Hancock said, her voice devoid of warmth, "but do not expect mercy from me."
The battlefield erupted into chaos. "Fire Fist!" Ace yelled, launching a column of flame. The blue-skinned Fishman didn't flinch; he simply thrust his palm forward. "Fishman Karate: Karakusawara Seiken!" The resulting shockwave slammed into the fire, dispersing it and causing Ace's attack to veer off course.
Ace grinned, his competitive spirit flaring. "Not bad. That's a move I've seen Jinbe use. But if you think that's enough to stop me, you're dead wrong!"
"Hehe, Fire Fist Ace," the Fishman taunted, "I hope you still have that confidence when Whitebeard finally kicks the bucket!"
Ace's expression turned murderous. His flames turned a deeper, more intense shade as he clenched his teeth. "You're going to regret saying that."
"Is that so? Show me!" The Fishman's body blurred as the air around him began to shimmer. "Camouflage Air!" He vanished from sight instantly.
Ace gasped, his Observation Haki not yet sharp enough to track the sudden disappearance. Before he could adjust, a barrage of pressure hit him from above. "Daishissu Gyo!" The Fishman manipulated the moisture in the air, turning harmless water droplets into high-velocity cannonballs that rained down on Ace.
Ace shifted into his elemental flame form, dodging the projectiles that tore through the deck of the massive ship, leaving craters in the wood. He looked up, trying to pinpoint his foe, but the Fishman was a ghost.
Suddenly, a voice whispered directly into his ear. "Gyo Ken!"
A fist coated in black Armament Haki slammed into Ace's ribs, bypassing his Logia intangibility. The force of the blow sent him skidding across the deck, a pained cry escaping his lips.
"Ace!" Luffy cried out, momentarily distracted.
His opponent, the clown-like man, seized the opening. "Don't look away, Straw Hat!" He slammed his massive hammer into the floor. "Rubik's Cube: Disorder!" The very planks beneath Luffy's feet began to shift and rearrange like a puzzle, throwing his balance into total disarray.
Meanwhile, Hancock was proving why she was a Tier 3 powerhouse. The woman in the qipao tried to use bitter medicinal herbs to nullify Hancock's petrification powers, even managing to burn away part of the Empress's clothing. It was a fatal mistake. The sight of Hancock's nearly exposed, divine form was a weapon in itself—even her female opponent couldn't resist the allure. Within seconds, the woman was turned to solid stone.
World scowled at the quick defeat of his subordinate. The old man, having crawled back to his side, whispered, "I warned you, World. She's a Warlord for a reason. Don't be arrogant."
World merely snorted. On the other side of the deck, Ace pushed himself up, wiping a trail of blood from his chin. "Invisibility... a clever trick. But I've already figured you out. It won't work twice."
The invisible Fishman roared in defiance and charged again, confident in his hidden position. But this time, Ace didn't hesitate. He swung his fist into what appeared to be empty air.
"Fire Fist!" The flames erupted, catching the Fishman head-on as he materialized, his body scorched by the $1,000°C$ heat. He slumped to the deck, his camouflage broken.
World watched his second officer fall, his eyes cold. "Useless," he muttered. "His Observation Haki was a joke."
Seeing his comrades fall, the hammer-wielding clown lost his nerve. He turned to flee, but found his path blocked by the towering form of his captain. World looked down at him with pure loathing. "Get out of my way!"
The clown scrambled into the shadows, leaving World to face the trio alone. The World Destroyer reached into a pouch and pulled out three small pebbles.
"Momo Baibei Gun!"
With a flick of his wrist, the pebbles accelerated. To the horror of Ace, Luffy, and Hancock, the stones expanded a hundredfold in mid-air, becoming massive boulders that screamed toward them with the force of real cannonballs.
"Boom!"
The resulting explosion tore through the island, and pained cries filled the smoke-choked air.
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