The deep, encroaching darkness of the treeline offered more than just good cover; it was the suitable place Gojo had envisioned for their battle. Gojo strode ahead, his footsteps silent on the damp earth. Ace followed a few steps behind, his gaze fixed on the blindfolded man's back.
The other four members of the Spade Pirates—Deuce, Skull, Deli, and Kotatsu—caught up to Ace. Masked Deuce, the most cautious of the group, leaned in, speaking in a low, concerned voice close to Ace's ear. "Captain, what are you doing? He is far too arrogant. He doesn't have an ounce of respect for you, or for the crew. And you still want to recruit him? Letting someone like that join us will not be good in the future."
Ace replied immediately. His tone was perfectly calm, and he made no effort to lower his voice; he knew Gojo would hear every word. Let him hear it. "You are thinking too much, Deuce. With his powerful strength, he has the right to be arrogant, and that's all it is." Ace paused, a thoughtful shadow crossing his face. "We have a deal: if I win this duel, he will join the Spade Pirates."
He continued, his voice firming with conviction. "And didn't you see how he stood up for the people he cares about back at Martha's restaurant? When those pirates were about to destroy even a single chair, he stopped them—he protected her place without hesitation." Ace looked to his crew, his expression earnest. "That clearly shows that if he joins us, he will absolutely be a good friend of ours. Not to mention, he will definitely take care of things when they matter."
The logic behind Ace's words settled the unrest among the Spade Pirates. What their captain said was the undeniable truth. Based on Gojo's protective behaviour back at the restaurant, they had to conclude that he was not someone who would betray his friends; rather, he was fiercely protective of them. With their concerns quieted, they settled down, remaining silent and following quietly behind Ace, who in turn kept pace with the blindfolded man ahead.
…
Soon, they emerged into a small open space after crossing the dense grouping of trees. The faint moonlight managed to filter down, illuminating the clearing. Gojo stopped and stood calmly, his posture relaxed as he turned to face Ace. Ace was also ready, his stance already athletic, and the familiar iron pipe was gripped tightly in his right hand.
I shouldn't use my Devil Fruit powers from the very beginning, Ace thought, studying Gojo's relaxed form.
As Ace thought this, Gojo felt the exact same sentiment. He, too, didn't want to use his own power from the get-go. He wanted to test his normal physical strength against a prodigy like Ace. A proper physical spar first. Gojo recalled the memories he held: Ace was an undeniable genius and a prodigy who, at a very young age, would eventually rise to serve as the captain of a unit under the legendary Whitebeard Pirates. Because of that future knowledge, Gojo knew that Ace's innate strength must be formidable enough to warrant a serious test.
Ace was the first to strike, launching forward with a fierce, driven speed, swinging his iron pipe in a heavy, arcing blow. The air whished around the metal. Gojo reacted in kind, his movements appearing far more fluid and economical. He unsheathed his sword and attacked at an incredible speed, meeting the incoming pipe head-on.
The blade and the pipe collided with a deafening clang, generating a bright spray of sparks in the dim light. To Gojo's mild, yet anticipated, lack of surprise, he instantly found that Ace was physically stronger—significantly so. The raw force of the blow was about to overwhelm Gojo, threatening to drive him back a full step. But Gojo was not one to yield ground so easily.
Instead of retreating, he subtly tilted his sword, attempting to deflect the iron pipe along a slanting line. Ace, however, was sharp; he saw the deflection coming and knew that if his pipe moved in that direction, he would create a crucial opening for Gojo to exploit. Ace instantly countered, applying brute force to his strike, refusing the tilt and instead pushing the pipe inward straight toward Gojo's chest.
Gojo was ready for this aggression. The moment Ace committed to the forceful inward shove, Gojo moved his sword entirely away, letting the pipe fly past him, totally unhindered. This maneuver left Ace momentarily exposed. As the pipe sailed harmlessly past Gojo's shoulder, a perfect opening was created, and Gojo lashed out with his sword, aiming for the vulnerable gap.
Ace also knew—the split second Gojo pulled his blade back—that he had left himself open. A deadly mistake. Without hesitation, Ace used the momentum of his pipe swing to propel himself backward, narrowly evading the incoming blade. Though a complex series of moves had unfolded, the entire exchange occurred in a chaotic, blurring flash, lasting only a few seconds.
After backing away and regaining his footing, Ace immediately struck again with his iron pipe. This time, Gojo was completely ready. He won't catch me off balance twice. He adjusted his entire body, shifting his weight and posture in a precise manner so that when his sword next collided with Ace's pipe, he would be able to distribute and handle the brute force.
And that is precisely what happened. The pipe and sword met with another violent K-SHING! Unlike the first time, Gojo wasn't on the verge of being pushed back; the clash resulted in a perfect, grinding stalemate. This display of immediate, calculated adjustment genuinely surprised Ace. But he quickly understood the reason: Gojo was using his full body—every muscle and tendon—in a perfect, precise alignment to take on Ace's full body strength. It was a sleek and incredibly difficult achievement, one that even a prodigy like Ace couldn't confidently claim he could consistently replicate.
Gojo then slightly moved forward, attempting to press his advantage and push Ace back. Ace resisted, applying maximum force. Both men yielded only slightly, ending up pushing each other back simultaneously. They each took a few measured steps back, the ground crunching under their boots.
Ace charged again, moving with a blur of focused aggression. But with his Observation Haki, Gojo saw through the exact trajectory of Ace's incoming attack before it even fully began. Gojo moved in a subtle, almost effortless shift, dodging the iron pipe at the absolute last, precise moment. In the same motion, he slashed horizontally with his sword toward Ace's stomach.
Clearly, in this round of pure skill, Gojo was the definitive winner.
But Gojo knew he hadn't truly won. Although the sharp blade connected with the fabric of Ace's stomach, only a burst of fire erupted from the cut region instead of blood. Gojo didn't even turn fully toward Ace; he simply lowered his sword and stated, his voice devoid of surprise: "Fire-type Logia-type fruit."
----
Want to get daily updates and read chapters on a daily basis? Then join my Patreon!
Patreon Link: https://[email protected]/Hkj822
Join Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Ab9HdNbK