"Huh?!"
Ace's heart skipped a beat at those words, and he couldn't help but turn to look at the guy who had nearly beaten him to death.
Meanwhile, Will had already returned to the table, digging back into his meal.
He happened to take a bite of steamed fish, and his eyes suddenly lit up.
"Mmm, this dish is pretty good. The flavor's fresh and absolutely worth a try."
With that, he picked up the plate of fish and handed it to Vivi, who was sitting nearby.
"Quick, take this to Ace."
"Hm?" Vivi blinked, caught off guard.
Her eye twitched slightly, feeling like he was treating her like some kind of maid.
Still, she took the plate and stood up, walking over to Ace and handing it to him. "Here, take it and eat."
"Thanks."
Ace didn't stand on ceremony. He grabbed the plate, picked up the spoon resting on the fish, and started wolfing it down.
"Mmm, the taste is pretty great!"
After polishing off the entire fish, Ace didn't bother wiping the broth that had stained the bandages around his mouth.
He hopped off the bench, acting like nothing had happened, and plopped down next to Dalton at an empty spot, continuing to eat heartily.
Starving to the point of feeling like he could devour an elephant, Ace was in his element.
The others, though a bit surprised by his enthusiasm, didn't say anything.
Will, for his part, didn't seem to care much either.
Then, while devouring a plate of fried rice, Ace suddenly thudded face-first into the dish.
"Huh?"
Nami and Vivi, sitting nearby, froze before exclaiming in unison, "Did he just die?!"
"Could he have choked from eating too fast?!"
Chopper, ever the professional doctor, immediately considered this possibility. He leapt off his chair and hurried over to check on Ace.
But just then, Ace, with his face still buried in the fried rice, let out a muffled snore.
"This…" Dalton, standing nearby, was utterly dumbfounded.
Chopper, after a quick examination, breathed a sigh of relief. He looked up at the others with a smile. "It's fine. He's just asleep."
"This guy… falling asleep while eating?" Carina's expression was one of sheer disbelief.
But the very next second—
"Ahh, so good!" Ace suddenly lifted his head and resumed shoveling fried rice into his mouth as if nothing had happened.
The group exchanged glances, their eyes filled with speechless exasperation.
Will, watching the scene unfold, found it somewhat amusing. He hadn't expected the guy to be capable of eating and sleeping at the same time.
As expected, everyone on this vast sea has their own unique skills.
Taking advantage of Ace's momentary wakefulness, Will munched on a rib from the table and casually struck up a conversation. "By the way, Ace, I heard you came to Drum Island chasing after some guy named Blackbeard."
"Hm?" Ace, mouth full of rice, looked up in surprise. He swallowed hard and said seriously, "Yeah, but it's not about killing him—it's about capturing him."
His tone grew heavier. "Because I'm going to drag that damned guy back and execute him in front of the entire crew."
Blackbeard had once been his subordinate, yet he'd committed an unforgivable act. If Ace didn't bring him back for a public execution, how could he face Whitebeard, who had placed so much trust in him?
Will raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with curiosity. "Aren't you worried that Blackbeard might be stronger than you now?"
"Ha?" Ace couldn't help but laugh. "No way."
Sure, Blackbeard had stolen a Devil Fruit, but Ace didn't believe he could've surpassed him in such a short time.
Seeing Ace's confident expression, Will couldn't resist teasing him. "Didn't you also think before that my strength wasn't necessarily greater than yours? And how'd that turn out?"
"Uh…" Ace's face froze, and he found himself at a loss for words.
After all, he had been thoroughly defeated by Will just yesterday.
Though he was still a bit unwilling to accept it and planned to challenge Will again after dealing with Blackbeard, he couldn't argue with the facts.
Seeing Ace fall silent, Will didn't press the matter. Instead, he continued, "Even if Blackbeard can't beat you one-on-one, you've probably investigated enough to know he's not acting alone anymore."
"Blackbeard's got himself a crew now and formed the Blackbeard Pirates. If you keep chasing him down recklessly on your own, facing their combined counterattack, are you sure you've got enough confidence to handle it?"
"This…" Ace's brow furrowed, a hint of hesitation in his expression.
He hadn't gathered any intel on Blackbeard's new crewmates, so he couldn't gauge their strength.
But in the end, a flicker of determination flashed in Ace's eyes. He spoke earnestly, "Will, I know you mean well, but please don't try to talk me out of this."
"This is an internal matter for the Whitebeard Pirates, and it's something I have to deal with."
"Besides, Blackbeard was my subordinate. I know his strength better than you do."
"Even if he's found some capable crewmates, I'm still confident I can take him down."
"So thanks for the heads-up, but there's no way I'm losing to a guy like that!"
The thought of Blackbeard ambushing and killing Thatch sent a surge of anger through Ace's veins. He had to capture Blackbeard, even if it meant breaking every bone in his body!
Seeing Ace's unyielding confidence, Will didn't say more. He nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Some people can't be persuaded with words—better to let them face their fate.
With that, Will picked up a large steak from the table and savored it with relish.
Ace, feeling a bit relieved, grinned and went back to eating and drinking heartily, making himself right at home.
Nami, Vivi, and the others stayed quiet throughout, eating and listening in silence.
After everyone finished their meal, Ace, surprisingly, took it upon himself to wash the dishes. Even Dalton was caught off guard by this.
Once the dishes were done, Ace dried his hands and instinctively reached to adjust his hat—only to freeze when he realized it was gone, lost in yesterday's battle.
He didn't dwell on it, though. Walking over to Will, he flashed a carefree smile and said, "Alright, Will, it's about time for me to head out."
Sure, Will had dragged him into a fight in the snowy fields, leaving him battered and unconscious for a day and a night. But Ace didn't hold it against the towering, powerful guy in front of him.
If anything, he was already itching for a chance to spar with him again.
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