"Although I agree with the world's judgment of Gol D. Roger, he truly was a scoundrel. If not for him, there wouldn't be so many pirates today. Without them, ordinary people wouldn't have to live in constant fear, worrying about being robbed or killed at any moment, especially when life is already difficult."
"So it's only natural for the world to despise and curse him."
As Ash spoke, the light in Ace's eyes gradually faded.
Yes, the Great Pirate Era had been started by his father. Everything traced back to that one man.
But then Ash shifted his tone.
"But what does that have to do with you, Gol D. Ace, or rather, Portgas D. Ace?"
Ace froze.
Ash looked at him with clear disdain.
"Think about it. Whether in law or basic morality, if you gain benefits, you also bear responsibility. That's common sense."
"Now let me ask you, what have you gained from being Roger's son?"
"Was it the One Piece? Endless wealth? A happy childhood?"
He paused briefly.
"None of that, right?"
"All you've received is contempt, discrimination, and curses for being the son of the Pirate King."
"And you lost both parental love from the moment you were born."
Ash clicked his tongue slightly, irritation flashing across his face.
"If anything, your mother gave everything to protect you. She at least loved you."
"But Roger?"
"He never even held you."
"Does someone like that deserve to be called a father?"
Ace's expression grew blank.
The more he listened, the more it made sense.
Something felt slightly off, yet he couldn't refute the logic.
Ash continued without pause.
"If you never received any benefits, then you don't owe any responsibility."
"Roger's sins belong to Roger alone."
"For the next hundred, even thousand years, history will record that in the year he died, a man named Gol D. Roger ignited the Great Pirate Era and plunged the world into chaos."
"As for you?"
"What connection do you have with him beyond blood?"
"Other than contributing what any man can, he had nothing to do with your life."
Ace's breathing grew heavier.
A thought began to take root.
The Great Pirate Era had nothing to do with him.
He hadn't even been born.
Why should he bear that burden?
He and Roger were strangers.
They had never even met.
The dim light in his eyes slowly returned.
At that moment, Ace no longer cared about proving himself or surpassing anyone.
He just wanted to live.
For himself.
For his mother.
For Monkey D. Luffy.
And for his crew.
When he looked at Ash again, the hostility in his gaze had softened.
"If you really believe that Roger's sins aren't mine, then why are you still stopping me from going out to sea?" Ace asked.
Ash rolled his eyes.
"I stepped on your head, not your brain. Did that somehow damage your thinking?"
"Do you even know what the Dawn Pirate Hunters are?"
"Do you understand what a pirate hunter does?"
"Forget you. Even if Roger came back to life, if he tried to pass through Reverse Mountain, I'd send him back to the grave."
"I warned you twice because of Monkey D. Garp. I didn't want him losing his grandson."
Ash pointed toward the Spade Pirates' ship in the distance.
"As long as you don't raise that pirate flag, I don't care what you do at sea."
Ace fell silent.
He didn't fully understand some of Ash's phrasing, but the meaning was clear.
More importantly, there was a way out.
A way to keep his crew alive.
"Then you…"
Before he could finish speaking, he felt the pressure on his head disappear as Ash lifted his foot.
Ash muttered under his breath.
"I've said everything that needed to be said. Time to keep my promise."
"Promise?"
Ace barely had time to react.
A sharp crack echoed.
Pain exploded from his leg.
His eyes widened, his mouth opening soundlessly before a delayed, agonizing scream tore out of his throat.
He rolled onto his side, clutching his broken leg, his body trembling violently.
Ash frowned slightly at the sight.
That had to hurt.
He looked away almost immediately, clearly uninterested in watching.
His gaze shifted back to Ace's exposed back.
Only then did he realize what had felt off earlier.
Something was missing.
Right.
No tattoo.
Ace without Edward Newgate's mark felt incomplete.
But with things having reached this point, Ace would likely never meet him.
Through the haze of pain, Ace faintly heard Ash's voice.
"Such a clean back. It would be a waste not to put something on it…"
"You… lunatic…"
Ace's vision darkened.
His body went limp as he finally lost consciousness.