40 Portgas D. Ace
A month later…On top of the Drum Castle,
Dr. Kureha sat in her cozy cabin atop Drum Castle, surrounded by her many peculiar decorations and mementos from her long and adventurous life. The icy wind of Drum Island howled outside, but her shelter was warm and inviting. Chopper, her faithful assistant and a dear friend, stood nearby, his oversized hat shading his small, contemplative face.
"Kureha, what do you think about that pirate, Kai, and his offer?" Chopper asked, his voice filled with a mix of concern and curiosity.
Kureha, sipping her hot cocoa, regarded Chopper thoughtfully. "Well, my dear Chopper, that Kai is quite the character. I've seen many pirates come and go in my time, but there's something different about him and his crew. He has a certain air around him…I feel like he knows a lot than he's revealing"
Chopper's large eyes blinked inquisitively "Are you thinking of joining them?"
Kureha chuckled, a twinkle in her eye. "It's not as simple as that. Those kids certainly have an exciting journey ahead of them if they can survive long in the sea. They're setting out to explore the world…It maybe a good opportunity to do something new other than lazing around in this place"
Chopper shifted his hooves nervously. "I think if you want to join them, then you should do it"
Kureha leaned in, her expression filled with surprise "And leave you alone here? Besides, I made a promise to Hiriluk to take care of you and continue his lifetime work in curing this kingdom…I can't just give up on that promise for my own selfish desires" she said, she was unusually serious and honest with Chopper.
Chopper looked down for a moment, contemplating her words before he made a determined face "I think you've already fulfilled that promise, you already thought me all you know and have been taken care of me for the past 8 year. I think I'm strong enough to look after myself, Doctorine"
"You seem in hurry to send me away"
"I-It's not like that!!--"
"I get it Chopper" Kureha said with a smile patting his head.
…
…
Meanwhile in Robelle Town, Kai moved the Victoria Punk to the town's port and started loading new supplies as they were getting ready to leave the island soon.
As for his and Kid's injuries they are now completely healed, Kureha and Chopper made sure to occasionally come down to visit and check on them.
Compared to the rest of the Drum Island, Robelle is a rather flat town with condensed wooden buildings. It also has a bridge that leads into it.
"We're finally leaving this place!" Heat was moving supply crates into the ship along with Wire and Gin.
"It's about time, I'm sick of the cold weather here! I'm not gonna get used to it at all!" Wire complained.
"We had to stay here. We couldn't risk sailing while the captains were injured!" Gin said, carrying a large barrel on his shoulder before placing it down inside "Phew…I think he's also trying to recruit a doctor"
"The old woman or the talking reindeer?" Heat questioned
"Either"
While the trio were chatting, a yellow raft shaped like a half crescent moon with a small sail in the back was approaching the island chores. Flames were surging from the back of it and a tall muscular man wearing an orange hat could be seen riding it.
The man is none other than the 2nd division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Portgas D. Ace.
As soon as Ace reached the port, he was spotted by Gin and the others "Who's that guy? He got some guts sailing alone in that small raft" At first, they didn't recognize him but once Gin saw the tattoo on his back, he looked in shock.
"You recognize him, Gin?" Wire questioned upon seeing Gin's facial expressions.
"No, but I recognize that Jolly Roger…There is no mistaking, it's the Whitebeard Pirates" Gin stated.
"Whitebeard?!" Of course, everyone in the world knows who Whitebeard is, even children know about his title 'Strongest Man in the World'. "What is someone from his crew doing here?" Heat eyed Ace in curiosity.
The latter proceeded to tie his raft with the dock, put on a long black coat and jumped off the raft before he finally noticed the presence of the Victoria Punk and the crew. He waved to them with a smile which took them by surprise as they didn't expect that kind of behavior from someone like him.
"Yo!!" Ace waved while checking the Jolly Roger of the ship before he asked them "You're the Eustass Pirates, right? Is your captain on board?"
The trio glanced at each other studying the man before them before Heat answered, "Why are you asking?"
Ace scratched the back of his head before replying to that "Ah, don't worry I'm not trying to pick a fight or anything I just want to ask few questions that's all. I heard you guys fought a guy called Blackbeard a few weeks ago"
"We did" Heat replied before turning back to Wire and Gin "Should we tell him?"
"I don't know. It doesn't look like he's trying to pick a fight" Wire said.
"I'll blame you if anything happens" Heat turned back to Ace again "They're hanging out in an inn…" he proceeded to point out the location.
"Thank you! Have a good day!" Ace thanked them before walking into the town.
"Isn't he too polite for a pirate?" Wire commented on his behavior.
Gin watched the young pirate walk away before he looked at the sky "That's weird…"
"What is it?"
"This is the first time it stopped snowing since we arrived at this place" Gin stated.
"Well, I guess it does stop snowing from time to time…Alright, let's stop wasting time and load the rest of the supplies!"
"…"
…
At a certain inn in the Robelle Town, Kai and some of the crew were hanging out and having some drinks and food.
Killer, Kid and Bonney were playing cards while Kai and Krieg were just chilling in the corner.
"I win!" Killer exclaimed revealing his hand.
"Damn it! Not again!" Kid looked pissed as Killer continued in his winning streak.
Killer laughed amusedly "Kid, you suck at this"
"I'm out!" Bonney said placing her cards on the table.
"What about you? Should we stop now?" Killed asked Kid.
"Not until I beat you, let's go another round!"
"…"
"…murmur…murmur…"
"…"
"What a rowdy group" Ace remarked as he swung the door open and entered the inn. The place went silence for a moment as everyone eyed him carefully before they carried on what they were doing after that.
Though Kai kept watching the newcomer from his table with a grin, Ace also seemed to recognize him but he still walked pass him, took a seat next to the counter and ordered some drinks and a lot of food.
"You know that guy? You kept watching him since he entered" Killer asked Kai.
"Yeah, he's the 2nd division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Portgas D. Ace" Kai stated, finishing his drink.
"Whitebeard Pirates?!" Kid was surprised at that statement "What is someone of his statue doing in place like this?"
"Who knows" Of course Kai knew exactly the reason behind Ace's visit to Drum Island.
Once Ace finished his food he got up from his seat and approached Kai table, he was carrying a newspaper in his hand.
"Mind if I join you?..." He asked, placing the newspaper on the table "…'Red Demon' Eustass Kai and Eusstass 'Captain' Kid"
"Of course" Kai replied, glancing at the newspaper and reading the headline and the wanted posters.
[The Eustass Twin…The rise of a new Supernova captains.]
['Red Demon' Eustass Kai, Dead or Alive 156,000,000 Berries]
[Eustass 'Captain' Kid, Dead or Alive 154,500,000 Berries]
"What business does an infamous commander of the Whitebeard Pirates have to do with us?" Kai asked.
"I see that you recognize me, but don't worry I'm not here to cause trouble. I heard you guys picked a fight with a guy called Blackbeard"
Everyone's attention was picked when they heard that name.
"Oh, that stupid bastard was pretty strong" Kid said, looking pissed upon hearing Blackbeard's name as he still can't accept their defeat against him.
"Pretty strong you say? He used to be a member of the Whitebeard Pirates, I'm surprised you guys survived against him" Ace stated, he looked serious while speaking about him "Can you tell about him from what you have seen?"
"Sure…Let's start first with his crew. He had four crew members excluding himself, they were all powerful than the normal pirates you would meet here in Paradise" Kai said, then he added "As for Blackbeard himself, well he has a ridiculous Devil Fruit"
"A ridiculous Devil Fruit?" Ace raised an eyebrow at that statement.
"He kept blabbering about The Yami Yami no Mi, a Logia fruit that made him a darkness human" Kai started explaining the information he knew about the Devil Fruit to him, including the fact that it can nullify other Devil Fruit abilities when touching their users.
"I'm pretty sure that's the fruit he stole after killing Thatch…Teach, that bastard. He got himself a troublesome power…sigh!" Ace sighed loudly before he cracked a grateful smile to the crew and thanked them "Thanks for the information…"
Ace proceeded to get up from his seat and was about to leave "--By the way, has a pirate wearing a straw hat come here?" He asked showing them the wanted poster of 'Straw Hat' Luffy.
[Monkey D. Luffy, Dead or Alive 30,000,000 Berries]
Of course, no one recognized except Kai.
"No, no pirate by that name has visited this place on our stay here, maybe you should ask the people in town they'll know better than me" Kai said that even though he knew that Luffy will visit this place in a few days but knowing an information like that will just draw some suspicions to him.
"Anyway, if you're after that Blackbeard guy then be careful. That guy is more dangerous than he looks"
"I see, thanks for the warning…Well, see ya!" Ace said, glancing at the waiter before he snuck out of the bar without paying.
"What a strange guy" Kid remarked.
When the waiter noticed him, he quickly run after him "Hey, where do you think you're going?! You can't just eat and skip on the bill!"
"Ahh!" Ace wasted no time in running away.
"It's okay! I'll pay for that!" Kai waved to the waiter to come back.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, yeah, I got it!" he took out some berry bills and handed them to the waiter "Keep the change"
"A-Ah thanks"
"Alright, it's time for us to leave as well"
