A/N: Thank you for the kind reviews.
Chapter 10: Firefist Ace and Straw Hat Luffy
Around 30 years ago; the Death of Gol D. Roger
"Roger has gotten a satisfying death; He's smiling." Whitebeard or less commonly referred to as Edward Newgate commented. He was shocked to hear from Rayleigh that the Roger Pirates were disbanding. Even Oden went back to his home in Wano. Perhaps that man child was doing well in Wano. Unfortunately, no news came out of Wano.
Whitebeard had found the Dark King in Sabaody Archipelago. Both of them had just watched Roger's live execution.
"Rather than succumbing to his incurable disease, Roger gave away his life to usher in a new age of pirates, so that one day, One Piece will be claimed." Rayleigh had told Whitebeard of their adventure to Raftel. What One Piece was, the meaning of D. name, the ancient weapons and the truth to the void century.
"I've long recognised the darkness that envelopes this world. That is why I became a pirate under Rocks and later formed my own crew. But I knew it wasn't enough. But what you mentioned, that in 30 years One Piece will once again be found... and this time the dawn of the world would be coming, it had given me hope." Whitebeard confessed.
Whitebeard asked, curious about the identity of the man who will bring the dawn of the world, "Do you know who that person will be?"
"Carrying the Will of D in his name, and just like Joy Boy, he would sail the seas and unite the world."
"If you are staying in Sabaody Archipelago to wait for this man to come, then I will guard the New World. The Whitebeard Pirates will guard Poseidon's island and the other islands you mentioned." Whitebeard promised. He and the Roger Pirates were of the same mindset. They didn't want to conquer or control anyone. Unlike Linlin and Kaido, who carried the ambition of their old captain Rocks D. Xebec, Whitebeard just wanted a better world for his family.
"Hey Rayleigh… In thirty years' time, won't we become decrepit then? Relics from an old era…" Rayleigh laughed, wordlessly agreeing with Whitebeard.
Whitebeard continued, "If I'm still alive in thirty years, then I will gladly give my life to this chosen one that will bring the dawn of the world…"
In about 28 years, Whitebeard found Portgas D. Ace and made him his son.
Back to the present day
"What is she thinking, facing a Shichibukai alone! Does she even remember she is on Baroque Works' wanted list!?" Zoro voiced out loud. Sanji and Chopper had returned with information. Bentham was still buying supplies for them.
Tashigi was seen asking around where the Crocodile's base was. She was heading straight to Rainbase, bypassing the desert and Yuba by sailing around the coast. There were no marines accompanying her.
Vivi fell down to her knees, realising Tashigi's action might have resulted from their conversation a few nights ago.
"She's risking her life…" Vivi whispered, shaking as her face went pale. No, no, no! Vivi had come to like the marine… She was so kind and sweet, far more than any other woman Vivi had met on the seas.
"Tashigi is putting her life on the line for something she believes in."
"But… what if she dies from fighting Crocodile…"
Flashback
"Worry not for me, Princess Vivi. Once we are back to Alabasta, I will convince the commanding officer there to take action against Crocodile! It's the marines' job to protect the innocent!" stammered Tashigi.
It was in Drum Island that Tashigi said that. She had just recovered after being treated by Dr Kureha and Chopper. She looked better but her face was still a bit pale and red. But even then, her worry is still on fighting for Alabasta.
Flashback ends
Luffy remembered his argument with Vivi at Yuba in the previous timeline. Vivi didn't want anyone else to die. Despite risking her own life, doing her best to stop the civil war, Vivi was a wreck as she tried her best to come up with a plan that doesn't put anyone else in danger.
"Vivi. If we stop the rebels and calm the country down, do you think that will stop Crocodile?"
Vivi understood Luffy's question. But she couldn't answer it. She was so relieved she made the decision to make a deal with Miss All Sunda- no, with Nico Robin. With her information, Vivi was able to make a plan to stop Baroque's plan to ignite the rebellion in the so-called 'Operation Utopia' without risking any of her friends' lives. But deep down she knew it would not be over until Crocodile is out of the picture.
'Sometimes Luffy hits the bullseye with his arguments' thought Sanji, standing back to observe the interaction. Luffy is right, Vivi needed this.
"You just don't want anyone to die in this war… The people of your country, or us, or anyone!"
Luffy continued, "We're talking about Crocodile, One of the Seven Shichibukais, and you're avoiding a direct confrontation with him yet still wanting to stop him. That's naive."
"Luffy, stop. You got to think of Vivi's feelings!" Nami chided, seeing Vivi put in a tough spot.
"Wait, Nami-san." Sanji held Nami back, asking her to wait this out and see.
"What's wrong with that!? What's wrong with not wanting people to die!?"
"Is playing safe going to get us anywhere? There's nothing wrong with wanting to avoid deaths, but if you are afraid of risking lives, then Crocodile cannot be stopped."
"I know that! I've risked my own life to infiltrate Baroque Works and find the identity of Mr.0!"
"You think risking one life is enough!?"
"Then what am I supposed to risk? There's nothing else I have!?"
"Why don't you try risking our lives too! We're your nakama!"
Flashback
"What are you talking about Vivi? This isn't goodbye yet! We still have to stop Crocodile, are you counting us out already?"
Vivi remembered the unwavering faces of Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji and Chopper all resolute in their decision to see through it to the end.
Flashback ends
Vivi cried as the point hit its mark.
Luffy volunteered to steer away from the group's main goal to reach the rebels in Katorea and the king in Alubarna. Nami went with Luffy to help him navigate to Rainbase and then to Alubarna, where the Straw Hats would meet up again.
With that, the Straw Hats split into two. Zoro, Sanji, Chopper, Usopp and Bentham escorted Vivi to Katorea, while Luffy and Nami were to go after Tashigi and possibly beat the sock out of Crocodile.
Purupurupurupurupuru. Purupurupurupurupuru. Purupurupur- Kachak
"This is Captain Hina speaking."
A rough voice from the other end answered quickly without introducing himself, "Hina. I'm sailing to Alabasta right now. Don't wait for reinforcement, there's not gonna be anyone else from Headquarters before the fiasco in Alabasta calmed down."
"Explain, Smoker. Hina is confused."
"The five elders are stalling us. Telling us to investigate Crocodile's movement first, then secure the islands around Alabasta. I'm assuming those bastards wanted Alabasta to fall, and only after that, they start taking action towards Crocodile. I'm ignoring their orders and sailing directly to Alabasta with what I can muster. Don't wait for other reinforcement other than me!"
Hina tapped her table softly repeatedly as she considers her decision. This can't wait anymore. Hina sent half of her troops to Alubarna, a stealth squad to Rainbase and the rest to protect Nanohana.
"Before we go, there is someone I need to see here in Nanohana." said Luffy as he and Nami watched the others depart to Katorea.
"Who is it?" Nami asked
"My brother Ace. He's here in Nanohana." That's right. He had two missions in Alabasta. To help Vivi save Alabasta and to warn Ace of Blackbeard.
"Wwhat!? You have a brother in the Grand Line!? Tell us these things beforehand!"
"Wait didn't Usopp tell you my brother is waiting for me in Nanohana?"
"He told us someone was looking for you in Drum Island. We all thought it was a bounty hunter!"
"I guess it was because we were occupied with other things…"
He hadn't seen Ace for more than two years…
Flashback
"Luffy, I'm sorry…" Blood was seeping out Ace as he fell onto Luffy's shoulders.
"Ace! We've gotta hurry and treat your-" Luffy shouted, panicking. Ace was heavily breathing, coughing blood in between his words.
"*pant*I'm sorry I couldn't let you save me properly… Forgive me!"
"What are you talking about!? Don't say stupid things like that!"
"It's no good…*pant* I can tell my own end has come… You know…*pant* If it weren't for having a little brother like you to look out for, I would never have even wanted to live…"
Ace continued, mustering his last energy to say his last words. "Nobody else wanted me to live, after all… so it's only natural…"
"I have just one regret… That I won't be able to see your dream come to pass…"
"Thank you so much… for loving me!"
"Ace!"
Flashback ends
"By the way, have you seen this guy come into town? He's wearing a Straw Hat." Ace asked. putting his hat back in place. The people in the town was weird, they are freaked out just in seeing him sleep.
The restaurant owner picked up the bounty poster, juggling his memories. As he did so, he heard the doors of his restaurant open, new customers coming in. Looking up to welcome the new customer from where he stood.
His eyes widened as he recognised the similarity of his new guest… with the poster in his hands.
"You might want to take a look behind you, sir." He politely informed Ace.
It was surreal. Ace was sitting with his back facing him. The Whitebeard tattoo, his orange hat and black hair confirming it was him.
Ace turned and their eyes met.
"Luffy!" A wide smile forming, from a big brother that hasn't seen his younger brother for three years.
"Ace!" Luffy jumped and hugged Ace as he landed on him.
"Whoa whoa it's only been three years and you've missed me this much Luffy?"
"Nice to meet you. My name is Ace. I'm Luffy's older brother. Thank you for taking care of him." Ace bowed to Nami. He was sitting on top Going Merry's railing.
"No… No way, how can someone this sensible be Luffy's older brother!?"
"Shishishi what do you mean Nami, I'm sensible too."
"You're a trouble magnet, and unpredictable!" Nami claimed, turning her head to Luffy.
Ace laughed as he recalled their adventure together as he, Luffy and Sabo were kids. "You guys seem like a reliable crew for Luffy. It looks like I don't have to worry too much for him."
It was a short pause before Ace turned serious. "Luffy. Will you come join the Whitebeard Pirates? With your friends, too, of course."
"No way," Luffy answered immediately.
Ace smiled as Luffy had answered exactly as he had expected.
Ace wanted to go to Yuba to look for Blackbeard, who was rumoured to pass by there. Nami obliged as she suggested dropping him off at the coast nearest to Yuba, a short sail away from Nanohana.
She noticed Luffy quietly observing the coast of Alabasta. It was weird of Luffy to be this silent. Not when he was so excited to see his brother before.
Luffy observed the coast as they arrive at the location where he remembered them befriending the Karate Dugongs. He needs to break the news to Ace. That he was from the future and Blackbeard is strong.
"Why don't you stay at the ship, Nami. I need to talk with Ace alone." asked Luffy as Ace jumped from Going Merry.
"You two need a moment alone?"
"Yeah. It'll be quick."
"Oo are you seeing me off, Luffy? Don't worry about it we'll see each other again soon!"
"Ace. There's something I need to say before you go." His voice serious. Far more serious than he had remembered his brother being.
"huh? Alright, I'm listening."
"Stop going after Blackbeard for now! Get stronger first!"
"Huh? What is this about Luffy?" That had surprised Ace. Was Luffy worrying for him?
"Listen Ace. Blackbeard has eaten the Yami Yami no Mi. That devil fruit of his can cancel other people's devil fruit! And he has a plan that will get you and old man Whitebeard killed!"
"How do you know this, Luffy?" asked Ace. Luffy seems to talk of... the future.
"I'm from the future, Ace!"
Luffy was never the type to lie. He couldn't lie to save himself, even though he can keep a secret if he set his mind to it. The incident with the Bluejam pirates had proven that. Now Luffy was claiming he was from the future. The sharp look on his eyes telling he was dead serious.
"What exactly happened, Luffy?"
He proceeded to listen to Luffy's recount of the war between the Marines and Whitebeard. How he was captured by Blackbeard and how that had sparked the war.
"Well I just have to be more careful then Luffy. Be more prepared."
"Didn't you listen to what I said, Ace?"
"Look Luffy. I can't let Blackbeard get away with what he has done. He had killed a crewmate." Ace reasoned.
"I understand, Ace. I want to beat Blackbeard too, but we need more time! And Blackbeard is not even the biggest threat we have!"
"…" Ace looked up the bright clear sky, remembering the days he had spent with his crew. Was Blackbeard playing with them all along from the start?
"Is he that strong, Luffy?" asked Ace, gauging the risk and chance.
Luffy went silent as he contemplated how he can convince Ace to hold off his mission for a while. How would he go about convincing Ace of Blackbeard's strength? Perhaps…
Perhaps action speaks louder than words…
Luffy lowered his Straw Hat to his back and took a battle stance.
"Fight me Ace. If you can't defeat me in combat, then you have no chance against Blackbeard!" said Luffy, his eyes turning sharp as a heavy pulsating aura suddenly explode from him. It suddenly became difficult to breath as if the air thinned. Ace felt his strength drained, his armament Haki weakened. Around them, the sand behind him swirled creating a small sandstorm, the coast's water turned turbulent and the clouds above them converge on top of Luffy.
Ace accepted the challenge and readied his stance. He hardened his will as he recovered from the surprise of Luffy' usage of Conqueror's Haki. With the environment around them like that, this isn't normal Conqueror's Haki! He felt his strength drained from the roaring aura originating from Luffy!
"Gear second!" Luffy pumped his blood faster with his right arm as he charged towards Ace, kicking his body immediately into second gear.
"Gomu gomu no…"
Luffy's irises twinkled as he saw a vision of a near future. Ace slowed down his momentum by punching a fist of flame in his path. He proceeded to counterattack by sprinting to Luffy and delivering a flaming uppercut.
"Soru!"
The Flame Fist missed its intended purpose. 'Behind me?' thought Ace as he sensed Luffy's presence with his Observation Haki. "Flame Commandment!" he shouted as fire envelops him. Ace directed his fire towards his back, only to be met with a flaming fist from his right side.
"Red Hawk!"
Ace lifted himself back up as he took in what just happened. A double Soru… Luffy feinted an attack from behind. Ace thought he had reacted to Luffy's charge fast enough but was Luffy faster than him? With Luffy's punch hitting him, it was confirmed that Luffy was using all three forms of Haki…
"There's no doubt about it now that you're from the future, Luffy."
"Ace. I'm serious about Blackbeard. He is stronger than I am right now!"
"Tell me, Luffy… If someone kills your crewmate do you let them walk away!"
"I'm not telling you to stop going after Blackbeard, I'm telling you you're not strong enough to beat Blackbeard by yourself as things are now! If you charge in recklessly like you always do when we were kids, you're going to die protecting me. I can't let that happen!"
"I've died protecting you?"
Ace brought his fingers up as if holding guns and shoot bursts of fire bullets in Luffy's direction.
"What's wrong with that? I never even wanted to live if it was not to look out for you!"
Luffy's eyes twinkled as he stretched and dodged every single bullet Ace sent. 'Ace is being stubborn!'
"I can't believe I'm seeing this in this part of the Grand Line! I thought they said this only happen in the New World!" The marines sent to protect Nanohana thought they could sneak an arrest of the Straw Hat pirates with seastone cuffs in their arsenal. They sneakily followed the two Straw Hat pirates who had separated from the rest, intent on waiting for Firefist Ace to leave before making a move.
They had prepared themselves for a fight with a Shichibukai. But this… The landscape on the coast was being terraformed by the fight. The heatwave from Firefist Ace can be felt here. His opponent, Straw Hat Luffy turned partially into a giant and hammered a coast cliff clean into the ocean with rapid punches of obsidian giant hands.
The sky was clear and bright just a moment ago. It turned dark and the clouds were swirling above them.
"What going on, Zoro?" asked Usopp as he noticed Zoro stopping and looking back.
"Vivi, you said it didn't rain in Alabasta for years on end? Is that a storm forming behind us?"
Murmurs of agreement was said as the Straw Hats turned their heads. That was a huge formation of dark clouds swirling behind them. A roaring thunder was heard as strong wind started blowing.
"Chuchu, get our pots in the kitchen! It's going to rain soon! Look at the sky!"
The strong wind had forced open the doors of the houses in Nanohana. The citizens stood strong holding their pots from being knocked by the wind and hoping for rain to finally fall.
"Why is Luffy fighting with Ace!? They are brothers, aren't they?" Both of them were in viewing distance. She dropped anchor and was done wrapping the sails. It was obvious that a storm was forming above them. But Nami could predict a storm based on the humidity and other weather conditions. This came out of nowhere!
It had started to rain.
"Fire Pillar!" A huge column of fire rose, with Ace at the centre. Gathering his energy, Ace launched a building-sized fireball towards Luffy, "Firefist!"
This time, his attack was unavoidable. He saw his brother sucking up air, turning into an obsidian balloon to tank the damage.
As the fire subsides, Luffy curled his body multiple times, blowing the air out and launching himself into the air with a spinning motion.
"Gomu gomu no… Jet Storm!"
A rain of punches hit Ace before he could counterattack.
"Firefly Light!"
Ace launched multiple small compressed fireballs and used them to deflect the remaining rain of punches from Luffy. It had done its job.
"Flame Emperor!" A huge ball of fireball above Ace's hand as he readied his attack. At the same time, Luffy enlarged both his hand and pumped his blood again, activating both gear second and gear third.
"I admit that you are strong, Luffy. But if I really died protecting you in the future, then I'm proud of myself to have been able to protect you!"
The two charge at each other as they launched both their last attack.
"Stupid Ace! If you love someone you don't die for them. YOU LIVE FOR THEM!"
Chapter ends
Author's Note
Luffy vs Ace Fight
I hope this fight between Ace and Luffy is satisfying and isn't too out of character for both of them.
This is Luffy at 100%. Finally, he has someone strong enough to bring it out. I also hope the Advance Observation Haki (Future Sight) and Advance Conqueror's Haki is clear from the writing. While I derived the weather effects from Shanks vs Whitebeard fight, I assume the weather effects are side effects from an Advanced Conqueror Haki user.
The main power of Luffy's Advanced Conqueror's Haki which weakens or cancels other's Haki is, proudly claimed, my own idea. I derived it from analysis of Luffy having so many similar but opposite things with Blackbeard. If Blackbeard can weaken his opponent's devil fruit power, Luffy can weaken his opponent's Haki power. Additionally it seems to me that if Blackbeard has the Gura Gura no Mi which generates earthquake, Luffy being able to turn environments into rubber sounds like a perfect opposite counter to earthquakes.