One Piece - Heaven Defying Comprehension!

[TL/N: Merry Christmas Everyone!]

----

Aboard the going merry

A warm, yellow light enveloped Ace as it healed the frostbite covering much of his body. Kaya's lips pressed together as her beautiful eyes reddened with worry.

Meanwhile, Ace...

"Ugh! Gulp, gulp!"

He ravenously devoured the food that Raki had served, stuffing it into his mouth at an unbelievable pace. His body was absorbing the nutrients with full force, replenishing every cell. Each one of Ace's cells, like a starving beast, greedily devoured the energy from the food, speeding up his recovery and making him stronger with each bite.

"Your cooking just keeps getting better, Raki," Ace mumbled with his mouth full, praising her as he continued to eat. 

Raki said nothing, quietly setting more dishes of delicious food before him. 

Nami, Vivi, and Nojiko stood nearby, looking at Ace's frostbitten body with concern, their eyes tinged with sadness. They had never seen him injured before. No matter the danger—whether it was Arlong, Crocodile, a Shichibukai, or even Enel, the Thunder Fruit user who became lightning incarnate on Sky Island—Ace always emerged unscathed.

But this time was different. Ace was hurt, and badly.

Tashigi bit her lip, silently watching him. Conis, who had wanted to play her harp for him, found herself unable to muster the spirit and sat quietly, gazing at Ace. Robin remained composed, but behind her mature demeanor, her beautiful eyes held a flicker of worry and guilt. After all, it was her presence that had drawn Aokiji to them.

The atmosphere aboard the going merry was heavy.

When Ace had returned, flames still dancing across his body, the girls had rushed to him, expecting to greet him with their usual hugs. But they froze when they saw the large patches of frostbite covering his skin. 

Their eyes were filled with tears. Kaya immediately used her Healing Fruit powers to treat him, while Raki prepared food. Under Kaya's guidance, Nami and Vivi applied medicine to Ace's frostbitten wounds. The others gathered around, worry etched on their faces.

Noticing the tense mood, Ace paused mid-bite after restoring some of his strength.

"Why do you all look like wilted flowers?" he asked, a helpless smile tugging at his lips.

"Ace, you're hurt," Kaya said, her voice trembling as she bit her lip, her eyes filled with tears.

"Getting injured in battle is nothing unusual," Ace replied with a carefree laugh. "It was a hell of a fight, really exciting. And besides, I've got you, my ship's doctor."

Ace grinned, glancing at the frostbite still being healed by the warm glow of Kaya's Healing Fruit power.

It had been a long time since he'd felt this way—wounded, in pain, bleeding. This was a real fight, a true battle for survival. Not even his matches against Garp had felt this intense. This was a clash between equals.

Ace chuckled to himself, feeling the energy surge through his body. If he focused, he could feel his Combat Breath Technique ready to push his limits even further. The battle with Aokiji had left him stronger, sharper.

"Still, it seems I'll have to follow my doctor's orders carefully for the next week," Ace said, ruffling Kaya's hair.

"Your body is already healing thanks to the Healing Fruit, but the cold frostbite is too severe to cure instantly. You'll need to apply frostbite medicine daily, and it should take about a week to fully recover," Kaya explained, her voice filled with both concern and determination.

"Haha, no problem. A week's nothing," Ace reassured her with a gentle smile.

"I... I'll get stronger," Kaya said softly, her eyes shining with resolve.

Ace's injury had shown her the limits of her power. If her Healing Fruit had been awakened like Aokiji's Frozen Fruit, she could have healed him completely. Kaya clenched her fists, determined to improve.

"Ace, who won between you and Aokiji?" Robin finally asked, her voice quiet but her eyes intense.

Everyone's gaze turned to Ace.

His eyes flickered as he recalled the final moments of the battle. The uninhabited island, unable to withstand the sheer force of their clash, had collapsed entirely, wiped off the map.

Aokiji was a true powerhouse, one of the most fearsome Admirals in history. His Haki and fruit powers had clearly surpassed Ace's. Without the combination of his Great Flame Ring technique, which blended Conqueror's Haki, physical energy, and the Mera-Mera Fruit, he wouldn't have stood a chance against Aokiji's final attack. 

But even with that, Aokiji's blow—fueled by his awakened Frozen Fruit and immense Armament Haki—had left Ace at a disadvantage, inflicting serious injuries. 

Of course, Aokiji hadn't escaped unscathed either. Ace's Great Flame Ring had inflicted heavy damage, and both of them had silently agreed to halt the fight. Aokiji's mission had been to observe Robin, not to have a dead and alive battle with Ace.

Ace smiled inwardly. Although his current strength couldn't quite match Aokiji's yet, if it came to a fight to the death, Ace was confident he would outlast the Admiral.

But that didn't mean he was foolish enough to underestimate an opponent like Aokiji. Forcing someone of his caliber to a corner would come at a great price. Ace's Observation Haki couldn't even predict the full extent of that danger.

Next time, though, Ace vowed that he wouldn't be at a disadvantage.

"It was a tie," he said, snapping back to the present with a grin.

"A tie?" Robin murmured, biting her lip. A battle between Ace and a Marine Admiral—the highest combat power of the World Government—had ended in a draw?

Robin had always believed in Ace, but even she had felt a deep anxiety during the battle. Aokiji's power had left a shadow in her heart since Ohara, a power that felt invincible. But Ace had faced him head-on and fought to a standstill. 

"Ace, I want to get stronger," Robin said with firm resolve in her voice.

The other girls looked at each other, then back at Ace, their faces filled with determination.

"We all do," Nami added, her voice steady.

Facing the Marine Admiral, their strength was simply not enough. All the girls could do was watch from afar as Ace and Aokiji clashed.

They never wanted to feel that helpless again.

They were determined to become a force Ace could truly rely on.

"Of course, I'll help you all get stronger," Ace smiled as he stood and looked at them. "But first..."

He stretched and let out a tired sigh, his voice softening. "Let me sleep for a bit."

"Once I'm rested, I'll start personalized training for each of you."

His grin widened as he glanced at the girls.

"Understood!" they replied in unison, nodding firmly.

But when Ace mentioned personalized training, Nami, Vivi, Kaya, and Nojiko, who had experienced this before, blushed slightly. Despite their embarrassment, their eyes reflected determination and a hint of anticipation.

Ace made his way to his cabin, washed up quickly, and collapsed onto the bed, pulling the quilt over himself. Sleep overtook him almost instantly.

As he rested, the "Combat Turtle Breathing Technique" began to circulate within him, allowing his body, Haki, and stamina to improve at a remarkable rate.

---

Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the battle, Aokiji sat alone on a shard of ice that was all that remained of the once-uninhabited island.

"Ah... I might have gone too far this time," he muttered, exhaling a puff of frosty air. He gently applied a layer of ice over the burns on his body, which were quite extensive. His tattered suit bore witness to the intensity of the clash.

Initially, Aokiji had come just to observe Nico Robin and assess the notorious Portgas D. Ace, Garp's adopted grandson, who was stirring up the seas. Yet, here he was, nursing serious injuries.

"Well," he shrugged, "I guess I'll enjoy an extended vacation."

He fumbled for his transponder snail frozen on ice. After waking it up, he made a call.

——

Back at Marine Headquarters, the den-den mushi rang in the Marshal's office.

"Bru-buru-buru!"

Sengoku raised an eyebrow, staring at the ringing device. Aokiji? He was surprised. Aokiji was notoriously lazy and rarely took the initiative to contact anyone.

"Well, this is new," Sengoku muttered as he answered the call. "Aokiji, what's this about?"

Sengoku's irritation at Aokiji's usual slothfulness bled through. He had high hopes for Aokiji becoming the next Fleet Admiral, but his indifference made that hope wane.

"Marshal, it's a miracle I'm even making this call," Aokiji's drawling voice came through, prompting Sengoku's expression to darken.

"What happened?" Sengoku asked, his tone growing serious.

"Marshal, could you send a warship my way? And maybe a doctor, too. Bring burn ointment while you're at it."

Sengoku was momentarily stunned. "You... you're injured?"

"Yeah," Aokiji replied. "I went to check on Nico Robin and meet Garp-san's infamous grandson, Portgas D. Ace. Turns out, I got pretty banged up."

"You fought Ace?! And you were injured?!" Sengoku's voice rose in disbelief.

Aokiji sighed. "Yeah. He burned me pretty good."

Sengoku could hardly believe what he was hearing. He knew Aokiji's strength well—powerful Armament Haki, mastery over the awakened Frozen Fruit, and the iron fist of a seasoned Marine, capable of fighting the Four Emperors themselves. And yet...

"You froze him, didn't you?" Sengoku asked, trying to regain composure.

Aokiji let out a dry chuckle. "No, Marshal. I didn't freeze him. In fact, the fight ended in a draw. I used everything I had."

Sengoku was speechless.

A draw? Between Ace and an Admiral? The gravity of Aokiji's words hit Sengoku like a freight train. Ace, mastering Conqueror's Haki, was able to fight one of the Navy's greatest warriors to a stalemate.

"You can't be serious," Sengoku finally managed.

"I am," Aokiji replied. "Ace has fully mastered Conqueror's Haki—he's even capable of imbuing it with advanced techniques. And his crew..."

Aokiji paused before elaborating. "He has the Sand-Sand Fruit, the Thunder Fruit, and the mythical Suzaku Fruit—all in the hands of his crewmates."

Sengoku's mouth hung open in disbelief. He was familiar with the terrifying potential of these Logia and Zoan-type fruits. The Entei Pirates had Devil Fruits that rivaled even the Navy's strongest forces.

"And," Aokiji continued, "Portgas D. Ace himself wields the Mera-Mera Fruit, with the power to match my own."

Sengoku couldn't process the enormity of it all. "This... this is the strength of an Emperor's crew!" he muttered.

Aokiji exhaled deeply. "The seas are changing, Marshal. Ace is the center of it all. If this continues, the era will be thrown into chaos."