[T/N: Hi everyone! 3 total chapters of One Piece: I'm Destined to Be the Son-in-Law King! coming today, released separately! Comments welcome! If you like it, Power Stones boost weekly rankš / visibility (or drop a review!). Weekly Goal: Every +50 Power Stones this week = 2 bonus chaps next day!š Also translating: Naruto Paradise: An Evil Uchiha's Rise & Young Master, Please Become Hokage!. Stay tuned! š
Want to support my work and get early access to chapters? Check out my Patreon! š
ā”ļø patreon.com/Boundless_Beacon ]
***
**
*
Roya bent down and used a stick to scratch a circle in the dirt. It was about five steps across, leaving each of them just a little space to move.
Barely bigger than a wrestling ring.
"If you step outside this circle, you lose, got it?" Roya said, his voice serious.
"Fine!" Ace replied, trying to sound confident.
This is bad. Ace's heart sank.
Fighting in such a small space meant every hit would land. To avoid stepping out, he'd have to take punches he might normally dodge.
This Marine is different. Ace thought. Even in a simple fight, he's trying to crush me.
Bring it on!
Ace's eyes blazed.
If I beat him, I can survive on this sea. This is where I'll start making the world know my name!
Roya's eyes were just as intense.
Cutting off any chance to run and fighting in such a basic way meant that if he lost to Ace, it would prove he wasn't good enough.
But if I win...
Will it mean I can really keep up with these chosen ones? Can I reach the top?
They both stepped into the circle.
Then!
"Ooooh!!!" someone yelled.
"Aaaah!!!" another voice joined in.
Time flew by.
The sun disappeared, and the moon took its place.
Roya and Ace kept fighting.
They moved like skilled fighters, each strike packed with power, each hit leaving a mark. But despite the pain, they felt alive.
Without swords or special powers, and with their strength so close, it was hard to end the fight quickly.
Roya fought with discipline, while Ace was all wild energy.
And neither wanted to give in!
Fullbody and the others had already finished their fight with Luffy.
Luffy was strong; his Gum-Gum Pistol attack could break rocks. But he was young, and he didn't react quickly enough.
Rubber powers weren't too hard to deal with anyway. Sure, normal hits didn't work, but there were other ways to win, like grabbing him or using mind tricks.
Zoro had an even easier time. Cutting attacks were the perfect way to stop rubber.
The four sat on the edge of the fighting area, watching Roya and Ace beat each other up. They loved the show and cheered them on.
"Amazing!"
Both Roya and Ace were unbelievably tough. They were covered in cuts and bruises, so tired they could barely stand, but they wouldn't stop.
Even worse, they seemed to have agreed to something without saying it. They wouldn't take a single step back. They blocked or took each other's hits, then hit back just as hard.
This was taking a toll on their bodies. Except for their backs, there wasn't a single spot on them that wasn't bruised or cut.
Just watching them was tiring.
"Haaah~~"
The others yawned together.
"How long are they going to keep fighting?"
Someone knew the answer.
Garp suddenly appeared in the circle and knocked Roya and Ace to the ground with two powerful punches. Big bumps rose on their heads, with smoke rising from the impact.
"Puhahaha, time for dinner!" Garp boomed.
Soon after.
A huge wild boar, bigger than a person, was roasting over a fire. The smell filled the air.
Roya picked up a roasted leg of the pig, twice his size, and took a massive bite. He chewed a few times and swallowed it whole.
His stomach, starved from hunger, greedily took in the nutrients, digesting them ten times faster than normal.
Now I can eat more!
"Crunch!"
He even crunched the bones and swallowed them.
In less than five minutes, the entire pig leg, bigger than him, was gone.
Across from him, Ace was doing the same, his belly getting rounder and rounder. It looked like a balloon about to burst.
Late that night.
Everyone slept soundly around the fire, Garp and his grandsons trying to out-snore each other.
Zoro hugged his sword, leaning against a tree.
"I'll take the first watch," Zoro said.
"Okay."
Roya nodded and walked alone into the jungle. He found a quiet spot and whispered, "The World!"
The World slowly appeared.
Inside the Training Field, Ace looked over, his eyes a little blank.
Roya walked toward Ace , his eyes shining.
Before fighting Ace, he had always wondered: can hard work really make up for a lack of natural talent?
Ace had earned the name "Fire Fist" in just a year and was offered one of position of The Warlord of the Sea with a bounty of five hundred million.
Luffy was even more amazing, becoming one of the Four Emperors in just two and a half years.
Their childhood training was part of it, but their incredible natural talent was what let them grow so quickly.
Roya was sure he didn't have any special talent or family history. He was just a regular person.
But now, he had finally caught up to a genius like Ace.
Maybe having more time than others is a talent in itself, the best one there is.
Besides, The World wasn't just about having more time. There were many secrets waiting for him to discover.
"Demon's son" this, "Sun God Nika" that!
"That's all garbage!
"The World is the strongest! "
Strong belief is power!
Roya gave off a feeling that no one could see. He walked toward Ace, his gaze different from the way he'd looked during the day.
It was the gaze of a hunter!
---
Early the next morning.
In the fighting circle!
"Bang!!!"
Roya's fist smashed into Ace's face!
"Puh!"
Ace's mouth filled with blood. His teeth shattered, and his eyes rolled back.
I'm losing consciousness!
What was happening?
Why was this guy's fist so hard all of a sudden, like getting punched by Grandpa?
In the distance.
Fullbody and Jango cheered, while Luffy looked worried.
"Major Roya is winning!" Fullbody shouted.
"Ace, you can't lose!" Jango added.
The fight that had been so even yesterday had changed. Now, Roya was clearly winning.
Garp gasped.
"Haki!" Garp said, surprised.
"Huh?"
The three looked at Garp, confused. They didn't know what Haki was.
Garp didn't explain.
It was too early for them to understand Haki. They could only learn it when their minds, bodies, and skills were ready.
That kid's fist is covered in Haki!
Garp could see it clearly. Roya's fist was glowing with Haki. It was weak and clumsy, but it was definitely there.
Did he awaken it himself?
Garp was shocked.
He was sure Roya didn't know Haki yesterday. And from what he could see, his strength hadn't changed much.
It's a change in his heart!
This kid's will was stronger, his fist filled with a belief in victory, and that had awakened Haki!
Damn brat, where did he get the confidence to beat my grandson?!
Garp's face twisted.
He had thought Roya was just a clever recruit, a Marine you could find anywhere at Headquarters.
But now...
A Marine who could awaken Haki on his own was incredibly rare. Could this kid be a genius just as talented as his grandson?
Impossible!
My grandson is the most talented!
Aaaah, this is annoying!
"Go, Ace!"
Garp shouted, "Ace, if you lose to that kid and make Grandpa look bad, I'm going to beat you!"
"..."
Ace almost choked.
Damn Grandpa!
Damn it, I don't want to lose!