C24:-OnePiece_FanFic_Ace

24. Artificial Sky Island, Weatheria.

│3rd Person POV│

[Grand Line, Paradise, Boin Archipelago…]

“So, you have decided to stay here and train?” Ace asked, his mouth full of cheesecake taken from a nearby tree.

Ace wasn’t surprised by Usopp’s decision. Out of all the Strawhats, he had expected only Sanji—and possibly Zoro—to opt for reuniting with Luffy right away after he delivered the message, initially at least.

Sanji’s choice was obvious. There was no way he would want to stay in the Kamabakka Kingdom for a second longer than necessary if he knew Luffy would be training on an island near Amazon Lily, a women-only island.

Therefore, he wasn’t going to mention anything about Amazon Lily in front of Sanji. After all, if he didn’t stay in the Kamabakka Kingdom, how would he learn their attack cuisine?

As for Zoro, he could easily decide to rejoin Luffy, especially if it meant training under Rayleigh. That would save him from having to beg Mihawk for training. However, Ace couldn’t rule out the possibility of Zoro training under Mihawk anyway, prioritizing the crew's needs over his own.

Even still, the reason Ace had taken it upon himself to deliver Luffy’s message was because he wanted to meet the Strawhats face to face.

Sure, he’d met them before in Alabasta, but at that time, his past life’s memories were still sealed. This time, though, it was different. This time, Ace wanted to see them with a clear mind.

Meanwhile, Usopp’s voice broke through Ace’s thoughts as he passionately explained his decision.

“Yes! I need to be stronger, much stronger than I am now! Luffy… somewhere in my heart, I’ve always felt that he would become the Pirate King one day. But there are enemies out there that even Luffy won’t be able to deal with on his own! That’s why… he needs my strength… he needs all of our strength on his side!

“I want to become stronger, and I believe that Heraclesun-sensei will help me get there. There’s so many amazing things I can learn from him that’ll raise my skills to new heights!”

In the background, Heracles struck another of his odd poses, proudly exclaiming, “Amazing skills?! I... I am Usoppun’s sensei of amazing skillsun?!”

Meanwhile, Usopp continued his passionate speech, “That’s why I’ve decided to stay here for two years. I need to train to be stronger and become the True King of Snipers, to help Luffy become the Pirate King!”

Ace’s smile widened as he listened to Usopp’s heartfelt declaration. “Well said, Usopp!” he exclaimed, genuinely happy. “I’m really glad Luffy has such reliable crewmates by his side.”

He then reached into a pouch hanging from his belt and pulled out a small booklet, handing it to Usopp. “Here, take this. It’ll definitely help you become stronger,” Ace said. “If the Straw Hat Pirates truly want to thrive in the New World, you’ll need this.”

The booklet was a detailed guide on all three types of Haki, along with focusing on how to train and unlock both Observation Haki and Armament Haki. Ace had written it himself over the past few days, specifically for the purpose of giving it to Luffy's crewmates.

Usopp accepted the booklet with a curious expression, though he didn’t immediately open it, knowing there would be time later.

“Thank you for everything, Ace-san!” he said, bowing in gratitude.

Ace waved off the thanks with a grin, “No need to be so formal, Usopp. Just make sure to use the booklet well, alright?”

Usopp nodded with a determined expression, gripping the booklet tightly.

Satisfied with this, Ace stood up, “Well then, I’ve got to get going now. There are still quite a few people I have to track down. But I’ll be looking forward to seeing how much you’ll have grown the next time we meet.”

“Good luck with the others,” Usopp said with a smile.

Ace nodded, then glanced at Bonney, who was still devouring food. “Bonney! Time to move on!” he called out, his voice carrying across the area.

Bonney glanced up, her cheeks stuffed with food. At that moment, she looked round and fat from overindulging. Her current state was temporary, though, as her incredible metabolism kicked in, rapidly burning through the excess calories and converting them into stamina.

With a satisfied yet slightly begrudging expression, she sauntered toward Ace, muttering complaints about leaving such a paradise of food too quickly. Despite her grumbling, she was content for the time being and didn’t make a fuss.

“Take care, Usopp! And you too, Heracles!” Ace said with a wave before igniting his flames and taking off into the sky, Bonney following closely, using her Devil Fruit power to transform into a phoenix.

As they disappeared over the horizon, Usopp turned back toward Heracles, determination etched on his face.

“Let’s get started, Heraclesun-sensei!” Usopp declared.

Heracles beamed with pride. “Yesun! Let’s awaken your true potentialun!”

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│3rd Person POV│

[Grand Line, Paradise, near Artificial Sky Island Weatheria…]

A full day had passed since the Polar Tang departed from the Boin Archipelago.

Now, Ace soared high above the sea, clutching Rayleigh’s Vivre Card in his left hand. He no longer needed to use his hands to maintain control while flying in a straight direction.

"How much longer do we need to fly before we reach the Sky Island, Ace?" Bonney called out from behind, soaring through the air by using Distorted Future to transform into a Phoenix.

“I don’t know.” Ace shouted back, answering her question in a casual manner.

Hearing his indifferent response, Bonney let out a loud groan of annoyance. “I'm getting hungry! If we don't find this Sky Island in the next few minutes and there isn't any delicious food in there, I swear I'll eat your share of food for the next three days!”

Ace smirked at her complaint, “Try that, and I'll toss you straight into the sea,” he quipped, his tone laced with mock warning. Glancing at her over his shoulder, he added, “And don't forget—you’re the one who insisted on tagging along in the first place. If you're regretting it now, that’s on you.”

Bonney was just about to retort to Ace’s remark when, as they passed through a cloud, an unusual sight appeared before them.

High in the sky, atop a massive bubble, lay an island suspended among soft, white clouds. Scattered across the island were various structures, including domes, towers, windmills, large hot-air balloons, and spherical buildings crafted from glass or crystal. A vibrant rainbow arcs gracefully over the island, adding to its magical and serene atmosphere.

Bonney was left speechless, utterly stunned by the sight before her, a wonder she had never encountered before.

Even Ace was in awe of the breathtaking landscape unfolding before them. Placing Rayleigh’s Vivre Card into the pouch at his belt, he began to release flames from his hands as well, increasing his speed to rapidly close the distance and reach the Sky Island.

The sight snapped Bonney out of her daze, prompting her to accelerate her flight as she called out, “W-wait for me!”

It only took a few moments for them to reach the skies above the island.

Using his Observation Haki, Ace quickly sensed that the majority of the island's inhabitants were gathering outside one of the structures. Without hesitation, he adjusted the angle of his hands, steering their descent toward that location, with Bonney following closely behind him.

As they flew downward, Ace's gaze remained fixed on the group below, his mind racing. ‘This building looks just like the prison in which Nami was locked up in Canon.’

In the next moment, Ace and Bonney touched down on the ground, immediately drawing the gaze of the crowd gathered outside the prison building. The crowd was full of tall, elderly men with long beards, all dressed in traditional wizard-like robes.

Looking past the crowd, Ace saw that all the prison cells were empty, except for one, which was occupied by an orange-haired teen.

“Huh? More visitors?” one of the old men muttered, seemingly to no one in particular.

“Could they be allies of this thieving little cat?” another chimed in, his tone suspicious.

“Are they here to try and steal something too?” a third added, echoing the growing distrust. The rest of the old men also joined in, each voicing similar questions in turn.

“Ah~!” Nami exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with recognition as she got a clear look at the two newcomers. “You’re Luffy’s older brother! What are you doing here?”

Her sudden outburst startled the wizards, who immediately began whispering among themselves, their suspicion deepening.

“See? They’re allies!” one of the old men declared, pointing a gnarled finger toward Ace and Bonney.

Another one added, “Are they here to rescue the thieving little cat?”

“Perhaps they’re plotting to take something even more valuable,” a third speculated, his expression darkening.

Nami groaned, throwing her hands up in frustration. “I already promised I won’t cause any more trouble and I even gave back everything I stole! You geezers are just paranoid!”

All the old men bristled at her words.

“Hmm? More newcomers? How did you manage to reach this island?” an elderly man in a blue wizard’s robe and a pointed hat asked, his voice calm yet curious as he approached from behind Ace and Bonney.

Ace turned to face him, a smirk playing on his lips. “Simple,” he replied with a hint of amusement. “We flew here.”

“You can fly as well? What kind of technology do you use?” the old man in blue asked, his curiosity evident as he studied them and their surrounding area, looking for any trace of their flying vehicle.

In response, Ace merely smirked. Without a word, he leaped high into the air, seamlessly activating his flight technique to hover effortlessly above the ground. “We don’t need any technology to fly,” he said, his tone confident and slightly teasing as he looked down at the astonished old man.

The next moment, Ace descended gracefully to the ground and continued, “Anyway, my name is Portgas D. Ace, and this is Jewelry Bonney. I’m here to deliver a message to Nami. She is a member of my little brother’s pirate crew.”

At the mention of Ace’s name, the old man jolted slightly, his eyes widening as recognition dawned. His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, “Y-you’re Fire Fist Ace! The Marines caused such an uproar trying to execute you... only to fail spectacularly.”

“A message from Luffy?” Nami blurted out, “Is he okay? And why didn’t he come here himself?” she fired off in rapid succession, her worry evident in her tone.

Although Nami had read about the outcome of the Marineford War in the newspapers, she was unaware of her captain’s current status. The reports mentioned nothing about his condition, apart from revealing his identity as the son of the Revolutionary Army’s leader and his actions at the war.

“Before we go any further,” Ace began with a smile, turning his attention to the old man in blue, “could you please release Nami? I promise she won’t cause any more trouble.” He glanced at Nami and added teasingly, “You won’t, right?”

Nami nodded rapidly, her expression shifting to one of exaggerated innocence as she even managed to summon a few tears.

The sight sent the old men into a frenzy, their earlier anger and disdain quickly disappearing in the face of her display.

“Ahhh! Ahhhhh! Hey, hey, hey! Little girly! Don’t cry!”

“We must get you out of here! To imprison a young girl and make her cry is a terrible act of cruelty!”

“Bring the key! The key! Come, let us get you out of there, little girlie!”

Ace and Bonney struggled to contain their laughter, but it was a losing battle. Snickers quickly turned into full-blown chuckles as they watched the comical scene unfold.

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=< Scene Break >=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

│3rd Person POV│

[A few minutes later, at Haredes’ house...]

“So, let me get this straight,” Nami began, her tone thoughtful as she processed Ace’s explanation. “On Rayleigh’s advice, Luffy decided to spend two years training to grow stronger and prepare for the challenges of the New World.

“And his message to us is that we should use these two years to train in the places we’ve ended up in because of Warlord Kuma?”

Ace nodded in response.

Nami fell quiet, her thoughts churning as she processed his confirmation. While she couldn’t deny her fascination with the knowledge and technology of Weatheria—and the allure of deepening her understanding of weather manipulation—two years was a long time.

It hadn’t even been a few months since she’d joined Luffy’s crew, yet so much had already happened in that short time. Their adventures together, the bonds they’d forged, and the challenges they had overcome as a team were still fresh in her mind.

The thought of spending two whole years separated from the rest of the Strawhats was daunting, making it difficult to go along with Luffy’s plan right away.

Her hesitation was written all over her face, but she remained silent, unsure of how to voice the conflict brewing inside her.

Ace noticed her hesitation and offered a reassuring smile. “I understand,” he said gently. “Two years feels like an eternity, especially when you’ve just started this journey with Luffy and the others.

“But you’ve seen how dangerous the Grand Line can be. As you are now, you’re not ready for the New World—especially not with Luffy as your captain. Don’t get me wrong; I love my little brother, but when he’s involved, things tend to spiral out of control more often than not.”

He paused, his tone growing more serious. “The New World isn’t just the next leg of the journey—it’s a whole different battlefield. Unpredictable weather, people with bizarre and powerful Devil Fruits, and the constant chaos between the Four Emperors and the Marines... These are challenges you’re not prepared to face yet.”

Nami let out a quiet sigh, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt as she absorbed his words. “It’s not that I don’t understand. I know Luffy’s decision is the right one. But… Two years? I just...” She trailed off, unable to put the rest into words.

This time, Ace chose to remain silent, giving her the space to work through her thoughts.

After a long moment, Nami looked up, her hesitation replaced by a spark of determination in her eyes. She nodded, her voice soft but resolute. “Alright. If this is what Luffy wants, then I’ll do my part. I’ll learn everything Weatheria has to offer, and I’ll become stronger—for the crew and for myself.”

Ace’s smile widened as he saw the determination in Nami’s eyes. “That’s the spirit,” he said warmly. “Now then...”

Reaching into his pouch, he pulled out a small booklet, identical to the one he had given Usopp earlier. Handing it to Nami, he continued, “Take this. Mastering what’s inside could make all the difference when you face the challenges ahead.”

Nami took the booklet with a curious glance, her fingers brushing over its cover. “What’s in this?” she asked, itching to flip it open to skim the contents.

Ace smirked. “It’s a training guide to awakening Haki. Haki is essential if you want to thrive in the New World. It’ll take some effort to learn Haki, but I guarantee it will be worth it.”

Her curiosity shifted to gratitude as she clutched the booklet close. “Thank you, Ace. I’ll make sure to learn everything I can.”

“Good,” Ace said with a nod. “Knowing that Luffy has all of you by his side gives me confidence that he’ll overcome whatever challenges come his way.”

…To Be Continued!

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A/N: Sorry for not posting anything for the last few days.

The delay occurred because it took me quite some time to complete these two chapters. Additionally, I was unable to write for a day and a half due to catching a cold.

Thankfully, I recovered quickly enough, and now, I am as good as new.

If you guys see any mistakes, don't hesitate to point them out.

Anyway, Good Day. See ya guys later.