Night fell, and silver moonlight draped the three small ships like shimmering veils.
The harbor was silent except for the gentle rhythm of waves lapping against the shore.
Three suspicious-looking figures crept toward the docks.
Ace.
Sabo.
And Anne.
"Quick! While Mom and Dad are asleep!" Ace whispered excitedly. This was the closest they had come to success in four whole years. Every previous attempt had ended with Roger dragging them back before they even reached the ships.
Sabo cautiously scanned their surroundings.
"This is when security is at its weakest, but that's exactly why we can't let our guard down..."
Anne had already silently untied the mooring ropes from her ship.
Her massive greatsword rested across her back.
She never talked much.
Her actions said everything.
Let's go.
Hurry.
Ace grinned confidently.
"This is definitely it."
Then he looked at his companions.
"Hey! Anne, Sabo! What's the first thing you're going to do after setting sail?"
Sabo thought for a moment.
"I want to see the world."
"Uncle Ritter once said that only the world you've seen with your own eyes is the real world."
Anne's answer was much simpler.
"I'm going to pick up Kuina."
"I already talked it over with Hiyori. They're waiting for me."
Just as the three of them were about to board their ships...
A smiling voice drifted from the shadows.
"So late at night... where are you three off to?"
Golden light shimmered.
Tesoro leaned lazily against a pile of gold-filled crates, casually flipping a gold coin between his fingers as he watched them with an amused smile.
The three youngsters froze.
Ace recovered first.
He stepped forward, his eyes full of determination.
"Uncle Tesoro!"
"We're setting sail!"
"No one's stopping us!"
Sabo adjusted his glasses.
They didn't even have prescription lenses, but Uncle Ritter had given them to him, and he treasured them.
"Uncle Tesoro."
"You should understand."
"A dream can't stay trapped inside a harbor forever."
"Just like Uncle Roger always said..."
"A pirate isn't meant to stay on one island forever."
"And Mom told us Uncle Ritter crossed these seas searching for his own dream."
Anne said nothing.
She simply rested one hand on the hilt of the giant sword on her back.
Her meaning was obvious.
If you stop me... I'll fight you.
Sorry.
Tesoro chuckled softly.
Liquid gold flowed around his body.
"I understand your longing for the sea."
"As your uncle, I really should support you."
"But understanding is one thing."
"If I simply let you leave..."
"I won't be able to explain it to Lady Rouge or to Captain Roger."
He deliberately emphasized the word Captain.
"So..."
"This road is closed."
"Then we have no choice!" Ace declared.
His eyes sharpened.
In one swift motion he drew both weapons from his waist.
His fire saber and his blade.
Roger had entrusted both of these weapons to Ace years ago.
"Two Sword Style!"
"Flame Flash!"
Fire erupted across both weapons as he charged first.
This wasn't the power of the Flame-Flame Fruit.
Judge had upgraded the weapons for Anne before they were later entrusted to Ace.
Besides, in the world of One Piece, not only Devil Fruits can produce flames.
Sabo moved like the wind.
His slender sword swept toward Tesoro's legs.
"Viper Fang!"
"Rapid Thrust!"
Anne inhaled deeply.
Gripping her nearly body-length greatsword with both hands, she swung it with tremendous force.
"Anne Style!"
"Wave Cleaver!"
Tesoro sighed.
"Oh my."
"Sabo looks so refined."
"So why is your fighting style so vicious?"
Sabo smiled.
"That's one of the reasons I like wearing glasses, Uncle."
Facing all three attackers simultaneously...
Tesoro remained completely relaxed.
The liquid gold transformed into shields...
Whips...
Walls...
He effortlessly blocked Ace's flaming slashes.
Dodged Sabo's venomous sword thrusts.
And even caught Anne's devastating overhead strike head-on.
"Good strength."
"Your techniques aren't bad either."
"But defeating me..."
"You're still a long way from that."
A massive golden fist crashed down.
The impact forced all three of them backward.
The trio panted heavily.
They exchanged a glance.
Trying to defeat him individually was impossible.
"Together!"
Sabo shouted.
Ace nodded.
Flames exploded outward, forming a blazing wall that blocked Tesoro's vision.
"I've got this!"
Anne immediately understood.
She drove her greatsword into the ground, creating the opening Sabo needed.
Sabo darted straight through the flames.
His blade glowed with an ominous purple light.
"Paralyzing Venom!"
"Seven-Star Strike!"
The sword flashed.
In an instant...
Its tip struck seven different points on Tesoro's body.
The speed was so incredible that only afterimages remained.
Tesoro genuinely hadn't expected Sabo's poison techniques to be this strange and precise.
Nor had he expected the three youngsters' teamwork to improve so dramatically.
He raised a wall of gold to defend himself.
Then suddenly...
A faint numbness spread through the places Sabo had struck.
His movements slowed for the briefest instant.
"Now!"
Ace roared.
"Anne Style!"
Anne lifted her greatsword once more.
This time...
Every ounce of her strength flowed into the blade.
"Rockbreaker!"
A colossal slash tore through the air.
Combined with Ace's flaming slash from the flank...
Both attacks crashed toward Tesoro simultaneously.
"Oh?"
Real surprise finally appeared in Tesoro's eyes.
The hastily formed golden wall shattered instantly.
The tremendous impact blasted him backward.
He crashed heavily into a stack of cargo crates.
Boom!
Then...
Nothing.
The three youngsters stared nervously at the cloud of dust.
"Did..."
"Did we actually win?" Ace asked in disbelief.
Sabo remained cautious.
"The attack definitely landed."
"The paralysis poison should have taken effect too..."
Anne had already sheathed her greatsword.
She quietly headed toward her ship.
"Hurry."
Ace suddenly shouted,
"The treasure!"
"What kind of pirates leave treasure behind?"
"Let's make this our very first haul!"
Ace and Sabo immediately reacted.
They quickly divided the treasure into three equal shares and tossed them onto their respective ships.
There was no time to confirm whether Tesoro had truly been knocked unconscious.
An opportunity like this wouldn't come twice.
The three of them leaped aboard their ships.
The sails unfurled.
"We're setting sail!"
Ace stood proudly at the bow, shouting with excitement.
Sabo adjusted his sails.
A relieved smile finally appeared on his face.
Anne looked back one last time.
The warm lights of the distant village flickered peacefully.
That was the direction of home.
A trace of reluctance flashed through her eyes.
Then it disappeared.
Only determination remained.
The three small ships silently slipped away from the harbor...
Disappearing into the endless night and the vast sea.
...
A short while later...
Beside the shattered pile of cargo crates...
Tesoro slowly sat up.
He brushed the dust from his clothes.
Then looked toward the direction where the three ships had vanished.
Instead of looking annoyed...
A knowing smile spread across his face.
"Heh."
"The younger generation..."
"They really don't hold back."
He rubbed the spots where Sabo's sword had struck.
For someone of his level...
That tiny bit of paralysis was practically meaningless.
"Their teamwork wasn't bad..."
He smiled to himself.
"...Forget it."
"I'll just pretend I didn't see anything."
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