The duel between Ace and Ash was completely one-sided.
Ace's flames from the Mera Mera no Mi were insignificant against Ash, barely worth noticing. His close combat was even worse, he could not land a single hit, nor even brush Ash's clothes.
In the end, Ash noticed the boy was on the verge of tears and deliberately stood still, allowing Ace to land a punch.
The result was immediate.
Ace cried out in pain the moment his fist struck Ash's body, which was coated in Armament Haki.
Ash found the whole situation amusing, but the members of the Dawn Faction were left speechless.
Even Fidel, who had only recently joined and had yet to obtain a Devil Fruit, could see the gap clearly. In his view, aside from the tricky nature of Ace's fruit, someone with solid Armament Haki and proper timing could defeat Ace quickly.
It was only when Ace, overwhelmed by frustration, lost control and unleashed Conqueror's Haki that the Dawn Faction began to take him slightly more seriously.
Even so, their reaction was limited.
None of them had awakened Conqueror's Haki themselves, but they had encountered it many times before.
They had fought Boa Hancock, Donquixote Doflamingo, and even Kaido.
On top of that, Silvers Rayleigh and Scopper Gaban were currently imprisoned aboard their ship.
Compared to those figures, Ace's Conqueror's Haki was still immature.
So while they acknowledged it, they remained unfazed.
Ace's Haoshoku spread outward, but the Dawn Faction continued watching as if nothing had happened.
On the other hand, the Spade Pirates were in complete disarray. Every weaker crew member, including Vice-Captain Deuce, collapsed unconscious, foaming at the mouth.
Ash glanced at their ship with mild disdain.
This level of crew?
If Ace had challenged Kaido in Wano under normal circumstances, without the Beasts Pirates being absent, the outcome would have been disastrous. Kaido was nothing like Edward Newgate. He would not show restraint.
The Spade Pirates would have been wiped out completely.
Ash decided he had played enough.
He was about to end the fight.
However, Ace turned and saw his entire crew lying unconscious. Then he looked back at Ash, a man so overwhelmingly powerful that he could not comprehend him.
Memories and fear surged together.
Would the people important to him die because of his weakness?
His mother had suffered. Would his crew suffer the same fate?
All for his dream? For recognition? To prove his worth? To surpass Gol D. Roger?
Was any of it worth their lives?
For the first time, doubt crept into Ace's heart.
His crew meant as much to him as Monkey D. Luffy and Sabo.
Fear followed.
Real fear.
"Don't…" Ace muttered, his voice trembling.
Ash tilted his head slightly. "What was that?"
"I said, don't hurt my crew!"
Ace roared as his lower body transformed into flames, charging forward recklessly.
Ash stepped forward and slammed him into the ground with a single stomp.
Looking down at Ace's back, he spoke casually.
"What exactly are you panicking about, Portgas D. Ace?"
He paused briefly, then continued.
"Or should I say, Gol D. Ace? Which one do you prefer?"
Ace's body froze.
Despite the pain, he forced himself to turn his head, his eye bloodshot with shock.
"You… what do you know?!"
Ash clicked his tongue.
"Isn't it obvious? You're the son of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. What's there to hide?"
"I've shared drinks with your adoptive grandfather, Monkey D. Garp. I know your brother Luffy's father as well."
"I even warned you twice, through others, not to go out to sea."
He looked down at Ace with faint disdain.
"Why are you acting surprised?"
Then his tone shifted slightly.
"Or do you think being the Pirate King's son is something to be proud of?"
Ace's expression changed.
He trusted Garp. He knew the old man would never casually reveal his secret.
But Ash's words struck deeper than that.
What was so great about being the Pirate King's son?
The question echoed in his mind.
That identity brought nothing but hatred from the world.
Curses.
Rejection.
There was nothing admirable about it.
"You…"
Ace's voice grew hoarse before rising into a furious shout.
"What do you know?!"
"How could someone like you understand what I carry?!"
"The pressure I face, the discrimination, the hatred from the entire world!"
His voice grew louder, more unstable.
"You don't know anything about my struggles!"
"I didn't choose to be born like this!"
"I didn't choose this cursed bloodline!"
"Who would want to be the Pirate King's son?! Who would want to be called the Devil's child?!"
When his outburst ended, only heavy breathing remained.
His eyes were unfocused, filled with unwillingness and pain.
Ash frowned slightly.
Honestly, he had no interest in playing the role of a therapist.
But if he stayed silent now, it would make him seem like the villain.
"Tch, what a hassle."
He scratched his chin before speaking.
"Most people are ignorant. They don't understand the truth, yet they love to run their mouths."
He looked at Ace with a steady gaze.
"This world is full of people who just follow the crowd."
"If you care that much about what others think, then honestly, you're making your own life harder than it needs to be."
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