Chapter 108: Portgas D. Ace

  Goku stared at the man standing before him—tanned skin, wild bck hair, a broad grin, and that unmistakable orange hat adorned with twin smiley-face pins. For a split second, the rest of the bustling restaurant faded into silence. The years melted away, and all Goku could see was his older brother, the same boy who had once trained alongside him, ughed with him, and dreamed of grand adventures.

  They closed the distance in two strides, pulling each other into a tight hug that practically lifted both off the floor. The onlookers, already shocked by Goku’s colossal appetite, now watched in awe at this heartfelt reunion. Ptes rattled, and a few drinks nearly toppled over as the two brothers csped each other’s shoulders, each feeling the other’s strength in that warm embrace.

  “It’s been three years, huh?” Ace murmured, stepping back slightly, but keeping his hands firmly on Goku’s shoulders. He scanned his younger brother’s face, taking in the changes—sharper features, a more mature air, but the same bright-eyed spirit that Ace remembered so vividly.

  Goku beamed, nodding. “Three years since you left to become King of the Pirates… and I had no idea you’d be in Abasta!”

  Ace chuckled, patting Goku on the back before both took their seats at the rge wooden table. Goku’s meal still y half-finished: five orders of spiced meat (now mostly devoured), five servings of rice with vegetable soup, five steaks, and two barrels of sake—one of which was already halfway empty.

  Ace sat down across from him, removing his hat briefly to run a hand through his messy hair. “I got wind of some trouble here,” he expined, settling his hat back on his head. “Thought I’d see if I could sniff out a certain someone I’ve been hunting.”

  The waitress, still flustered by Goku’s earlier order, blinked in surprise at Ace’s presence. She gathered herself quickly and approached, notepad in hand. “Welcome… er… sir. Can I get you anything?”

  Ace gnced at Goku’s epic feast, smirked, then turned back to the waitress. “I’ll take two orders of that spiced meat, two orders of rice with greens, two steaks, and… one barrel of sake. That should tide me over.”

  A hush fell over the patrons again. A single barrel of sake might sound normal—until they realized it was still an entire barrel. And the rest of his order would feed a table of four. Now there were two monstrous appetites in the same pce. Murmurs rippled across the restaurant:

  “First that guy in the straw hat… now this one?”

  “Must be reted… they eat like animals!”

  “What’s with their stomachs? They’re bottomless pits!”

  The waitress gave a polite bow—her professionalism holding steady despite her astonishment—then disappeared toward the kitchen to rey Ace’s order.

  Ace leaned forward on his elbows, a grin tugging at his lips. “So, little brother… st I heard, you were still training back home. How’d you end up here in Abasta?”

  Goku, still finishing a sb of steak, swallowed and wiped his mouth. “It’s a long story, but basically, I created a pirate crew—a really great bunch of people. We’re traveling the Grand Line, and Abasta’s our test stop. There’s a Warlord here—goes by Crocodile—and I’ve got a few… questions I need answered.”

  Ace raised an eyebrow. “Crocodile, huh? I’ve heard rumors about him. Some say he’s a hero in Abasta; others say he’s a snake in the grass. Which do you believe?”

  Goku snorted. “Definitely not a hero. My friend Vivi—she’s a princess, actually—says he’s behind some big conspiracy here. Baroque Works, rebel armies… it’s a whole mess.”

  Ace drummed his fingers on the table. “Baroque Works, huh? I’ve run into some of those on the sea. Nasty bunch.”

  Goku nodded grimly, recalling their recent encounter with Mr. 2. He took a quick swig of sake, pouring it into a small goblet and tossing it back in one gulp. “I’m trying to figure out how best to deal with them. But enough about me—what about you, Ace? You said you’re hunting someone?”

  A shadow flickered across Ace’s face, though his easygoing grin remained. “Yeah… a man named Bckbeard. He used to be part of my old crew, but he betrayed us. Did some awful things, and now I’m trying to track him down.”

  Goku frowned. “Bckbeard… I think I heard that name mentioned back on Drum Isnd. Some isnders were talking about a rogue group of ruthless pirates who attacked the isnd.”

  Ace’s lips pressed into a thin line. “That’s probably him. I’ve been following leads for weeks now, and they brought me here. Figured maybe he’d come sniffing around this kingdom, what with all the chaos going on.”

  Goku leaned back, arms crossed. “I see. So you’re after Bckbeard, and I’m after Crocodile. Both of us ended up in Abasta at the same time—coincidence, or fate?”

  Ace ughed, the tension momentarily broken. “Fate, maybe. You always did have a knack for popping up in the most interesting pces.”

  Their banter paused as the waitress returned, assisted by a wide-eyed busboy carrying a rge tray of sizzling ptes. They deposited Ace’s two orders of spiced meat, two helpings of rice and greens, and two thick steaks on the table, followed by the barrel of sake. Steam rose in fragrant plumes, the spices tickling their noses.

  “Thanks!” Ace said, fshing the waitress a dazzling smile. She nodded, still somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer amount of food these two were consuming.

  Goku had already devoured most of his original feast. He nudged a pte of leftover steak toward Ace, who grinned in appreciation. “Can’t let good food go to waste,” Ace said, tearing into the meat with gusto.

  Meanwhile, the restaurant buzzed with conversation. Patrons whispered about the two “bottomless pit brothers,” specuting about their retionship. Some recognized Goku’s face from his bounty poster, but the presence of Ace—a tall, muscur man with a confident air—made them wary of causing trouble.

  “Hey,” Ace said between bites, “you mentioned a crew. Where are they now?”

  Goku dabbed at his chin with a napkin. “They’re out getting supplies, mostly. Abasta’s desert is brutal, so we need gear, food, water—everything. I ducked into town to meet an… informant,” he said carefully, “but I ran into you instead.”

  Ace arched an eyebrow. “Sounds like you’re mixed up in something big. Gotta say, I’m proud of you, Goku. You’ve come a long way since we sparred in the jungle.”

  Goku smirked, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “I still remember you pummeling me back then, but I’m way stronger now. Don’t think I’ll lose so easily.”

  Ace let out a hearty ugh, pounding a fist lightly on the table. “We’ll see about that! Maybe once we’re done with our respective missions, we can have a proper showdown.”

  Goku grinned. “It’s a date. But first, I’ve got to deal with Crocodile, and you’ve got to find Bckbeard.”

  They continued to eat, the conversation flowing like old times—childhood memories, tall tales of the sea, half-joking challenges to see who could devour more food. The tension of their dangerous missions momentarily gave way to the warmth of family.

  At one point, Ace asked, “So your tail has returned. How has it been handling the heat?”

  Goku shrugged. “Annoying as ever,” he joked, flicking his tail behind him. “But I can handle it.”

  Ace smirked. “I bet it’s good for bance, at least.”

  Goku nodded. “You’d be surprised how useful it is to have it back.”

  With the food steadily disappearing from their ptes, the mood remained cheerful, even as the undercurrent of their separate quests lingered in the background. The rowdy chatter of the restaurant wrapped around them like a protective bubble. For just a little while, they were free to be two brothers reunited—nothing more, nothing less.

  Finally, as Ace polished off the st bite of his second order of spiced meat, he leaned back in his chair, patting his stomach. “Man, I needed that. I’ve been chasing leads for days, hardly ate a proper meal.”

  Goku, too, set down his chopsticks, letting out a satisfied sigh. “I guess this means we both have some big business ahead of us. I have to meet that Warlord, and you’re after Bckbeard.”

  Ace’s expression grew serious for a moment. “If you hear anything about him, let me know, okay? He’s dangerous, Goku. More dangerous than most people realize.”

  Goku nodded firmly. “Got it. And you watch your back too—Crocodile’s no joke.”

  They exchanged a knowing look, a silent promise of mutual support. Though their paths might diverge soon, the bond between them was unbreakable. Three years of separation had done nothing to diminish their brotherly camaraderie.

  As they settled the bill—drawing yet another wave of astonishment from the staff—the two men stood from the table. Goku slung his straw hat over his shoulder, a pyful grin tugging at his lips. Ace returned his own orange hat to its rightful pce atop his head.

  “Let’s step outside,” Ace suggested, nodding toward the door. “The desert sun might be brutal, but at least we can talk without all these eyes on us.”

  Goku smirked, gncing around at the curious patrons. “Yeah, good idea. We’ve made quite a spectacle already.”

  Just as Ace and Goku reached the door, ready to slip into the chaotic energy of the Grand Line, a deep, authoritative voice cut through the air like a bde.

  “You two are not going anywhere… except the lowest levels of Impel Down.”

  The entire restaurant went still. Conversations halted, drinks froze midway to lips, and even the rowdiest of pirates found themselves instinctively gripping their weapons. There was no mistaking that voice.

  Goku and Ace turned slowly, as if the weight of the words forced them to move with careful deliberation. Their eyes settled on the imposing figure now blocking their path.

  A tall, broad-shouldered man with a chiseled physique stood before them. His unbuttoned Marine coat, lined with green fur, billowed slightly from the open windows. His chest was bare, revealing the scars of countless battles. His gray-white hair was cropped short, and his piercing eyes locked onto them with unwavering resolve. Between his lips, twin cigars burned, releasing thick trails of smoke that swirled ominously around him. In his right hand, he gripped a long jitte tipped with Seastone, a weapon designed to crush even the strongest Devil Fruit users.

  Captain Smoker.

  Ace smirked, tilting his hat up slightly with a finger. “Long time no see, Smokey.”

  Goku cracked his knuckles, a grin spreading across his face. “So you chased me all the way to the Grand Line, huh?”

  The air was thick with tension. Every soul in the restaurant could feel it—like a match ready to ignite a powder keg.

  On one side stood Captain Smoker, the relentless Marine hunter feared across the seas.

  On the other stood Portgas D. Ace, the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, a man with a bounty of 550 million berries.

  And beside him, a rising star—Monkey D. Goku, a name still whispered in growing infamy, a rookie worth 50 million berries.

  Three powerhouses.

  Three warriors of unmatched strength.

  And a fight that no one would ever forget was about to unfold.

  [A/N: Can’t wait to see what happens next? Get exclusive early access on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels.]