(T/N: Please consider reviewing this Fanfic, Thanks and appreciate all who support me)
(T/N: Enjoy!!)
<><><><><><>
Conqueror's Haki—a power possessed by only one in several million, the mark of a king. In this world, those who awaken Conqueror's Haki are born rulers.
Unlike the other two types of Haki that can be trained, this one is innate, a primal force embedded deep within the soul.
Haki itself is the key to standing at the very top of the world. It surpasses everything else.
This truth was passed down to him personally by Arashi during their time together.
Over the years, as he observed the strongest across the seas and within the Marines, he came to firmly believe it—whether it's an emperor of the sea or a legendary Marine, the common trait among them all is the overwhelming power of their Haki.
Armament, Observation, and Conqueror's—only by mastering all three forms of Haki can one truly qualify to enter the realm of the strongest.
Fortunately, after years of hard work, he'd finally stepped into that domain. He could now clearly feel the pressure of top-tier powerhouses.
Setting Devil Fruits aside, when it came to pure Haki, he had the confidence to match, even surpass, the majority of the world.
"Fufufufufu...Even stronger and more intense than most when they first awaken. A force that's hard to ignore."
"Ace!"
Doflamingo looked down with a sneer, his voice filled with amusement.
Watching the fierce flames raging across thousands of meters around Ace, he also took note of the wild, surging Conqueror's Haki bursting from him.
Without hesitation, he leapt from the towering tree, diving straight at Ace.
"But you're still far from ready!"
With a booming laugh, Doflamingo's right fist sparked with a crack of thunder. Black and red lightning coiled around it.
Buzz!
The sheer force of his Conqueror's Haki made the surrounding trees tremble, with cracks spreading across their trunks.
Ace let out a roar and charged forward, scorching a blazing trail across the ground. He swung his right fist powerfully.
"Fire Fist!"
Blazing flames gathered into the shape of a giant fist, surging forward with his fury.
"Fufufufufu... Impressive spirit," Doflamingo laughed as he punched forward.
Boom!
The flaming fist was completely halted, unable to advance even a step. The pressure of Doflamingo's Haki created a vacuum in front of him that repelled everything.
"Too bad your strength is still lacking!" he mocked coldly.
Ace's eyes darkened. Though unwilling to admit it, the gap between them was undeniable.
He'd always believed that his combination of Devil Fruit power and physical combat made him strong enough.
But after his encounter with Marshall D. Teach, that confidence was shattered again and again.
"A powerful Devil Fruit is just a weapon in your hand. To become a true powerhouse in this world... Haki is what truly matters."
Doflamingo's voice turned cold. His figure flickered and in a split second, he broke through the wall of flames and appeared right in front of Ace.
With a sweeping kick of his right leg—
Bang!
Ace was blasted backward in an instant, smashing through over a dozen trees in a row.
"Did Whitebeard never teach you this?" Doflamingo said with mocking contempt. "Seems like as a teacher, that man wasn't nearly as thorough as Arashi."
Lying on the ground, Ace gasped for breath. "Haki... How can I truly master it?" he wondered silently.
In this direct confrontation with Doflamingo, he gained no advantage whatsoever.
His attacks couldn't touch the man—they were either dodged with ease or had no effect. Even his Logia powers couldn't stop Doflamingo from landing direct hits.
The difference between them felt dimensional—like a canyon so vast it couldn't be crossed.
"So I'm still this far behind..." Ace muttered.
"Get up, Fire Fist Ace. This little game of ours is far from over."
Doflamingo approached with a grin. Ace pressed his hands to the ground, panting heavily as he sat up.
The battle, especially the awakening of his Conqueror's Haki, had drained him severely. But clearly, the man before him had no intention of letting him rest.
He called it training—claimed it was to make Ace stronger—but in truth, it was just to indulge in his own twisted, disgusting amusement.
Ace knew very well that to Doflamingo, he was nothing but a toy—a child's plaything to be abused for entertainment.
Doflamingo stepped closer, wearing a calm smile, but the pressure he gave off was suffocating.
Brrr brrr brrr...
Suddenly, the Den Den Mushi in his coat rang. When he took it out, and Ace saw his expression change, his heart tensed.
The relaxed look on Doflamingo's face vanished completely. He glanced at Ace, then answered.
"Doflamingo," a deep voice spoke from the Den Den Mushi.
Ace's body stiffened. His eyes narrowed. There was no doubt—this was that man's voice.
"How's the mission progressing?"
The tone was cold, carrying an indescribable weight. Just a few words, yet it put Doflamingo on high alert. Even Ace, watching from across, saw how quickly his expression changed.
"He's awakened Conqueror's Haki," Doflamingo replied after a deep breath. "Correction, He's re-awakened Conqueror's Haki"
"Oh? That's impressive. He's already grasped Conqueror's Haki in such a short time? Seems like you've been instructing him quite diligently."
The coldness in the voice faded slightly, replaced by faint approval. "For your orders, I've been most dedicated," Doflamingo said with a smile.
But Ace noticed how quickly his face shifted as he spoke. Clearly, even a man who had mastered all three forms of Haki felt uneasy when speaking with Arashi.
"However, there's been a change of plans," the voice said suddenly.
"Oh?" Doflamingo asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You were supposed to teach him Observation and Armament Haki. But due to a shift on my end, we'll need to adjust." Arashi's voice came calmly from his office.
Doflamingo stayed silent, listening attentively. "Tomorrow, I'll come to you directly. I will personally guide Ace in mastering Haki."
"What? You have the time for that?" Doflamingo asked in surprise. After the war at Marineford, Arashi should've been at his busiest.
From what Doflamingo knew, the man was also preparing to succeed as the next Fleet Admiral. So where would he find the time to train some reckless kid?
"That's not your concern," Arashi said flatly. The call ended. Doflamingo narrowed his eyes and stared at Ace for a while before suddenly chuckling.
"Looks like you've got some good fortune. Well then, today's training ends here."
Ace said nothing. He wasn't in the mood to talk to this man anymore. He understood clearly: the only reason for this so-called training was Arashi.
Still, even with that, Doflamingo remained impatient and twisted.
At that same moment, inside the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku sat across from Arashi, having heard the entire conversation.
"The Whitebeard Pirates could play a major role in stabilizing the New World's chaos," he said. "And Fire Fist Ace is a power that can be used."
Arashi offered a slight smile, a subtle explanation for the call just now. Sengoku narrowed his eyes without responding.
He appeared to be quietly digesting the implications. After a long pause, he finally chuckled.
"You don't have to care what I think, Arashi. Just go ahead and do what you believe is right."
"I'll be retiring soon, after all and honestly, more than Ace, what I care about is—" He paused, his tone turning serious. "—the meeting with the World Government two months from now."
"That'll determine whether your path to becoming Fleet Admiral is smooth or filled with obstacles." Arashi fell silent at those words.
Clearly, before taking the top Marine position, the World Government still held great influence over the entire system.
It wasn't just about financial backing, but also access to various resources and support.
"Heh. Don't worry. I'll restrain myself," Arashi said with a faint smile.
"Good. Solve all other problems after your promotion. The relationship between the Marines and the World Government is... complicated," Sengoku sighed.
"I understand," Arashi replied with a light nod.
Two months later, the World Government would hold a call with Marine Headquarters—one that would determine the appointment of the next Fleet Admiral.
If everything went smoothly, Arashi would take the post. That meeting was his final hurdle before leading the entire Marine force.
The next day arrived quickly. Arashi set off aboard the Thunder, with the silent Bartholomew Kuma following behind.
He had two months. During that time, Sengoku would maintain the final watch. Arashi would use this rare window to personally train Ace.
To Arashi, Ace wasn't just a rising power—he held significant political and strategic value.
His presence would greatly influence Marco's leadership in the aftermath of Whitebeard's death.
But for Ace to fulfill that role, he first needed personal strength. In Arashi's rough plan, the Whitebeard Pirates under Ace's lead might even become key allies in the battles to come.
Not that anyone needed to know these thoughts. There was no reason to share them.
Around 9 or 10 a.m., the Thunder arrived at a barren island not far from Marineford. The island was quiet, the sound of birds echoing in the air.
Arashi scanned the scene. After days of combat, the island was a wreck. Clearly, Doflamingo had used the most primitive and brutal methods to teach—pure beatdowns.
He made his way deeper into the island, and before long, near a small stream, he spotted two figures sitting in silence.
The younger one turned his head first. When he saw Arashi, his expression shifted—first surprised, then... complicated.
"Ace," Arashi said calmly. "You don't look so good."
The exhaustion on Ace's face was plain to see. Heavy dark circles hung under his eyes, and his clothes were tattered with holes all over.
His expression was gloomy and dull—he practically wore the word "exhausted" on his face.
"Arashi…" Ace called out in a low voice. But Arashi was looking instead at Doflamingo, who had already stood up.
With a faint smile, he said, "Your task is done. From here on, I'll take care of everything."
Doflamingo shrugged. "Fuffuffuffu! I didn't really do much."
Arashi replied calmly, "Helping him re-awaken his Conqueror's Haki—that's thanks to you."
After a pause, he added casually, "Once you're back in Dressrosa, keep a low profile."
"No matter what the Marines do next, don't overreact." Those simple words made Doflamingo's pupils shrink.
"What do you mean?" he asked with a serious tone. Arashi still wore a calm, indifferent expression. "You'll know soon enough."
A sense of foreboding grew heavier in Doflamingo's heart. After pausing for a moment, he quickly turned and left.
It was clear—when this man rose to power, the seas would be thrown into chaos once more. No one knew what the world would look like then.
Only after Doflamingo's figure had completely vanished did Arashi step forward to sit cross-legged beside Ace.
"Take a proper rest, Ace," he said. "You're completely worn out."
Hearing this, Ace's expression shifted. After a moment of silence, he lowered his head.
"I'm sorry," he murmured—three quiet words, but spoken clearly. It was obviously an apology for betraying Arashi during the Summit War.
They had agreed on everything, but now, everything had changed.
Arashi blinked, then laughed. He reached out, patted Ace's shoulder, and pulled him close to sit down properly.
"What kind of elder would hold a grudge against his junior? You have the freedom to make your own choices, Ace."
He chuckled again. "Sakazuki, that bastard, really erased every trace of your involvement with the Marines. He actually did you a huge favor."
Ace finally relaxed and smiled. He hadn't expected Arashi to be so unconcerned about it—let alone show up personally to guide him.
Honestly, Ace couldn't always tell what Arashi was really thinking. Was he using him? Or did he genuinely care like family?
But so far, everything Arashi had done clearly showed he was protecting Ace—there was no doubt about that.
"He took a heavy beating from you," Ace said with a laugh. "He should be healed up by now, right?"
"No," Arashi shook his head. "He defected. Joined Blackbeard's crew."
"What?!" Ace's face froze in shock. "A Marine Admiral… defected?! And to—"
His fists clenched tightly. "Teach!!!"
His hatred for Marshall D. Teach was unmatched. If it weren't for him, the Summit War might never have happened, and Whitebeard wouldn't have been captured by the Marines.
Thinking about that, Ace looked up again, his expression conflicted. "Father…"
Arashi spoke calmly. "Before he was taken to Impel Down, he had one last good drink. Whitebeard was happy."
Ace was silent for a while before letting out a sigh. "So Father was sent to Impel Down…" It wasn't a question—it was a lament.
The two sat quietly by the stream, watching the fish swimming in the clear water.
"Today, just rest," Arashi said. "Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you Armament and Observation Haki."
"Once you've mastered both, I'll show you the technique of Conqueror's Infusion."
Ace's eyes narrowed slightly, and he nodded firmly. "Alright!"
He knew well: only with Haki could he truly stand on the stage of the strong. So he would give everything he had to learn it.
That day, Ace enjoyed delicious food and wine brought from the warship. The two of them stayed together, seemingly forgetting their identities.
They reminisced about childhood, feeling completely at ease.
"Maybe in the near future, we'll even get a chance to work together," Arashi said with a smile as he bit into a chicken leg.
"Work together? Us? That'd be pretty crazy. But if we do, I hope Father gets his freedom back," Ace said with a grin.
Arashi neither agreed nor disagreed. Letting Whitebeard go didn't mean much to him either way.
In fact, some pirates in this world might become future allies. When mutual interests align, there's always a reason to join forces.
"Kuma will remove your fatigue and heal your wounds," Arashi said. "So after enjoying this day off, we'll begin true training."
Ace nodded. He had already made up his mind—he was ready to become stronger.
The next day arrived in the blink of an eye.
"First, we'll use the most direct and basic method to awaken your Armament and Observation Haki."
"Your body is already strong enough to handle it," Arashi said with arms crossed and a calm smile.
"No matter the training, I can take it!" Ace shouted.
"Good! But to speed things up and save us both time—"
"I'll be adding a little something to the training!" With that, Arashi's eyes suddenly burst open.
BOOM!
A wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted across the entire island, crashing down on Ace.
"The only way to truly awaken your Haki fast is to confront your enemy's power head-on in real combat."
"So our training is simple," he said. "Fight! Nonstop fighting!" Arashi's voice thundered with pressure.
"Fight?" Ace was stunned.
"Exactly!" Arashi nodded. "That's how Doflamingo mastered Armament, Observation, and Conqueror's Haki in record time and in the end, he learned Conqueror's Infusion."
"That guy…He was trained by you too?" Ace's expression changed.
No wonder a Warlord as powerful as Doflamingo, who had mastered Conqueror's Infusion, would obey Arashi's orders.
"Then let's begin! Our fight starts now!" With a wicked grin, Arashi charged forward.
The next moment, the two clashed with a thunderous force. A second later, Ace was sent flying like a cannonball.
"Feel the power of Haki! When my fists hit you, they'll stir the latent force inside you!"
Hearing this, Ace focused intently on his own body—sure enough, something inside was beginning to stir.
Their training had officially begun and it was clear: when this was all over, the one who emerged would be a brand-new Fire Fist Ace.
If you want to support me, join my patr**on. Have 10 advanced Chapters for you guys.
patr**n.com/saitamablast > OP:COI NOVEL TIER (PLEASE DONT SUBS THROUGH IOS PLATFORM)