Phoenix Reborn In One Piece

"Hey!"

"Navigator!"

"How long until we reach Kanaira Island?!" shouted Jozu, captain of the 3rd Division.

"..."

"Based on the chart, we're about twenty minutes away!" the navigator said after checking the map.

"Twenty minutes…"

"Ace… hang in there. We're almost there!" Jozu said with a serious look.

When Marco heard they still needed over twenty minutes, he couldn't wait any longer.

He spoke up right away:

"There's no time!"

"Ace and the others have just been through days of intense fighting — they must be completely worn out!"

"Jozu!"

"I'll go ahead and back them up!"

"You lead the fleet and get to Kanaira Island as fast as you can!"

Marco didn't wait for a reply. As soon as he finished speaking, he turned into his full phoenix form and flew toward Kanaira Island at top speed.

Back in the fleet—

The pirates who could fly saw Marco take off and quickly followed. The situation was too urgent to worry about saving energy.

Seeing their flying crewmates leave, the rest of the pirates couldn't help but grow more anxious.

"Speed up, all of you!"

"If you can move, grab an oar and row!"

"Division Two is waiting for our support — we can't let them down!" Jozu's voice echoed across the entire fleet.

"Yeah!!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Captain Jozu!"

All the pirates shouted back loudly.

Then they began using anything they could find to make the ships go even faster.

————

Meanwhile, on the western coastline valley of Kanaira Island—

*Boom!*

*Boom boom boom!!!*

…

The sound of blows clashing echoed all the way to the coast.

The surviving pirates were now locked in a standoff with the Marines on Garp's ship.

Both sides knew about the relationship between Garp and Ace.

And before the fight began, Garp had ordered the Marines not to interfere. The pirates were also clearly exhausted.

So neither side made a move.

Everyone just stood there listening to the thunderous crashes from the valley. The pirates looked anxious, while the Marines wore strange expressions.

Even though it was technically a fight, everyone here knew—it was really just Garp giving a one-sided beating.

———

"Ace!"

"You can't block a punch full of love!" Another *boom* rang out right after Garp spoke.

"Argh!"

Ace let out another scream as his body was sent flying more than ten meters away.

He struggled to get back on his feet.

Now he realized—Garp wasn't even going all out. He was just flat-out disciplining him.

He didn't expect, after two years, to once again taste the "loving fist" of the old man.

Even though he didn't want to admit it, Ace had to face the fact that he'd forgotten—he already had a warm family all along.

Luffy, Sabo, Dadan, Makino, the old man, the village chief…

Ace looked toward Garp. His body was barely holding up, covered in blood and injuries.

He stared at Garp, eyes full of resolve and determination, and slowly spoke:

"Old man..."

"I admit, you're right. But at this point, I'm already part of the Whitebeard Pirates. And Whitebeard… he's my Pops now."

"For twenty years, I grew up under your protection. And I also got Pops' care and love, which gave me a peaceful, sheltered life. Back then, I was like a flower in a greenhouse—never tested by any real storms."

"But now, Pops is gone…"

"That harsh truth made me realize I can't keep relying on others. I have to use my own strength to protect what really matters."

After saying that, Ace took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling slightly.

Suddenly, an overwhelming aura burst out from inside him—his terrifying Conqueror's Haki!

It surged out like a giant tidal wave, sweeping across the entire island of Canailla in an instant.

The sky above was covered in black-and-red lightning, exploding again and again like thunderclaps of judgment.

Birds and beasts on the island, feeling this overwhelming pressure, scattered in panic.

People on the island trembled under the force, faces filled with fear and shock.

Seeing this, Garp's face showed a rare trace of pride. He laughed and said:

"Ace!"

"You've still got a long way to go. Let me teach you how to really use that power!"

As he spoke, an even stronger wave of Conqueror's Haki exploded from Garp's body. Bolts of lightning shot out of him directly, swirling around his body and even suppressing Ace's Haki!

As Garp released his Haki, the air around them grew heavy. The wild black-red lightning started to settle down, almost like it was obeying his will.

Ace was shocked by what he saw.

Garp's Haki wasn't just powerful—it was completely under his control. That black-red energy wrapped tightly around his strong frame.

Conqueror's Haki infusion!

Ace instantly recognized it. This was an advanced use of Conqueror's Haki!

And it was a level he hadn't reached yet.

Thinking of that, his eyes burned with determination. He wanted to master this powerful ability!

In an instant, a surge of blazing flames erupted from his body.

"No wonder they call him the hero of the Marines!"

"But old man, I'm not giving up!"

"Fire Fist!"

Ace threw a punch, trying to coat his flaming fist with Conqueror's Haki.

But he didn't succeed.

"Wahahaha!"

"You've still got a long way to go, Ace! If you want to learn this kind of power, you've got to learn how to take a hit first!"

As he said that, the pressure around him suddenly changed. A powerful Haki burst out of him, wrapping around his body.

"Hrah!"

Garp roared and slammed his fist forward, coated in Conqueror's Haki. The shockwave it created completely shattered Ace's fire fist.

Right after, he bent down slightly, like a bow being drawn.

The next moment, he launched forward like a cannonball, charging at Ace with unstoppable speed and force.

The ground Garp passed over was torn apart by the shockwave, turned to rubble in an instant. His figure shot across hundreds of meters like a bolt of lightning and appeared right in front of Ace.

Ace didn't have time to think. He crossed his arms to protect his chest and pushed his Haki to cover his whole body.

"Boom!!"

Garp's punch, covered in Conqueror's Haki, blasted Ace straight into the air!

Up in the sky, Ace coughed up blood from Garp's punch. His body looked like a bird with broken wings — or like a curled-up shrimp — twisted into a strange shape as he flew backwards over a hundred meters before crashing hard into the ground.

"Old man…"

"That wasn't… a punch of love at all…"

After those words, Ace lost consciousness and passed out in the wrecked valley.

"Ace!"

"Damn it!"

"Garp! What the hell did you do to Ace?!"

Marco finally arrived!

From the sky, he saw the state Ace was in and dived straight down toward him!

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