Chapter 43: Ace vs. Law
Marine Headquarters - Intelligence Division
Afternoon sun filtered through the window blinds, casting golden bars of light in the quiet office. The air smelled faintly of tea.
Vice Admiral Tsuru put down her file, gently rubbing her temples before taking a sip of hot tea.
The door opened, and Roy walked in, his white "Justice" coat stirring the air.
"Tsuru-san, am I interrupting?"
Tsuru looked up, a soft light in her eyes. "Roy. Back already? You must need something, coming straight to Intelligence."
Roy sat down, at ease but respectful. "I do, actually. I need your help finding someone."
He slid a folded piece of paper across the desk. Tsuru opened it. The name was written in strong, clear script:
[GILD TESORO]
She frowned slightly. "This name... I don't have a special file on him. Is he a pirate? Or an underworld broker?"
"Right now," Roy said, "he's probably just a nobody. But his potential is... very high."
"In the future, he might just become a man who can shake the world's economy to its core~"
Tsuru's sharp eyes flickered between Roy and the note. "For you to come to me personally... this man must be important. Your reason?"
Roy smiled. "Let's just say... his abilities will be very useful to the Marines. Especially... when dealing with 'certain entities.'"
Tsuru's fingers paused. Her gaze sharpened. She knew exactly what "certain entities" he was referring to.
After a moment of silence, she nodded, placing the note in a drawer. "I'll make it a priority, Roy. But," she looked at him with a complex, almost motherly expression, "you... you always see things that others don't."
Roy just smiled, his expression calm. "Thank you, Tsuru-san."
He stood, saluted, and left. Tsuru watched him go, a small, curious smile on her face. "Such a mysterious kid..."
Marine Training Ground - Afternoon
The sun beat down, the air shimmering with heat.
Ace (now 9), Luffy (6), and Law (13) were already standing on the sidelines, waiting.
Zephyr was drilling a class of new recruits, including Drake, who was keeping up perfectly, his movements precise, his eyes focused.
"FWOOSH!"
Roy appeared in a flash at the edge of the field.
"Roy!" Luffy saw him first, waving his arms.
Roy smiled, first giving Zephyr a crisp salute. "Instructor Zephyr."
Zephyr, sweating, just nodded, his gaze lingering on the new kid, Law. He trusted Roy's judgment.
Roy turned to Ace. "You've been begging to fight Law, right? Today's your chance."
Ace grinned, then shot a taunting look at Law. "Can he even fight? He can't even use Haki, can he?"
Law, who had been quiet, just glanced at him, his expression cool.
THWACK!
Roy slapped Ace on the back of the head. "Less talk. You can use your Haki. Don't hold back."
"Yeah, yeah," Ace grumbled, rubbing his head.
Roy then looked at Law. "You too. You can go all out with your ability."
Law nodded, walking calmly to the center of the ring.
The recruits all stopped to watch, their curiosity piqued.
"Hey, it's Ace! The 9-year-old monster who can already use Haki!"
"Who's the new kid in the hat? He looks kinda scrawny..."
"Don't underestimate him! Rear Admiral Roy brought him in personally!"
Drake, in the crowd, crossed his arms, his eyes fixed on the two.
Ace rolled his wrists, a cocky smile on his face. "Try not to cry, newbie."
Law just adjusted his cap, his eyes flat. "You talk too much."
Zephyr, at the sideline, crossed his arms. "Begin!"
Ace exploded forward, his figure blurring. "Soru!"
He appeared in front of Law, his fist already coated in black Armament Haki, aimed straight at Law's face!
Fast! Law thought.
But just as the punch was about to land, Law simply raised a hand.
"ROOM!"
A pale, blue sphere expanded around them.
Ace's fist slammed... into empty air. Law was gone.
"What?!" Ace skidded to a halt, his eyes wide. He'd been aiming right at him!
The crowd gasped.
"He just... vanished!"
Law's calm voice came from behind Ace. He had swapped places with a small pebble. "Over here."
Ace spun, but Law's scalpel was already flashing. Ace barely managed to dodge, the blade slicing through his shirt. He jumped back, his expression now serious. "What is that power?!"
Law just smiled, a surgeon's cold smile. "Shambles."
FWOOSH!
The patch of sand under Ace's feet was instantly replaced with a jagged, uneven chunk of rock from the edge of the field. Ace stumbled, his balance gone.
"Damn it!"
He leaped off the rock, twisting in mid-air. "Tempest Kick!"
A dozen blades of air shot at Law.
Law, however, just glanced at a nearby training post and warped again, swapping places with it. The Tempest Kicks slammed into the wood, shattering it.
Luffy was jumping up and down. "So cool! Ace can't hit him!"
Drake's eyes were sharp. "A spatial ability... No wonder the Rear Admiral took an interest in him."
Zephyr, too, was impressed. "The Op-Op Fruit... Sengoku really adopted himself a handful."
In the ring, Ace was panting, sweating. For the first time, fighting another Devil Fruit user, he felt a flicker of helplessness.
This isn't working...
He gritted his teeth, then vanished. "Soru!"
He was so fast, this time Law couldn't react. Ace's Haki-coated fist slammed into Law's stomach.
"Oof!"
Law was knocked back several meters, landing on one knee, his face pale.
The crowd cheered. "A clean hit!"
Ace, panting, felt a surge of victory. "So, Devil Fruit users aren't invincible after all!"
Law, however, slowly looked up, that cold smile still on his face. He held up his hand.
"Scalpel."
Ace froze. He felt a sudden chill. He looked down. His jacket had been sliced clean open, but his skin was untouched.
If that hadn't been a warning...
A single drop of cold sweat ran down Ace's temple.
Law stood up, brushing the dust off his pants. "Still want to fight?"
Ace was silent for a second, then broke into a wide, wild grin. "This is awesome! Again!"
"That's enough!" Zephyr's voice boomed.
Both boys stopped.
Zephyr walked onto the field, his face stern. "Ace. Your Haki is strong, but it's sloppy. You're just forcing it." He then looked at Law. "And you. Your stamina is pathetic. Using your fruit that much in your first real fight nearly drained you, didn't it?"
Law, still breathing hard, just nodded.
Roy walked over, smiling, and clapped both of them on the shoulder. "You both did well."
Ace just scowled, "I'll win next time!"
Law just glanced at him. "Whatever."
Zephyr suddenly let out a hearty laugh. "Roy, these two brats... they're interesting!"
Roy grinned. "Which is why I'll be counting on you to keep training them, Instructor."
"No problem!" Zephyr boomed. "The Navy can never have too many future leaders!"
As the recruits started talking, Drake kept his eyes fixed on Law, clenching his own fists.
"I have to get stronger, too!"
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