The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

He even tilted his head slightly, peering through the dissipating flames at Raki Lu, who had fired the shot, a smile playing on his lips with the composure typical of a Logia-type Devil Fruit user.

"Hey, isn't this way of greeting a little too enthusiastic?"

In fact, Shanks' heart skipped a beat the moment he heard Ace mention the name "Luffy".

The kid in Windmill Village who had such high hopes for him, even risking an arm, his future, and Roger's straw hat, actually had an older brother?

And it's this "Fire Fist" Ace who's provoking me?

This strange coincidence softened his originally sharp demeanor somewhat.

Therefore, when he saw Raki Rue fire his gun without saying a word, he frowned in disapproval.

"Lu." Shanks' voice wasn't loud, but it carried a hint of a reminder.

Upon hearing his boss's warning, Raki Ru immediately chuckled sheepishly, deftly holstered his pistol back at his waist, and scratched his head as he explained.

"Boss, isn't this what you said about teaching a newbie who doesn't know the rules a lesson?"

So I'm always in combat readiness!

Although his tone was relaxed, it also indicated that he was not reckless, but simply strictly following the contingency plan for "dealing with provocateurs".

Shanks sighed helplessly, knowing that his companions were only trying to maintain the team's authority.

So they turned their attention back to Ace on the rooftop, ready to have a serious talk with Luffy and find out the reason behind this provocation.

But when his gaze truly focused and fell on Ace's face with a hint of scrutiny, he couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.

This black-haired youth… the expression in his eyes, especially the arrogance revealed in his gaze…

He felt a vague, inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if... it resembled Captain Roger?

But the thought only flashed through my mind.

When Shanks joined Roger's ship, he was still young. By the time he had clear memories, Roger was already a weathered, middle-aged man with his signature beard.

As for the details of Roger's appearance when he was young, they are long gone. It is only thought that it may be a coincidence of some kind of temperament, or an association that I made because of Luffy.

After a moment's hesitation, Shanks quickly regained his composure, a bright smile returning to his face, and said to Ace...

"Luffy? I never knew you were his brother!"

Shanks' tone became warmer, as if the previous tension had never happened. "In that case, it seems that it was all a misunderstanding!"

"To celebrate this wonderful coincidence..." he announced grandly, waving his hand.

"Let's have a party!"

"A banquet??" Raki Ru and the other crew members around him were taken aback at first, then burst into cheers.

"Oh!!! A banquet!!!" The atmosphere instantly shifted from confrontation to jubilation.

Beckman, still smoking, shook his head helplessly. He was used to his captain's unconventional style, but he accepted this solution.

After all, Shanks' attitude always changes when Luffy is involved.

Seeing Shanks' unpretentious and enthusiastic smile, and the Red-Haired Pirates' instant switch from tense to festive atmosphere, Ace's tense nerves couldn't help but relax for a moment.

That familiar, "generous" image, as described by Luffy, almost made him subconsciously follow the other person's lead and blurt out a "good."

After all, one doesn't hit a smiling face, especially one that Luffy deeply respects.

However, just as the word "good" was about to burst out...

A clear, mocking sneer came from the shadows of the eaves behind Ace, instantly freezing the atmosphere that had just heated up.

In the shadows behind Ace's roof, three figures stood, with Gern in the middle, who appeared out of nowhere.

He had already silently leaned back and sat cross-legged in the shadows behind Ace, arms crossed, a mocking smile on his lips.

“The banquet is wonderful!” Gern said in a leisurely tone.

"Since it's a banquet, how can we do without a bonfire?"

It's all about being lively and festive, right?

At this point, Gern paused, leaning against Ace's slightly stiff back.

"so......"

“You should ‘reward’ him with a Fire Punch, Ace!”

Chapter 392 Ace, use Fire Fist on him!

When Ace heard that Gern wanted him to take action, his heart clenched and his muscles, which had just relaxed, tensed up again.

He could only feel the gaze behind him like a whip, lashing at him and forcing him to make a choice.

Ace then looked down at Shanks, who was still laughing and inviting him, pursed his lips, and hesitated for a long time.

"Heh." Seeing that Ace was hesitant to make a move, Gern asked with a low sneer, "Hesitating?"

“…” Ace did not reply, but remained silent.

"Then, do you know how great your mother, Portgas D. Rouge, was?"

“Mother…” Ace snapped back to reality.

That gentle yet resilient image he pieced together from Garp's few words.

"It was clearly your bastard father who seduced her before he died, and then nothing happened."

He was clearly a dying man in his fifties, yet he went and seduced a young girl in the prime of her youth…

To protect you, she endured 20 months of pain to give birth to you; it was a life for a life.

Alas, even such a great mother, your father only loved her for less than a year...

Your mother's contributions and rewards are so disproportionate and unfair.

It was a fleeting love, yet she had to pay for it with her life and a lifetime of stigma.

"And that bastard down there..." Guern's voice suddenly rose, deliberately guiding and inciting, as he pointed his finger at Shanks, who was laughing enthusiastically below.

"But Roger loved the whole journey and poured all his love into him!"

And what that great mother received was only a year of his entire journey...

"Do you think this is fair to that mother?" Portgas D. Ace.

Finally, when the name was mentioned, especially the words 'Portgas'...

Gern almost strained his voice, each syllable seeming to pluck hard at Ace's taut nerves.

History is like a little girl who can be dressed up however you like; it all comes down to Gern.

Especially for a young man who is hot-blooded, reckless, and harbors resentment towards his father?

In an instant, a bomb was dropped into Ace's mind!

All the complex emotions—the heartache and guilt over her mother's sacrifice, the bittersweet feeling of both hatred and an inability to completely sever ties with that man—were present.

Doubts about one's own worth, and resentment towards the one who "took away" what should have belonged to the mother.

Shanks, who might even have felt a surge of inexplicable anger towards his own "fatherly love."

The string of reason snapped.

Yes! It's so unfair to her mother, the woman who gave her life to give birth to her!

Ace's right arm suddenly transformed into a towering inferno!

He no longer looked at Shanks, or rather, what he saw in his eyes was no longer Shanks himself.

Rather, it is the symbol of "taking everything" in Gern's words!

"Ace, for your mother, for that great woman..."

Suddenly, Gern put his hand on Ace's shoulder. At the same time, Shanks below also saw Gern standing behind Ace, and his pupils widened in shock.

"Use Fire Fist on him!!"

"Fire Fist—!!!"

The massive, dark red pillar of fire was no longer a "reward".

Instead, he unleashed his full power, an out-of-control burst of energy, and fiercely blasted towards Shanks and his companions below, whose faces were grim!

Faced with the roaring, dark red pillar of fire, Shanks' eyes flashed red, and he reacted quickly!

The famous sword "Griffin" was suddenly drawn, unleashing an incredibly refined crimson-black slash!

"boom!"

The slash collided violently with the pillar of fire, but without a deafening explosion, the raging flames were precisely cleaved in two by the blade.

Like a hot knife through butter, two bursts of fire swept past Shanks' body from either side.

The ground behind him was scorched, leaving two blackened furrows, but he himself stood firm, his clothes fluttering wildly in the hot wind.

The instant he cleaved the flames, Shanks' gaze shot directly at Guern, who was standing on the roof, his voice filled with anger as he shouted sharply.

"Gern!!!"

Almost at the same moment Shanks made his move, Beckman disappeared from the flank, intending to gain position to attack Gern directly!

Unfortunately.

"Sizzle!" A blinding bolt of lightning struck first, then came second!

Enel had somehow teleported into Beckman's path, his golden staff wreathed in Liskarm energy.

The tip of the stick hovered precisely an inch in front of Beckman's brow!

"Hey! Trash." Enel tilted his head, his signature arrogant smile returning to his face, his pupils filled with disdain.

"You'd better... stay still!"

On the other side, a battle broke out instantly!

"Bang!" Yasopp's sniper bullet shot towards Gern, exceeding the limits of sound!

At the same time, Roar Gabu opened its huge mouth and a visible sonic energy cannon suddenly erupted!

Facing attacks from both sides, Xiong instantly moved and calmly raised his signature hands, which were engraved with bear paw patterns.

"Pop!" A palm strike was delivered.

The sniper bullet bounced back at an even faster speed the instant it touched him, grazing the brim of the jasmine hat and giving him a fright!

Gabu's sonic cannon, however, seemed to have hit a remarkably flexible wall, abruptly changing direction.

It actually blasted towards Raki Lu and Hongo, who weren't fully engaged in battle yet!

"Oh no, it's rebounding?!" Raki Ru exclaimed, hurriedly dodging.

Honjo also nimbly jumped back, and the energy cannon slammed into the ground where they had just been standing, blasting a shallow crater.

This sudden turn of events caused Bendick Snake, Benk Bingge, Meng Shida, and Lime Jones, along with the monkey, to change their expressions drastically. They were about to launch a joint attack.

But the next second, when they saw what was in front of them, they all froze.

Bartholomew Xiong's tall figure had appeared behind them at some point, completely blocking their retreat and attack routes.

At the same time, countless translucent bear paw-shaped shockwaves appeared densely in the surrounding air!

These energy cannons hovered, trembling slightly, completely surrounding the four people and the monkey, locking down every possible angle of movement.

Kuma lowered his head slightly, looking through his calm, round glasses at the Red-Haired Pirates' officers who appeared to be facing a formidable enemy, and spoke in his characteristically gentle voice.

“I’m sorry, please… don’t trouble Mr. Gern.”

In an instant, the entire scene was completely under control.

Shanks stood there, sword in hand, his face grim.

His companions, each a powerful figure capable of dominating the new world, were now completely restrained and even suppressed by just two opponents!

G-10's top combat force, consisting of only three people, demonstrated terrifying strength enough to rival the main force of an entire Yonko!

This oppressive feeling sent a chill down the spines of all the members of the Red-Haired Pirates.

No!! Or rather, what truly restrained all his companions was not the bear and Enel in front of him.

Instead, it was the man who stood on the rooftop the entire time, a faint smile on his face, as if he had everything under control...