[Read 15+ chapters before release in P.A.T.R.E.O.N]–

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Chapter 125

Title: Smart Ace....

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–Ace Pov–

It took us 3 days to reach Risky Red Island.

'Man this place is awesome!'

This was my initial reaction when I came here.

This place is a forest. An old forest with massive old trees similar to 'Little Garden', an island I visited in the past.

The thing that stands out the most here is the dark red volcano in the middle of the island. It has a majestic appearance, almost as if it is a majestic dragon itself, making the whole island hot with steam all around.

I was in awe for a while. My body felt... good? My steam-steam fruit allows me to maintain my body temperature, so it was no surprise that I was not feeling hot. But why was I feeling good?

It was because around me, there was steam. Natural steam made by the volcano. My body is absorbing the steam and tempering itself in real-time.

I looked at my companions on the side... They were in worse condition.

"Huff.... Ace, you don't feel anything?"

As the gasping for air Masked asked me a question I just grinned.

"A little."

I lied to keep them familiar with me.

Anyway, since I don't feel hot nor uncomfortable, I can check the area around the volcano.

"Hey, Deuce." He looked at me. "Where did you get the news about that fruit? Do you know any more specifics?"

He made a thinking posture. "Well, I told you about that friend from the underworld? He got this intel and shared it with me. It is supposed to be a Dragon-Dragon fruit, Ancient Zoan."

"Ohh, you told me about All-Star King once, he also has a Dragon-Dragon fruit, didn't he?"

"Yes,"

"Then it's decided!" I cried out. "As the future Pirate King's right-hand man, you would need a strong fruit, I will search the island and get this fruit for you!!"

Everyone on the crew cheered hearing me.

I gave them a last look before jumping in the air. "!"

Froowh!

"Ace, wait! You don't have to!!"

That is all I heard as I was flying in the steamy air.

My flight ability is quite unstable in the sea since I can get swept by the wind blows, but since this whole place is a steamy fountain, it's my domain... even though I cannot control steam that comes from nature, this isn't bad.

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–General Pov–

Before anyone of the crew could stop Ace, he flew off and started to look around the island.

His last words: "Wait in the ship if it's too hot for you!!"

Obviously, they didn't care about it.

Masked Deuce forgot to add one important line.

He made a worried face. "I heard the Jack of the Beast Pirates is also here currently.... Looking for the fruit. Darn, Ace will surely mess up! Everyone let's go!"

He also started to run behind the flying Ace, the other crew member followed suit.

«...★...»

Outside the volcano which was boiling inside, a group of people wearing similar-looking clothes and two horns could be seen. In front of them stood a massive man with a metallic jaw mask with tusk-like horns attached to the two sides of his head.

He was Jack the Drought, a 27'3" feet man, Kaido's All-Star from Beasts Pirates!

They were standing at the edge of the volcano, looking within the boiling volcano itself.

Bereboop!

Some gifters took steps back seeing the boiling volcano, this place was very hot, yet they were forced to come here because of Jack.

Fah! Fah!

Around them, a gifter with Eagle powers was flying while his sharp eyes were looking within the volcano. Beside him, a man with bat powers was flying as well.

"Egura, are you certain?"

Jack's heavy voice made everyone stiff, Egura, the eagle-man nodded. His eagle-vision could see the terrain of the volcanic walls clearly.

"Yes, just around the level where Lava ends, there is a hole. Enough to allow a slim crouching man to enter it. It's a cave, I am assuming it's the location where the fruit is kept. I can be wrong though-Eee!!"

As Egura ended his line with an 'Eee', Jack nodded. "We are not certain about the fruit, so before sending anyone there, we need to confirm if the fruit really is there or not."

Everyone gulped hearing him. 'Sending anyone... in that volcano?'

While everyone nodded in fright, Jack looked at the bat-looking man flying beside him.

"Batman, try searching with your 'Sound-wave sensing'. Pay special attention to objects as big as fist inside that cave, it might be the devil fruit."

"I got that!" The man-bat, Batman nodded and closed his eyes.

"!!!!" His 'vision' started to move, going towards the cave, the world looked invert colored to him.

Around 3 minutes later, he opened his eyes.

"Sir," Batman came down from the air. "You are right. T-There really is a devil fruit inside the cave!!"

Everyone gulped hearing him. They actually hoped there wasn't any fruit.

After a short silence from Jack, he grinned under his mask. "Now we just need someone to go there..."

Unfortunately, none of them are heat-resistant enough to do so.

"B-boss... we can't go there."

Jack's face darkened. He was a Fishman, so even with his Ancient Zoan's defense, he was very uncomfortable around this much heat, meters above the lava. So going down using a strong rope was out of the way.

'Besides, Egura said the hole is only big enough for a slim crouching man to enter... I can't possibly achieve that.'

Jack was 27'3" feet tall....

However, there wasn't anyone else to approach it other than him either. He had a high defense but that wasn't the case for others, their bodies would just melt.

Jack gritted his teeth. 'Why...'

'If it was King, he could have just flown there.'

His inferiority complex started to act up as he clenched his fist. He then looked at Batman and Egura.

"Prepare yourselves, you need to dive down."

"H, Huh? Boss, our bodies would melt."

Jack laughed. "We don't know until we try, do we?"

If one person didn't make it, the second will, if the second couldn't, the third will. If the third couldn't, then the 4th definitely—

"Ahh, who are you people?"

Suddenly, Jack's eyes grew as he abruptly looked at the unknown voice, seemingly coming from the sky.

"You guys look familiar," It was Ace. "I think... Ohh, Beasts Pirates! Right?"

Unlike Luffy, Ace always kept up with bounty posters, so he knew the ones with high bounty, he easily recognized Jack the Drought.

"Why are you here—" As Ace was about to say something again, he heard a voice from far.... The voice was in his head.

This was one of his crew members' devil fruit power, Telepathy.

"{Ace! Ace!}"

"{Ok, ok, I can hear you... What is it, Perry?}"

Ace replied to his crewmate while the people on the ground looked at him with a frown, especially Jack.

'How is he flying, more so, with such control in this heat?' He easily understood it's his devil fruit power, he could see steam coming out of his body while also absorbing the natural ones. 'Isn't he a perfect scapegoat?'

Jack snickered to himself. He couldn't see this rat disobeying him, an All-Star of Kaido. So he can just order him to get the fruit.

But Ace was in a whole other world.

"{For real?! They are here to take the fruit...?}"

Hearing the intel, Ace was excited. This meant he might get Jack.

However... 'No, that's not good. My crew would definitely get hurt.'

"{Ace, listen to me, get away from there. We are preparing our ship, we will leave.}"

"{What? Why? We came so far... no way! Don't worry, I have a plan. I will-}"

Ace's thought was cut off with a yell from Jack.

"Hey, you! Come down here, I have an order for you. If you get the job right, Emperor Kaido will take you in..."

Ace stopped his telepathy. Silently, he stared down for a second. 'This guy...'

He was angry that Jack dared propose to him the offer to become his subordinate. He wanted to punch him, but he suddenly got a plan.

He grinned and talked in telepathy. "{Perry, I will only go after I take the fruit, I promised Deuce. It won't even take 10 minutes, okay?}"

The feminine voice of Perry, who was secretly in love with Ace, sounded for the last time. "{Ace, listen to me—}"

Only for the connection to be severed by Ace himself.

Ace looked down. "Please, how can I help you?"

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A/N: I will try to connect things with canon to not make this thing feel completely out of the world. 🙄

This chapter was proofread by Discord members and edited by @Retuculum and @AyyZelos and @Shortmotor!

Discord: https://www.discord.gg/sek3gZV2jg