"Hey, Ace, hold it steady. Don't let that thing drop."
Shirogai looked up at the massive [Great Fla Commandnt: Fla Emperor] hovering in Ace's hand. He smiled calmly.
"I'm the Vice-Captain of your brother Luffy's crew.
Are you really planning to kill
under the guise of a spar?
Aren't you worried Luffy would be heartbroken?"
Ace held the enormous fla sphere in one hand, eyes burning with conviction.
"Your actions remind
of soone I once trusted.
A companion I thought was family.
But for his own ambition, he murdered another crewmate.
I swore then—I won't let sothing like that happen again.
Not on Luffy's ship."
Shirogai tilted his head, eyes curious.
"I didn't do anything like what Teach did—killing Thatch for the [Dark-Dark Fruit]."
"You… know about that?" Ace frowned, surprised.
"Pirates killing over Devil Fruits, for Berries… that's expected," Shirogai replied casually. "But ? I'm not interested in treasure or murder."
Ace's eyes narrowed. His voice was low, sharp.
"You're not doing this for money. You act on impulse, disregard life, and carry ambition without limits.
I can't rest easy with soone like you near Luffy.
You'll betray him—just like Teach betrayed us."
Ace's mind flickered with mories.
Thatch, cheerful and welcoming:
"Yo! I'm Thatch, Fourth Division Commander. Since we're crewmates now, let's get along!"
"Hey, Ace, slow down. No one's gonna steal your food! You're the guest of honor tonight!"
But then… Thatch lying cold on the deck.
Blood crusted beneath him.
His smile gone.
Ace clenched his fists.
Teach.
You broke the one rule we had.
You killed a brother-in-arms.
And now… Shirogai's grin reminded Ace of that sa gap-toothed smirk.
"You killed your own comrade! Soone who fought by your side!"
Rage overwheld him.
"Shirogai!"
He raised the blazing [Fla Emperor], his voice thundering across the sea.
"Do you know how precious life is?!
So people are born into this world only through the sacrifice of others!
And yet you treat life like a ga!"
Shirogai smirked wider, arms outstretched.
"Hahahahaha! Then co on! Kill
if you can, Ace!"
Black flas ignited beneath Shirogai. The [Eternal Flas, Amaterasu] scattered across the sea swirled toward him.
Behind him, a massive vortex of black fire took shape, flooding into his body.
His form grew rapidly.
Five ters.
Seven ters.
A fla giant stood over the ocean.
Ace's eyes narrowed. He couldn't wait any longer.
"Repent… in hell!"
Ace hurled the [Fla Emperor] with all his might.
The colossal fireball split in midair, multiplying into blazing suns crashing down toward the fla giant.
"Hmph."
Shirogai's giant form reached out, catching one of the incoming fireballs.
The impact forced him back, feet sinking into the ocean as [Eternal Demonic Flas] scorched the waves beneath him.
The sea evaporated, releasing thick white mist.
But the mist didn't last—black flas clung to it, igniting it like oil.
The entire sea burned.
Still retreating, Shirogai absorbed the incoming flas into his body. The more they struck, the larger he beca.
In re seconds, he stood nearly the sa size as the [Fla Emperor].
Ace, compared to this towering inferno, looked like a candle beside a bonfire.
[Fla Fla Fruit: Demon-Modified Fourth Form — Fla Domain Monarch]
Within this unquenchable domain of fire, Shirogai reigned as the sole monarch.
All flas belonged to him. All heat, all destruction—his to command.
When his size surpassed the [Fla Emperor], he didn't dodge.
He embraced it.
The massive fireball was absorbed straight into his chest.
Boom!
Crimson fire exploded outward, only to be devoured again by the Eternal Burning Flas.
Shirogai grew further—over fifty ters tall now.
A black infernal giant.
He looked down at the stunned Ace, voice deep and rumbling.
"Hahaha! Ace! I'll give you a chance. Kneel before !"
Ace clenched his fists, flas bursting around him.
Even now, even faced with overwhelming power, he didn't flinch.
"Surrender? If I give in to evil, I don't deserve to live!
I'll never stain my na, even if it costs
everything!"
He laughed boldly.
"Co at , Shirogai!"
Shirogai's massive body rumbled with a low laugh.
"In this world, victory is life.
Are you ready to face reality, Ace?"
He raised his fist, black flas swirling and Armant Haki crackling over it.
It descended like a teor, aiming to crush Ace completely.
But Ace… flew straight at it.
Flas engulfed him, his body cutting through the air like a cot, aiming for the falling punch.
He didn't dodge.
He didn't hesitate.
Inside his heart, he whispered silent farewells.
Captain… I'm sorry. Looks like this is it for .
Thatch, I failed. I couldn't avenge you.
Luffy, maybe my death will open your eyes to what this man truly is.
Gramps… Dadan… Otama… Yamato…
Oddly, he felt no fear.
Only peace.
His life had always felt wrong.
A burden since birth.
His mother, Portgas D. Rouge, gave her life just so he could be born.
When he discovered he was Gol D. Roger's son, he believed the world would be better without him.
But then…
Sabo.
Luffy.
Whitebeard.
His crew. His family.
For the first ti, he had purpose.
He wasn't a mistake.
He was born to help his Captain reach the Pirate King's throne.
Captain… sorry I won't be there to see it.
He smiled as flas consud him.
A final burst of crimson-white fla exploded in the sky.
Ace vanished—like a bird whose wings had burned away.
---
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