"..."
Ace forced his heavy eyelids open, and a soft light flooded his vision…
The first thing he saw… was a face—gentle, radiant, and heartbreakingly beautiful.
But right now, the owner of that face, Portgas D. Rouge, was pale and frail. Sweat clung to her brow in glistening beads.
Every breath she took seemed to drain what little strength she had left.
To escape the relentless pursuit of the Marines and the World Government, Rouge had endured a pregnancy that stretched from ten months to a staggering twenty.
And now, Portgas D. Rouge had burned through every last ember of her life force.
Yet even as the flame of her life flickered and dimmed, her face radiated joy from the depths of her soul.
Her gaze, resting on Ace's eyes, was filled with indescribable warmth… and love.
"…Roger's child, huh?"
Standing beside the bed was a broad-shouldered man in a black suit, silent and still.
In his usually resolute eyes now flickered a tangle of emotions, heavy and conflicted.
Marine Hero—Monkey D. Garp.
The very idea of Garp, the Hero of the Marines, sharing a room with the wife and child of the Pirate King… felt surreal.
But Rouge, even now as the Pirate King's widow, looked upon Ace as if Garp didn't exist. She drew a deep, ragged breath, her eyes filled with boundless affection, and began to speak to the child cradled in her arms.
"Ace, eat well, okay? Don't be picky. Grow up strong and healthy.
"Remember to take warm baths every day. Don't stay up too late—get your rest.
"Make lots of friends. This sea is vast, and you'll find so many people to meet… But true friends, real ones—you don't need many. A few will be enough.
"Don't drink until you're at least twenty. Drinking too much is bad for your body, so be careful, okay?
"One day, you'll start liking girls… But promise me, don't get tricked by some strange woman. Find someone kind—someone like your mother.
"Ace… as the son of the Pirate King, you're going to face sorrow and pain in your future. But always—always—stay true to yourself. Have dreams…
"And more than that, have the confidence to chase those dreams.
"…And there's still so much more… So much more I wanted to teach you…"
Rouge's words broke into quiet sobs. Her beautiful face was streaked with tears.
"I wanted to stay with you… always. I love you, Ace."
With the last of her strength, Rouge pressed a gentle kiss to Ace's forehead… and closed her eyes forever.
"..."
Ace felt the lingering warmth on his forehead… felt the fading heat of her body. His own eyes welled with tears.
In his previous life, he had grown up an orphan—when had he ever known a mother's love this pure?
But now, Rouge's life had come to its end.
Even Garp, that iron-willed man, stood speechless—shaken by the raw, unfiltered love of a mother's final moments.
But then, his Observation Haki picked up something unusual.
"…Hey. Rouge!"
Though his Haki had already confirmed the truth—Rouge's life signs were gone—Garp still called her name, clinging to hope.
"..."
Silently, he reached out and took Ace from her arms.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure he grows up safe. I swear it."
His eyes, once clouded, now brimmed with resolve.
For the child of the Pirate King to grow up safe and free—that was the weight of the vow sworn by the Hero of the Marines.
In his arms, baby Ace stretched out unconsciously, reaching for Rouge's now lifeless body—still longing for the warmth of her love.
"—Hah!"
Suddenly, Ace's vision darkened.
When he opened his eyes again… he was surrounded.
Marines. Dozens of them.
And beside him stood a man with short golden hair and a sharp, commanding presence.
Silvers Rayleigh… The Dark King?!
Ace's heart jolted.
"Roger Pirates! Y-You're all under arrest—surrender immediately!"
A Vice Admiral stood at the front of the formation, voice shaking as he shouted.
"Oh?" 'Ace' smirked—and then burst into unrestrained, wild laughter.
"Hahahaha… If you wanna catch me, go fetch Garp and Sengoku first! Hahahahaha!"
As his laughter died, his gaze sharpened. The air around him grew still.
A crackle—then—
BOOM!
A tidal wave of purple-black lightning erupted.
The sky and earth trembled under the weight of his will.
Storm clouds above twisted and scattered.
Marines before him—dozens, including the Vice Admiral—toppled instantly, eyes rolling back into unconsciousness.
Not a single one could remain standing.
No ant has the right to stare down a king.
Conqueror's Haki.
"—Hah!"
The next instant, the vision shattered—Rouge's silhouette returned to Ace's eyes.
"You comprehension is unparalleled… In that moment of intense emotion, you awakened Conqueror's Haki through sheer will."
Garp, still cradling the newborn Ace, turned pale with shock.
BOOM!
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TL/N:
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