One Piece: I'm Destined to Be the Son-in-Law King!-Chapter 160: A Sound of National Essence, A Token of Respect

High on the snowy mountain in the middle of the island, Ace stood, his eyes fixed on the distant coastline. He'd been so sure the Red Hair Pirates were hiding somewhere on the island, but after a thorough search, they were nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, the coastline burst into light.

That 's Roya's energy! Ace thought. He knew Roya was a Marine, which meant he could be fighting the Red Hair Pirates. With a burst of speed, Ace raced towards the coast.

By the time he arrived, the battle was already over.

The Red Hair Pirates and the Marines were split on the beach, with members from both sides drinking and laughing across the invisible line that separated them. The atmosphere was surprisingly cheerful.

"Yo, it's Ace!"

"Ace, brother! Come have a drink!"

"Hahaha, we've been waiting for you!" Barto and the others called out, waving him over.

Ace used to visit the warship every day to train with their captain, and the Spade Pirates often joined in the fun. They'd all become good friends over time.

"Fire Fist Ace?" a voice called out.

The Red Hair Pirates were shocked. How could pirates and Marines be on such friendly terms? And wasn't Black Hair supposed to be hunting Fire Fist Ace? The crew exchanged confused glances.

Something's not right!

"I'll come back and drink with you later," Ace said, waving a quick hello before heading toward the Red Hair Pirates.

Red Hair's crew tensed. Fire Fist Ace was a rising star, and his arrival most likely meant he was here to challenge their captain. However, none of the higher-ups said anything, so they let him pass.

Soon, Ace stood face-to-face with Red Hair.

Shanks, a smirk playing on his lips, gripped his sword. "Are you here to challenge me?" he asked.

"No, that's not why I came," Ace said, waving his hand. "I'm Luffy's older brother. I've heard Luffy talk about you, how you saved his life, and I wanted to thank you in person."

"Luffy? He has a brother?" Shanks looked surprised. He never knew Luffy had a brother. Even though it seemed unbelievable, he was happy to hear it.

"Haha, thank you for coming all this way. Let's have a good talk!" Shanks boomed, then turned to his crew. "Minions, start the banquet!"

"Chief, we're already having a banquet!" one of the crew replied with a grin.

They all liked Luffy and were eager to hear how he was doing. Besides, they didn't want to be outdone by the Marines, so they had already brought out the ship's food and wine.

----

Over at the Marine camp, Roya sat by the bonfire, his bare chest wrapped in bandages.

He had lost decisively to Red Hair.

Especially when it came to Haki.

He realized that training could only get him so far in mastering Haki.

If he wanted his Haki to grow quickly, he needed to fight, especially against stronger Haki users.

Red Hair's Haki challenged not just his willpower, but his body's very instincts.

The body has its own awareness!

It was like facing a falling object. Even before he consciously reacted, his body would automatically try to get out of the way.

Haki was a hidden power within humans. When the body sensed danger, it would automatically unlock its potential, releasing more Haki to deal with the threat.

It 's like adrenaline.

That must be why Luffy and the others get stronger through fighting.

There was something else too.

"God Avoidance..."

Roya glanced at the mountain peak behind him, the entire top sheared off.

It was the first time he'd faced the application of Conqueror's Haki in an attack, and its power was terrifying. It shattered his Haki with ease.

He could now sense his own Conqueror's Haki, so the experience was even more impactful. Conqueror's Haki wasn't just stronger than regular Haki, it also contained the user's "domineering" nature.

Roya clearly felt that fully mastering Conqueror's Haki couldn't be done through ordinary training. The key was whether his mind and body could match that "domineering" nature!

"Thanks, Red Hair," Roya muttered, taking a swig of wine.

Today 's battle was incredibly rewarding!

----

The next morning, the Spade Pirates and the 11th Division Marines left, leaving only the Red Hair Pirates on the island.

The crew was worried.

"Chief, with Ace's strength, this trip is likely..."

"I know," Shanks said, looking out at the sea.

The fact that "Fire Fist" Ace was going to challenge Whitebeard was already known throughout the world, and countless people were waiting for that moment.

But that wasn't what worried him. During their conversation the day before, Ace had told him why Black Hair wasn't arresting him.

The Seven Warlords of the Sea!

As an outsider, he wouldn't interfere with Ace's choices. And for a pirate below the Four Emperors, becoming one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

He was more worried about how things were developing.

The Four Emperors, the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the Marines.

The New World had been chaotic for years, and the formation and balance of the Three Great Powers had finally brought some stability.

It 's best not to stir up more trouble.

"Minions, let's set sail!" Shanks yelled.

"Ooooh!" the crew roared in response.

----

A day later, the Spade Pirates arrived at Matsuba Island.

This island was one of the closest to Honeycomb Island. Once they had gathered enough magnetic force, they could head to Honeycomb Island.

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Ace's fighting spirit and mental state were at their peak as he prepared to face the legendary Whitebeard.

All I need to do now is fight with everything I have!

"Ace!"

Suddenly, one of his crew members ran up in a panic.

"There's a pirate ship approaching from the coast!"

"Prepare for battle!" Ace stood up abruptly. He was ready to crush anyone who stood in his way.

Soon, the pirate ship docked.

When a blue-skinned fish-man appeared before the Spade Pirates, the crew broke out in a cold sweat.

"Ace, it's Jinbe!"

"Sea Knight Jinbe, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"

No one expected one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea to show up here, and his aggressive stance made it clear he was here to stop them.

Jinbe stared directly at Ace, stating his intentions plainly: "Fire Fist Ace, I will not allow a dangerous fellow like you to meet Pops!"

"If you want to stop me, then try it!" Ace said with a confident smile. He was far stronger than when he first entered the New World, and he wouldn't be pushed around anymore!

"Wait, warships are coming!"

Just as the two were about to clash, the 11th Division warships arrived at the coast.

A figure shot down from the sky!

Thud!

Roya landed between the two.

"Black Hair!" Jinbe's face darkened, but he didn't rush into action.

He didn't know Black Hair's purpose.

Rumor had it that Black Hair was chasing Fire Fist Ace, but he had charged all the way into Pops' territory, making Jinbe suspicious.

The Marines and the Four Emperors can 't start a war lightly!

"Sea Knight Jinbe," Roya said, looking at Jinbe with a cold expression. "As one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, are you planning to assist the Whitebeard Pirates?"

"I don't need to explain myself to you," Jinbe scoffed.

Officially, the Seven Warlords of the Sea and the Marines were allies, and enemies of the Four Emperors, so he couldn't openly work for Whitebeard.

But stopping Ace from seeing Pops could be considered a dispute between pirates, not a violation of his agreement with the World Government.

"That won't do," Roya said, pulling out an invitation. "Our Marines are inviting Fire Fist Ace to serve as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, so you, as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, cannot engage in conflict with Fire Fist Ace for the time being."

"One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?!" Jinbe frowned.

This isn't right!

As one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, he had already received word from the Government that the last spot had been filled.

Tyrant Bartholomew Kuma.

Does Black Hair not know yet?

"Aladdin, bring the Government's letter!"

Soon, Jinbe threw the letter to Roya.

"See for yourself, Black Hair."

"..."

Roya opened the envelope, looking puzzled. When he saw the new candidate for the Seven Warlords of the Sea, he was shocked.

"Ace! Light me!"

"Oh!" Ace replied, confused.

The burning envelope slowly turned to ashes.

Smack!

Roya stomped on the ashes, his face twisting with fury.

"You son of a... !"

*

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[T/N:

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