The Marines were shocked by what had just happened; none had anticipated an attack from under the water. The coating covering the ship then popped, and there suddenly began to be more movement underneath the water.

"Seriously?"

"There are even more?"

Then, shooting out of the bay with three more pirate ships.

"Vessel surfacing! Three more Hairy Hooligan Pirates ships!"

Once the three other ships surfaced, the coating surrounding the ship popped as well.

"They've infiltrated the bay!"

"Holy crap," the Marine gasped as he looked through a set of binoculars. "It's First Division Commander Gobber the Belch! I'm counting 14 commanders. They're all here."

Ace just stared at them, shocked.

Everyone then watched with bated breath as Stoick the Vast made his way to the bow of his ship.

"It has been quite some time, Sander," said Stoick, looking up at him.

"Stoick…" Sander glared.

"We've got plenty to talk about. Like you not killing my ward."

For many Marines, this was the first time they had ever laid eyes on Stoick the Vast.

"So that's Hiccup's father," Gustav gulped.

"They certainly don't look alike," said Sven.

Atali looked at Stoick. "So that's his father."

"I can't believe we let them get this close," said Sander, gritted teeth.

Hiccup and the others had just sailed past the Gates of Justice.

"Well, we're through the gate," said Mala as she stood next to Hiccup. "Now I'm worried that your mother is going to make an appearance. I'm sure the Government would love that."

"She won't," said Hiccup.

"What do you mean she won't? Surely she would rescue her own son; I mean, your father is going to great lengths to rescue your brother."

"My father would go to any lengths to save a member of his crew," said Hiccup. "Besides, Ace isn't my brother by blood."

"What?!" Mala gasped.

Astrid nodded. "Yeah, Hiccup told us he is his adopted brother. Apparently, he is the son of a pirate rival of Stoick, who took him in."

"Yeah, and that Pirates name was Roger D Gold," said Hiccup.

Everyone then suddenly stared at Hiccup openmouthed.

"Ace's father is the King of the Pirates?!" Astrid yelled.

Hiccup nodded. "The only reason I can tell you now is because I'm very certain that the Navy has made public knowledge by now. With this single execution, they can eliminate Roger's legacy and take down one of the most fearsome pirates still alive."

"I thought it was strange that they were making a spectacle of this, but now it all makes sense," said Jinbe.

Viggo listened with great interest. "So Roger Gold sired a son, it would seem as if this execution is far more interesting than I originally thought."

Meanwhile, at Marineford, all eyes were now focused on Stoick, waiting for him to make the first move.

Stoick looked up at Ace. "Sit tight for a second, Ace."

"Father!" Ace roared.

Stoick placed his axe down and clenched his fists, swinging them out as if he were punching the air. The Marines then noticed that cracks were beginning to form where he had struck the air.

"What did he do?"

"Did he crack the air?"

Suddenly, everyone felt the ground shake, and the water within the bay began to move erratically. However, it wasn't just the water in the bay but also out in the open sea as it began to rise.

"It looks like he set off a bomb," Gustav gasped.

"Maybe so, but the water level is too high," said Sven.

Sander was the first to realise what had just happened. "I see quake! He's turning the ocean waters against us!"

"The other side, too!"

"I knew Stoick was strong, but not like this," said Gustav.

Marines began to panic, and Ace just looked down at Stoick.

"I'm finally heading out!" said Ace.

Several years ago, when he just turned 18, Ace began to set out on his journey.

"Kick some butt, Ace," said Hiccup. "Take care!"

"Yeah, you got it," Ace smiled.

Hiccup nodded. "In three years, the next time we see each other how, I'll be way stronger than I am now."

"Looking forward to it," said Ace as he waved.

Hiccup and the rest of the villages waved goodbye as he sailed off to start his adventure.

Ace wasted no time gaining a reputation and quickly created a pirate crew, the Spade Pirates.

Wrinkly was furious when he heard the news. "That brat! I can't believe he became a pirate!"

Ace and his crew began the journey, and much like Hiccup's crew, they spent most of their time attacking other pirates and trying to make friends with the locals. This, of course, gains of the attention of the Marines.

"He maybe nobody is not wasting time in gaining notoriety," a Marine informed Sander.

"D…" Sander frowned. "Where is he from?"

"We haven't been able to figure that out just yet, but he clearly got the power of a Logia."

Stoick also got wind of Ace's pirate adventure.

"Looks like the boy decided to become a pirate, after all," said Stoick as he looked through the newspaper. "Have to say he's become quite the dashing young man."

"I hear they offered him a Warlord position," said Finn, "but he refused."

"These youngsters, they just rush in like they have no tomorrow," said Stoick.

Ace's ship was sailing across the Grand Line.

"So what's our destination, captain?" his first mate asked.

"If I want to be king of the Pirates, I got to show the world that I mean business, and that means taking down the most fearsome man to ever sell the waters," he said, folding his arms.

"You don't mean Stoick the Vast?"

"But isn't he like your adoptive father or something?"

"I barely knew him long enough to consider in my father, and he tossed Hiccup and me away to fend for ourselves. He has a lot to answer for, but if I were to find him, I need someone who knows his whereabouts."

Ace managed to locate one of the Warlords, who had a connection with Stoick and possibly a way of finding him.

"Hey, big guy," he said Jinbe. "I bet you can put me in touch with Stoick."

"You might be right, but you could still lose that bet," said Jinbe. "Maybe I could introduce you, but I won't."

"Captain, you realise that he is Jinbe?"

"Yeah, I know," Ace smiled. "Beating him might give some prestige."

"I am my own pirate, I'm not part of Stoick's crew, as you well know," said Jinbe. He then took up a fighting stance. "However, I do hope him, so let's see what you've got."

The two of them then began trading blows. The crew watched as they kept this fight going for five days straight.

"Man, how long have they been fighting? Five days?

"You're both going to die! Knock it off!"

The two of them were indeed quite worn out, but Jinbe collapsed first, and Ace followed soon after.

"Ace, no!"

Before any of the crew could do anything, a large ship suddenly emerged from the mist.

"What the hell is that?"

Their eyes widened as they saw that standing on the bow of the ship was Stoick the Vast.

"I caught wind that you wish to fight me," said Stoick. "If you want to fight, I am here to grant you your wish."

"It's the Hairy Hooligan Pirates!"

"One of me is more than enough for all of you," said Stoick as he looked down.

Ace managed to pick himself up just as Stooick jumped onto the ground and began to approach. He stopped right in front of Ace and sent out a shockwave that knocked the rest of his crew back.

Ace quickly jumped to his feet. "Flame Dance!"

A wall of fire then immediately erupted around them.

The Spade Pirates just stared at the firewall, which was blocking them from assisting their captain, who was now currently face-to-face with the most dangerous pirate alive in the world.

"Captain!"

"Captain Ace?! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Get out of here now!" Ace ordered.

"Captain, no!"

"What's the matter?" Stoick asked, looking down at Ace. "Don't tell me you're getting cold feet."

"My crew is not trying to kill you; that's all me." Ace then turned and looked at him defiantly. "You let them go!"

"Giving me orders?" said Stoick, looking amused. "You certainly got a lot cocker since last we met."

Ace then launched himself at Stoick, who merely leaned his head back and gave him a massive head-butt, and everything went black.

Ace regained consciousness and found himself in completely different surroundings. He was on a bed, and judging from how everything was rocking around, he was currently on the open sea on a ship.

He was still a little groggy, but he reached the door and found that he was on board the Skullcrusher. He then toppled over, his head still spinning, and he tried to piece together what had happened.

"I see you're up," said Finn, approaching him. "Don't know if you remember me, but I'm Fearless Fin, Stoick's 4th Division Commander. If you do plan on joining us officially, then I'm a good friend."

"Shut up!" Ace snapped.

"Still a little rambunctious, I see," said Finn. "I imagine you wondering what happened since you passed out. Well, your crew proved their loyalty and came to get you back. So, of course, we beat the hell out of them, but they're not dead. They're all the ship to sure they be relieved to find that you're wide awake."

"Shouldn't I be in a cell?" Ace questioned. "You don't even have shackles on me."

"Shackles?" said Finn, looking amused. "Nah, we don't need them, not on you anyway."

Ace found that rather insulting.

Later that night, Stoick was currently fast asleep in his cabin, and Ace snuck inside. Once he saw that he was fast asleep, he ruptured his flames and attempted to kill him. He drew a knife and launched himself directly at him, only for Stoick to wake up and deal them a devastating blow that sent him flying straight through the wall.

He crashed onto the deck, making several of the crewmen standing on watch jump.

"Calm on! You know what time it is?"

"Yeah, we've got people trying to get to sleep on the ship."

Ace looked infuriated as he clenched his bloodied nose and saw that Stoick had fallen back to sleep.

That wasn't the last time he tried to kill Stoick; he tried to attack him the next time while his back was turned on the deck. He charges him with a massive battle axe, only for Stoick to back off his fist, sending him crashing into the sea, where he sunk like a right rock.

"Guys, he went overboard!"

"I don't think he can swim."

"Hey, someone fish him out."

Every single day Ace attempted to assassinate Stoick, and every single time, he was knocked onto his ass.

"He's been at it for every day," said Flashburn, the Fifth Division Commander. "The kid must be stuffed with guts."

Ace was then tossed overboard once again.

"Does that make a hundred?"

"I lost count."

Eventually, Ace gave up trying to kill Stoick, and Gobber hobbled over to him with a plate of food. Once he placed the food next to him, he began walking off.

"Tell me, why hasn't he tried to kill me?" Ace asked.

Gobber stopped in his tracks and looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, he and my father were enemies, and I have spent every single day on the ship trying to kill him, so why does he keep me around?"

"They were closer to rivals and enemies and friendly ones that," said Gobber. "When Roger asked Stoick if he were taking in his child and raised him as his own, Stoick agreed readily."

"And yet he shipped me off to the far-off island," Ace huffed.

"As he did with his own son, if you recall, but it was not cruelty. It's a family tradition among the Haddocks, a way for them to chart their own course. It allows them opportunities outside of being a pirate, but it doesn't always work, considering the World Government's viewpoint that it's a crime to have a pirate as a parent."

"Old Wrinkly wanted me and Hiccup to be Marines, practically drooling it into our heads," Ace sighed.

"Like, do you any favours anyone discovered your heritage," said Gobber. "But here on the Hairy Hooligans, it feels like we have a real family. Look, Ace, Stoick isn't going to kill you and it's plain to see that you're not going to kill him any time soon. You only have two choices here. You can get off the ship and start over, or you can stay here."

Ace decided to choose the latter and officially joined the Hairy Hooligan is wrong with the rest of his crew.

He didn't waste any time and engaged with his first pirate crew as a member of the Hairy Hooligans. He was now facing Bohemia Knight Gomer, a black-haired man with a monkey latched onto his back.

"So you must be Gomer," Ace smiled as his fists burst into flames.

Gomer drew his sword, and the two of them clashed, which resulted in Ace's victory and Gomer pledging his loyalty to Stoick.

"Whoa, hot dang, Ace did it again."

"He got Gomer and his crew to surrender all by himself."

Ace was surprised when Stoick offered him the position of commander of the Second Division, which had been vacant for over twenty years.

"You guys want me to come and the Second Division?"

"The post has been open for a long time, so just take it."

"Yeah, no one is going to complain."

Ace still wasn't sure whether to accept the post, considering they were old and more experienced crew members.

"You've been here longer than most," said Ace as he sat with Drago. "And this doesn't bother you at all?"

"Nah, not in the slightest," said Drago dismissively as he ate. "I've got no ambition for that sort of thing. Do it for us, Commander Ace."

Ace decided to accept the position, and everyone began to celebrate his promotion.

"And from this day forward, Ace will be our Second Division Commander!" Gobber announced.

"Yeah!" everyone cheered.

Ace was still rather surprised by all this.

"Don't look so dazed, lad," Gobber chuckled as he made eat a large chunk of meat, "you're a star now, so eat."

Ace did just that but ended up choking on his own food.

"Here."

One of the pirates then handed him a tankard of mead, which he immediately began to guzzle down.

"Slow down," Finn chuckled. "The food is not going anywhere, buddy, I promise ya. Besides, the banquet today is in your honour."

"Yeah, I know," Ace smiled. "I'm just trying to enjoy myself."

"You heard, boys and girls, enjoy yourselves!" Gobber yelled.

Everyone cheered as they began singing and dancing the whole day away.

Word of Ace's exploits began to spread across the entire world.

"Stoick is on a roll; he just picked up another strong rookie."

"I heard this new kid can breathe fire."

Sander looked at the article that mentioned Ace and was deeply troubled by its contents.

Finn engaged with the Grenine Brothers and their crew with his division, but they proved to be quite stubborn.

"Here comes the second division!"

Ace promptly jumped onto the ship and joined up with Finn.

"Ace," Finn smiled.

"You okay there, Finn?" Ace asked.

"Yep, I am now."

Together, the two of them managed to overpower the pirates.

"They've raised your bounty again?"

"Possibly," Ace smiled.

"Ace, take a look at what I found," said Finn as he held out a strange-looking Devil fruit.

"Is that a Devil Fruit?" Ace asked.

"I think so, but I don't know what type it is yet."

Drago's eyes widened when he saw the Devil Fruit and an evil smile appeared on his face.

Later that night, Fearless Finn had been murdered by Drago, who had stolen the Devil Fruit he found. This caused a massive uproar as Stoick had only one golden rule on the ship, but no one should murder a fellow crewman.

When he heard what happened, Ace was determined to chase after Drago, but the rest of the crew did try to stop him.

"Please, Ace, come on! Just calm down! Stoick said that he was going to make an exception with this one! He doesn't want you going after Drago!"

"Let me go!" Ace demanded as he shoved his crew members off of him. "I am his commander, aren't I? If I do not bring Drago to justice for this, how will Finn's spirit ever rest?"

"Ace," said Stoick gently. "I know how you feel, but let it go. I have a bad feeling about this one."

"The man killed his own crewmate and ran away!" Ace yelled furiously. "He's been on this crew longer than most. You considered him a friend! Then he turns and spits in your face! He has displaced my father's good name. I can't allow that. I'll take care of this on my own."

He then grabbed his bag and made his way to the side of the ship where his boat was waiting.

"Hold on, lad!" Gobber yelled. "Come back here, Ace!"

The rest of the crew called out to him, but he ignored them and sailed away.

With hindsight, Ace wished he had heeded Stoick and not on after Drago, or all this could have been prevented.

Everything started to calm down, much to the relief of the Marines.

"Is the quake over?"

"Is that his power? Because holy crap."

"Dad…" said Ace, looking upon the Skullcrusher. "…everyone else too. I ignored your advice and took off on my own. Why the hell did you just give up on me? Every bit of this is my own damn fault!"

"No," said Stoick. "It was I who drove you to this, my son."