Under Ace's complete control, the massive Fire Pillar shrank steadily, collapsing until it reached a final form: half a meter in diameter and three meters high. The color of the flames deepened from the original dark red to a vivid, molten crimson at its center, signifying maximum elemental concentration.
Ace, in his elemental form, stood squarely at the center of the pillar, feeling the heat radiating from every inch. Carefully, he gauged the temperature.
"Six hundred degrees… a little higher, this seems to be the limit," he muttered, his senses fully attuned to the heat. Even a Logia user could feel the difference between a weak fire and one at its potential maximum. He allowed the flames to dissipate, feeling a twinge of disappointment.
"Try again!"
"Fire Ring—Fire Pillar!"
The column of fire erupted explosively and then began its controlled collapse, extinguishing precisely at the calculated moment.
"Again!"
"Fire Ring—Fire Pillar!"
Boom!
…
He repeated the cycle countless times: spraying, compressing, reforming. Despite the changes in shape and flow, the maximum temperature remained stubbornly at 600 degrees Celsius.
Panting, Ace collapsed to the ground, sweat dripping down his forehead. "Huhhuh! Is this… really the limit?" His expression revealed his frustration. This temperature was far too low for him to feel safe against an opponent like Akainu.
"Damn it, why only 600 degrees? There should be no upper limit to fire!" Ace muttered through gritted teeth. "If this is truly the cap for the Mera Mera no Mi, it's too weak. At the very least, it should be capable of magma-like heat!"
Over the next few days, Ace experimented tirelessly. He tried condensing the flame differently, altering the elemental density, even combining elemental bursts—but no matter the approach, the flame stubbornly refused to exceed 600 degrees.
He sighed, recalling lessons from the original Ace's timeline. "No wonder Akainu said magma and lava types overpower weaker flames. If the Mera Mera no Mi maxes at 600 degrees, it makes sense why Akainu crushed so many lower-tier users. If I rely only on this, I'd be dead in the New World. That's why Ace had to invent so many unique moves."
Ace's thoughts wandered. "In the original timeline, the Mera Mera no Mi supposedly could reach 10,000 degrees. Why is my flame capped at 600? So frustrating."
He reminded himself that the Mera Mera no Mi was not purely a "temperature fruit." If it could theoretically go infinitely hot, it would surpass anything in nature—humans' highest scientific measurements, the surface of the sun, even the core of planets. Infinite heat would make him effectively untouchable.
Since the flame's maximum temperature seemed absolute, Ace resolved to develop new techniques instead. He could still enhance the fire in ways other than raw temperature, creating surprise attacks or manipulating its density, form, and compression.
"Time to work on practical applications." He clenched his fist, and a fireball half a meter wide materialized in his palm. He concentrated, compressing it until its volume was reduced tenfold.
"Fire Bomb!" Ace hurled it forward.
Boom!
The fireball detonated ten meters away, carving a large crater into the rocky ground. Ace analyzed the timing: compressing fivefold took three seconds; tenfold took seven. Effective, but far too slow for combat.
"No one would wait while I charge a tenfold fireball. I have to speed this up." He tried again, releasing a new half-meter fireball and compressing it.
For three days, Ace repeatedly refined the compression technique, finally reducing tenfold compression to a single second. Fivefold took only a third of a second.
"Huh~, if I want to release a compressed fireball in one fluid motion, I'll need more training. But even at one second, this can be a trump card." He smiled, seeing the freshly scorched craters. His fire bombs were growing in power with each repetition.
"Next… let's try shaping flames." Ace concentrated, condensing a massive burst of fire in his right hand. Slowly, the flames formed into a solid flaming sword.
"Ha! Flame shaping is easier than I imagined." His eyes sparkled with excitement. "Now, what should I call it?"
"Fire Sword? Fire Emperor Sword? Inferno King's Blade?"
Finally, he decided: "Everything returns to dust—the blade flows like fire!" He positioned his empty right hand above his left palm, and a long sword of condensed flames slowly materialized as if drawn from the very air.
"Yes! Shouting the name makes it feel more powerful." Ace said with satisfaction, raising the flaming sword high.
"One last move." He flicked his arm. The flaming sword dissolved, and he focused on his legs, transforming them into elemental flames.
"Sky Flame!"
Boom!
The flames burst outward like rocket jets. In an instant, Ace propelled himself off the ground, soaring into the sky with deafening force. His figure streaked upward, leaving a trail of molten crimson fire, the heat radiating enough to sear the sand below.
Ace, now fully embracing the powers of the Mera Mera no Mi, felt the exhilaration of mastering his body and flame together. Though the 600-degree limit remained, the ability to compress, shape, and project fire with deadly precision had become a deadly arsenal.
"This… this is just the beginning. With enough training, I can combine compression, flame shaping, and elemental bursts to survive in the New World. And when the time comes… even Akainu will have to take me seriously." Ace's eyes gleamed with determination under the scorching heat of his own flames.
The air around him shimmered with the heat of his elemental fire as he hovered above the island, ready to push the limits of the Mera Mera no Mi and prepare for the battles yet to come.