C23:-OnePiece_FanFic_Ace

23. Boin Archipelago.

│3rd Person POV│

[Grand Line, Paradise, Boin Archipelago, Polar Tang…]

Guided by Rayleigh’s Vivre Card, the Polar Tang navigated its way to the Boin Archipelago, a cluster of flower-shaped islands nestled in Paradise, en route to Momoiro Island.

As the ship approached the archipelago, Ace stood on the main deck, his gaze fixed on the vibrant islands in the distance.

When the ship was a few kilometers away from the archipelago, Law came out and told Ace in a calm yet serious tone, “It’s too risky to get close to the archipelago. The Polar Tang won’t go any closer.”

“It’s fine,” Ace replied casually, a relaxed expression on his face. “I’ll handle this on my own and track down whichever of the Strawhats ended up here. It won’t take me long to find them.”

Law gave a brief nod before heading back below deck to the control room to have the ship anchored.

Meanwhile, Ace turned to Izou, who stood silently beside him on the deck. Flashing a grin, Ace said, “Well, I’m off then.”

Izou crossed his arms, his sharp gaze fixed on Ace. “Be careful, and try not to do anything reckless,” he warned, his tone a mix of concern and sternness.

Ace let out a light chuckle, brushing off Izou’s concern with a carefree smile. “Don’t be such a worry-wart, Izou. I’ll be fine,” he assured.

With that, he crouched slightly before launching himself off the deck with a powerful leap. The force of his jump sent the Polar Tang tilting somewhat to one side, its balance momentarily disrupted before the ship stabilized once again.

As Ace reached the peak of his jump, suspended momentarily in mid-air, he unleashed intense flames from his hands and feet. The fiery jets roared to life, propelling him upward and allowing him to maneuver effortlessly through the air with precision.

Over the past few days, whenever the Polar Tang surfaced, Ace dedicated his time to refining his flight technique. By now, he had become quite adept at it, mastering its nuances with impressive skill.

By skillfully adjusting the angle of his limbs, Ace directed the flames to shoot him forward, gliding smoothly over the vast expanse of the Boin Archipelago.

From his elevated vantage point, he activated his Observation Haki, letting its sensory reach spread across the islands below as he began his search for any trace of Ussop.

The vibrant flower-shaped islands stretched out beneath him like a patchwork of colors, beautiful yet deadly at the same time.

It didn’t take Ace long to detect two distinct presences within the inner area of the first island. One belonged to an individual with a morbidly obese physique, while the other, though old, emanated a much stronger and more formidable aura.

Ace swiftly adjusted his trajectory, steering himself toward the source of the two distinct presences. As he positioned himself directly above their location, he cut off the fiery jets propelling him, letting gravity take over.

With a sudden drop, he hurtled downward at full speed, his body like a blazing meteor descending from the sky.

BOOM—!

The impact was thunderous. The ground beneath him cracked and splintered from the sheer force of his landing, sending a cloud of dust and debris billowing into the air. The tremor rippled outward, shaking nearby trees and startling the wildlife into frantic motion.

With a powerful burst of flames erupting from his body, Ace cleared away the dust and smoke in an instant. The fire that lingered around him flickered and hissed, adding an intense glow to the scene.

Immediately after, he shifted his gaze and looked at the two individuals nearby. The larger individual gawked at Ace in surprise, crumbs falling from his mouth, while the stronger one regarded him with a calculating expression, their stance suggesting they were ready to engage if necessary.

Ace grinned and remarked, “Well, well, well. Looks like I interrupted something. Mind if I join the party?”

"Ace~!" Usopp shouted in surprise as he finally recognized the figure who had made such an abrupt entrance. His eyes widened with both shock and joy at the sight of his friend.

Quickly setting aside the food he had been holding, Usopp’s excitement bubbled over. "Is Luffy with you too?" he asked eagerly, a wide grin spreading across his face, “He’s going to love it here. There’s an endless amount of delicious food all around.”

Watching their exchange, the older man—dressed in beetle-themed armor, his face hidden behind a mask, and draped in a purple cape—relaxed and lowered his guard.

He then spoke up while striking a strange pose, “You know this young manun, Usoppun? And my name is Heraclesun!”

Ace chuckled at Heracles’ behavior, recalling from the One Piece manga that the man had a quirky habit of adding “un” to the end of his sentences.

Brushing off the thought, Ace turned back to Ussop and replied, “No, Luffy isn’t with me. The reason I tracked you down is because I’ve got a message from him for all the Straw Hat Pirates.

He then turned to Heracles and said, “Yes, we know each other. Usopp is a member of my little brother Luffy's crew. My name is Portgas D. Ace.”

“What?” Heracles exclaimed, his shock evident as he struck another unusual pose. “You're Fire Fist Aceun? The very person the Whitebeard Pirates waged war on the Marines forun?”

“Yes,” Ace replied, his smile fading slightly as he nodded. Though the Whitebeard Pirates had emerged victorious, the memory of the numerous brothers who had lost their lives in the effort to save him still stung.

“Anyway, as I said, I have a message from Luffy.” Ace shook those depressing thoughts away and proceeded to explain Rayleigh’s offer to train Luffy for two years and how the other Straw Hats should also spend that time training to become stronger so that they could be ready to face anything they face in the New World.

After he finished explaining, Ace asked, “So, Usopp, what do you think? Would you like to spend two years training in this place or would you like to come with me to reunite with Luffy right now?

“I think you may have realized to an extent… Bartholomew Kuma’s actions that day saved you all from Kizaru that day. After all, Kuma was one of the leading members of the Revolutionary Army a few years ago.

“Maybe he knew Luffy was Dragon’s son, that’s why he acted to separate the Straw Hat Pirates that day and I believe that Kuma sent you all to places where you could hone your skills, so take your time and think this through before deciding.”

As he finished speaking, Usopp was shocked but he could also see the logic behind Ace’s reasoning.

“Meanwhile, I think I'll help myself to some of this food,” Ace remarked, eyeing the spread with eager anticipation. “It all looks absolutely delicious.” Just as he was about to dive into the feast, he paused, a thought crossing his mind.

Turning to Usopp and Heracles, he said, “Hold on, I'll be right back.”

Without waiting for a response, Ace launched himself into the air using his flight technique. Within moments, he was hovering above the Polar Tang.

Hovering near the ship’s deck, he shouted, “Bonney! These islands are packed with food everywhere you look. Come quickly if you want to eat to your heart’s content!” His voice carried through the air, filled with playful excitement as he anticipated her reaction.

In mere seconds, a pink-haired figure came barreling out of the ship's main entrance with a burst of energy.

“Distorted Future: Gimme A Phoenix Future!” Bonney's voice rang out as she used her Devil Fruit’s power, transforming into a magnificent, large blue phoenix. With a powerful leap, she soared into the sky and quickly closed the distance.

Hovering right in front of Ace, the phoenix tilted her head, her voice carrying an eager tone as she asked, “Are these islands really packed with food everywhere?”

Ace laughed heartily, his voice brimming with amusement. “Hahaha~! Yes, they are! Come on, follow me,” he called out, turning mid-air with a burst of flames to lead the way back to the Boin Archipelago.

Bonney let out an excited screech in her phoenix form, flapping her vibrant wings as she soared after him. The two raced through the sky, with Ace's fiery propulsion leaving streaks of orange and gold in his wake, while Bonney's cerulean form glided smoothly like a shadow chasing the sun.

It wasn’t long before they descended onto the lush island, the tantalizing aroma of exotic foods greeting them as they landed near Usopp and Heracles.

Bonney deactivated her Devil Fruit powers and returned back to her usual young adult form, her eyes lighting up as she surveyed the abundance of edible treasures scattered across the landscape. “Whoa, you weren’t kidding. This place is even more amazing than I imagined!” she exclaimed, already eyeing a pool of ramen nearby.

Ace grinned, gesturing to Usopp and Heracles. “Let me introduce you. This is Usopp, one of Luffy’s crewmates, and the person dressed in beetle armor next to him is Heracles. Guys, this is Jewelry Bonney, a new crew member of my Whitebeard Pirates.”

Heracles greeted while striking another one of his peculiar poses, “Welcome, Bonneyun! This place has more than enough to satisfy even the Sea Kings.”

Usopp, on the other hand, was shocked to see Bonney. He recognized her as one of the Supernovas who had been present in the Sabaody Archipelago during the same time as the Straw Hat Pirates.

His eyes widened in disbelief as he stammered, “Y-You're Jewelry Bonney! One of the Supernovas! When did you join the Whitebeard Pirates?!”

Bonney paid no mind to his question, her focus entirely consumed by the abundance of food around her. “Perfect. Let’s see if this place can keep up with my appetite!” she remarked, dashing straight toward the enormous pool of ramen.

Ace chuckled and addressed Usopp with a lighthearted tone, “She became part of our crew after the Marineford War. Anyway, take your time to think over Luffy’s message while we enjoy the feast.”

With that, he turned to follow Bonney, playfully calling after her, “Hey, Bonney! Save some for me—don’t devour the whole island before I get my share!”

…To Be Continued!