"Awoo, awoo..."
On the deck of the Big Top, a massive lion clutched a large bone, letting out a low growl before licking it with an expression of pure bliss.
"Awoo-woo..." Squatting next to the lion was a silly-looking Husky, also gnawing on a large bone. Even more bizarrely, this Husky was making sounds similar to the lion's growls, seemingly communicating in a "foreign language."
"That dog... seems to be teaching Richie how to gnaw on a bone like a dog, and it's doing it in lion-speak..."
A man dressed as an animal tamer stared blankly at the two beasts—one large and one small—muttering to himself, "Where is your dignity as a lion? And why do you listen to this dog more than me, your trainer?"
On the other side, Buggy the Clown burst into laughter upon hearing an unfamiliar male voice. "Hehe, see that? This guy said he'd tell us about the Straw Hat brat—wait, hold on..."
Captain Buggy's smile suddenly froze as his delayed reaction finally kicked in. He turned and roared furiously at the shirtless, muscular stranger with bared teeth:
"Hey! Who the hell are you?!"
Buggy was bewildered. It was one thing for a beautiful woman who could turn into a cat and rode a flying dog to show up, but now another person had suddenly popped out of nowhere?
The pirates finally noticed the uninvited guest on their ship. They stopped their banquet and looked toward the speaker in unison, their gazes filled with suspicion and uncertainty.
"Hmm? Are you asking for my name?" Despite being stared down by a gang of ferocious-looking pirates, the freckled man remained perfectly composed. He swallowed the roasted meat in his mouth and stood up.
"I smelled the aroma of grilled meat and ended up here without thinking. I'm sorry for intruding on your banquet. My name is Ace. Pleased to meet you."
Having said that, Ace bowed formally to Buggy. His polite behavior left the pirates speechless, unsure of how to respond.
"Ahahaha, no problem, no problem! You're far too kind."
Buggy waved his hand with a forced laugh, but the red-nosed goofball quickly snapped back to reality. "Who cares about your name?! I'm asking what your deal is! You—mmph!"
Swish— Before he could finish, Carter lunged to his side and clamped her hand over his mouth.
"You... you couldn't be 'Fire Fist,' could you?" Though phrased as a question, the secret agent's tone was certain. She stared fixedly at the tattoo on Ace's back: a purple cross and skull, with the white, crescent-moon-shaped mustache being particularly striking.
(Why have I been having these constant 'encounters' ever since I left the East Blue? First it was the Straw Hats who've been in the limelight lately, then the Devil Child, and now the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates? Good grief, who are all these people?!) Carter complained bitterly to herself. Her luck lately had been "explosive"—various "rare elites" were lining up to appear before her.
"Fire Fist? The 'Fire Fist' with a bounty of over 500 million Berries?!"
"The Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates?!"
"What is a pirate of that caliber doing here?!"
A man's reputation precedes him; upon learning the true identity of their uninvited guest, the pirates broke into an uproar. They truly hadn't expected to run into such a powerhouse here. They gulped and stepped back in unison.
The festive atmosphere on the deck turned awkward instantly.
"Huh? What's wrong with you all?"
Seeing the sheer terror in the pirates' eyes, Ace raised an eyebrow in confusion and laughed. "Weren't you having a banquet? Why are you all just standing there?"
"Right, right, a banquet!" Captain Buggy, whose terrifying memories had been triggered by the name "Whitebeard," finally snapped out of it and shouted frantically, "Men, the party continues!"
Ten minutes later...
"Wahaha! You've got quite a capacity for booze, kid!"
"Hmph, naturally. I've been stealing drinks since I was little. Here, try this—I think alcohol tastes better when it's warmed up."
Swoosh— Orange-red flames flared up.
"Oh? Is that your Devil Fruit power? Incredible..."
(How did these two become buddies so fast? And why do I feel like this 'Fire Fist' is just as much of a goofball?!)
Carter stared at the two drinking heartily, her face a mask of bewilderment. One second the tension was lethal, and the next they were partying like there was no tomorrow. She truly couldn't wrap her head around how these pirates worked.
(Still, shouldn't a pirate of his level be in the New World? Why is he in the first half of the Grand Line?)
As one of the World Government's most professional intelligence officers, Carter's professional standards were top-tier. Seeing that Fire Fist seemed easy to talk to, she carefully chose her words and asked him.
"Hmm? You're asking what I'm doing here?" Ace put down his glass and glanced at the beautiful woman in the lady's suit with a look of surprise. "Are you curious about that?"
"Yes, yes. As an adventurer, my curiosity is naturally quite strong."
Having spent years as a deceptive agent, lying was second nature to her. Her cat-ear-like hair twitched as she gave an innocent, cute smile. "Of course, if you don't want to say, Lord Fire Fist, then just pretend I never asked."
"Well, it's no big deal. Actually, I have a question for you all as well."
Ace stopped smiling and adjusted the brim of his cowboy hat, his expression turning serious. "The truth is, I'm here to hunt down a man called 'Blackbeard.' I don't suppose you've seen him?"
He proceeded to describe Blackbeard's appearance in detail. After Buggy discussed it with his crew, they all shook their heads, indicating they hadn't seen anyone like that.
(A black beard? Tall? Ferocious-looking? Missing several teeth? A 'Zehahahaha' laugh?... No way. The world is too small...)
As she listened to Fire Fist's description, Carter's expression grew increasingly strange. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that the man Fire Fist was hunting was the same rough-looking giant who had fought the Sorcerer in Mock Town not long ago!
"Hmm? What's wrong, Miss Cat-Ears? Have you seen that man?" Noticing the odd look on Carter's face, Ace asked urgently, his eyes filled with hope.
(Hey, hey, why are you calling me Cat-Ears too? Is my hairstyle really that unique?!)
Carter complained internally, but then a bolt of lightning seemed to flash through her mind as a tempting thought surfaced.
(Wait... this guy is a 'big fish.' The price the higher-ups have put on his head is very enticing. Could I use this chance to...)
The professional agent's eyes flickered as the prospect of massive profit stirred her greed. However, Carter quickly realized that Fire Fist was a famous figure even in the New World. Even with an ambush or a sneak attack, what level of combat power would be needed to kill or even capture him?
(Better forget it. The priority right now is to reach Hanabal and regroup with 'Old Miser' and the others. Based on the intel that stupid dog brought back, this target is definitely no small matter.)
Knowing when to quit, Carter decisively abandoned the chance to make some extra cash. She shook her head and said calmly, "No, this is the first time I've heard of that man."
Unfortunately, Carter didn't know at the time that if she had just misled Ace a little, the world-shaking incident that was soon to follow might have changed drastically...
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