The giant bird wasn't done yet. After missing the first strike, it wheeled around for another attack. Deuce could only roll frantically toward the side of the giant ship.
"Wah!"
He crashed into a wooden board with a loud clunk. The gale returned with the bird's wings, and Deuce—starving, exhausted, and out of strength—couldn't move anymore. In the next moment, he was going to be flattened into bird poop and returned to nature.
A kaleidoscope of regrets flickered through his mind—his failed dreams, his foolish mistrust of the two people who had just saved his life. As the giant shadow loomed over him, Deuce closed his eyes and braced for the end.
"WRAAAGH!"
A thunderous roar split the air.
Ace leapt in like a thunder god, wielding a massive sword salvaged from the ruins. He brought it crashing down from above, cleaving through the sky and striking the giant bird square on the head.
BOOM!
The bird screamed, crashed into the ground, and skidded to the side.
"RAAAHH!"
A second roar erupted as Shin charged in from the flank, gripping another enormous blade with both hands. With all his might, he slammed it into the bird's side.
WHUMP!
The giant bird let out a shriek and, as if it had been punched in the gut, coughed up a mouthful of loot—gold, junk, and a few crates tumbling out with a wet squelch.
"It really was hoarding supplies," Deuce muttered in disbelief, watching from the ground.
Wounded and furious, the bird rose again, wings beating like drums of war.
But Ace didn't flinch. He stood tall, his sword resting on his shoulder, his expression sharp and unyielding.
In that moment, an oppressive pressure radiated from him—raw, instinctive, and terrifying. His eyes locked onto the beast with an invisible force that pinned it in place.
The air grew heavy.
The giant bird trembled. Its wings stuttered. Letting out a low, terrified caw, it turned tail and fled into the sky.
"Was that… Conqueror's Haki?" Shin blinked, staring at Ace. "Man, mine's barely strong enough to scare seagulls…"
The sunlight poured through the clouds again, and the wind softened.
Ace turned his back to Deuce and said quietly, "I grew up eating charity bread. I've been called worse. But we're not going to die on this island."
Deuce sat up slowly.
"You know," Shin added with a grin, offering Deuce a hand, "people who love food are usually good people. They're too busy chasing flavor to cause trouble."
Deuce stared at them both, chest heaving, eyes wide. Then, silently, he reached out and took Shin's hand.
But right before he could say a word—
GURRGLLLEE!
Ace's stomach let out a roar of its own. He immediately dropped to the ground with a groan.
Shin winced in sympathy. He wasn't doing much better himself, but thanks to his enhanced physique, he was still on his feet—for now.
Deuce rushed to help Ace while Shin wandered over to the crates the bird had coughed up.
"Let's see if there's anything edible in these…"
He pried open one of the boxes. A soft golden glow reflected off his eyes. Inside lay a strange, palm-sized fruit with a fiery orange peel, its surface twisting like blooming petals of flame.
It wasn't an ordinary fruit. But Shin was too hungry to care.
Deuce looked over, eyes lighting up. "Maybe if we eat it, we can hang on a little longer."
He picked up the fruit. "This thing? Heard not even dogs will eat it…"
Then he shrugged. "But screw it, I'm starving. Worst case, I bark a few times and live with the shame."
Shin blinked at the familiar shape of the fruit—realization dawning. "Wait a minute…"
Before he could say anything, Ace and Deuce began arguing again—each trying to give the other the bigger share.
Fed up, Shin groaned. "Just split it three ways. Honestly."
And so, they did.
Ace chomped a big bite first. "Tastes terrible, but not poison."
Shin gagged as he forced down his piece. "Blegh. Swallow first, taste never."
Deuce ate his with reckless abandon, as if possessed.
"I'm sorry… I'm really sorry," he cried, tears streaming. "I almost gave up. I doubted you guys. But now—now I want to keep fighting. I want to escape this island. I want to follow my dream!"
"It's alright," Shin said gently. "We get it. You weren't trying to hurt anyone. You just didn't know if you could trust us. Right, Ace?"
Ace smiled and nodded.
Deuce wiped his face, bowed deeply, and said, "Then let me help rebuild the ship. I won't quit this time!"
"Let's keep going!" Ace grinned—bright, hopeful, unstoppable.
As if to mirror his spirit, the air around them suddenly warmed. Though the sun was setting, it felt like noon again.
"Whoa!! Ace—you're on fire!!"
Deuce stumbled back in alarm as flames curled across Ace's shoulders. Ace blinked.
"Ahh! I'm burning!? It's hot—wait… it's not hot?"
He rolled around in the sand while Deuce tried to throw dirt on him.
"Hahahahaha!" Shin burst out laughing. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were reenacting Journey to the West!"
"Stop laughing and help!!" Deuce shouted.
Shin finally caught his breath. "Relax, I think it's a Devil Fruit ability. It won't hurt him."
"Devil… Fruit?" Deuce looked bewildered.
Ace paused, confused. "It really doesn't hurt…"
He stood up, stretched out a hand, and pointed toward a pile of debris.
BOOM!
A stream of fire erupted from his fingertip, blasting the broken wood apart. The flames on his body slowly receded until nothing remained—not even a scorch mark on his clothes.
Deuce turned to Shin, eyes wide. "That fruit… was really a Devil Fruit?"
Shin nodded. "Looks like Ace took the first bite. So only he got the power."
Ace was stunned. "My brother… he ate one too. So this means… I've got fire?"
He raised his arm again, letting the flames rise and dance across his palm. His eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Flames, huh? Definitely more fun than rubber."
Deuce looked at his own hands. He flexed his fingers, squinted, and concentrated so hard he nearly farted—but nothing happened.
Shin gave him a solemn nod. "Yeah… only the first bite grants the power. Tough luck, man."
"It's fine," Deuce sighed, slumping. "I didn't really want to set myself on fire anyway…"
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A/N: Please Leave A Comment Or Drop A Powerstone It'll mean alot to me...