Chapter 14: Success
"Senior Rayleigh."
Ace bowed deeply and said seriously, "I've realized my shortcomings in the New World during this time, so I've come here to ask you to teach me Haki."
Rayleigh stroked his beard and smiled. "Of course, that's no problem. I'm glad you came to me. I'll do my best to teach you how to train—but not here."
"What I do here isn't exactly a secret. Even though I'm just a harmless old man now, the World Government doesn't see it that way. There are CP spies all over this area. If we're seen together too often, it'll only increase the chances of your identity being exposed. So, we need a quiet place to train—somewhere I can teach you without distractions."
"A training location..." Ace pretended to think before saying, "I actually know a good one."
"Oh? Where?" Rayleigh asked.
"Skypiea," Ace replied.
"Sky Island, huh..." Rayleigh rubbed his chin in thought. He had originally planned to take Ace to the same island where he had trained Luffy in the original timeline. But since Ace suggested Skypiea himself, he probably had his reasons. Rayleigh smiled. "That's actually a pretty good choice."
"You agree? That's great!" Ace beamed with joy.
He had been mentally preparing for an argument, ready to offer reasons and persuasion in case Rayleigh declined. But the legendary vice-captain agreed without hesitation—saving Ace the trouble.
Rayleigh's easy agreement also showed how much he cared about Ace. In retrospect, it made Ace wonder—during his public execution in the original timeline, why hadn't Rayleigh appeared? Maybe the World Government had him closely watched, or perhaps there were other reasons.
"Haha..." Rayleigh laughed lightly, looking at Ace with a knowing smile. His playful gaze made it obvious that Ace's little thoughts hadn't escaped him. After all, Rayleigh had long mastered Observation Haki to the level of sensing emotions and intentions.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Ace quickly changed the subject. "Senior Rayleigh, when should we leave for Skypiea?"
Rayleigh thought for a moment. "I'll need a few days to shake off the World Government's eyes. Meet me at Dock 53 in three days—I'll come find you."
"Alright, I'll be waiting at Dock 53 then. I'll take my leave for today."
Ace bowed politely to Rayleigh and Shakky, then tipped his hat and left Shakky's Rip-Off Bar.
---
After Ace left, Shakky turned to Rayleigh and asked, "Are you really going to Skypiea with him? Will it take long?"
"Not too long," Rayleigh said, shaking his head. He pulled out a bottle of wine from his coat, uncorked it, and took a sip before continuing, "That boy carries Roger's bloodline. At most, a year... and I might not have anything left to teach him by then."
"Oh?"
Shakky looked surprised at Rayleigh's evaluation. With a smile, she said, "It's rare for you to praise a youngster like that. Let me think... the last person you spoke so highly of was that red-haired brat—now one of the Four Emperors ruling the New World. Is it because Ace is Roger's son?"
"Hardly." Rayleigh shook his head. "Bloodline is just an illusion. A person's strength depends entirely on their will. In Ace, I see the same spirit Roger had. If he keeps growing, he may very well reach Roger's level."
"If he can reach Roger's level... wouldn't that make him the next Pirate King?" Shakky said in astonishment.
"The next Pirate King? Maybe." Rayleigh took another sip of wine, then muttered, "But I can sense that this kid... he's different from Roger."
"Different from Roger?" Shakky didn't understand. She shook her head and walked away, leaving Rayleigh alone in the bar.
"...Roger, your child might not be the one you were waiting for after all," Rayleigh murmured, his gaze drifting off in thought.
---
After leaving Shakky's bar, Ace took a casual walk through the area. By evening, he returned to Dock No. 7, where the Spade Pirates' ship was anchored.
When he arrived, only Gumby and two other crew members were back. The rest had probably decided to stay the night in town.
"Hey, Captain Ace, you're back!"
Gumby jumped off the ship and approached him. "How did it go?"
"It went very well." Ace nodded. "He was much kinder than I expected... and he's agreed to become my mentor and teach me Haki."
"Your mentor?"
Gumby was stunned. "So that's why you came to the Sabaody Archipelago? To find a master? Who is he, if I may ask?"
"He's a legend," Ace said, smiling as he looked up at the sky. "Senior Silvers Rayleigh."
"Y-You... what?!"
Gumby stared at him in shock. "You mean the Silvers Rayleigh? The 'Dark King'? The right hand of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger?!"
"That's right." Ace nodded. "But let's keep this quiet. Senior Rayleigh probably doesn't want unnecessary attention."
"Y-Yeah... got it..."
Gumby swallowed hard. Then he asked nervously, "Captain Ace, if you're going to train under 'Dark King' Rayleigh... will you be gone a long time?"
"We'll be training on Sky Island," Ace replied. "Rayleigh is coming with us, so we'll probably be staying there for a while."
"C-Can we come too?" Gumby asked excitedly.
"Of course," Ace said with a grin. "But training might get dull. If you'd rather wait on the Blue Sea, I won't stop you."
"Go? Of course I'm going!"
Gumby looked like he'd just been invited to meet a living god. "To see 'Dark King' Silvers Rayleigh in person? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
Just then, a sudden voice interrupted them from aboard the ship:
"Hey? Who are you?! What are you doing here?!"
Ace and Gumby both turned sharply, their expressions darkening at the unexpected intrusion.
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