One Piece - Heaven Defying Comprehension!

Three months passed in the blink of an eye.

Ace's life during these past three months could be summed up as eating, sleeping, and spending time with Luffy. Though Luffy was often beaten and needed several days to recover, he was always eager for more.

Luffy welcomed each challenge, because with every beating, he felt a step closer to being friends with Ace and Sabo. And it wasn't just Luffy's resolve that grew—both he and Sabo saw their strength increase rapidly, far surpassing what they'd achieved in the original story.

This, in turn, allowed Ace to further improve his Haki.

Finally, after three months, Luffy could no longer help Ace enhance his Conqueror's Haki. But Ace's Conqueror's Haki had doubled in power.

He truly is destined to be Nika, Ace thought.

---

"Alright, Luffy. You're down to your final test to join us."

Ace looked at Luffy, whose face was swollen beyond recognition, yet his eyes sparkled with determination. Sabo, standing nearby, was just as battered.

But despite their rough condition, neither of them showed any resentment. Instead, they were smiling, happy with their progress.

"R-really?!" Luffy mumbled through his swollen lips, his excitement barely contained.

"Yes." Ace nodded and turned toward Sabo. "You want to be a pirate, right? The first step to becoming a pirate is simple: go out and rob someone. And you're taking Sabo with you."

Ace's eyes gleamed as he spoke.

"I don't just want to be a pirate, I want to be the Pirate King!" Luffy shouted, the words bursting from his mouth.

"Pirate King, huh? Then let's take the first step."

Ace signaled to Sabo with a knowing glance.

"Come on, Luffy. There's something we need to do. It's a long road before we can buy a pirate ship," Sabo said, beckoning Luffy to follow.

During these past three months, Sabo had come to truly accept Luffy, even if he never openly admitted it. At least, when it came to enduring Ace's beatings, Luffy surpassed him.

"Okay!" Luffy exclaimed, his excitement renewed.

"But Ace, aren't you coming with us?" Luffy asked curiously.

"If he goes, it wouldn't be much of a test, would it, you idiot?" Sabo said as he dragged Luffy toward the Gray Terminal.

Ace lay back lazily on the ground, basking in the warm sun, a smirk on his face.

---

"Ace! Look at what we got!"

About two hours later, Luffy came running back, shouting excitedly.

Ace glanced at Luffy and Sabo's haul, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "That's quite the haul."

The sheer amount of loot they'd gathered was more than what the average street thugs could have managed.

"This puts us one step closer to buying a pirate ship!" Sabo said, his voice filled with excitement and dreams of setting sail.

Just as the two boys were reveling in their future as pirates, a large man wielding a machete appeared, flanked by a group of thugs.

"So, Sabo was the one who robbed us? He runs around with a kid named Ace, right?" the man growled.

"Yeah, they're pretty well-known," one of his henchmen replied.

Ace's expression darkened as Sabo muttered nervously, "Uh, Ace… we might've picked the wrong target. These guys work for Bluejam's crew."

Sabo broke out in a cold sweat. Having spent a lot of time at the Gray Terminal, Sabo knew the fearsome reputation of the Bluejam Pirates.

Even though Sabo was much stronger than his counterpart in the original story and had witnessed Ace's Mera-Mera Fruit powers, he had no real experience fighting infamous pirates like these. His understanding of how terrifying seasoned pirates could be was limited.

"Help! Ace, save me!" Luffy's voice suddenly rang out.

Ace turned to see Luffy caught by one of the thugs, Porchemy, his eyes wide in shock.

"Why did you get caught?!" Sabo gasped.

Porchemy sneered at Luffy, "Hey, kid, do you know Ace?"

"Yeah, we're friends!" Luffy shouted, his voice full of pride.

"Then you must know where he is, don't you?" Porchemy said, his tone dripping with malice.

Luffy paused, then his lips curved into a crooked smile. "I… I don't know."

Porchemy's face contorted in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me! What kind of liar are you?"

"Well, I'll make you talk," Porchemy snarled, grabbing Luffy and dragging him away.

"Ace, what do we do? Shouldn't we go save him?" Sabo asked, his voice filled with urgency as he watched them disappear.

"Of course, but first, let's stash the treasure," Ace replied casually, his Observation Haki still locked onto Luffy's position.

"But…" Sabo hesitated, torn between the treasure and Luffy's safety.

After a moment, he made up his mind. "Let's go save him. We can always come back for the treasure later."

Ace smiled, sensing that Sabo had learned the lesson he was trying to teach. "Alright, let's go."

---

Inside a secluded cabin, Porchemy was relentlessly punching Luffy with his iron-studded gloves.

Though Luffy was battered and on the verge of passing out, he refused to give in. "I-I won't tell you where Ace is! Your punches are nothing compared to his!"

"Oh, really?" Porchemy's expression turned cold. He raised his fists and struck Luffy even harder, until Luffy couldn't even find the strength to speak.

"Boss Porchemy, maybe we should stop. I don't think this kid knows anything," one of the lackeys suggested, unable to bear the sight anymore.

Porchemy ignored him, drawing his machete with a sinister grin. "If he won't talk, he can die."

Bang!

The door burst open as Ace stormed in, snatching Luffy from the rope he was tied to in a blur of motion.

"Boss! That's Ace and Sabo!" one of the lackeys shouted.

"You've got guts, kid," Porchemy snarled.

"Ace, S-Sabo… you really came to save me? Does this mean we're friends?" Luffy murmured weakly, his face lighting up at the sight of his friends.

Ace didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked at Porchemy and his gang with cold eyes.

"Luffy, haven't you always wanted to see what I'm capable of?" Ace asked, his voice calm yet intense.

"Watch. This is the power of the Mera-Mera Fruit."

With a flick of his arm, flames erupted around him.

"Fire Fist!"

The blazing inferno consumed Porchemy and his men, their screams dying in the roaring flames. In mere moments, they were reduced to ash.

Luffy stared at the scene in awe, feeling the lingering heat in the air. "That's… Ace's power? So strong…"

——

After leaving the cabin, Ace glanced at Luffy.

"Sabo and I didn't come to rescue you right away. What do you think about that?" Ace asked, his tone serious.

"What do I think? I'm just grateful you saved me! And Ace, I'm sure you had your reasons. I trust you completely!" Luffy responded with his usual goofy grin.

Ace chuckled. "You really are an idiot… but I don't hate that."

Ace hadn't waited to save Luffy out of malice. It was all part of his plan to help Luffy grow stronger, knowing that Conqueror's Haki could only be awakened through an increase in personal power. This encounter with Porchemy had been a rare opportunity.

Luffy's growth would benefit Ace as well, allowing him to further enhance his own Conqueror's Haki.

Sabo, standing beside them, smiled. He, too, trusted Ace's judgment, even if he'd been anxious before.

"Hey, Luffy," Ace said, looking at him with a serious expression.

"We don't want to be just friends anymore."

Luffy blinked in confusion.

"Let's be brothers."

Ace's smile widened, and Luffy's face lit up with joy.

"Yeah! Brothers!" Luffy exclaimed, his voice brimming with happiness.