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Shock, disbelief, and utter astonishment—these emotions flashed across Bartholomew Kuma's eyes.
He stared intently at the man seated cross-legged not far ahead, whose right hand crackled with black and red lightning. Had he truly mastered it?
After merely half a month of meditation and rest, this man had surpassed the threshold that countless powerful figures had struggled with for years.
He had grasped the mightiest power in the world in one bold leap? But what Ace had gained was clearly more than that.
A smile curled at the corner of his lips and quickly spread across his entire face. He raised his right hand and extended a single finger.
Fsshh—
The sound of flames igniting rang out. A blazing fire surged from his fingertip, forming into a fireball that began to spin rapidly. In the blink of an eye,
the crimson flame expanded swiftly into a red sun nearly a hundred meters in diameter.
"I've gotten stronger," Ace murmured with a smile as he slowly stood, staring up at the blazing sphere above.
He had indeed grown more powerful. In this short time, he had undergone an astonishing transformation.
A technique like Flame Emperor, once difficult for him to execute, now felt effortless.
"A heat akin to the sun..."
He whispered softly, then turned to gaze at Arashi, who stood not far away.
His eyes narrowed, and black-red lightning suddenly burst forth, entwining with the fireball above his head.
Buzz!
In an instant, the fireball reacted as if struck by a violent chemical reaction, crackling with intensity.
Moments later, a scarlet glow radiated outward. A few breaths passed, and the red light faded into a brilliant orange-yellow hue.
The moisture in the air across the entire island evaporated in an instant. Temperatures skyrocketed, and nearby trees ignited spontaneously.
"The heat has nearly doubled!" Ace grinned.
Arashi had been right—there was still vast potential to be unlocked in the Flame-Flame Fruit.
If one day he could elevate the flame's heat to that of the sun, he could very well create one.
Kuma was beginning to realize that everything around them was burning.
The orange-yellow sphere on Ace's finger resembled a miniature sun, emanating a terrifying temperature capable of incinerating all in its path.
"Ahahaha!! Looks like your thoughts brought you great power!" Arashi burst out laughing.
Ace shifted his gaze, and the fireball vanished from his finger. He could sense that even that was not his true limit.
Several new techniques had formed in his mind over the past days—but now was clearly not the time to test them.
"Thank you very much for your guidance, Uncle Arashi!" Ace turned and bowed respectfully.
"Well done. From today onward, you finally have the qualifications to step onto the world stage!"
"I'm looking forward to your future, Ace!" Arashi smiled.
Ace lifted his head, smiling as well. "I feel like there's still a lot more room for me to grow."
"But your pirate crew in the New World won't wait for you to keep training here," Arashi sighed.
"The New World?" Ace's expression changed slightly as he turned to him, awaiting an answer.
"Seems that after Marineford, you've grown much more steady," Arashi remarked approvingly at Ace's composure.
"No one becomes King by being reckless," Ace replied with a calm smile.
Ever since mastering Advanced Conqueror's Haki, he felt his life had stepped into a completely new realm.
Even his thoughts and the way he viewed the world seemed different. Perhaps this was the confidence that came with power.
"You really have grown, Ace," Arashi said with a grin. "I suddenly find myself very interested in you."
He slowly extended a hand, curling his fingers as he beckoned. "Come on, let me see how strong you've truly become!"
Ace's eyes narrowed. Then he smiled and nodded. "I'd like to know how far I still have to go to reach you."
As the words fell, their eyes locked.
Buzz!
A spark of lightning seemed to flash in the void, and then waves of overwhelming Conqueror's Haki clashed.
The sky darkened into shades of black and red, and all the trees and plants on the island were forced to bend under the pressure.
Kuma's eyes widened as he locked his gaze on the two figures. He understood clearly—one was the teacher, the other the student.
After a month of training, the real battle between top-tier warriors was finally beginning.
Fsshh—
A lick of flame rose as Ace extended his hand, and a fiery spear appeared. Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki entwined around it, forming mysterious patterns on the shaft.
"Oh?" Arashi chuckled. "You learn fast!"
He stretched out his hand, summoning a thunder spear of his own.
Then, in the next instant—Ace's eyes flashed, and a burst of Conqueror's Haki surged forth as he hurled the flaming spear.
Whoosh!
The spear streaked forward, the flames engulfing everything within a twenty to thirty-meter radius, setting it ablaze. From a distance, it looked like a phoenix of fire soaring at its target.
"So this is one of the new abilities you've developed?" Arashi smiled, then hurled his lightning spear.
Thunder roared, gouging blackened trenches into the earth. In almost an instant, fire and lightning collided violently.
BOOM!!
Flames erupted. Lightning rampaged. The entire deserted island trembled. Kuma's pupils shrank sharply—because in that moment, both figures had vanished.
His gaze swept around quickly, and the next second, he saw them amid the clashing lightning and fire.
"Fire Fist!!"
"Billion Volt—Judgment!!"
Black-red lightning exploded, and another thunderous roar rang out. An invisible shockwave ripped across the terrain, brushing past Kuma's body.
He looked up in awe, realizing the entire sky had changed color. Soon after, the fire and lightning dispersed, and the two figures emerged.
"Very good. You're no longer that weakling from before," Arashi said with a smile.
"Thank you!!!" Ace replied firmly, clenching his fists.
He had finally begun to grasp the essence of flame—and the power of Haki. The fusion of these two elements was the foundation for stepping onto the peak of the strong.
And in that brief clash, he clearly sensed Arashi's Haki—it was like a vast, boundless ocean with no end in sight.
"I still have a long way to go," Ace thought to himself.
"Let's go. Your training is finished—I'll take you away from here," Arashi said with a sigh.
"From now on, how strong you become depends on you alone."
"Right!!" Ace nodded vigorously.
Half an hour later, the Thunder set sail from the deserted island. Three hours after that, they passed through the Red Line and entered the New World.
On deck, Ace wore a Marine uniform, a white cloak of justice draped over his back.
Arashi looked at him and chuckled. "If Garp could see you now, he'd probably be proud!"
"The dreams we have as kids are often the opposite of what we become as adults," Ace sighed.
He still remembered clearly how he used to follow behind Uncle Arashi, fantasizing about becoming the Marine King.
But now, after joining the Whitebeard Pirates, he carried an even heavier responsibility.
"Hahaha, as long as you stick to your moral bottom line, you'll always be yourself."
"Titles? Allegiances? They're just meaningless labels meant to describe the kind of person you are," Arashi laughed heartily.
Ace froze. He understood what that meant. Uncle Arashi clearly didn't care about the distinction between Marine and pirate.
"I've always wondered—what exactly is it that you're trying to do?"
"Some of your words and actions don't really fit with what a Marine's supposed to be," Ace asked curiously.
"Then tell me, what is a Marine supposed to be?" Arashi replied calmly. "If it's something good for civilians, if it's just, then a Marine should do it, right?"
"Or do you think Marines are just the World Government's lapdogs?" he sighed.
Ace stood there stunned, falling deep into thought. In that moment, he finally started to understand where Arashi truly stood.
.....
At the same time, on the shore of a nameless, deserted island, A group of people sat idly, staring out at the sea.
"I'm going to pee. You all keep watching!" Suddenly, the rough-looking man leading them yelled, clutching his side and dashing off without waiting for a reply.
One of the square-faced men wore a puzzled expression—he had noticed this frequent urination problem for days now.
"Teach injured his kidney during that fight," Lafitte muttered, his tone unclear whether it was mockery or concern.
"Injured his kidney?" Sakazuki's face shifted slightly. A rare smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
His gaze swept over the group—he could clearly see the suppressed smiles on their faces.
This crew, despite their strength, wasn't united. They were together only because of shared interests.
Moments later, Marshall D. Teach returned.
"Well? No ships yet?" he asked.
"Our ship's anchor mechanism is shot. If we don't find a new vessel, we're stuck here," Van Augur replied, lowering his binoculars with a faint smile.
"Although…"
He paused.
"Although what?" Teach asked loudly.
"Well… it's a Marine warship," Van Augur answered.
"A warship? So what? Didn't we use one not long ago?" Teach scoffed.
"It's just a shame Sakazuki ditched that one and got us stuck here with a pirate ship," Avalo Pizarro sighed.
"Then we'll just seize another one!" Teach growled, turning toward the square-faced man beside him.
"You don't mind, do you, Sakazuki?"
Sakazuki's face turned cold. "No."
Hearing that, Teach let out a hearty laugh, then took the binoculars from Van Augur and looked toward the distant warship approaching on the horizon.
From this distance, it looked like a black dot. But as the ship drew nearer—Teach's face changed. It darkened—into fear.
"Arashi!!"
The moment that name was heard, everyone's expression changed instantly.
Faces turned pale across the board, and even Shiryu, whose neck was still wrapped in bandages, went green in the face. Fear flashed clearly in his eyes.
"Run!"
Doc Q didn't hesitate. He turned and bolted.
"Hey, hey, hey. Captain Teach now wields two Devil Fruit powers—you really think he's going to be afraid of Arashi at this moment?" Van Augur said in a low voice, his eyes locking onto Marshall D. Teach.
Teach's expression shifted slightly, lips twitching, but in the end, he said nothing.
He glanced again at the rapidly approaching black speck on the distant sea, then took a deep breath. "This isn't the time to fight him!"
Without further explanation, he swiftly turned and sprinted inland. The others all hesitated for a moment, their eyes flickering with tension.
They knew very well—despite having gained greater power—Blackbeard still lacked the confidence to face Arashi.
After all, that man's record was terrifying. In the blink of an eye, the island's shore was completely deserted.
Moments later, a Marine battleship slowly sailed past. Standing upright on the bow, arms crossed, was Arashi.
His gaze swept across the now-empty coastline before he calmly looked away.
He didn't keep his Observation Haki active at all times, so he hadn't sensed Teach's crew spotting him first.
Once the battleship drifted farther away, Marshall D. Teach and his crew cautiously resurfaced.
"He's gone! Must've just been passing through."
Everyone finally let out a collective sigh of relief, the tension on their faces fading. Clearly, their fear of Arashi had reached an almost instinctual level.
"Didn't expect to run into him right after entering the New World..." Teach muttered, his expression shifting.
If that man really was moving into the New World now, then Teach's entire plan would have to be delayed. If they were discovered, his crew could be in serious danger.
Right now, the Blackbeard Pirates were dirt poor. Aside from the dozen or so core members, they had nothing. Even their ship was stolen.
Still, every one of them had faith that with their abilities, once they got into this sea ruled by pirates, they would quickly rise and carve out a new empire.
"He's probably just passing through," Lafitte said softly. "He's too busy preparing to become Fleet Admiral to care about the situation here."
Beside him, Sakazuki's face was cold, his fist clenched tightly.
"You're probably right."
"Still, looks like we'll need to lay low for a while," Teach added, finally relaxing.
No one objected. Until they had time to grow stronger, clashing head-on with Arashi would be suicide.
Meanwhile, aboard the Warship.
"Just drop me off at that island ahead!"
Ace smiled as he spoke.
"Alright," Arashi replied. "I don't really have time to take you all the way to the Whitebeard Pirates anyway."
"Besides," he added with a chuckle, "I doubt Marco and the others would welcome me right now."
Arashi gave a faint smile.
"Once I leave this ship, we're enemies, Uncle Arashi," Ace suddenly said seriously.
"Then you better be careful," Arashi replied with a grin. "If I ever catch you on the battlefield, you're going straight to Impel Down."
"Hahaha!"
"Deal!"
Ace laughed heartily, then without hesitation leapt from the bow.
Within two breaths, a jet of flame burst from the ocean, and Ace soared away, standing atop the fire.
Arashi stood at the bow, watching him disappear into the distance before slowly retracting his gaze. The Warship was silent. Bartholomew Kuma stood quietly at the helm, hands on the wheel.
"You must be wondering a lot," Arashi said with a soft smile.
"I am," Kuma admitted quietly. "Ace is a pirate... but you...?"
"There are plenty of people in this world asking that same question," Arashi said, smiling faintly.
"So then," he asked gently, "who do you think my true enemy is?"
Kuma paused, lost in thought for a long moment before replying, "Pirates?"
To a Marine, that was the obvious answer.
Pirates had the greatest impact on the world—slaughtering civilians, destroying islands, setting sail to chase their selfish desires.
Arashi smiled again, his eyes growing deep and thoughtful.
"If everyone in the world believes that... things would get very interesting."
After a brief pause, he looked away again.
"But in time, you and I will both come to understand who the true enemy really is."
Kuma's eyes grew dazed. He found it harder and harder to see through this man. Yet he couldn't deny a strange curiosity was growing within him—an anticipation.
Once Arashi truly assumed the title of Fleet Admiral... what kind of world would he create?
"Return to HQ," Arashi said calmly. "It's time I prepared to take up the mantle of Fleet Admiral."
Kuma nodded silently.
Though he still held the title of Warlord of the Sea, he knew full well—once Arashi became Fleet Admiral, a wave of sweeping reforms would follow.
Perhaps even targeting the Warlords. Truth be told, the current state of the Seven Warlords was already falling apart.
Doflamingo, Moria, Hancock, and even Kuma himself—each of them had deep ties with Arashi.
Jinbe had been stripped of his Warlord status. Teach had broken away during the Summit War. Of the seven, four already obeyed Arashi.
Only Dracule Mihawk remained—and one man alone wasn't enough to uphold the institution. That alone was enough to show how terrifying Arashi had become.
Today's Marines were perhaps the strongest in history, more powerful than any previous era. With that kind of strength behind him... what would Arashi do next?
Kuma's thoughts were in turmoil. The future was uncertain, almost unimaginable—yet he couldn't help but look forward to it.
Time passed swiftly. Another month went by.
The aftermath of the Summit War had begun to cool. People were no longer obsessed with the Whitebeard Pirates' defeat or the power of the Marines.
Things gradually returned to normal. But in the New World, chaos only intensified. Power struggles erupted across the seas.
.....
Marine Headquarters – Marineford.
"Are you ready, Arashi?"
"Remember—this is your final step before becoming Fleet Admiral. Don't say anything reckless."
"No matter how angry or aggrieved you feel, you must swallow it down at this moment."
Sengoku's voice was heavy with seriousness. His uniform was immaculate, adorned with medals.
Across from him, Arashi wore the same composed smile, also decorated with medals.
"If you make it through this, you'll officially be the next Fleet Admiral," Sengoku said again.
"After that... whatever direction you choose, it'll be entirely up to you."
He understood Arashi's deep conflicts with the World Government—be it the battle at Mary Geoise or the ambush years ago that landed him in Impel Down. The animosity between them ran too deep.
How could they convince the World Government to approve Arashi as the next Fleet Admiral?
It was a question with no easy answer. Even Sengoku had no solution.
"Don't worry," Arashi said with a calm smile. He seemed completely unfazed, as if this didn't trouble him at all.
Sengoku studied him closely for a moment longer, then gave a slight nod.
"Very well. Let's begin."
He signaled to the Marine officer nearby. The officer, tense and sweating, pressed the button to open the communication line. The screen flickered, then cleared—revealing a magnificent palace.
Seated on a couch were five grim, elderly men—the Five Elders.
As the screen stabilized, all five turned their gazes directly toward the camera.
"Sengoku."
"We've been waiting a long time for this meeting."
"Tell us—what reason do you have to make us accept him as the legitimate Fleet Admiral?"
The speaker was Topman Warcury, one of the Five Elders and the Warrior God of Legal Affairs. He wore a heavy frown and had a distinct walrus mustache.
Even through the screen, the oppressive authority of the Five Elders radiated outward, making the young Marine officer beside Sengoku tremble with sweat.
These were the highest authorities in the world. A single word from them could doom a nation or wipe an island from existence.
"Honored Five Elders," Sengoku said, giving a small respectful smile. "We come before you sincerely and humbly to discuss this matter."
Arashi still wore a faint smile, his demeanor light and easy. He looked completely unbothered by the Five Elders' presence—calm and aloof, with no visible emotion.
The Five Elders fell silent. All five pairs of eyes locked onto Arashi.
"Long time no see, gentlemen," Arashi said with a light chuckle. His voice was friendly and casual—showing not even a hint of the blood-soaked history between them.
A glimmer flashed through the eyes of the Elders. One of them suddenly smirked, amusement in his expression.
"For years, all of the Marines' finances—weapon supplies, base construction, food rations, even uniform production—have been funded by the World Government."
"In other words, the Marines exist because we allow them to."
The speaker was Saint Ethanbaron V. Nasujuro, the Warrior God of Finance. He wore a white kimono and held a katana in his hand.
"And as such, the Marines must follow our will."
"Without the World Government, there is no Marine force."
His eyes narrowed on Arashi.
"You and I both understand our conflict. So then..."
"On what grounds can you possibly convince us to recognize your legitimacy as Fleet Admiral?"
The Fleet Admiral's office went dead silent.
Sengoku's face was tight with anxiety as he looked toward Arashi. He was afraid that Arashi might say something explosive.
At this moment, no matter how furious or resentful he might feel, Arashi had to lower his head and pass this final hurdle.
But after a long pause... Arashi suddenly laughed. His tone was light, laced with the slightest hint of disdain.
"Do I need your approval?"
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