Chapter 37: End
In the sky above, King scowled as he watched Queen flee. Coward, he cursed internally.
Meanwhile, Ace was fully engaged. It had been a long time since he had faced such a high-stakes battle. Ever since entering the New World—and especially after knowing the Four Emperors strength, Ayaan, and Yamato—he had felt the overwhelming pressure to grow stronger. Now, this was a rare opportunity.
"Hi no Shōkan—Shiranui!" (Sacred Flame: Shiranui)
A blazing column of fire erupted from Ace's hands. King, despite belonging to a race known for their resistance to fire, grimaced. The Mera Mera no Mi wasn't just fire—it was pure, elemental fury. And even King's fireproof skin couldn't ignore it.
Thanks to Ayaan, Ace had developed a true flight capability by propelling himself with jets of flame, Iron Man-style, rather than simply jumping or flying straight. This gave Ace a speed advantage, even over King's winged flight.
With a loud boom, Ace streaked forward. Behind him, King's cloak ignited—but the fire didn't seem to slow him. Instead, the flame on his back intensified, boosting his speed. Enveloped in Busoshoku Haki, King's wings slammed into Ace, knocking him aside.
The fire damage from King's attacks was useless against Ace, whose Logia nature rendered him immune. Only Armament Haki could actually land a hit—an area where King still outclassed Ace in raw experience and technique.
Still, between Ace's fruit power and his rapid adaptation, the gap was closing.
Their duel raged on for hours in the sky. King knew he couldn't win quickly—and with Queen and Jack gone, he was isolated. Victory would cost him dearly.
Then, Ace called out:
"I see it now! When the flames on your back burn large, your defense increases. When they shrink or vanish, your speed increases."
Ace guessed, "Is he using a Mythical Zoan?"
He was wrong—the flames came from King's Lunarian race, not a Devil Fruit. But Ace's deduction helped him adapt. He started targeting King during his defensive phase, minimizing risks and maximizing damage.
Under the constant pressure, King took multiple hard hits. Realizing the tide was turning—and that Yamato and Ayaan were now free—he made a split-second decision.
This battle is pointless. Better to retreat than fall.
With a flash, the flames on King's back extinguished. His body blurred—then became a black speck disappearing into the horizon.
Ace stared.
"He ran? Seriously? I was ready to go all night."
Descending, Ace surveyed the damage. The entire town was scorched and torn apart from their aerial war.
His face fell.
"Damn... We're broke again."
He might've been a wild glutton and free spirit, but Ace wasn't heartless. If civilians suffered damage from his actions, he always tried to compensate.
Unfortunately, the Spade Pirates weren't rich. They made money by defeating rival pirates and challengers, not plundering towns. And massive elemental battles like Ace's always caused collateral damage.
Then came a voice:
"Relax. I already paid for the repairs."
It was Yamato, approaching with Ayaan.
"Don't forget," Ayaan added, "I looted Kaido's treasure vault. Half of that goes toward funding the crew."
Unlike rigid pirate crews, the Spade Pirates were more like adventurers. They didn't enforce strict "tribute rules" about spoils. What Ayaan did with his loot was his own business—but he shared anyway.
Ace grinned in relief. He hated paperwork—and if he had to hear Deuce nag about budgeting one more time, he might just set something on fire.
Deuce, the ship's quartermaster and voice of reason, handled everything logistical: supplies, funds, repairs. But he also nagged like an old man whenever Ace made impulsive decisions. After every battle, Ace got an earful.
After cleaning up, the Spade Pirates didn't linger. The townspeople were now terrified—every time Ace walked down the street, everyone scattered.
---
Back aboard the ship...
"So, next stop—the Red-Haired Pirates?" Deuce asked.
On deck, Ace, Deuce, Yamato, and Ayaan were in discussion.
Ayaan nodded.
"Sounds like a plan. Shanks might teach you something you lack."
"Like what?"
"Conqueror's Haki entanglement."
Ace blinked.
"You can entangle Conqueror's Haki? Like Armament Haki?"
Ayaan gestured to Yamato.
"Ask him. His father, Kaido, was a master of it."
Yamato confirmed:
"Yeah. That bastard father's strongest moves used Conqueror's Haki. It can massively increase destructive power when infused in attacks—even more than Armament Haki."
Ace's eyes gleamed with ambition.