43 43(10)

Dungeon, First Floor, Small Safe Zone Number 689.

Ace was teleported directly to a safe zone in the area currently controlled by the Akagami pirate group. When Ace first entered the dungeon. Ace was very surprised by the appearance in the dungeon. Because the appearance inside the dungeon was almost like the outside world.

"Is this a dungeon… Incredible" Ace muttered as he looked around him and his gaze suddenly stopped at the Titan who was currently only 50 meters away from his current position, "What is a Titan? He's so tall… Almost like a Little Orc"

Ace's face showed an excited grin looking at the Titan.

It should be noted that Ace currently only relies on the ability of his devil fruit, the Mera-Mera no Mi. Thanks to this devil fruit ability, Ace can control and control his fire abilities. While Ace himself cannot use Haki abilities. Armament Haki, Observation Haki, and Conqueror Haki. Ace can't use these three abilities yet.

This itself is based on the fact that Ace already feels safe and also has no threat when he joins the Whitebeard pirate group. Because of Whitebeard's protection, very few pirate groups dared to attack them.

Meanwhile for Whitebeard's own pirate group. Currently there are only a few people who can use Haki abilities. They were Whitebeard, Marko, Joz, Vista, Namur, Izo and also several division commanders who had joined Whitebeard for a long time. While others cannot use Haki abilities. The reason is the same as Ace. They already feel safe and have no threat because they have always been guarded by Whitebeard.

This is also why Ace doesn't know how strong the Titan's power is and only knows that the Titan has the same strength as an officer from the Marine Headquarters and is proficient in Haki abilities. However, because of Ace's sense of pride, Ace felt that his strength was enough to fight the Titans who were there.

Ace immediately lowered the bag containing the food that was previously stolen by him to the merchant on Saboundy Island along with some of the courtyards on his body and began to do a simple stretch while looking at the Titan who was nearby with a gaze full of an enthusiastic smile, "Let's get started. the hunt!"

Ace quickly ran straight out of the safe zone. The moment his footsteps touched the outside of the dungeon. The Titan who was nearby immediately sensed Ace's presence.

*Roar!*

The Titan immediately roared with anger because Ace dared to enter the territory owned by him. Immediately the Titan immediately ran towards Ace at high speed.

"What?!" Ace was immediately surprised to see the running speed of the Titan who was immediately in front of him, "So fast?!"

Without waiting for Lana's time, the Titan immediately unleashed a punch currently coated in Armament Haki at Ace.

"Bad" Ace said with a face hard to believe.

At this time the blow was aimed directly at Ace with a very frightening force. Ace immediately crossed his arms in front of him to block the attack. Ace is currently unable to dodge the attack let alone turn his body into an element since the attack released by the Titan is an attack shrouded in Armament Haki.

*BOOM!*

Ace was immediately hit by a fatal attack from the Titan and his body was immediately knocked back while crashing into the trees behind him. Ace was thrown more than 50 meters from his position until he was able to stabilize his position and see blood coming out of the corner of his mouth which means that Ace's internal organs are currently injured.

"Shit" Ace said angrily as he got back up and stared at the Titan who was now moving towards him at high speed.

"How is it possible with a body like that to have this kind of speed?" Ace asked with a face hard to believe what he was currently seeing. Ace immediately clenched his right hand which was currently covered in flames from his devil fruit ability.

"Hiken!" Ace shouted very strongly while releasing a super large fire blow towards the Titan.

*Roar!*

The Titan who is currently Ace's opponent also fights by releasing his attack.

*BOOM!*

The two attacks instantly clashed against each other. However, Ace's attack was immediately repelled by the Titan.

"How could it be?!" Ace's face was full of disbelief when he saw his attack that was destroyed by the Titan.

Without waiting long. The Titan had appeared in front of Ace. The Titan then immediately hit Ace with his power which caused Ace to be immediately pushed back towards the back with his body crashing into various trees until his body stopped on a high cliff and stuck there.

*Guak!*

Blood immediately spewed from Ace's mouth. Ace's face is now full of horror looking at the Titan in front of him who is now moving towards him again.

"AH! Enkai!" Ace's body was immediately enveloped by a very smoldering fire and by using his power, Ace immediately freed himself from the rock cliff that bound him.

Ace then created a fire spear and held it with his right hand while looking at the Titan, "Accept this bastard! Spear of Fire!" Ace shouted as he threw a fire spear that had a length of about 4 meters at the Titan.

But what a shame. The fire spear's power only comes from the devil fruit's ability. For Haki users like Titan who are currently fighting Ace. The attack released by Ace was just like playing for him. The Titan immediately destroyed the fire spear that was released by Ace at him and immediately moved towards Ace.

"This..." Ace fell silent again seeing the attack released by him had no impact even almost like a toy by the Titan.

When the Titan arrived in front of Ace, the Titan immediately launched an attack to fly Ace into the sky.

"Fire Mirror!" Ace also tries to block the attack by releasing a defensive ability of his.

*Kacha!*

However, the attack power released by the Titan is stronger than Ace's defense. The mirror of fire created by Ace was instantly destroyed by the Titan and Ace was directly hit into the sky by it.

"Ah!"

Ace's body immediately flew high into the sky. Without wasting much time, the Titan immediately jumped into the sky and immediately continued his attack by pecking Ace to the ground.

*BOOM!*

Ace's body immediately fell to the ground at high speed. Currently Ace's appearance is not the same as when he first came. Because right now his body was covered with wounds and blood. There are several bones in his body as well as currently injured from the battle he is currently undergoing.

*Roar!*

The Titan that attacked Ace immediately fell close to where Ace fell while looking at Ace with a look of contempt. Ace slowly tried to stand up even though his body was currently feeling excruciating pain.

"Damn it! I haven't felt pain like this in a long time..." Ace muttered in a pained tone as he raised his head to look at the Titan in front of him with a look full of seriousness, "You are strong"

*Roar!*

The titan immediately roared at Ace as if to show that he was the strongest and currently rearranging it had shown killing intent to Ace.

"Even if you are strong… However, I will win" Ace said with his eyes now full of confidence in his abilities even though he was currently in quite a pathetic condition.

"Dai Enkai!" Ace shouted while his body was currently enveloped by hot fire and instantly the fire spread throughout the area around Ace.

"Roar!*

The Titan in front of Ace roared again and looked at Ace and at this time the Titan felt a slight sense of danger. Ace immediately gathered all the fire that was around him and now formed a fairly large fireball which the size of the fireball was very large.

"Entei!" Ace said while looking at Titan with a triumphant look, "I'm sorry. Even though you've hurt me like this. However, the battle this time… I will win!" Ace said and immediately brought the fireball towards the Titan to attack him.

*Roar!*

The Titan in front of him was very angry at Ace's words even though he didn't know what they meant. The Titan immediately unleashed his punches towards the fireball created by Ace.

*BOOM!*

The two attacks collided with each other.

"Argh!" Ace gritted his teeth and continued to push his attacks toward the Titan.

*Roar!*

Same with Ace. The titan also pushed his punch while resisting the heat of the fireball whose temperature was over 6000 degrees Celsius. The two attacks clashed against each other.

"Ah!"

Even though Ace is currently in a pretty pathetic state and many of the bones in his body are currently injured. Ace will not withdraw from the battle until his opponent loses or his opponent surrenders. Ace pushed his body to the point where he could currently push.

*Roar!*

Titan who became his opponent of Ace also did the same thing. He was also pushing the limits of his current body with his full strength.

However, gradually the Titan's Armament Haki could no longer withstand the heat from Ace's fireball. The Titan's hand instantly turned black. The black hand doesn't come from Armament Haki but comes from Ace's fireball.

*Roar!*

A roar of pain immediately came out of the Titan.

Ace who heard this immediately showed a smile and then pushed all his remaining strength to defeat the Titan using his fireball.

*BOOM!*

The fireball directly touched the Titan's body and instantly exploded with a very strong explosive impact. Ace immediately protected his body using his elemental abilities.

It didn't take long for the impact of the attack to dissipate. Ace immediately used his fire ability to remove the smoke around him while his breath was now very heavy. The consumption of stamina required to release the fireball ability is very large and every day Ace can only release once.

Gradually the dust and smoke disappeared and Ace's face showed signs of disbelief because at this time the Titan was still not dead but still there and on his knees with his whole body burned.

"How could it be!" Ace said with a face full of disbelief.

This is because the attack released by Ace previously was his strongest attack and currently the strongest attack still cannot kill a Titan. Ace had a hard time believing all of this.

At this time it can be said that Ace's pride has been destroyed.

The Titan who is currently still surviving the attack from Ace slowly raises his head and looks at Ace with a murderous look.

*Roar!*

The roar of anger came out of his mouth again but was already very weak.

Ace who heard this immediately felt an opportunity even though at this time Ace felt that attacking at this time was something a coward would do. However, in order to survive. Ace immediately created a fire spear that was previously created by him and immediately threw it at the Titan's forehead.

The fire spear quickly pierced through the head of the Titan causing the Titan to die instantly and his body instantly disappeared from the place. At the place where the Titan was standing, currently, only a small crystal remained.

Ace slowly walked towards the crystal and when he got there. Ace immediately fell with his already very heavy breath. Simultaneously, Ace's Observation Haki awakens. Ace can see from left to right and behind him at this time. There were three Titans already moving towards him.

"Danger!" Ace immediately took the crystal he got through the battle and immediately left the place with a face full of fear.

"Unlucky! Unlucky! Damn!" Ace ran on because from behind him at this time, Ace could feel that the three Titans were very close to him and were currently aiming for his life.

Ace himself has an ideology that in battle it can not retreat. However, at this time Ace violated his ideology because Ace knew that against just one Titan, he would need all his abilities and even almost die. Ace believes that it is impossible for him to fight against 3 Titans at once.

With his current self-esteem crushed. Ace quickly ran to save himself towards the safe zone where he had first come to this dungeon.

"Just wait! Just wait! After I became stronger than now! I will definitely avenge all these actions!" Ace was sitting in his heart with a sad expression for suffering such a humiliating defeat. His current self-worth had been crushed. His pride was crushed. It can be said that what Ace is currently under is the desire to survive because there are promises that must be fulfilled by him and also missions that must be completed by him.

If it weren't for those promises and missions. Ace would definitely not hesitate to die. However, there are two things that are currently held by Ace. Ace doesn't want to make his only brother feel sad because of his departure and Ace doesn't want to make Whitebeard who is now considered by him as his father very disappointed because he can't complete the mission given to him.

Lucky Ace still has quite a lot of luck. Ace arrived at the safe zone that had previously been his place of arrival in the dungeon before being overtaken by the Titans.

Ace's breath became very heavy as he looked at the same back as Ace could see the three Titans with a height of 45 meters, 50 meters, and 40 meters respectively who had chased him before.

By the time Ace had entered his small safe zone. The Titans immediately stopped chasing him and immediately returned to the territory occupied by them before.

Ace immediately fell to the ground as tears slowly fell from his eyes, "SHIT!" Ace shouted very loudly, "SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY AM I SO WEAK LIKE THIS?!"

Ace immediately took his hat and covered his face because he didn't want anyone else to see his current condition even though Ace knew it was impossible for anyone to see him at this time.

"CAN'T! CAN'T! I CAN'T GO ON LIKE THIS! I HAVE TO BE STRONG! I CAN'T BE WEAK LIKE THIS! RUN FROM THE BATTLE?! THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE! I HAVE TO BECOME STRONGER! STRONGER TO DO ANYTHING! STRONGER TO PROTECT LUFFY! POWERFUL TO MAKE FATHER A PARTNER KING!" Ace roar again sounded very strong.

On that night. Ace's mentality immediately changed. Ace, who previously had no desire to learn Haki's abilities because he was currently satisfied with his devil fruit abilities, immediately changed that thought. Currently Ace has a desire to learn how to use Haki's abilities. The current Ace didn't want to run away from the battle like before. Ace wants to fight and be the winner.

Today it can be said that the pride that Ace held for so many years has been shattered!

During that night. Ace did not resume his hunt. Ace immediately came out of the dungeon and went to the hospital on Saboundy Island to treat the wounds he received at this time.