Ace, let them leave just like that?"
Gambi approached Ace, his brow furrowed in confusion. "With your current strength, you could easily stop them."
Ace didn't deny it. Ever since he had eaten the Mera Mera no Mi, his power had skyrocketed. Even without fully mastering it yet, he felt his strength far beyond that of an ordinary pirate or even most Navy officers. While he hadn't reached the level of the Shichibukai, he could certainly overwhelm one or two mid-tier officers from the **** without breaking a sweat.
But now was not the time to wage an all-out battle against a powerful family whose influence stretched across the Grand Line.
"The Donquixote Family…" Ace murmured, eyes narrowing. He remembered that in the original timeline, his identity had been exposed to the world after joining the Whitebeard Pirates, with shadows of Donquixote Doflamingo looming behind every move. If the Mera Mera no Mi was taken from their shipment, it made sense why they'd pursue him immediately.
He knew well that his Gol D. Roger bloodline was a ticking time bomb. If his identity were exposed too early, the Navy and the World Government would never allow him to survive freely. Even the old enemies of Roger could turn his life into hell. If he couldn't grow strong enough before the "time bomb" detonated, he would need a backer powerful enough to shield him.
Yet even with that, the number of people in the seas capable of genuinely protecting him wasn't infinite—but neither was it zero. Falling into someone else's hands and being forced into subordination was unacceptable to Ace's pride.
By the way, he had already awakened Conqueror's Haki, a Haki even Whitebeard had acknowledged. That explained why Ace never relied on it publicly while in Whitebeard's crew—he didn't need to, and it might attract attention he couldn't risk.
He reflected: in the original timeline, the Navy and World Government didn't know Ace's true identity until after he joined the Whitebeard Pirates. That window had allowed him to survive early Grand Line adventures, but it wouldn't last forever. If he couldn't get stronger before then, he might be forced to follow the same path as the original Ace and become a subordinate of someone like Whitebeard.
Ace grimaced at the thought. The idea of being sent to serve someone else stirred unease in him. "Time is precious… I have to get stronger first. There's no other way."
Currently, the fastest route to power was mastering the Mera Mera no Mi. Ace focused on one method: raising the temperature of his flames. He hadn't considered pattern changes like in the original Ace's battles—his priority was sheer destructive heat.
From memories of his 21st-century otaku self, he knew various fuels could increase flame temperature. But now, after eating the fruit, he was the flame. His own physical body was the fuel. There was no way to manipulate outside sources—he could only refine the flame from within.
He analyzed: a flame has three layers—the core, the middle, and the outer ring. The heat naturally increases from the outside in. If he could increase flame density, he might raise the temperature.
Ace lifted his right hand.
Whoosh!
A dark red flame erupted, coiling around his palm.
He observed it carefully. The fire now burned like regular paper on a stove—barely 200 degrees Celsius. For a Logia like him, that temperature was dangerously low. Against an admiral like Akainu, he would be incinerated in seconds.
"Too low… way too low," he muttered, disappointed.
He tried concentrating, compressing the flames, forcing them outward like a nozzle.
Whoosh!
The flame sprayed forward, different from the loose burn before. Its surface temperature doubled to roughly 400 degrees. Encouraged, Ace widened the attack to gauge range.
"Fire Ring—Fire Pillar!"
His entire body ignited as if he had become a living torch. The flames expanded into a massive pillar, ten meters in diameter. The heat was intense enough to scorch the surrounding sand.
"450 degrees… still not enough!" Ace growled.
He immediately concentrated, shrinking the fire pillar while keeping its intensity. The diameter shrank from ten meters… to five… four… three… two… The narrower the flame, the hotter it burned.
Meanwhile, Ace's mind raced with strategy. Learning **** was equally critical. To survive the New World, dual Haki mastery was practically standard. He already had a teacher in mind—someone whose name alone could inspire respect.
"If I want to master Haki, no one is more suitable than that person," he thought. But his priority remained the fruit. Without control of the Mera Mera no Mi, Haki alone wouldn't suffice against future enemies.
Turning toward his crew in thought, he shouted:
"You lot! Train hard! We may face the Shichibukai one day. If your power isn't enough by then, don't blame me if you die!"
The crew erupted in response:
"Captain Ace, who do you think will die?!"
"I'll cut the Shichibukai down myself, ha!"
"Does that mean Ace wants to replace them and become the new Shichibukai?"
"Long live the Shichibukai, long live Captain Ace!"
The cheering crew made Ace's head spin. "Ridiculous… I'm not a Shichibukai yet, but apparently they think I am. My future feels exhausting already…"
The next day, on a deserted island barely half a kilometer across, Ace stood alone at its center.
This was his training ground.
He focused on the Mera Mera no Mi, refining his flame temperature. He wasn't thinking about the combat patterns of the original Ace; survival and raw power were all that mattered.
From memory, he knew that different fuels produced varying flame temperatures. But as a Logia, he was the flame; physical strength itself was the fuel. There was no external manipulation. Only internal refinement would work.
Ace concentrated on the inner structure of fire. Core, middle, outer. Heat rises inward. Increasing density might increase temperature.
Raising his hand, he tested again.
Blaze!
Dark crimson fire erupted, coiling fiercely around his palm. The heat this time was slightly higher than before, and Ace could feel the intensity climbing.
He expanded the pillar again, this time shaping it carefully. Fire Ring—Fire Pillar. His body was now a living inferno.
The flames spread wider, controlled and focused. He felt the core temperature spike as the diameter contracted—ten meters… five… four… three… two…
Every contraction increased the heat. His body burned, yet he felt alive, stronger.
Ace muttered, clenching his fists:
"This is only the beginning. To survive the New World, I must master the fruit, master Haki, and surpass my limits. Time is my enemy, but I won't let it win."
The flames roared around him as he prepared for the grueling path ahead, fully aware that the **** would not forget this slight.
He smiled under his burning hat.
"Let them chase. I'll be ready."