A meteor slammed into the Sabaody Archipelago with overwhelming force. A vast sea of flames erupted outward from the impact point, melting the ground at the center into glowing liquid. Scorching fire rolled across the area, and amid the raging inferno, a faint silhouette slowly emerged.
Kizaru's expression darkened. He knew immediately that another dangerous figure had arrived.
Luffy stared fixedly at the flickering outline within the flames. A guess had already formed in his mind, but he dared not believe it just yet.
Emma frowned slightly, her eyes filled with contemplation as she carefully observed the figure taking shape.
The rolling flames seemed almost alive as they gathered together, wrapping around the silhouette before slowly dispersing. When the fire finally faded, the devastated area gradually returned to calm.
"Yo, long time no see!"
"Luffy."
The voice was deep and warm, filled with unmistakable affection. Luffy's pupils widened as he stared at the black-haired, shirtless young man before him. In the next instant, he cried out and lunged forward without hesitation.
"Ace!"
Luffy was overflowing with excitement. He had never expected to meet Ace here, of all places.
"My foolish little brother," Ace said with a sighing laugh, pressing one hand firmly against Luffy's head to stop him from hugging him. "After all these years, you're still such a crybaby."
Luffy's tears and snot were already a mess. Ace had no intention of letting all of that smear onto him.
"Ace, it's really Ace," Luffy said, sniffing loudly.
All the ferocity he had shown earlier was gone. He looked like nothing more than an overjoyed child reunited with family.
"It looks like you ran into some trouble," Ace said as he patted Luffy's head.
His gaze briefly shifted toward Emma, lingering for a moment before turning sharp and serious as he looked at Kizaru.
"Well, if it isn't Borsalino," Ace said calmly. "I'm curious how my foolish little brother managed to offend someone like you."
"How frightening," Kizaru replied, spreading his hands. "The Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Fire Fist Portgas D. Ace."
Although he appeared relaxed on the surface, Kizaru felt genuine pressure.
Lucien Graves had vanished in the middle of the battle, leaving him alone to face multiple dangerous individuals. The situation had turned unfavorable very quickly.
"You look a bit rough," Ace remarked as he looked Kizaru up and down.
Kizaru's face was smeared with blood, his clothes torn, his entire appearance disheveled. Ace was mildly surprised. With Luffy's current strength, this should not have been possible.
It had to be her.
Ace cast a subtle glance toward Emma.
He knew better than anyone that Luffy's growth had deviated sharply from what it should have been. Still, even so, Luffy alone could never have pushed Kizaru into such a state.
Kizaru's gaze grew cold in response to Ace's scrutiny, but he said nothing.
"Burururu…"
Just as Kizaru was considering whether to act, the Den Den Mushi hidden in his sleeve began to ring.
Despite the prolonged battle, it remained intact, its will to survive surprisingly strong.
"Hello," Kizaru answered.
"Is Fire Fist Ace currently at the Sabaody Archipelago?" Sengoku's voice came through clearly.
The Marines had been closely monitoring the movements of the Four Emperors and their powerful subordinates. Ace had made no effort to hide his presence, making it impossible to miss.
"He's standing right in front of me," Kizaru replied evenly. "If you intend to act, you'll need Kuzan and Sakazuki. Silvers Rayleigh might interfere as well."
Kizaru made no attempt to conceal the conversation, speaking openly in front of Ace, Luffy, and Emma.
There was a brief silence on the other end before Sengoku spoke again.
"Abandon the Straw Hat Pirates for now. Eliminate the other pirate crews on the Sabaody Archipelago," Sengoku said firmly. "If the Straw Hat Pirates fail to recognize the situation, Aokiji and Akainu will return from the New World."
"If Pluton Silvers Rayleigh makes a move, I will personally go to the Sabaody Archipelago and speak with him."
"Relay these words to Fire Fist, Straw Hat, and Pluton."
The Den Den Mushi clicked as the call ended, Sengoku's authoritative voice cutting off abruptly.
"This really is troublesome," Kizaru muttered, lowering the Den Den Mushi as he looked at the three in front of him.
There was no need to repeat Sengoku's words. The volume alone had ensured everyone heard them clearly.
"So," Kizaru said calmly, "what will you choose?"
He deliberately handed the decision over to Ace.
"I'm going to punch…" Luffy began hotly.
In his mind, Kizaru had hurt his companions, and that alone was reason enough to fight.
Before he could finish his sentence, Ace smacked him on the head.
Bang.
"Ace, why did you hit me?" Luffy cried, clutching his head with a wounded expression that looked no different from when he was a child.
"It's a miracle you've survived this long," Ace said, rubbing his forehead. "And it's only because someone has always been protecting you from behind."
Since they were children, Ace had wanted to correct Luffy's reckless, single-minded nature. Clearly, he had failed.
If Luffy did not have a powerful grandfather, an influential father, and a capable older brother, he would have been dead long ago.
His strength was still limited, yet his arrogance knew no bounds. If he had been anyone else, the grass on his grave would already be three meters tall.
The Marines were well aware of Luffy's background. Otherwise, someone like him would never have been allowed to escape incidents like Enies Lobby.
"I really want to fight you," Ace continued, turning his gaze back to Kizaru. "But I have no interest in provoking Aokiji, that mad dog Akainu, or even Sengoku himself. The Marines are still terrifying."
"Instead of wasting time here, I'd rather share a few drinks with my foolish little brother. After all, it's been years since we last met."
"Let's go."
With that, Ace turned away and patted the back of Luffy's head, making it clear he had no intention of escalating the situation.
If Aokiji, Akainu, or even Sengoku arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago, Ace knew he could not protect Luffy and the others.
It might even ignite a full-scale war.
That was not what Ace wanted, nor was it what Sengoku wanted.
Kizaru watched the three of them depart, his eyes deep and cold, gleaming faintly.
He did not stop them.
Still, today's beating had been for nothing.
Elsewhere, Momousagi and Sentomaru continued leading Marine forces against Zoro and the others. Without Emma holding them back, the Marines had completely seized the advantage.
Then the Den Den Mushi rang again.
Momousagi answered, listened briefly, and immediately halted the assault.
"Retreat," she ordered.
Her expression was solemn as she ended the call.
Just as the Marines withdrew, Ace, Luffy, and Emma arrived.
"Luffy!"
Nami and the others let out sighs of relief when they saw him unharmed.
"Nami, Robin, Chopper…" Luffy waved enthusiastically, afraid they might not notice him.
"Luffy, why did the Marines retreat?" Nami asked, her eyes drifting toward Ace.
The others stared as well, mouths slightly open in disbelief. They clearly recognized who Ace was.
Ace did not respond immediately. Instead, he turned his head and frowned slightly as he looked toward a distant, disappearing figure.
"You're Fire Fist Ace," someone whispered. "With a bounty of 1,689,000,000 berries."
"Fire Fist Ace? He's Luffy's brother?"
Amid the stunned gazes and excited murmurs, Ace regained his composure and flashed a relaxed smile.
"You must be my foolish little brother's companions," he said warmly. "Thanks for taking care of Luffy all this time."
His eyes brightened as he suddenly opened his arms and pulled Nami into a hug.
Nami froze instantly, her body stiff with shock. Before she could react, Ace had already released her and hugged Robin as well.
Robin responded with a polite but awkward smile, remaining composed throughout.
Just as Ace stepped back, a sharp sonic boom echoed across the sky. A streak of light slammed into the ground not far away, triggering a massive explosion. Lightning crackled wildly as it gathered in the air.
"A troublesome guy has arrived," Ace said gravely.
Luffy and the others tensed at once, instinctively preparing themselves as if facing a powerful enemy.
Enel hovered in midair, looking slightly disheveled. Blood stained the corner of his mouth, his hair wild as lightning danced around his body. His azure eyes narrowed as he stared down at Ace and the others.
Their first meeting had been anything but pleasant.
He had no interest in conversation.
"We will meet again," Enel said coldly.
His gaze lingered on Emma and Ethan, who had just emerged from a distant crater. After leaving those words behind, Enel vanished into the sky, transforming into lightning once more.