"You just think about eating all the time!"
Deuce remained expressionless as he stepped forward, slinging his arm over Ace's shoulder and guiding him out of town.
"Our ship is too small. I told you not to take down so many people all at once."
"Ah, I couldn't hold back… But it's fine. Someone's picking them up, so their bounties won't go to waste."
"…"
Enel tilted his head, watching the two of them chat and leave, somewhat impressed by Ace's decisiveness.
"This bounty hunter is quite straightforward… Though I couldn't best him in a fight, capturing the priests would have been troublesome."
"So this is the Blue Sea… Running into a Logia user right on my first encounter. Just how strong must those three Marine 'Admirals' be…?"
...
"Ace, what happened? Are you alright?!"
It wasn't until they had left Whisky Peak far behind that Deuce finally spoke up, seeing Ace relax a little.
"Heh! The Rumble-Rumble Fruit really lives up to its name!"
Ace raised his right hand, and Deuce took out a medical kit to start bandaging him up.
"You're both Logia users. Lightning and fire shouldn't have a decisive advantage over each other. How did he manage to hurt you?!"
Ace sighed. "I never expected to run into a Rumble-Rumble Fruit user so soon after entering the Grand Line. It was a real wake-up call."
With a wry smile, Ace continued, "Back then, Uncle Wright taught us about Logia-type Devil Fruits and gave us many examples."
"Among them were the Flame-Flame Fruit and the Rumble-Rumble Fruit."
"That's why I was able to master the power of the Flame-Flame Fruit so quickly and even attempt to develop it further."
"And the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, known as the 'strongest Logia ability,' might actually deserve that title."
Seeing Deuce's puzzled expression, Ace explained slowly:
"It's almost as if Uncle Wright predicted one of us would end up with the Flame-Flame Fruit. He gave us countless examples of elements that could suppress fire."
"There are many things that can extinguish flames: water, sand—both can disrupt combustion."
"Freezing temperatures can suppress fire, and magma not only absorbs its heat but can also completely smother it."
"But what we never expected… was that powerful lightning could also extinguish flames!"
"We've only ever seen lightning strike trees and ignite them. Since when does lightning put out fire?!"
"That's why I attacked the Rumble-Rumble Fruit user without hesitation—I wasn't worried about my own safety."
"Because if the lightning wasn't strong enough, it wouldn't be able to extinguish my flames!"
Deuce had completely forgotten about the bandages in his hands, muttering in disbelief:
"This… This is unbelievable!"
"Right? That's what I thought too, but as you saw, it was exactly as Uncle Wright said."
"It's just a minor injury, but it proves that if our strength were equal, he could hurt me while I couldn't hurt him!"
"And… that Rumble-Rumble Fruit user seemed highly proficient in his abilities. He must have had his Devil Fruit for much longer than I've had mine, and his control over it is far more advanced."
Ace looked a little discouraged, but he quickly brightened up with a grin:
"But it wasn't all for nothing…"
"The moment my Fire Fist clashed with his lightning, I reached a temperature I'd been trying to achieve for so long!"
"Uncle Wright also said that fire and lightning are fundamentally similar. If I can replicate the feeling of their collision…"
Ace raised his left hand, and a small, orange flame flickered at his fingertip.
"Knowledge is power… Uncle Wright was absolutely right about that."
Closing his eyes, Ace concentrated, recalling the sensation of his battle with Enel.
"Burn faster! More concentrated! More intense!"
"That feeling…"
"Not enough yet…"
Deuce was already sweating cold bullets.
That Vice Admiral Wright—soon to be promoted to Admiral—just what kind of monster had he trained?
The Flame-Flame Fruit was terrifying enough, but Ace had also gained such extensive knowledge about fire that he could immediately analyze how an enemy's ability could help improve his own!
The flame at Ace's fingertip was gradually losing its original orange-red hue, becoming lighter!
At the same time, Deuce could feel waves of heat radiating from the yellowing flame, growing more intense!
Finally, Ace opened his eyes, looking at the now yellow flame with satisfaction.
"This is the limit for now, but the temperature is much higher than before…"
"Ha! I knew it—Uncle Wright said that if fire reaches a blue-white color, its temperature would be several times hotter!"
Blue-white flames? Getting hit by that wouldn't just mean an injury—it'd be outright lethal!
Deuce looked at the grinning Ace and suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of respect—and fear—for Wright.
...
Time passed, and Marine Headquarters was making thorough preparations for an unprecedented event—the promotion of a fourth Admiral.
Unlike the previous promotions of the Three Admirals or the transition to a new Fleet Admiral, which were about succession, this was about expansion!
"So, how do you feel? You're about to be promoted to Admiral."
For the first time in years, Wright, Rosinante, and Smoker were gathered at Headquarters. The promotion ceremony was scheduled for the next day, and Smoker had only just returned after handling affairs at his branch base.
At the same time, Vice Admirals stationed across the Grand Line had begun arriving at Headquarters to attend tomorrow's celebration.
That's right—this Admiral promotion ceremony was practically a festival for the entire Navy!
"How do I feel? Not much, really… At first, I was excited, but then I realized that as an Admiral, I'd get fewer chances to take action. Sounds kinda boring."
Wright looked at the two men smoking across from him and shook his head helplessly.
"But you two—ever since you were promoted to Vice Admirals, your responsibilities have increased. Vice Admirals are the busiest officers in Headquarters."
"Even though you have more freedom and can go on missions often, you still have to ensure your assigned duties are handled properly."
"And now that you're both stationed at G-5, you'll understand the kind of pressure I've been under all this time."
Rosinante nodded. Being stationed at G-5 alongside Smoker was an assignment given by their 'old man'—Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Now, or rather, very soon, G-5 was taking on a new significance. It was no longer just a foothold in the New World; it was a bridgehead.
A bridgehead for the Navy's expansion into the New World!
With four Admirals, Marine Headquarters couldn't be content with its current level of control over the New World. The most direct way to strengthen their hold was to establish new branch bases!
Building new bases under the Four Emperors' noses was practically a slap to their faces. This wouldn't be a mere skirmish like when Whitebeard's Fifth Division tested the waters!
Thus, G-5 needed to be strong enough, its area of control vast enough, to quietly lay the groundwork for future naval fortresses.
With the fifth generation Lightforged Beacons ensuring smooth logistics, and Wright having expanded their influence beforehand, it was now up to Smoker and Rosinante to maintain the status quo after Wright's departure.
Once the Four Emperors grew accustomed to G-5's presence, it would be time for Marine Headquarters to make its big move!
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